reparation therefore our Mediator must not look to procure for us a simple pardon without more ado but must be a propitiation for our sinnes and redeem us by his fine and ransome and so not only be the master of our requests to intreat the Lord for us but also take upon him the part of an advocate to plead full satisfaction made by himself as our Surety Rom. 3.25 1 John 2.2 and 4.10 Mat. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 Job 33.24 1 Joh. 2.1 Heb. 7.22 unto all the debt wherewith we any way stood chargeable Quest. What satisfaction did Christ our Surety binde himself to perform in our behalf Answ. It was of a double debt the principal and the accessory Quest. What was the principal dâ—bt Answ. Obedience to Gods most holy Law which man was bound to pay as a perpetual tribute to his Creator though he had never sinned but being now by his own default become bankrupt he is not able to discharge in the least measure his Surety therefore being to satisfie in his stead none will be found fit to undertake such a payment but he who is both God and man Quest. Why must he be man Answ. First because man was the party that by the Articles of the first Covenant was tyed to this obedience and it was requisite that as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man should many be made righteous Rom. 5.19 Secondly if our Mediator were only God he could have performed no obedience the God-head being free from all manner of subjection Quest. Why must he be God Answ. Because if he were a bare man though he had been as perfect as Adam in his integrity or the Angels themselves yet being left unto himself amidst all the tentations of Satan and this wicked world he should have been subâ—ect to fall as they were or had he held out as the elect Angels did it must have been ascribed to the grace and favour of another whereas the giving of strict satisfaction to Gods justice was the thing required but now being God as well as man he by his own eternal spirit preserved himself without spot presenting a far more satisfactory obedience unto God then Adam could possibly have performed in his integrity Quest. How may that appear Answ. Besides the infinite difference that was betwixt both their persons which makes the actions of the one beyond all comparison to exceed the worth and value of the other we know that Adam was not able to make himself holy but what holinesse he had he received it from him that created him after his own image so that whatsoever obedience Adam had performed God should have eaten but of the fruit of the vineyard which himself had planted 1 Cor. 9.7 and of his own would all that have been which could be given to him 1 Chron. 29.14 16. But Christ did himself sanctifie that humane nature which he assumed John 17.19 and so out of his own peculiar store did he bring forth those precious treasures of holy obedience which for the satisfaction of our debt he was pleased to tender to his Father Secondly if Adam had done all things that were commanded him he must for all that have said I am an unprofitable servant I have not done that which was my duty to do Luke 17.10 whereas in the voluntary obedience which Christ subjected himself to the case stood far otherwise Indeed if we respect him in his humane nature his Father is greater then he John 14.28 and he is his Fathers servant Isa. 53.11 Mark 12.18 yet in that he most truly said that God was his Father John 5.18 the Jewes did rightly infer from thence that thereby he made himself equal with God and the Lord hath proclaimed him to be the man that is his fellow Zach. 13.7 Being therefore such a man and so highly borne by the priviledge of his birth-right he might have claimed an exemption from the ordinary service which all other men are tyed to and by being the Kings son he might have freed himself from the payment of that tribute which was to be exacted of strangers Matth. 17.25 26. when the Father brought this his first begotten into the world he said Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 and at that very instant wherein the Son advanced our nature into the highest pitch of dignity by admitting it into the unity of his sacred person that nature so assumed was worthy to be crowned with all glory and honour and he in that nature might then have set himself down at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 tyed to no other subjection then now he is or hereafter shall be when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father For then also in regard of his assumed Nature he shall be subject unto him that hath put all things under him 1 Cor. 15.27 But he looking on the the things of others Phil. 2.4 5 7 8. he chose rather to come by a tedious way and wearisome journey to it not challenging the priviledge of a Son but taking upon him the form of a mean servant not serving as an honourable Commander in the Lords Host but as a common Souldier making himself of no reputation and emptying himself of his high dignity he humbled himself and became obedient unto death Phil. 2.7 being content all his life long to be made under the Law Gal. 4.4 Yea so far that as he was sent in the likensse of sinful flesh Rom. 8.3 so he disdained not to subject himself unto that Law which properly did concern sinful flesh and therefore though Circumcision was by right applicable only to such as were dead in their sins and the uncircumcision of their flesh Col. 2.11 13. yet he in whom there was no sin to be put off notwithstanding submitted himself there unto not only to testifie his communion with the Fathers of the Old Testament but also hereby to tender to his Father a bond signed with his own blood whereby he made himself in our behalf a debtor to the whole Law Gal. 5.3 Baptisme also pertained properly to such as were defiled and had need to have their sins washed away Act. 22.16 hence Matth. 