of Faith to be allowed and accepted of God and to be comfortable to your Soul for I suppone it well grounded on the Word of God His Promise and Command whosoever believes in Christ shall be saved John 3. 16. and John 6. 40. But I John such a one believe in Jesus Christ therefore I John such a one shall be saved the General Promise is express in the Word but not your two following Acts of Faith builded thereon and yet you will assume they are Acts of true Faith and for the first of the two it 's truth is best known to your selves who are alone privy to that heart secret of yours 1 Cor. Chap. 2. 11. For all within the visible Church say I believe in Christ â—ccording to the Apostles Creed received by the universal Church for an Act of true Faith and yet a great part speak not truly This is a sad but sure Truth but as truely as thou believes in Christ it is assuredly as true thou shall be saved then if I grant that your Act whereby you believe to be saved is True Faith and rightly believed by you albeit it is not express in in your Bible then why shall not this be an Act of Faith when a Christian believes it is lawfull to sing Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost albeit these words be not express in the Bible altogether but deduced from the Scripture by infallible consequence I could proceed further in this point but because the Babes are not able to bear it and the Learned are fully clear in this Truth I shall not insist and these who will not assent to the Truth the defect is in themselves and not in the Truth for Children so long as they are such will think speak and understand as Children for which the strong Christian should not despise the Babes but consider they were once Babes themselves and on the other hand the Children should not presume nor overwean themselves nor judge uncharitably of the strong but that they sing the Doxology in Faith grounded on a strong Scriptural Consequence as when the weak Christian takes his Sacrament and I request the weak Christian to think soberly of himself when David a Man according to Gods own heart said in sincerity Psalm 131. 2. I have quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother and if ye will ask wherein he so behaved he tells you himself he did not aspired things too high for him If every Christian would do so there would be more peace in the Church CHAP. XI The Reasons why the General Assembly was not in power to lay aside the Doxology proving their great reluctancy to their own deed with several other circumstances alleviating the same IN this Chapter we are to answer the Grand Objection to wit That the singing of the Doxology in the publick worship of God was laid aside by the Generall Assembly of this Church Anno Dom. 1649. To this my first answer is that Assembly hath fourty two Sessions mentioned in the Index of the imprinted Acts thereof but the laying aside of the Doxology is not mentioned in the Printed Acts of that Assembly nor yet in the index of the imprinted Acts therefore seing there is no mention in the Register of the Church to prove to Posterity that the Doxology was laid aside it may put some to demurr in that affair seing there is no legal proof of it extant 2 dly I answer though the laying aside of the Doxology was res gesta yet seing there is not a word of it in the Register of the Church the laying of it aside will come under the Notion of an unwritten Tradition to Posterity 3 dly I answer That it is to be considered whether or not the Generall Assembly was in potestate and had lawfull power to lay aside the Doxology for in their National Covenant they grant their Religion as reformed at the first expelling of Idolatry and was Ratified in Parliament in Anno Dom. 1560. And it 's Confession of Faith to be Christs true and perfect Religion that they shal adhere to it all their dayes to which they bind themselves with Solemn and fearfull Curses but so it is That at the said Reformation in the Lyturgy then appointed and Printed at the beginning of the Psalm Book Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost as it was in the beginning is now and aye shall last is extant in Print yea in that Psalm Book of the Church of Scotland of the old Edition there is great variety of the Meeter Poesies and lest any of them having their diverse Tune should want the Doxology sung at the close of it each of these diverse Poesies have a diverse Doxology one in substance with the ordinar Doxology but differing in some words being framed to be sung according to the particular musical Tunes all which Doxologies were in use in the Church of Scotland after the Reformation which Book is yet extant Printed at Aberdeen cum privilegio in Anno Dom. 1638. So that the National Covenant compared with our first Reformation engadgeth us in all Scotland not to quite the Doxology under the pain of perjury as for that foresaid Lyturgy of Scotland which was Printed and bound in with the Psalm Book it was drawn up by the General Assembly Anno Dom. 1560. and 1555 and 1567. The Fourth Answer The General Assembly 1639. August 30. Which day that Assembly hath enacted thus The General Assembly considering that the intended Reformation being recovered may be established Ordains that no Innovation which may disturbe the peace of the Church and make division be suddenly proponed or enacted but so as the motion be first communicat to the severall Synods Presbytries and Churches that the matter may be approven by all at home and Commissioners may come well prepared unanimously to conclude with settled deliberation upon these points in the general Assembly Which Act of Assembly as it was prudently made so accordingly practised thereafter for in the General Assembly Anno Dom. 1642. August 6. There are four Overtures Printed with the Acts of that Assembly to be advised by Presbyters against the next Assembly So that his laudable Act was carefully obeyed in other things but not so in laying aside the Doxology For it was done abruptly without the knowledge or advertisement of particular Churches Presbytries or Synods who should have been acquainted before and canvassed the matter before any thing had been determined in the General Assembly anent the Doxology and the laying of it aside which was an innovation suddenly proponed and instantly passed to the discomforming division of themselves from all transmarin Protestants yea and from the universal Church Fifthly In the Solemn League and Covenant of Scotland and England approven by the General Assembly of Scotland Anno. Dom. 1643. August 17. In the said League and Covenant with hands lifted up to the most high God they swear sincerely and constantly to
