voice and as much as our matter We should labour to be so honest in our way sinceâ—e louing faithfull tender to soules denying our selues and hauing a sensible stampe of conuiction in our selues that wee might not wrong the Word we teach It is not the rolling of speech our lowd words but sincerity and simplenesse of our scope that must preuaile as Paul saith 2 Cor. 4.2 3. Oh tell men 2 Cor. 4. â— Deut. 29. If any heare the Words of this Law and blesse themselues with peace Gods wrath shall smoke against such Doe not blanch doe not dawbe with bad morter sow no piâ—lowes but rather pluck off mens mufflers and vizors and cry as those Boanorges did Awake oh dead slothfull suotill heart Bee not beaten off from this by the peoples vnthankfulnesse and repining plow we with Gods heifer and he shall teach our tongues this logique Study we our selues first then the Scriptures and the Spirit of conuincement shall follow vs wh ch the wâ—â—ld shall not resist We shall be a sweet sauor to God in all Eze. 33.3 4 1 King â— 224 both who are saued and who perish if we doe thus else we shall pay for their blood Suffer no Sycophant to disswade vs as hee did offer to Michaiah Though the wicked will say Wee are informed and haue plowed with other mens heyfers and we â—eâ—er speake well to them yet in the end faithfull witnesses shal be honoured Secondly the people must bee warned to shake off their Branch 2 lets of conuiction Let the righteous smite you it shall bee as balme The poore man whose impostume was let out by an enemy fared better by him then by all his Physicians Hunt out those three enemies before and adde a fourth of selfe-loue It is an Adder which will not heare the voice of the charmer The sweetnesse of vsury pleasures lawfull liberties ease will be as a Delila to keep off the least conuiction of the Law How can I want such a sinne Who can prooue such a gainfull lost to be so sinfull Surely he will sting thee with it as Delila did Samson when the sweet is past who now so enchants thee and then most of all when thou cryest The bitternesse of death is past Againe thinke not cch pâ—ng or glimpse of light or holding of a truth to be conuiction For so the Deuill will betray thee if euer thou be called to suffer Nay in thy ordinary course thou wilt confesse a Christ but deny him before a Papist Thou wilt say Thy soule is more worth then the World but stake it for a groate Conviction is no opinion but the ouerpowring of the Conscience If the truth bee no stronger then the Soules resistance there is no Conuiction The Martyrs gaue their blood for Transubstaâ—tiation Which they had neuer done had they not seene and beene conuinced of the issue of it Thirdly Examine â—hâ—y selfe about this weighty worke of the Law that thou maist hope to go on more safely Try it by these markes First By the loue of a conuincing Ministery and loathing of the contrary Secondly A cleering of God and the righteousnesse of his Law call thy selfe the slaue sold under sin As he to Achan Giue glory to God! Hug the Chirurgion that lanced thee Thirdly Shame and confusion for sin Dan. 9. The Publicane durst not looke vp Peter bids Christ depart for he was vtterly confounded at the power of Christ Thus they in Ezra 10. vnder the raine of Heauen so thou vnder this showre Rom. 6 21. What fruit Fourthly By thy thanks to God 1 Cor. 14.25 God is in you of a truth Fifthly Vnder thy confusion till God raise thee vp Habac. 3. let rottennesse enter into bones that peace may be in the day of trouble Crust not ouer thy sore waxe not weary of this work of God as most doe A man once throughly shamed and confessing is hardly after defiled Lastly let it end in true consternation of soule and terror for thy sin of which we are to speake Q. What is the second worke of Conviction A. The second is of the whole soule callâ—d terror and bondage For when the former worke of conuiction hath prevailed it works thus that such a soule is as vnder an arrest and seeing it selfe this sinner this cursed one hee is thereby killed and the spirit brought into terror and bondage And this the Lord sees meet to adde to the former for else as a dog with his chayne loose so the conscience runs riot with the worke of bare knowledge of sinne But if the dogge be fastned to his chayne hee is vnder custody And this is that which is so oft spoken of in Rom. 7. when Paul saith When the Law came I dyed Meaning in spirit and conscience That selfe of iollity ease and security which sinne afforded was nipt and quasht and in stead of it a sad item giuen to the soule taking away the taste of her morsels mixing the gall of aspes with her drinke and stinging her as an Adder and stabbing her to the heart as a sword for her conuinced villanies yea and none more then this body of death which still dogges her and wounds her as fast as she licks her selfe whole with all her duties or abstinences and works and shifts proouing her a slaue sold vnder misery and shewing her a nature a world of sinne and woe to beare downe all her morality and hypocrisie An heart vnder this bondage cannot be stild with Rattles the Spring comes so fast that there is no stopping it by the wit of man till a stronger streame turne it backe The like speech is that Sinne by the Law slew mee Hee meanes not any mortification but hee touches vpon that point of the iolâ—inesse of a sinner who that sinne might bee out of measure sinfull prides himselfe in his estate This pride the law resists le ts out the rankenesse of it and abases it with terror of hel and wrath And that in so great measure of times that when God leaues them from hope they wickedly bereaue themselues of life And yet this is not grace but in the elect a seed of it without which the Lord were no more fit to treat with them about saluation then a Smith to meddle with a wild horse but when hee hath cast him hee can handle him at pleasure This worke in Scripture is called the Spirit of feare or Bondage not bondage to sinne but by it whereby as they who are prisoners vnder chaynes doe lye in sorrow and horror without escape or hope so doe these Their spirit is enslaued to feare their conscience to guilt accusation to the whip of wrath and iustice yea crusht downe to Hell by the torment of such a spirit as cannot sustaine it selfe for the restlesse anguish thereof Q. Seeing this point of legall terrour is one of the maine points of this first Part tell me how many things make for the vnderstandâ—ng of it A. Three things especially First
The difference Secondly The nature the effects and end of it Thirdly The extremitiâ—s or abuse of it Q What is the difference of it from the former legall workes A. The worke of enlightning casts out ignorance the worke of conuincing resists deadnesse and insensiblenesse But this third of consternation or terror resists that pride and iollity of a sinner ouerbearing himselfe and lifting vp himselfe in his sinne without checke or remorse And this latter is of all other the most proper worke of the Law to tame and beate downe the lofty heart of man setting vp a Law to it selfe to walke as it listeth without law or feare Q. What is the nature of it A. It is a presenting more or lesse of the wrath and penaâ—ties due â—o sin vnto the whole man by the conscience for the casting of it downe at the feete of God Marke these heads First It s a presenting for the dead bare letter of the ten Commandements cannot doe this by any magicall power No it s the worke of the Powerfull Ministery of the Law which can doe it The Lord who put the former gift or conuiction into it puts this also of subduing and casting downe into â—his Law Ministery Although in appearance it be weake yet God setting it on worke with the authority of his Spirit with power to carry his errand into the soule it shall be able without feare or flattery to doe it and to doe that which no Law of Princes can effect euen to flait and gaster the conscience Lawes of men are absent but this law is pâ—esented by God to the soule From him it first came and by him it was giuen in terror and earth quakes by strong Angels to master the proud heart of man and is still pronounced and presented to the same vpon the mount Ebal of the legall Ministery in the open assembly as it came therefore from God so it is supported in her power by God and serues for his vse in all places to arrest and cast downe all sinners and carry them to prison vnder sentence at the Iudges pleasure Secondly It doth present the wrath and penalties of sinne especially Till these come sinne is at peace Euen as while the Iudge is reading his Commission or giuing his charge or calling a Iury or hearing the crime debated but when the thiefe sees more that hee hath power to giue oath take euidence and verdict and pronounce sentence of death presenting the messengers of it to the eare the knife the hatchet the fire the halter then his courage comes downe The law in her Ministery is this voice of God and Iudge of a sinner Rom. 4.15 therefore called the Ministery of the letter the messenger of wrath the Law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 Not of the wrath of a man against a man but of God against a sinner not able to kill the body but to cast body and soule into hell This law curseth from Gods mouth euery stale sinner soked in his lees Cursed be euery one that abides not in all things to doe them cursed from God be euery lyer swearer adulterer hypocrite worldling Desolation and destruction tribulation and anguish be vpon euery soule that sinnes high and low without baile or main prise and if God curse cursed they are and who shall blesse them It is no curse of a sinne vpon a sinner no Popes curse with booke bell and candle which yet made Kings to tremble and made them as blacke as soote in the opinion of fooles no not the curse of a father which may turne to a blessing as Iacobs did to Simeon and Leui but the curse of the eternall God whose wrath is the messenger of death and blasteth indeed wheresoeuer it lighteth and whatsoeuer resists it This wrath I say marke well in the penalties of it temporall spirituall and eternall the law presents to a sinfull soule Temporall in this life Leu. 26.24 2 Cor. 15.6 read Deut. 29. setting God against the soule in all hâ—r course walking contrary to her because she hath walked so to him vexing her withall aduersity and suffering nothing to goe currant either in one kinde or other marriage crosse children cursed state vntoward successe naught God against me in all Spirituall and farre worse penalties in the soule deserting it and leauing it to her owne impenitency security hardnesse obstinacy which is Gods curse vnder seale Lam. 3.65 as a Baylif holding vnder arrest euen till hell eternall at death euen a separation from the presence of God and a tormenting of it for euer in hell in the fulnesse of this wrath which indeed is the dying the death and yet neuer dead without hope ease or remedy Thirdly Ceazing vpon the whole man by the Conscience for as the law is the worker so the conscience is the immediate obiect of this wrath God hath made it the lawes obiect created it with a marueilous power of sensiblenesse aboue all parts to record and to apprehend all sin and wrath for it if God had not so ordeined it could neuer receiue into it selfe so infinite wrath of Gods Iustice as now it can It exceedes the apprehension of any the tendrest part when it s stung with an Adder scalt with water or boyling oyle burnt with fire cut with a sword the sence of conscience ceazed with this wrath of God is vnspeakeable and cannot be vttered by man it cannot enter into man that feeles it not to conceaue the sting and vexation of conscience being thus wounded for sinne in which it s differenced from all other consciences eitheâ— first Ignorant erroneous and superstitious conscience not fearing or fearing amisse Secondly defiled conscience dallying with God halfe conuinced and halfe whole hypocritically feeling God in some of his Law but preuailing by subtilty against the rest that so it might shunne the dint â—hereof Thirdly Seared and hardned conscience which by long rebellion and resistance of the Law hath got the mastry of the Law and is waxen senslesse and vselesse forgetting her office I say these are cursed neither shall they auoid the dint of this law at the length earlier or later their dog shall awake one day and howeuer they sleep yet 2 Pet. 2.6 Their damnation sleepes not Onely this conscience of which Salomon speakes Who can beare the load of it this wounded conscience differs from all these and is the obiect of the Law thus presenting wrath to it that by how much the more it seemes in worse case then the other three yet by this feeling of God she might in due time prooue better then the best of them And I say conscience is so the next obiect that yet the whole man thereby partakes of this wrath As Iob speakes of himselfe Thy feares are vpon mee day and night The arrowes of the Almighty stick fast in me Thou scarest mee with dreames and visions no rest in my flesh for thee And chap. 33. My bones clatter and stick out all dainty meat is