3.6 Mar. 1.5 when many came to John Baptist Christ also came amongst the rest but the Baptist considering that he had need to be baptised of Christ and not Christ by him as altogether unfitting for that imaculate Lamb of God Yet did he as our Mediatour submit himself to that Ordinance of God also not only to testifie his communion with the Christians of the New Testament but especially because it became him thus to fulfill all righteousnesse Matt. 3.15 and so having fulfilled all righteousnesse which the meanest man was tyed to in the dayes of his pilgrimage which he needed not to have done if he had respected himself onely the works which he performed were truly superogatory which might be put upon
Moses was angry Exod. 11.8 Lev. 10.16 c. Quest. What is bad Anger Answ. It s a desire to be revenged upon the person of our neighbour either by words or deeds threatned Mat. 5.22 Quest. Why is Anger placed in the heart Answ. First to be an Harbinger or Usher to prepare the way for obtaining some good desired and to remove the obstacles that lie in the way Secondly to be as it were the hearts dagger for the defence of love desire delight and hope Quest. How must we act Anger Answ. First against sin as the open enemy and grand Obstructer of Gods glory and good to our selves Isa. 59.2 especially against sin in our selves and in those that are near and dear to us So Moses Exod. 32.19 Nehemiah ch 13.17 21. Secondly For the removal of the impediments of Gods glory and our good Thirdly for the Reformation of the person and the abuse Quest. How may it be proved that there is a good and lawful Anger Answ. First because it s attributed to God himself Rom. 1.18 John 3.36 Secondly it was made by God and was in man before the fall Thirdly yea it was in Christ himself as man Mar. 3.5 Mat. 10.14 Joh. 2.15 Fourthly many holy men in Scripture are commended for it Exod. 16.20 Act. 8.20 Act. 7.24 and 13.11 12. Neh. 5.6 Fifthly in true repentance there must be anger and revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 Sixthly the Scripture commends it Eccles. 7.3 and commands it Ephes. 4.26 Mat. 5.22 Seventhly there be just occasions for anger and if we be not angry at them we fail in our duty to God and man Quest. When is anger rightly ordered Answ. When it 's moved quickned and guided by faith stirring up godly sorrow for sin in our selves or others joyned with an holy and just desire of revenge to the saving of the person appeasing of Gods anger and promoting the Kingdome of Christ. Holy anger must have a just and weighty occasion so we read of Moses he was angry when contrary to the command of God Mannâ—h was reserved till the next morning Exod. 16.20 when they tempted God in worshipping the golden calf Exod. 23.19 When Corah c. rebelled Numb 16.15 The causes of just anger are First when we see God dishonoured and his glory defaced So in Phineas Numb 25.7 8. and Elias 1 King 19.14 Secondly when injury is unjustly offered to our selves For by Gods law we are bound to seek the preservation of our own good name and estate So in Paul Acts 23.2 and in Christ John 18.23 But this gives no place to private revenge when out of bitternesse of spirit we seek the hurt of them that wrong us Forbidden Matth. 5.39 Rom. 12.17 yet when wronged we may implore the aid of the Magistrate yet without a desire to hurt him that wrongs us as Luke 18.3 Thirdly when injury is offered to our brethren for by the law of charity we are bound to love them as our selves so in Moses Acts 7.24 in David 2 Sam. 13.21 in Nehemiah ch 5.6 hence James 1.9 we are commanded to be slow to anger For the object of holy anger is sin not the person so in David Ps. 119.139 in Jeremy ch 6.10 11. Quest. What are the properties of holy anger Answ. First It must begin at home we must be most angry with our own sinnes Secondly it must be mixed with love God himself in wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3.1 2. So in Moses he prays for those with whom he was angry Exod. 32.31 c. Thirdly anger for an offence must be mixed with sorrow for the offence So in Christ Mark 3.5 Hence Gal. 61. Fourthly we must shew Christian modesty in our anger by abstaining from malicious speeches and unjust actions So in Michael Jude 9. Fifthly We must observe a due decorum and fit respect in it and that 1. In regard of our selves we must have respect to our place and calling A Magistrate must shew his anger not onely in countenance and words but in his actions also and so must a father the contrary was Eli's sin but a private person must onely shew it in countenance and words 2. The offenders are not to be used all alike A mean man must not shew his anger to a noble man or Magistrate as he may to his equal the sonne must not shew his anger to his father as the father may to the son Moses a Magistrate useth the sword Exod. 32.27 John Baptist a Minister useth onely the sword of the Spirit Matth. 