them pretending that they may so honour them as Gods friends whereas Gods worship is to be given alone to God if Christ might be heard above the Pope Thirdly The Sunne Moon and Stars have been worshipped by Heathen men under a conceit that there were certain spirits rulers of the world under God assistant to them whereas they are created by God for the use of mankinde and do move by their own natural inclination as other things not by any such external mover Fourthly The pictures of God Christ Saints so supposed to be I mean have been and are still worshipped which is the very particular made choice of in this Commandment to include all other spiritual uncleannesse as the sinne of adultery in the seventh to include all other bodily filthinesse for indeed this is the very grostest of all to worship a dead stock whatsoever shifts men have as if they did purpose not to worship the thing for its own sake but for the thing represented by it Such things Jews and Gentiles did alledge for their excuse but God rejects their counsels and saith in spight of all their denials that their Idols were gold meaning and nothing else but gold and that they worshipped the work of their own fingers he counted alone the wood or stone served what ever they dreamed of a further Deity represented And this Idolatry also the Church of Rome maintaineth and hath by her tyranny thrust upon all these quarters of the world at such times as she had somewhat established her usurped Supremacy Lastly The Devil personally hath been and is worshipped by services invented by himself of Witches and Sorcerers to whom he did appear in bodily shapes which is of all Idolatries the most searfull and hainous because here Gods professed enemy is openly set in his place and room And thus much for the falsnesse of worship in regard of the object now it may be also for the kindes and parts that is when any action or actions are performed to the pleasing of God and working of spiritual grace in our selves that God hath not assigned in his word for that end which is to worship God after the commandments of men which the Apostle forbids Tit. 1. saying That men must not give heed to the commandments of men which do subvert the truth The same thing is by him condemned under the name of will-worship for what I do out of a religious conscience to God with an intention I mean to please and honour him thereby and hoping to win grace to my soul by that I in my minde intend to worship him and if there be no other warrant for this but my own will this is now to serve God after the precepts of men which he cannot endure And with such will-worship the Church of Rome abounds they have their vows of canonical Obedience Chastity Poverty and a number more it is our great happiness that we are delivered from the bondage and slavery of them Thus you see the false worship forbidden now follows the second branch of things forbidden in regard of the performance of Gods solemn worship which is the abuse of the true worship and that worship of God is abused both in the matter and manner of it First For the matter by taking away any of those parts from any kinde of worship which God hath commanded to be performed as for example the Church of Rome hath taken away the Cup from the Sacrament and so maimed the Seal of Gods Covenant yea they have taken away the reading of the Scripture in private altogether and will not suffer men to exercise themselves therein and they have taken away the whole power of the Scripture in subjecting it to the Church and not the Church to it and in causing it to be read in an unknown tongue Secondly by adding any part of worship unto those which God hath appointed as for example to the Sacrament of Baptism they adde oyl and Spittle and the sign of the Crosse I say added these things because they have not appointed them as matters of meer Solemnity or Order but as matters of Religion profitable to the Soule and needfull in conscience to God So much for the abuse of Gods worship in the matter thereof it is abused for the manner First When it is performed hypocritically meerly out of fashion and out of a desire of winning credit and good estimation from men yea or out of a conceit of meriting and deserving at Gods hand for this last conceit is as false an end of worship as the former and the aiming at it no lesse hypocritical because I neither intend to shew subjection unto God nor to gain grace but in the one to win credit in the other to binde God to men and make him as it were in my debt So the Pharisees were hypocritical both wayes for they did all their things to be seen of men and yet withall they hoped to get salvation as by desert for the work sake done as it appeareth in the proud Pharisees prayer and Paul confesseth as much of himself when he saith that the things which before were gain to him meaning in his conceit such as would bring him to heaven now he