did not Originally thus create our nature a Condition worse and inferiour unto that of other Creatures in whose Young Ones there are none of these disorders but a regular complyance with their natural instinct prevailes in them And as the dying of multitudes of Infants notwithstanding the utmost care for their preservation whereas the young ones of other Creatures all generally live if they have whereby their nature may be sustained argues the imputation of sin unto them For Death entred by Sin and passed upon all inasmuch as all have sinned so those irregular Actings peculiar unto them prove sin inherent in them or the Corruption of their Nature from their Conceptions Sect. 4 Secondly with the Increase of our natural Faculties and the strengthning of the members of our bodies which by nature are become ready instruments of unrighteousness unto sin Rom. 5. 13. this perverse Principle acts it self with more evidence frequency and success in the production of Actual sin or inordinate actings of the Mind Will and Affections So the wiseman tells us that Childhood and Youth are Vanity Eccl. 11. 10. The Mind of Man in the state of Childhood and Youth puts it self forth in all kinds of vain Actings in foolish Imaginations perverse and froward Appetites falseness in words with sensible effects of corrupt Inclinations in every kind Austin's first book of Confessions is an excellent comment on that Text wherein the Vanity of Childhood and Youth are graphically described with pathetical self-reflecting complaints concerning the Guilt of sin which is contracted in them Some perhaps may think light of those ways of Folly and Vanity wherein Childhood doth or left alone would consume it self that there is no moral evil in those Childish Innocencies That Good Man was of an other Mind Istane est saith he innocentia puerilis non est Domine non est Oro te Deus meus nam haec ipsa sunt quae a paedagogis magistris a nucibus pitulis passeribus ad Prefectos Reges aurum praedia mancipia haec ipsa omnino quae succedentibus majoribus aetatibus transeunt lib. 1. cap 19. This is not Innocency it is not so The same Principle and Habit of Mind carried over unto riper Age and greater Occasions bring forth those greater Sins which the lives of Men are filled withal in this World And who is there who hath a serious Reverence of God with any due apprehension of his Holiness and a clear conviction of the Nature of Sin who is not able to call over such Actings in Childhood which most think meet to connive at wherein they may remember that perversity whereof they are now ashamed By this means is the Heart prepared for a further Obduration in Sin by the confirmation of native Obstinacy Sect. 5 Thirdly unto those more general irregularities Actual sins do succeed such I mean as are against the remaining light of Nature or committed in Rebellion unto the dictates and guidance of our Minds and Consciences the Influence of those Intelligencies of Moral Good and Evil which are inseparable from the faculties of our Souls For although in some they may be stifled and over-born yet can they never be utterly obliterated or extinguished but will accompany the nature of Man unto Eternity even in that condition wherein they shall be of no other use but to add to and increase its misery Amongst those we may call over one or two Instances Lying is such a sin which the Depravation of Nature in Youth is prone to exert it self by and that on sundry Reasons not now to be enquired into They go astray from the womb speaking lies The first Inducement of our Nature unto Sin was by a Lye and we fell in Adam by giving credit thereunto And there is in every Sin a particular Lye But speaking falsly contrary unto what they know to be true is that which Children are prone unto though some more than others according as other vicious Habits prevail in them whose Actings they foolishly think to thatâ—h over and cover thereby This that holy Person whom we instance in acknowledgeth and bewaileth in himself Non videbam voraginem turpitudinis in quam projectus eram ab oculis tuis nam in illis quid jam me turpius fuit fallendo innumer abilibus mendaciis paedagogum magistros parentes amore ludendi studio spestandi nngatoria Lib. 1. Cap. 19. I saw not O God into what a gulf of filth I was cast out from before thee for what was more filthy than I whil'st out of love of Playes and desire of looking after vanities I deceived Teachers and Parents with innumerable Lyes And this the good man was afterwards exâ—eedingly humbled for and from it learned much of the vileness of his own nature And we find by experience that a sense of this sin oft-times accompanies the first real Convictions that befal the Souls of men For when they seriously reflect upon themselves or do view themselves in the Glass of the Law they are not only sensible of the nature of this Sin but also how much they indulged themselves therein partly whil'st they remember how on the least occasions they were surprized into it which yet they neglected to watch against and partly understanding how sometimes they made it their business by premeditated falshoods so to cover other sins as to escape rebuke and correction The mention of these things will probably be entertained with contempt and scorn in this Age wherein the most prodigious wickednesses of men are made but a sport But God his Holiness and his Truth are still the same what-ever alternations there may be in the World And the holy Psalmist seems to have some reflection on this Vice of Youth when he prayes that God would take from him the way of Lying Of the same nature are those lesser Thesis in despoiling their Parents and Governours of such things which they are not allowed to take and make use of for themselves They rob their Father or Mother and say it is no transgression Prov. 28. 