to say in the manner of vtterance and measure of reuelation for otherwise in substance Euangelicall couenant hath alwayes béene one and the same first made to Adam in Paradise afterward renued to Abraham his séed shadowed in the law spoken of by the prophets and preached vnto vs euer since Christ was actually exhibited to the world Father You seeme to say this that the couenant of Grace with the old people of the Iewes and vs differeth only in maner not in matter that is that Christ and all the promises of remission of sinnes and eternall life in him were dimly reuealed and darkely vttered vnto them in Types and shadowes but vnto vs the same are more fully clearely opened and reuealed Child I meane so indéed Father Expresse your meaning more at large in this point Child When a new impression of any booke commeth forth in a fayre letter good print distinctly versed well bound and guilt which béefore was ill printed in a darke letter ill bound couered wée say it is a new booke yet in substance it is the same with the former the difference is onely in the forme and outward qualitie Likewise when a Paynter draweth a darke draught of any kinde of Picture in obscure lineaments and colours and afterward flourisheth it ouer with more liuely fresh and orient colours héere is the same thing in substance but altered in qualitie And thus it fareth béetwixt the Couenant of Grace made with our forefathers and vs. For the oulde people which liued vnder the minoritie and wardshippe of the Church had a darke draught of Christ and all the promises made in him But wée haue them more clearely and liuely set out And as the Apostle sayth We are not as Moises which put a vaile vpon his face c. But wee all beehold as a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face c. And againe in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our forefathers by the Prophets but in these last dayes hée hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne most cléerely and manifestly Father You told me euen now that no man is able to keepe the Law Now therefore tell me what daunger lyeth vppon it If a man breake the Law of God Child Eternall death and damnation for it is written The wages of sinne is death Father Is eternall death and damnation due to vs for euery little sin though it were but in thought onely Child Yea for the least sinne of thought If God should deale with vs according vnto Justice for it is written Whosoeuer keepeth the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guiltie of all Father How then shall we escape this eternall death and damnation Child Onely by Christ For hée hath redéemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs. For it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree And againe Hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Father How and by what meanes hath Christ redeemed vs from the curse of the Law and death eternall Child By the shedding of his blood vpon the Crosse for the Scripture sayth That hee hath made vp a generall peace betwixt his father and all the elect by the blood of his Crosse And againe Wee haue redemption throught his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of sinne And in another place Wee which vvere farre off are made neere by the bloold of Christ And the author to the Hebrews saith That neither by the blood of Goates and calues but by his owne blood entred he once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Father Haue we no further good by Christ but onely a freedome from death and a deliuerance from hell damnation Child Yes For through him we are reconciled to God the Father as the Scripture teacheth and through him we haue remission of sinnes eternall life and all good things for the Apostle sayth He is made of God for vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Father Is there no other way nor meanes whereby we may obtaine remission of sin eternall life but onely by Christ Child No For the holy Ghost saith There is no saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued And againe To him doe all the Prophets witnesse that through his name onely all that beleeue shall receiue remission of sinne Father What say you then to Popes pardons Indulgences Masses Trentales Dirges and such like May not a man by them obtaine remission of sinnes and eternall life Child Nothing lesse For the Scripture knoweth no such meanes or wayes to eternall life but doth vitterly reiect them as most abhominable deuises of them Father But may not a man be saued by his good works Child No For the Apostle sayth By grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues nor of workes least any man should boast himselfe And sure it is that euen in our best actions there is some remedy of corruption as wée doe them for the which God in iustice may condemne both vs and our actions for the Scripture sayth That our very righteousnesse is as a defiled cloath or filthy cloute If then our best workes bée stained how can wée bée saued by works Father If wee cannot bee saued by works then wherefore should wee doe them as good play for naught as worke for naught Child Not so for although wée can not bée iustified in the sight of God by our good works yet they haue their necessary vse