Trojano anno dom 120. formulam catechizandi catechimenos addisceret nam inducit Christianam siccine Ethnicos catechizantem licet animo blasphemo Deum alte regnantem magnum aetherium atque aeternum fiilium patris spiritum sanctum ex patre procedentem unum ex tribus ex uno tria Patres Concilii Constantinopolitani anno dom 383. mittunt libellum Synodicam Romam at Damasum aliosque Episcopos ibidem convicatos in quo exhibent fidei suae Confessionem Fidei Nicenae consentaneam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consentaneam baptismati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzenus his contemporaâ—â—us orat 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socinus anno dom 1604. scribit epistolam Smaltio itidem Sociniano de baptismo ut non necessario remittendo atque ad synaxin excipiendis hominibus vitae honestae ac probatae religionem christianam professis quamvis nunquam baptizatis adeo abhorrent acfloccipendunt baptismum Satan ut fidem nostram ab ipsis radicibus convelleret partim de divina filii Spiritus Sancti essentia partim de personali distinctione ingentes pugnas semper movebat Calvin Institut lib. 1. cap. 13. §. 21. Servabat tamen Dominus in Papatu renascituri suo tempore populi semen manebat salvus baptismus in Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti nomen quamvis perigrinae linguae usu multis aliis conspurcatus superstitionibus manebat frustra toties oppugnatum unitatis essentiae trinitatis personarum fundamentum manebat doctrina de duabus Christi naturis Beza epist 81. Mysteries of Christian Religion which it hath pleased God in His infinite Wisdom Mercy Goodness to reveal to His Church on Earth on which they are to build their Faith and Salvation the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity one God in three Persons is the first in order and of great concernment even the three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 Joh. 5. 7. These three bear witness to the truth of all the Scriptures then assuredly to this truth also that they are three Persons in one Godhead and among the twelve Articles of the Apostolick Creed this Mystery of the Trinity takes up three This sacred Mystery is most clearly manifested in our Saviour's Baptism Mat. 3. 16 17. Luk 3. 21 22. John 1. 32 33. The Father speaks from Heaven this is my well beloved Son while at the same time the Son is baptized in Jordan and the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven in the likeness of a Dove and lighted upon God the Son and abode upon Him Moreover The Sacrament of Baptism being ordained of God Father Son and Holy Ghost the first Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace in it all the Promises of Mercy and Salvation are sealed to Believers and by it Christians are solemnly entered into the Church and House of God so that the Contemner of this Sacrament debarreth himself from Salvation Therefore God Himself hath appointed this Program to be prefixed upon the Porch of His Church that this Almighty God in whose Name we are baptized and in whom we Believe is Father Son and Holy Ghost and It cannot be supponed but that these Men and Women who were Proselyted and being Pagans before admitted to the benefite of Christian Baptism behoved to take a time to learn the Grounds of their Religion therefore the the Doctors of the Church not only wrote Catechisms for these young Christians who therefore betwixt their first offering of themselves to the Christian Church until the time they were baptized were called Catechumeni These Doctors also wrote certain short Sums of Christian Faith commonly called Creeds that before these Pagan Catechume in received Baptism they were to give a confession of their Faith contained in their Creed in all which Creeds written by the Church whether longer or shorter and in their Catechisms the Doctrine of the Trinity was a special part and accordingly that Synod of Divines at Westminster in their lesser Catechism have not omitted the Trinity So the reformed French Church in Geneva have a little Catechism containing only twenty one short Questions on which they examine these who are at first to be admitted to the Lords Table which little Catechism begins with the Trinity and is bound in with their French Version of the Bible printed at Geneva 1567. The Sacred Trinity being the Program of Christian Baptism proved the strong and invincible Fort of the Christian Faith in the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead against the Arrians and other Antitrinitarian Hereticks wherefore Socinus who hath drunk much deeper in the poysonable Cup of Blasphemy against the blessed Trinity then the old Arrians hath very slightingly written of the Sacrament of Baptism The second great Mystery of Christian Religion is that the Word was made Flesh Joh. 1. 14. and this the Holy Ghost calls the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh 1 Timoth. chap. 3. vers 16. which Mystery viz. that the Word the second Person God the Son was incarnate and not the Father or the Holy Ghost this cannot be known and believed aright until first we know believe that there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead therefore our Saviour Joh. 17. 3. joyns these two together This is life everlasting to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent and the Apostle Paul Coloss 2. 2. to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. If it be objected that it seems to be a hard saying That the Knowledge and Faith in God and three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost and in Christ God and Man in one Person is necessary to Salvation Seing both these are profound Mysteries so far above Humane Reason and Capacity I answer first Not only these two are great Mysteries but also the whole Gospel is a Divine Revelation of a continued tract of Mysteries Mark 4. 