life of creation as in these few things may appeare in the well framed constitution of body appeare First Vnion of parts Secondly Order Thirdly Sweetnesse and beauty Fourthly Strength and actiuity Aptnes at the end it serues for But in a dead carcasse together with the absence of the life and soule of reason what appeares saue contrary effects Impotency to all former Operations Genes 6.5 disorder stinch and putrifaction confusion and yerksomenesse The generall then is Destruction of the frame of Nature Rom. 3.23 corruption of the Image of God Touching the parts both faculties and powers of the soule and body it were endlesse to mention all In the minde there is a death of all pure light and knowledge Ephes 5.8 a nakednesse of Gods image in poynt of that ruling and ouerruling power by which shee conueyed direction to all the inferiour faculties will first and then affections and operations now she is both darknesse in her selfe and losse of her birthright to rule other parts vnto darkenesse adde death of iudgement easily receiued in matter of discerning of the natures and truths of things and so also impotency and languor of appreheâ—sion dulnesse and inability to conceiue good things Esay 44. â—0 Rom. 7.14 21. and besides this priuatiue indispositioâ— also a positiue pronenâ—s and propensity to all euiâ—l of the mindâ— I conceits false hereticall erroneous opinions vaine prophane idolatrous vnsauoury imaginations discourses thoughts and iudgements Rom. 8.5 keeping in memory noysome and â—uâ—tfull obiects So secondly Deâ—th of the will especially Rom. 7.14 in the matter of her subiection to the lore and leauing of the vnderstandâ—ng then also in her faculty of wâ—lâ—ing and nillinâ— or suspending corruptnesse in the freedome thereoâ— by meere bondage both vnto sin and by sin a deprauednesse of the chusing facul y and so of â—he rest yea a disposednesse to will onely and continuâ—lly euill to nill good to suspend onely from good and not euill Iames 4.1 Ecles 7.27 to clâ—use euill before good So truely doth the Lord complaine That the whole frame of the soule is onely euill continually To these adde the death of afflictions in poynt of their due direction to the obiects and whole inclination of them to a prepostrous and disordered liking of â—uill dislike of good Ephe. 4.29 Iere. 2.25 a disposition thereof to extremities on either hand either to loue hope sorrow feare pity shame zeale and the rest more then ought to bee or vnder that should be and thereby to ouerthrow the course and order of the whole of the whole conuersation Esa 57. vlt. Ioyne to these the death of the conscience both in respect of her staruing death that she wants matter of excusing peace and conten hauing lost all welfare and the death of her purenessâ— â—o represent obiects to the soule aright eyther with comfort oâ— accusatioâ— not to speake of her pronenesse to be defiled diâ—abled feared senselessâ— and slauish according to the corruption of â—he mind both which goe together Tit. 1.15 Rom. 6.8 As toâ—ching the spirits and the sences and the members there is a deâ—tâ— in them of that hability soundnesse vigor and serâ—iceablenesse to the soule in good things and a pronenesse and tickling to be vainely and frothily imployed except worse bee offred euen prophanely and vnholily And to conclude there is a death of the person in respect of that right and soueraignety ouer the creaturâ—s wiâ—h a sl uâ—sh pronenesse rather to Idolize them both in the worship of some and the loue or vse of others a declension from Goâ— and a reuolt to the base creature as Eue did to the forbidden fruit Q Now what is the misery of Actuall sinne A. The deprauednesse and death of all the operations flowing from the soule within or the body without for whereas these resembled the purenesse of the principle at the first lo now they bewray the contrary all confusion disorder ignorance and vnrighteousnesse being broken into them As appeares in this that in the first table the soule departing from God sets vp to her selfe other gods profit pleasure ease worldly lusts worships him after her owne deuices liues as seemeth best to herselfe in her conuersation abhorres his Sabbaths and the like In the second that forsaking the law of righteousnes and sobriety the soule defiles her selfe with disobedience and rebellion to man to vnnatu all cruâ—ll and vnmercifull carriage to vncleannesse Mat. 15.19 Gala. 5 19 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. Psal 14.2 1 Kin. 8.46 Rom. 3 9 to reuenge to wrath to vniust oppressing defrauding wayes to lyes tricks and slanderous aspertions to a continuall lusting after vnrighteousnes And all these not onely in open acts which are not so vsuall but in the actuall thoughts desires proiects counsels of the heart yeelding consenting thereto and delighting to thinke of talke of to loue and commend sinfull practizes as swearing drunkennesse bebate wrong intemperancy and the like For these are but one of a thousand of those actuâ—ll sinnes which as sparkles flye vp from the former fornace Not all these in euery mâ—n but some in one and some in another See 1 Cor. 6.7 Such were yee some of yee c. Q And wherein stands the second generall part of misery to wit of punishment A. In the manifold penalties both of soule and body and those properly expresse that threat of God When thou eatest thou shalt dye the death In the soule first for of all other these are fearefullest because they are sinfull penalties of sinne first an auersenesse from God or from returning to God any more but going from him further and further infinitely Ephe. 4.14 15. Rom. 8.7 Rom. 7.23 2 Cor. 2.14 Cannot c. As a stone cannot melt an insensiblenesse of soule in this double misery a dedolency of heart vtterly and impenitently hardned in it an vncapeablenesse of admitting of any meanes to draw the soule out of misery to any better estate a spirit of resisting and opposition of any such an infinite peaceablenesse and content of heart in the present condition thinking this bondage and hell another liberty and heauen and if berest of it raging as the Beare robbed of her whelpes and so a pronenesse to bee riueted more and more deepely into this woe with lesse and lesse feeling or beleeuing it Now these we must know are of a deeper dye then the former as being cursed of God vpon and against a sinfull Rebell giuing him ouer to himselfe and sealing him to wrath and perdition which though the Lord doth not alwaies enlarge but rather suspend till the due season thereof yet they are all inherent in our corrupt nature Touching the body where shall I beginne or end What languors and diseases are there incident to the body what pouerty basenesse beggery and want to the estate Gene. 2.17 Esay 53.4 what reproch to the name and credit aspersions slaunders dishonour What misery in family in
of sinne As concerning those notions which were left in them and were in stead of a law they were onely enough to condemne them not otherwise The most ignorant and vicious among them easily blew out that dimme sparke they had by the blast of their strong lusts and were giuen vp to a reprobate sence and horrible lusts Their most morall Philosophers although to the shame of Christians it may bee spoken hatcht vp their sparkles of dimme light to some measure yet as touching the true knowledge of sinne they had it not they thought some sins no sins some sins vertues and some vertues vices and the sinnes they saw they neuer saw them by a word or in the curse due to them they saw a dimme twilight of an vnknowne GOD vertue vice punishment or reward and therefore were farre from any true enlighting Q. But what doth the Law worke in particular A. Two distinct things Knowledge and conviction For the first reade Rom. 7. I had not knowne sinne if the Law had net said Thou shalt not lust In which respect sinne is said to raigne from Adam to Moses yea and vnder the old Law in respect of any conuincement But since the Ministery of the Word of reconciliation came the Lord hath enlarged the power of the Ministery of the Law as a preparatiue thereto in the hearts of men As Paul saith 1 Cor. 10. Those that heare the word plainly preached and by name the Law in the true spiritâ—all sence and sauor of it they fall downe and say that God is in you of a truth Not that the Ministery of Christ is properly Legall for we are Ministers of reconciliation but not excluding it Christ came not to destroy the Law in the doctrine of it for it leades to Christ saue in the rigour and dominion of it The Law then first searches the soule it s the candle of the Lord and pierces the bowels of the spirit those secret windings corners shifts and euasions of it bee they neuer so colourable and subtill It is as a great torch-light in the dead time of night in the hand of an Inquisitour which searches an house for Papists and Iesuites and finds them in their Masse and takes them with all their bookes and trinkets As the persecutors of the Saints searched all vaults and priuy doores barnes and mowes of hay and corne with speares sharp spits and swords so is the Law acted by that spirit of conuincement and search Ioh. 9. the discouerer of the thoughts and Heb. 4.12 pierceth between the ioynts and marrow The Lord hath giuen it authority ouer the conscience as his owne Bayliff to hunt out and discerne sinne in the colours in the kinds of it open secret thoughts affectioÌ„s yea concupiscence not the bare letter of the Law but the spirit for Paul notwithstanding al Gamaliels teaching knew it not And the conscience of the vnregenerate being once thus stirred is as the light of the Law to bring God into ech priuy part Not a dimme twilight but a Sunne at noonetide which shines froÌ„ East to West all ouer the spheare of Heauen and makes euery soule come out as Adam from the bushes by the voyce of God so cleerly bewraying a man to himselfe that for the time hee thinkes all other men see him pointed at by the finger of GOD. Q. How is it that the Law of GOD is the reuealer of sinne A. That most Holy and wise God who first contriued and vttered it put the light of his owne pure Maiesty into it and enabled it to discouer sinne to the soule not as other Lawes to speake to the eare but to the conscience and although there is no commandement in the whole booke of God Psal 19 Psal 119. Heb. 4.12 Eph. 5.10 11. Ioh. 3.20 which comes not from the same Author and spirit of light and truth yet the Lord hath more peculiarly put this power of Enlightening into this his morall Law as conteyning a more full exact and cleer view of all sinne both in the Nature and penalties of the same and according to his ordinance so it worketh not by the bare ten words syllables but the effectuall Ministery thereof accompanyed with the Spirit And looke what I say of light the same I adde of coâ—uiction also and her worke both are put into the Law by the same GOD whose fingers wrote it Q. Is vnbeleefe of the Gospell discouered by it A. No The Law is a modell of the righteousnes of Creation in which there was no need of fayth therefore it onely reueales those sinnes which make vs guilty without a remedy that it might dryue vs to seeke a remedy Yet we must not thinke it an imperfect light for this cause For as no man calles the Rules of Grammar imperfect because the Rules of Rhetorique are not in it so none can call the discouery of the Law insufficient because it reueales not the sinnes against the Gospell Q What sinnes doth the Law discouer A. All sorts by name Actuall and originall Q. What need any more be sayd of thiâ— haue we not heard enough of the nature of Misery in the third Aâ—ticle both in Sinne and death A. Euen that we spake there flowes from no other spring then the Law of God onely heere we adde this Article to that for this cause In that we onely bounded misery within her Compasse shewing wherein it lyes simply considered But when wee adde The Law reueales sinne wee meane as sinne and the curse lyes vpon vs as we are guilty of it and cursed by it the Law doth set the saddle vpon the right horse and so shewes sinne in her colours to the soule that it might apply the knowledge of it to thee and me in particular and this is a further worke Q. Well proceed to the enlightning worke of the Law about Actuall sinne what is it A. First the Law in the spirituall Ministery thereof doâ—h disperse those mysts and skales of the blindeye that suffer not light to enter Secondly It opens and giues light to the eyes to see sinne in her true colors For the first According to the sorts of sinners so doth the Law take away their lets of knowledge Take three or fore Instances Put case CHRIST had purpozed to enlighten a Pharise in the knowledge of sinne he would haue remmooued all the corruptions of the Law and darknes of the text They had establisht a Corban which might free a child from the fifth Commandement as their heires the Papists at this day dispence with any murthers or villanies if for their Catholique cause and ends They had curtolled the law in point of her extent confining her to some grosse crimes and taken away the key of light from the people about particulars They had set vp an exposition of their owne inuention they had made what they listed to bee sinne and what they pleased to be none they had soothed the people vp in this course and sowed pillows vnder
