gathered some more patience some more knowledge some more loue thanks and zeale that others can repeate Sermons or pray better then thou follow thou after them enuy them not hee that had for them hath for thee I say not equall grace what shall it need if it bee sufficient but I assure thee that none hath gathered more Manna then an Homer full .2 Cor. 8.15 so much thou hast and more they haue not then their Homer of the imputed righteousnes Let this ioy thee in thy defects teach thee to honor that God with more more holines who hath honored thee with the equall Righteousnes of his best Seruants And secondly touching thy feare of holding out I say to thee Proue to thy selfe thy faith in this act of Imputation and that thou hast receaued that from God and then I assure thee that eternall Spirit by which the Lord Iesus offred vp himselfe for his elect the weakest as well as the strongest shall also susteine thee It is the stocke which thou art by Imputation implanted into which holdes thee not thou it looke thou to thy receauing fayth and that shall so enable thee by the vertue of the gift receaued that whatsoeuer thy feares now bee that shall vphold thee eternally and when thou art weakest the power of it shall be most magnified in thee Vse 3 Thirdly this point is vse of Instruction vnto vs teaching vs the excellency of the gift of fayth The first respect And first in respect of the Nature of it Other graces of inherence dwell in the soule and are actiue within and vpon the soule more or lesse as patience sobriety c But the Nature of fayth although it be a Gift put into the soule yet standeth rather in a Passiue receptiuenes then an actiuenes it s rather like to a Begger then a Worker the Begger forsaking his bare wals seeks out for his liuing and takes it into himselfe from without the Worker earnes it from the principle of his owne skill There is no grace appointed to that purpose to which faith is viz. out of her home-emptinesse to looke out and to receaue into her selfe from God the vertue of the Lord Iesus by this imputing of righteousnesse scowring her selfe with water of life from his welspring and with wealth from his treasures Secondly in respect of the constancy of it other Graces while they last doe vs great stead as patience vnder a crosse thanks for blessings but faith alwayes receaâ—â—s this imputation of Christ from the Father aswell to couer and beautify vs all our life as at our first conuersion and carries her influence into each grace both to strengthen keep the life of it and also to couer the wants of it yea the defects of our whole course No grace can supply faith properly but faith supplyeth all them For she letteth into them the vertue of the Lord Iesus imputed by the Father to accept couer and purge them all not to speake of the worke of sanctification of which elsewhere Thirdly in respect of the prerogatiue of it that it s admitted â—o be all in all with God for the soule I may say it is that vpon earth in this militant course which Holinesse shall be in Heauen For its faith onely which maintaines Vnion and thereby communion with God She is as the Lords priuy seale thorow whose hands all grants passe and take effect no one promise can be Yea and Amen without her She receaues from God a right to all mercies ordinances and priuiledges concurres with God in this great woâ—ke of imputing Christs righteousnesse yea and the Lord dares trust her with her prerogatiue It s sayd Salomon set his mother Bathsheba by him sitâ—ing on his Throne for shee was safe and would not pull away but ascribe glory to him and compt hers to rest in his So is faith admitted in a sort to doe all vnder God to iustify to impute to reconcile and the rest because shee is made for the nonce she is loyall and made for the honor of God al that can be thinking her selfe safe when she can set the Crowne vpon his head but abhorring all trechery She is a Grace that excels all which Adam euer had because shee hides all her life hopes and welfare with Christ in God he that steales away her treasure must rob the Lord first who keeps it Whereas Adam in the midst of all his perfection yet could keepe no one parcell of it but lost all at once She can both apply the promise offred in Christ and the imputation of righteousnesse from God the Father both at once and hath in a sort a kind of omnipotence with God and so also makes that which comes from her as prayer hearing Sacraments and the like of the same precious effectuall nature with herselfe Vse 4 Fourthly let it prouoke all that partake this imputation to be thankfull to God for his most wise and gracious prouidence that hath cast their portion so in this life that if there be any defect it should be in things of lesse necessity but for those that are most essentiall he is most large and full in his prouision for them I may say the Lord deales for the soules of his people as for the mindes hee hath so written the Scriptures that if any obscurities remaine they are about things of circumstance which are not so absolutely needfull to be knowne but if they be of weight and essence they are left plaine and euident So heere if he faile vs in any grace it is in some fruits of faith as the grace of thankfulnesse loue and ioy which are to be imperfect in this life and so in knowledge of particular cases or the like none of which though we had them could iustify vs but as for the grace of reconciliation and imputation of perfect righteousnesse which onely can accept vs and pardon vs and couer all our wants this he hath prouided to the full for vs euen in this life to enioy I say in the midst of all imperfection yet the perfection of that which cannot bee wanted hee hath giuen vs. Yea and this hee will haue his people to know although it is the bane of hypocrites Yet it is the cordiall of each poore beleeuer Dogges onely will snap at it to maintaine themselues in a licentious course but the beleeuer will blesse God fot it and bee so farre from laying it in his owne way as a block of Presumption that rather hee will say If the LORD hath so regarded mee as to accompt mee his perfect righteousnesse in the midst of my vnauoydable corruptions of Nature and life Shall I turne his grace into wantonnesse or shall not I keep all wilfull wickednesse from his eyes who hath turned his eye from all my transgressions Fifthly let it bee a ground of Selfe-deniall to Vse 5 vs As wee would obtaine this Righteousnesse of another so let vs bee naked of our selves I remember what