11. Rom. 16. 25. 26. Eph. 3. 9 16 19. Coloss 1. 26 27. called the great Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved but the Name of Jesus Acts 4. 12. who is the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2. 10. the Author of Eternal Salvation Heb. 5. 9. and the Gospel is called the Knowledge of Salvation Luk. 1. 77. the Word of Salvation Acts 13. 26. the Way of Salvation Acts 16. 17. the Salvation of God Acts 28. 28. the Power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16. the great Salvation Heb. 2. 3. so that whosoever will not believe these Gospel Mysteries is damned I answer secondly that to Divine and Saving Faith as such demonstrative knowledge in the Logical Sense far less comprehensive knowledge is required but the Lord condescending to Mans Humane weak Capacity accepts of Faith albeit apprehensive Knowledge go before it not alwayes requiring that they know how such a thing is true
the Doxologie ye detain the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. and rebel against the light and hate the light John 3. 20. And they who wilfully harden themselves would not embrace the truth albeit Christ the wisdom of the Father were Preaching it unto them unlesse he did apply his Almighty gracious power as he did to Saul in his conversion Acts 9. ver 5 6. Which he does not ordinarily on those that harden themselves and close their eyes against the light darting in upon their understanding for he resists the proud but giveth grace to the humble and lowly The Apostle speaks of unreasonable men by which are meant the unbeliever and unregenerat For the true believer his saving Faith clears up and fortifies his reason Therefore if thou be a furnished and true believer and grant the truth of the first two sentences of any one or all the reasons then thou will assent to the third sentence which is to sing Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost and if thou find thy heart inclining to consent then blow at that spunk that is kindled in thy soul by the Holy Ghost and go to thy knees in all humility sincerity and self-denial and beg of him to lead thee in all truth and to shew thee the good and the right way and whether it will tend more to the glory of God to sing Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost or to be dumb and silent and say in your heart I will not sing glory to God even when my fellow-Christians are singing it Do you believe with all your soul that God sent his Son from Heaven to earth to bring you from earth to Heaven that Christ suffered the sorrows of death and hell to save thee from endless torments and will ye refuse to sing glory to him for so doing and suffering for you If a poor brother of Jesus were asking an alms from you and you would not give him one mite and yet would say at that same time to standers by if that poor man were going to Prison I would give him a great sum of money to relieve him would they believe you or rather laugh you to scorn So when you are desired to sing glory to the blessed Trinity and ye refuse to do it who would believe you that you would suffer tormenting flames for the glory of that blessed Trinity I know you will say you have some reasons why you refuse to sing the Doxologie but ye would have no reason to refuse martyrdome I answer your corruption that prompts you with excuses to refuse to sing the Doxologie which is the easier duty would furnish you with more excuses to shun burning so that ye who will not give God his due honour to sing glory to him it is too like would never suffer martyrdome for him and so the true ground of your refusing is want of true Faith Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake As for your pretences and excuses you bring for not singing the Doxologie lay it to heart that your excuses which your prejudged Conscience it may be accepts of so as to give you a seeming and deceitful peace for a time yet trust not that he who is greater then your Conscience will accept of these excuses which in this life men who are blind and partial Judges in their own cause thinks to be good and relevant Our Saviour in the Gospel gives a list of excusers of themselves but the Judge of quick and dead tells the true reason which the excusers would not have told Mat. 22. 5. they made light of it But I intreat you make it not a light thing to refuse to sing Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost for these reasons I have set before you are founded on the Word of God by which we shall be judged and your pretences and excuses in that day will be burnt with the hay and stubble 1 Cor. 3. 12. CHAP. IX 15. Reason from the necessary Difference of the Christians Worship as in Reading of the Word Prayer and Sacraments they exceedingly differ from Christians shall not then also be a difference betwixt the Christian singing of Psalms and the Jews by singing the Doxology 16. As the Jews in their Psalms of David close many of them with a Doxology answering to the measure of their Light dispensed to them in the Old Testament so it becomes the Christian to have a Doxology answerable to their greater measure of Light of the Trinity in the New Testament 17. Reason founded upon the signification of Jehovah Elohim which is often in the Doxology of the Old Testament TAke three Reasons more to be pondered by the judicious and unbyassed Christian The first is thus grounded the Worship of God consists in two parts either God speaks to us or we speak to God God speaks to us in the Word read or exponed by Preaching We speak to God by Prayer suiting things needful to Soul and Body or by Praises of His infinite Excellencies and for His Benefites These two last to wit Petitions or Praises are either done without Song or in a Song but so it is that God in His infinite Wisdom and Goodness hath made the Christian Worship in the New Testament to differ from the Jews Worship in the Old Testament in fulness clearness and comfortableness they had only the Old Testament we have the New Testament added to it they had the Old Testament read and exponed by the Church-men and Prophets we have Old and New Testament both read exponed and preached more plainly and fully to our greater saving Knowledge and Comfort for the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater then John Baptist Matth. 