24. So saith the same Person furta etiam faciebam de cellario parentum de mensis vel gula impuitante vel ut haberem quod darem pueris ludum suum mihi quo pariter delectabantur tamen vendentibus He sometimes stole from his Parents either to gratify his own sensual Appetite or to give unto his Companions In such instances doth Original Pravity exert it self in Youth or Childhood and thereby both increase its own power and fortify the Mind and the Affections against the Light and Efficacy of Conviction Sect. 6 Fourthly As Men grow up in the state of nature sin gets ground in them and upon them subjectively and objectively Concupiscence gets strength with Age and grows in violence as persons arrive to Ability for its Exercise the Instruments of it in the faculties of the Soul Organs of the senses and members of the body growing every day more serviceable unto it and
their Duties even bodily strength When that also was needful for the Work whereunto he called them Such was his Gift unto Sampson His bodily strength was supernatural a meer effect of the Power of the Spirit of God and therefore when he put it forth in his Calling it is said that the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him Judg. 14. 6. Chap. 15. 14. or wrought powerfully in him And he gave him this strength in the way of an Ordinance appointing the growing of his Hair to be the Sign and Pledg of it the Care whereof being violated by him he lost for a season the Gift it self Sect. 25 Fourthly He also communicated Gifts intellectual to be exercised in and about things Natural and Artificial So he endowed Bezaliel and Aholiab with Wisdom and Skill in all manner of curious Workmanship about all sorts of things for the building and beautifying of the Tabernacle Exod. 31. 2 3. Whether Bezaliel were a Man that had before given himself unto the Acquisition of those Arts and Sciences is altogether uncertain But certain it is that his present Endowments were extraordinary The Spirit of God heightned improved and strengthned the Natural Faculties of his Mind to a Perception and Understanding of all the curious Works mentioned in that place and unto a skill how to contrive and dispose of them into their Order deigned by God himself And therefore although the skill and wisdom mentioned differed not in the kind of it from that which others attained by industry yet he received it by an immediate Afflatus or Inspiration of the Holy Ghost as to that degree at least which he was made Partaker of Sect. 27 Lastly The Assistance given unto Holy Men for the Publishing and Preaching of the Word of God to others as to Noah who was a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2. 5. for the Conviction of the Word and Conversion of the Elect wherein the Spirit of God strove with Men Gen. 6. 3. and preached unto them that were Disobedient 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. might here also be considered but that the Explanation of his whole Work in the Particular will occur unto us in a more proper place Sect. 28 And thus I have briefly passed through the Dispensation of the Spirit of God under the Old Testament Nor have I aimed therein to gather up his whole Work and all his Actings for then every thing that is praise-worthy in the Church must have been enquired into For all without him is Death and Darkness and Sin All Life Light and Power are from him alone And the instances of things expresly assigned unto him which we have insisted on are sufficient to manifest that the whole Being and Welfare of the Church depended solely on his Will and his Operation And this will yet be more evident when we have also considered those other Effects and Operations of his which being common to both States of the Church under the Old Testament and the New are purposely here omitted because the Nature of them is more fully cleared in the Gospel wherein also their Exemplifications are more illustrious From him therefore was the Word of Promise and the Gift of Prophesie whereon the Church was founded and whereby it was built From him was the Revelation and Institution of all the Ordinances of Religious Whorship from him was that Communication of Gifts and Gracious Abilities which any Persons received for the Edification Rule Protection and Deliverance of the Church All these things were wrought by that one and self-same Spirit which divideth to every Man severally as he will And if this were the state of things under the Old Testament a Judgment may thence be made how it is under the New The principal Advantage of the present State above that which is past next unto the coming of Christ in the Flesh consists in the pouring out of the Holy upon the Disciples of Christ in a larger manner than formerly And yet I know not how it is come to pass that some Men think that neither He nor his Work are of any great use unto us And whereas we find every thing that is good even under the Old Testament assigned unto him as the sole immediate Author of it it is hard to perswade with many that he continues now to do almost any good at all And what he is allowed to have any hand in it is sure to be so stated as that the principal praise of it may redound