as soone as he liveth for hee must be perfected in the wombe and brought forth and so is a childe of the world hee lived before the life of the wombe but now he lives another life in the light feedeth sleepeth cryeth suckes the breasts So is it here Faith giueth the generation and life to the soule at the first quickning but the birth is not obtained fully till it be brought forth as a new Creature by Renovation then it is declared to haue the true life of God when his image of holinesse declares it Q. Well the Similitude may serue let vs now come to the three heades and first what is the Author of this creation A. The holy Ghost As almost all the Scripture prooueth Two places may serue 1. Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed purged sanctified hy the spirit of our God So Titus 3.5.6 He saued vs by washing of Regeneration and the renuing of the holy Ghost Coâ— 2.12 And the reason is plaine For euen as it was in the vnion of Christ our head with our flesh the holy Ghost most miraculously did concurre with the matter of conception and did vnite it to God so that one person was made of two natures and by this meanes the Deity infused into the humanity the most excellent purenesse of God and the quallities of light and holinesse so this beeing for vs lo the same spirit takes the same matter of the Lord Iesus his nature and properties and vnites the one and infuses the other into the soules of his people by the worke of the Gospell Not that wee made Christ as some dreame but vnited wholly to his person and thence partake the influences of his graces wisedome and righteousnesse c both in the habite of renouation and in all the holy properties of humblenesse patience loue feare zeale c. As 2. Peter 1.3 most sweetly saith His diuine power ministring all things fit for life and godlinesse and making vs partakers of the diuine nature and gifts of the Spirit And looke how it was in the old Law that the next kinsman to the deceased was both to redeem his lost inheritance if embezeled and then to raise vp seed to him Ruth 4.5 as vnto the first borne euen so in the Gospel the Spirit of God doth not onely recouer vnto vs our lost title and inheritance of Gods fauour by forgiuenesse of our sinnes but also raise vp an holy seed vnto God by begetting in vs his Image againe so that not onely hee becomes our righteousnesse of iustificarion but sanctification also Moreover it 's cleere by this that the Spirit of God concurres with the offer of Christ vnto the soule according as it lyes and neuer seperates the things which God puts together Now as I noted in Part 2. Artic. 4. the Lord offers his Christ wholly and at once not onely adoption and reconcilation to bring vs into fauour but also sanctification to make vt the workemanship of God Yea and in truth the Spirit lookes at this chiefly For although in this life faith to iustifie a sinner is the maine gift because it giues vs the right of grace and heauen and holdes it for vs yet that which faith armes at is the renuing of the Image of God in vs. Onely becâ—use we lost it by sin therefore faith in the first place brings and knits vs to God in pardon but the perfection of it is that our lost image in Adam might be restored Now therefore the Spirit doth come and vnite them both together in the soule at once because Christ is not nor cannot be deuided either wee haue him not all or else we enioy him wholly and at once as he is offered in the word Q. I would faine know what workes the Spirit doth for the soule in this new creation of nature and infusion of qualitiess A. He doth two things First perswadeth Secondly sealeth For the first he draweth the soule to be willing to take all Christ at he is offered and to reiect no part of him and succoureth the poore soule in her application of the offer and couenant of grace Hee presenteth to the soules view the meaning of God to keepe backe nothing of his Christ but hee will haue him wholly eaten as a passeouer no bone broken no part left Though perhaps the soule see not the extent of Christ at one view yet the Spirit attends the offer of God in the Word and ceazeth the soule with that gift which God giueth As if a man being to giue his seruant a bone doth not onely reach him a ring which the seruant thinkes enough but a ring with a rich pearle of price set in it The pearle is aboue the hope of the receiuer yet because it 's not aboue the Giuers loue both are taken at once So heere the Spirit shewes the soule what God beteemes wholy tels it there is nothing too much shee shall haue vse of all for one vse or other and therefore let none be refused And this iâ— doth by the tennor of Gods charter and couenant in the Word See that noted place Who is made of the Father all the 4 Wisedome Sanctification c. Marke the Lord offers not onely righteousnesse to accept but sanctification for image Take all therefore Secondly the Spirit sealeth these to the soule See Mat. 3.11 The Lord Iesus shall baptize with the holy Ghost and fire What is that the very diuine gifts of Christ which as fire do purge and clense our drosse Col. 2.12 and bring forth our mettall as pure and cleane So in Rom. 6.4.5 he tels vs we put on Christ in baptisme and that not onely to couer our nakednesse but to warme vs with holinesse We are not only partakers of the satisfaction of Christ to forgiue vs but of his death to mortifie vs and of his life to quicken vs in both to giue vs his image And by baptisme we are sayd to be ingrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection This baptisme of the Spirit seales vp the substance of the couenant to al purposes as a seale to a writing confirmes the writing in all points Now marke the tenor of the couenant not onely to pardon our sinnes and to remember our sinnes no more but to wash vs with pure water to write his Law in our hearts and inward partes to cause vs to walke in his wayes and to put his feare into our soules that we neuer depart from him any more And from this spirit of Renuing proceedes the infusion of all diuine graces issuing from his holy nature as loue compassion meeknesse feare confidence doing and suffering for Christ and betokening our conformity Q. I rest in your answer touching the first of these three now proceed to the second what is the inward instrument on the soules part to apprehend this Creation A. Faith sauing and effectuall As appeares in those texts Act. 26.8 To giue them an inheritance among them that are sanctified