renounceth to relie wholly upon Christ and to be found in him Secondly When it is performed in formality the outward thing done without any care of preparation attention or affection only with some outward gestures and behaviours carrying a shew of these things such as was the service of the Jews in their sacrificing I mean the hypocrites among them and such is all the religion of the Popish Church in publick where all is done in an unknown tongue and such is the worship of our dissembling time serving Protestants which care for nothing but the very outward act look to nothing else and have an hope that that shall serve their turn to bring them to heaven Lastly When it is performed rudely irreverently carelesly with an open manifestation of contempt and neglect which is one of the worst abuses for the manner of all other These be sins in regard of performing Gods worship when it is ill performed for matter and manner Now those things follow which are forbidden in regard of the preserving of it which are First Sacriledge that is the turning of holy substance and wealth to common and prophane uses There must be some things holy else there can be no sacriledge Next follows the abuse of Church-Discipline and that is in regard of the Ministers and people In regard of the Ministers four-fold First When a false Ministry is erected and set up in the Church of God A Ministry is nothing else but a relation to certain spiritual actions tending to the souls good directly for we speak of Ecclesiastical Ministry binding some man upon whom that relation is put to the constant attendance upon those actions Now when men are appointed to such actions which have no warrant out of Gods word
his Rationale Theologicum l 1. c. 3. 4 5. 8. and l. 2 c. 5. 6. and also by Daillè in his Book entituled Laâ—foy fondee sur les Sainctes Escritures 1 Partie He shews there That Christ and his Apostles and the Ancient Fathers in disputing against their Adversaries used consequences drawn from the scripture Mat. 12. 32. Acts 17. 2. 3. and 18 23. Acts 17. 3. opening and alledging St Luke there useth two words very proper for this subject the first signifies to open the other to put one thing neer another to shew that the Apostle proved his conclusions by the scriptures in clearing first the prophecies and in shewing the true sense and after in comparing them with the events the figures with the things and the shadows with the body where the light of the truths of the Gospel of it self shined forth Mat. 22. 29 31 32. He blames them for not having learned the Resurrection of the dead by this sentence of the scripture therefore they ought to have learned it Now the sentence which he alledgeth saith nothing formally and expresly of the Resurrection of the dead but infers it from what he had laid down Hic Dominum uti principiis rationis naturae adeo manifestum est ut ne Veronius quidem Magister Artis negandi negare illud possit Vedel Rat. Theol. l. â— c. 6. vide plura ibid. c. 5. The Ancient Fathers prove by consequences drawn from scripture that God the Father is without beginning against the Sabellians and that the Son is consubstantial with the Father against the Arrians that Christ hath two Natures against the Eutychians The Papists will not be able to prove their Purgatory and many other of their corrupt opinions by the express words of Scripture We shall now lay down some Propositions or Theoremes about the sufficiency of Scripture First In every Age of the Church the Lord hath revealed so much supernatural truth as was for that age necessary unto salvation his wayes he made known to Moses Psal. 103. 7. and his statutes to Israel Deut. 4. 6. Psal. 147. 20. Heb. 1. 1. Therefore that is an erroneous opinion that before the Law written men were saved by the Law of nature and in the time of the Law by the Law of Moses and since in the time of the Gospel by the Word of grace Secondly The substance of all things necessary to salvation ever since the fall of Adam hath been and is one and the same as the true Religion hath been one and unchangeable 1. The knowledge of God and Christ is the summe of all things necessary to salvation Ioh. 17. 3. Col. 2. 2. but this knowledge was ever necessary Ier. 9. 23. Act. 4. 12. the fathers indeed saw Christ more obscurely and aenigmatically we more clearly distinctly and perspicuously but yet they knew him and believed in him unto salvation as well as we Ioh. 8. 56. 2. The Covenant of grace which God made with man is an everlasting Covenant therein the Lord hath revealed himself to be one and unchangeable as in nature so in will Heb. 13. 8. Rom. 3. 29. shewing that as God is one in nature truth and constancy and that as well toward the Gentiles as toward the Jews so he would justifie both the Circumcision and Uncircumcision the Jew and the Gentile by one way of Religion that is to say through faith and belief in his Sonne Jesus Christ. 