A PRACTICALL CATECHISME Theologia est Scientia affectiva non speculativa Gerson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens in Poedagog OXFORD Printed in the yeare M. DC XLV The Table OF Divinity p. 1. Of Practicall points p. 2. Of the First Covenant p. 3. Of the Second Covenant p. 6. Of the names of Christ p. 15. 1. Of Jesus p. 16. Of the name Christ and his three offices p. 21. Of Christs Kingly office p. 22. Of Christs Preistly office p. 27. Of Christs Propheticke office p. 38. Of Faith p. 40. Of Hope p. 61. Of Charity p. 74. Of Repentance p. 84. Of Selfe-deniall p. 104. Of taking up the Crosse p. 109. Of Justification p. 112. Of Sanctification p. 113. Gods method in saving a sinner p. 119. Of Christs Sermon in the Mount p. 120. Of the Beatitudes p. 122. Of Poverty of Spirit p. 122. Of Mourning p. 124. Of Meekenesse p. 126. Of Hungring thirsting after righteousnesse 135. Of Mercifulnesse p. 138. Of Purity of heart p. 140. Of Peace-making p. 144. Of Persecution for righteousnesse sake p. 148. Of the order of the Beatitudes p. 152. Of the exemplary lives of Christians p. 154. Christianity is not destructive of the lawes to which mankind had beene formerly obliged p. 156. Christ perfected the law p. 157. Of Killing p. 164. Of the power of the sword p. 165. Of Selfe-murther p. 166. Of Duells p. 168. Of Warre p. 172. Of Anger causelesse or immoderate in the breast p. 173. in the tongue p. 177. Of contumelious speaking p. 180. Of Reconciliation p. 183. Of the time of calling our selves to account for trespasses p. 184. Of Adultery p. 186. Of looking on a woman to lust p. 188. Of the eye and hand offending p. 191. Of Divorce p. 192. Of Swearing p. 203. Of Revenge or retaliating evill p. 208. Of Warres p. 213. Of loving enemies p. 225. Of Almes-giving p. 236. Of Vaine-glory p. 252. Of Prayer p. 259. Of Vaine repetitions p. 271. Of the Lords Prayer p. 273. Of Fasting p. 288. 296. Of Sobriety p. 290. Of Feasting p. 295. Of the desire and love of wealth p. 306. Of Worldly Care p. 315. Of judging others p. 338. Of the power of Prayer p. 346. Of doing as we would be done to p. 346. Of Warinesse and prudence p. 348. Markes of False-teachers p. 349. Of Profession of Christianity without action p. 352. ERRATA PAg. 4. lin 8. After Covenant adde a Comma p. 14. lin 13. after Covenant adde in the notion wherein now we take it l. 16. after Covenant adde and that especially and therefore is so called Heb. 8. p. 15 l. 3. for falsible r. feasible p. 16. l. 19. for words word l. 20. for things thing p. 32. l. 16 for follow Wherein r. follow wherein p. 36. l. 23. dele it cleare l. 24 after person adde so as he shall be thought perfectly to have obeyed l. 25. after were adde thus p. 40. l. 12. r. proposed p. 54. l. 17. r particular is p. 77. l. 24. t. that is in p. 107. l. 5. r. those must be equally renounced p. 121. l. 9. for lights r. hights p. 133. l. 14. for foolish Iewish p. 137. l. 3. for your r. that p. 151 l. 15. r. when it is 〈◊〉 p. 163. l. 14. r. first he reh◠p. 169. l. 11. for this r. these p. 183. l. 18. r. unretracted p. 189. l. 23. r. creature p. 198. l. 22. r. that this is l. 23. r. adultery you p. 199. in marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 205. l. 18. r. those p. 206. l. 8. r. on the. l. 23. r. may p. 233. l. ult for with r. which is p. 255. l. 9. after or adde at least as from p. 256. l. 1. for come to r. cannot p. 257. l. 20 r. blowing p. 266. l. 22. for non r. no. p. 271. l. ◠after duty adde and. p. 280 in marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 284. l. 13. r. is it p. 307. l. 25. r. bent on p. 341. l. 28. for theirs r. yours A PRACTICALL CATECHISME Scholler I Have by the grace of God and your help and care attained in some measure to the understanding of the principles of Religion proposed to those of my age by our Church-Catechisme and should in modesty content my selfe with those rudiments but that I finde my selfe as a Christian not only invited but obliged to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Shall I therefore beseech you to continue my guide and to direct me first what kind of questions it will be most usefull for me to aske and you to instruct me in that I may not please my selfe or trouble you with lesse profitable speculations Catechist I will most readily serve you in this demand and make no scruple to tell you that that kind of knowledge is most usefull and proper to be superadded to your former grounds which tendeth most immediately to the directing of your practice for you will easily remember that it was the forme of the young mans question Mark 10. 17. Good Master what shall I doe that I may inherit eternall life and our bookes tell us that the oracle that is the Devill himselfe was informed to proclaime Socrates to be the wisest man in the world because he applied his studies and knowledge to the morall part the squaring and ordering of mens lives and Gerson a very learned and pious man hath defined Divinity of all others to be an affective not onely speculative knowledge which you will best understand the meaning of by a very ancient writers words which are in English these that the end of Christian philosophy is to make men better not more learned to edify not to instruct S. I shall most willingly intrust my selfe to your directions and though the vanity of my heart and the unrulinesse of my youthfull affections may perhaps make me an improper auditour of such doctrines yet I hope the doctrines themselves and the assistance of Gods grace obtaineable by our prayers may be a meanes to fit me to receive profit by them I beseech you therefore to tell me your opinion what kind of doctrines and what parts of Scripture will be likely to have the most present influence on my heart or contribute most to a Christian practice C. I conceive especially these five first the Doctrine of the first and second Covenant together with the difference of them secondly the Names and in one of them intimated the Offices of Christ thirdly the Nature of the Three Theologicall Graces Faith Hope and Charity together with Selfe deniall and Repentance or Regeneration fourthly the Difference and dependance betwixt Justification and Sanctification and lastly the thorow understanding of our Saviours Sermon on the Mount set downe in the fifth sixth and seaventh Chapters of Saint Matthews Gospell But you will be frighted with the length of this taske and discourag'd from setting out on so tedious a journey S. I shall thinke
24. i. e. some relicks of that bitter passion-cup of his for us to drinke 3. Because it is such an expression of a curse to have our reward and with Dives all our good things in this life and that an ominous signe that there is nothing left to be rewarded in another life S. What then is to be thought of them who to get the crosse off from their owne shoulders and to put it on other mens will venture on things most contrary to peace and shake the quiet perhaps the foundations of a Kingdome C. I will say no more and I can scarcely say worse then that they are enemies to the crosse of Christ a very ill and sad spectacle among Christians and that there is nothing more unreasonable then to pretend Christianity for the doing this which is so perfectly contrary to it S. You have now past through all Christian graces at the first designed for consideration I shall put you in minde of the next thing whereof you have made your selfe my debtor the difference of and dependence betweene Justification and Sanctification wherein first you will please to give me the notion of the single termes And 1. what is Justification C. § 4 It is Gods accepting our persons and not imputing our sinnes his covering or pardoning our iniquities his being so reconciled unto us sinners that he determins not to punish us eternally S What is the cause of that C. God's free mercy unto us in Christ revealed in the new Covenant S. What in us is the Instrumentall cause of it C. As an Instrument is logically and properly taken and signifies an inferiour lesse principall efficient cause so nothing in us can have any thing to do i. e. any kind of physicall efficiency in this worke neither is it imaginable it should it being a worke of God's upon us without us concerning us but not within us at all And if you marke Justification being in plaine termes but the accepting our persons and pardoning of sinnes it would be very improper and harsh to affirme that our workes our any thing even our Faith it selfe should accept our persons or pardon our sinnes though in never so inferiour a notion which yet they must if they were instrumentall in our Justification 't is true indeed those necessary qualifications which the Gospell requires in us are conditions or morall instruments without which we shall not be justified but those are not properly called instruments or causes S. What are those qualifications C. Faith repentance firme purpose of a new life and the rest of those graces upon which in the Gospell pardon is promised the Christian all comprizable in the new creature conversion regeneration c. S. Are these required in us so as without them we cannot be justifyed How then are we justified by the free grace of God C. Yes these two are very reconcileable for there is no merit in our Faith or Repentance or any poore weake grace of ours to deserve Gods favour to our persons or pardon of what sins are past or acceptation of our imperfect obedience for the future 't is his free grace to pardon and accept us on such poore conditions as these and this free grace purchased and sealed to us by the death of Christ S. What now is Sanctification C. The word may note either a guift of God's his giving of grace to prevent and sanctifie us or a duty of ours our having i. e. making use of that grace and both these considered together either as an Act or as a State S. What is it as it signifies an Act C. The infusion of holinesse in our hearts or of some degrees of holynesse and parallell to that the receiving and obeying the good motions of God's sanctifying spirit and laying them up to fructifie in an honest heart the turning of a soule to God or the first begining of new life S. What is it as it signifies a State C. The living a new a holy a gracious life in obedience to the good grace of God and dayly improving and growing and at last persevering and dying in it S. What now is the dependence between Justification and Sanctification C. This that the first part of Sanctification the beginning of new life must be first had before God pardons or justifies any then when God is thus reconciled to the new convert upon his vow of new life he gives him more grace enables assists him for that state of Sanctification wherein if he makes good use of that grace he then continues to enjoy this favour and Justification but if he performe not his vow proceed not in Christian holy life but relapse into wasting acts or habits of sinne then God chargeth againe all his former sinnes upon him and those present iniquities of his and in them if he returne not againe he shall die as appeares by Ez. 18. 