and serue to great purpose As first to glorifie God Secondly to publish our Faith to the world Thirdly to bring peace and comfort to our consciences in the discharge of our duties And lastly to winne others Father What doe you call a good worke Child No worke of man is sound and currant indéede except the same bée commaunded of God to bée done and that of our part it bée done in such sort and manner as hée requireth that is from a carefull heart and sanctified mind otherwise whatsoeuer wée do in the worship and seruice of God it is abhominable Father If a man cannot bee saued by his works but by Christ only then tel me whether al men shal be saued by Christ or no Child None shalbée saued by Christ but onely such as beléeue in Christ that is such as doe particularly apply Christ and all the promises made in him to themselues beeing fully perswaded in themselues that Christ with all his merits is theirs Father Are you fully perswaded that Christ with all his righteousnes is yours that you haue speciall interest in him and that he dyed for you particularly and by name Child I am fully so perswaded indéede without all doubting Father How know you certainly that you haue
with Christ for they doe continually groane vnder this corruption as vnder a most heauie burthen and fetch many a sorrowfull sigh to thinke of it and are euer complaining of it as of a most deadly enemie of theirs And all this wée many clearely sée as it were in a glasse in the example of the Apostle Paule himselfe that most rare and excellent Seruant of God Who taketh vp most pittifull and lamentable complaintes of this poysoned and infected nature I know sayth hée That in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing I allow not that which I doe for what I would that I doe not but what I hate that I doe I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Now if I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in mee I finde then that when I would doe good I am thus yoaked that euill is present with mee For I delite in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see an other Law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the Law of sinne which is in my members And in the end hée breaketh out into an out-cry saying O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Father Doe not Vngodly and vnregenerate men likewise mourne vnder this corruption and complaine much of it Child No you shall seldome or neuer heare them cōplaine of it or mourne vnder it For they walke after the foolish and fulfill the lusts thereof with all delight and gréedines being wholly caried after the swing and sway of their owne corrupt affections and desires Father What is the cause hereof Child Because they are forsaken of God and giuen ouer to a great blindnesse of heart and hardnesse of affections so that though their miserie is excéeding great yet they haue little sight and lesse féeling of it Father Doe you not thinke that a man in the state of nature cannot so feele his misery Child Sure it is that a méere naturall man can haue no true sight or liuely féeling of his misery or any sounde desire to come out of it but doth greatly please himselfe in it and is loath to come out of it for the Apostle sayth plainely that the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirit of God For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hée know them béecause they are spiritually discerned Father But may not a naturall and vnregenerate man haue the knowledge of God and the vnderstanding of his wil and so consequently a sight of heauenly things Child Yes a naturall man hath a kinde of knowledge and vnderstanding of God and of his will but it is onely a confused and braine knowledge and a literall vnderstanding of the Scriptures for hée cannot possibly haue the liuely and sauing knowledge which is ioyned with quickening grace Nor that sound vnderstanding and sight which doth lineally descend from the spirit of sanctification Father May not man in the state of nature haue feeling also of God and of heauenly things Child The Scriptures doe teach that a reprobate may haue a kinde both of sight and féeling of heauenly things for hée may bée lightened and tast of the heauenly gift and of the powers of the world to come and also tast of the good woord of God and bée made partaker of the holy Ghost But his sight and tast and féeling can neuer bée sound and good before regeneration So then all the cunning is to know whether the worke of grace in a mans soule bée sounde and currant or no for vnregenerate men are much deceiued with a false light for they doe blindly Imagine y t because they haue some kind of sight and féeling of heauenly things therefore they haue all and the same that is in euery elect Father What difference then doe you make betwixt the knowledge of the elect the reprobate Child The knowledge of the reprobate doth puffe vp The knowledge of the elect doth humble The knowledge of the reprobate is generall and confused The knowledge of the elect is particular and certaine The knowledge of the reprobates is onely literall and historicall The knowledge of the elect is spirituall and experimentall The knowledge of the reprobate is speculatiue The knowledge of the elect is practiue