3. Christ and his Apostles professed and taught no new Religion but the same which the Scriptures of the Old Testament did before instruct Matth. 5. 17. Iohn 5. 39. Acts 10. 43. Luke 24. 25 26 27 44 45. Acts 18. 28. and 17. 7. and 26. 22. and 28. 23. Rom. 6. 26. Therefore the believing Jews and the converted Gentiles are stiled the children of faithfull Abraham being justified by Faith as Abraham was Whence we may conclude that before under and after the Law since the fall of Adam there was never but one true Catholick Religion or way to Heaven and happiness Thirdly The Word of God being uttered in old time sundry wayes was at length made known by writing the Lord stirring up and by his holy Spirit inspiring his servants to write his will and pleasure Fourthly So long as there was any truth in any Age necessary to be more fully and clearly known then was already revealed in the Books of Moses it pleased God to stirre up holy men whom he divinely inspired and sufficiently furnished to make the Truth known unto the Church thus after Moses during the time of the Law the Lord raised up Prophets who opened the perfect way of life unto the Church of the Old Testament more clearly then it was before manifested in the Books of Moses the Time and Age of the Church requiring the same The Church of the Jews in the several Ages thereof was sufficiently taught and instructed in all things necessary to Salvation by the writings of Moses and the Prophets which appears 1. In that our Saviour being asked of one What he should do that he might inherit eternal life answered What is written in the Law and Prophets How readest thou Luke 10. 25 26. and out of the Scripture he declared himself to be the Saviour of the world fore-told and promised Matth. 21. 44. and 26. 31. Luk 4. 21. and 24 25 26 27 44. Ioh. 3. 14. 2. The answer of Abraham to the rich man sending his friends to Moses and the Prophets sheweth that they sufficed to instruct the faithful Jews in all things necessary to Salvation Luk. 16. 29 30. by them they might learn how to obtain Life and escape Death when he saith Let them hear them he meaneth them only as that place is meant Mat. 17. 5. The Jews themselves acknowledged the sufficiency of those writings to lead them unto life and happiness Ioh. 5. 39. Fifthly The Prophets did expound the Law of God and speak more plainly precisely and distinctly touching the coming of the Messias then Moses did but the last full and clear Will of God touching the Salvation of man was not manifeâ—â—ed by them that was together and at once to be published and taught by the Messias who also at his coming did establish that order in the Church of God which was to continue therein for ever For 1. Christ was ordained of the Father to be the great Doctor of his Church a Prophet more excellent then the rest that were before him both in respect of his Person Office Manner of receiving his Doctrine and the excellency of the Doctrine which he delivered 2. This was well known not only among the Jews but also among the Samaritans insomuch that the woman of Samaria could say I know when the Messias is come he will tell us all things Joh. 4. 25. 3. The time wherein God spake unto us by his Sonne is called the last dayes or the last time Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 20. to note that
of wonder in regard of the strangenesse of some accident beheld as the people were amazed at Christs miracles and doctrine 2. An amazement of horror when a man stands agast and astonished at the greatnesse of some evil befalling him or like to befall him and so was our Saviour taken with the highest degree of fear even amazement Mark 14. 33. It was not such a fear as did drive him out of his wits or take away from him the use of reason but such as did even surcharge his soul and so afflict him that as we use to say he knew not what to do nor how to bear it these two passions put him in an agony that is to say an extraordinary great strife or wrestling The infinite wrath of God due to him for our sins as much as if he had committed them for the surety is as much liable to the paiment of the debt as if he had in person borrowed the mony himself for himself did discover it self to him in all extremity procuring to him the extreamest sorrow that might be because he felt the tediousnesse of it for the present and the extreamest fear that might be because he feared the continuance of it for the future not with a fear of reason that did doubt of the event of his sufferings but with a passion of fear which the beholding of a terrible thing so terrible as Gods infinite anger will stirre up in a creature though he be never so sure to escape it and hence came that extream conflict which dissolved his flesh and made him sweat bloudy drops whilst his faith and obedience strove against his fear and sorrow to keep him from murmuring or impatient fits from all repenting of his having undertaken the work from all doubting or despairing of Gods love or unwillingnesse to go through with the work but to hold his heart still in the highest pitch of obedience which he shewed saying Matth. 