24. If the righteous i. e. the sanctified and justified person depart from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity in his sinne that he hath sinned he shall dye and by the parable of the King Matt. 18. where he that had the debt pardoned him freely by his Lord yet for exacting over severely from his fellow servant is againe unpardoned and cast into prison delivered to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him v. 34. which parable Christ applyes to our present businesse v. 35. So likewise shall my heavenly father do also unto you S. But is not a man Justified before he is Sanctified and if he be how then can his Justification depend on his Sanctification C. If he were justified before he were sanctified in any kind then would your reasoning hold for sure by the same reason that justification might be begun before repentance or resolution of new life or conversion to God it might also be continued to him that repented not or that returned to his evill way and therefore without all doubt this kind of Sanctification is precedent in order of nature to justification i. e. I must first beleive repent and returne all which together is that faith which is required as the condition of our being justified a receiving of the whole Christ a cordiall assent to his commands as well as promises a giving up the heart to him a resolution of obedience a pronenesse or readinesse to obey him the thing without which saith an antient writer Christ can do none of his miracles upon our soules any more then he could his mighty workes among his unbeleiving countrymen before God will pardon though indeed in respect of time there is no sensible priority but God's pardon and our change goe together at what time soever we repent or convert sincerely God will have mercy i. e. justifie A further proofe of this if it be needfull you may take from the author to the Hebrewes c. 10. where having said v. 14. that Christ by his owne suffering perfected for ever them that are sanctified intimating
that they must be sanctified before he perfect them he addeth a proofe by which these two things are cleared First that to perfect there signifies to forgive sinnes or to justifie Secondly that this doctrine of the priority of sanctification is agreeable to the description of the second covenant Jer. 31. 33. That by perfecting he meanes justifying or pardoning of sinnes 't is apparent by v. 17. their sins and iniquities will I remember no more which must needes be acknowledged to be that part of the testimony that belongs to that part of the proposition to be proved by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath perfected for ever the former part of the testimony belongs to the latter part of the proposition as being an expression of sanctification which may farther thus appeare to perfect in this Author signifies to consecrate to preisthood c. 2. 10. 5. 9. 7. 28. that being applyed to us is a phrase to note boldnes or liberty to enter into the Holies v. 19. that againe to pray confidently to God which v. 18. is set to denote pardon of sinne and washing our hearts from an evill conscience i. e. from guilt of sinne v. 22. Which being premised the second thing most necessaryly followes that in Jeremy 31. 33. the tenure of the covenant sets Sanctification before Justification for saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he first said I will put my law into their hearts and put or write them in their thoughts or minds and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the saying of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also I will no more remember their sinnes nor their offences Many other Scripture-evidences might be added to this matter if it were needfull As for those that make Justification to be before Sanctification I hope and conceive they meane by sanctification that sanctified state the actuall performance and practice of our vowes of new life and our growth in grace and by our Justification that first act of pardon and then they say true but if they meane that our sinnes are pardoned before we convert to God and resolve new life and that the first grace enabling to do these is a consequent of God's having pardoned our sinnes this is a mistake which in effect excludes justification by faith which is that first Grace of receiving of Christ and resigning our hearts up to him and must be in order of nature precedent to our Justification or else can neither be condition nor instrument of it and besides this is apt to have an ill influence on practice and therefore I thought fit to prevent it The issue of all is that God will not pardon till we in heart reforme and amend he that forsaketh i. e. in hearty sincere resolution abandons the sinnes of the old man shall have mercy and none but he And then God will not continue this gracious favour of his but to those who make use of his assisting grace to persevere in these resolutions of forsaking so that the justification is still commensurate to the sanctification an act of justification upon an act of sanctification or a resolution of new life and a continuance of justification upon continuance of the sanctifyed estate S. But is not God first reconciled unto us before he gives us any grace to sanctifie us C. So farre reconciled he is as to give us grace and so farre as to make conditionall promises of salvation but not so as to give pardon or justifie actually for you know whom God justifies those he glorifies i. e. if they passe out of this life in a justified estate they are certainely glorified but you cannot imagine that God will glorify any who is not yet sanctified for without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. And therefore you will easily conclude that God justifies none who are unsanctified for if he did then supposing the person to dye in that instant it must follow either that the unsanctified man is glorified or the justified man not glorified Any thing else God may doe to the unsanctified man but either save him or doe somewhat on which saving infallibly followes and therefore give him Grace he may but till that Grace be received and treasured up in an honest heart he will never be throughly reconciled to him i. e. justify or save S. I pray then from these premises set me downe the order or method used by God in the saving of a sinner C. I will It is this 1. God gives his sonne to dye for him and satisfy for his sinnes so that though he be a sinner yet on condition of a new life he may be saved Then 2. In that death of Christ he strikes with him a New Covenant a Covenant of mercy and grace Then 3. According to that Covenant he sends his spirit and by the word and that annexed to it he calls the sinner powerfully to repentance If he answer to that call and awake and arise make his sincere faithfull resolutions of new life God then 4. Justifies accepts his person and pardon 's his sinnes past Then 5. gives him more grace assists him to doe as before he enabled to will to performe his good resolutions Then 6. upon continuance in that state in those performances till the houre of death he gives to him as to a faithfull servant a crowne of life S. The Good Lord he thus mercifull to me a sinner I blesse God and give you many thankes for these directions and shall be well pleased to continue you my debtor for the other particular you promised me till some farther time of leisure and so intermit your trouble a while LIB II. S. § 1 THe benefit I reaped by your last discourse hath not satisfied but raised my appetite to the more earnest importunate desire of what is yet behind the consideration of Christ's Sermon in the Mount Which I have heard commended for an abstract of Christian Philosophy an elevating of his Disciples beyond all other men in the world for the practice of virtue But I pray why did Christ when he preach't it leave the multitude below and goe up to a Mount accompanied with none but Disciples C. That he went up to the Mount was to intimate the matter of this Sermon to be the Christian law as you know the Jewish law was delivered in a Mount that of Sinai And that he would have no auditours but Disciples It was 1. Because the multitude followed him not for doctrines but for cures c. 4. 24 25. And therefore were not fit auditours of precepts 2. Because these precepts were of an elevated nature above all that ever any Law-giver gave before and therefore were to be dispensed onely to choise auditours 3. Because the lights and mysteries of Christianity are not wont to be abruptly dispensed but by degrees to them that have formerly made some progresse at least have delivered themselves up to Christ's Lectures entred into his Schoole i. e. to his Disciples S. What then
is whether his sorrow bring forth fruits of amendment if so this is not the sinne of Desperation yet he hath the Grace of Hope which brings forth fruits of Hope though it be so clouded over with a melancholy vapour that it be not discernible even to himselfe But if this trouble of minde set him a sinning farther like Judas who had sorrow but then hanged himselfe this is Despaire indeed S. I shall sollicite you no farther in this point but for your prayers that God will keepe me from all premature perswasion of my being in Christ that he will give me that Hope that may set me a purifying and not suffer me to go on presumptuously or desperately in any course Onely upon occasion of this Grace of Hope give me leave to aske you whether he that now lives in sinne and hopes he shall one day repent and go to Heaven this Repentance and that Heaven being a future good and so the object of Hope may be said to have the Grace of Hope in any kind C. By no meanes Because God hath made no such promise that he shall repent nor without Repentance that any man shall have Heaven This is a ground-worke of carnall security and no degree of the Grace of Hope S. Once more may he that hath gone on in a continued course of sinne and at last is overtaken with Gods judgments and seeing Hell gates open upon him doth greive for his former wicked life and upon that hopes for mercy be conceived to be saved by that Hope C. I list not to passe sentence on any particular because I cannot throughly discerne his state onely I can say in generall I know no promise of pardon in Scripture to a bare death-bed sorrow because indeed none to any sorrow at any time but that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godly sorrow which worketh Repentance which Repentance as it is available if true though never so late so is seldome true when it is late nor can well be knowne to be true but by persevering fruits which require time And though a serious purpose of amendment and true acts of Contrition before or without the habit may be accepted by God to my salvation yet in this case there is no sure judgment whether this purpose be serious or these acts true acts of Contrition And so in this case there is no foundation for his Hope and then a groundlesse Hope or a bare Hope without the other conditions to which the promises belong will never be able to save any S. Shall we now proceed to the third Grace that of Love or Charity C. Most willingly it is a precious Grace and that which Saint Paul preferres before Hope and Faith S. But is any Grace to be prefer'd before that of Faith I thought that had beene the most necessary gospell-Gospell-grace C. It is most certaine there is Faith being taken in that notion which I told you belongs to that place because Saint Paul hath affirmed it that Charity is the greatest of the three 1 Cor. 13. 