sort strongly to conceale the old Like whereto is this to thinke our lusts are mortified because by some violent cause feare penalty or inward terrors they are restained Secondly it 's vse of instruction to all new creatures to wonder Vse 2 that the Lord will accept them to be so and take them after al their refuse stuffe and seruice to old lusts to be new men who would thinke it that the Lord should chuse such defiled Temples of Idols lusts and lewdnesse to dwell in who would thinke he would admit of those nastie sties of vncleane thoughts those cages of pride vncleanesse and selfe-loue those powers members of body soule that haue been so defiled to bee weapens of righteousnesse Oh what encouragement is it to old creatures to become new The Lord will melt and alter the property of your old Idols and he will prepare himselfe euen of such mettall vessels of price for euery good work He will admit the captiue woman when shee is pared washt and shauen to be a wife for an Israelite hee wil admit Mary Magdalen Luk. 6. her eyes teares hayre lips and oyntments euen so neere as his owne sacred body and become one with her that was an harlot and abused all these to abomination Oh! how iustly might hee haue for euer left vs to our selues and sworne that no sacrifice should blot out our sinne nor would hee euer take the seruice of a persecutor to bee a preacher Oh those very powers of wit and those affections of loue and ioy which we haue so abused wee should wonder that God will purge the fretting leprosie out of them so far as to be honored by them which yet we cannot deny but he hath except we should lye against the grace of the new creature Thirdly it should admonish all to take heed how they meddle Vse 3 with any true beleeuers in Christ to hurt discourage reproach or persue them Let vs know they are new creatures and the workmanship of God him that defaceth Gods image will God destroy Beware touch not the annoynted of God doe not his image any wrong If a King will leaue him to the punishment of a Traytor who shall race out and deface his image vpon a peece of siluer what shall hee doe to them that deface the liuely image of his holinesse stamped vpon his new Creature doe not descant here and say ye doe not deface them as such but in other respects well but in as much as hee hath honoured them yee shall pay for it that yee haue not counted them precious and delighted in them that honour ye doe not to them as well as that disgrace ye offer them is not done to him is offered to him and if you dare venter to hurt them with a distinction he wil punish you without distinction If the Lord will haue others beware how they deface Vse 4 Gods creatures how much more should his new Creatures beware of defiling themselues Oh! if God haue made ye so beware ye cast not dung in his face and pollute not his image The vilest wretch that liues when hee playes his parts yet if he were the sonne of an holy father he will draw the curtaine ouer his fathers picture as ashamed of himselfe And shall not we tremble to disguize our selues with any dreg of earthlinesse enuie pride and vanity loue of our selues knowing whose Creatures we are Take but the creatures of some proud ambitious ones will they doe any thing distastfull to their makers are they not in all points like them How then dare we to tempt him after whose image wee are created Oh! what a check should it be that any leauen in so much as a mouse-hole to allude to that Iewish curiosity should bee found in vs Remember that charge of Paul Purge out the old leauen therefore 1. Cor. 6. and let vs serue the Lord in the sincerity of a new Creature old things are passed away all things become new new Adam new couenant new Paradise new Ministry new Creation new Lord new Law and all new Shall they who are thus renewed suffer that vnrenued part to get head and to darken and defile the new that euen in them old base dregs should bee obserued to deface the Image of God But more of this in the latter Article Q. Proceed to the vse of the second branch A. If faith be the instrument of this Creation wee heere doe confute the conceite of them that imagine faith to bee a branch of Sanctification Sanctification is so farre from beeing the genus or totum of faith that it differs from it the wide skie Faith is a grace that addes no inherency to the soule but onely serues to receiue a forraigne imputed righteousnesse of another sanctification receiues an infuzed righteousnesse in to the soule faith receiues a righteousnesse of perfection to stand in the sight of God sanctification a righteousnesse in part and imperfect Can then an inherent holinesse bee the cause of an imputed or can an imperfect holinesse bee the cause or genus of a perfect But I must not dwell and I see this error is lately at large confuted Onely this faith and a new Creature being parts of Regeneration and of the Totum of a conuerted one so long as they bee diuiding members they are rather things of a contrarie nature then effects and causes of each other See what I said of their difference in the beginning of this Article Secondly wee learne heere what course Gods people must Vse 5 take to repaire the ruines of their holinesse when it is decayed in them by their falles Satans preuention or the like Run to their faith fetch fire from the hearth of the Lord Iesus his spirit wee are preserued by that of which we consist if the Lord Iesus bee our principle of Regeneration by faith hee by faith must be our sustentation goe to the Promise in thy fals take hold of the strength of Christ in them and compasse not thy selfe with thy owne sparkles thinking to recover thy selfe by thy owne heate but abhorring thy selfe go to a promise and there behold apply Christ thy righteousnesse to pardon thy fals to accept thee in weaknesse to repaire thy strength and then hâ—e will be thy righteousnesse also of holinesse to enlarge thy grace and by the addition of sweetnesse and love to uphold â—hee in thy course more and more Thou hast not received Christ thy new Creature to create somewhat in thy selfe but to fetch from his fountaine grace for grace daily Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever Q. What use doe ye make of the third branch Vse 6 A Very speciall And it should first teach us a discerning use betweene all hypocrites and truely renued ones The one may set up the Image of Christ in some of the powers of his soule as in his understanding wit memory in his tongue eares sences and outward members but the renued Creature sets him up