26. 39. Not my will that is natural desire not resolute purpose be fulfilled but thine Hence the Schools distinguish of a double will in Christ 1. His Divine will so as God he desired the same thing with his Father 2. Humane and that is either Voluntas desiderii naturalis the bent of nature to its own conveniency or Veluntas desiderii rationalis deliberati his sanctified judgement submitted the desires of humane nature to the will of God Here is no repugnancy but a diversity of wills Christ is to be considered under a different relation in the first part of the prayer he speaks as man in the second as Mediatour see Matth. 26. 42. Heb. 4. 16. 2. If we consider Christ as man there is no repugnancy of wills we must distinguish between the innocent vellieties of humane nature and the resolutions of reason This prayer was conceived 1. With submission If it be possible not my will 2. Drawn forth upon convenient reason If it be objected How could this stand with Christs holinesse the Law requires a conformity in the first motions and the very inclinations of the heart It may be answered 1. That Christs sufferings were rather appointed by Gods Decree then his Law 2. Suppose Gods Decrees were a Law to Christ as they were to him being a Mediator yet positive Laws blot not out natural affections Though Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son yet he was to have a natural affection to save his life Christ was indeed obliged to this and it was a duty in him to declare 1. His bitter sense of Gods wrath Psal. 90. 11. 2. The reality of his humane nature by abhorring what was destructive to it 3. To shew his esteem of Divine consolation Now Gods Justice was satisfied now his Name was honoured with an obedience as honourable to him as all the service of all the men in the world could have been Thus did our blessed Saviour suffer in the garden from God alone Then follows from the Jews his Apostles and friends and his enemies and the common people His Apostles one betraies him sels him for ready money and for a little too the price of a slave thirty silverlings so many half crowns in all three pound fifteen shillings Lo the goodly price at which the Pharisees and this Iudas valued him O infinite indignity But what did the other disciples Most of them left him and fled The Shepherd was smitten and the flock was scattered they afforded him no more assistance then a company of sheep would to him that tended them if theeves come to murder him but runne one this way another that and left their Saviour all alone in the same sort did all his friends that had received so many and great benefits from him by his miraculous cures of themselves or their friends they all disappeared not one would open his lips to defend and justifie him against the leud aspersions that were cast upon him but one of his disciples among all the rest denies him forswears abjures him Now for his enemies the Pharisees first they send their ministers and servants with the Traitor to take him who coming to the place laid violent hands upon him and binding his hands behinde him like a thief they carry him away to them that had appointed them that service Secondly Themselves hire false and perjured wretches to bear witnesse against him of many things and when that course would not take effect at last upon his own most true holy and constant consession that he was as indeed he was the Son of God in solemn manner with pretended gravity and grief and with rent garments the high Priest stands up and condemns him of blasphemy and unto death to which sentence each of the Elders gave his suffrage Then the servants buffet him with their gracelesse hands spit on him with their slovenly mouthes and mock and jest at him with their petulant tongues and thus they passe away the time abusing him all night till in the morning early the high Priests quickly up for a bad businesse bring him to the Civil Governour and there accuse him of the falsest crimes that might be Sedition and Treason as if he forbad to pay Tribute moved the people and sought to make himself a King besides his blasphemy in counterfeiting as they interpreted it to be the Son of God Now see what he suffers from the Gentiles and Jews both together Pilate to rid his hands of him sends him to Herod Herod intertains him with mocks and taunts and sends him away scoffingly araied in purple Pilate dares not loose him but to please the people and asswage their rage by a little yielding causeth him to be sorely scourged with rods according to the manner of the Romans till his back was all gore bloud and his skin and flesh torn with wounds and wailes and then clapping a Crown of piercing thorns upon his head he brings him forth in this fashion to be gazed upon by the people who all shouting