13. And it is as sure that no other Scripture hath contradicted this and although very great things are said of Faith as of the onely condition of Justification and Salvation yet 1. This is when it is in conjunction with Charity Faith consummate by love And 2. 'T is observable that the most imperfect things are alwaies the most necessary and consequently the great necessity of Faith is no argument of it's dignity in comparison of this other Grace For indeed Faith is necessary so as without which Charity cannot be had but then this alone is unsufficient to save any if Charity be not added to it Faith is the foundation which though it be the most necessary part of the building yet is it the lowest and most imperfect Charity the superstruction which is never firmely built but when grounded in Faith and when 't is so 't is farre more excellent then it's foundation Besides Charity is a Grace not out-dated in Heaven as Faith and Hope are S. But what is Charity C. The sincere love of God and of our neighbour for his sake S. Wherein doth the love of God consist C. As love in its latitude is of two sorts of Freindship and of Desire the first betwixt freinds the second betwixt lovers the first a rationall the second a sensitive love so our love of God consists of two parts 1. Esteeming prizing valuing of God 2. Desiring of him S. How shall I know whether I doe Esteeme God as I ought to doe C. If you would be content to doe any thing or suffer any thing rather then loose his favour rather then displease him If you love me saith he keepe my Commandements And therefore loving him and obeying him love and workes to wit Evangelicall workes are taken for the same thing in Scripture S. How must this love be qualified C. The speciall qualification or rather indeed essentiall property of Charity is the sincerity of it as that is opposite to hypocrisy or a double heart or divided love or joining any rivall or competitor in our hearts with him The loving God above all and all other for his sake this is set downe both by Moses and Christ in these words Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy mind with all thy strength The Heart as I conceive signifying the Affections The Soule the Will or elective faculty The Minde the Understanding or rationall faculty And the Strength the powers of the body for action and all foure together making up the whole man and the word All affixt to each not to exclude all other things from any inferiour part in my love but onely from an equall or superiour to exclude a partiall or a halfe love S. What are the motives that may stirre up this love in my heart C. 1. The consideration of Gods infinite essence And 2. Of his most glorious Attributes And 3. Of his bounteous actions towards us in creating redeeming preserving and providing such rewards for those that love him S. What is that other part of love which you call the Desiring of him C. The actuall appetition or fastening our affections on him desiring to enjoy him 1. His Grace or sanctifying Spirit here And 2. The perpetuall vision of him hereafter The former part of this is called hungering and thirsting after righteousnesse A hatred and impatience of sinne a desiring to be out of that polluted condition and to be made like unto God in holinesse and purity and you may know the sincerity of that 1. By assiduity and frequency and fervency in prayer that way of conversing and communing with God a most infallible concomitant of this kind of love 2. By loving and seeking the meanes 1. of resisting sin and 2. of receiving and 3. of improving of Grace that one principall desire of Davids That he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his
set them thus that hungring is an earnest appetite or desire of food and here in a spirituall sence is apportioned to the first kinde of righteousnesse that of God's sanctifying grace which is as it were bread or food to the soule to susteine it from perishing eternally and so Hungring after righteousnesse is an eaget impatient unsatisfyable desire of grace of sanctity to the soule and that attended with prayer and importunity to God for the obtaining of it S. What is Thirsting after righteousnesse C. Thirsting is a desire of some moysture to refresh and is here apportioned to that second kind of righteousnesse consisting in pardon of sinne which is the refreshing of the panting soule mortally wounded and so like the hart in the Psalmist longing after the water brookes to allay the feaver consequent to that wound to quench the flame of a scorching conscience and so Thirsting after righteousnesse is a most earnest desire of pardon and petitioning of it from God in Christ and never giving over your importunity untill he be inclined to have mercy S. What present felicity can there be in this Hunger and Thirst C. As appetite or stomacke to meat is a signe of health in the body so is this hunger in the soule a vitall quality evidence of some life of grace in the heart and in that respect matter of present felicity whereas on the other side the decay of appetite the no manner of stomack is a pitteous consumption-signe and most desperate prognostick and not caring for grace or pardon for sanctification or justification the most mortall desperate condition in the world S. What assurance of future happinesse attends this Hungring C. As much as God's promise of filling can afford Nay proportionably to the two parts of the appetite the state of glory is full matter of satisfaction to each there is there perfect holynesse without mixture of infirmity or carnality answerable to the hungring after inherent righteousnesse and there is there perfect finall pardon acquittance from all the guilt and debt of sinne and so the Thirst of imputed righteousnesse is satisfied also So that he that hath no other hunger or thirst but these shall be sure to find satisfaction which they that set their hearts upon carnall worldly objects hungring after wealth and secular greatnesse lusts c. shall never be able to arrive to either here or hereafter such acquisitions being here if attain'd to very unsatisfying the more we have of them the more we desire to have and in another world no expectation of ought that shall be agreeable to such desires S. What is mercifullnesse C. Abundance of charity or goodnesse or benignity there being in the Scripture-stile two words neare kin to one another justice and mercifullnesse ordinarily going together but the latter a much higher degree then the former the first signifying that legall charity that both the law of nature and Moses require to be performed to our brethren but the second an abundance or supereminent degree of it expressions of both which we have Rom. 5. 7. under the titles of the righteous man and the good man S. Wherein doth this mercifullnesse expresse it selfe C. In two sorts of things especially 1. Giving 2. Forgiving S. In giving of what C. Of all sort of things that our abilities and others wants may propose to us such are releife to those that are in distresse ease to those in paine almes to poore house-keepers vindication of honest mens reputation when they are slandered but above all to mens soules good counsell seasonable reproofes encouragement in performing of duty when they are tempted to the contrary comfort in time of worldly afflictions but especially of temptation strengthening in the waies of God and whatsoever may tend to the good of any man S. What meane you by Forgiving C. The not avenging of injuries or contumelies not suffering their trespasses against men nay nor sinnes against God to coole or lessen my charity and mercy to them but loving and compassionating and shewing all effects of true Christian mercy such especially as may do them most good as well to enemies and sinners as friends S. What is the present felicity that attends this grace C. 1. The present delight of having made another man happy of rescuing a poore soule wrestling with want c. from that pressure to reprive him that was as it were appointed to dye certainely the most ingenuous pleasure in the world Secondly the gloriousnesse of so doing a kinde of God-like act one of the two things which a heathen could say was common to us with God especially if it be an act of Ghostly mercy an almes a dole a charity to the soule to rescue a poore sinner dropping into the pit reeling into hell by conference advice examples of heavenly life not only to save my selfe but others also this is in a manner to pertake of that incommunicable title of Christ that of Saviour such a thing to which saith Aristotle as to an heroicke quality belongs not praise but pronouncing blessed according to that of Saint Paul from our Saviour it is more blessed to give then to receive a blessed thing to give S. What assurance is there of future blessednesse to such C. The greatest in the world from this promise annext they shall obtaine mercy Gods punishments are mostly answerable to our sinnes he thinkes good to give us a sight of our transgression by the manner of his inflictions and so he is also pleased to apportion his rewards to our graces mercies to the mercifull most peculiarly by mercy meaning 1. Acts of bounty liberality temporall aboundance the portion of the almes-giver and spirituall aboundance of grace of strength in time of temptation 2. Mercy in forgiving pardoning not imputing our sinnes Upon which ground it is that in the forme of prayer which he hath himselfe prescribed us he annexeth the forgiving of all trespassers against us to our prayer for forgivenesse to our selves as the condition without which we may not hope for such forgivenesse S. What is purity in heart C. The Heart signifies the inner man and especially the practicall part or principle of action And the purity of that is of two sorts the first that which is contrary to pollution the second that which is contrary to mixture as you know water is said to be pure when it is cleane and not mudded and defiled and wine is said to be pure when it is not mixt In the first respect it excludes carnality in the second hypocrisy S. When may a man be said to be pure in heart in the first sence C. When not onely in the members or instruments of action but even in the heart all parts of carnality or worldlinesse are mortified As when we neither are guilty of acts of uncleanenesse nor consent to uncleane desires nay feed not so much as the eye with unlawfull objects or the heart with filthy thoughts and because there
