2 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Doctrine and Instruction secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Argument and Conviction thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Correction and Reformation For Doctrine and Instruction in what concerns God and Christ Creation and Redemption Sin and Grace Death and Life Mercy and Blessedness For Argument and Conviction in discovering and refuting Errors in discerning and confirming Truth For Correction and Reformation in what concerns minde and manners the inward and the outward man in thoughts in words and in works And of these three does consist the Apostles perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Form of Institution in Righteousness That the Man of God even the Preacher of the Gospel may be perfect yea thorowly furnished unto all good works especially that of his Ministry And needs must the Scriptures be abundantly sufficient for the people if such for the Preacher Acts 20.27 whose office it is to declare unto them the whole Councel of God 2. It s sacred Authority this especially for the proving deciding and determining all Controversies in Doctrines of Faith And therefore to the Law and to the Testimony is the challenge of the Prophet Isa 8.20 from the command of God and they Who speak not according to this Word have no Light of truth and righteousness in them From this full sufficiency and self authority it is That the Word of God is the Canon and Rule of Faith The Canon I say and Rule for seeing we are commanded to prove the doctrines 1 John 4.1 whether they be of truth and try the Spirits whether they are of God and seeing it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prove by tryal as the Goldsmith does his Gold by the Touchstone or the Carpenter his work by the Rule if thus prove and try some Touchstone and Rule there must be of tryal and proof Gal. 1.8 and what is this but the Word of God For If any man or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel then that which we the Apostles of the Lord have preached let him be accursed is that dreadful Anathema pronounced by St. Paul And thus the holy Scriptures being the Rule of Faith as a Rule hath its just measure inherent in its self not depending upon the hand of the Artificer so the Scriptures have their infallible truth in themselves not depending upon the judgment of the Church Yet we must know withal that though the Church does not give yet does she declare the authority of the Scriptures and so by â—er testimony with John Baptist points us unto Christ in the infallible truth of his Word 1 Tim. 1.15 Thus that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners we come to hear it because the Church doth so teach us but we believe it because the Scriptures so teach the Church And this is right the Apostles determination against Papist and Sectary both Rom. 10.17 That Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God We are to hear the Church but the Word of God is the object of our Faith and this the Church proposeth to be believed to be believed upon this ground of Faith Dominus dixit the Lord hath said or Christus mandavit Christ hath commanded it This for the inherent attributes of Gods Word full sufficiency and self authority 2. It s transient operations viz. By a divine light and sacred power 1. It s divine Light the Word like the Sun it carries with it that brightness whereby it enlightens and that influence whereby it quickens the inward man As light it discovers the hidden things of darkness the Souls guilt the hearts deceitfulness Satans subtleties sins enormities As light it distinguisheth betwixt good and evil truth and falshood faith and heresie Yea as a light it guides and directs the whole man Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a lanthorn to my paths a lamp unto my feet for the instructing my minde and ordering my affections and a lanthorn to my paths for the leading my judgment and the directing my conversation 2. It s sacred power either governing what is under its command or subduing what is against its dominion First Governing what is under its command Jam. 2.8 Therefore a Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Royal a soveraign a supream Law regulating the affections restraining the lusts conforming each faculty of the Soul to its self Secondly Subduing what is against its dominion Discomfiting Satan in his assaults 2 Cor. 10.4 5. overthrowing sin in its strong holds breaking down the Bulwarks of the flesh and leading into captivity the corruptions of nature Such such the light and power of the Word through the Spirit as convinceth man of sin in himself humbling him in repentance and withal discovering righteousness in Christ by Faith by Faith to believe and in believing to finde rest unto his Soul However then rational discourses rhetorical flourishes Scholastical disputes may please the fancy raise admiration astonish the minde yet in this is the vigor and life of Religion and Faith to quiet the Conscience and give rest to the Soul the sole property and power of Gods Word This the first particular chiefly considerable in our Saviours instruction the object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught 2. The means of communicating this object and declaring this word the Ministry of the Church by which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded And therefore saith our Saviour expresly to his Disciples and in them Luke 10.16 to the whole Ministry of his Church he that heareth you heareth me And by this St. John gives us to know the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error 1 John 4.6 even by a conformity to the doctrine of Christs Church He who is of God heareth us In which Church Christ hath given some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists Eph. 4.11 14. and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and all to this end to preserve the unity of the Faith Where observe to a confutation of the Popes infallibility on the one hand and the factious Enthusiasm on the other the Apostle does not say as doubtless he would had he been of the Jesuites belief that for the preserving of the one Faith Christ had given one Head and so with some Apostles had ordained St. Peter the chief Apostle and with some Pastors had ordained one Universal Pastor to whom all Doctors and Teachers yea all Nations and Languages should repair for the resolutions of Faith and ultimate determinations of the Truth Again the Apostle does not say as doubtless he would had he been of the factious humor that for the work of the Ministry and perfecting the Saints he had ordained as some Pastors and Doctors so distinct from them some gifted Tradesmen some illuminated Mechanicks Who is it
the Word of the most High God it alters not but as the Lord is gracious in his promise so will he be faithful in the performance Answ Answ General promises have their particular application and so become as the object of faith so the support of the soul in each particular condition Indeed it hath been the priviledge of some more devout souls and more divine tempers by an experienc'd communion with God in prayer to implore him for particular blessings with as firm an assurance as if they had had a particular promise Thus it is reported of good Latimer Bishop in the beginning of Reformation that he had frequent in his prayers and firm in his confidence these three things Queen Elizabeths obtaining the Crown His sealing the Truth with his blood and the third which he used to express with greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of devotion and vehemencey of zeal was this The Gospel restor'd once again once again in England All which God hath fulfilled But what said I all fulfilled No sure Upon perusing this passage of History I was affected in my thoughts observing the duplication of the good Fathers prayer that it was for the Gospels restoring once again and once again in England I hope the Spirit of prayer and of prophecie here went together and as the Gospel hath been already once again restor'd unto our fathers so it shall be once again restor'd unto us and unto our children as it hath been once restor'd from Romish Superstition so it shall be once again restor'd from Heretical Schismatical and Sacrilegious Profanation And this oh this do we further with our prayers our teares our deepest humiliations I call to mind the Historical tradition concerning S. Augustine That his mother Monica frequently applying herself to S. Ambrose that famous Bishop with bitter mournings for her son then a blasphemous Maniche and of a dissolute life though after an Orthodox Father and of a religious conversation S. Ambrose observing her continual lamentations dismist her with these words of comfort and confidence that Tot lachrymarum filius c. The son of so many tears should not perish Oh! did the Sons of this Church for their Mother as Monica the Mother did for her Son Isa 62 6 7. Luk. 18 7. importune God with prayers and tears day and night giving him no rest I could with confidence make particular application of Christs general promise and tell them in the words of S. Ambrose a little chang'd Tot lachrymarum Mater The Mother of so many tears the Church of so many prayers shall not be ruin'd The gates of hell even the policie of men and devils shall not prevail against her But oh I fear I fear our prayers have been so long out of the Church that most men leave the Church out of their prayers However then it be a divine priviledge of Gods devoutest Saints to have a secret perswasion and impulse of the Spirit for the asking by prayer and believing through faith particular blessings as if given in particular promises yet that which is the pattern of our practice is an application of the general promises to our particular conditions with an humble submission unto God in the order of his providence to dispose of our distress and of our deliverance as shall make most for his own glory and his Churches good And though God set a long date of time to the performance of his promise yet let not our hearts faint nor faith fail seeing there is certainly no void and empty space no vacuum in his providence but the interval is that of preparing the seed to harvest the fitting his people for deliverance and as the sharper Winter makes the Spring more fruitful the harvest more plentiful so the sharper affliction makes our graces more pure our deliverance more glorious Obj. 2. I have long expected and could with patience have Obj. 2 longer waited for the the salvation of my God did not the blasting of my hopes make my faith to wither In stead of recovery behold a festering of my wound I expected a mitigation but I find and feel an aggravation of my distress I did hope for a deliverance but now am prest down with a greater trouble Answ Answ If God increase thy burden continue thou instant in prayer and he will doubtless either increase thy strength or else hasten thy deliverance That of S. Paul stands firm God is faithful who will not suffer those that are his to be tempted above what they are able 2 Cor. 10.13 Theoph. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theophylact God proportions our burden to our strength or else gives strength propor ionable to our burden so that the force of Satans temptations shall not exceed the power of Gods grace Wherefore Thou relying upon the promise of thy God neither shall thine affl ction in its burden of weight nor in its length of continuance so damp thy faith or dead thy devotion as to destroy thy soul Further take this admonition That thou cherish an expectation of distresses happening and withall make good a preparation against the happening of distresses for nothing more discomposeth the frame of soul or disturbeth the peace of mind then when our troubles are sudden beyond expectation and our hearts unfenc'd without preparation We say Quae alii diu patiendo sapiens diu cogitando levia facit Those things which others make light by patience in long-suffering the wise man makes light by patience in long foreseeing Good it is then in afflictions still to expect the worst And thus what ill befalls us will be the lighter and what good happens to us it will be the sweeter Expect we the worst not in a distracting fear but in a wary prudence not in an ill presaging distrust but in a well resolved faith Neither may we fancie groundless troubles and thereby create crosses to our selves To fear shadows argues either guilt of Conscience or weakness of Judgment Neither may we yet anticipate Gods work by imposing a certainty of event upon probable afflictions For this were to double our cross if the evil happens and to create a cross if it happen not Thus O thou afflicted soul it remains firm as a sure Rule of Direction That whatsoever is the weight or continuance of thy trouble thou stay thy self upon the Promise waiting by prayer and patience for the salvation of thy God O Blessed JESVS the Lord of life Prince of glory and Captain of our salvation who hast vanquisht Satan and all the powers of darkness O give victory to all languishing Souls in their Spiritual Conflicts Guide them with thy councels sustain them with thy grace refresh them with thy comforts preserve them in thy love and crown them with thy glory Amen Amen Halleluiah THE Preacher's Tripartite BOOK III. TO Establish TRVTH and PEACE IN SEVERAL SERMONS Against the present Heresies and Schisms ESPECIALLY As to The Gospels Ministry Infants Baptism The Mystery of the Trinity