their elbowes thinking the law was giuen them to obey and not to enlighten or conuince oâ— sinne They had taken away foure or fiue sinnes from the Law as the Papists now doe the second Commandement as yee see in point of adultery and diuorce of oaths and periury of iustice and reuenge of loue and charity Mat. 5. ver 27 33 38 and 43. What was this but to call light darkenesse and darkenesse light If then Christ had meant to giue them true light hee would haue scattered those false and base conceits and corruptions as indeed his Sermon on the mount was chiefly to that purpose Secondly come lower to those that liue in the Church of GOD many are ignorant by meere want of meanes as thousands of Congregations at this day are though baptized I remember the speech of a Reuerend man that once on the Sabbath lighting vpon a Company as hee was going to preach neere-by who were some at foot-ball some dancing the Morris others quaffing in the Ale house asked them Sirs why doe yee thus prophane the Sabbath They answered him Alas good Sir wee know not that wee doe ill in our dancing or drinking which drew teares from his eyes If then GOD meane to enlighten such hee will giue them a Ministery of light to teach them what is good and what is euill So to come further put case a third soft hath some kind of light yet still mainteining a ciuill prophane or hypocriticall course what will the Lord doe to enlarge them with cleere knowledge Hee will take away their barres also Q. What are they A. These or the like First Their preiudice against the light and the meanes of light and instruments of light which hinders them from knowledge They haue perhaps a conceit that its a needlesse thing curious and vnprofitable a new fangled toy of some men or very difficult to get if not impossible These Ministers and their preachings are but noveltyes and might bee spared keepe people from their callings trouble the peoples braines and fill them with fancies These and the like false principles of preiudice Act. vlt. 22. The LORD will remoue Secondly Their custome in darknesse they haue liued as their forefathers and done wel enough new matters are yrksom also custome in profanenesse which holds them from comming where any light is for men are loth to know that which should vnsettle them in their loue See Ioh. 3.19 20. Men that loue darkenesse hate light lest their euils bee discouered Thirdly Their hardnesse of heart and purpose to liue in their lusts still For although order of law may compell them to Church yet when they see that knowledge robs them of their lusts they fare as a beare robbed of her whelpes and fight against the light of the Law as Pharaoh against the returning waters because their free-hold is toucht lose their lusts cosenage in buying and selling deceit lying pride reuenge they lose their life Fourthly That wofull dulnesse of edge and bluntnesse of spiâ—it by which they make themselues incapable of knowledge Heb. 5. Especially of any maine and material points Fifthly Generalnesse or slightnesse by which they please themselues to know the meer common sins which euery one may read in great letters runningâ— and through eâ—sâ— seeke no further because indeed knowledge is not their ayme but their policy to auoyd the shame of grosse ignorance A man that hath no more vse of a Map then to see the breadth or situation of Essex will content himselfe with the generall Map of that Shire but if a man would haue a due suruey of some Towne what breadth it hath what such a Lordship therein situate is what lands woods pastures hopgrounds hee will get a Draught of that Towne or a Suruey of those particulars So heere If God meane to enâ—ighten a carnall generall and formall professor or hee will take from him his generall Map and subtill generalities whereby hee detaines the truth in vnrighteousnessâ— and reach him a more speciall Map of sin to study vpon Sixtly He will remooue his sefeloue by which hee is loth to bee informed in truths his partiality and subtilty which suffers him not to heare such Truths as are like to oppose his personall precious and beloued euils whereby hee is loth to heare of any sins saue other mens not his owne and so he shunnes particular light of things which might prooue either against his luâ—ts ease credit or course in euil to vnderstand If a man bee a good Iustice hee is willing to know the Statutes and bee informed in them well that hee may be able to punish sinne to purpose If not hee is willing not to bee informed of them So is it heere but if the Lord will enlighten him hee will enlarge his Law to him and him to his Law that hee shall bee gladdest when hee meet vs with the most distinct and cleere light And so I might be infinite let this view be sufficient for this sormer Q How doth the Law giue light to the eies in knowing Actuall sins A. Both in themselues and in their penalties Q. In themselues how A. Sundry waies some of which and the cheefe I will note by them desiring the wise Reader to iudge of the rest First The Law doth present the soule with the authority of GOD in commanding and sets vp her selfe not in the sences or back parts of man but in his conscience the most priuy chamber of the soule This no law of man can doe No nor can any destitute of the law be truely seazed in conscience by any sinne But the Law sets vp the Lawgiuer in the conscience presenting him to her in all his Souereigne Iustice wisedome and Power that so she may esteeme of sin not as touching man but trenching vpon God in all his attributes This is a great discouery and causes sin to bee conceaued as it is not as the passing act seemes which begins and ceases with time but this is infinite in time merit extent and scope because against an infinite God For example An ignorant man hauing hurt his neighbour lookes at the sad consequent of the fact onely how hee hath hurt him in his name cattell wife goods and so the damage is the sin to him But the enlightned conscience lookes at the Lawgiuer knowing that not man but God hath made the Law against hurting man man is the next but God is the chief and last obiect of his sinne And therefore God must bee agreed with or else conscience will keep it vpon Gods record to appeare in due time And put case man would be appeased yea is satisfied yea perhaps mans Law is satisfied by the death of the offendor yet GOD still must be compounded with as chiefly offended Q. How secondly A. It presents it selfe to the soule in the coherence and consent of the law This no man can see except enlightned S. Iames cleeres this Iam. 2.10 Hee that breakes one is culpable of all Meaning that such
thoughts and intents of the heart the Power of GOD is with his Law to search for the King all vaults and dungeons and nothing is hidden to the eye no more then the earth to the Sun Sinnes of great consequent euils or lesse small sinnes in mens esteeme and great still and crying hidden from man and open to his view granted or defended carrying color or condemned by the world Old ones or new in a word The Law inquires vpon sinne according to the Anomaly of it not onely the circumstances And this was our Sauiours chiefescope in that holy Sermon Math. 5.6 7. Chapters correcting those base limitations of the Law which the Pharises made tying men onely to a grosse literall sence Thirdly in her aggrauating power whereby she enlarges sinne by her Circumstances causing it thereby to seeme the more odious and setting the worse colours vpon it as because such a person committed it a publique man against such light when he needed not from meere malignity of spirit in the midst of blessings against mercy Gospell vowes couenant c. which I do not speake as if all sinnes were alike but because all are sins and culpable Fourthly in her Purity The Law doth not go to tell the soule of each sin but sets the Mirror of Gods purenesse before her that she may according thereto discerne and iudge of sin good and bad â—rue and euill Truth wee say is a Rule of her selfe and her contraries There is a secret purenes in the Law whereby the soule discernes an euill in things which the world sees none in and againe sees none in some wherein an hypocrite sees much For the former A soule that hath cleer and thorow light in himselfe is a Law to himselfe in some things of specialty and accuses it selfe for the departing from the pure manner ends ground and measure which GOD requires as sometime in the keeping of Sabbath in vse of liberties in speech or silence in doing or abstayning hath a Law within him not so much what this morall precept bids or forbids as what the purenesse of it imports So that looke what sorts most with will flesh case or the inclination of nature she suspects yea euen in doubtfull cases yet withdrawes for safety rather then ventures vpon termes of her owne abhorres appearances as well as substance of euill And as in matters of God so in matters of men this Purenesse Rules the case when perhaps no Law is at hand as Phil. 4. Finally brethren whatsoeuer is Holy whatsoeuer pure honest of good report c. An heart enlightned can better iudge by this Rule then any thing sooner espies what is honest sauoury then any other can dâ— yea and by this casts off al those base additions oâ— man which want a word and therefore although they carry a shew of holines yet are base copper coine both makers and creatures as Col. 2.23 beeing far from pleasing GOD for lacke of a word to carry his purenes into them This I thought good to speake of the lâ—ght of the Law to giue a taste of the rest for a wise Reader will guesse at the Lyon by the paw Onely one thing I would adde that â— of these latter things I would craue the Reader to make vse of in the fourth Article of the third part so far as it may serue for vse of Christian direction and so I shall there spare this labor Q But is all this light requisite for a soule which seekes conuiction or may lesse serue A. I answere I do name these as helpes to serue the worke of the Law in conuncing not to forestall the worke of the Spirit The more sound light the soule hath the better howbeit God is free to worke in what way and measure hee please It s one thing to say what light the Law can afford to some and doth toward conuiction another with what degree it may please the Lord to bee content to worke Hee can vse these helpes or perhaps the sight of originall sinne to abase a wretched heart with greater light or lesse may serue him as hee pleaseth But the truer the light the sounder the Conuiction The Lord doth in this case as the state of the soule best admits sometimes keeps away exceeding light in all these lest the sule should lye opprest vnder her burden culling out some sinne with due circumstances of vilenesse and shame to bring the soule vpon her knees in a most kindly manner Hee nis or bound heerein Q. How doth the Law present the Penalties with light to the soule A. To adde so much here as may make vp that of the third Article this I say That the Lord shewes the like power authority and efficacy of light in these as the other He takes away all distinctioÌ„ of veniall mortall from a man presents himselfe to him in his full iustice of reuenging al sin without exception remoues all cauills and subtill extenuations of punishment aswell as of sin makes all sin appeare mortall to the soule without Christ veniall with him Tells the soule Deferring of punishment is no remoouall of it That some sins go before some follow after but all meet earlyer or later in iudgement Eccles 12.1 2. 1. Tim. 5.24 That all sinnes deserue all punishments That the least cost the Lord Iesus his blood and he that beleeues it not shall pay for it in hell That God doth indifferently hate and punish all Tribulation and anguish is to ech soule that sinneth Cursed is euery one There is no lying hid from Gods eye no shift or euasion besides fayth and Repentance No amity or Combination of sinners no ioyning hand in hand no counsel can preuaile against God who hath all penalties and executions in his hand to worke by That the Court of God is not as the Popes no Relaxations Commutations of penance Dispensations to bee had there That the hauing our hell heere is no Release or Heauen for heereafter but if wee haue not had heere wee shall there haue all if we haue had heere we shall there haue the full summe of punishment without Christ And by this the Lord prepares the sinner for conuiction following in a far deeper measure as in the point of terror shall appeare Q. How doth the Lord reueale originall sinne to the soule A. To adde a little of this also to the third Article the Lord doth this many wayes First by the speciall termes of his Word Secondly by comparison of actuall sins Thirdly by the properties of this originall Touching the 1. the Lord is in no one thing so emphatical as in the names hee giues to this poyson He calls it The Old man Rom. 7.1 2 Rom. 7.7 Rom. 7.23 24 25. Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8. â— The flesh Lust Concupiscence The law of the members The Law of sin reigning in the members The Old husband who hath the wife in subiection The body of death and the like Which affectionate termes sought for the nonce
do fearfully lay forth this corruption to be that which men little thinke for For why What a tame still close and harmelesse thing seemes this sinne beeing yet if once stirred a raging Tyger and wild monster What do these termes imply â—â—ue that this sinne is the Doe-all in the soule as she will so it must be and in a word she is al sinne both the length and depth of it all that is in sinne is in her And therefore except the Lord Iesus had bene made siâ—ne note the word 2 Cor. 5.21 for vs aswell as sinfull he had neuer satisfied his expiation beeing chiefly for sinne in her Nature and for the Acts by Consequenceâ— in which respect he is truly called the second Adam made the sin of Nature by imputation that he might by his nature of Righteousnes suffring both satisfie for it the losse of Godâ— Image and then restore it Looke vpon these texts and meditate of them Secondly by comparison For when the soule hath had the view of actuall sinnes beâ—ore as most yrkesome and now comes to see greater abomination then these as the Lord tells Ezekiel Chapter 8.15 Oh! how out of measure sinfull seemes it to the soule how doth she cry out miserable man for market thus she speakes Although actuall sins were enough to sinke me into misery yet I see they were but euill in respect of their part but now I see a body of all parts and members a King in his throne I see now my selfe curâ—ed double and treble No sooner do I get out of one actuall sin or set good duties agaiâ—st bad with some hope of ease that way but the Lord beates me downe by my inward nature of sinne yea when I would faine comfort my selfe in my duties and suffring and prayers Lo then my very clothes this venomed shirt vpoÌ„ my skin Iob 9.31 defiâ—es me turnes al hony into the gall of aspes Indeed God hath freed mee from beeing a worldling whose hope is below from a covetous mizer Phil. 3.18 whose God is his Mammon I am free from open vncleanenesse and inward hypocrisy and profanenesse of heart but Oh LORD the nature of these things dogges mee sometimes the wolfe of my nature makes me feele small difference betweene my selfe and these vices The nature of louing pleasures more then God the nature sauor of a proud vaine