11. 11. Secondly Our Prayers and Praises of God in the New Testament are proportional to the Word read and preached even more full clear and comfortable then the Jew had in the Old Testament but so it is that the obstinate and impenitent Jew refused to joyn with us Christians in any of these three parts of the Worship of God they will not hear the Gospel read because it is the Gospel of Christ whom they reject and blaspheme they will not hear the Word preached because we preach Christ crucified which is to the Jews a stumbling-block 1 Cor. 1. 23. Thirdly They will not joyn with us in Prayer for they refuse to pray to Father Son and Holy Ghost and they will seek nothing from God in the Name of Christ Fourthly They reject our Sacraments for they refuse to be baptized in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost nor yet will they communicate with us because it is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ Seing then the all-wise Lord hath made the Christian to differ from and excell the Jew in the Word and Sacraments in Preaching and Praying is it not convenient and suitable to the other parts of our Christian
with his Hand to hold by the hand or arm a younger Brother learning to Walk and count it his Glory to speak with him in his own childish Dialect and take little steps with them then I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus reproach them not for bygones but pass an act of Oblivion and in time coming use all gentleness and forbearance and so gain them to love you and in all things indifferent and undetermined if he be not clear for the one way condescend to him and follow his way bear with his infirmities rashness incivilities and ignorances and others overweaning themselves as if they were strong in Knowledge this is an infirmity of many weak and yet for Peace sake the strong ought to bear with it Now this Duty of the Strong in bearing with the Weak the Lord presseth much in His Word Rom. 15. v. 1 2. Why hath the Lord given thee more Knowledge Mortification Patience c. then to the Weak but for this end to bear with their Infirmities for their Spiritual good for which St. Paul gives you his holy example 1 Cor. 9. 22. For the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and Chap. 10. v. 33. I please all men in all things not seeking my own profite but the profite of many that they may be saved Here is a great placebo and yet no Flatterer but in his converse acceptable both to God and Man The Spirit of Christ is not a sowre censorious sullen and carping Spirit but meek gentle and easie to be intreated When the Child as yet but an intrant in the World and learning to speak will ask the Parents some childish question will the Parents be incensed to inflict Chastisement or rather will they not pass it with this Meditation When I was a child I thought as a child I understood and spake as a child 1 Cor. 13. 11. So if any weak Babe in Christ propone or start any question in Religion to which many Babes are too ready do not think that ye are always bound in Conscience to answer them for many times our Saviour did it not Act. 1. 6. Jo. 21. 20. And the Apostle to Timothy speaks of foolish and unlearned questions which produce strife and no edification 1 Tim. 6. 4. then let the strong wave the question with a general answer Jo. 16. 19. or instead of speculation leading to practice and holy life Luk. 13. 23. Yea thirdly It may be waved if it be beyond the sphere of the Larger Catechism for Questionators that furnishes their common Discourse with Questions are unsavoury company to the Godly and the weak Christian should not be entertained by the strong Christian with Questions it is expressly against the Apostles rule Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not unto doubtful disputations Rom. 14. ver 1. then let neither strong nor weak Christian especially in Company move any question of Religion especially these that belong to the present Differences least the Strong touch the Weak on the old Sore and so but grieve and irritate which no doubt grieves the Spirit of God and is not the healing way As for the Weak I intreat them who have been wandring in Mistakes to resolve in the strength of Christ in all time hereafter to live orderly as to the Church and loyally as to the King and Rulers under him and then he is a cursed Man that will not be loving and kind to thee Then let the strong imitat their Father in Heaven who when his prodigal Son returns no word of his sin with which the elder Brother did upbraid him but ran and met and kissed him gave him new cloaths and shoes adorned him with a Ring feasted him and made merry Luk. 15. 20. He ran and met him and fell on his neck and kissed him and imitate the Son of God the great and good Shepherd who brings home on his shoulder rejoycing one wandering sheep does he not rejoyce much more now then in reduceing so great a flock And the Fathers kindness to his returning Prodigal is so sweet a subject that I delight to mark in it further that when the elder Brother uncharitably endeavoured to exasperat his Father against his younger Brother casting up his old sins the Father rejects the elder Brothers bitter Libel See both the last and 24. verses his Brother was dead and is now alive he was lost and now is found its gemination shews Emphasis he was lost when dead in sin but now alive to God to righteousness he was the lost and wandering Sheep he is come home a penitent sinner And compare the 24. verse with the last yet more my Son thy Brother he is sibb to thee but sibber to me which the words imply therefore though ye would let him go as he came yet will not I O dear younger Brother be not afraid to return nor scarr to come home but first see that thou make thy peace with thy Father verse 21. And although some churlish elder Brother like Eliab too young David would unchristianly chide thee take courage it is not that bitter Brothers house thou art coming home to but thy Fathers meditate and think on these things for to be a ready antidote against the bitter Pills of some and albeit some of the stronger Brethren be not so kindly comfort thy self here is thy Father pleading for thee and so is thy elder Brother in this same Chap. Luke 15. 