then that will intrust his liberty or estate to the judgment of a few puny Novices rather then the sage Baristers of the Law And what shall we intrust our Faith and in that our Souls to the opinions of Fanatick Enthusiasts and not rather to the Religious Pastors of the Church and faithful Preachers of the Gospel Yea let me propose it to the judicature of your own reason whether it be equal when any ware hath been judged warrantable or sophisticate by any of your companies that then the judgment of some puny Journeymen should be preferred The like case is in the Controversies of the Church and what will you have more regard to your wares then to your Faith to your commodities then to your Salvations and allow that in the Church which you will not admit of in your shop I urge this the rather because though we may say of our Church what Lyrinensis does of Origens family Vincent Ly◠cont Donat. c. 23. that it is illustrata mantyrio made glorious by Martyrdom such Martyrdom as no Church in the World can out-vy in its Crown of Glory yea beautified with the richest and most magnificent furniture of all kinde of learning yet as Iraeneus tells us of the Hereticks of old Iren. l. 3 c. 1. That they took upon them to be Emendatores Apostolorum Reformers of the Apostles so since that the Romanists have took upon them to be Emendatores Patrum Reformers of the Fathers witness their Index Expurgatorius yea we have them rose up amongst us who will be Emendatores Reformatorum such as reform our Reformers calling into question that Gold which the whole Company of Goldsmiths have tryed by the Touchstone Those Doctrines our Church hath examined and determined according to Gods Word and given Testimony too to those Truths sealing them with their blood Wherefore seeing in the publick ruptures of our Church Heresies and Schisms as in the broken Walls of a Palace Adders and Serpents do breed and multiply that you may avoid their infection and sting 1 John 4.1 Believe not every Spirit Non omni quia omni Believe not every Spirit because it will be every thing any thing but what it ought to be Eph. 4.4 believe that Spirit which is but one but one Spirit as but one Truth One truth delivered us by the faithful Pastors of the Church as by one mouth whereas the factious and heretical they are divided in their spirits Tert. de praescript c. 42. and their opinions so that Schisma est unitas ipsis as Tertullian tells us their unity is that of Schism not of Faith not of Faith for that hearkens to the voice and Ministry of the Church delivering the Word and Truth of God in which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded In the farther prosecution of the two parts of our Saviours Instruction establishing to us the Authority of the Scriptures and the Doctrine of his Church we will resolve you three seasonable questions and clear unto you two vulgar Errors 1. Resolve you three seasonable questions which are these 1. What is the Authority of the Church compared with the Scriptures 2. How do we come to believe that the Scriptures are the Word of God 3. In doubtful cases how may we best interpret the Scriptures First What is the Authority of the Church compared with the Quest 1 Scriptures I answer Answ The Church of England keeps the middle path betwixt two extreams both by ways of Error she gives due honor to the Catholick Church but cheif honor to the sacred Scriptures whereas the Romanist exalting the Churches dignity debaseth the Scriptures Authority and the Sectary advancing the Scriptures Authority debaseth the Churches dignity Avoiding then the Errors of Papism and Faction we acknowledge with St. Paul Eph. 2.20 Quippè illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam de doctrina quà m de persona intelligendum Ambros de Fid. l. 1. c. 4. That the Church hath its Foundation fixt upon the Scriptures and from thence we infer infallibly the Scriptures cannot have their Authority derived from the Church And therefore St. Ambrose makes his challenge to the Emperor Gratian Nolo argumento credas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus in terrogemus Apostolos interrogemus Prophetas interrogemus Christum quod multum Patrem interrogemus cujus honori studere se dicunt I desire not O sacred Emperor that thou shouldst believe our Argument and Dispute let us ask the question of the Apostles of the Prophets of Christ What shall I say more Let us ask the Father whose honor they say being Arians they contend for And we hearken with consent of judgment to that known resolution of Faith given by St. Augustine Audi non dicit Donatus hear Aug. ep 48. it is not said Thus saith Donatus thus saith Rogatus or thus saith Vincentius or thus saith Hilarius or thus saith Austine no but Thus saith the Lord. It is the Authority then of the Scripture which gives firmness of truth to the Doctrines of the Church Yet again we acknowledge what St. Paul affirms 1 Tim. 3.15 That the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillar and stay of truth in that as the Edicts of Kings are fastned unto Pillars so the Word of Truth the Gospel of Christ is committed unto the Church to be held forth in its genuine sense and proper interpretation to the view of all as the sole object of Faith So that the seat of saving Truth the custody of the Gospels promises the treasury of spiritual riches in a word the faithful depositary of Gods Word is to be found in Sion the City of the living God the Church of Jesus Christ And thus the Church does not give Authority to the Scriptures yet declares the Authority of the Scriptures she doth not impose a sense but expounds it So that the Church is the Heavenly Orbe in which the glorious light of saving Truth and Gospel Mysteries shines forth unto the Faithful Secondly How do we come to believe that the Scriptures are the Quest 2 Word of God In answer to this observe Answ Ep◠3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Mysteries of the Gospel contain such a manifold wisdom as is the Angels astonishment so that needs must they be the Council of Gods Bosom not the invention of mans brain However then the Grammatical sense and Logical connexion of words and phrases be discerned by the common light of Humane Reason yet that of our Saviours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conviction of the Spirit John 16.8 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Cor. 4.2 and St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstration and manifestation of the Spirit is a work transcending the skill a wonder surpassing the discovery of natural men here Omnis Platonicorum caligavit subtilit as Cypr. de Sp. Sancto All the subtlety of Plato's School is put to silence A Deo then
of fears but the Light of the Spirit brings comfort of soul in a discovery of Gods love in Christ which discovery being permanent our comforts shall not be transient Whereas cursory views and passing glances of divine objects leave the heart unsatisfied being more troubled for their absence then pleased with their sweetness It is the rising then of the Sun of righteousness Mal. 4 2. which gives day to the inward man and his continued beams bring the soul its renewed joys Wherefore then let the deserted soul present its self in all its languishings and thus bespeak God and Christ in this blessed Sacrament O my God! my soul seeks what it has lost oh let it find what it seeks even comfortable communion with thee in the Lord Jesus For this for this it is that I here call and cry Turn thee unto me § 17. 2. To the secret anguish is applied a soveraign balm Have mercy upon me Such are the wounds of an afflicted soul as no balm can cure but that of a compassionating mercy Misericordia â—eliaâ—uata mercy which melts to supple and to heal Though then the deserted soul hath the same promises the same Mediator the same God which it had before its desertion yet it does not find comfort till it have the same mercy And therefore does St. Paul happily joyn the Father of mercies and the God of all consolations 2 Cor. 1.3 For that indeed God were not the God of consolation were he not the Father of mercies all remission of sins all power of grace all manifestations of love yea the earnest of glory are all the of-spring of mercy brought forth of her womb brought up in her lap yea nourished with the milk of her breasts and cherished with the warmth of her bosom § 18. Who art thou now that languishest in desertions Know the door of mercy is not shut because thou shouldst not enter but because thou shouldst knock if thou wouldst obtain mercy then it must be by prayer and that through Faith in the promise Faith I say in the promise for how know we Gods good will but by his holy Word So that the truth of his promise presents us the sweetness of his mercy and seeing the fathers mercies melts at the Sons mediation Heb. 2.17 Bern. de grad hum go unto God by Christ by Christ as a merciful and faithful High Priest a merciful High Priest compassiâ— cum impossibilitate perdurat though Christ be now gloriously impâ—ssible yet is he still graciously compassionate yea he is one that proportions his pitty to our misery Heb. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his compassion to our affliction such compassion as is a Soveraign balm to cure the secret anguish of a deserted soul applied here by David when he cries unto God in prayer Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are inlarged c. § 19. 3 To the high aggravation is applied a full deliverance O bring thou me out of my distresses Now the soul begins to recover her former taste of heavenly sweetness now she begins to feel the warmth of those sweet imbraces from the everlasting arms of her dearest Jesus And therefore does she pursue this begun recovery to a full deliverance even a deliverance from all her distresses of doubts and fears and terros which deliverance from those distresses is by the sacred testimony of Christs spirit evidencing the sincerity and truth of grace and thereby a personal interest in the promises of life and love Joh. 14.26 § 20. To make it appear how the Spirit is the Comforter and by his testimony to the soul free 's it from its distress observe this gradation 1. The Gospel proposeth salvation through Christ in the free promise and now press this grape examine this truth and the wine of comfort is no more but this that salvation may be mine if I beleeve But then 2. A further progress is made by faith in casting the soul upon Christ for salvation according to this promise and in this the foundation of comfort is laid firm the root is fixt yet the fruit is not grown this is sufficient to life and salvation in the end but is not effectual yet to peace and consolation in the way wherefore to all this that salvation through Christ is offered in the promise and that the promise of Christ for salvation is received through faith to all this must be added this testimony of the Spirit that that faith is sincere and so that salvation sure And this testimony it is that confirms the souls peace and gives inlargement to its sweetest comforts § 21. Thus Faith in the habit it is medium incognitum say the Schools it is often hid in the soul and the quickenings of the Spirit it is which bring it into act And by the actings of faith come the renewings of comfort thorow communion with Christ When the Sun of righteousness then appears with healing in his wings Mal. 4 2. the clouds of fears are scattered the storms of terrors cease the night of unbelief doth vanish yea Psal 24.8 when Christ the King of glory sets up his Throne in the heart and rules with the golden Scepter of his grace then do proud lusts stoop then do the powers of darkness fly and so the deserted and afflicted soul is brought out of all its distresses Thus have we seen the case and the cure of a deserted soul the case rightly stated and the cure fitly applied the case rightly stated I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of mine heart are inlarged the cure fitly applied Turn thee unto me have mercy upon me O bring thou me out of my distresses § 22. Who art thou now that looks upon what is said of spiritual desertion as strange doctrine Let me tell thee thou hast had little acquaintance with God if thou knowest not yet what it is to lose him to lose him in the comforts of his Spirit thou hast room I question not for profit for pleasure for sin for Satan but no room for God for Christ and so not having injoyed the comforts of the divine presence thou knowest not the discomfort of his absence O what is it that we see daily some men lose their Estates and they grieve heavily some men lose their Friends and they go mournfully some men lose their Health and live sadly But how many lose their God their Saviour their soules and yet neither grieve nor mourn nor are heavy for it Oh ye who are guilty of this self and soul-murder did the day break upon your souls 2 Pet. 1.19 the Spirit of truth enlighten and awaken your consciences Oh how would amazement seize you and the terrors of death fall upon you § 23. But who is it that having Sions sorrow in his heart and her tears in his eyes comes unto me with her complaint in his mouth Oh my God hath forsaken