Firm therefore called the riches of assurance of understanding and so opposite to doubting 2. Absolute and illimited beleeves precepts promises and threats Some expressions of Scripture seem to lay much upon assent as 1 Iohn 4. 2. 5. 1. 1 Cor. 12. 3. Matth. 16. 17. The truths of God at first suffering under so many prejudices the Gospel was a novel Doctrine contrary to the ordinary and received principles of reason persecuted in the world no friend to natural and carnal affections and therefore apt to be suspected Assent now is nothing so much as it was then 3. There is a consent to the goodnesse as well as an assent to the truth the one is the act of the understanding the other of the will The soul upon the information that Gods Spirit gives me of the excellency of Christ and his suitablenesse to me assents to the truth of it and consents to the goodnesse of it and makes choice of him for its portion Faith is the consent of the whole soul to receive and accept of Christ as God the Father hath offered him in the Gospel 4. A resting and relying upon Christ alone for grace and salvation Psal. 23. 1 2 6. Psal. 27. 1. Iob 19. 25 27. Rom. 8. 31. The soul leanes on Christ as a feeble man on a staff 2 Chron. 16. 7 8. Prov. 3. 5. Psal. 22. 8. What the Old Testament cals trusting the New cals beleeving This confidence of special mercy is the form and essence of faith without which faith is not faith nor justifies the sinner The Papists and Arminians cannot endure this that faith should be such a special confidence of the remission of sins They say it is a confidence that God may remit and a good hope that he will or it is a conditional confidence that God will remit if we shall be constant in piety to the end of our life The Doctrine of Faith is in three things 1. There is a necessity of relying on Christ alone 2. There is an allsufficiency of ability in him being God and man to be an high-Priest to make intercession for us 3. Of his willingnesse that we should have pardon grace comfort and salvation by him There are promises 1. Of free-grace that God will justifie the ungodly and pardon sin for his own names sake 2. Of grace that God will give Faith Repentance Love and a new heart 3. Unto grace that if we beleeve and repent we shall be saved These promises are all we have to build our faith on for our eternal salvation In all recumbency it is not enough to regard the strength of the act and rightnesse of the object carnal men will say I place my hope in Jesus Christ for salvation Micah 3. 11. but there are other circumstances to be observed First The method and order of this recumbency the resolution of an humbled sinner to cast himself upon Christ the main end and use of faith is to comfort those that are cast down Faith is exprest by taking hold of Christ or the Covenant Isa. 56. 4. by staying our selves upon or leaning upon God which supposeth a sense of misery Secondly The warrant and ground of it we must go to work considerately understand what we do 2 Tim. 1. 12. Psal. 119. 49. natural conscience may pretend fairly to trust in Christ but have no ground for it Ier. 7. 4. Thirdly The effects and fruits it cannot stand with a purpose to sin Ioh. 13. 10. Heb. 10. 23. We are said to be justified by faith to live by it to be saved by it to have it imputed unto us for righteousnesse all which is to be understood not principally immediately meritoriously in regard of any worth or dignity of it or efficaciously in regard of any power or efficacy in it self but mediately subserviently organically as it is a means to apprehend Christ his satisfaction and sufferings by the price and merit whereof we are justified and saved and stand as righteous in Gods sight and as it hath a special respect and relation thereunto There are divers degrees of faith Little faith Mat. 8. 26. Great faith Mat. 15. 28. Full assurance of faith Rom. 4. 21. First There is some unbelief in all the servants of God because there is not in any man in this world a perfection of faith faith is mixt with unbelief Secondly Many have a true faith yet a very weak faith Christ will not break the bruised reed Christ chides his Disciples for their weak faith and Peter Mat. 13. O you of little faith And how is it that you have not faith Luk. 4. See Iohn 4. and Matth. 9. Moses David Abraham Isaac were subject to great weaknesse of faith Reasons 1. Sense and reason do in many things contradict the conclusions of faith to beleeve in the mercy of God when we have so much sin 2. The knowledge of God in the best of Gods people which is the pillar and foundation of their faith is but imperfect 3. Satan above all things most opposeth the faith of Gods Saints because he knows that in this their very strength lies Ephes. 6. 14. 1 Tim. 6. 12. and they resist him by their faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. 