unto our selves So diverse yea so adverse are the thoughts of God and Men in these things where our Thoughts are not captivated unto the Obedience of Faith But we must shut up this Discourse It is a common saying among the Jewish Masters That the Gift of the Holy Ghost ceased under the second Temple or after the finishing of it Their meaning must be that it did so as to the Gifts of Ministerial Prophesie of Miracles and of Writing the Mind of God by Inspiration for the Use of the Church Otherwise there is no Truth in their Observation For there were afterwards especial Revelations of the Holy Ghost granted unto many as unto Simeon and Anna Luke 1. And others constantly received of his Gifts and Graces to enable them unto Obedience and fit them for their Employments For without a continuance of these supplies the Church it self must absolutely cease General Dispensation of the HOLY SPIRIT with respect unto the New Creation CHAP. II. 1. The Work of the Spirit of God in the New Creation proposed to Consideration The Importance of the Doctrine hereof 2. The plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise respecting the Times of the New Testament 3. Ministry of Gospel founded in the Promise of the Spirit 4. How this Promise is made unto all Believers 5. Injunction to all to pray for the Spirit of God 6. The solemn Promise of Christ to send his Spirit when he left the Word 7. The ends for which he promised him 8. The Work of the New Creation the principal means of the Revelation of God and his Glory 9. How this Revelation is made in particular herein Sect. 1 VVE are now arrived at that part of our Work which was principally intended in the Whole and that because our Faith and Obedience is principally therein concerned This is the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost with respect to the Gospel or the New Creation of all things in and by Jesus Christ. And this if any thing in the Scripture is worthy of our most diligent Enquiry and Meditation nor is there any more important Principle and Head of that Religion which we do profess The Doctrine of Being and Unity of the Divine Nature is common to us with the rest of Mankind and hath been so from the Foundation of the World however some like bruit Beasts have herein also corrupted themselves The Doctrine of the Trinity or the Subsistence of three Persons in the one Divine Nature or Being was known to
and Preaching of the Gospel to understand receive and embrace them in a spiritual and saving manner so as to have the sactifying Power of them thereby brought into and fixed in the Soul without an internal especial immediate supernatural effectual enlightning Act of the Holy Ghost which what it is and wherein it doth consist shall be declared Life and Death Natural and Spiritual Compared CHAP. IV. 1. Of Death in Sin All Unregenerate Men Spiritually Dead 2. Spiritual Death two-fold Moral 3. Metaphorical 4. Life Natural what it is and wherein it consists 5. Death Natural with its necessary Consequents 6 7 8. The Supernatural Life of Adam in Innocency in its Principle Acts and Power 9 10. Differences between it and our Spiritual Life in Christ. 11 12. Death Spiritual a Privation of the Life we had in Adam a Negation of the Life of Christ. 13. Privation of a Principle of all Life to God Spiritual Impotency therein 14. Differences between Death Natural and Spiritual 15 16 17. The Use of Precepts Promises and Threatnings 18 19 20 21. No Man perisheth meerly for want of Power 22 23 24. No Vital Acts in an estate of Death the Way of the Communication of Spiritual Life 25 26 27 28. Of what Nature are the best Works of Persons Unregenerate 29. No Disposition unto Spiritual Life under the Power of Spiritual Death Sect. 1 ANother Description that the Scripture gives of Unregenerate Men as to their State and Condition is That they are Spiritually Dead And hence in like manner it follows that there is a necessity of an internal powerful effectual Work of the Holy Ghost on the Souls of Men to deliver them out of this State and Condition by Regeneration And this principally respects their Wills and Affections as the Darkness and Blindness before described doth their Minds and Understandings There is a Spiritual Life whereby Men live unto God This they being Strangers unto and Alienate from are spiritually dead And this the Scripture declares concerning all Unregenerate Persons partly in direct words and partly in other Assertions of the same importance Of the first sort the Testimonies are many and express Ephes. 2. 1. You were dead in Trespasses and Sins v. 5. When you were dead in sins Col. 2. 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh 2 Cor. 5. 14. If one died for all then were all dead Rom. 5. 15. Through the offence of one many are dead v. 12. Death passed on all Men for that all have sinned And the same is asserted in the second Way where the Recovery and Restauration of Men by the Grace of Christ is called their Quickning or the bestowing of a New Life upon them For this supposeth that they were dead or destitute of that Life which in this Revivification is communicated unto them For that alone can be said to be quickened which was dead before See Ephes. 2. 5. Joh. 5. 21. Joh. 6. 63. Sect. 2 This Death that Unregenerate Persons are under is two-fold 1. Legal with reference unto the sentence of the Law The Sanction of the Law was that upon Sin Man should dye In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2. 