cross when he hears his mournful sighs his painful groans the earnest messengers of his afflicted soul it is then as possible for Christ to forget the passions of sorrow which he suffered as not to compassionate this poor penitent sinner for whom he suffered he who stopped not his ears at the Jews blasphemies will certainly not stop his ear at the penitents complaints he that turned not away his face from his enemies buffettings will not turn away his eyes from the suppliants tears though the Devil hath bereaved the sinner of his purity yet can he not deprive his Saviour of his pitty Christ doth not Christ cannot so remember the sins that man hath committed that he forget the soul which himself hath purchast his eye and nothing indeed else can do it but his eye of mercy that looks through the guilt of sin to behold the sorrow of the sinner and that affliction moves his compassion so that the penitents prayer is rightly formed when it takes in Davids petition Look upon mine affliction and my pain c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys de poen hom 5. § 7. Thus then sin brings forth sorrow and the Daughter devours the Mother sorrow doth destroy sin as the worm hath its original from the wood and the wood its decay from the worm but this sorrow here of affliction and pain in the penitent sinner that it does become destructive of sin is not from any proper vertue in its self but from that power it receives from the love of God and faith in the blood of Christ 1. From the love of God A servile fear and a mercenary hope a servile fear in the dread of hell and a mercenary hope in the desire of Heaven are the common motives to repentance which yet are then onely to be approved as good and holy when they exclude not the love of God and of Christ For as St. Paul in 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am nothing So again though we dissolve our eyes into tears and break our hearts with mourning and have not charity all will be as nothing nothing available to eternal life § 8. The will we say simply embracing good is good yet if it so embrace the less as to reject the greater good the will becomes inordinate not that the less is accepted but that the better is repulst to repent then with pain of soul that we may avoid the pains of Hell and obtain the bliss of Heaven is certainly good in it self yet if excluding and repulsing the sincere love of God and of Christ it becomes an inordinate act and its self so far from true repentance that it is a sin to be repented of Observe the love of God and of Christ is the perfection of all the graces Col. 3.14 and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The bond of perfectness § 9. Now observe then further the beginning the progress and the end of practical vertues have all their due measure though not their equal degrees of goodness fear that is servile and hope that is mercinary are good in the beginning of Christian discipline and evangelical holiness But then they must have their progress to that end which gives perfection even the grace and exercise of love wherefore know we that repentance and affliction of mind which does exclude the love of God is infernal that of the damned in Hell That repentance and affliction of mind which does not express Though it does not exclude the love of God that is legal from the spirit of bondage but that repentance and affliction of mind Rom. 8.15 which does not onely express but also arise from the love of God that is truly Evangelical from the Spirit of adoption which alone can give salvation by vertue of the promise he that repenteth and beleeveth shall be saved § 10. This the second particular that the sorrow of affliction and pain in the penitent becomes destructive of sin through the power of faith in the blood of Christ for that Levit. 10.3 God he will be sanctified in all them that come nigh unto him And therefore he being a consuming fire in the fury of his vengeance Heb. 12.29 when we humble our selves before him though with the deepest of afflictions unless it be by faith in Jesus Christ as the Mediator God will be a just Judge to condemn rather then a merciful Father to forgive for it is not our tears without Christs blood not our sorrows without his sufferings not our affliction without his passion that can quench the fire of Gods wrath satisfie the severity of Gods Justice and move the tenderness of his mercy When therefore acted by love and strengthened by faith we pour out our complaints unto our God in a sincere repentance our affliction and pain shall become the proper object of his divine mercy and grace so that we may pray with confidence as holy David Look upon mine affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins § 11. 2 The affliction and pain which is that of the devout Saint especially either in the meditations of Christs sufferings or in the exercise of fervent prayer or in the sence of their own infirmities 1 In the meditation of Christs sufferings here I shall shew you a mystery a mystery of godliness known onely to the devout Saint that the meditation of Christs sufferings it afflicts by compassion and delights by complacence and so is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter sweet to see the sorrows of death seize the soul of life yea the soul of him whom the devout Saint loves better then life how Oh how must this needs be bitter But now to see the fire of love drink up this sea of sorrows and all in tenderness of endeared affection to his beloved Spouse the penitent soul Oh how how must this needs be sweet How can the devout Saint meditate upon his crucified Saviour but with unspeakable anguish and yet with incomparable delight Beholding amidst the excess of his love the pangs of his sorrows § 12. Whilst the devout soul then meditates upon Christs passion this or the like Soliloquy is a part of her devotion O my crucified Jesus how grievous is his sorrow how gracious is his love he loves his torments and takes pleasure in his sufferings he dies with joy that he may dye with grief for me O love ecstatical Wherefore as I cannot but grieve in his grief so I cannot but joy in his love that 's mine anguish this my ravishment so that as I sorrow with him as my beloved so I glory in him as my Saviour Thus is the devotion of the godly in the meditation of Christs sufferings a mystical Benjamin a child of grief and love in an amorous compassion and a dolorous complacence of the soul with Christ which amidst
faith and a keeping firm a good conscience is that Integrity and uprightness which shall preserve us preserve us by fixing us upon God in Christ as the Rock of our salvation § 8. A Rock this is so deep that no floods can undermine it so high that no waves can overtop so strong that no storms can shatter it when the Soul is set upon this Rock it views the swelling waves how they some and break themselves but neither hurt nor hazard it and therefore does the Soul raised by faith triumphantly conclude that neither height nor depth neither the height of wicked violence nor the depth of worldly troubles shall separate it from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8.29 Whereas then amidst the worlds changes and worldlings violences the upright man seems likeliest to be lost yet shall his Integrity preserve him For that this Maxim of sure truth Piety is the best Policy shall confound all Machiavels Principles in the end Ps 94 14.15 So fâ—â—m is that sacred word of promise The Lord will not cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance but Judgment shall return into Righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it § 9. 2 The Argument of faith wherewith David backs his Petition For I wait on thee As preservation is a continued creation so is waiting a continued trusting for what Trust believes by faith it waits for by hope and thus is Trust a Compound of both When we trust in God we look to the Word of promise and in that 1 Joh. 2.25 to the authority of him that speaks the word and this is the act of faith Again we look to the object of the promise and in that to the goodness of the object and this is the act of hope Yea further when we trust in God we rely upon his promise as from him who is the first Truth and this is faith And we wait for the promise Heb. 6 12 15. as from him who is the chief Good and this is hope Now that God oftentimes suspends the blessings we desire it is to try the trust we profess and if our trust be upright it will be constant the reliance of faith and the expectance of hope make our trust perfect so that the same grace which casts our souls upon God to trust in him will sustain our souls to wait till we enjoy him Ps 27.13 14. § 10. The truth of faith the sincerity of our trust and the integrity of our hope is never more evident then when help is deferred for if any unruliness of passion if any corruption of self love if any base interest of a temporal end if any such thing have tainted our trust our faith our hope it will then appear and our shame will accompany our sin the deserting a good cause by reason of great calamities will manifest to the world our hearts were not upright 1 Ioh. 2 19. however our professions seemed zealous Hereby shall it appear then that we truly trust God when we firmly rest in him Disquiet of mind discovers weakness of trust and a distracting fear argues a disturbed faith § 11. If with integrity we trust God we shall in piety and prudence commit our way to him Ps 37 5. we shall wait patiently the success of our faith and the effects of his providence Thus when the three Children had committed themselves to God Dan. 3 16. they are not careful to answer Nebuchadnezar they know their duty and let God work his will Indeed it is grace in act more then in habit in function more then in affection in use more then in stock that does quicken strengthen support and save And therefore the waiting Saint hath a waking soul his graces are not dormant slugg'd with security presumption or sloth no but still exercised in the duties of holy devotion and a sincere obedience in an active vigor of life and strength § 12. As in nature so in grace motion is the preservatâ—ve of purity and the incentive of heat even life it self is the more lively by action God say the Schools is a pure act and every creature hath the greater excellency of being by how much it hath the greater perfection of working Rev. 7.15 Rev. 4.8 the heavenly bodies have their rest in motion and the heavenly Saints their blessedness in operation the more holy the soul is the more heavenly aâ—d the more heavenly the more active It is then in the exercise of grace and duties of obedience that we wait for the accomplishment of Gods promise his promise of deliverance in time of trouble upon which promise David founds his prayer Psal 50.15 and fixeth his faith when he thus bespeaks God saying Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 13. Oh what is the best temper of soul then what the best exercise of grace what the best duties of devotion wâ—en in publick calamities or private distresses we wait for the salv tion of God 1. What the best temper of soul Answ When compos'd to a holy frame of divine patience this resolution we have from our Saviour when he gives the admonition to his chosen amidst the afflictions of his Church that in their patience they possess their souls Luke 21.19 which words compared with the contâ—xâ— admit this Paraphrase As if our Saviour had said though such shall be the persecution of my Church that men rob you of your goods by oppression rob you of your liberty by imprisonment rob you of your lives by cruelty yet let them not rob you of what is more dear and precious then ten thousand worlds your souls and that by sin through impatience of spirit apostatizing from God But in your patience possess your souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possess them so as to preserve them preserve them as your best of treasure even in the profession of faith and a good conscience which is still accompanied with peace and rest in the inward man So that the heart of the upright like the center of the earth amidst all the storms tempests and commot ons of the world Psal 112.7 it remains unmoveable from its stedfastness it is still fixed trusting in the Lord. § 14. 2. What the best exercise of grace Answ The exercise of humility of faith and of hope First humility tâ—is that dispels all secret murmurings at the publick order of Gods providence prompting the soul to an acknowledgment of his Justice and an advancement of his Mercy an acknowledgment of his Justice thus Daniel Dan. 9.7 8. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and unto all Israel that are near and that are far off through all the Countries whither thou hast driven them because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee O Lord to