force a good iury to bring in a false answer that he may sin by preuiledge Lastly and especially through the neighbour-hood that good hath with euill oft-times who would not commend the pity of him that refused to smite the Prophet 1 King 20.36 or the fact of the good midwiues that saued the women of Israell Exod. 1.19 and who would not at first discommend the Leuites for slaying their brethren Exod. 32. But wee must doe no good that euill may come of it and where God discharges the conscience from a Law there is no transgression as in the borrowing and robbing the iewels of the Egiptians appeares Therefore let vs cleaue to our grounds abhorre all doubtfull generall erroneous ones take paines to discerne betweene the colors of good and euill and beware we be not lead by the errour of wicked as 1 Pet. 3. end and Ephes 4.14 Q. What is the right mannor of actions A. So necessary is this rule that it reaches to all our actions yea the most indifferent in her nature and such as wee are not tyed to but are arbitrary yet when they are done are to be done in a right manner or else we sinne And this manner of doing requires two things First that they be done in the estate of well pleasing Secondly well pleasingly for the former it is an assurance that the person pleases God Heb. 11.4 for the latter it is a cleauing to the quality of performance that it be pure To the pure al things are pure in their lawfullnesse yet euen pure things must be done purely also as I noted before in the Beauty of Conuersation each action hauing in it a peculiar quality to commend it as there I noted in diuers instances And therefore next to knowledge the eye of the soule must call for this true mannor that withall closenesse entirenesse humblenesse faith wisedome loue cheerefulnesse resolution it may performe that which is good But I repeate nothing Q. VVhat is the due measure of Actions A. That the Lord be served with the best of us within by the best bent of our soules without by the best extent of our abilities and that wee keepe no false measure within vs. Our course is to deale with God as buyers and sellers doe each with other buy by one measure and sell by another So we when we trade with God are content hee should sell to vs by the largest bushell heaped thrust and running ouer but we repay to him by a cut scanty one But as we doe or would fare at Gods hand so should we measure out vnto him and in all that we doe to him or for him call forth the best of our spirit and bent of heart all our courage and might and also enlarge our actions to the greatest extent we can in number and in degree that our goodnesse may be as diffusiue and exemplary as without hypocrisie and within within our compasse may be But I haue spoken of these two before of the one in the Subiect of Regeneration of the other in the grace of Measure Looke backe to them Q. What is the true end of all good actions A. It is one of the maine of all the rest For as the end and scope of a thing giues it the being so a childe of God is more properly obedient in his end then in any hee may faile through ignorance or weake carriage or measure but in this is his glory That the desire of his soule is towards the Lord and that he may approoue himselfe to haue had an vpright ayme at the Lords ends the glory of his name good of his brethren and peace of his own heart whatsoeuer else he failes in in preaching in prayer in mercy and compassion in Sabboths in example yet that in this he is voyd of guile See Pauls boasting 1 Cor. 1.12 we haue had our Conuersation in sincerity c. This was Abimeleck's praise for the moral of it that he had done it with a pure intent It is that God lookes at Psal 51.6 It was Dauids reioycing that he walked in the perfect way Psal 101.2 and Asa his prayse that in all his distempers he still held vpright in heart Oh this a dâ—fficult worke As hucksters deale with their milke honey and wares they mixe them with waxe water and trash for the vantage so doth our heart seldome any action but some dreg and dead flye of our owne aymes and ends is ready to defile it Beware therefore and let a true end steere all the actions of our life But of this before in the grace of vprightnesse Q. Proceed to the third branch of the substance of conuersation concerning the obiect thereof what is it A. It is two fold either our Spirituall Conuersation with God himselfe or our Conuersation with man in our common life Q. What is our conuersation with God A. Godly conuersation as Peter calles it is that communion which a renued soule hath with God or in a word it is the soules enioying of God so farre as here may be and it is either inward or outward Q. What is inward conuersation how manifold A. It is twofold either the life of faith or the exercise of the Graces of the spirit within the soule Q. What is the life of faith A. The soules enioying of God Christ our Sanctification by all his promises concerning life and godlinesse And a faith at the first drawing neere to God did cleaue to him in Christ by a promise for reconciliation as in Article 6. of the second part so it proceedes and improoues Christ her sanctification for all needes and vses of this present life For as Paul saith if being enemies wee were reconciled to him by his death much more by his resurrection wee shall partake his life And againe If he haue not denyed vs his owne Son how much more shall hee not with him denie vs any thing Now saith vnderstanding whole Christ in sanctification to be made hers 1 Cor. 1.30 doth draw as a man would draw lines from a Center to the circumference on each side so particuler promises of vpholding the weake soule in each condition that so she might say in all Now liue I yet not I but Christ in me And the life I liue I liue by faith in the Son of God and againe The iust man liues by faith not as some inuert it The iust by faith shall liue Q. What promises doth faith liue by in Christ A. To speake of all were endlesse for a draughts sake I referre them to foure heads First estates Secondly meanes Thirdly duties Fourthly graces which may serue for the rest The sum is Iesus Christ is the life of the soule throughout and as before and without Christ the soule liued a naturall and common life of selfe world pleasures vanities so shee now liues the life of Christ in all those foure And shee is thus said to put on Christ that as a man in his apparell doth all the workes of this