that is ioyned with obedience For howsoeuer a naturall and vnregenerate man may know much yet hath hée not nor can haue any power to doe I meane chearfully and aright till his heart bée enlarged by Christ his will renued by grace The knowledge of the reprobate is like y e knowledge which a mathematicall geographer hath of the earth and all places in it which is but a generall notion and speculatiue comprehension of them But the knowledge of the elect is like the knowledge of a traueller which can speake of experience and féeling and hath béene there and séene and knowen the particulars Father Now tell me further what difference you make betwixt the feeling of the elect and the reprobate Child The reprobate hath a kinde of naturall féeling of sinne but it is without the true hatred of it for in his heart hée loueth it The elect doth so féele his sin that hée hateth it taketh councell against it and praieth against it The féeling of the reprobate is from naturall faculties for hée is not as a blocke without all sence The féeling of the elect is from the spirit of sanctification The féeling of the reprobate ariseth from naturall feare diffidence for man naturally féeleth and feareth dangers so the reprobates féele and feare the wrath of God the accusations of their consciences the punishment of sinne hell fire c. But haue no true féeling of Gods loue towardes them But the elect haue a liuely féeling of Gods loue towards them The reprobate hath sometimes at starts a féeling of spiritual ioy but it vanisheth incontinently The féeling of the ioy of the spirit in the elect is more lasting and often Father As you haue told me much of mans misery in nature so tell mee yet one poynt further whether a man in the state of nature can do any thing that pleaseth God Child A méere naturall man cannot please GOD in any thing he doth but euen his best actions are turned into sinne For the Apostle sayth They which are in the flesh cannot please GOD. And againe hée saith To them that are defiled and vnbéeléeuing is nothing pure but euer their mindes and consciences are defiled Father How long doth a man continue in this wofull and cursed estate wherein he was borne Child Till hée bée regenerate and borne againe For our Lord Jesus affirmeth that except a man bée borne againe hée cannot sée the kingdome of God Father By what meanes doth a man come to be regenerate and borne againe Child By the outward
preaching of the word and the inward worke of the spirit Father By what signes may a man knowe that hee is borne againe iustified and sanctified Child By the worke of grace in his heart By his loue to the word of God By his loue to the children of God By his hatred of sinne By his loue of righteousnesse By the change of his thoughts By the change of his actions By his mortification of the flesh By his sanctification of the spirit By his walking no more after the fleshe but after the spirit and such like Father Sith man in himselfe is so cursed and miserable as you haue declared shew mee what is his best course to take and first of all tell mee which is the first steppe to eternall life Child The first steppe to eternall life is for a man to know and féele his misery and then labour to gette out of it Father How doth a man come to know and feele his misery Child By the sound vnderstanding of the law contained in the ten commandements Father What is the Law Child The perfect rule of righteousnesse teaching vs what wée should doe and forbidding the contrarie Father By whom was the Law giuen Child By Moyses Father To whom was it giuen Child To the children of Israell Father When was it giuen Child In mount Sinai Father How was it giuen Child With great feare and terror Father To what end was it giuen Child To lette vs sée our sinnes that by the sight thereof wée might bée constrayned to flye vnto Christ Father Is any man able to keepe the Law Child No and therefore no man can bée iustified by the law Father Sith then the law doth condemne and not saue Sith it sheweth our diseases but can giue vs noe remedie wherefore then serueth it or what is the vse of it both in the regenerate and vnregenerate Child As concerning the vnregenerate First it discouereth their sinnes Secondly it stirreth vp the affections of sinne in them not of it selfe but through their default Thirdly it worketh in them a féeling of the wrath of God of death and damnatiō without offering any hope of pardon and therefore to them it is the minister of death Lastly it doth increase and augment sin in them accidentarily that is by reason of their great corruption which declineth from that which is commanded but inclineth to that which is forbidden Father Lay open this last point somewhat more fully Child Euen as a waterbrooke being stopt with a damme euerwart it doth surg and swell the more till it breake ouer the damme so sinne being restrayned by the Law doth increase and rage more in men not regenerate for their will béeing not reformed doth euer tend to that which is forbidden Therefore the Apostle sayth that without the Law sinne is dead that is though sinne bée in men before the publishing of the Law yet it is not knowne felt nor perceiued as the corrupt humours in mans bodies which lye close and are not felt