6. who when he hath brought home his wandering sheep rejoycing calls together his friends and neighbours and sayes rejoyce with me then assure thy soul that Christs real friends will rejoyce at thy return welcome thee imbrace and love thee as their own bowels Then let us in this great act of charity and tender love to the weak returning Lambs imitat our blessed Redeemer and elder Brother who came from Heaven to Earth to seek and save the lost sheep Luk. 19. 20. who bears the Lambs in his bosome and leads them gently that are with young Isai 4. 12. and will be more loath to over-drive them then Jacob his young Children and Flocks Gen. 33. 14. Then be thou compassionat towards them Is the Saviour bearing them in his bosome then grieve them not for he cannot but see it and be grieved Is he leading them gently then dare thou beat them back with word or reproach like the piercings of a sword The Lord leads the lame and the blind in the way they do not know to Zion weeping the woman with child and she that travelled with child Jer. 31. 8. Mark the four sorts in the world the fittest objects of mans compassion and help lame and blind the woman with child and travelling with child and the first two most despicable yet the Lord despises none of them but seing they are weeping and coming to Zion he is eyes to the blind
and legs to the lame therefore strive thou so to do with holy Job 29. 15. And beware on the other hand to deserve the curse for laying a stumbling block before the blind or make them wander out of the way Deut. 27. 18. Is our blessed Saviour binding up that which was broken strengthning that which was sick Ezek. 34. 16. For he will not break the bruised â—eed nor quench the smoaking flax Mat. 12. 21. Then thou strong Christian follow that same trade strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees of these Lambs Did the Son of God assume soul and body flesh and blood that he might give his flesh to feed his Lambs and charges Peter as he loved him feed his Lambs Joh. 21. 19. And what kindness thou shews to his Lambs in the day of thy accounts he will count it up to thee as done to himself Mat. 25. 45. Lay hold of this opportunity as a good Mere at to imploy to the uttermost all thy talents of gifts and graces lay them out in helping to bring home the Lambs of Christ and in learning to bear with the infirmities of the weak Lambs Look to thy perfect copy that hath no blot in it Joh. 3. vers 1. and downward what pains our Lord takes on Nicodemus bearing with his rudeness and weakness in knowledge though some of his Questions were most childish but our Saviour will not put out the spunk of his smoaking flax which kept kindling from that time forth for he pleads Christs cause behind his back Joh. 7. 5. And as a true believer his faith kythed when the Apostles were weaker in faith durst not be seen nor kyth and with Joseph of Arimathea waited on Christ at a dead life and with living faith helped to enbalm and bury his Saviours body What knows thou but some of these weak Lambs whom now thou helps to come home but hereafter when they grow stronger they may help thee at a dead lift Our Saviour did decree it and foresee it in Nicodemus no doubt but thou can do neither The woman of Samaria Joh. 4. 7. when our Saviour is hungry thirsty and weary about mid-day after his journey she not only refuses him a poor drink of water but checks him for requiring it notwithstanding he did not only bear with her uncivility but also he offers her better water which she not only refuses but gives him two checks in stead of thanks for his offer but he who did bear our sicknesses did bear with her infirmities although he said How long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you and this was a part of his pennance for thy sins then thou proud worm shall thou storm or skunner at thy Lords command and example to bear with the infirmities of the weak It is probable thou will propound this doubt shall I show all that kindness to these of which I may have probable grounded doubts that they are not gracious For answer to thee thou art not a fiâ—â— Judge of hearts if their Lord and thine hath bestowed on them the priviledges of the visible Church and they profess faith in that same Saviour with thee then he allows thee to judge charitably of them and converse with them in Christian fellowship and love yea doth not our Lord Mat. 9. 10. who hates all workers of iniquity Psal 5. 5. as such yet he did converse with them he condescends to eat with Publicans and sinners as their spiritual Physician who loved mercy better then sacrifice for the prudent Physician will bear with many morosities in speech and behaviour from his Patient and all for their good intending their health And if some would object granting it to be a point much belonging to the Physicians Calling and Trade yet they doubt if ordinary Christians be to tyed I answer Thou art as strongly bound as he by thy Christian Calling bear ye one anothers burden and so fulfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 7. Rom. 15. 1. The great Physician will examine thee upon this his Law as well as the Physician upon his Cures for thou will find in the day of thy accounts thou will be as well examined how thou imployed thy Talents of knowledge mortification patience and charity in winning and strengthning thy weak brother as well as the Physician how he imployed his skill for healing of his sick Patients See how the Creator of Angels condescends to converse eat and drink with Publicans and sinners to the admiration and ignorant sinful stumbling of the proud Pharisees these whited Tombs See and admire how that Lamb of God admits that woman a great sinner known for such in all the Town she lived in Luk. 7. 