respects First the thoughts p. 32. Secondly affections p. 33. Thirdly Actions p. 36. The third is the obiect of it eyther God himselfe and that both inward in the life of fayth p. 40. and the exercise of graces p. 43. And outward both ordinary p. 44 or occasionall p. 45. Lastly toward men eyther generall p. 45. or speciall as in marriage p. 46. Callings p. 47. trading ibid. Common life ibid. Liberties ibid. Family gouernment p. 49. the tongue p. 50. the vses 51. Artic. 3. The platforme by which this conuersation is to be framed is the Morall Law p. 56. Explication of it p. 57. Obiections answered p. 58 59 How the Law is made our direction By Christ as First our Priest p. 60. Secondly our King p. 61. Thirdly our Prophet p. 62. The directions themselues or Rules p. 63. the vses p. 66. Artic. 4. God hath ordained variety of excellent meanes sutable for the vpholding of our conuersation p. 70. Explication of it p. 71. their names and distinctions ordinary extraordinary publike priuate p. 74. How wee may grow by each of these in particular p. 76. the vses p. 88. Artic. 5. that the conuersation of the new Creature is beset with manifold lets and encumbrances p. 92. Explication p. 93. their seuerall sorts p. 94. First Sinne. Explication p. 95. Secondly Satan p. 96. Explication ibid. The particular kinds thereof and first the Temples properties p. 99. then the temptations themselues p. 100. The third world Explication p. 107. The sorts eyther the dead world p. 108. or the liuing p. 112. The vse 113. Standing in remedies Eyther against sinne p. 115. or Satan and world p. 118. Artic. 6. God hath prouided for his people manifold priuiledges to encourage them to holy conuersation p. 122. Explication ibid. The sorts of them eyther temporall Their names ibid. or spirituall Their sorts p. 126. The vses 127. Artic. 7. The vse of the whole part thorowout to the end GEntle Reader the Author hauing sent his Copy afterward sent sundry Additions the insertings whereof in their due place was not easy Therfore place them aright thus Page 86. line 19. after these words of the Law begin the A. to the Q. thus A. Paul doth in that place c. Also in l. 22. the beginning blot out these words A. Both may be together Page 130. after the 34 l. ere thou r. the Q. bring in 17. l. in P. 134. from l. 7. to l. 28. thus well I am satisfyed c. Page 157. after l. 24. ere thou r. that Q. beginning thus The Doctrine of c. bring in all that Section conteind from P. 46 l. 29. till P. 48 l. vlt. In Page 135. set the Q toward the end of the p. all the A. of it 7. l. after before the 25th l. of p. 134. Page 187. l. 26 r. this all following to p. 207. l. 7. I say r it after l. 21. of p. 234 If in some place after sundry vses handled thou meet with the next Q. in this tenor what vse make you of this correct it thus what further vse make you of this to auoyd confusion The order of this view FIrst I will chuse such Scriptures as doe naturally and in briefe containe the summe of each of the three parts premising a text to each part that we may heare God and not man to speake Then in the second place I will more fully subioyne the seuerall Articles of each part which belong thereto with the proofes openings and vse thereof And both these in forme of Catechizing The text for the first part TITVS 3.3 For we also were in times past vnwise disobedient deceaued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy hatefull and hating one another Question WHat is the connexion of this text A. The Cretians to whom Paul writes hauing receiued the profession of the Gospell vpon them teaching them to beleeue in Christ the Lord of all and to stand fast in the liberty by him purchased to the conscience began to thinke themselues too good to serue their Superiours Princes Magistrates or Masters But the Apostle presseth them to a close obedience and walking with God both in this and all other commandements And hee vrgeth this point of obedience to GOD and man which is the summe of the third part of the Catechisme by a comparison of the first and second parts of the Catechisme viz. Sinne and grace thus It were a shame for Christians to walke vnder grace as they did before during the tyme of sinne and ignorance But of this latter sort were ye Cretians sometimes viz. foolish disobedient deceaued c. Now since the Grace of God appeared ye are saued and vnder grace Bee ashamed therefore to liue now as then and become obedient Thus we see by this Argument the three parts of the Catechisme are couched together Q. What is the meaning of the third verse in which the Doctrine of the first part is conteined A. He describes the misery vnder which these Cretians lay in their vnregeneracy In which although all be not sayd which other Scriptures conteine yet so much is sayd as may be a ground-worke to the rest The order is this First hee layes downe the misery of their mindes they were Foolish that is void of all sound knowledge in Gods matters or their owne good meere spirituall fooles in the midst of their carnall wisdome This foolishnes is partly Originall partly actuall Originall is the deprauednes of the vnderstanding and the guilt thereof As in fooles there is a naturall disability of the powers and Organs of nature and so an vtter impotency to reach the truth of things euen so in all naturall men whether vnder meâ—ues or without them they are fooles in respect of wisdome to saluation And as Law strips fooles of all right to an estate making them obnoxious to a kind of misery so doth spirituall ignorance robbe the soule of Heauen Secondly this foolishnes is actuall standing in the natural defilement of the mind with all idle and erroneous thoughts of God themselues with pollution of iudgement and vnderstanding issuing thence Q. What else doth the Apostle adde A. The next is Corruptednes of the heart or will expressed in the terme of Disobedience which is also Originall or Actuall Originall is the vtter losse of true freedome of the will in point of Subiection to the mind So that as the mind is wholy blynd so is the will wholy rebellious and vnsubiect voide of all submission to any Commands of God quite auerse from any thing which hee doth or can impoze And the guilt heerof is lyablenes to wrath or Iustice Secondly hence issue all Actuall habits of Rebellion as Impiousnes vnrighteousnes intemperancy and the like Q. Is this all which Paul describes sinne by A. No hee vseth three other descriptions first he sayth they were deceaued that is As a foole is cheated easily by euery one so is a spirituall foole this toucheth