it unreasonable for me to be tyred with receiving the largest favours that you have the patience and the charity to bestow upon me and to shew you that I have an appetite to the journey I shall not give you the least excuse of delay but put you in minde where it was that you promis'd to set out or begin your first stage and beseech you to god before me my guide and instructer first in the doctrine of the two Covenants to which purpose my ignorance makes it necessary for me to request your first helpe to tell me what a Covenant is C. § 1 A Covenant is a mutuall compact as we now consider it betwixt God and man consisting of mercies on Gods part made over to man and of conditions on mans part required by God S. It will then be necessary for me to demand first what you meane by the First Covenant C. I meane that which is supposed to be made with Adam assoone as he was created before his first sinne and with all mankinde in him S. What then was the mercy an Gods part made over to him in that Covenant C. It consisted of two parts one sort of things supposed before the Covenant absolutely given to him by God in his creation another promised and not given but upon condition S. What is that which was absolutely given C. 1. A law written in his heart teaching him the whole duty of man 2. A positive law of not eating the fruite of one tree in the garden all others but that one being freely allowed him by God 3. A perfect strength and ability bestowed on him to performe all that was required of him and by that a possibility to have lived for ever without ever sinning S. What is that which was promised on condition C. 1. Continuance of that light and that strength the one to direct the other to assist him in a persevering performance of that perfect obedience 2. A crowne of such performance assumption to eternall felicity S. What was the condition upon which the former of these was promised C. Walking in that light making use of that strength and therefore upon defailance in those two upon the first sinne that light was dimmed and that strength like Sampsons when his lockes were lost extremely weakned S. What was the condition upon which the Eternall felicity was promised C Exact unsinning perfect obedience proportioned to the measure of that strength and consequently upon the commission of the first sinne this crowne was forfeited Adam cast out of Paradise and condemned to death and so deprived both of eternity and felicity and from that houre to this there hath beene no man living Christ onely excepted who was God as well as man justifiable by that first covenant all having sinned and so coming short of the Glory of God promised in that covenant S. You have now given me a view of the first covenant and I shall not give my curiosity leave to importune you with more questions about it Onely if you please tell me what condition Adam and consequently mankinde were concluded under upon the defailance or breach of the condition required in that first covenant for I perceive Adam sinned and so brake that condition C. I have intimated that to you already and yet shall farther enlarge on it Upon the fall of Adam he and all mankinde forfeited that perfect light and perfect strength and became very defective and weake both in knowledge and ability of performing their duty to their Creatour and consequently were made utterly uncapable of ever receiving benefit by that first covenant It being just with God to withdraw that high degree of strength and grace when he saw so ill use made of it S. But why should God inflict that punishment upon all mankinde for or upon occasion of the sinne of that one man though he used his talent so very ill others of his posterity might have used it better and why should they all be so prejudged upon one mans miscarriage C. Many reasons may be rendred for this act of Gods and if they could not yet ought not his wisedome to be arraign'd at our tribunall or judged by us Now this is an act of his wisedom more then of distributive justice it being free for him to do what he will with his owne and such is his Grace and his Crowne But the most full satisfactory reason may be this because God intending to take the forfeiture of that first Covenant intended withall to make a second Covenant which should tend as much or more to the maine end the eternall felicity of mankinde as or then the first could have done And that you will acknowledge when you heare what this second covenant is S. I beseech you then what is the second Covenant and first with whom was it made C. It was made with the same Adam now after his fall in these words The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. and afterwards repeated more plainely to Abraham Gen. 22. 17. 18. S. But who is that Seed of the Woman C. The same that in the words spoken to Abraham is meant by Thy seed which the Apostle Gal. 3. 16. tells us is Christ S. What then is the first thing promised in that second Covenant C. The giving of Christ to take our nature upon him and so to become a kind of second Adam in that nature of ours to performe perfect unsinning obedience and so to be just according to the condition of the first Covenant and yet being faultlesse to undergoe a shamefull death voluntarily upon the Crosse to satisfy for the sinne of Adam and for all the sinnes of all mankinde to tast death for every man Heb. 2. 9. and this being the first thing all other parts of this Covenant are consequent and dependent on this and so this second Covenant was made in Christ sealed in his bloud as it was the custome of the Easterne Nations to seale all Covenants with bloud and so confirmed by him which is the meaning of those words 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen that is are verified which is the importance of Yea and confirmed which is meant by Amen into an immutability in or by Christ S. Well then What are the promises or mercies made over unto us in Christ by this second Covenant C. First a revelation of his will called the law of faith according to which we Christians ought to live and this is set downe as a part of that Covenant Heb. 8. 10 11. Secondly a promise of pardon or mercy to our unrighteousnesse and our sinnes and our iniquities v. 12. Thirdly the giving of grace or strength although not perfect or such as may enable us to live without ever sinning yet such as is sufficient to performe what is necessary now under this second Covenant in which respect it is said by S. Paul Rom 10. 8. that the
In using all powerfull meanes to convert or turn i e. to bring all mankind to repentance S. What be those meanes C. First the communicating that spirit to us whereby he raised up Jesus from the dead Rom. 8. 11. Secondly sending the Holy Ghost to convince the world of sinne and righteousnesse and of judgement that is appointing a succession of Ministers to the end of the world to worke in mens hearts a cordiall subjection to that doctrine which at Christs preaching on earth was not beleived Thirdly the giving of grace inspiring of that strength into all humble Christian hearts that may enable them to get victory over sinne Fourthly his interceding with God for us which you know is the peculiar office of the Preist as he promised he would for Saint Peter that his faith faile not that is that God will give us the grace of perseverance which intercession of his being now with power and authority all power is given to me saith Christ is all one in effect with the actuall donation of that grace and as a crowne of this followes another kind of blessing actuall bestowing of heaven upon such blessed persevering children of his Father S. What is required of us in answer to this part of his Office C. First to seeke and pray for grace to descend towards us through this conduit of conveyance Secondly to receive it when it thus flowes with humble gratefull hearts Thirdly to count grace the greatest blessing in the world Fourthly to make use of it to the end designed by Christ not to pride or wantonnesse or contempt of our meaner brethren but to the converting and reforming of our lives And fifthly to looke for no finall benefit pardon of sinnes or eternall salvation from that Preist either as suffering or satisfying for us but upon the good use of his grace which will engage us to walke painfully here and to approach humbly to receive our reward the crowne not of our workes but Gods graces hereafter S. What is the second part of Christs Melchizedek-Preisthood C. Blessing or praising God for ever in heaven for his goodnesse his mercy his grace towards us poore sinfull enemies of his in giving us the victory over our so bitter adversaries sin Satan death hell by the bloud of the Lamb and the power of his Grace S. What is our part in this businesse C. To follow this precentor of ours in blessing magnifying that God of all grace and never yeilding to those enemies which he hath died to purchase and given us power to resist overcome S. I doe already discerne the influence of this Office thus explained upon our lives yet if you please give me your direction and opinion what is the maine practicall doctrine emergent from this Office of Christ especially as it consists in blessing C. This is it that from hence we learne how farre forth we may expect justification and salvation from the sufferings of Christ no farther it appeares than we are wrought on by his renewing and sanctifying and assisting grace this being the very end of his giving himselfe for us not that absolutely or presently we might be acquitted and saved but that he might redeeme us from all iniquity from the reigning power aswell as guilt and that impartially of all iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 14. without which acquisition of purity and zeale of good workes in us as in a peculiar people Christ failes of his aime and designe in dying for us he is deprived of that reward of his sufferings which is mentioned Is 53. 