heart of distrust of worshipping God vnsauourily and for forme of selfe-loue and ends doth so dogge me that its worse ten fold then the breaches themselues Yea and the more I seeme to affect the contrary the more Satan dogs me with them thoughts desires and endeauors after them if it be so be glad yea and selfe-loue with them so blindfoldes me that often they seeme to please me and make me be as I would be and by the suddainenesse of the darts and assaults preuent my armor and so foile mee and leade me captiue So that we see the sting of nature if duely weighed is farre greater then of actions Q. Proceed to the third How doth the Law present the properties of originall sin to the soule A. By ripping vp the body of this death and shewing it what is lust Rom. 7.7 c. First Shewing it to be sin in an eminency of being It s more sin then other sins whatsoeuer is in any of them is here more notoriously whatsoeuer filth and base quality may be spied in all sin or any as impudency vanity pride resolution disdaine is heere more singularly as light and heate is in our fire or the ayre or the Moone but eminently in the Sun the first subiect and seate of it That wherein a quality is first that is eminently worst As coldnesse in the earth drynesse in fire heate in the ayre and moysture in the water So when a Iudge is vniust in the place of equity hee is eminently vniust Euen so heere All ill qualities are first planted heere and its sinne in the Spirit in the place of excellency euen of Gods Image That whereby another thing is qualified so or so that it selfe is much more so qualified As we say Those wofull desperate Traytors in Gun-powder treason were so and so desperate rebellious cruell fierce but by whom were they made so by their father Garnet and grandfather the Pope Garnet and the Pope then must be much more so So all the poizon of actuall euils is seated in the originall after whose copy they write Secondly The predominancy of this sin both in matter of fulnesse and force for fulnesse it hath all sin vnder it and in it as the perfect body hath all the members so this dead rotten body containes fully all dead members of hypocrisie vncleannesse c. in it As the word vsed by Diuines prooves they call it the * Fomiteâ—â— Fewell meaning of the fire of sinnefull acts Great farmes haue and keep great fires because of the plenty of wood they haue to nourish them This is the fewell that maintaines all fires in the soule in hall kitchin and parlour sins of pride sins of common formality sins of base lust all are kept vpon the altar burning with this fewell which is set on fire it selfe by hell So of forciblenesse also therfore Paul cals it a Law Princes rule strongly by their lawes they are as a soule wholly in all and in each part Nothing so forcible there is a necessity in a law It breakes downe and carries before it all opposites word threats dangers all counsell perswasion cannot heare is incorrigible vnchangeable as the Law of Medes and Persians It carries the soule to her trade with courage force resolution and irresistiblenesse being the piller of Satans kingdome ruling as a strong man in sinners Luk. 11. â—1 and keeping all in deep peace Thirdly it is perpetuall Wee say The King hath a perpetuall patrimony that is not alienable so hath a sinner by his originall sin He may faile in his spending money as in his policy and strength and industry to oppresse to defile his body but his stocke and patrimony neuer failes If it bee so in the best of Gods seruants Luther himselfe little molested with couetousnesse yet he had this stock still within how much more is it true of each sinner Fourthly It s an ouerflowing and yet a cruell euill as necessary as it is as forcible Fyre water are ill masters but they burne and ouerflow naturally euen so here As in breaches of the Sea we see tops of Steeples and of Towers vnder water so this ouerflowes all the Image of God in vs This sinne goes in the haire and streame of nature and therefore it s called Concupiscence and Lust Iames 4.5 The spirit that is in vs lusts to enuy it pleases vs because it is naturalâ— and hath a self-louing perswasion which carries it smoothly and vnsuspiciously and by priviledge It is my nature to smite when I am angry iâ—s my nature to be soone hoâ— it s therefore
loues a cheerefull giuer So farre should they bee from censuring others who welter not as themselues vnder their bondage Hee is cast downe enough who is in case to heare of raising vp Secondly on the left hand those doe farre worse abuze this doctrine who being weary of terror and bondage as soone as they fall into it cast with themselues how they may shake it off pretending that this is no estate to serue GOD in And so they returne some to their sport and Pastimes some their Pleasures some their Profits some their old companions some prooue more desperate worldlings and others with Cain to build them Cityes and while out their time heere with singing sad thoughts away Let these know that the course they take is vâ—oâ—ent and much like to them who to stop the cry of their infants put into the brazen belly of Moloc did oppresse their eares with the noise of Pipes and Tabrets As their childrens cry preuayled to bring an heauy plague vpon them which no Pipes could still so when the sleepe of these Epicures is ouer they shall awake with such sad confuzion that all the noise of their Rattles shall not be able to still them And so much be spoken of this point of Consternation and of the three acts of the Law and the vses in speciall There is one generall vse to be added afterward Q. Before wee adde the vse of Terror in generall one obiection offers it selfe viz that Paul Rom 7.7 sayth When the Law came sinne reuiued how then is Terror the worke of the Law Paul doth in that place so affirme the former that he denyeth not the latter adding this But I dyed noting that both might stand together A. Both may be together in one vnregenerate man according to diuers parts For when the Law had slaine conscience then concupiscence reuiued And wee must distinguish betweene the naturall worke of the Law and the accidentall Terror is the proper worke of it and when it s wrought it is as it ought to be But when rebellion ariseth it s otherwise then ought to be When the Sunne reuiueth and sweetens the earth it workes properly when it drawes vp the noysome stench of a dunghill to poizon the ayre its accidentall comming from the loathsomnes of the dunghill So when sinne rebells she doth her kind for she doth as the deuill did when he went out he foamd raged and tyrannized first It proceedes from the fulnes of the stomacke of sin loth and disdayning to yeld to a new guest But howeuer sinne do her kind yet if the Law do set her selfe to do hers this rebellion shall not hinder the killing power of it It shall rather encrease it For when the soule comes to see how lothsome sinne hath made her that euen when the Law by her righteous good nature seeks to destroy sinne then shee most couets it cleaues to it and rushes her selfe vpon it to iustle it aside this makes her conclude her selfe out of measure wofull by sinne out of measure sinfull And when rebellion begins to bee tamed the heart growes more and more vnder feare Although nothing hinder why both may not at one time bee together Onely in the bad commonly it encreaseth till it haue cast out all terrour and so causes the soule to wax worse for the Lawes enlightning because the sweet of sinne hath so preuailed that with an high hand of rebellion it strengthens the iollity of sin and so reuiueth In the godly in whom God will vse the Law as a seed of regeneration and a way to a remedy the Lord will enlarge terror and conuictions so farre that rebellion shall not stand it out but stoop with confusion vnder the power of it It s certein many perish at this second rock of rebellion hauing shot the gulfe of ignorance Q. Cleere this obiection more fully A. To this end first we must cleere the Text. Secondly Lay downe the obiection and answere it First For cleering note That Paul by Sin meanes originall sin body and members By himself I died hee meanes the powers of soule and body these must bee well distinguished Secondly obserue that Paul compares Sinne and himselfe in this point viz The time before and the time after the lawes powerfull comming by conuiction and terror Before the comming of it thus Sinne was dead and Paul aliue What 's that Sinne was aliue in point of her stilnesse Peace and Qâ—ietnesse without any distemper why because either no Law came at all or else came not in her power Againe Paul was aliue What is that Merry iolly lusty secure without any feare Why Because there was none to oppose The death then of sin ere the Law was no true death for still her poizon remayned as the snakes in her cold hole The life also of Paul was no true life for hee was dead in poynt of misery a dead carrion to the life of God but alone onely in the matter or his â—oâ—lity and lustinessâ— Thirdly note Sinnâ—s death and Pauls liâ—e caused this deepe â—oâ—â—e 〈◊〉 betweene them both I laâ— her quietnes and their â—â—ll ty made them as câ—ose as buckle and thong for why sinne was glad to see Paul lusty and Paul was as glad to â—eâ— her quiet Thus it was between them ere the Law â—ame But how since Oh quite contrary Sinner u ued Paul dyed How Sinne perceyuing the Law resoluâ—d not to giue ouer till it had diuided her and Paul who had so long liued at peace together and traded with gaine and pleasure ech by other and to scoure her house of her guest whom she so corrupted the mind the will affections conscience and members of Paul beeing the creation of GOD begins to reuiue to be no longer quiet as before when her trade prospered but to fret rage and be vnquiet On the other side Paul also seeing the Law resolued to gaster him out of his wicked haunt what doth hee dyes is all a-mort forsakes his old mistresse concupiscence and begins to be weary of his trade I cannot open it better then by a Similitude There is some lewd huswife in an end way of a Towne that keepes a base Suckling house and there bee many lewd drunkards companions that sucken her Markes Ere the Constable come shee is still and quiet vtters no distaste at all followes her trade at ease and puts vp her wicked gaynes and the more quiet she is the more merry her guests be throwing all out at windowes and so both consent most inwardly to get her yea and perhaps while this league lasts although the Officer come yet at first she keepes her quiet and they their iollity and both out-face the Law But marke The Officer comes the second tyme vpon them and they vnderstand he is fully bent to execute the Law to pull downe the Alehouse and to diuide the keeper and the guests from ech other how then Then the Guests all turne iollity into feare they are all a-mort
well is he that can betake him first to heeles out goes one at one posterne another at another and leaue their hostesse What doth she Alas she is the housekeeper she must bide by it she hath forgone her trade therefore she mutters and rages aâ—d giues threatning specches they will vâ—doâ— a poore woman c. And if she can by any meanes toll in her flayted guests she wilâ— and tels them She must not be so forsaken they must sticke to her better then so Howbeâ—t the Officer is diligent and tells these guests I am resolued to breake your knot yee shall no more râ—ut here it shall cost ye all ye are worth to your skinne rather and if there be Law to be hâ—d I will breake your meetings As for this base huswife she doth her kind I neuer looke to see her honest I will watâ—h her aswell as I can but aâ— for reforming her I neâ—er looke for that I may bynd her to good behauior fine and yoke her and hold her downe as I can but her ill will I looke alway to haue and care not for it and I know as she can she will play her pranks But as for you of whom I haue more hope let me perswade ye to refrayâ—e What comes of this The base woman frets still and malignes the Law but the guests beeing ouer powerd with authority leaue their trade the more the woman rages the more they are ashamed not onely by the feare of thâ— Officer but by the rebellion of their old hostesse they grow more to loa h their old trade This for the first to wit the clearing of the text Q. Now how cleere you the doubt A Eâ—sily For what is it against Pauls dying that Sinne reuyuâ—th what is it against the Guests shame and dying to their tâ—dâ— that their old hostesse rages Rebellion is in her not iâ— them they are shamed and flayted thogh she will know no Law Q. â— vnderstand plainly but now because the point of sinâ— rebellion â—n the conscience terrified is somewhat vnusually taught speake a little of it shew what it is and so with a little vse conclude all A. Thus then we may conceaue what this sin-reuiuing in the soule cast down meaneth if we distinguish the sorts of Rebellion in generall It s three fold 1 Naturall or corrupt Second Penall and the third Mixt. The first kind is when the Word or law comes so to the corrupt soule that as yet it carries no power or authority ouer the soule with it but still the soule holds her owne for then so close is sin and the soule they so consent that to bee parted from their filthy fellowship is death to them both sin incorporating herselfe into the soule that she is as one with them though in truth there is as great oddes between them as betweene the creation of God and the confusion of the Deuill howbeit so it is by their neernesse and Inmateship the one so defiles another that it is as easy for Samson to part with his Delila as for these to be sundred Heere therefore as both band in euill so both do conspire in rebellion against all the lawes of God all his Knight-Marshals Constables and Officers it s as easy to rob a beare of her whelpes as these of their sinfull pleasures and when any thing is done by the law against Oh what a liuery do they giue it and