3.7 Jacob a private man towards Laban useth only mild and gentle admonitions Gen. 31.36 Jonathan by rising from the Table and going out 1 Sam. 20.34 The three children in humble and respective words to the King Dan. 3.16 Paul the like to Festus and Agrippa Acts 25.10 11. and 26.25 29. Sixthly it must be contained within the bounds of our particular callings so as that it make us not to neglect our duty either to God or man Seventhly it must be moderate rising and falling according to the nature of the offence It will not favour sin in one and detest it in another slie out against one offence and connive at another Eighthly it must be seasonable for time and continuance It must not continue longet then the cause continues our safest course is quickly to be appeased if the party offending repent of his sin against God and his wrong against us or our brethren For reformation is the aim of holy anger Ninthly the ends of holy anger must be just and holy which are 1. The glory of God which is set forth by our anger when being private persons we manifest our detestation of sin in word and countenance Being Magistrates we punish sin and execute justice 2. The good of Church and Common-wealth which most properly belongs to Magistrates who are to punish sin not onely that civil justice may be maintained but that Gods anger which hangs over whole countreys where sin is countenanced or not justly punished may be averted 3. The good of the party For hereby the offender is restrained from the like future miscarriages Quest. How are we to stir up just and holy anger in our selves Answ. We are to stir it up by the exaggeration of the injury done or received and that by the consideration of these foure circumstances First from the person that doth the wrong his basenesse wisdome gravity and office if he hath pretended former friendship received from us many kindnesses which he repays with injury and ingratitude if he hath often done us wrong which we never revenged or greatly endamaged himself to endamage us In all which respects we have much more cause to be angry with our selves for sinning against God Think with thy self that if a base Peasant should buffet a Prince what an injury it would be how much more abominable is it for me so vile a wretch to rebel against God That I should sin against him who hath enriched me with such wisdome and understanding
the spiritual man who resists it all he may but to the flesh which alone shall bâ—ar the punishment God using to that end not only the hammer of his Word but also temporary crosses and afflictions 3. God measures not our sinnes according to the nature and matter of the sins themselves but rather according to the affection of the sinner which gives the form and being thereunto in regard whereof the greatest sin being entertained by the concupiscence only and there crushed and choaked is esteemed by God a far lesse sin then the least degree of wickednesse which is willingly committed nourished or defended Quest. By what means may we be freed from these hellish blasphemies Answ. First we must have recourse to God by fervent prayer entreating him to rebuke Satan and to restrain his malice either that he may not cast his hellish wild-fire of blasphemous thoughts into our minds or at least that he will quench them at their first entrance that they may not enflame our concupiscence with the least liking of them Secondly when Satan terrifies us by laying these blasphemies to our charge we are to appeal to the Lord the searcher of our hearts as the supream Judge and having the testimony of our consciences to bear witnesse with us we are to protest our innocency and so to disavow these wicked suggestions and to protest such hatred of them that we would rather die a thousand deaths then yeeld the least assent to them Thirdly we are not to make such account of these suggestions as that therby our understandings should be dulled our minds distracted our senses astonished and our hearts discouraged so as to be made unfit for the service of God and the duties of charity to our brethren and the duties of our particular callings Object This indeed were a good course for such as have quiet minds but I am so distracted in every holy duty with these blasphemous suggestions that I cannot perform them with undâ—rstanding so that they become unprofitable to me and I fear they are turned into sin Answ. Though thou canst not perform these duties as thou wouldst yet do them as well as thou canst yea the more thou art troubled in them be the more earnest in doing of them for they are the best weapons to repell Satan whereof if Satan can disarme thee he will be sure to prevaile They are Gods Ordinances and therefore though thou finde no present good by them yet thou must do them in obedience to Gods command And so in the end thou shalt finde that God accepts thy endeavours and will pardon thy infirmities and give such a blessing to them by his Spirit that they shall bring joy and comfort to thy heart Fourthly we must not revolve these blasphemous suggestions in our minds nor suffer them to reside in our thoughts but forcibly withstand them when we find them first entring or if they be entred before we be aware we are presently to reject them and entertain into our mindes some heavenly meditations which will keep them from easie re-entrance Fifthly we must have a special care to avoid idlenesse and solitarinesse and spend all our time either in holy exercises or in the duties of our lawful callings For idlenesse prepares us for tentations and makes our hearts like unmanured ground fit to bring forth nothing but weeds and solitarinesse brings in this case a heavy woe with it Eccles. 