10. The seeing of his seed the having the pleasure of the Lord which is said to be our sanctification 1 Thes 4. 3. prosper in his hand the seeing of the travaile of his soule v. 1. dividing his portion with the great and the spoile with the strong v. 12. that is rescuing men out of the power of sinne to amendment of life and to holinesse which is the crowne and reward of his pouring out his soule to death and making intercession for the transgressours And if he faile of his hope much more shall we of ours after all that Christ hath done and suffered the impenitent unreformed fiduciary shall perish And what can you imagine more obligatory to good life then this S. I acknowledge the truth of what you say to be very convincing and shall thinke my selfe bound in charity to my poore tottering soule no longer to flatter and foole my selfe with such vaine hope that Christs active and passive obedience shall be imputed to me unlesse I am by his blessing thus qualified to receive this benefit from his death Yet now I thinke of it if Christs active obedience may be imputed to me then what need have I of obeying my selfe If the righteousnesse that was in him by never sinning be reckoned to me what need I any other initiall imperfect inherent righteousnesse or holinesse of my owne this is to me a scruple yet not answered by you C I confesse it is for I have had no occasion to mention that active obedience of Christ it being no part of his Preistly Office And now if you will have my opinion of it I conceive it cleare that Christs active obedience is not imputed unto any other person For first if his active righteousnesse were imputed to me then by that I should be reckoned of and accepted by God as if I had fulfilled the whole law and never sinned and then I should have no need that Christ should suffer for my sinnes and so this would exclude all possibility of having Christs passive obedience imputed to me For what imaginable reason could be given why I should suffer for sinne or any other surety for mee if by some former act I am accounted to have performed perfect unsinning obedience at least have the benefit of that obedience performed by that surety of mine and accepted for me Secondly the truth is cleare that Christs active obedience was required in his person as a necessary qualification to make it possible for him to suffer or satisfy for us for had he not performed active obedience that is had any guile beene found in his mouth or heart had he ever sinned he must have suffered for himselfe and could no more have made satisfaction for us then one of us sinners can now doe for another From both which reason 't is cleare that Christs active obedience will not supply the place of ours or make ours lesse necessary and consequently that our renewed obedience and sanctification is still most indispensably required though mixed with much of weakenesse ignorance frailties recidivations to make us capable of pardon of sinne or salvation which sure is the intimation of those places which impute our Justification rather to the Resurrection of Christ and the consequents of that the subsequent acts of his Preisthood heretofore mentioned then to his death Such are Rom. 8. 34. It
is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us which last words referre peculiarly to that act of this his Preist-hood in blessing or interceding for us and Rom. 4. 25. who was delivered to death for our offences and was raised againe for our justification The Death of Christ not justifying any who hath not his part in his Resurrection S. I perceive this theme of Christs Priesthood to be a rich mine of Christian knowledge every scruple of mine opening so large a field of matter before you I shall satisfy my selfe with this competency which you have afforded me I beseech God I may be able to digest it into kindly juice that I may grow thereby Please you now to proceed to the third and last Office of Christ that of a Prophet C. I shall and promise you not to exercise your patience so largely in that as in the former S. Wherein doth his Propheticke Office consist In foretelling what things should happen to his Church C. No that is not the notion we have now of a Prophet although that he hath also done in some measure as farre as is usefull for us S. What other notion have you of a Prophet C. The same that the Apostle hath of prophecying 1 Cor. 11. 4. 14. 6. S. What is that C. Interpreting or making knowne the will of God to us S. Wherein did Christ doe that C. In his Sermons but especially that on the Mount telling us on what termes blessednesse is now to be had under the Gospell and revealing some commands of God which before were either not at all or so obscurely revealed in the Old Testament that men thought not themselves obliged to such obedience Besides this the Propheticke Office was exercised in ordeining ceremonies and discipline for his Church the use of the Sacraments and the power of the keyes that is the Censures of the Church S. What else belongs to his Propheticke Office C. Whatsoever else he revealed concerning the Essence and Attributes of God concerning the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles and whatsoever other divine truth he revealed to his auditours either in parables or plaine enuntiations S. What are we to returne to this Office of his C. Our willing full assent never doubting of the truth of any affirmation of his a ready obedience to his institutions and commands neither despising nor neglecting the use of what he hath thought fit to prescribe us and subduing carnall proud reason to the obedience of faith S. You have gone before mee through the names and offices of Christ severally Is there any influence on practice that all of them jointly may be thought to have over and above what from the severals you have shewed me C. I shall commend onely one consideration to you for this purpose that Christ being an union of these three Offices is a Iesus or Saviour finally to none but those who receive him under all his three Offices uniformly into their hearts S. § 3 The Lord grant that I may doe so that I may be not a little way or a partiall unsincere but a true Christian What hinders but that you now proceed according to your method prpoosed to the particulars of the third ranke the Theologicall graces and Christian virtues C. I shall if your patience and appetite continue to you S. To begin then with the first what is Faith C. There is not any one word in nature which hath more significations then this hath in the Word of God especially in the New Testament It sometimes signifies the acknowledgment of the true God in opposition to Heathenisme sometimes the Christian Religion in opposition to Indaisme sometimes the beleeving the power of Christ to heale diseases sometimes the beleeving that he is the promised Messias sometimes fidelity or faithfulnesse sometimes a resolution of conscience concerning the lawfulnesse of any thing sometimes a reliance affiance or dependance on Christ either for temporall or spirituall matters sometimes beleeving the truth of all divine revelations sometimes obedience to Gods commands in the Evangelicall not legall sence sometime the doctrine of the Gospell in opposition to the law of Moses sometimes 't is an aggregate of all other graces sometimes the condition of the second Covenant in opposition to the first and other sences of it also there are distinguishable by the contexture and the matter treated of where the word is used S. I shall not be so importunate as to expect you should travaile with mee through every of these severals but shall confine your trouble to that which seemes most necessary for me to know more particularly As first which of all these is the notion of that Faith which is the Theologicall Grace distinct from Hope and Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13 C. It is there the assenting to or beleeving the whole word of God particularly the Gospell and in that the commands and threates and promises of that word especially the promises This you will acknowledge if you looke on v. 12. of that Chapter and there observe and consider that Vision in the next life is the perfecting of that Faith in this life or that Faith here is turned into Vision there as hope into enjoying for this argues Faith here to be this assent to those things which here come to us by hearing and are so beleeved by adherence or darke enigmaticall knowledge but hereafter are seene or known demonstratively or face to face Hence is it that Faith is defined by the Apostle Heb. 11. 1. the ground or foundation of things hoped for the conviction or being convinced or assured of things which we doe not see The foundation on which all hope is built for I must first beleeve the promise before I can hope the performance of it on right grounds and the being convinced of the truth of those things for which there is no other demonstration but onely the word and promise of God and yet upon that an inclination to beleeve them as assuredly as if I had the greatest evidence in the world S. I cannot but desire one trouble more from you in this matter what kind of Faith was the Faith of Abraham which is so much spoken of in the New Testament Ro. 4. Gal. 3. Heb. 11. Ja. 2. and seemes to be meant as the patterne by which our Faith should be cut out and upon which both he was and we may expect to be justified C. I cannot but commend the seasonablenesse of the question before I answer it for certainly you have pitch't upon that which is the onely sure foundation ground-worke of all true knowledge and resolution in this matter Abraham being the Father of the Faithfull in whom that grace was most eminent very highly commended and rewarded in the Scripture and like whom we must be if ever we expect to approve