39. to kâ—s his feet without ceasing when Simon the Pharisee in the mean time who had invited Christ to dinner wondered that such a holy Person suffered such a vile sinner to touch him but the Pharisees were utterly ignorant of this Doctrine the strong to stoop and support the weak and their Satanical pride made them uncapable of it for our Saviour who knew what was in man describes them Luk. 18. 11. They trusted in themselves that they were righteous and dispised others which two sins are inconsistant with true Grace then let the strong Christian beware of these two sins and thus hitherto we have set before the eyes of your Soul the blessed example of our blessed Redeemer then I beseech you who are strong in Christ by the meekness and gentleness of Christ that ye bear with the infirmities of the weak Lambs and count it your glory But it is probable that some unwilling to this Duty will strive to shune the yoak as being absurd and so no binding Duty why say they to bide the strong counterfite and dissemble and fain themselves to be weak when he is strong I answer their is a great difference betwixt simulation and dissimulation for the first is lawful and our Saviour practized it Luk. 24. 28. Christ made as though he would have gone further Beza renders it fingebat which I like not so well the Syriack Interpreter faciebat eos putare But Aretius simulabat For clearing up of this Christian policy of simulation for the good of the weak Christian First All the time our Saviour was upon the stage of this World did he not hide the glory of his divine Nature under the Rags of the mortality infirmities and misery of His humane nature Isaiah 53. 2 3. He hath no form nor comliness there is no beauty that we should desire him verse 4. We did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted for he did not manifest His Glory but only to his own and that only in some degrees as and when it pleased himself John 1. 14. And when the two Disciples were going to Emmaus Luke 24. 16. their eyes were held that they did not know our Saviour who dare challenge any fault here And when a Christian in his lawfull actions propones
moe ends then one which is lawfull for him it is lawfull for him to conceall some of these ends that the King of kings condescends to mans weak capacity as if he had eyes ears hands feet and passions when all these are infinitly below his purity and perfection so the Parents and Nurse speaks such broken language to the Babe as it best understands and the end makes it lawfull the childs edification and this same makes the condesending of the strong to the weak lawfull and acceptable Rom. 15. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification yea St. Paul caught the Corinthians with guile 2 Cor. 12. 16. All Trades have their secrets so practical Divinity and many cases of Conscience therefore Augustines answer upon this question in his 19. Epist that these simulations and stoopings of the strong to the weak is not mentientis astu sed compatientis affectu but that same Apostle 2 Cor. 11. 29. seems to aggravate this doubt who is weak and I am not Weak then St Paul is really weak with the weak which seems repugnantia in adjecto when he was really strong both in Knowledge Faith and Holiness how then was he weak I answer through compassion and the more strong in Sanctification the more sympathizing and compassionat his Soul the more wounded with sorrow and so the weaker through compassion and that in two conditions First to apply to the strong Christian are some returning cordially to live in peace and order and thou seing them weak be weak with them stooping to them taking half steps with the weak Lambs and not thy own strong long steps are they now shortly recovered out of a dangerous sickness be very anxious that you occasion not them to relapse was their foot disjoynted is it now set right then help them to take easie and even steps there is another sort not yet come to land but on a Ship broken plank wearing to shoar let thy Soul be weak for them fearing and dreading their sinking and be using all good means to bring them safe to land the Mother though in good health if she see her Child weak and in danger of death in her compassion will she not turn really weak and be at the sowning for fear and grief As we have set before you the example of God and Jesus Christ our Peace-maker so we shall presse the Duty being so acceptable to God and good men with moe perswasives and first seing there is no gaining of our neighbours spiritual good so readily as by gaining their love first for then and not till then will they take advise or information willingly and therefore the most effectuall way to gain them from their Error is to perswade them of our love to them which is only best accomplished by loving kindness and carriage towards them for no man will take advise information or counsell from him whom he suspects or thinks to be his enemy 2dly Thou art oblidged in Conscience in thy judgement of charity to look on him as an Elect it may be as reall as thy self then if thou have that charitable judgement to think thy self Elect also â—â— in the name of him who hath elected you both charge you to be kind to him especially if you were in Christ before him see what kindnesse Judah an strong elder brother many wayes bestowed on his younger and weak brother Benjamin Gen. 44 33 I will be a bond man to my lord and let my younger brother Benjamin go home to his father what knows thou but thy weak brother may be the beloved Benjamin then use and improve all thy gifts and graces to bring home that darling Benjamin to his Father and thine 3dly Look upon thy weak Brother as dear to Christ as thy self even the price of his Blood and Death consider Rom. 14. 15. and 1 Cor. 8. 11. And therefore beware of that fearfull â—â—n of destroying thy weak brother for whom Christ dyed by thy stubbornesse and unkindnesse to him be aware to give him a sower look or down look thou little knows how little a stone will cause his weak foot to stumble 4ly Look upon thy weak Brother as a Member of that same Mysticall Body of Christ with thy self 1 Cor. 22. 