Gods officer for it Oh he comes to make vproare and bring in confusion among neighbours that liued before at one Oh! say they its pity that euer such were suffred to breake the loue and liking that was before Oh how they combine to cast him out that they might roll backe to their old mire the Minister is to such as the Marshall in London is to harlots an ey-sore a reproch and common wonderment Their gaine their sweet trade their shrines for Diana are stopped therfore now they cry out more then euer Great is Diana their drinking their lusts pride and couetousnesse were neuer so sweet to them as now the opposition of the Word makes them The good and holy law of God makes them worse and worse they rush their crazy soules against the piller of Gods truth and split themselues at it and become more out of measure sinfull This is the first rebellion in the vnconuinced the most ordinary and common rebellion to be seene now a daies where the Word comes powerfully vpon ignorant consciences snorting in profanenesse This is not heere meant The second is Penall a fruit of this onely encreased by the iust wrath of God vpon the former rebels whose chaynes Lord makes stronger Esa 28.22 by how much the more they kicke against the pricks I say when the Lord penally smites them suffers them to encrease and fulfil the measure of their lusts to grow frozen in these dregs desperate in their lusts to scorne pursue deface the meanes and waxe impenitent in their rebellion so that they find no place of repenting See these texts Mat. 23.32 34 Act. 41.13 Act. 28.27 and the like neither is this meant heere The third is Mixt When rebellion is allayed with terror of conscience and not permitted to her selfe as we know a theefe in hold is one thing and at liberty is another Now this mixt terror is the accidentall worke of the law in a conuiâ—ted and troubled conscience working corruption to a rebellion and resistance that sinne might bee odious and the soule more humbled So that by this appeares that this reuiuing or rebelling is no act of conscience or the soule for it s planted in another subiect to wit sin Conscience all this while is oppressed with thraldome by the law and held downe the rebellion which is comes from the principle of lust which cannot endure separation To apply then the distinction I answere This obiection hinders not this truth That the proper work of the law is to cast downe and embondage the guilty soule Q. The chieft doubt remaining is How a troubled Conscience priuy to much reuiuing of corruption may discerne that it commeth not from her selfe but from sinne A. This may be discerned easily by many markes First from the worke of the law that hath separated her from sin and that amity which once was between her and it This is no hard matter to prooue if once the soule can say her old lusts and she are diuided by the lawes of terror How can she then thinke that she should rebell against the good law for working that which she is glad of Secondly It will appeare by this that rebellion must come from a free will and principle of the agent but that cannot bee conscience nor her selfe because shee is conuinced by an ouerruling Law which hath killed her freedome Thirdly by this that rebellion where it is vnconuinced doth not onely fret in respect of somewhat she is denied but alâ—o at that which crosseth her for it selfe But in this legall rebellion when the
of present helpe himselfe stepped forth to helpe it out he of duty the Lord of meere goodnesse but thus he did found out a way to set man vpon dry land againe out of the gulfe and depth of misery so that the one was not so hidious as this is precious and gracious Q. More particularly what do they conteine A. A sweet view of the chiefe parts of this Redemption First the first hidden and secret eternall Workeman of this deliuerance and that is God the Father In whose bosome this depth lay before all worlds who fore-seeing this ruine and his endlesse Iustice against sinne yet purpozed not to abandon all grace out of his heart towards desolate man but to retaine some still in the bottom of his wisedome good pleasure And note that this appeared not at first yet it was there then and appeared after This is the cause why GOD the Father is heere called our Sauiour and why he is said to Saue vs in ver 5. viz. as in 2 Cor 5.17 he is said to Reconcile vs not by meriting it but by first and originall ordaining it as the first agent in the working of the Trinity the deuizer of this Saluation and of the Lord Iesus the meriter of it Now marke this act of God is described by a double argument The first is the impulsiue cause set down by three words Kindnesse Loue Mercy Whereof the latter interprets the former Kindnesse and Loue noting the remainder of that Goodnesse of Creation as if the Apostle should say The sin of man could not root out this goodnesse so as to take it from God but still he had a bottomlesse goodnesse and kindnesse left in himselfe But the third word Mercy addâ— to them both q. d. The Lord imparted himselfe to Adam in this goodnesse of his ere hee was fallen but hee shewd him no mercy for hee needed none But beeing become miserable Lo he addes mercy to goodnes and enlarges his first kindnes and loue by a second compassion pity respecting him now in his blood and misery in which he exceeds the former as much as the Sun at noonetyde doth the rizing mercy being the perfection of loue The second argument is from the deniall of contraries Not by workes of righteousnes c. The summe is this eternall mercy was free in the conception of it The LORD foresaw not who should in time embrace this mercy nor left it in a middle doubtfull vncerteinty who should and who not suspending his pleasure vpon mans will but he did out of the freedome of grace and mercy when as yet no good in vs was foreseene much lesse actuall when no naturall or supernaturall goodnes was to bee seene in vs euen then hee saued vs because he would so doe Q. What is the second branch of this description A. The instâ—umentall meriting cause of this saluation set forth in those wordes when this loue appeared and againe vers 6 Which he shed abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauior Note the sweet phrase which Paul delights in to stile both the Father and Christ our Sauiours the latter flowing from the former Now in this point note first he sayth It appeared As we see the like word Chapter second verse 11. The summe is whereas it had bin impossible for man or Angel euer to haue diued into the depth of this mercy Lo the Lord caused it to appeare in the fulnes of time and brake open this sealed fountaine of his bosome by the manifesting thereof in his Sonne for no man at any time hath seene the Father but the onely begotten Sonne of GOD comming out of his bosome hath reuealed him And which is this Appearer who made mercy appeare in himselfe Iesus Christ our Sauior It must bee so that howsoeuer mercy was hidde in the Father yet it could not appeare but by Iesus our Sauior he truly God and man in obeying suffering must bring iustice to kisse this mercy by appeasing that infinite anger of the Father for sinne and performing such a righteousnes for man as might afford a sufficient satisfaction to GOD in his vttermost iustice Christ and none else could thus do or suffer none else may satisfy he himselfe without all this both obedience and blood could not doe it none of his loue or prayers or pouerty but Iesus our Sauiour in this his full payment as a surety and a Sacrifice of blood could saue vs Q. All this is euident but what else addeth the Apostle to make vs this description of deliuerance A. The third point is the obiect vpon whom this blessing is bestowed intimated in these words Towards man and saue vs and shed on vs c. By which as he implieth that Man in his misery the selfe same man that fell froÌ„ God to hell was the obiect of mercy so the Number of all those to whom the Lord doth sauingly appeare in this mercy of his electioÌ„ in Christ are the ful obiect of mercy al that mercy can bestow The Church of Christ is she who is the sole and equall obiect of Christ all he did and suffred was not for the reprobate Ephe. 5. but the Elect these he redeemed gaue him selfe for that he might make them a peculiar spouse to himselfe without spot or wrinkle as he sayth to the Ephesians in plainer termes Q. And what are those excellent things which IESVS our Sauiour hath purchased doth this Text mention them A. Yea verie fully and that both in generall speciall For the first he sayth he saued vs. Which is as if hee had sayd he restored and set vs in as good an estate as we lost and quit vs as fully of all our misery as euer old Adam did plunge vs into it If hee lost vs Christ saued vs if hee betrayd vs to bondage He redeemed vs if he brought vs to vtter hatred He reconciled vs if he condemned vs Christ forgaue vs hee did deliuer vs in a word from all sinne and curse and layd a plaster on vs full as broad as the sore Rom. 5. Yet this must bee added that Not as the offence is so is the gift For in Adam wee were so made the Image of GOD that we lost it presently but the second Adam so saued vs pardoned and reconciled vs as neuer to be lost neuer to bee cursed neuer condemned the second time And more yet Adam was not created to any happinesse saue immortality vpon earth in a created righteousnesse We to an vncreated Vnion and Communion with God in Heauen in the presence of God This in generall More particularly the words heere are three Saued vs Regenerated vs Renewed vs. By the first of them vnderstand the negatiue part of this deliuerance viz. from what he freed vs Sinne Law Satan Wrath Death Iudgement By the latter two the positiue good things purchased vs. First by RegeneratioÌ„ and Renewing he meanes all those graces which concerne our estate in the grace of Iustification standing in
expiatory for our Redemption his obedience to parents walking in calling keeping company temptings fastings preachings and the like Q. Tell me what especiall heads may this whole worke of his meditation be referred to A. It s a maine point to consider of for the stay of a poore soule for seeing the scope of God and Christ was to giue and receiue so full a price of reconciliation that Iustice accepting it the sinne and curse of the elect might as fully bee pardoned and remoued as if they had neuer sinned or could themselues haue sufficiently satisfied it imports vs to be well seene in the contents hereof For looke how many heads there are thereof so many welheads or springs the soule hath to reuiue and encourage it selfe by in the approaching to the Father I answer then this whole price of Christ stood partly in a qualification of his person to be in case to satisfie Partly in the actuall performance of the satisfaction it selfe Q. Touching the qualification of person what doth it containe A. Two parts Vnion and Vnction Q. What meane you by vnion A. Three distinct things First the incarnation or flesh of Christ Secondly the diuinity of Christ Thirdly the ioyning of these two natures into one person or more truely the assuming of the nature of flesh into the second person of the Sonne of God not to swallow it vp but to retaine still each his owne distinct nature yet within Vnion Q. Proceed on and name the rest that they may be vnder our view all together and then we will touch them briefly in seuerall What meane you by vnction A. The calling or separation of the Lord Iesus being thus vnited in his natures to bee a meete Mediator which was the Sanctification of him in time actually to the worke of a Mediator to which before all time GOD had deputed him Q. Being thus qualified what is the performance it selfe A. It stands of two parts eyther meriting this price for all the elect or actuall applying it vnto them Q. What is the meriting part A It is a double performance both of Actuall obedience to the Law and suffering the curse required thereby and due to sinne Q. And how performed he these two A. By way of reall suretiship and no otherwise for taking vpon him the person of a Mediator to stand betweene wrath and vs not by Arbitrement as in humane Sequesterships but by payment for vs lo he takes therefore our person vpon him becomes piacular that is first seazed with our sinne by imputation that by his righteousnesse hee might deface it and fulfill the Law broken by vs and secondly seazed with our curse that by his suffring death hee might quit vs of the feare and punishment thereof This ground is to bee specially noted Q. Touching the latter of these his suffering or Passion because it hath the honour of a more immediatly essentiall obedience and merit tell me how many parts hath it A. Two the Sacrifice it selfe or Passion and the Conquest or victory ensuing it whereby hee gaue the Passion a full power to become or rather to bee declared satisfactory Q. To conclude what is the applying part A. The act of his interceding Mediation heere â—n Earth and especially in Heauen seruing to settle the merit of Redemption vpon all the elect in the due season thereof Q. You hauing giuen a brief view of this maine article tell mâ— why you call them wilsprings of saluation shew me the number of them and then in order shew what ech of them is with the vse thereof A. I first call them so because the Holy Ghost Esay 12.3 termes them so and because they are so many grounds of iustifying faith at least meanes of warranting the soule to apply a promise if duly preached and heard Their number is seuen First Incarnation Secondly Diuinity Thirdly Personall Vnion with Anointing attending it Fourthly Actuall obedience Fifthly Passiue Sixthly Conquest Seuenthly Applying of all to the elect Some of which although some doe feuer from the matter of Merit yet wee will heerein take liberty to differ from them by the warrant of the Word Q. What is the first and what meane you by Incarnation A. That by the power of the holy Ghost sanctifying the flesh of the virgin without any actiue principle of conueying sinne by man the Lord Iesus being conceaued in and borne of the poore Virgin did submit himselfe to such vnspeakable abasement as to take vpon him the nature of man Not of Abraham or Peter but of mankind the selfesame nature which sinned in the generality thereof That in and by it he might obey suffer those things which the Diuine Nature could not be capable of and that being seene dwelling and conuersing among men he might put it out of question that not for Angels but for our nature euen man fallen and cursed he became a satisfaction to God And that so he might bring this nature into an happy condition again and euery one that needs it might enioy it without any doubt or distrust See these texts Mat. 1.18 Luk. 35. Iohn 1.2 Gal. 4.4 Q. What vse is there of it A. Very great that the soule thirsty after mercy and yet priuy to her owne basenesse might by this flesh of Christ come the more boldly to plead for pardon as her owne purchased in her owne nature for her selfe whatsoeuâ—r Satan or vnbeleefe might obiect to the contrary What a comfort is it to thinke that our owne nature in CHRIST who is neere vs flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone being seazed with all our imputed sinne should yet in the same holy flesh of his woâ—ke out all righteousnesse and appease all iustice and that not for himselfe who had no sinne cleauing to him of his owne but for vs Esay 53. verse 4. 