mans body especially his soule to communicate himselfe so farre to a piece of clay what meditation can equall it Fourthly it should teach vs much more to beleeue how Vse 4 admired he can make himselfe in all his Siants by his second creation especially at his second comming and the whilest in repayring of his Image more perfectly in those that beleeue faith beeing a greater excellency and tending to a neerer vnion then euer any perfection of Adam Oh! it should conuince vs of the goodnes of mercy and cast out that enmity of ours which cannot beteame God one good thought Fifthly it should teach vs the equity of Gods commands Vse 5 and iustice of his threats euen against our corrupt nature For the Lord lookes not at our inability but his owne goodnes in the enabling of vs once to obey And whereas some cauillers alledge that Adam had not faith giuen him therefore GOD cannot iustly require the punishment of vnbeleefe I answer yes for although Adam had not the grace he needed not yet he had such grace as enabled him to obey aswell in those charges which God should put vpon him which he losing by sinne is iustly punisht for it Lastly it should stop the mouth of all cauillers against God Vse 6 for not creating Adam with a confirmed nature to perseuere Rather let vs turne our selues to condemne Adam and confesse his iudgement was most iust that for so needlesse and so friuolous an addition of content to his appetite he would lose so vnspeakable a Iewell as he forfeited Q. But did Adam continue in this integrity Art 2 A. No. He fell from it by wilfull transgression Gen. 3.7 Rom. 5.12 Eccl. 7.29 Rom. 5.19 And this disobedience was the violation of the charge of God not to meddle with the Tree of Good and euill This sin was not a bare eating of the forbidden fruit but a compound and fardell of all sinnes in one A proud disloyall needlesse distrustfull reuolting discontented vnthankfull rebellious departing from the blessed God to a base creature euen when he was set in the midst of all perfection aboue all base obiects Q. But how could this be he beeing Gods Image A. He was actually so but not vnchangeably Therefore hauing his will left in her-freedome vnestablisht by gracious determining thereof to good Lo when a sensible obiect is presented by the Deuill first she as the weaker then he by her meanes freely chose to leaue God and to embrace the creature And hereby when hee was made able if hee would to stand although so as hee might fall he turned this voluntary might into a necessity of falling and an impossiblenes of returne by himselfe Q. How lay ye forth this sinne more fully A. By two things First The descriptioÌ„ of the Holy Ghost Secondly By the parcels of the sin For the first The Scripture calles Gen. 3.6 Rom. 5. 1. Tim. 2.13 14. it That disobedience That offence That transgressioÌ„ noting it to be the compound of all in one yea the roote of all most odious of all as beeing the first of all which durst enterfeer with the righteous nature and will of GOD. But especially Salomon Eccles 7. vlt. calls it a Finding out of inuentions No man can fynde out any thing that good is beyond God God had found out and bestowed vpon Adam and Eue all goodnes in perfection yet cut of a wearynes of welfare they would finde out beyond him be wiser then he supposing to better their estate but they found out nothing but their own findings sinne and sorrow as it was iust they should do who would go beyond GOD They found out indeed new occasion and worke which God neuer set them and theâ—â— deuised lyes and shifts but they found out misery to be their portion when all the rest vanished Q. How by the parcels of the sinne A. First by the circumstances Secondly by the fall it selfe The circuÌ„stances are as the persons belonging to it First The Serpent Secondly Satan Thirdly Eue Adam Touching the first The Serpent being the wisest subtillest creature fittest for Satan to worke by of least suspition both readiest to take fire froÌ„ hell to set Eue on fyer therewith is vsed Satan comes not we see without his tew and tackling but strong and well prepared heer was the mayne fight vpon which all his kingdome hung eyther now or neuer therefore now he vnites al his feates and forces strength cruelty subtilty diligence malice in one Is there any one wiser and apter creature to conuey temptation by a voice then other That he chuseth Is eyther of the two parties siâ—lier weaker to bee gulled then other Her he lights upon Is this woman at any odde time lesse her selfe weaker then weaknes it selfe Then hee comes Is there any way to eyther lay out the excellency of the obiect or to extenuate the attâ—mpt vrged to alay the charge or to traduce the Commander That hee lights on The second person is Satan who had bin an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11 â—uâ— as other Scriptures doe prooue beeing left iustly by GOD to the tempâ—tation of Ambition and aspiring to be as GOD fell to be discontent with their estate and to puffe vp themselues with pride Iude. 6. and to withdraw themselues from their place and forsooke their seruice for how should pride stand before a God of holines Oh! this clipt their wings of readines Psal 146. Then all cheerfull loyall seruiceablenes was gone By this meanes God cast them downe to Hell and there reserued them in chaynes they hauing lost that they had and that they desired turne their rage against God who had plagued them and