our selves to or to be justified by God S. But what then was the Faith of Abraham C. Many acts of Abrahams Faith there are mentioned in the New Testament which were severall exercises of that grace in him but especially two there are by which in two trials of his Faith he approved himselfe to God so farre as that God imputed them to him for righteousnesse i. e. accepted of those acts of his as graciously as if he had performed perfect unsinning obedience had lived exactly without any slip or fall all his life yea and gave him the honour of being called the freind of God S. What was the first of those acts C. That which Saint Paul referres to Rom. 4. and Gal. 3. his beleeving the promise of God made unto him Gen. 15. S. What was that promise C. It consisted of two parts First that God would sheild and defend or take him into his protection and withall reward him abundantly for all the service that he should ever performe unto him This promise is set down v. 1. in these words feare not Abraham I am thy sheild and exceeding great reward The summe of which is that God will protect all those that depend and trust on him and reward all his faithfull servants in a manner and measure inexpressibly abundant and particularly that he would then deale so with Abraham a true faithfull servant of his and consequently that he should not fear This promise it is not said in the text expressely that Abraham beleeved but yet it is so farre implied that there is no doubt of it for Abrahams question v. 2. What wilt thou give me seeing I goe childlesse is in effect a bowing and yeilding consent to the truth of this promise and firmely depending upon it and thereupon proceeding to a speciall particular wherein he desired that favour of God to be made good to him the giving him a child for his reward whereas otherwise having none and so his servant being his onely heire apparent all the wealth in the world would not be valuable to him and thereupon as a reward of that his former faith on the former promise God proceeds to make him that second more particular promise which I called the second part of it S. What was that C. The promise that he should have an heire of his own body from whom should come a posterity as numerous or rather innumerable as the stars of heaven and among them at length the Messias in whom all the people of the world should be blessed for that is the meaning of so shall thy seed be v. 5. and of the same words delivered by way of Ellipsis Rom. 4. 18. Who beleived that he should be the father of many nations accordingly as had beene said to him by God So i. e. as the starres of heaven shall thy seed be This second part of the promise being a particular conteined before under the generall of rewarding him exceedingly but not till now explicitely revealed to Abraham that God would then reward him by giving him a son and a numerous posterity and the Messias to come from him was a particular triall whether his former beleife were sincere i. e. whether he would trust and depend on God or no there being little reason for him to expect a child then having remained so long without one and so some difficulty in so beleeving and then it followes that in this triall he was found faithfull he beleeved v. 6. or as Saint Paul heightens it beside or beyond hope he beleived Rom. 4. 18. and God counted it to him for righteousnesse i. e. tooke this for such an expression of his faithfullnesse and sincerity and true piety that he accepted him as a righteous person upon this performance though no doubt he had many infirmities and sinnes which he was or had beene guilty of in his life unreconcileable with perfect righteousnesse S. What was the second of those acts of Abrahams faith C. That which Saint Iames mentions c. 2. 21. and Saint Paul Heb. 11. 17. offering up his sonne Isaak upon the Altar For God having made triall before of his faith in one particular that of beleeving his promise makes now a new triall of it in another that of obedience to his commands for when God gives commands aswell as promises the one is as perfect a season and meanes of triall of faith as the other and to say I have faith and not thus to evidence it not to bring forth that fruit of it when God by expecting it and requiring it puts mee to the triall is either to manifest that I have no faith at all or else not a through faith but only for cheaper easier services not able to hold out to all trials Or else that this is but a dull livelesse habit of faith without any vitall acts flowing from it which yet are the things that God commandeth and without yeilding of which in time of triall or when occasion is offered the habit will not be accepted And this I conceive the clearest way of reconciling Saint Iames and Saint Paul Abraham was justified by faith saith Saint Paul Rom 4. and not by workes i. e. by beleeving and depending on God for the performance of his promise and resigning himselfe up wholly to him to obey his precepts or more clearely by that Faith which howsoever it was tried whether by promises of strange incredible things or commands of very hard duties killing his onely sonne did constantly approve it selfe to be a true saith and so was accepted by God without performance of absolute unsinning obedience much more without performance of the Mosaicall law Abraham then being uncircumcised which two things one or both are generally by Saint Paul meant by workes But then saith Saint James Abraham was justified by workes i. e. his Faith did approve its selfe by faithfull actions particularly by offering up his sonne an act of the greatest fidelity and sincerity and obedience in the world and if in time of triall he had not done so he had never pass't for the faithfull Abraham had never beene justified i. e. approved or accepted by God which is in effect all one with that which Saint Paul had said neither one nor the other excluding or seperating faithfull actions or acts of Faith from Faith or the condition of justification but absolutely requiring them as the onely things by which the man is justified onely Saint Paul mentions the workes of the law and excludes them from having any thing to doe toward justification leaving the whole worke to Faith and Saint James dealing not with the Jewes but with another kind of adversaries hath no occasion to adde that exclusive part but rather to prevent or cure another disease which he saw the minds of men through mistake and abuse of Saint Pauls doctrine possess 't with or subject to thinking that a dead habit of Faith would serve the turne and mistaking every slight motion or formall profession such as bidding
of my future condition that assurance reflexive of which this is one ingredient cannot be a divine Faith but at the most an humane yet such as perhaps I may have no doubting mixed with nor reason that I should so doubt For at the conclusion of life having finisht his course and persevered Saint Paul could say without doubting henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse Which if another man be not able to say with that assurance 't will not presently be want of Faith in him as long as this want of assurance proceeds not from any distrust of the truth of Gods promises but onely from an humble conceit of his owne repentance that 't is not such as God requires of him And if that place 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except you be reprobates be objected to prove that all are Reprobates that know not that Christ is in them the answer will be satisfactory that the words rendred in you signifie very frequently in the Scripture and peculiarly in a place parallell to this Exod. 17. 7. among you or in your congregation And so the sence will be best dissolved into a question and answer know you not by the miracles preaching the demonstration of the spirit and of power that Christ Jesus is among you by way of interrogation for so 't is in the Greeke and the meaning appeares by the context to be Know ye not discerne you not your selves that the power of the Gospell is come among you by my Apostleship and then by way of answer Except you be reprobates you are obdurate insensate creatures undoubtedly unlesse you doe S. You have shewed me the difference betwixt Generall and Particular Faith and I shall not follow that matter any farther but I pray helpe me in one difficulty We are said in Scripture to be justified by faith and we heare much talke of a justifying faith I pray tell me what Faith this is to which Justification is attributed C. First let me tell you that Faith in whatever acception is no proper efficient cause of justification for such is onely God through the satisfaction of Christ accepting our persons and our weake performances and not imputing our sinnes in which act nothing in us can possibly have any so much as inferiour instrumentall efficiency the most that can be said is that 't is a condition without which God that justifies the penitent beleiver will never justifie the impenitent infidell and therefore 't is observable that 't is no where said in Scripture that Faith justifies but that we are justified by Faith which particle by is a peculiar note of a condition not a cause S. But then what Faith is this which is the condition of our justification C. That Faith which we shewed you was Abrahams Faith or infewer words the receiving the whole Christ in all his offices as my King my Preist my Prophet whereby I beleeve the Commands as well as the Promises of the Gospell or take the Promises as they are i. e. as conditionall Promises And this a cordiall practicall beleife a firme resolution of uniforme obedience and Discipleship faith made perfect by workes Ja. 2. 22. Intimating that without the addition of such workes such obedience Evangelicall it would be imperfect unsufficient to this end that is to our Justification The same is called in a parallell phrase faith consummate by love Gal. 5. 6. which indeed we render working by love but the Greeke and Syriack signifies consummate by love that is by acts of Christian Charity and therefore in two parallell places is thus varied in one we reade instead of it the new Creature Gal. 6. 15. in another the keeping the Commandements of God 1 Cor. 7. 19. S. But how then is it so often said that we are not justified by workes Gal. 1. 16. and Rom. 3. 28. that we are justified by faith without the deeds of the law C. I have in effect already told you and shall in a word again tell you The word workes and deeds of the law in those places signifies perfect legall obedience or circumcision and the like Judaicall out-dated Ceremonies and Faith the Evangelicall Grace of giving up the whole heart to Christ without any such perfect obedience or Judaicall observances and so 't is truly said we are justified by Faith without them i. e. without such workes such perfect obedience yet not excluding but including that Evangelicall obedience for without that Faith is dead saith Saint James 2. 