1 Iohn 5. 4. In two things the weaknesse of faith most discovers it self First In thinking that we shall not finde the good things which God promiseth to give Secondly That we shall not be delivered from the evil things which he hath undertaken to deliver us from Faith in Gods threats must be confirmed as a principal means of beating back sinful temptations faith in Gods promises must be confirmed as a principal means of keeping us in comfort and obedience All holy exercises serve to strengthen faith especially two First Prayer with the Apostles to the Lord to increase our faith and to fill us with joy and peace through beleeving 2. Meditations specially directed to that end of the omnipotency of God his perfect truth and his accomplishment of his Word formerly to our selves and others There is a twofold state of faith a state of Adherence and a state of Assurance First A state of Adherence Affiance and Recumbence the act of the soul accepting Christ and giving it self to him Isa. 50. 10. Luk. 18. 13. There is a great peace in a faith of Adherence Heb. 4. 3. 1. In respect of the guilt of sinne it shewes the Lord Jesus as a Sacrifice for sinne 2. In reference to God I have heard saith such a one that the Lord is a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sinne there is tranquillity when one casts his sinne on Christ and ventures his soul on the free-grace of God Isa. 50. 10. Secondly Of Assurance 1 Iohn 4. 16. when one hath obtained the witnesse and sealing of the Spirit 1. One may have the faith of adherence roll his soul on Christ and be willing to accept him that hath not the faith of evidence as Heman Psal. 88. The fearing of God
proving or trying if the matter by no means could be brought to any infallible evidence How can our Calling and Election be made sure unlesse a man may be assured that he is in the state of grace and shall continue therein for ever We are bound to love and desire the last coming of Christ which we cannot do untill we be certified of his love Lastly We are bound to rejoyce in God and that alwayes and that in tribulation Rom. 14. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 8. and when we are persecuted for well-doing which no understanding can conceive to be possible unlesse the soul be assured of life eternal that is to say that he both is and shall continue a true Christian. Can one be glad to suffer the hardest things for Christ if he know not whether he intend to save or destroy him We should have confidence in prayer 1 Ioh. 5. 14. Cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. that is speak it with confidence and courage there should be perfect love to God 1 Ioh. 4. 17 18. The triumph of faith Rom. 8 35. It is the proper work of the Spirit to settle the heart of a believer in the assurance of eternal happinesse 2 Cor. 1. 22. Rom. 8. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 12. There is a three-fold work of the Spirit 1. To reveal unto us the things of Christ to enlighten the minde in the knowledge of them Iohn 16. 15. 2. The Spirit draws the image of these upon the soul conforms our hearts to the whole tenour of the Gospel in the work of Regeneration and progresse of Sanctification 3. It brings in evidence to our souls of our interest in these things Gal. 1. 15 16. Rom. 8. 18. It is difficult to attain Assurance 1. From our own corrupt nature which enclines us to both extreams contrary to this to presume or despair Prov. 30. 12. Ps. 36. 2. Rev. 3. 17. 2. From the world our friends flatter us and others load us with slanders and discourage us as Iobs friends did him 3. From Satan whose chief engine next to hinder our conversion is to keep us from Assurance and to delude us with false assurance and he joyns with our unbelief to make us despair See Ephes. 6. 16. 4. The nature of the thing it self is very difficult because it is a matter of great largenesse one must forsake all sinnes and creatures true and false graces are very like lukewarmnesse and the smoaky flax there is a variablenesse of minde even in the converted Gal. 5. 17. There are three means of difference whereby presumption and the true sense of Gods love are distinguished First Presumption grows from a carelesnesse of ones estate in that he examines it not by the Word True Assurance follows the most serious examination of ones estate Secondly Presumption goes without book True Assurance rests it self upon the evidence of Gods Word Thirdly Presumption imboldens to sinne and makes carelesse of good duties True Assurance encourageth to all goodnesse and withdraws the heart from sinne The proper and natural fruits of Assurance 1. An undervaluing of all things here below Psal. 16. 6 7. it is spoken of Christ who lived on the alms of his servants 2. This will comfort us under all afflictions Psal. 46. 4. 3. Our love will be the more abundant to God Cant. 6. 