1. The importunate Crowd of vain Thoughts 2. The frightful Suggestions of foul Thoughts 3. Some late Relapses into Sin 4. Daily Conflicts with Sin 5. A Distrust of the Graces sincerity in general of Faith and of Repentance in particular 6. The sense of Barrenness in holy duties 7. The misapprehension of Gods withdrawing the Comforts of his gracious presence 8. The misinterpration of the Order of Gods Providence as to the Tribulations of the Godly and as to the Prosperity of the Wicked 9. The long Continuance of Temptations and Afflictions These the several Heads of those Spiritual Conflicts to which are appropriated the Words of Complaint the Grounds of Comfort and the Rules of Direction Only before we enter this Field observe these three Maxims by way of Premonition 1. That the best of Gods Saints are still exercised with Temptations 2. That these Temptations are permitted and ordered of God 3. That they are so ordered of God as to make for the good of his Chosen 1 The best of Gods Saints are still exercised with Temptations Indeed what is the estate of Gods Church on earth but an estate militant Eph. 6.12 The Faithful still exercised in a spiritual warfare against the Powers of Darkness and wiles of Satan and who shall think himself secure from Satans temptations Mat. 4.1 c. whilst the Son of God being cloth'd with our flesh is himself tempted Yea such is Satans envy to man and malice to Christ that by how much any one of the faithful is the more eminent in grace by so much is Satan the more violent against him in his fury It is a large Encomium which the Apostle gives his Thessalonians 1 Thess 1.4 5. Such as were elected of God having receiv'd the Gospel of Christ not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance such as were Followers of Christ and his Apostles in much afflictions with joy in the Holy Ghost so that they became ensamples to all that believ'd in Macedonia and in Achaia yet is the Apostle careful notwithstanding this ground of confidence to send to know their faith And why left by some means the Tempter had tempted them The Tempter ch 3.5 that is Satans proper title in an eminencie of malice and envy the chief and principal Tempter making use of the world and the flesh as his baits to deceive as his instruments to act Whatsoever then our temptations are S. Paul will tell us there hath no temptation overtaken us but what is common to men even the best of men 1 Cor. 10.13 and holiest of Saints 2 As the best of Gods Saints are still exercised with temptations so are those temptations permitted and ordered of God Job 1.12 2.6 This we see in that Conflict of holy Job's wherein Satan upon earnest sollicitation hath power given him over Jobs estate but not over his person and when upon temptation he prevails not God gives him a further power over Jobs person but not his life So that neither could Satan have touched Job in his goods or in his body had not God permitted it which God did permit and order too for the manifestation of Jobs integrity and the advancement of his own glory Again it is our Saviours premonition to S. Peter and the rest of the Apostles saying Simon Simon behold Luk. 22.31 Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat Thus the Devil he aims at the fairest makes his hottest encounters against the eminentest Saints Fortissimos quosque Diabolus eligere solet quibus oppugnet Eu hym seeing he could not shake the rock and foundation of the Church Christ Jesus he will try what he can do against the strongest pillars thereof the Apostles But see Satan though rage he may yet assault he cannot till God permit Therefore saith our Saviour Satan hath desired to have you he hath made a challenge to encounter with you But challenge he may combat he cannot till God give the word for the battel Be sober 1 Pet. 5.8 be vigilant saith S. Peter because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon goeth about seeking whom he may devoure Satan is a roaring Lyon full of rage and fury yet is this Lyon kept in a grate held in a chain he cannot go further then God permits being still aw'd and order'd by the hand of his power and will of his providence And therefore saith the Apostle that he goes about seeking whom he may devoure not whom he will Such is his malice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that doubtless he hath will to devoure all but such is Gods power to restrain his fury such is Gods mercy to set bounds to his malice that he may destroy only where God doth permit And for this reason that all our temptations are permitted and ordered of God therefore hath our Saviour taught us to pray Lead us not into temptation 3 Temptations are so ordered of God as to make for the good of his chosen And therefore our Saviour calls Satans tempting the Apostles a sifting them as wheat in that as the wheat is the more pure for being sifted so the Apostles the more holy for being tempted Not that this Satan did intend but that thus God did order And as it was thus with Christs Apostles so is it still with all Gods chosen 1 Cor. 10.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. God is faithful who will not suffer those that are his to be tempted above what they are able He proportions their burden according to their strength or else gives strength proportionable to their burden so that the force of Satans temptations shall not exceed the measure of Gods grace For what good man will laden his beast with a greater burden then he is able to bear and shall a good man be thought more merciful to his beast then our good God is to his children Far be it to conceit so high a blasphemy against so gracious a Majesty But further God permiâ—ting his chosen to be tempted he not only gives strength to bear the burden but also makes a way to escape the violence of the temptation Rom. 16.20 treading Satan under their feet Yea to give the proper Emphasis of the Apostles expression He shal with the temptation make a way to come off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by flight or treaty but with victory and triumph So that though Temptations for a while cloud the Sun of righteousness yet when dispell'd by his arising upon the soul with healings in his wings Mal. 4.2 then the light of Christs Spirit and grace appears more comfortable and glorious and thereby the assurance of divine love which under temptations was dampt and obscur'd in this conquest and victory obtain'd through Christ it is the more graciously renewed and powerfully confirm'd The three Maxims then of Premonition which we behold evident in their truth we must keep fixt
the publick Ministry of his Word and Sacraments so in the private duties of thy Closet devotions And if thy duties of devotion in prayer and praises be not perfunctory and formal thou shalt find by sweet and gracious experience that they are the food and nourishment of thy soul And therefore as the body when it wants its meals so the soul Psal 36 8. Psal 63.5 when it omits its prayers shall feel an hungring and griping in it self and a good argument it is those devotions afford some solid sustenance when the soul upon the want of them does feel a sensible emptiness Wherefore whatsoever are thy affairs or engagements in the World cherish thy desires and longings after God and Christ in thy soul and when thou hast not the opportunity of retirement and privacie for thy devotions retreat thy thoughts into the secret Closet of thy Heart and let thy Mind so swift of wing as moves further in a moment then the Sun in a day let thy Mind send forth its winged Messengers some heavenly Desires which taking a sudden flight to the Throne of grace Gen. 8.11 shall like Noahs Dove return thee an Olive-branch of peace and comfort into thy bosom Do thou by some secret ejaculatiâ—ns as by some coals from the Altar keep alive thy fervor of holy devotion and zeal of ardent love unto thy God and unto thy Jesus 2. The Grounds of Comfort as to a distrust of the sincerity of Faith in particular 1. Thy not being assured thou dost believe is from the pressing weight of temptation not the total want of faith As it was with S. Peter Mat. 14.31 so is it with the faithful whilst the waters are smooth Peter walks with confidence but when the winds begin to be boisterous and the sea rough he then sinks with fear and in this his fear he cries out Lord save me upon which Christ stretcheth forth his hand holds him up saying Why didst thou doubt O thou of little faith Thus is it with the Godly whilst they have a Calm within the cheerful light of Gods countenance shining forth upon their souls then they go on willingly and freely in the ways of holiness rejoycing in his love Ps 30.7 But when God hides his face then they are troubled when a tempest of temptation ariseth in their souls then they fear and doubt sink and cry And oh the tender mercies of their compassionating Jesus He is nigh unto them when they call upon him Ps â—45 18 He rebukes Satan stills the tempest revives the soul and returns in the sweet embraces of his love This know then O thou afflicted soul thou mayst have true faith in a firmness of adherence even when thou hast it not in a cleerness of evidence and so mayst truly believe when through the violence of temptation thou canst not for the present evidence to thy self that thou hast faith 2. However thy doubts and fears may dull and damp yet shall they not dead and destroy thy faith It was a large testimony of the Apostles faith when S. Peter as the mouth of the rest did to confidently answer our Saviour with a Lord Mat. 6.68 69. whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God Yet in the houre of trouble and of trial see how fear damps their faith in that when Christ was apprehended Mar. 14.50 they all forsook him and fled yet behold their faith recovers its strength and they who fled from the face of a small Band in the Garden Act. 5.27.41 Act. 2 36. dare afterwards stand in the face of an whole â—ouncil in Jerusalem yea and preach him Lord and Christ whom they denied their Lord and Master And now if the strong Pillars of the Church be shaken what shall the weak Reeds do If the glorious Lights of the World suffer an Eclipse Mat. 5.14 what shall the smoaking Flax do Why here 's our comfort our Lord and Saviour doth assure us that a bruised reed he will not break Mat. 12.20 and smoaking flax he will not quench Wherefore O distressed soul though thou art as weak in faith as a reed yea as a bruised reed yet thou shalt not be broken though there be no more fire of grace in thee then that of smoaking flax yet shalt thou not be quenched Be thy measure of grace ne'r so small the least good desire holy purpose or sincere endeavour though hid under a multitude of infirmities yet will Christ in his tenderness of love so cherish it with the breathings of his Spirit till he send forth judgment unto victory that is till by a continued growth in grace and renewed strength in the inward man thou mortifie sin and subdue thy corruptions Rom. 8.37 yea become more then conqueror through him that loved thee How many then are like Mary of whom we read that whilst she wept and sought for Jesus though he stood by her and talked with her yet is it said Joh. 20 14. she knew not that it was Jesus Thus many poor souls and sincere believers in a trial of temptation they are weeping and mourning after Christ yea refuse to be comfo ted because they cannot find him lodging in their hearts by faith whereas he is indeed neer them and in them by his Spirit and in their mournings speaks to them to be comforted and yet they know not that it is Jesus him whom their soul seeketh But after some languishings of sorrow and distractions of fear Christ discovers hlmself to the soul as he did unto Mary and then oh how is their joy redoubled in their faith reviv'd 3. There can be no true sense of the want of faith without some measure of true faith as no man can be sensible of sickness who hath not some life Now that is a true sense of the want of faith which is like the sense we have of the want of meat accompanied with an eager desire and hungring after it Mat. 5.6 which hungring desire cannot be in the soul from Satan or the flesh but is most assuredly a work of the Spirit and grace Wherefore when that poor man in the Gospel a weakling in faith cries out Lord I believe help mine unbelief Maâ— 9.24 from a principle and seed of faith opening and dilating it self for increase he desires and cries out for more faith so that he could not have said Lord help mine unbelief if he had not already believ'd And further because a willing mind in desires after godliness 2 Cor. 8.12 is a real conversion unto God therefore is it rightly said that an Heart truly desirous to repent and believe is indeed a repenting and believing heart As a woman then that feels the stirrings of the child though but weakly yet hath good hope she is conceiv'd so O thou afflicted soul when thou feel'st the secret pantings