17. Upon this sentence Adam and all his Posterity became dead in Law morally dead or obnoxious unto death penally and adjudged unto it This Death is intended in some of the Places before mentioned as Rom. 5. 12. and it may be also 2 Cor. 5. 14. For as Christ dyed so were all dead He dyed penally under the sentence of the Law and all were obnoxious unto death or dead on that Account But this is not the Death which I intend neither are we delivered from it by Regeneration but by Justification Rom. 8. 1. Sect. 3 2. There is in them a Spiritual Death called so Metaphorically from the Analogie and Proportion that it bears unto death Natural Of great Importance it is to know the true nature hereof and how by Reason thereof Unregenerate Men are utterly disabled from doing any thing that is spiritually Good until they are quickened by the Almighty Power and irresistible Efficacy of the Holy Ghost Wherefore to declare this aright we must consider the nature of Life and Death natural in Allusion whereunto the Spiritual estate of Unregenerate Men is thus described Life in general or the Life of a Living Creature is Actus Vivificantis in Vivificatum per unionem utriusque The Act of a quickning Principle on a Subject to be quickened by Virtue of their Union And three things are to be considered in it 1 The Principle of Life it self And this in man is the Rational living Soul called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 7. God breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life and Man became a living Soul Having formed the Body of man of the Dust of the Earth he designed him a Principle of Life Superior unto that of bruit Creatures which is but the Exurgency and Spirit of their Temperature and Composition though peculiarly educed by the formative Vertue and Power of the Holy Ghost as hath been before declared He creates for him therefore a separate distinct animating soul and infuseth it into the matter prepared for its Reception And as he did thus in the Beginning of the Creation of the Species or Kind of humane Race in its first Individuals so he continueth to do the same in the ordinary course of the Works of his Providence for the continuation of it For having ordained the Preparation of the Body by Generation he immediately infuseth into it the Living Soul the Breath of Life 2 There is the Actus primus or the quickning act of this Principle on the Principle quickned in and by Vertue of Union Hereby the whole man becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Living Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a person quickned by a Vital Principle and enabled for all naturally Vital Actions 3. There are the Acts of this Life it self And they are of two sorts 1 Such as flow from Life as Life 2 Such as proceed from it as such a Life from the Principle of a Rational Soul Those of the first sort are natural and necessary as are all the Actings and Energies of the Senses of the locomotive Faculty as also what belongs unto the receiving and improving of Nutriment These are Acts of Life whence the Psalmist proves Idols to be dead things from the want of them so far are they from having a Divine Life as that they have no Life at all Psal. 115. 4 5 6 7. These are Acts of Life as Life inseparable from it and their End is to preserve the Union of the whole between the quickning and quickned Principles 2 There are such Acts of Life as proceed from the especial nature of this quickning Principle Such are all the elicit and imperate Acts of our Understandings and Wills all Actions that are voluntary rational and peculiarly humane These proceed from
fowls of Heaven Destruction and death say we have heard the same thereof with our ears God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof And unto man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisedom and to depart from evil is understanding Chap. 28. 20 21 22 23. 28. This is that wisdom whose ways residence and pathes are so hidden from the natural Reason and understandings of men No man I say by their mere Sight and Conduct can know and understand aright the true nature of Evangelical Holiness and it is therefore no wonder if the Doctrine of it be despised by many as an Enthusiastical fancy It is of the things of the Spirit of God yea it is the principal effect of all his Operations in us and towards us And these things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. It is by him alone that we are enabled to know the things that are freely given unto us of God v. 12 as this is if ever we receive any thing of him in this world or shall do so to Eternity Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him The comprehension of these things is not the work of any of our natural faculties but God reveals them unto us by his Spirit v. 9. 