17. and then sure not able to justifie any And therefore you may observe in that Apostles discourse Ja. 2. he affirmes that Abraham was justified by workes v. 21. and makes that a parallell phrase to that of the Old Testament Abraham beleived God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse v. 23. where as justification and imputed to him for righteousnesse are phrases of the same importance so are workes and beleiving also S. The reason of it I conceive is because Faith alwaies brings forth good workes or if it doe not it is no true Faith C. I am not altogether of your opinion for I conceive it very possible for me to beleive and yet not to live accordingly The truth is that is not a justifying Faith or such as even now I defined and so no truefaith in that sence but yet it may be a true Faith for so much as it is I may truly without all doubting beleive the promise of mercy and salvation to the true penitent and none else which beleife is very fit and proper to set me a reforming and amending and yet 't is possible for temptations of carnall objects to perswade me to deferre this duty nay never to thinke fit to set my selfe to the performance of it the present pleasures of sinne may outweigh in my debauched choice those future spirituall joyes nay I may see and like them and yet for the present embrace the contrary the will of man being a middle free faculty not absolutely obliged to doe or choose what the understanding judgeth most honest i. e. what Reason and Faith and the Spirit of God commandeth to be done The truth is if this faith get once to be radicated in the heart to rule and reigne there if the will chooseth what Faith recommendeth then it bringeth forth all manner of good workes and so then 't is the consummation of Faith by Charity and Good workes that God accepteth in Christ to justification and not the bare aptnesse of faith to bring forth workes if those workes by the fault of a rebellious infidell will be not brought forth S. But is there no one peculiar act of Faith to which justification is particularly imputable C. That to which justification is promised is certainly the giving up of the whole soule intirely unto Christ accepting his promises on his conditions undertaking Discipleship upon Christs termes But yet 't is possible that some one
act of faith may be more excellent and acceptable in the sight of God then others as that humble act of the faithfull servant that when he hath done all acknowledges himselfe unprofitable and so excludes all glorying which the Apostle makes very necessary to justification Rom. 4. expects all good from Gods free mercy in Christ with-without any reflection on any of his owne performances or againe that of full trust affiance reliance rolling ones selfe on God depending on his all-sufficiency in the midst of all difficulties on the fidelity of him that hath promised when all worldly probabilities are to the contrary but then this must be accompanied with other acts of faith when occasion is offered for them and with use of the meanes prescribed by Christ or else reliance may prove presumption after all And however it is we must adde to our faith virtue c. or else our faith may still be dead livelesse being alone that is unable to stand us in any stead to the desired end S. I could heare you and propose scruples to you for ever on this argument but I desire to carry away onely so much of this subject of faith as may tend to the encrease of all virtue in me and I am sensible how long I have detained you on this theme and therefore I shall importune you no farther about it but yet onely vary not end your trouble and advance to the next Theologicall Grace that of Hope and desire your directions in that particular C. This Grace is subject to some mistaking and therefore I shall desire you to marke carefully what I conceive of it S. What is Hope C. It is a patient comfortable expectation of the performance of Gods promises belonging to this life or a better S. What is the ground of Hope C. Some sure word of promise assented unto by faith S. What is the object of Hope C. It is made up of two things 1. The thing promised 2. The Cause or Author of it 1. The thing promised or the performance of that promise Such is the Resurrection of the dead which nature cannot helpe us to see any thing into but being beleived by faith becomes the object of Hope And 't is observable that seven times in the Acts of the Apostles the word Hope referres to this one object the Resurrection or future state or life in another world which indeed is the supreme object of the Christians Hope and all other things but in an inferiour degree and as they referre to that and in order to that great treasure of our rejoycing Though the truth is as there be promises of this life as well as of another as that God will give us all things necessary for us and the like So is there a Secular Hope or an Hope of this life and an object of that Hope S. What is that Secular Hope C. A reliance on God that he will send me whatsoever is good for me S. What is the object of that Hope C. Good successes good things S. Am I bound to hope that all things that are good for me shall befall me C. I must answer you with some caution First Those promises are conditionall All things shall tend to good to them that love God If we be lovers of God then that promise belongs to us not else And consequently then we are to hope it not else Ye that feare the Lord hope in the Lord saith the Psalmist S. But is every true servant of God bound to hope that God will give him all secular good things as wealth peace honour and the like C. There is another condition required in him first before that promise belongs to him and consequently before he is bound to that hope S. What is that C. To pray for them for the having and finding is promised to none but to them which aske and seeke yea and to use the meanes ordinary and lawfull which are in order to that end as labour and the like among which mercifulnesse and liberality is one to which the promise of secular wealth is most frequently made and the contrary threatned with want S. Well then must the servant of God having prayed and used those meanes hope and be assured that that which he thus prayes for shall be granted him C. Yes either formally or by way of aequivalence either that or something that is better or againe either now or when God fees fitter for him for this must be allowed God to be able to choose for us better then we can for our selves both for the thing it selfe and the time of conferring it For many times that which we aske would if it should be granted be worst for us and perhaps tend to our destruction and then God by denying the particular matter of our prayers doth grant the generall matter of them which alwaies is that which is best for us Sometimes againe he deferres to grant that we may reinforce our impression pray more ardently and for us to be so exercised in prayer and hope is best for us also S. Are we bound then thus to expect and hope in every thing that we pray for C. Yes we are and the want of that is the sinne of wavering or doubting noted by Christ and his Apostles S. Well but you toldme there was another part of the object of Hope besides the thing promised which you called the cause or author of it What is that C. The person that is to make good this promise to me which is God himselfe And therefore we are so often exhorted to hope in the Lord c. For as in the other affections we are not onely angry at the injury or the provoking thing done to us but at him that did it and we doe not onely feare paine and punishment but him also that can inflict it on us so we doe not onely hope for Heaven or for any other good thing but for God as the fountaine of our blisse and through whose mercy it is that it befals us This is called hope in him or as it should rather be rendred Hope on him 1 Joh. 3. 3. And this is a speciall act of Christian hope to be thus unbottom'd of our selves and fastned upon God with a full relyance and trust and dependance on his mercy S. I thanke you for this direction Give mee leave to proceed What be the seasons and opportanities of this Hope C. 1. Time of tribulation Rom. 5. 4. Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed Where the word which we render experience signifies being approved upon a triall and the sence runnes thus Tribulation is a season and a meanes to worke patience and that patience to produce approbation as of one that is tried in the fire and hath past the test And this a meanes to worke an Hope or expectation of reward and that Hope will keepe from being ashamed of those sufferings and make us rather
the young ones as soone as they are hatcht leaves them meatelesse and featherlesse to struggle with hunger as soone as they are gotten into the world and whether by dew from heaven a kind of manna rained into their mouthes when they gape and as the Psalmist saith call upon God or whether by flies flying into their mouthes or whether by wormes bred in their nests as some thinke or by what other meanes God knowes God feedeth them And therefore perhaps it was that that creature to make its returne of gratitude to God flies presently on its errand to feed the prophet elias in the wildernesse in which this was surely very observable that that creature which is so unnaturall as not to feed its owne young ones did yet at God's command feed the prophet As sometimes those baggs of the miser are opened liberally to Gods children at their death in building hospitalls c. which had beene shut to their owne all their life This example our Saviour shuts up with an expostulation are not you much better then they Man a much more considerable creature then those birds man the Monarch of all them and the life of my Lord the King worth ten thousand of theirs and therefore surely a farre greater part of God's providence then they though no thoughtfulnesse of his contribute to it But then this must be taken with some caution along with it not that we should neither sow nor reape because the foules do neither but that we should take no anxious thought as they neither sow nor reape that it is as unreasonable for a Christian to distrust Gods providence to bury his soule in an anxious care for earthly things though the very necessaries of life as for the raven to be set to husbandry Had men acquired but as much religion dependance trust reliance on God by all the preaching of the Gospell by all the cultivation of so many hundred yeares as nature teacheth the young ravens as soone as they are hatcht to gape toward heaven and so in a plaine downeright naturall inarticulate way to call on God the Mammonists idoll would soone be driven out of the world and instead of it a cheerefull comfortable dependance on heaven in despight of all our jealous traiterous feares that worldly hearts betray us to an obedient submission to Gods direction in using those meanes that he directeth us and then resigning all up into his hands to dispose of with an If I perish I perish and I will waite upon the Lord which hideth his face and I will looke for him and though he kill me yet will I trust in him The other example concerning rayment from the lillies of the field lies thus God in his