of faith in sincere desires after Christ which are the breathings of the Spirit have a good hope thou art regenerated and as the mother waits for an assurance of her quickening in the childs stronger motions so do thou wait for an assurance of thy regenerating in Faiths stronger enlargements The strongest Believer 2 Pet. 1.1 and the weakest of the Faithful have all obtain'd like precious faith like precious in quality of nature though not in degree of perfection Wherefore in thy doubts and fears let thy fears diminish thy doubts For know Satan doth not winnow where there is no corn he doth not perplex with doubtings but where he knows there is some faith And let this be thy comfort Phil. 1.6 He who hath begun a good work in thee will perfect the same unto the day of the Lord Jesus He who recovered the Apostles from their fall shall restore thee from thy dejections healing thy broken heart Ps 147.3 and binding up thy wounds dispelling thy cloud of temptations with the light of his countenance yea sealing thee with his holy Spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 14 and giving thee the sure earnest of the heavenly inheritance even peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost The Rules of Direction 1. Cleer thy judgment from that too common error which asserts Faith of assurance that our sins are pardoned to be the only justifying and saving faith For this error consented to in the judgment hath this ill effect upon the soul that thereby it still languisheth in fears and is affrighted with terrors labouring under the horror of this apprehension that there is no remission of sins because no faith in Christ and no faith iâ— Christ because no assurance of being in him accepted of God to justification To clear this error O thou afflicted soul know Faith hath a threefold act of Assent of Reliance and of Assurance of Assent which is before Justification of Reliance which is in Justification and of Assurance which is after Justification As thus Joh. 3.16 Rom. 3.25 Luk. 24.47 Thou readest in Scripture God promiseth to all remission of sins through faith in the blood of Christ Now thou first assentest to this as a certain and sacred truth acknowledging it the free promise and wise dispensation of the all gracious and holy God Jam. 2.19 This thou mayst do and yet not be justified But when further to this assent of Faith thou dost add the act of Reliance even a casting thy self and resting thy soul upon the love and mercy of thy God for the remission of sins according to the truth of his promise by the blood of Jesus Christ Act. 5.31 this accompanied with repentance can never be without justification But now after this upon some gracious experiences it is of Gods love in Christ in the sweet communions and comforts of his Spirit that thou comest to find a third act of holy Faith even this humble assurance that God according to his word of promise Eph. 1 13. 1 Thess 1.5 hath graciously pardoned thy sin and accepted thee in thy Jesus Observe then many millions of Gods Saints there may be yea doubtless are justified through faith who yet have not an assurance that their sins are pardon'd I say yet have not for that an assurance of Gods love accepting them in Christ is not the real essence but rather the sweet effect not the proper being Rom. 5.1 but rather the happy consequent of a justifying faith which is seldom vouchsafed of God even to his dearest children but upon frequent experiences of spiritual communions So that in times of temptation to deny our faith because we feel not our assurance is an error much like his who in time of winter cuts down his tree because he finds not its fruit whereas the root being firm the tree is safe So our reliance being fixt our faith is sound and as a firm root as a sound faith Col. â— 7 Gal. 5.22 it shall in due time bring forth its sweet fruits of righteousness peace joy c. 2. Understand aright how to discern that thou hast faith which is done by an experimental act of adherence unto Christ when thou canst cordially say with S. Peter that there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby they may be saved Act. 4.12 but the name of the Lord Jesus And therefore relying upon him in his mercy and in his merits in his passion and in his intercession thou seeks and sues for life and salvation in and by him alone Thus Faith is like the Light which discovers not only other things but it self too wherefore as by the light thou dost discern the object and by the eye withal discover the light so by faith thou dost apprehend Christ to be thy Saviour and withal 2 Cor. 13.5 1 Joh. 4.12 by the understanding mayst apprehend that faith whereby thou art saved But here thou wilt object Obj. That sure we cannot by any reflect act or inward experience certainly discern we have faith For that how many do we know daily deceived and what more common amongst men then to think yea to be confident they have faith when they have it not and amongst the most profanely wicked who will not say I believe To this I answer Shall we therefore conclude the Godly man is deceiv'd because the Hypocrite is Answ shall we say the faithful man cannot truly discern because the carnal man does not The sleeping man indeed oftentimes dreams he is awake and what shall we therefore have the waking man distrust himself and fear he is asleep who would not condemn this conceit of folly Wherefore as the waking man does discern he is awake so may the Believer discern he does believe and this by an experimental act of secret desire after Christ and a sincere reliance upon him of which no man can be Judge but his own Conscience So that as when we are awake our senses being perfect we discern we are awake and do not dream so when we believe our understanding being clear we discern we do believe and do not presume But now if any man awake shall strongly conceit he is in a dream we may not conclude it is because he hath no sense but because he hath an over-mastering passion of Melancholy And thus if any Believer shall strongly perswade himself he doth not believe we may not say it is because he hath no faith but because he hath an overpowering Temptation of Satan As therefore in the former we use Physical remedies to cure the passion so in the latter we must use Spiritual helps to overcome the temptation 3. Endeavour to prove the sincerity and strengthen the weakness of thy faith by devoutly meditating upon the mysteries of Godliness and humbly applying the promises of life 1. Devoutly meditating upon the mysteries of Godliness the large series of which mysteries linkt together in the long chain of mans redemption
and salvation Rom. 8 33. oh how will it at once raise the mind with wonder and fill the soul with comfort and this in beholding how in every link in every mysterie Mercy and truth do meet together Ps 85.10 righteousness and peace do kiss each other O thou afflicted soul how will it strengthen thy faith and thereby confirm thy peace yea enlarge thy joy To behold Christ seal'd by the Father to the office of Mediation Joh. 6.27 1 Tim. 2.5 Luk. 4.18 1 Tim. 3.16 and anointed by the Spirit to the work of Redemption which Redemption he hath perfected by his Passion declared sufficient by his Resurrection and applies as effectual unto his Church in his Intercession So that S. Paul makes it his confident challenge to all in heaven in earth and hell saying Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 34. Magnificentissima conclusio Bez. in loc it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 2. Humbly applying the Promises of life In this exercise of faith O distressed soul thou shalt experimentally find and feel how aptly the Graces of the Spirit are resembled by fire for that as fire by burning Mat. 3.11 so grace by exercising it further enlarges and spreads it self Thus Charity is increased by loving Patience by bearing Mercy by compassionating and Faith it self by believing The best exercise of Faith then is in application of the Promises and the best application of the Promises is in the supplication of Prayer when in a devout fervor we urge God with the truth of his Word and cast our selves upon him in his free grace for the performance of his Promise which as it is made so is it made good in Christ Jesus unto the faithful 2 Cor. 1 20. 3. The Grounds of Comfort as to a distrust of the sincerity of Repentance 1. A man may be truly sanctified and so through the power of grace in the work of the Spirit a sincere Penitent notwithstanding the reliques of sin to hinder his progress in holiness This we have made good by the example of S. Paul who in an high accent of sorrow and a full confession of guilt complains of a body of sin a law in his members and a being brought into captivity to that law of sin Rom. 7.23 24. which sin though it rules not as a King it hath no willing and ready obedience yet it sometimes bears sway as a Rebel and prevails upon the soul so that with the Apostle the good which he would v 15 19. that he does not and the evil which he would not that he does And this S. Paul speaks of himself not as personating the unregenerate estate which many do imagine but as engaged in the spiritual warfare as S. Augustine hath determined For observe S Aug lib. retr v. 18. v. 22. v. 25. to will saith the Apostle is present with me and what is it not the Spirit of grace that thus sanctifies the will Again I delight in the law of God after the inward man this the voice and the practice too sure of a man regenerate Again With my mind I my self serve the law of God Here the Apostle is certainly either a Saint or an Hypocrite Wherefore then from the example presented it is evident a man may be truly sanctified and so through the power of grace a sincere Penitent notwithstanding the reliques of sin which hinder his progress in holiness 2. The more stirring motions and prevailing power of corruptions is not always from the greater impiety but oftentimes from the fitter opportunity to sin Know then O thou afflicted soul though opportunity doth not beget yet it is worth thy enquiry whether it doth not help to bring forth thy sins of infirmity It may be thou art apt to be more angry and passionate then formerly but is it because thou hast less meekness or more provocation It may be thou findest unclean affections more defiling then formerly but is' t because thou hast less chastity or more temptation It may be thou feel'st more grudgings of impatience and distrust then formerly but is it because thou hast less faith or more affliction Mat. 26.35 compar d with v. 56. 2 King 8.12 13 No man knows what corruptions are in him till he be tempted and that occasion and opportunity by an unhappy midwifery bring them forth Besides the difference of thy condition in the world may have made a difference of estate in thy soul Thou art now it may be at ease and rest and if so know the Birds appear in a calm which hid themselves in the tempest Active imployments yea Deut. 32 15. Jer. 48 11. and an afflicted condition in the world silence and still many corruptions which when we are at ease then they appear and shew themselves not that lust hath then more more life but more advantage not more strength but fitter opportunity 3. Thy sight of sin is from more light of Grace Rom 7 7.8 9. Eph 4. â—8 1 Coâ— 6 11. Rev. 3.17.18 and thy sense of sin from more life of the Spirit Oh how many lustings and sinful corruptions are there which the soul till exercised in the ways of holiness takes no notice or knowledge of So that thy corruptions increased in their number at which thou art so much dismaied do not necessarily argue that thou hast formerly less iniquity but rather that thou art now able to make a more clear and full discovery of thine iniquity which discovery of sin is a good argument to proâ—e the growth of grace For as the dust and atomes in the air are not discern'd till the Suns beams present them to the eye so the lusts and corrupt affections of the heart they are not seen till the Beams of divine light do make their discovery to the soul The Rules of Direction 1. Apprehend aright what is the proper sign of a sincere Repentance even the hatred and detestation of sin accompanied with a striving and contending against sin which contention is to be continued weakening sin in its power till we mortifie it in its motions It is not then the not committing of sin which is in it self the proper sign of a sincere repentance For what were this but to send us to the Wilderness or the Cloyster for the only Penitents yea and not find them there neither seeing the sad experiences of the Godly do sufficiently witness that sins of infirmity and of daily incursion as Tertullian calls them they do too too often surprise the best of Saints Peccata quotidianae incursionis Tert. 1 Joh. 1.8 Ps 18.23 Heb. 12.1 and that in the best of duties Yea there is in most if not in all some particular sin of nature which by special appropriation we may with David call