10. Hence it often falls out as it did in the Jews and Pharisees of old That those who are most zealous and industrious for and after a Legal Righteousness walking in a strict attendance unto Duties proportionable unto Light and Convictions pretending to be it and bearing some resemblance of it are the most fierce and implacable Enemies of true Evangelical Holiness They know it not and therefore hate it they have embraced something else in its place and stead and therefore despise and persecute it as it befalls them who embrace Error for Truth in any kind Sect. 10 3 Believers themselves are oft-times much unacquainted with it either as to their Apprehension of its true Nature Causes and Effects or at least as to their own Interest and concernment therein As we know not of our selves the things that are wrought in us of the Spirit of God so we seldom attend as we ought unto his instructing of us in them It may seem strange indeed that whereas all Believers are sanctified and made Holy that they should not understand nor apprehend what is wrought in them and for them and what abideth with them But alas how little do we know of our selves of what we are and whence are our Powers and Faculties even in things natural Do we know how the members of the Body are fashioned in the womb We are apt to be seeking after and giving Reasons for all things and to describe the progress of the production of our Natures from first to last so as if not to satisfie our selves yet to please and amuze others for vain man would be wise although he be like the wilde Asses Colt The best issues of our Consideration hereof is that of the Psalmist Thou O God hast possessed my reins thou hast covered me in my Mothers wombe I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth Thine Eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Psal. 139. 13 14 15 16. By diligent consideration of these things we may obtain a firm foundation to stand on in an Holy Admiration of the Infinite Wisdom and Goodness of that Soveraign Architect who hath raised this Fabrick unto his own Glory and what we further attempt is Vanity and Curiosity How little do we know of these Souls of ours and all that we do so is by their Powers and Operations which are Consequential unto their Beings Now these things are our own naturally they dwell and abide with us they are we and we are they and nothing else yet is it no easie thing for us to have a reflex and intimate acquaintance with them And is it strange if we should be much in the dark unto this new Nature this new Creature which comes from above from God in Heaven wherewith our natural Reason hath no Acquaintance It is New it is wonderfull it is a work supernatural and is known only by supernatural Revelation Besides there are other things which pretend to be this Gospel Holiness and are not whereby unspeakable Multitudes are deluded and deceived With some any Reformation of Life and Abstinence from flagitious sins with the performance of the Common Duties of Religion is all which they suppose is required under this Head of their Duty Others contend with violence to substitute Moral Vertues by which they know not themselves what they intend in the room thereof And there is a work of the Law which in the fruits of it internal and external in the works of Righteousness and Dutyes which is hardly and not but by spiritual Light and Measures to be distinguished from it This also addes to the difficulty of understanding it aright and should to our diligent enquiry into it Sect. 11 4 We must also consider that Holiness is not confined to this Life but passeth over into Eternity and Glory Death hath no power over it to destroy it or divest us of it For 1 Its Acts indeed are transient but its Fruits abide for ever in their Reward They who dye in the Lord rest from their Labours and their works follow them Rev. 14. 13. God is not unrighteous to forget their labour of love Heb. 6. 10. There is not any Effect or Fruit of Holiness not the least not the giving of a cup of cold water to a Disciple of Christ in the name of a Disciple but it shall be had in everlasting remembrance and abide for ever in its Eternal Reward Nothing shall be lost but all the fragments of it shall be gathered up and kept safe for ever Every thing else how specious soever it be in this world shall be burnt up and consumed as hay and stubble when the least the meanest the most secret Fruit of Holiness shall be gathered as Gold and Silver durable substance into Gods Treasury and become a part of the Riches of the Inheritance of the Saints in Glory Let no soul fear the Loss of any Labour in any of the Dutyes of Holiness in the most secret contest against sin for inward Purity for outward Fruitfulness in the Mortification of sin Resistance of Temptations Improvement of Grace in Patience Moderation Self-denyal Contentment all that you do know and what you do not know shall all be revived called over and abide Eternally in your Reward Our Father who
such things are worthy of Death not only do the same but have Pleasure in them that do them When open Profligate Sinners do as it were make themselves up into Societyes encouraging and approving one another in their Abominable Courses so that no Company pleaseth them but such as have obtained an Impudence in sinning then is the greatest Defiance given unto the Holiness and Righteousness of God Now such as these will never seek after Cleansing For why should they do so who are sensible of no Spiritual Pollution nor have the least touch of shame with respect thereunto It is Necessary therefore unto the Duty of Purifying our Souls that we be affected with shame for the Spiritual Defilements which our Nature under the Loss of the Image of God is even rolled in And where this is not it will be but lost Labour that is spent in the Invitation of men to the Cleansing Fountain Sect. 13 3. Let Person so affected be fully satisfied that they can never Cleanse or Purifie themselves by any Endeavours that are meerly their own or by any Means of their own finding out According unto mens Convictions of the Defilements of sin so have and alwayes will their Endeavours be after Purification Hos. 5. 