4.10 giving Satan a great advantage against us which made the Devil when he tempted Christ to make choice of the wildernesse having by manifold experience found that such solitary places are fittest for his purpose Sixthly if for all this we cannot be rid of them we must not too earnestly strive against them or be overmuch grieved with them but seeing they are Satans sins and not ours if we abhor and strive against them we must constantly go on in our course of godlinesse and righteousnesse and so let them passe as they come without being dismaied at them Mr. Downams Christian Warfare CHAP. XIX Questions and Cases of Conscience about our Bodies Quest. WHat is the condition and state of our bodies in this life Answ. They are vile and base and that not only the bodies of the wicked but also of the dearest children of God Phil. 3.21 Quest. How may this be made out Answ. Our Original is base we are dust and to dust we must return Besides our continuance is full of changes we are subject to sicknesse sores paine hunger c. and base we are because we are upheld by inferiour creatures We enter into the world one way and then go out a thousand somtimes by violent sometimes by more natural deaths Are subject to divers diseases loathsom to the eyes and noses especially when we are nearest our end then our countenances wax pale our members tremble and all our beauty is gone when we are dead our carcasse is so lothsom that it must be had out of sight yea though of Abraham Gen. 23.4 For as mans body is of the finest temper of all others so the corruption of it is most vile Quest. Is there then no glory belonging to our bodies Answ. Yea For First its Gods Workmanship and therefore excellent so excellent as the Heathen Galen being stricken into admiration at the admirable frame thereof brake out into an Hymne of praise to the Maker of it and David cries out I am wonderfully made Psal. 139. God made this his last work as an epitome of all the rest Secondly the Scripture teaches us that we owe glory to our bodies and therefore it forbids us to wrong our bodies and speaks infamously of self-murtherers as of Saul Achitophel Judas c. and God to shew the respect that we owe to our bodies hath provided pleasing objects for every sense as â—ight for the eyes flowers for the smell and musick for the ears c. Thirdly these bodies of ours are members of Christ redeemed and sanctified Temples of the Holy Ghost indeed as it keeps the soul from heaven so it s the grave of the soul but otherwise it s the House Temple and instrument of the soul. Quest. But can those bodies be called base for which Christ shed his precious blood Answ. Whilest Gods children live here their bodies are in no better a condition then the bodies of others Hezekiah is sick Lazarus hath his sores David and Job are troubled with loathsome diseases and its reason it should be so For 1. It was so with Christ he took our base ragged nature on him He hungred thirsted was pained yea death had a little power over him and shall we desire a better condition then our head and Master had It s 〈◊〉 decree that we must returne to the dust as all 〈◊〉 fellow Saints have done 〈◊〉 we must partake with 〈…〉 mean estate 〈◊〉 we will partake 〈◊〉 his glory 2. Hereby God doth exercise our faith and hope causing â—s to expect a bettter resurrection and by this meanes
4.4 we are commanded to commune with our own hearts To search and try our ways To judge our selves that we be not judged 1 Cor. 11.31 This the very Heathen commended Nosce teipsum and tecum habita and complain of the neglect of it In se nemo tentat descendere and it s frequently commanded in Scripture as an introduction to conversion and as a constant duty of the converted to prevent Apostacy But who is there that keeps this Court daily in himself who examines himself to say what have I done who calls his thoughts words and actions to this Bar and gives judgement against them Now this judgement of conscience is seen about a twofold object 1. Our actions which are to be judged whether they are agreeable to the Word of God or no For whatsoever we undertake and are not perswaded of in conscience as lawful is a sin Rom. 14.23 2. Our persons and the frame and constitution of our souls and herein conscience is more unable to do its work then in the former For actions at lest many of them are condemned by the light of nature but when we come to search and judge our heart much heavenly skill and prudence is required If hypocrites did thus judge themselves they would not bless themselves in their good condition as they do God hath placed it in man as an Umpire to judge matters impartially between God and thy own soul But conscience being naturally polluted