their eâ—uâ— against man his fauorite neuer lâ—nning till they had also cast him out of Paradise The Third is Eue and Adam who did most immediately concurre to this their owne transgression Q. What things obserue you in their fall A. Things of two soâ—s First The remote causes Secondly The more neere and proper The former were these First changeablenesse of their will Secondly Vnarmednesse against the temptation Thirdly the peculiarity of the same For first Let vs not blame GOD but looke at man whose habituall holines wanting a confirmation of grace determining the will against the obiect then and thus offered was corrupted to a passiue capablenes of euill Beware heere of murmuring against God saying What was it to make them tâ—uâ— perfect wanting an Holy necessity of nature to stand Oh man whoart thou The Second was their vnarmednesse They meant indeed no euill but they vsed not that power to stand which God had put into them they watched not to keepe pure beeing made so it s not enough for a seruant not to purpose to go out of his Masters worke except he resolue also faythfully to dwell vpon it without vnsettling They knew good from euill in the speculation for they had heard the charge and threat of God both of not eating and of
hold and keepe the soule whoÌ„ he will saue from all reuolt to former lust liberties The spirit of bondage is the frame of a fearfull heart held vnder slauery and chaynes of the Law from all escaping As we say such a man hath the spirit of mirth or Couetousnes in which he is rooted So in one place a woman is sayd to haue a spirit of infirmity viz. Sealth when her disease had so preuayled â—uer that she was crazed by habit So the spirit of bondage Gal 4.7 is to be as one sold to iâ— â—hat cannot get out It might bee wondred at that the Lord should vse such a course to do the soule good but considering our cursed base heart which is like the slaue no longer to bee in worke then the whip is vpon the backe it is no marueile Take a similitude Wee know it is one thing to bee rankt in the forlorne band which goes against the Cannon mouth another to bee beleaguered in a City by a long siege The one looke at present danger which when it s ouer they are past it but in the City men are held vnder continuall feare they see the Image of Death before their face ten wayes by famine pestilence Sword heere one wall beaten downe there another heere one slayne there another some dye of famine and threaten the rest to follow so heere to be vnder bondage is to lye vnder chaines as Peter vnder many keepers by which meanes frequent terrors assault dayly more or lessâ— and the soule is held to it as poore Israel vnder bricke and clay Neuer was this Taskemaster of more vse then in these dayes wherein men shunne legall feares as Todes or Serpents or if any come nigh them they shake it off with violence It s yrkesom to the flesh to bee vnder the whip long some way of breaking out of this house of Correction they deuise thinking themselues neuer well till they be at their old liberty out of the hands of so hard a Master But as it is with the breaker of the house of Correction or prison his end is commonly to be hanged so is it with such as despize this remedy of a licentious heart Now for vse of it beware that wee rest not in this feruill state Whatsoeuer the LORD meanes to do by it in time when hee offers the Gospell to the soule sure it is this is no state to rest in For why It differs from true feare as much as from true liberty True feare is the Lodestone to attract the soule to GOD and to acquaint it with GOD thus rather of it selfe dryues it away from God especially if it bee in any excesse Secondly This feare hath a respect to sinne onely as an occasion to punishment as a cause As wee see in the Slaue who lookes not at his Sloth but the whip But the true filiall feare looks at sinne as the proper cause of feare but at punishment as the occasion Thirdly True feare softens this rather hardens and imbitters the heart As wee see both in the examples of Iosiah who melted and Ahab who hardend his heart by his feare and returned to his pranks The feare of a condemned man is an hardner of him but he that heares of a pardon relents at it presently Fourthly It hath excesse in it both for the constant assault of it without intermission in all places dutyes and occasions and also for the dangerous inconuenience it brings after it oft times Hinders all fitnes of spirit both to duty and in duty to calling worship liberty solitarines defiles all and is a speciall sparke to light vpon the sad and melancholique temper of the body which the Deuill seldome fayles in to make it flash vp and blow vp the whole frame of nature yea euen in the godly themselues its a mayne enemy to fayth hope or other graces or duties Fifthly And the truth is looke how the feare of her that played the harlot differs from the loyall wifes so doth this from the feare of the regenerate the one feares danger and hurt from her husband the other reuerences him from loue Saul feared Dauid because he lookt for danger from him no otherwise Let the vse then I say be to take heed lest we rest in it Vse 2 And secondly let none heere stumble at my description of it for although it bee no better in it selfe yet the LORD can moderate qualify and correct it so that it shâ—lbe a speciall medicine to prepare the heart for that which lightnes and giddines would disable it from attayning Pray therefore for a moderation of it and a directing it to the end which God intâ—nds it for and the lesse good is in it of it selfe the more adore his wisdome who vses it to good both in â—he restreint of euill and the preparing of the heart to more stayednes sobriety Q What is the end of GOD in this worke of the Law A. To make way for a sinners reconciliation which otherwise were not possible to worke As soone catch an Hare with a Tabre as a wiâ—d wiâ—full sinner by the Charme of the Gospell That woman of Samaria scoffed at Christ telling him the well was deepe and there was no bucket But when he had well tozed her she changed her humour See Ioh. 33.33 If then after long terrors there bee an interpreter one of a 1000 to declaâ—â— to man his Râ—conciliation he will be good to him and be entreated saying Deliuer him I haue accepted a ransome But how appeares this â— Doubtlesse