13. And indeed it is the Duty of Believers to purifie themselves more and more in the Exercise of all Purifying Graces and the use of all Means appointed of God for that Purpose 2 Cor. 7. 1. And their neglect thereof is the highest Disadvantage Psal. 38. 5. But men in the state of Nature concerning whom we now treat are no way able to cleanse their Natures or purge themselves He only who can restore repair and renew their Natures unto the Likeness of God can cleanse them But here many fall into Mistakes For when by Reason of their Convictions they can no longer satisfie and please themselves in the Pollution of sin they goe about by Vain attempts of their own to purifie their Souls Hos. 5. 13. Jerem. 2. 22. Job 9. 30 31. their own Sorrow and Repentance and Tears of Contrition and that sorry Amendment of Life they can attain unto shall do this Work for them And every especial defiling Act or every renewed sence of it shall have an especial Act of Duty for its Cleansing But though these things are Good in themselves yet there is required more Wisdom to the right stating of them as to their Causes Respects Ends and Use than they are furnisht withall Hence are they so frequently abused and turned into an effectual Means not only of keeping Men off and at a Distance from Christ but also from a due and acceptable Performance of the very Duties themselves pretended unto For Legal Sorrow or Repentance or meer Legal Convictions being trusted unto will infallibly keep the Soul from coming up unto that Evangelical Repentance which alone God accepts And meer Reformation of Life rested in proves opposite to Endeavours for the Renovation of our Natures But let these Duties be performed however in what Manner you please they are utterly insufficient of themselves to cleanse our Natural Defilements Nor will any seek duely for that which alone is effectual unto this Purpose untill they are fully convinced hereof Let therefore Sinners hear and know whether they will or will not believe it that as by Nature they are wholly desiled and polluted with those Abominations of Sin which render them Loathsom in the sight of God so they have no Power by any Endeavours or Duties of their own to Cleanse themselves but by all they doe to this End they do but farther plunge themselves into the Ditch and encrease their own Defilements yet are all those Duties necessary in their proper Place and unto their proper End 4. It is therefore their Duty to acquaint themselves with that only Remedy in this Case that only Means of Cleansing which God hath appointed and which he makes Effectual One great End of the Revelation of the Will of God from the Foundation of the World of his Institutions and Ordinances of Worship was to direct the Souls and Consciences of Men in and unto the Way of their Cleansing which as it argues his Infinite Love and Care so the great Importance by the Matter it self And one Principal Means which Satan from the Beginning made use of to keep men in their Apostasie from God and to encourage them therein was by supplying them with innumerable Wayes of Purifications suited to the Imaginations of their dark unbelieving and superstitious Minds And in like manner when he designed to draw men off from Christ and the Gospel under the Papacy he did it principally by the suggestion of such present and future Purgatories of Sin as might comply with their Lusts and Ignorance of so great Importance is it therefore to be acquainted with the only true real Way and Means hereof And there are two Considerations that are suited to excite the Diligence of Sinners in this Enquiry 1. The Weight that is laid on this Matter by God himself 2. The Difficulty of attaining an Acquaintance with it And 1 as hath been observed any one by considering the Legal Institutions of Old will see what weight God layes hereon No Sacrifice had any respect unto sin but there was somewhat Peculiar in it that was for its Cleansing And there were sundry Ceremonious Ordinances which had no other End but only to purifie from Uncleannesses 2 Among all the Promises of the Old Testament concerning the Establishment of the New Covenant and the Grace thereof which are Many and Precious there are none more Eminent than those which concern our Cleansing from sin by the Administration of the Spirit through the Blood of Christ. Some of them have been mentioned before Which also farther manifests the Care that God hath taken for our Instruction herein 3 There is nothing more pressed on us nothing more frequently proposed unto us in the Gospel than the Necessity of our Purification and the only Way of Effecting it If therefore either Instructions or Promises or Precepts or all concurring may evidence the Importance of a Duty then is this manifested to partake therein And those who will preferre the Guidance of Carnal Reason and vain Traditions before these Heavenly Directions shall live in their Ignorance and dye in their Sins 2 ly The Difficulty of attaining an Acquaintance with it is to be duely considered It is a part of the Mystery of the Gospel and such a part as is among those which the Wisdom of the World or Carnal Reason esteemeth Foolishness It is not easily admitted nor received that we can no otherwise be cleansed from our sins but by the sprinkling of that Blood which was shed so long ago Yet this and no other way doth the Scripture propose unto us To fancy that there is any cleansing from sin but by the Blood of Christ is to overthrow the Gospel The Doctrine hereof are Persons therefore obliged to enquire after and come