is not able to discharge this office Hence it is that this Court ceaseth conscience doth not keep any Assize at all Eightly it s defiled in that its afraid of light and is not willing to come to the word to be convinced but desires to be in darknesse that so a man may sinne the more quietly Jon. 3.19 20. Hence John 16.7 It s the work of Gods Spirit to convince the world of sin But the natural conscience cannot abide this and therefore it hates a searching Ministry as Ahab did Michaiah Ninthly it s defiled in that its subject to many disguises It appears under so many visors that its hard to know when its conscience or when it s something else that is far enough from conscience yet by reason of this guile men flatter themselves with the name of conscience when indeed it is corruption in him A devil in Samuels mantle Quest. How may a counterfeit conscience be discovered Answ. First when it is not conscience but a sinful lust that puts thee upon many things This is a sad delusion thus to have conscience and so God himself abused Thus Saul when he had sacrificed pretended conscience and that all was to serve God Absolon when he hatched rebellion pretended a vow and so he must out of conscience perform it Judas when he repined at the ointment pretended charity and conscience when it was lust and covetousnesse Secondly when its fancy and imagination which perswades thee and not conscience Thus fancy hath a great influence upon many In melancholly persons especially its hard to discern when it s their fancy and when its conscience that works in them trouble for their sins Thirdly custome education and prepossessed principles sometimes work upon man as if they were conscience Thus many are affected in religious things not out of conscience but custome they have been used to such things brought up in such a way of serving God and therefore they would have such wayes and customes still But that it s not conscience but custom will easily appear in that they will change according to outward advantages when Shechem would be circumcised it was not out of conscience but for Dina's sake When Jeroboam erected an Altar it was not for conscience but out of carnal policy Fourthly if it be conscience that puts us upon duties and those commanded yet hardly are they done for conscience sake The same duties may be done out of conscience to God by some and from corrupt sinful motives by others Thus Rom. 13.5 Paul presseth obedience not only for feare but for conscience If it were from fear only it were sinful Hence Peter speaks of a conscience of God 1 Pet. 2.19 A conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 which is not to be understood subjectively as if God had a conscience but objectively for a conscience that respects the will and authority of God Many frequent Ordinances not out of conscience to God but in regard of the Laws of men or some such other respect Whereas Colos. 3.17 18. all should be done heartily as to God c. Fifthly natural conscience is greatly polluted by original sin in regard of the limited and partial conviction or illumination that it is apt to receive Conscience will receive some light and be convinced in some smaller things but the weightier things its apt to neglect So the Pharisees Luk. 11.42 Sixthly its polluted in that it s very severe in censuring other mens sins but blinde about its own In this its like the eye which can see all other things but it self Mat. 7.3 This Christ chargeth upon the Pharisees bidding them first to pull out the beam out of their own eye c. So Rom. 2.1 Judah was very severe against Thamar till he saw the staff and the bracelets Such have the eyes of the Lamiae that they take up when they go abroad and lay aside when they come home Seventhly it s defiled because of the ease and security it hath whereas if it were awaken it would give the sinner no rest day nor night The rich man bad his soul take its ease he found no gripes of conscience Eighthly it s grosly defiled both because it hath lost its subordination to God and his word the true rule of conscience and also its superiority over the will and affections Towards God it keepts not its subordination but naturally falls into two extreams either taking other rules then the Scripture as we see the Papists do or else rejecting the word wholly as a rule as the Antinomians do who say that a man is perfect when he can sin and his conscience never smite him fâ—r it And as for the affections and will conscience cannot now rule and command them Quest. How is conscience defiled when troubled and awakened Answ. First when though it trouble and accuse yet it doth it preposterously not seasonably and opportunely It should put forth its effectual operation before sin is committed to prevent it but it seldome doth it till the sin be committed when God is dishonoured and when guilt is contracted and then also it acteth not so much under God to bring about true peace by repentance and faith as the Devils instrument to bring to despair and so from one sin to fall into a greater as we see in Judas Secondly it discovers its pollutions by slavish and tormenting fears which do accompany it So that whereas the proper work of conscience is by Scripture-light to direct to Christ for healing now on the contrary these wounds do