11. Oh it should cause great consolation and hope in a distressed fearefull soule But I onely point at the vses of these branches for shortnesse sake as a view of that which the larger handling hath more fully taught Q. What is the second branch A. That thâ— Lord Iesus our Mediator was true God also Not onely that it was the second person who tooke flesh but that God enabled man to doe and suffer that Gods iustice might except against neither as insufficient Eli hath a speech 1 Sam. 2.25 If man sinne against man man may bee a mediator of accord but if against God who shall be his surety I answer man if assisted with the power of God Alas although the flesh of Christ was holy yet finite and mortall no more able to equall Gods offence then a Dwarfe the talnesse of a Giant But as a Dwarfe set vpon a Giants shoulders equals a Giant so the acts and suffrings of the flesh of Christ as flesh set vpon his Diuinity made an equall satisfaction to Gods offended Maiesty The influence and valour of the Diuine nature assisting the humane for the fulfil ing of â—he merit
his deity alway in a manner restrained so that hee appeared not to bee that hee was to his dearest friends And therefore hee concealed his glory further then it made for the discharge of his Office of Mediator as a Prophet or a King for then hee stept out of his basenesse See Matth. 11.12 Luke 1â— 3â— Q. And what may bee said touching the Passion it selfe A. Somewhat touching the parcels of it and yet somewhat also touching the necessity of moderation For the parts first he endured the forsaking of his dearest Disciples to be taken by his owne seruant Iudas by his own special Officers at the hands of his own Deputies to suffer most intolerable indignities to be accused arraygned endited and sentenced as the vilest malefactor and that at the Gaole deliuery of felons and murtherers After that besides their barbarous spitting vpon buffeting mocking with a Robe Crowne of thornes and reeden Scepter to be put to that shamefull accursed death of the Crosse a death for such as not onely men compted villains but God himselfe in a sort held accursed To which adde the greatest of all both in the Garden and vpon the Crosse that most bitter Cup of wrath which hee dranke from the hand of his Father which made him in an agony of Spirit to sweat drops of blood to pray That the cup might passe from him from feare of drinking it and to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And so in that deep anguish of his Spirit to giue vp the Ghost all the Diuels in Hel banding themselues in that houre of darknesse to pull him from his stedfast confidence Q. What meane you by the moderation of it A. That in all this abasement yet that measure was impozed and no more which suted to the dignity of the person suffring and to such a one as in suffring merited and could not be ouer come by suffring Hence was it that hee had intermissions of his agony and feares so that he could goe to and fro to his Disciples to admonish them was vpholden in his sences vnderstanding memory affections in the midst of his dolours shewed his power and God-head euen then in the consternation of his enemies conuersion of the theef his loue and prouidence for his Mother and Disciple receâ—ved comfort by the Angels in the want of self-support was dispenced with as touching the measure of torments not being capable of those which reprobates in Hell suffer because they can neuer satisfie the Duration the Disorder and disguisement of these Hellish terrors being accidentall to his Passion and to dying the death onely infinite displeasure of GOD and true separation of Soule and Body which were essentials he endured So also it was impossible the graue should hold him Act. 2.24 Yea and the period of three daies nights of 72. houres were abridged to 40. Q. What did he effect heereby A. Hee being our surety in all this did for vs purchase a full satisfaction of which in the question after and withall first all those benefits Article fourth Then the ratification of his Legacies and Testament Heb. 9.16 17. Col. 2.14 Ephe. 2.16 Heb. 10 2â— abolishing of enmity by Law Sinne Satan VVrath Hell and Death As wee know if a Court bee quite put downe all the Officers belonging to it are downe also So also liberty to enter Heauen by a liuing way not the blood of a beast with sundry others Q. Why doth the Scripture so much dwell vpon the Passiue and so little vpon the Actiue obedience in point of our satisfaction A. As I intimated before the Holy Ghost doth more vsually not alwaies See Phil. 2.7 8. Esa 53.11 Mat. 20.28 Rom. 5. ver 18 expresse it this way First because in this curse taken away all the whole satisfaction began to take effect as wee say that the effect of a Prisoners release is deliuery from prison not as if that were all his release yet thence it s denominâ—ted because though the debt bee paid before yet this must follow Secondly because the end of a thing is better then the beginning and the consummation of a thing is from the end Perseuerance hath wee know the preeminence of all obedience not as if it were any more then a part of it but itâ— the finishing and making all out of question Each moment of a Glasses course is part of the houre though the last dust of it be the houâ—es end Bâ—t Thirdly and especially becaâ—se the P ssiâ—n waâ— the greatest hardest and fullest part of the whole satisfaction As fortitude carrieth the name of vertue not â—xâ—â—uding any Q. Well I am satisfied Proceed to the fifth branch and so to the vse of both ioyntly A. The fiâ—th â—s the Passiue obedience of the LORD Iesus not in other passions and penal ies of his whoâ—e life onely but especially that one vpon the câ—osse the most immediate obâ—ation and sacrifice of himselfe â—or sinne and it consists in the free yeelding vp himselfe to the wrath of his Father in his soule and body in the one bearing the incomprehensible anger of GOD though according to the limitations requâ—site for a person that was GOD and merited and in the other the exhaustion of his life-â—lood and separation of body and soule by that accursed death that heereby sinne with all the penalties inward outward and eternall with all the power which the Law and enemies had against vs thereby death and Hell not excepted might perfectly be abolished aâ—d the iustice of God infiniâ—ly satisfied Râ—ad Rom. 3.25 Heb. 9. â—3 14 1. Pet. 1.19.1 Ioh. 17. Heb. 12.24 Q What are the vses of the Actiue and Passiue obedience A. Fâ—rst the doctrine heereof may affoord vs a swerâ— meditation which as there are few aâ—cient or godly writers â—uch aue obserued so it is pitty we should neglect viz. Tâ—e excellency of the grace of the Gospell purchased by â—his Satisfaction which will appeare by a comparison of â—he woâ—ke of Creation with this of Redemption The formâ—r I graâ—t was a solemne worke when the Eternall Word made of Earth the body of Adam inspiring it with the the breath of GOD not onely to be a liuing Creature buâ— to beare the Image of God in holinesse And the truth is Moses describes euen this worke more solemnely then the Creation of any of the other to shew the emiâ—ency thereof â—boue them But when the same eternall Word creates man the â—econd time Lo not a breath not a fâ—w words will serue himselfe rather must be made a worme and no man God himselfe must empty himselfe of his fâ—lues and gloâ—y his loue his teares his miraclâ—s his prayers the basenesse of his condition will not all serue the turne no other price will bee accpted for this saue both the actuâ—ll fulfilling of all righteousnes and the shedding not of drops or ounces of other blood but thâ— last heare and life blood that was in his Holy Body the blood of the
theâ—e oâ—e all these to some few heads A. I will in this Article lay downe the order of the point and leaue the further enlargement of it to his dâ—eplâ—ce in the fift Article following Conceaue then the point by the Apostles speech Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and â—eatâ— by sinne c. Where we see that the actuall sinne of Adam determined not the bound of misery but brought a second misery with it euen the misery of our whole nature While we stood in Adam his obedience kept his whole estate and nature entire but when he fell though the sinne were a limited thing in act of eating yet it was an unlimited excesse in respect of the committer and the frame of his reuolting heart And therefore it was iust wi h God to plague his whole nature for this sinfull act And the plague thereof was to inflict such a penalty vpon Adams nature of the Propagation I shall speake in Article 4. as made it truly miserable in stead of being before truly happy Note then Adam hauing actually disobeied the Iustice of God offended hâ—ghâ— by it doth punish whole nature for it As if hee had said thus Hast thou indeed freely chozen to leaue mee in plaine ground To embrace lust and Satan and pleasure of appetite before me To cast dirt vpon my pure Image Be it then so with thee as thou desirest Bee that in nature which thou chozest in thy free will to doe That Image of mine which thou caredst not to preserve bee stripped off that image of thine owne inuention which thou preferredst be satisfied with fill thy selfe with enioy and delight thy selfe with to the vttermost I will not suffer mine to harbour with thine light and darkenesse corruption and purenesse therefore depart my image from this sty of vncleannesse and let him who needes would bee filthy lye downe in his filth and hee that would forsake a reall fire of heat to compasse himselfe in his owne sparkes let him lye downe in sorrow As I threatned so I sentence thee In dying dye dye the death of thy sinne and find thy owne inuentions to thy selfe I vtterly cut thee off and excommunicate thee from my presence and in token of it from Paradise the place of thy former happinesse in one word Be miserable Note then whatsoeuer Adam brought himselfe vnto by his act of sinning was Penall because it was a stroke of iustice Not onely death and all other punishments before and after it but euen Originall sinne it selfe is a penalty it is a sln indeed but it s a penall one God iustly punishing actuall with originall and so wee must conceaue that although in vs it be truly sinne yet God inflicting it did not infuse it as sin into vs but onely as a iust penalty of that which Adam himselfe in the freedome of his wicked will had first forged in his owne heart against God Q. How many branches doe yee diuide this Misery into A. Into two The misery of sin and the misery of punishment eyther of which had beene misery alone but iustice would not suffer misery to bee within narrower bounds then these that he who by doing made himselfe might by suffring be made miserable The former viz. misery of sinne is either of the Roote originall or the branches Actuall sin both making the soule truly though not equally miserable Q. What is the former of these Shew in what the misery of Originall sin standeth A. In two things 1. Originall guilt 2. Originall staine or Pollution both being the fountaines of all Actuall guilt of conscience and pollution of conscience Originall guilt is that priuity and reflexion of conscience in Adam fallen whereby he told himselfe continually that he had fallen and therefore must dye the death in each kinde of it body and soule This perpetuall alarum of coâ—science in his nature was the first part of his sinfull misery Aâ—d the Holy Ghost expresses it in those words They saw they were naked Gen. 3â— and Adam when God called him hid himselfe in the bushes and gaue the reason because bee was naked The Lord askes him how hee knew it The meaning was his conscience in presenting to him his fault did gugge him also wâ—th feare and expectation of reuenge So that as in his innâ—cency one excellent part of his welfare was that hee knew himselfe so so now one especiall part of his woe is that the conscience did ring his sin alway in his eares and made him obnoxious that is to feare God in point of that punishment which he looked for from his Iustice for his sinne And to say the truth what misery is like to this to be euer on the racke of a mans owne spirit suggesting and boâ—ding to him sad things to come for his sin dogging him as the Taylor who will not suffer his prisoner to goe one inch from his custody how bitter doth it make all hâ—â—gs when as a sword hanging by a twined threed over a mans head it doth threaten him perpetuall ruine and tye him ouer as a band and recognisance of great forfeit to the great assize of wrath and iudgement there to answer for himselfe yea and there without all bayle or mainprize vnescapeably to suffer eternall death of body and soule This the Author to the Heb. 2.15 toucheth saying who all their life time by the feare of death were subiect to bondage q. d. walked under the chayne of this guilt alway afrayd lest by death of body their soule should slide into hell to abide there till the body came thither True it is Adam dyed not at the first committing of the sinne but had he found no more fauour then Caine did lo all those 900. yeeres he had bin tossed and terrified with this guilt till it had seazed vpon him And whereas ye will say that those that liued without the law were better then wee because they were miserable and knew it not I answere they had law enough in them to hold them vnder a guilt of horror for such euils as they committed against the naturall light although ignorance had worne out the true dint of this conscience Besides although to know a mans misery onely increaseth it yet so to know it as we may preuent it is better then by not knowing it to escape the sent and bondage of that which yet lyeth vpon vs. Q. Wherein the misery of Originall staine of sinne consisteth A. We may eyther conceiue it in the whole or in the parts Touching the whole the best way will be to take the word which the holy Ghost vseth which is Death For death is the resolution of nature and so is this death of the soule a totall abolishment and corruption of that blessed frame of creation I meane in the point of her Purenesse in minde by light in will and heart by holinesse Now then looke how contrary a carcasse is to a liuely body so is this to the