of thy soul and the comforts of his Spirit which pardon obtain'd peace restor'd comforts recover'd are all strengthened confirm'd and seal'd by servent prayer devout meditation and a worthy receiving the blessed Eucharist These these holy duties are the oil which keeps the lamp burning the sacred means ordain'd of God and Christ for the quickening of our graces and the enlarging of our comforts The Objections answered Obj. 1 Obj. 1. These Rules I have according to my best endevours observ'd and yet notwithstanding all Gospel-ministrations my wound ah my deep wound is not healed mine anguish my secret anguish is not abated Oh! sure my hope is perished from the Lord He hath cut me off Oh that I had never been born or that I had never liv'd to behold my wretchedness Answ Wo is me what shall I do Answ Do what thou sayest thou hast already done still endeavour that thy spiritual comforts may take their rise from thy penitential sorrows enquire still after God in Christ in the means of grace press near to him in his ordinances let no discouragements beat thee back Joh 6. â—7 Hear the promise of thy Jesus He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out O the stay of faith and staff of the soul O divine word of grace O gracious promise of love He receives us into his bosom when we cast our selves into his arms He will sustain and hold fast He will in no wise cast off and forsake Heb. 13.5 Wherefore O thou afflicted soul though thou art forsaken of comfort yet do not lie down in despair nor sleep in sloth but let faith hold up thy hope and hope keep up thine obedience and do not rest quiet till finding thy God in Christ thou obtain a quiet rest And how shalt thou find God in Christ but in the application of the Gospels promises and in the exercise of holy duties Obj. 2. What tell you me of holy duties As Absalom said of Obj. 2 David so I say of Christ What are all these to me if I cannot see the Kings face What are the Ordinances and the Promises 2 Sam. 14.32 what are holy duties and religious performances These have no sweetness but when I can taste Christ in them they have no beauty but when I can behold Christ in them by his presence all my troubles would soon be dispersed and by his absence all comforts they are embitter'd Answ Christ is present with thee in all his ordinances Answ though thou seest him not He purposely hides his face to try thy love and permits thee to be tempted that thou mayst be approved approved as one of those who truly fear God obeying his voice Isa 50.10 though they walk in darkness and have no light It is no great matter to see the Child express much love when pleas'd with the Fathers smiles and chear'd with his embraces but if when the Father seems with frowns to put the Child from him and it then cling close to him it is a sure argument of dutiful affection Thus when the mind is raised the heart enlarg'd the soul ravish'd with the sweet delights of holiness and the divine manifestations of Gods love what great matter is it to be pious and faithful in his service But here 's the trial of grace here 's the proof of our faith our love our obedience if when God withdraws the light of his countenance we then seek him if when Christ seems to depart from us we then lay hold on him and not let him go but resolve though he kill us to trust in him though he chide us Joh 13.15 to call upon him and though he seem to reject us yet faithfully to serve and obey him But besides O thou afflicted soul in the holy Sacrament thou canst not miss of what thy soul longs after Christ and Christ in all his fulness Mat. 26.27 28. For hear how our Saviour in the ministration of this sacred ordinance he saith of the bread broken Eat this is my body and of the wine poured out Drink this is my blood whereby we are to believe in a firm assent of faith that our blessed Lord and Saviour hath appointed and ordain'd this holy Sacrament to be a most effectual means to convey and most sure seal to confirm the actual efficacie and merit of his body crucified and his blood shed So that the bread and wine do not only sacramentally represent but also really exhibit to each faithful though languishing soul whole Christ with all his benefits then which what can be more effectual to the repairing thy peace of conscience and the renewing thy comforts of the Spirit Obj. Obj. 3. I know not how nor what to do For besides my trouble of conscience and terror of soul I find such a stupifying dulness and amazed deadness upon my spirits that I cannot apply my self to any holy duties with a fixed Answ much less an enlarged heart Answ Apply thy self to some faithful Minister or some other experienc'd Saint of God For seeing the Mind under spiritual afflictions is as a bone out of joint Gal. 6 1. who is it that shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joint it again but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual man he who is acquainted with the motions methods and actings of the Spirit Yea seeing the afflicting of the soul is a breaking of the bones so with David Make me to hear of joy and goodness Ps 51.8 that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice We stand in need to be careful to make use of some skilful in Soul-chyrurgerie who may so help so heal the wound set right the bones that no splinters be left to fret the Patient no scruple to vex the Conscience Yea sure I am there is not so much danger to the body in the ill setting of a bone as there is to the soul in the unsound resolving of Conscience But further Let the faithful Minister or other experienc'd Saint that shall have to do with his clouded and dull as well as afflicted and troubled soul let him see well to it whether Melancholy hath not penn'd up the soul in its darksom cell whose adust humors are aptly call'd Balneum Diaboli the Devils Bath Melancholy distempers beget afflicting thoughts and afflicting thoughts beget melancholy distempers and thus is the poor soul whirl'd about in a circle and maze of disquiets and distractions which disquiets and distractions are the more increased by Satans malice and subtlety in that as some men do deceive others in a dark shop with false colours so does Satan deceive the soul in a dark body with false imaginations Act 4.36 Now here an Hippocrates is as proper as a Barnabas a Physitian as a Minister for that say what we can it will be with the soul in a melancholy body as with a candle in a dark lantern its light still dim and dismal and oh what terrors of strange imaginations and strong
5.2 4 7. and overthrew the faith of some The Church of Galatia hath those that joyn Judaism with Christianism the Ceremonial Rites with the Evangelical Mysteries The Church of Coloss hath those that patch Philosophical Notions to Gospel Truths Col. 2.18 and the Worship of Angels to the Worship of God The Church of Pergamus hath those that assert the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicholaitans Revel 2.14.15 The Church of Thyatira hath those that teach it lawful to commit fornication Revel 2.20 and eat things sacrificed to Idols Yea so plentiful was the increase of these Tares that in the Primitive and Purest age of the Church to St. Augustines time which was about the fourth Century August l de Haeres c. 88. no less then Eighty eight Sects of Heresies were sprung up in the Church each divided one from another and all from the truth How many Heresies there are amongst us passeth my skill to reckon as much as it doth your judgments to ghess Since we may say of London what was once said of Africa Semper aliquid apportat novi it always is bringing forth someâ—hing new as that Countrey some new Monster so this City some new Heresie Here at Congregational Meetings Heresies engender as there wilde Beasts at the Rivers still begetting by their ungodly mixture of Opinions some monstrous new Heresie so that to give you a view of all the Sects of our age were to lead you thorow all Africa And as before we could pass thorow that Countrey there would be some new monster so confident I am before we could well pass thorow those Sects there would be some new opinion some new opinion which we had not met with some mungrel Heresie new hatcht which we thought not of Oh how do the Anabaptists by a corrupt mixture of opinions as those African Beasts by an unnatural mixture of Seeds how do they engender with the Novatians and beget a mishapt brood called Separatists Again how do they engender with the Apostolici and beget another as deformed a brood called Levellers They engender with Donatus and are called Brownists they engender with Montanus and are called Enthusiasts they engender with Cerinthus and are called Millenarians they engender with Priscilianus and are called Familists and upon other prophane and heretical mixtures are engendred the Antinomians the Adamites the Libertines with many very many other too numerous to be numbred and too horrid to be mentioned And to all these extends our Apostles Oportet in the Text Quest There must be even these Heresies amongst us Answ Must but how Why from the Devils tempting in malice Mans consenting through Wickedness and Gods permitting in Justice 1. The Devils tempting in malice He is that implacable enemy of Christs Church and Truth who seeks all opportunities and pursues all occasions of her mischief and ruine sometimes infesting her with bloody persecutions sometimes seducing with corrupt doctrines always disquieting with hellish temptations 2 Chro. 18.21 This that lying spirit in the mouth of all false Prophets Matth. 13 28. this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the enemy which soweth Tares in the Lords field Revel 12.9 this that old Serpent which seduceth the Nations And therefore our Saviour calls the Congregations of Hereticks Revel 2.9 the Synagogues of Satan 2. Mans consenting through wickedness It is with too too many as with Judas and Ananias Satan hath filled their hearts even with Treachery and Treason against Christ and his Church with Hypocrisie and Hate against his Holiness and Truth So that what was said of Aretine that foul mouthed Italian may be too truly said of the Hereticks in our times Quicquid Diabolus audet cogitare hi audent proloqui What the Devil dares suggest to the Thoughts these dare utter with their Tongues Satan is not more ready to suggest then some men to broach that doctrine which is blasphemous Hieron Apol. Adv. Ruff. l. 2. For this St. Jerome called Arrius Daemonium meridianum The Noon-day Devil so high was the impudence of his Blasphemies 3. Gods permitting in Justice What Heresies are amongst us God could in his power and providence prevent but he rather wills in his Wisdom and Justice to permit ordering and disposing the end to be his own glory and his Churches good True Heresies God forbids and yet he permits he forbids in his Word yet permits in his Providence and thus Miro ineffabili modo by an admirable and ineffable manner Non fit prater ejus voluntatem quod fit contra ejus voluntatem that is not done beside his will in the disposings of his providence which is done against his will in the precepts of his Word August En. chir c. 100. so St. Augustine And that God permits men to fall or rather run into Heresies we say it is in Justice even according to that rule of equity given by St. Paul 2 Thes 2.11 12. where the Apostle tells us That because men receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved They are given up to strong delusions to believe a lie whereby they are damned Thus then upon Satans tempting in malice Mans consenting through wickedness Gods permiting in Justice Upon this is founded the force of the Apostles Oportet in the certainty of event There must be also Heresies Applic. Socrat. Hist l 4 c 27. August de Heres c. 72. To reprove and convince those Licentious men of folly and prophaneness in whom Themistius the Philosopher and Rhetorius the Heretick are revived though not by a transmigration of Souls yet by a transmission of their opinions imagining yea asserting that by diversity of Judgments and variety of Opinions God does gloriam suam illustrare illustrate his own glory and so a man may be saved of any Faith of any Religion But sure I am he who believes a man may be saved of any Religion is not himself of the true Religion and that of Leo is most infallibly true Nisi una sit Leo in Nativ Dom. Serm. 4. fides non est Faith is not at all if it be not one And so that must needs be contrary to the truth of Faith which is contrary to the unity of Faith especially if that of St. Paul stand firm Eph 4.5 as There is but one Body so but one Spirit and as but one Lord so but one Faith Indeed God is truth and reason then tells us there can be but one Truth as there is but one God And further from hence it appears That to assert Toleration of Heresies from the Word of God is it self most Heretical and intolerable We read of Julian alone that gave Toleration of all Sects and he was an Apostate whose aim and end was not a regard to tender Consciences but the destruction of Christs Church If Heresies were to be tolerated in vain had St. Paul given in charge unto Timothy saying A man that is an Heretick reject Yea Tit.