17. Where the eye cannot say to the least Member the finger or toe I have not need of thee verse 20. But on the other part when the weakest or smallest toe of thy foot is hurt will not the Mouth cry I am hurt and suffer with it and seek Cure verse 16. The hand will apply the salve and the eye see that it be well and right done then if thou be a well seing eye and have but a little sore toe yet he is a Member of that same Mysticall Body of Jesus who will feel his sore and cure it 5thly Christ Jesus is head of all that Mysticall Body whereof both that weak Lamb and thou art Members and he is a feeling and compassionate head Ephis 4. 15. And thy kindness to the weakest of â—is Members he will take it and repay it as done to himself if thou edify in love the least Member of his Mystical Body Ephes 4. 12. Oâ— if thou despise and hurt the weakest of â—hese his Mâ—mbers will not that Glorious Head whose eyes are as a flame of fire Revel 1. vâ—rse say I have seen I have seen Exod. 3. 7. 6thly Look upon thy weak Brother as a living stone in that holy and spiritual Temple whereof Christ is the foundation and chief corner stone and Chrisâ—â— also thâ— Master-builder commands thee who are strong to polish thy weak Brother and build him up in the Faith 1 Pet. 2. 5. 7thly Consider him as a little Temple to God 1 Cor. 6 19. Then for thy Lords sake who dwells in it help to polish and adorn it untill the Cape-stone be put on this do at his command who might have left thee in thy natural condition a leprous stâ—nâ— and cast thee into that unclean place without the Cityâ— Levit. 14. 40. 8thly As the whole body of Believers are â—hriâ—â—'s Bryde and Spouse his Sister his Dove his Undefiled then this same Relation hath every particular Believer to Christ Therefore help to deck and adorn his Spouse the weaker the more tenderly as a Bride prepared for her Husband let her not have cause to complain to her Husband that instead of adorning thou did rather rob and â—ull off 9thly Beware to disdain that younger Brother for his weakness and infirmity and ignorance at present what knows thou but for all that he may redeem the time and overtake thy self and run by thee and prove a stronger Christian and greater Saint first on Earth and then in Heaven not thy self 10ly As truly as in nature thou was a Babe before thou was a Man in strength and stature so in Grace and Knowledge thou was once a Babe and it may be profane also which motive St. Paul presâ—eth Tit. 3.
the Jews Acts 3. 17. and Joseph his Brethren Gen. 50. 20. Secondly He will â—ear with the froward Speeches of the Weak as the Lord does with Jonah chap. 4. vers 9. For he that covereth a transgression seeketh love Prov. 17. 9. yea Love covereth all sins Prov. 10. 22. to wit of Infirmity Thirdly They will answer â—he froward words of the Weak with Meekness for a soft tongue breaketh the bone Prov. 25. 15. Eli in his imprudent rashness did mistake holy Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 14. by her soft and humble answer Elies mistaken reproof was instantly turned into a prophetical blessing of her which the Lord fulfilled This Duty of the Strongs bearing with the infirmities of the Weak must always be subordinate to our pleasing of God which two are very well consistent for our Saviour and so should every good Christian increased in favour with God and Man Luke 2. 52. The Babes and Lambs of Christ must be ranked in two sorts First Some weak in Knowledge but not so weak in sanctifying Grace others some more Knowledge but less sanctifying Grace and accordingly the strong should carry toward them but they will find it much easier and sweeter to converse with these weak ones who have some measure of Sanctification though their Knowledge be weak and these weak ones again must be suboivided some only Weak some both Weak and Sick that is not only weak in Knowledge but also Sick by reason of Desertion or Soul perplexiâ—iesâ— tending to Despair these of all the weak Lambs must be and should be most tenderly dealt with and of these especially our Saviour speaks in His Gospel better a Milnstone be hanged â—bout his Neckâ— and he be drowned in the deep of the Sea then he offend one of these little ones that believe in me Be cautious to try out and careful to oversee these Lambs by any others As for you that are Strong because you are not all of one size I confesâ— the talk of bearing with the Infirmities and gaining of the Weak to râ—quiâ—e strong Shoulders and the Graces abovementioned required in the Strong for that Duty proves no less And therefore ye that are strong in Kâ—â—wledge but weâ—k in Mortification and Sanctification no doubt that â—â—sk will be more difficult to you and therefore my humble advice to you is that if you find you are not sufficiently strong in Mortification and Patience as to bear with the Infirmities of them beware oâ— falling in reasoning or disputing with them for that will make no Healing but rather more Strife But withall I would charge you to make this choice rather to bear with the weak Lambs then for pleasing of Men to bear too much with Sinners which is a displeasing of God and thou who will not stoop to bear with the infirmities of the Weak does not thy Father in Heaven bear with thy infirmities and grosser sins does not thy Neighbour with whom thou converseth bear with thee also nay he deserves not to be born with or live in Christian Society who is â—o passionate and wrathful that he will neither bear word or look for in many things we sin all especially in sins of infirmity beware thou be not like Job's Friends who had some measure of Knowledge and came with real purpose to comfort their Friend but for want of Charity they proved miâ—erable Comforters and instead of binding up his Soul wounds ranckled them more As for you who are strong both in Knowledge and Grace though the task be hard and difficult sometime to the strongest Christian as upon this account sometimes ye will have to do with a Lamb so weak in Knowledge that they will think you scarce deserve the name of Christian or that you have Grace or are walking in the way to Heaven the best confutation of these is to live with them and before them in all good Conscience and by time they will be convinced of their Error towards you As for you who are prophane in your Lives and yet have more Knowledge in Religion then the weak Lambs beware ouâ— take it not upon you to reproach these Lambs for in so doing you serve the Devil ye break the heart of the tender Lambs ye grieve the Spirit of God and who gave you authority to insult over them for to do these Lambs any good to their Soul condition thou has no Grace to do it being a slave to Satan and his Lusts thy self beware of the cuâ—se of Amalâ—k 1 Sam. 13. 