till the purgation come but then they humble and stirre mightely to resist the medicine or as vnslaked lyme which sléepeth as it were quietly and stirreth not till the water bée throwne vpon it but then it smooketh burneth and is in an extreame heate Or as a Snake which lurketh close in her hole all winter as if shée were deade but when the hote Sunne shineth vpon her then shée reuiueth writheth and stingeth and sheweth her venemous nature And thus you see what is the workinge of the Law in vnregenerate men But in the regenerate that is such as are vnder grace it is otherwise For they doe consent vnto the Law and their nature doth not take occasion any more by the Law to bring foorth sinne Father What is then the speciall vse of the Law of the regenerate Child First it is a rule for them to direct their liues by Secondly it teacheth them not to trust in thēselues Thirdly it humbleth them continually in the sight of God Lastly it is their schoolemaster to Christ Father Whether are the regenerate vnder the law or no Child The children of God are vnder the obedience and institution of the law but not vnder the curse of it for they being in Christ are fréed from that Father Whether are the vnregenerate vnder the law or no Child All wicked and vngodly men are vnder the curse of the Law which is all one as to bée vnder the captiuitie of Sathan and sinne For their case is this they must perfectly kéepe the Law or else bée damned For they haue no right to Christ in whom onely the Law is satisfied Wée sée therefore what a pittiful case al men are in till they come to Christ and be found in him Father What difference is there betwixt the Law and the Gospell Child The Law condemneth but the gospell saueth the law casteth down but the Gospell raiseth vp Father What difference is there betwixt the couenant of the law and the couenant of the Gospell Child The Legall couenant doth really differ from the Euangelicall or new couenant of Grace For the old couenant of the Lawe was conditionall and did no otherwise giue life and saluation vnto men but if they did performe it and therefore it was nothing else but a repetition of that which GOD made to Adam to wit if hée did eate of the forbidden fruite hée should dye if not he should liue euen so if we kéepe the Lawe wée shall liue thereby If not wée shall dye But the couenant of the Gospell is frée that is it doth fréely giue life to those that beléeue though they faile in doing Father But what comfort then is there in the couenant of the Gospell more then in the couenant of the Law sith men of themselues are as vnable to beleeue the Gospell as to keepe the Law Child God hath promised to giue power to his elect to beléeue the promises of the Gospell But hée hath made no promise to giue power to performe the Law Father Are not the Law and the Gospell contrary Child They are not contrary in themselues for the same God is the author of them both the same Christ the substance of them both the same promises of eternall life the end of both but the contrarietie is in vs for to vs the Law saith Doe this and thou shalt liue But the Gospell sayth Beleeue and thou shalt be saued These then bée contrary to bée made righteous by our selues and to bée made righteous by another for these cannot stand together Father What say you to the Euangelicall couenant or new couenant of grace was it not of two sorts Child Yes The first was that which was made to the olde people the other was that which was made to the people of Christs newe kingdome Father What difference is here betwixt these two Child These two bée all one in substance but differ onely in the manner of dispensation that is
that Doth repentance change or abolish the substance of body or soule or any of the faculties thereof Child No such matter But true repentance doth rectifie and amend them by remoouing the corruption for it turneth the sadnesse of malancholy into Godly sorrow choler into good zeale softnesse of nature to méekenes of spirit lightnesse and wantonnes to christian mirth It reformeth euery man according to his natural constitution not abolishing it but redressing the faults of it Father By what meanes is repentance wrought in vs Child Both faith and repentance are wrought in vs by y t preaching of the Gospell through the inward worke of the holy Ghost Father Is not repentance wrought in vs by the preaching of the Law Child To speake properly it is not For the Law is not the proper cause but rather an occasiō of repentāce because it representeth vnto the eye of our soule our damnable estate and smiteth the conscience with dolefull terrours and feares which though they be no tokens of grace for they are in their owne nature the very gates and the downefall to the pit of hell yet are they certaine occasions of receiuing grace Father Expresse this more plainely Child Euen as a Phisition is sometimes constrained to giue that vnto his patient which increaseth sicknesse maketh his fits more sore and terrible to the end he may recouer him so man because hée is dangerously sicke of sin must bée cast into some fits of legall terrors by the ministrie of the Law that he may be soundly and inwardly cured Father The Law is a scholemaster to bring vs vnto Christ ergo it is the cause of repentance Child It bringeth vs to Christ but not so kindly naturally as doth the Gospel by alluring vs but as it were violently and forceably constraining vs and as they say it bringeth vs not simply and of it selfe but after some sort and manner For the law in it selfe is the ministry of death damnation because it sheweth a man his wretched estate but sheweth him no remedy therefore it cannot properly be an instrumentall cause of that repentance which is effectuall to saluation But the doctrine of repentance is a part of the Gospell and therefore the preaching of the Gospell and the preaching of repentance are put one for another Luk. 96. Mar. 6. 