Church of God before Circumcision the Faith of the Parents and the Promise of the Covenant was the Salvation of Infants then when there was no Seal So is it now the Salvation of those who die without the Seal it being most agreeable to the grace and goodness of the Almighty Ut qui alienâ culpâ cecidit alienâ fide refurgat That he who fell by anothers fault might rise again by anothers Faith And as in the Catechumens of old those who were designed to Baptism if any of them died unbaptized their intention of minde and desire of will was in the judgment of the Church interpretativè as the actual Performance And thus we determine in the case of Infants who have votum parentum Ecclesiae the desire of their Parents and of the Church God accepts the will for the deed Thirdly What the Judgment of the Church is as to the state Quest 3 of those children which die before Baptism being children of Anabaptists I answer We can plead no excuse for the Parents Answ though we have some good hope of the Infants which hope is mixt with fear as being raised from a judgment of Charity not any infallible proof nor indeed any very probable argument of verity Children are in a state of Salvation baptized but we cannot say they are so without Baptism except the case of necessity be pleaded and the reason is because God the free-dispenser of his grace hath by Positive Law made this the condition of his promise That we shall continue in our selves and in our children the initiating Seal of his Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed Gen. 17.9 10. saith the Lord unto Abraham and therefore Thou shalt keep my Covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations every man-childe among you shall be circumcised And the like obligation our Saviour makes as to Baptism when he says Except a man be born of Water John 3.5 and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God If then there be no Salvation without the Covenant of Grace and that Parents are to Covenant for their children what firm hope can there be of those Infants whom their Parents exclude from Promise and condition of the Covenant We certainly know that very often the Parents guilâ— hath deprived their posterity of the whole Gospels Ministry witness the Nations from whom God hath removed his Candlestick And sure Rev. 2.5 if the Parents contempt of Gods Ordinances hath deprived whole Nations of the comfort of the Gospels Ministry it is justly to be feared though not positively to be determined That the contempt which Anabaptist Parents cast upon Infants Baptism may deprive their children of the benefit of the Covenants promise especially considering That by Schism they are separate from the Church of Christ into which there is no ordinary way of entrance and admission but by Baptism according to our Saviours Commission and Instruction to his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations baptising them c. 1. Applic. We have here Beloved to answer the Anabaptists grand Quaere Where have ye any Gospel precept for Infants Baptism And withal to establish your Judgments and Faith against all their oppositions and clamors Wherefore we thus prove Gospel Precept in that Christ gives in Commission Disciple all Nations baptising them Now Infants are a part of the Nations capable of discipling and no where excepted from Baptism therefore needs must Baptism extend unto Infants Again it is our Saviours express precept Mark 10.14 Suffer little children to come unto me but children have no way of coming to Christ in which we can suffer or hinder them but by Baptism and therefore Baptism is ordained for children Now back those precepts of Christ with the practise of the Apostles and the Universal Church together with the Grounds and Reasons of that practise and those precepts even childrens discipleship and Church Communion founded upon their interest in the Covenant of Grace And doing this I dare with confidence assert you have Infants Baptism so firmly founded and fixt as not all the wind and storms of the Anabaptists subtlety or fury can overturn it 2. We will answer the Objections of the Adversaries who press us with these Arguments That Infants have not Faith that they are not capable of teaching and not liable to precept These the chief Objections to which we return our particular Replies Object 1 First They have not Faith And our Saviour is express He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 thereby intimating That he alone is to be baptized who doth believe Answ I answer to this He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved our Saviour addes But he that believeth not shall be damned Where a not having Faith excludes Infants from being saved as much as from being baptized So that if we count them capable of Salvation we must count them â—â—pable of Baptism if capable of being admitted into the Church Triumphant then capable of being received into the Church Militant I suppose then no man will imagine Faith of any more necessity to Baptism then it is to Salvation so that if Infants may be saved without Faith infallibly it follows they may be baptized without Faith that is actual Faith in themselves not in their Parents for the Parents Faith avails to the Infants Baptism and credit in alterâ— qui peccavit in altero he believes in another Acts 2.39 who sinned in another And children baptized are reckoned in the number of the faithful though not propter fidem Sacramenti yet propter Sacramentum fidei though not because of the Faith of the Sacrament yet because of the Sacrament of Faith so St. Augustine very frequently Besides Infants they are indeed non-believers but not unbelievers Now it is infidelity Positive not Negative which excludes from Baptism that infidelity which opposeth or denyeth the Faith not a meer carentia fidei want of Faith in a subject not capable of believing Faith then and Repentance too they are not necessary as to the susception of Baptism but as to the persons baptized not necessary as to the susception of Baptism This is apparent from that of our Saviours being baptized who is the Author of Faith Heb. 12.2 and needed not any Repentance but Repentance and Faith they are necessary as to some persons to be baptized even in whom there are false principles of an adulterate Religion and erroneous perswasions together with actual enormities of a sinful life These these must be put off by a sincere Repentance and actual Faith as being contrary and a direct obex and hinderance to the effects and state of Baptism Faith and Repentance then they are not essentially but accidentally necessary to Baptism not absolutely requisit and to all as not to Infants but conditionally and to some as to the adult Acts 2.38 Acts 8.37 to whom all those particulars are to be
applied in Scripture that of St. Peter to the Jews that of Philip to the Eunuch and the rest To close then Baptism coming in place of Circumcision as the initiating Seal of Gods Covenant Col. 2.11 12. there must needs be this Analogy in the administration That as Abraham first believed and then was circumcised and Isaac he first circumcised and after believed so in the conversion of the Gentiles and discipling of the Nations the Parents first believe and then are baptized but their children first are baptized and after believe And thus want of actual Faith does no more exclude Infants now from Baptism then it did of old from Circumcision Secondly They are not capable of teaching and our Saviours Object 2 commission runs Go teach and baptize I answer We have already blunted the edge of this weapon Answ repelled the force of this Argument and Objection having made it plain from the propriety of the word and the congruity of the sense that our Saviour bids Go disciple all Nations which discipling refers not to teaching before but after a receiving and admitting into Christs School to be taught And thus the Argument is retorted seeing it is our Saviours express precept to disciple all Nations by Baptism and that all men in all ages account children one part of the Nations they being capable of discipling in its proper notion either they must be plainly excepted or necessarily implied Thirdly They are not liable to Precept not having the use of Object 3 Reason I answer The Precept obligeth the Parents Answ and the Promise reacheth the Children as administring the proper remedy of their original guilt and contagion As when a Medicine is prescribed as the onely cure of the sick Patient though the sick know not the Medicine and so is not obliged to the prescription yet the friends of the sick are bound to prepare what is prescribed otherwise they make breach of charity and duty and if the sick die thorow their neglect of means and contempt of the remedy they bring the guilt of blood upon themselves And observe however it is most certain the Parents sin in the neglect of Baptism does not bring a punishment upon the Infant yet may it yea doubtless does it deprive him of a blessing if of no greater blessing sure we are of that which issues from the benefit of the Churches Prayers Notwithstanding then Infants are now no more capable of Precept as to Baptism then before as to Circumcision yet is the obligation as great to Parents and the benefit as great to Infants now and under the Gospel as before and under the Law To close then Notwithstanding all the Objections of the Adversary Mark 10.15 seeing men must receive the Kingdom of Heaven as little children it is most infallible little children do receive the Kingdom of Heaven as well as men Again seeing Infants are capable of the blessings it is an injury to Gods goodness as well as their Souls to deprive them of the Ordinance of Baptism And whereas the Anabaptists urge us to instance in any Infant baptized in the Scripture we urge them to shew in all Scripture or in any other History where or when any Infant of believing Parents was past by and not baptized till years of discretion let all Records be searched and the account of times examined from that period John Baptist begun his Ministry to that John the Evangelist ended his in all about eighty years in which time we doubt not many millions of Infants of believing Parents grew up to full manhood In all this time I say shew one Infant of believing Parents past by and not baptized till years of discretion and this being done there would be some plausible plea against Infants Baptism But there being no instance as to Fact nor Argument as to Reason no Proof as to Scripture to exclude Infants from Baptism We may confidently aver our Saviours Commission and Instruction extends to Infants as well as Parents Go disciple all Nations baptising them c. 3. Whereas woful experience especially that of the German miseries gave occasion to this Proverbial Speech That the Anabaptists Waters turn to Blood how much sad truth we can witness to this unhappy Proverb I had rather bewail then dispute deplore then declare And Oh! that we were Beloved so deeply so devoutly affected with our sins and sufferings both as to Church and State as to turn our late Baptism of Blood into a Baptism of Waters even of mournful Tears In which it will be piety to become all Anabaptists quenching the fire of Heaven with the waters of Siloam Gods wrath I mean by our penitence and his indignation by our contrition 4. Be we exhorted to testifie our holy Communion by an holy Conversation our Communion with Christs Church which we entred by Baptism Remember we then that innocence meekness peace patience purity and the like which are the silver feathers of the sacred Dove Matth. 3.17 Eph. 1.22 23. that holy Spirit which descended upon Christ the Head and still rests upon those who hold Communion with the Church his Body These these our virtutes Baptismales the Baptismal vertues of our new Birth let them be the continued practise of our whole life chuse we to lose the Humidum radicale the radical moysture of our natural constitution rather then that of our Baptismal Regeneration part we with our lives rather then with Faith and a good Conscience for that hereby it is we hold fast our Communion with Christ and our Communion with his Church sealed us by his Sacrament the Sacrament of our initiation and new birth concerning which our Saviour gives in Commission and Instruction to his Apostles Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them c. THE FOURTH SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. Introduction WHen Faith is so much corrupted and Souls are so many subverted who can be silent and be faithful I observe as the receiving of Baptism is the entrance into all the priviledges and blessings of the Covenant and of the Church so the renouncing of Baptism is the open door to the greatest enormities and impieties of this day's Apostates In uno Caesare multi Marii and in one Anabaptist are many Hereticks a Sect as pregnant and fruitful of error and those monstrous too as that Holland-Lady was of children whose numerous brood is said to equal the days in the year It is easie to observe how men first turn Anabaptists despising the Ministry of the Gospel then they become Antinomians rejecting the rule of the Law then Enthusiasts making their fanatick revelations to outvie Gods word then Libertines casting off all Magistracie and Government and then Ranters destroying the very being of humane society yea by their disorders and confusions their blasphemies and execrations making a very