sit heere we are but dead men and wee can bee no worse by the Aramites then by famine So they made into their Campe. Thus doth a cast-downe troubled sinner resolue to doe If there bee a way of possible escape the matter is not now whether I shall find it but I know I shall surely perish without it and sure I cannot be worse then I am I may be better I will venture the triall The vse briefly is First To obserue how God preuents a sinner by this Wisedome For what is all the complaint of a poore soule when the promise is offred Oh it s true if I were loden I doubt not of ease Thou lyest against thy selfe thou dost doubt of ease by the promise for of the former thou canst not doubt hauing been enlightned cast downe and conuinced by the Law That then which is the more easie to grant the Lords workes first as part of the condition of Grace for euen legall bondage is the first part of it that is to be loden that when the harder comes to bee vrged that is Faith then the Condition already wrought might bee ready to comfort the poore soule Secondly Wonder therefore at this wisedome which by contraries most sitly to the soules condition doth euen worke by contraries life out of death and order out of confusion Thirdly and lastly in all the Ministery of the Word let the Minister and people of GOD still fixe their eye vpon the scope of GOD moouing onwardes with him and going euen pase with his ordinance for the effecting of his owne ends and the glory of his Grace in our saluation Let vs both so teach and so heare that still the Starre may guide vs and then our iourney shall not be tedious to vs. Q. Conclude with the extremities and abuses of this legall worke A. First for the extremities they are two legall presumption and finall despaire Touching the first I call it legall because there is another and more dangerous one by the Gospell Secondly this presumption is twofold One this when the sinner waxes bold and ventrous to shake off this yoke of the Law before his spirit be conuinced and cast downe And this is that solemne caueat Deut. 29. If any shall applaud himselfe hearing the curse and say I shall haue peace adding drunkennesse to thirst the wrath of GOD sâ—all smoke agâ—â—◠〈◊〉 man Such there are then yea surely bondage is of it seâ—fe yrkesome but when it meets with a bold heart and is not set home by the Law commonly it prouokes wearines and then seeing that GOD seconds not his Word alway with plagues and death and curses indeed the deferring of sentence sets the heart on gog to euill and perhaps worse then before Thus Psalm 50. the hypocrite growes to thinke God to be like himselfe This sinne made Adam and all vs cursed presumption against threats Oh when wee thus fall to our old trade the Deuill falls to his finding the soule thus swept returnes with seuen worse then himselfe Let vs tremble at it and learne to inure our selues to heare all threats with feare Learne to beleeue this doctrine which I haue at large described I speake not now of sauing faith but against presumptuous boldnesse against the Law To credit the Word to be Gods who cannot lye may fall into a supernaturall conuiction although not yet sauing The second presumption is When the consternation of the Law ceazing without the addition of the Gospell causes the soule to waxe confident of it owne welfare because it hath beene humbled and perhaps holds some impression of it still not daring to resist her light But this is rare and dangerous for its a signe that the heart is secretly false and vnpurged Rest in no checkes of conscience where conscience her selfe is not first purged both to check and also to excuse and comfort the soule in the Satisfaction of CHRIST Q. What is Desperation A. The other contrary offending as much on the left hand through the excesse of terror Thus Saul and Iudas And it commonly growes from the first Satan neuer seeking more to poizon with presumption and dallyance with the Law then where he meanes to snare with the contrary of despaire How oft was Saul conuinced of his malice and persecution But returinng to his vomit brought soule and body to a desperate end So Cain and Iudas by their hidious sinnes brought themselues to this that mercy and Christ were not able to doe them good their sinnes were growne beyond forgiuenes A wofull fruit of boldenesse And yet iust for he who will vndervalue grace in the worth thereof is iustly left to ouerualue sinne in the merit of it He that neuer can find season to beleeue the Word beeing offred is iustly left to seeke it with violence when the season is ouer And so eyther its neuer time with them as he spake of marriage or else past time Many compare these sinnes with great adoe but the wiser way is to preuent both and the latter in the former Doubtles it is the sinne of the damned to liue in the perpetuall despaire of release and in perswasion that Grace is vnable to do them good Let vs know farre worse sinnes then these may destroy let vs neuer presume to venture so farre as to dye by these Vse And for vse of the point learne wee dayly to roote this cursed Roote of bitternes out of vs by two â—hings eâ—suing First A spirit of humility and feare to keepe ouâ—selues vnder the bondage of ouâ— Schoole-master rather then to affâ—ct the liberty of presumers and in so doing to beseech the LORD o proportion out our stripes according to ouâ— strength aâ—d to keepe our despaire within the compasse of our seluâ—s and any thing in vs but to bee farre from the least thought of inlarging our basenesse aboue the infinitenesse of mercy Secondly To nourish in our hearts aboue all those Meditations of Mercy and Grace in CHRIST which may set vs vpon a Rocke about our selues and all fearefull distrust and carry vs in the streame thereof with holy irresistiblenesse Frequent holy and louing thoughts of God are the surest remedies against this hidious monster Q. What lastly is the abuse of this worke of the Law A. Double ech contrary to the other First On the right hand many not of the worst abuse it when they nourish themselues in a needlesse bondage whereas they know that they are in case to hearken after the remedy and will not pretending they haue not yet beene cast downe or troubled enough What madnesse is this to nourish a disease against Physick or to thinke that our trouble pleaseth GOD or to thinke that to bee of substance of Grace which onely is for preparation vnto it And yet many sullen and Melanchoâ—â—que ones are thus abuzed by Satan to thinke their Babel and captiuity yea their Hell another Heauen Let them rather hast themselues out of it when God calles them and know the Lord
life and death but more specially of his later part from his Baptisme to his death In both which more or lesse hee performed the worke of his Father and fulfilled all both generall and personall righteousnes His whole conuersation toward GOD and man was Holy towards God frequent in his Temple worshipping submitting hâ—mselfe to both Circumcision and Baptisme eating the Sacrament of his owne Body oft in fasting yea whole nights and prayer to GOD most Holy in his Family Gouernment most frequent in doing good Acts 2.22 IESVS of Nazareth a man approoued by GOD in many signes and wonders c. preaching from City to Citie yea praying for his enemies so meeke that hee sets forth himselfe as an example Math. 11.19 30 hee would not breake a brâ—ised reed nor quench the smoking flax Esay 42.2 3. Hee would not lift vp his voice but as the sheepe which is dumbe before the shearer so opened he not his mouth In the iudgement of the worst hee did all things well Hee grew in Grace and fauor with GOD and men as hee grew in stature His meditations were Heauenly his wordes gracious euen to admiration Luke 4. The workes of mercy and compassion to the miserable were infinite towards all he was harmelesse vnblameable confuting them who would gaynsay stopping their mouthes In his outside of carriage very humble riding vpon an Asse farre from worldly pompe and poore without a pillow to leane his head yet very content neuer ate meate but gaue thankes so good to the poore that he taught his disciples It is better to giue then to receaue conscionable of the Sabbath obedient to parents content to stoop to a meane trade to liue vpon very kind to his kindred pious to his friends liuing and dying so lowly that he taught his disciples to be so by washing and wiping their feete and so of all the rest But especially for the maner measure end ground of all he did most sincere and entire adding thereto perfection both of parts and degrees so that there was nothing amisse he was a righteous Seruant no guile found in him and so at his death Iohn 17. Hee professeth hee had done all the worke of his Father and till he had fulfilled all the Law for which he came Mat. 5.17 he could by no meanes be disswaded but called him Deuill who sought it yea to the death and in the death of the Crosse hee was most obedient Phil. 2.5 6. for his Actiue and Passiue obedience were mixt inseparably but aboue all in this was his excellency that being both Glory and Holinesse he was not onely content to empty himselfe into shame but euen into the aspersion of sin that he might by obedience make a full expiation for it In a word Such an high Priest he was as not onely for his Nature but for his practize was vndefiled and separate from sinners And all these he was not for himselfe but for others that nothing might bee wanting to a full satisfaction and that they who beleeue in him might fetch from each part of his life and obedience comfort and stay in the infirmity of their youth age crosses duties worship of God graces in the wants of all their seruices both ordinary and priuate or publique and extraordinary Q. I would haue you open this point more fully A. I will endeauour it Consider then First Christs being vnder the Law and becomming a seruant vnto it was not for himselfe but for vs except then his obedience bee for our sakes it serues for nothing Secondly if our Lord Iesus had suffred for vs vpon the Crosse withouâ— any obedience to the Law hee might haue beâ—ne as harmelesse as high Priests by the purity of his nature as by obeying so that if there be no oâ—her vsâ— of his obedience then this to qualify the person of the Obeyer it had beene superfluous Thirdly some part of his actuall obedience was a direct part of his mediation as his praier Ioh. 17. Why not alâ— the rest as well Fourthly let it bee supposed tâ—ue which yet is not to bee granted that where sinne is pardoned by remoouall of curse thereof necessity righteousnesse and life is restored yet we must know that Christ restores not his elect to the meere righteousnesse and life that Adam had but to the righteousnâ—sse which is of faith and vnchangeable and to a life in the presence of God not of Paradise therefore it requires a price of a sutable righteousnesse in Christ more then a meere surety was bound to But as I said the former is doubtfull although each defect of righteousnâ—sse is a degree of sinne yet there is more in the staine or pollution of sinne then in the defect of righteousnesse When a Traitor is pardoned though he be in a possibility of restoring to fauour and dignities by his Prince yet they are two things and are oft seuerd and if both concurre the benefit is double And fifthly where it is obiected that if totall imputation of this righteousnes be granted there were no Vse of the passion I answer It s false for we are to be considered as liable to the cuâ—se oâ— dâ—ath for that which is already past When thou eates thou shalâ— dye Q. And wherein stood the Passiue Obedience of Chrâ—st A. It partly stood in the condition he vndertooke partly the antecedent suffrings of his life and most especially the passion it selfe For the first it was a willing putting of his necke into the collar or subiection forgetting yea empting himselfe or his glory so farre as being Lord of all to become in the fashion of a seruant chiefly to his Father also to men yea the balest of his slâ—ues vpon earth but both for vs and our saluation in which respect he refused no termes but despised all shame Phil. 2.4.5 6. Heb. 12.2 3. Secondly hauâ—ng subiected himselfe to bee a meet obiect of suffring and sorrow he became indeed a man of sorrowes through his life inuring himselfe bâ—tâ—mes to the yoke which he yeelded to as to bee borne of meane parentage to fall to â—aâ—â—â—abor for his â—â—uing to â—e in a â—â—aâ—ch as 〈…〉 â—r vnable to hire a roome in the Inne to bee persecuted and fly into Egypt euen at a month old to vndergo the reproach of the tongue being called Demoniack Wine-biber Deceauer enemy to Caesâ—r Traitor friend of Publicanes to bee the obiect of tentation to the vilest and basest creature the Diuell himselfe to crouch in soule and body vnder the sentence of wrath ready to seaze vpon him not onely at the instant but long before wh ch dryed vp his moisture as a withered branch and made him bee thought fifty yeeres old â—r vpon being liâ—â—le aboue thirty losing all his beauty and being as a man euer vnder strokes afflicted and humbled carrying our common penalties not personall of this or that disease of hunger thirst faintnesse wearines harborlesnesse and pouerty c. about him To haue the influence of