12. and consequently true repentance doth spring out of the gospell as out of his naturall root and most originall cause Father As you haue told me by what meanes faith and repentance are wrought in vs so now tell mee by what meanes they are nourished increased in vs Child As faith and repentance are first hatched and bred in our harts by the ministry of the word so also are they increased by the same and by other good helpes appointed of God for that purpose as prayer sacraments reading meditation conference and such like good meanes Father First then let vs proceed to speak a little of prayer and first of all tell me what prayer is Child And earnest calling vpon God according to his will or as some say a familiar speach betwixt God and vs or as a secret letter wherein Gods people signifie their minde vnto him at large crauing a spéedy answere which hée in his time according to his will and wisedome doth alwayes most graciously returne without fayling Father How manie partes are there of prayer Child Thrée confession petition thanks giuing Father Whereof must confession bee made Child Confession must bée made both of originall sinne and actuall transgressions both commissions of euill and omissions of good And all this must be done with as much particularising as may bée that is calling to minde and reckoning vp particular offences especially those which lie heauiest vpon vs and that with as great griefe vehemency and aggrauation of them as is possible Father Whereof must our petitions be Child Petitions must bée for the remoouing of euill the obtayning of good for spirituall and earthly blessings concerning our selues and those that are néere vnto vs concerning Church and commonwealth concerning magistracy ministerie commonalty Father For what must our thanksgiuing be Child First for al spiritual blessings as election creation redemption iustification sanctification adoption word sacrament good men good bookes good societie good conference all furtherances to eternal life whatsoeuer Secondly for all outward blessings as preseruation of prince country peace for magistrats soode rayment health liberty peace and preseruation For dayly ordinary and particular fauours which are renued vpon vs continually from day to day euen as the eagle renueth her bill Father As you haue shewed mee the parts of prayer so also shew mee some circumstances of prayer and first tell me to whom we must pray Child To God onely Father In whose name must we pray Child In the name of Christ onely Father How must we pray Child In the spirit that is feruently féelingly and constantly which cannot be without a féeling of our misery Father When must we pray Child At all times as occasion and necessitie doth mooue but specially in the time of affliction as it is written if any be afflicted let him pray Father Where must we pray Child Euery where but especially in the publike assembly and our priuate families Father Vpon what must our prayers bee grounded Child Vpon the word of God and the promises of the Gospell Father What must we pray for Child For those things which our Lord Iesus hath taught in his praier which is the perfect platforme of all prayer both for matter and forme Father Which bee those things which our Sauiour would haue vs alwaies to bee mindefull of when we haue any suites vnto his father Child First the honoring and setting vp of his name héere amongst vs both in regard of his Iustice and mercie and also in respect of his worde and wisedome power and prouidence Secondly for the aduancement and flourishing estate of his Church and kingdome by the regiment of his word and Spirit by the increase of good worke men in his haruest and a blessing vpon their labour by a remoouing of all lets by a weakning ouerthrow of all aduersary power whatsoeuer especially that of Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme Thirdly that all chéerful obedience may at all times and of all persons in their seuerall places and callings bée yéelded vnto his most holy will without grudging or hypocrisie Fourthly that all things necessary for this life may bée ministred vnto vs as food rayment health libertie peace and preseruation and also that a blessing may bée vpon all that wée haue as body goods name wife children family stocke store corne cattell trades occupations yea all the works of our hands both goings out and commings in Fiftly that a generall pardon may be graunted from the throne of grace thorow Christ for the remission of all sin in his blood that therby we may be iustified acquited and discharged Sixtly that we may not