forming of the world hath bestowed a strange proportion of naturall be auty and ornament upon the lillies that grow in every field or garden though those are of a very short duration and being inanimate do contribute nothing to their owne beauty but most evidently the whole worke wrought by God only and all the care and sollicitude and temporall advantages of gold and the like artificiall bravery cannot equall or compare with that naturall beauty which God hath endued them with Which consideration as it may well lessen our desire of the gallantry of clothes and mortifie our pride which they feed in us the utmost that we can attaine to in this kinde being not comparable with that which is in the meanest creatures so may it give us a fiduciall relyance on God for all things of this nature who sure can cloth us as well as those and will certainely provide for us such rayment as is convenient for us by our use of ordinary meanes without our anxious care and sollicitude for the future S. What is the next inforcement of this duty C. An argument taken from our owne experience in things of some what a like nature v. 27. For the stature of ones body or the age of ones life for the same word signifies both but seemes in this place rather to denote the former only every of us know and confesse that our care and sollicitude can do nothing to make any considerable addition to it Now certainely the lengthening of the life for a few dayes or houres is not so great a matter as life it selfe nor the tallnesse or stature of the body as the body it selfe for what matters it how tall a man is and therefore it being so confestly the worke of God only to dispose of these lesse things our stature c. how much more reasonable is it to beleive that the same God without any anxious sollicitude of ours can and will conserve our life and body by giving us those things which are necessary to their conservation S. What is the next inforcement C. The contrary practice of the Gentiles v. 32. The heathen indeed who either acknowledge no God at all or deny his providence over particular things do use this kinde of sollicitude seeking vehemently and importunately for all these things i. e. for food and drinke and cloathing for the remainder of their lives or for such a proportion of wealth as will be able thus to furnish them for their lives end and this may be allowed or pardoned them that have no better principles to build on but would be a shame for Christians to have gotten no higher by the acknowledgement of the true God and his particular providence and care over all creatures but especially over us men for whose use all other creatures were created and by the doctrine of Christianity which teacheth us faith or dependance on Christ for all and desires to mortifie all love of the gaines and pleasures of this world in us by promising us a richer inheritance then this earthy Canaan and to worke in us an indifference and untroublednesse of minde for all outward things and many other graces in order to this which no heathen could ever arrive to S What is that fifth inforcement C. It is set downe in these words v. 32. For your heavenly father knoweth that you have need of all these things i. e. these things that are necessary for you and others you need not seeke after God knowes you have need of as well as you and that God is your father and cannot be so unkinde to you as not to be willing to bestow them on you and that father an heavenly father and consequently is perfectly able to bestow them S. What is the sixth inforcement C. This that there is a farre more easie Christian and compendious way to all these necessaries of life then your sollicitude or anxious care To wit the setting our minds upon our higher interests minding and intending of those joyes in another life and that way of Christian obedience which will lead us to them which if we do thus intend God hath promised to give us these necessaries of life as an appendage or addition over and above Piety having the
of digniâ—ies acts of Jewish Zelots c. to the favouring or authorizing of any kinde of lust of divorces forbidden by Christ c. to the nourishing of rash anger uncharitable either timerarious or unmercifull censuring envie emulation variance strife malice revenge contumelious speaking whispering backbiteing c. to the excusing or justifying of piracy rapine oppression fraud violence any kinde of injustice c. to the spreading of lies slanders defamations c. to covetousnesse unsatisfiednesse uncontentednesse in our present condition desire of change casting the crosse on other mens shoulders that we may free our owne from it to dealing with others as we would not be well pleased to be dealt with our selves or in a word if they tend to the discouragingor discountenancing any Christian virtue set downe in this or any other sermon of Christ or by his Apostles or to the granting any dispensation or liberty from that Christian strictnesse in these duties or in those other of repentance selfe-denyall meekenesse mercifullnesse peaceablenesse c. by these markes and characters you may know this to be a False Teacher Yet not so farre this as that whosoever is guilty himselfe of any of these sins shall be if he be a Teacher a false one for 't is possible his Doctrine and Actions may be contrary but that if these be the fruits and naturall effects of his Doctrine then shall his Doctrine be thus condemned otherwise an ill man he may be and yeta teacher of truth a wicked but not a false Prophet S. But is it not said of these False Prophets that they come in sheepes clothing which sure signifies their outward actions to be innocent How then can they be discerned by their fruits C. I answer first that the fruits of their Doctrine may be discerned though their owne evill Actions be disguised and varnished over 2. That though their Actions most conspicuous and apparent be good yet their closer Actions which may also be discerned by a strict observer are of the making of the wolfe ravenous and evill 3. That though they begin with some good shewes to get authority though they enter as sheep doe some specious acts of piety at first yet they continue not constant in so doing within a while put off the disguise and are discernible S. What now is the fourth or last generall Precept C. The summe of it is that it is not the outer profession of Christianity or Discipleship though that set off by prophecying doing miracles c. in Christs name i. e. professing whatsoever they doe to be done by Christs power which will availe any man toward his account at that great day without the reall faithfull sincere universall impartiall performing of obedience to the lawes of Christ S. But can or doth God permit any wicked man to doe such miracles c C. Yes he may for the end of miracles and preaching c. being to convince men of the truth of the Doctrine of Christ that may well enough be done by those that acknowledge that truth though they live not accordingly the miracles done by them being not designed by God to the commendation of the instruments but to the perswading of the spectators S. § 3 Having received from you the full tale of the precepts you proposed there now remaines onely the conclusion of the whole Sermon to be discharged and then you have paid me all that your promise hath obliged you to C. It is this occasioned by the last precept of doing as well as professing Gods will that the profession of Christianity lending a patient eare to those doctrines will if it be as oft as it is trusted to and depended on to render us acceptable to Christ prove a very fallacious and deceitfull hope Whensoever any storme comes any shaking disease or affliction which gives us occasion to awake throughly and examine our selves to the bottome we are not then able to retaine any hope or comfortable opinion of our selves although in time of quiet and tranquillity before we were thus shaken we could entertaine our selves with such flattering glozes Hearing of Sermons and professing of love to and zeale for Christ may passe for piety a while but in the end it will not be so 'T is true Christian practice that will hold out in time of triall and that hope of ours which is thus grounded will stand firme and stable in time of affliction and temptation at the houre of death and the day of judgement This doctrine of Christian duty and obedience is such that can never deceive any man that is content to build upon it Nor infirmity nor sin committed but repented of and forsaken nor Devill shall ever shake any mans hold that is thus built endanger any mans salvation that lives according to the rule of this Sermon nor shall all the flattering deceitfull comforters of the world bring in any true gaine to any other And it came to passe when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes OHoly Jesu that camest downe from heaven and wert pleased to pay that deare ransome on the Crosse for us on purpose that thou might redeeme us from all iniquity and purify unto thy selfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes we beseech thee to write thy law in our hearts that most excellent divine law of thine that we may see it and doe it that we may know thee and the power of thy resurrection and expresse it in turning every one of us from his iniquities That we no longer flatter our selves with a formall externall serving of thee with being hearers of thy word partakers of thy Sacraments professours of thy truth knowers or teachers of thy will but that we labour to joine to these an uniforme faithfull obedience to thy whole Gospell a ready chearefull subjection to thy Kingdom that thou maiest rule and reigne in our hearts by Faith and that we being dead unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse may have our fruit unto holinesse may grow in Grace and in the practicall knowledge of thee Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and at last persevering unto the last attaine to that endlesse glorious end the reward of our Faith the fruit of our labours the perfection of our Charity and the crowne of our Hope an everlasting blessed life of love and holinesse with thee O Father of mercies O God of all consolations O holy and sanctifying spirit O blessed Trinity coeternall To which one Infinite Majesty We most humbly ascribe the honour glory power praise might majesty and dominion which through all ages of the world have beene given to him which sitteth on the Throne to the Holy Spirit and to the Lambe for evermore Amen FINIS Theologia est scientia affectiva non speculativa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glem Al. in pedag Of the first Covenant Of the second Covenan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