3. 4. It will make a man to prepare for glory 1 Iohn 3. 3. 5. One will desire daily to be dissolved that he may be with Christ. Motives to get Assurance First Every wise man will labour to get a good thing as sure as he can Many will question our title to eternal life Satan follows believers with many objections and temptations our hearts will joyn with him Secondly When this is once got the soul is possessed of the most invaluable treasure of this world To walk in the light of Gods countenance is a priviledge 1. Of Honour 2. Comfort 1 Iohn 3. 20. Assurance is useful in life and death for doing and suffering Thirdly The Devil most opposeth it and labours to keep men in the dark that is an uncomfortable doubtful condition Isa 50. 11. Fourthly It may be attained in Gods ordinary dispensation under the Gospel the whole Church had it 1 Cor. 2. 12. Means to get and keep it I. To get it First As doubts arise get them satisfied and as soon as sins are committed get them pardoned 1 Iohn 2. 1. be frequent in proving thy self the Word is the rule of this trial and examination proving is a comparing our selves with the rule the precepts and promises of Gods Word to see whether we be such as they require or not David saith Commune with your own hearts upon your beds 1 Cor. 11. 28. The necessity and utility of it will prove it sit to be done 1. The necessity of it because of our exceeding aptnesse to deceive our selves and mistake and Satans diligence to beguile us Else if we be false we shall slatter our selves in vain if true we shall want the comfort of it But often proving will chase out hypocrisie 2. An humble patient self-renouncing heart is that frame of Spirit from which this Assurance will never long be absent never did God reveal himself more to any then Paul who was vile in his own eyes the least of sinners and greatest of Saints 3. Labour to get a high esteem of this priviledge think how happy thou shouldst be if God were thine in Christ Mat. 6. 21. Psal. 4. 6. 63. 3. 80. 3. and beg this Assurance at Gods hands 4. Labour to know faith above all other graces all Assurance comes into the soul by faith know the nature and object of faith the promises the Lord hath made to imbolden thee say with Paul I know whom I have believed renew acts of faith and treasure up experiences Frequently meditate on Gods Commandments to believe and on his faithfulnesse II. To keep it By what means Assurance may be held fast and confirmed more and more 1. For the Judgement 2. For Practice The Judgement must be rectified in some things First It must be concluded as a truth that a man may be the true childe of God and have true faith and holinesse in him and yet not enjoy this Assurance 1 Iohn 5. 13. to believe in the name of the Son of God and to know one hath life are not one and the same thing Secondly One must know that such doubts and objections which are raised up against his being the childe of God without ground out of the Word are to be rejected and sleighted Thirdly One must be rightly informed of the difference betwixt the obedience which the Law and the Gospel require for both require obedience faith establisheth the Law and makes a man become a servant of righteousnesse but the difference is exceeding great the Law exacteth compleat obedience the Gospel expecteth upright obedience 2. For Practice First Renew Repentance often God often cloatheth such with Garments of
particular man to be Antichrist but rather that Seat and State where the Pope sitteth or the Hierarchy the Head whereof the Pope is or the succession of Popes one after another The first in order to be prayed for are Saints the whole community of them Ephes. 6. 18. Ioh. 17. 9. Col. 2. 1 2. 2. Publick persons 1. Magistrates 1 Tim. 2. 12. Psal. 72. 1. 2. Ministers Eph. 6. 19. Act. 12. 5. 15. 40. Mat. 9. 38. 3. Those to whom we are more nearly related Rom. 9. 3. Philem. v. 16. Friends Husbands for Wives Parents for Children Masters for Servants the Minister for his people Ephes. 3. 14 16. 4. Strangers Gen. 18. 24. 5. Enemies Mat. 5. 44. Luke 23. 34. Now I shall shew who are not to be prayed for 1. All such as are dead Matth. 5. 35. 2 Sam. 12. 23. such prayers are vain and fruitlesse for Gods determinate judgement passeth on every one so soon as they die Bellarm. de Purgatorio lib. 2. cap. 18. saith It can neither adde any thing to the blisse of them that are in heaven nor take away any part of punishment from them that are in hell Moses in the Law prescribed no prayers no Sacrifices for the dead The Papists practise praying for the dead They pretend for this the fairest precedents of the Church and of the whole world The Heathens they say did it and the Jews did it and the Christians did it The Heathens prayed for an easie grave and a perpetual spring The Jews prayed that the soul of their dead might be in the garden of Eden that they might have their part in Paradise and in the world to come The Christians prayed for a joyful Resurrection for mercy at the day of Judgement for the hastening of the coming of Christ and the Kingdome of God but yet the prayers for the dead used in the Church of Rome are most plainly condemned because they are against the Doctrine and practices of all the world Ignorant and superstitious persons likewise among us if mention be made of any of their friends departed use presently to say The Lord be with his soul Gods peace be with him with the like If any reprove them for it they say What hurt is it It is hurt enough that there is no good in it it is vain and idle Mat. 12. 