to the 42. pitching places of this way to Canaan leaue mee not to my own wisdome but guide me by thy counsell till thou receiue me to glory Lord enable me to doe what thou biddest and bid me doe what thou wilt Giue me to draw from thy fountaine for all these vses of conuersation The Wel is deepe but thy Bucket is able to fetch out this water Let mee deriue it from the Lord Iesus his example and draw grace for grace from thence And not onely set me in this conuersation but hold mee in it and let experience make me say it is best and I am neuer happy when I am out Till it become my meate and drinke on earth to doe thy will as in heauen And so much for this second Article The third Article Q. VVWhat is the third Article A. That the eternall platforme after which this Conuersation of the next Creature is to bee framed is onely the law of God in the tenne Commandements See 1 Tim. 1.5 the end of the Law is Loue. What end meanes he surely not the end of the Lawes begetting power for Christ doth that but of the directing power of it Thus Saint Iames calles it a Royal Law Iam. 2.8 as being the Scepter whereby Christ our King rules vs. And he termes it a Glasse of libertie meaning to all beleeuers in that it shews forth the will of God fully in the point of moral obedience as a glasse represents the face So the Psalmist Ps 19. Thy Law is perfect giueth light to blind eyes by it thy seruant is forewarned c. and Ps 119. Thy word is a light and lanterne to my feete and steps And thy Commandements are to mee instead of Councellors And of this part of the Word is that of Peter meant The sure Word of Prophets shining in darke place Q. How comes this direction to be put into the word and how comes it to be conueyed vnto the soule A. To the former I answere the Lord God hath breathed into it this light and direction himselfe put it into it no creature being able in so few words as ten Dut. 10.4 to contriue so perfect a view of all duty and hauing out of the depth of his wisedome so doe God spake these words although deliuered by the Ministery of Angels in point of attendance and terror Heb. 1.7 He maketh his Ministers a flame of fire hee himselfe as the Lord of the Creature vttered them And both deuised and vttered this Law for this especiall and last end to bee a direction vnto his Church For the latter I say That as in the Law he tooke order that not onely the Priests and Leuites at Ierusalem in the Temple but in the Tribes should reade it each Sabbath Act. 13.27 and expound it Ezra 8.4 so still he requires that the Ministers of the Gospell doe dispence and open it to the people in the speciall parts and scopes thereof for a patterne of life For although such common notions of dim light remaine in a corrupt nature as may serue to condemne the contemners yet no such as might leade on to godlinesse and salvation cleerely that is a mystery and must be vnfolded And further the Lord hath added the ministery of the Spirit to the voyce of man to write this Law in the soule he hath promised it Ier. 1.33 and doth dayly performe it so that to the beleeuer his Law is not a commanded one as to all but a commanding one in their spirit and conscience Q. But this seemes contrary to the Apostle 1 Tim. 1. for he affirmes the Law was not given to the righteous but to the disobedient c. A. This is answered by the same place verse 5. as in the first question I said the sunne is It is not giuen to the righteous as to the vngodly for the righteous need it not so howbeit it 's giuen to the godly also for another end Gal. 3.19 euen to direct them For the Law in Gods purpose serued for two ends The for transgressions to conuince the wicked to scare them out of their selfe-conceit and to driue them to Christ The other to guide such as are come to Christ how to lye vnder his Gouernment This latter the Lord looked at more mainely for his elect sake that they should not bee left to themselues But the former also hee intended to the drawing of them out of their ignorance For as we see that the Law was giuen in all terror and not as a messenger of good things so the Lord taught thereby that it ought to speake sadly as a minister of death to the vngodly and so it did in some sort with such as were saued among the Iewes the Ministry of it conuinced them of an impossibility of performance of it and sent them to the blessed seed who should bring in righteousnesse and breake the Serpents head and to such this Law ceased to be a killing letter and began to be a Cirection to life In which sence we here treate of it as in the first part of the Catechisme of the former Q. But what needes this Law-direction Doe wee not by this teach people to serue in the old letter and destroy that Law of liberty in Christ which ought to be set vp and restore the couenant which ought to be abolished A. To answere both first the Lord hath not giuen his Church to Christ nor giuen them any such liberty in Christ as to deuise a way to themselues feuerall either for measure or number or matter of obedience from his owne way neither will trust man with any such no nor giue the least hint to mans corrupt inuentions But that Law of obedience which hee first himselfe deuised hee meant it for those that should beleeue both before at and after the comming of Christ and meant not to alter it How Christ rules by it â—e shall heare anon but hee rules by no other And its worth our noting that the first Sermons he euer preached Mat. 5. and 6 and 7. hee vrgeth nothing more than this Thinke yee I am come to destroy the law No but to fulfill it and to settle it For the second point I say that it must be explayned what it is to serue in the letter and secondly what it is to restore that which is worne out To serue in the letter then is to bee mistaken in the scope of the Law Doe this and liue to thinke that the Law giues life to the obeyers of the letter of it and to thinke a man may of himselfe obey it and bee saued by it whereas the Law imports no such thing but vrges an obedience exactly Gal. 3.21 â—atter part which is impossible now to serue thus is to serue like a slaue without reward Thus doe not wee affirme the Law to be serued Secondly to restore a Law to bee abolished is to maintaine this error that by the Law of Moses a man may be iustified and needes no other
for if the surâ—ty faile in any point his vndertaking is vneffectuall Greatmen must haue their Peeres to acquit them no common persons Sâ—e Rom. 1.3 Eph. 1. vlt. Q What is the vse of it A. Briefly this to stay and comfort an heauy heart in the view oâ— the hainous circumstances of her sinne making it out of measure sinfull as depth of continuance odious greatnesse against knowledge meanes of grace with an high hand Bee not dismaid Hee that is thy surety made not thy peace for small and some but all and the greatest so that thy thought must be how to receaue this fulnesse Heb 9 14. not for the greatnesse of the sinne The Lord Iesus offred himselfe vp by his eternall Spirit that an eternall Maiesty might bee appeased for sin of an eternall guilt and curse and such is all sin but especially crying sin his merit is more out of measure deseruing then sinne is sinnefull and hath merited far more happinesse then Adams sinne forfeited Get humblenesse and faith and then thy great sins shall be as deaw to the sunne and as a spoonefull of water cast into the Ocean Q What is the third thing considerable A. Vnion of both natures into one person by the vnconceauable work of this Spirit of God It s much that a soule and a body but much more that flesh and the Word should be really one person I doe not say that the Diuinity of Christ was a nature as the humanity for Christ was so a nature that yet a distinct subsisting person of himselfe But the meaning is that this person of the Word tooke the nature of his flesh into his person therein to subsist The flesh of Christ was no person as Abraham or Dauid but a nature onely hauing no subsisting of it selfe at all but as it dwelt in the Godhead As Misleto is no plant of it selfe otherwise then it fastens and subsists in the appletree So that Iesus Emanuel God and man vnited was the third qualification of the surety Assistance could not haue caused identity or samenesse onely hypostaticall vnion could do that By vertue whereby not onely properties are communicated to ech other in forme oâ— speech as The Lord of life was slayne GOD dyed c. but in reall manner the efficacy of the one nature was imparted to the other Yet this vnion doth no more admit confuzion then separation no not in the lowest degree of eclipsing in death or the graue See text Ioh. 1.1 â—say 1.4 Call him Emanuel Mat. 1.23 Q. What is the vse heereof A. Most sweet lo all broken soules in their approch to the throne of grace What is so bottomles and vnsubsisting a thing in it selfe as a soule in the anguish of conscience Yet euen then looke vp to Emanuel and he will vnite thy poore empty bottomlesse spirit to his owne person that in him thou mayst haue a reall beeing and subsistence Oh poore soule who thinkest thy selfe meerely lost in this thy estate In time thou shalt see it was mercy brought thee to be out of hope in thy selfe that the hope of thy wel beeing might be in him for euen the flesh of Iesus himselfe had the like vnablenesse of subsisting except the second person had taken it to himselfe Q. What is the vnction of Christ A. It is a consequent vpon his personall vnion whereby the Godhead made the man-hood full of himselfe and of all gifts and graces of the Spirit meet to enable him to his worke of mediation and by name separated him from men to be excellent as to be the Prophet Priest and King of his Church That this was from the wombe appeares by sundrie glorious effects exceeding man as that in Luk. 2. at twelue yeeres old Yet especially his Baptisme was the anoynting of him to the entire and immediate execution of these Offices for therein hee did more fully receiue the anoynting with the Oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes as was prophecied Psal 2. Esay 42.1 and Esay 61.1.2 He was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliuer his people And these offices do mutually serue each other The vse is that wee his members might acknowledge him an eminent Mediator as hauing a calling from GOD as those three sorts of Men had vnder the old Testament And that we might be out of doubt that the acts and suffrings he performed were allowed according to that voice This is my well beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And that wee knowing into what treasure the Lord hath put all his graces euen the flesh of Christ might there seeke and finde them all Therefore 1. Cor. 1.30 Paul sayth Of him are we who is made vnto vs of the Father wisedome as a Prophet righteousnes as a Priest sanctification and Redemption as a King Ioh. 1.17 Reuel 1.6 The Lord hath made him whatsoeuer his Church needes that of his fulnes we might receyue grace for feare And that we also in our measure together with vnion to him might receyue his vnction and become Prophets Kings and Priests to God and be conformed to our head in all his excellencies not in the poynt of his meritig but of his Graces Q. Proceed to the fourth the former part to wit the merit A. This is yet more essentiall then the former three The fourth then I say is Actiue obedience of Christ I do not separate the actiue from the passiue as if eyther alone could satisfie or as if I ascribed the effects of eyther to the one without the other but yet distinctly I speake of both for the vse of each of them to the soule Marke then what I haue noted The Lord Iesus became piacular for vs not onely by bearing our punishment but by translating vpon himselfe the reall imputation of our guilt with out the least measure of inherent guilt This latter would haue disabled his person for he must be separated from sinners Heb. 7.26 yet the want of the former would haue made his merit none of ours and his death vniustly inflicted Therefore he was made Sinne originall and actuall all the sins of the elect were charged vpon him that he by his perfect obedience might disanull them and bring in and settle vpon vs perfect righteousnes And as the miâ—ery of a man stands in both sinne and guilt and staine aswell as in curse so must our Surety performe righteousnes aswell as beare the curse Now this righteousnes of Christ is both his Naturall and his actuall opposite to this naturall and actual vnrighteousnes of Adam I say both the purity of his humane nature infused by Vnion aâ—d also the obedience to the whole Morall Law to the vttermost extent thereof And this is as true a part of the material cause of our iustification as the other of the Passiue though not to be disioyned Q Whereof doth this Article obedience consists A. Of the whole conuersation of our Lord Iesus his