all our Doctrine and Worship And oh if hereby we profess our selves Christians that thus we baptize thus we believe thus we worship thus we bless how great is that Apostacie even from Christianity it self which will deny our Baptism destroy our Creed abolish our Worship and if possible deprive us of our Blessing To close this Beloved Let us as by the profession of a true faith so by the exercise of an holy life O let us so regain and keep firm the love of God the Father that by the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord we may so hold fast the communion of the Holy Ghost Act. 2.3 that our fiery trial shall be but as the Apostles fiery tongues not to consume and destroy but to fortifie and prepare us even to a more firm founding and more glorious building up the Church in the unity of divine Faith and the uniformity of holy Worship Further in the manner and form of Baptisms administration we observe that the Holy Ghost is the third Person in the sacred Trinity and very God upon which it will be very seasonable to enlarge our selves For that which brought Satan like lightening down from Heaven carrying Hell with him it was his rebellious pride of Ero similis Altissimo I will be like to the most High and failing in that proud attempt of advancing the creature to equal the Creator he hath ever since made it his malicious design to depress the honor of the Creator to the condition of a creature witness the horrid Idolatries among the Heathens and the blasphemous Heresies amongst Christians The horrid Idolatries among the Heathens Rom. 1.23 Changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man and to birds and to four-footed beasts and to creeping things The blasphemous Heresies amongst Christians Heresies denying the thrice blessed and glorious Trinity especially the eternal Godhead and the incommunicable subsistence of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And amongst the many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighters against the Holy Ghost since the Pentecost tongues silenc'd the Heathen Oracles and the preaching of the Gospel banished their idolatrous worship amongst the many fighters I say against the Holy Ghost the militant Church of Christ hath been chiefly assaulted and infested by the Arians Macedonians and Photinians of old time and by the Socinians and Anabaptists of later years Yea even at this day there are too too many amongst our selves who pretend most to the Spirit yet are most blasphemous against the Spirit heretically denying the Divine nature and eternal Godhead of the Holy Ghost Wherefore in a secret zeal to this sacred truth of the Holy Ghosts Divinity a zeal enkindled by that Spirit which descended in fiery tongues upon the Apostles give me leave to explain and confirm to you these two particulars First That the Holy Ghost is the third Person in the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son Secondly That this third Person thus proceeding is very God 1. The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son And what we here speak in so ineffable a mystery let it be salvâ reverentiâ with due reverence to the Divine Majesty The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the Trinity Mat. 10.20 Joh. 15.26 and we prove it thus The Holy Ghost is called in Scripture the Spirit of the Father not as sent by the Father but proceeding from the Father his mission is temporary and his procession is eternal And it is worth our observation that the Holy Ghost here is said to proceed as the Son is said to be begotten even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 by an immanent act so proceeding from him as being of the same essence with him And as the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of the Father Gal. 4.6 Joh. 16.15 so also of the Son And seeing Christ saith All that the Father hath are mine what the Holy Ghost receives by procession from the Father the same he receives also from the Son and that by one immanent act of eternal spiration from them both which act of spiration was signified by our Saviour when he breath'd upon the Apostles Joh. 20.22 thereby giving them the Holy Ghost Now that the Holy Ghost thus proceeding from the Father and the Son is a distinct person from the Son and the Father is most firmly proved from that of S. John where we have expresly the Comforter Joh. 15.26 the Spirit of truth sent by the Son from the Father And lest any should think the Spirit the same in person as he is in essence with the Father our Saviour answers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine to denote say the Antients the distinct person of the Holy Ghost An Heterosis like unto this we have in the Text In textu legitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsum in margine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsa verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteret est masculinun Disciple all nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter yet is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine The like very aptly observe in the Septuagint upon Gen. 3.15 A dispute it is whether to read ipse ipsa or ipsum he she or it shall bruise thy head The Septuagint resolves the doubt that it is not meant of mankind in general as the Rabbins would have it and so read ipsum it nor yet of the blessed Virgin in particular as the Romanist contends for it and so read ipsa she but of Christ himself and that is ipse he For so the Septuagint reads it with an Haeterosis I will put enmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between thy seed and between her seed where the Antecedent is in the Neuter but the Relative they give us in the Masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not she nor it but he pointing unto Christ He shall bruise thy head Many very many the like observations I might give you very frequent in sacred Writ but I instance in these as to second the Father's Note upon that of S. John so to hint unto you how necessary to the interpreting and so to the understanding of sacred Scripture humane literature is however cryed down and declaim'd against by the Illiterate and the Enthusiasts 2. The Holy Ghost the third Person in the sacred Trinity is very God Of this we have several proofs in sacred Scripture giving him the Names the Attributes the Works and the Worship of God To give you a cursory view only of these First The Names of God Whereas it is said the Lord Deut. 32. â—2 Isa 63.14 even Jehovah led Israel in the wilderness the Prophet he tells us this Jehovah was the Spirit of the Lord even the Holy Ghost Again that in the Acts is plain and full Why hath Satan filled thine heart saith S. Peter to
of Conscience Oh how is a conscientious man intangled in a snare of perplexities surrounded with a maze of distractions Who cannot in his ordinary affairs of life be quieted in his Conscience in the resolution of things lawful and expedient without Scripture proofs to determine it The rule of Reason That is readily applied by a man of ordinary prudence but the rule of Scripture is not to be applied to every action by the ablest Textuary in the World he stands in need to carry a Concordance in his hand who makes the Scripture the onely rule of all his actions and yet not avoid perplexity of Conscience neither Thirdly A seditious contempt of Humane Laws whether Civil or Ecclesiastical This opinion is that which will break the bonds of all subjection and temporal obedience both of children to Parents of servants to Masters and of subjects to Soveraigns who will by influence of this Error question when they should obey and call into dispute when they should put in practice the lawful commands of their Superiors As for these kinde of men who will not obey Magistrates forsooth but in a Gospel-way upon a Scripture proof for every Law I call the whole World to witness whether ever yet they proved themselves good subjects and sure we are according to that maxim of antient and known experience Qui nescit servire nescit imperare He that knows not how to serve knows not how to govern they will never make good Masters who themselves never were good servants Thus having discovered to you the dangerous falshood and evil consequents of this Vulgar Error That the sacred Scriptures are the onely rule of all our actions give me leave to answer the Objections urged by the Brethren of the Separation the first broachers and the continued abettors of this Error Their main Arguments and Objections are drawn from that of the Apostle Whatsoever ye do 1 Cor. 10.21 do all to the glory of God And again that Whatsoever is not of Faith Rom. 14.23 is sin The first Argument is framed thus We must do all to Gods glory but Object 1 that cannot tend to his glory which is not directed by his Law and therefore in every thing we must be directed by his Law seeing in every thing we are to aim at his glory Answer All this is true and yet the Error remains which is this Answ That the sacred Scripture alone is this Law whereas God in his providence hath ordained several Laws distinct in nature and degree but in subordination the lower to the higher and all to him the supream Lawgiver So that to measure all mens actions by one kinde of Law were to confound that sacred Order of divine Providence in which his Government of the World is so eminently glorious Some actions are within the bounds of nature as we are Creatures for these we have a Law natural some are within the limits of Reason as we are men and for these we have a Law rational Some within the verge of Secular community as we are Subjects for these we have a Law politick some within the sphere of Faith as we are Christians and for these we have a Law divine Lastly some within the orbe of External communion as we are visible Members of the Church and for these we have a Law Ecclesiastical And such is the sweet order of these several Laws in the constitution of Providence that neither opposeth other but all consent in an harmonious subordination unto God and Christ in the Government of the World and of the Church So that we may say of Law Mr. Hoâ—ker Eccles Polit. she is sacred her seat is the Throne of God her voice the Harmony of the World all things in Heaven and in Earth do her homage the very least as feeling her care and the greatest as not exempted from her power Angels and men and the whole number of the Universe though in different manner yet in uniform consent they reverence and admire her they obey and extol her as the Mother and Nurse as the Queen and Patroness of their Peace and Joy Object 2 The second Argument is framed thus Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.23 but where there is no Word there can be no Faith and therefore whatsoever action hath not warrant from the written Word of God commanding it it must needs be sinful Answ Answer This Argument however it may seem to set forth the perfection of Gods sacred Law yet does it indeed destroy much of Gods sacred Truth For what St. Paul means by Faith we see plainly from the context is neither fides quae creditur nor fides quá credimus neither the object nor the act neither the doctrine nor the belief of Supernatural Revelation Which Revelation we acknowledge perfect in order to eternal life in the sacred Scriptures But by Faith most evident it is the Apostle means an inward perswasion of minde believing That what we do may lawfully be done whereas to do any thing of which we are not thus perswaded it is sin So that by Faith here the Apostle does not mean the doctrine of Scripture but the dictate of Conscience and most certain it is Let the light and information of Conscience be from Reason as well as from Scripture the dictate of Conscience cannot be resisted without sin against God whose Vicegerent it is in the Soul of Man In things then ordinary quotidianae incursionis of daily incursion yea in matters Civil debitae subjectionis of due subjection Our warrant is sufficient as to Conscience if we know no Law of Scripture to contradict it though we know none in particular to confirm it So that it is the inverted order of right Argumentation to say this or that we may not do because Gods Word does not command it whereas we should rather say this or that we may do because Gods Word does not forbid it For observe What things are indifferent in their own nature as being neither directly expressed in the Word nor necessarily deduced from it nor any way opposit to the Word or inconsistent with it those things we acknowledge left to the prudence of Governors for the preservation of order and unity in the Church which things indifferent in their nature do by the command of lawful Authority become necessary in their use And upon this firm ground upon this sure basis are fixt those Ecclesiastical Laws and Ceremonies of our Church which have been so loudly decryed and so hotly pursued 2. 2. Vulgar Error That every private person who pretends to the Spirit may be a fit Interpreter of sacred Scripture From this evil principle it is that as Hilary complained of of old Annuas atque menstuas fides habemus Every year every moneth produceth some new Doctrine of Faith This is somewhat modest and fair to our Factions and Frenzies in which we have Non modo annuas aut menstruas sed vel diurnas fides