36. There is no commandment example of any good man or promise in all the Scripture to prayer for the dead 2. They which sin against the holy Ghost 1 Ioh. 5. 16. The fourth and last branch of prayer is imprecation against others which is a kind of prayer whereby judgement and vengeance is desired Expostulation may be used in prayer where there is no imprecation as well as when there is Ier. 14 8 9. Expostulation with God is a reasoning the case with him it is usual in the Psalms Psal. 6. 3. 22. 1 2. 75. 5. Psal. 79. 5 8 9 10 11 12 14. Psal. 90. 13 14 16 17. 37. 9 12. Psal. 44. 10 12 13 14 23. Psal. 77. 1 9 10. Reasons 1. Venting of our selves to God giveth ease Psal. 39. 2 3. 2. Complaints move both God and man 3. By using strength we get strength by discussing Gods waies our faith is confirmed Psal. 138. 3. Gods people differ from the wicked 1. In the rise of their expostulatiosn they are bottomed on faith they reserve to God all his glory The wicked question Gods providence 2. In their progresse the godly proceed in humble praier self-abasing the wicked are not sorrowful nor humbled in their hearts 3. In the successe they are confirmed in their principles of Gods excellencie are comforted the wicked are steeled in their Atheism and seared in their wickednesse No man must imprecate or pray against himself we have no warrant for it and it is against nature it self Ephes. 5. 29. Peter offended in this Matth. 26. 74. See Matth. 27. 25. The Jews were so fearful of uttering imprecations that when in their oaths they had occasion to use them they would either expresse them in general terms God do so to me and more also 2 Sam. 3. 35. or else leave them clean out and make the sentence imperfect as If I do this or If I do not that or If this be so and there stay Quest. Whether is it lawful and how far to pray against others There are divers Imprecations 69. 55. 109. Psal. 1. The Psalmist was not only a servant of God but a Prophet he did not with a private spirit fore-tell their destruction 2. He wisht that their evils might be destroyed not their persons Psal. 59. 11 13. 83. 15. We may rejoyce in vengeance upon the wicked Psal. 58. 11. as it is an act of Gods justice this is the proper and direct answer to all the imprecations of David O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self the Israelites praised God for the overthrow of the wicked Revel 18. 20. 19. 10. We must 1. Pray for our enemies but against Gods enemies Psal. 35. 23. compared with 83. 12. See Numb 10. 35. Psal. 68. 1. 2. We may lawfully pray against their designs though not against their persons 2 Sam. 15. 31. that their secret councels and plots may be frustrated 3. We may pray against their persons indefinitely though not particularly as Psal. 129. 5. 4. We may pray against their persons in particular conditionally though not absolutely 1. We are to pray for their conversion and then if maliciously and wilfully they persist in their obstinacy in the second place for their confusion Psal. 83. 16 17. Hitherto of those several kinds of prayer which are comprized under request The next kinde is Thanksgiving We ought to render to the Lord the calves of our lips speaking good of his name Psal. 95. 1 2. Eph. 5. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 1. 1 Thess. 1. 18. Reasons 1. From God to whom thanks must be given he is the Author of benefits to us 1. Many 2. Great 3. Constant. 4. Free 1. Many So many limbs as we have about our bodies so many joynts as are in a limb so many veins sinews gristles and muscles as are requisite to the moving and using of every joynt so many benefits so many faculties as our souls are endued with of reason sense and vegetation so many benefits How many nights rest dayes quiet How many journeyes safety How many dangers escaped contents enjoyed 2. Great because we stand in great need of them and attain much good by them and can by no means attain them without God 3. Constant from the beginning to the end of our lives 4. Free 1. He gives meerly of his own accord to exercise his goodnesse without respect to any thing that we had done before to deserve or could do after to requite 2. All that God doth for and to us is that he may be glorisied Psal. 50. 15. ult it is Gods due he