3. his name to be blotted out from under Heaven bâ—cause with a cruel heart he pursued and smâ—â—e the hindmost sâ—eble faint and weary of Israel and Ezek. 34. 20. 1. because the strong Caâ—â—el thrust with side and shoulder and push'd all the diseâ—sed with their horns therefore will I destroy the fat and the strong I will â—ed them with judgment I will seek that which was lost bring again that which was driven away bind up that which was broken strengthen that which was sick As for you Lambs when you consider all this care that your Heavenly Father takes of you draw not hence this weak conclusion That because your Father in Heaven commands the Strong to bear wiâ—h your Infirmities and to please you for your good to Edification do not overwean upon that as if your Father in Heaven love you better then the Strong Christian know you not that the Father on Earth when he hath a young tender Child very sick or in danger of Death he will command his elder Brother who is yet more beloved of the Father then that young Child yet he will command him to sit up in the night and attend his sick Brother forbid him to speak a word to offend him why then is all this care of the Father even because the young one is weak and sick and in danger of Death and therefore has need to be tenderly dealt with therefore on the other hand when thou considers thy Heavenly Fathers tender care of thee and thy salvation give him this thankfull meeting to wit when any Strong Christian accosts thee in Christian love to gain thee from thy Errours to tender the Information and Instruction beware thou reject not such a Messenger Commissionated from thy Father but with all Meekness and Gentleness lend thy Ear and thy Heart to sound Instruction and if thou wilt keep Church Communion and live orderly thy Heavenly Father will more and more clear thee of thy doubts and mistakes and resolve to follow the advise of the Apostle Philip. 3. 16. Which comes to this that seing thy Neighbour Christian and you agree in the Fundamentals and saving Truths of Religion to wit one Catechism and Confession of Faith which are the compleat Rule to lead you both to Heaven walk joyntly together in that way of Faith and Holy Life and for any other difference in opinion till ye be cleared of your doubts there is no danger for your Soul to let them lye asleep And for you that are Strong remember that Precious Promise in the Covenant of Grace Their sin I will remember no more Heb. 8. 12. And none of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him Ezek. 18. 22. and 33. 16. So in this be ye followers of God as dear Children Ephes 5. 1. Therefore I charge you that their bygone escapes be mentioned no more as you would have your Heavenly Father keep that Covenant of Grace to you in the day of your accounts therefore let an Act of Oblivion in the Souls of the Strong in Gifts and Grace be passed in favours of the Weak who have returned or are in the way of returning to the Bosom of their Mother Church that so these Weak Lambs reflecting with an holy and inward Indignation against themselves for their bygone Mistakes and Wandrings may rejoyce in the Lord for the kindness and Christian Brotherly Love Humanity and Acceptance that they find even from these whom before they looked upon during their separation as castawayes and and now they find that Truth confirmed Charity suffereth long and is kind all which Christian Kindnesse they finding in you who are Strong it may prove a strong Convincing and Gaining Argument upon their Spirits that you have been and are still in the Right Way to Heaven For by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another John 13. 35 And he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him 1 John 4. 16. And for you beloved in the Lord who through the good hand of God upon you are returned to your Mother Church to Communion in Word and Sacraments let there be no Schism in your Worship but joyn with your Mother Church and Holy Church Universal in singing the Doxology with them make straight paths for your feet least that which is Lame be turned out of the way but rather let it be healed Heb. 12. 13. Do not so far as in you lyes make lame and halting Worship if you be silent when others are singing Glory to their God shall your loving Mother Church receive you again in her bosome and will ye be unthankfull and grieve her Soul in retaining that halt which ye learned straying on the Mountains and retain still to be a scandall to your Brethren and a grief to her that bare you God forbid As the Lords Covenant with Noah and with mankind in him and Sealled it with a visible Sign to continue to all Generations that he would not any more destroy the earth with a flood and according to that Covenant hath â—terat His Promise I have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves tosse themselves yet cannot it prevail though they roar yet they cannot passe over it I beseech the Lord if it be His will that such another Inundation of Errours with such Confusion and disorder never overrun these three Kingdoms again untill that day that the Lord send forth His Angells and gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend and the King shall seperat the Sheep from the Goats and there shall be perfect Union in singing one Song with one Heart and Mouth unto all Eternity To Him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb and to the Holy Ghost be Glory and Praise And shall be Glory and Praise by all glorified Angels and Saints World without End AMEN FINIS