hitherto appeares no such things in all this tedious Law-course no as the Law is for her vsâ— so is the Gospell for hers neyther intimating other but oppozite saue in the intent of the ordeyner But if we looke thereat we shall in sundry respects confesse this a most wise and fit way to bring on the remedy First By this meanes GOD ioynes all wholesome Doctrine together For it is not his purpoze to leaue the soule in this case to seeke out of her selfe after ease seeing it s not in her power But hee himselfe will haue his Minister to ioyne all Doctrines together in the order of Catechizme both of remedy and misery in their due order Not because all that heare them can for the present apply them but that heereafter they might and the whiles want nothing which might set them on worke Secondly by this consternation he doth tyre and weary the spirits as in a Labyrinth working theÌ„ to an vtter hopelesnes in thâ—mselues to be better that in such a case the least inkling of mercy might be as newes out of a farre country Thirdly That by the hearesay of it their hearts might be â—â—ysed vp to make serious inquisition after it and not to Perish in their misery When the prodigall was brought to huskes at the trough then and neuer till then the notion of a father pierced him reaâ—ly When those lepers saw their liues past hope they resolued thus If wee
horror are vpon mee my nights are wearisome my daies miserable As one in a Forrest lost sees twenty deathes before him by wildring by thirst by wilde beasts but no escape so do I fare not knowing what weapon conscience will vse to deuoure me Chuse rather to bee thus for the killing of thy flesh then at liberty to the death of thy soule And wayt in this estate vpon GOD till he cause light to breake out which in a word I will adde in the next Question and so end this part Q. But what is this toward conuersion A. True If God should so leaue the soule But heere marke the connexion of this to the second part following The Lord where he meanes to saue keepes not the soule alway in this anguish but causes some vpholding of his secret spirit to keepe vp the soule of him whom hee will saue from vtter extremity This he doth by shewing of them a dore of hope in the wildernes as he sayth in Hosee 2.15 causing some glimpse a farre off to appeare to them as a crâ—uis of light in a prison-wall as to consider that GOD hath had a gracious meaning to 1000s whom he hath thus humbled that by Hell lies the way to Heauen that GOD delights not in this course if the Rebellion of the heart did not require it that GOD doth that which the soule shall not know till after he meanes to make CHRIST sweet precious and welcome not as Hony to a full Laodicean stomacke he begin to lay some ground of mortification which in the due time the Gospell shall perfect See that in the 10. of Ezra the second verse There is hope concerning this thing also Iona. 3.9 Who can tell whether GOD will repent So in Acts. 2. How were those murtherers of Christ stayd by that the Apostles told them And yet they had not felt the promise But by such glimpse of the Gospell which GOD requires to be ioyned with the Law the LORD keepes his from reuolt to old base lusts whatsoeuer come of them from a despayre of mercy and vndoing themselues or from a careles dissolutenes which end goeth forward And hauing so vpheld them by the chin from sinking for a time he doth let in light by such degrees as hee sees them meetest to beare and to keepe them low from waxing bold and venterous till at length he settle them vpon his promise as in the next part shall appeare Q. I partly conceyue you howbeit this cloze of the first part beeing weighty open it a little and first what reasons are there why GOD vseth this method A. First to keepe the soule from extremityes of presuming or despayring of which see in Article sixe both being dangerous rocks the one separating the meanes from the end running to their old liberties and yet hoping to fare well the other separating the â—nd from the meanes after all their humblings yet thinking there is no mercy for them See Ier. 2.25 the Lord by this light at a creuis holds vp the soule from both Secondly Hee encourages such to beare the yoke of the law as otherwise for the tediousnesse of it would shake it off Thirdly Hee deales according to the capacity of their weakenesse because they cannot beare much terror he eases them and because they dare not hearken to much comfort at once Esay 63.9 he giues them a little at once in the former shewing himselfe a pittifull God who delights not in the misery of any poore soule vnder his lode or to adde sorrow in the latter a wise GOD to feed with a few crummes when morsels will not goe downe and to refresh with drops when draughts cannot bee digested Fourthly Hee doth it for the honour of his owne worke of calling hee hath promised to call those whom hee hath chozen which hee should not doe if hee left them in these briers Numb 14.15 Moses tels the Lord If hee should leaue his people in the Wildernesse the Nations would say Because hee could not bring them into Canaan hee left them there So this is a strong cause And lastly by this hope he shewes them that he is as able to giue them his full promise and the effect thereof sound peace as he can stay them vp from sinking when they are at so low an ebbe of casting downe Not to speake of the method that God takes with his to begin early to reueale himselfe to them in his smaller prouidence and susteinings that they may learne to trust him the better for euer after euen in the greatest Q. By what meanes doth he worke it Ezra 10.2 read the place A. By presenting to them duly the sight of a possibility to get out of their terror That hee deales not in Afflicting his as with the wicked Esay 27.7.8 Did he afflâ—ct them as those who afflictâ—d them He will doe it in measure That he abhorres excesse in his terrors Esay 64.12 Wilt thou refraine thy selfe and hold thy peace still and afflict vs very sore So chap. 63.15 Where are thy rollings are they quite restrained Psal 44.22 23. Wilt thou alway bee angry Forget to shew mercy No hee answers himselfe Esay 57.16 I will not contend for euer nor bee alwaies wroth for the Spirit should faile before mee and the soules which I haue made That he barres none from him who barre not themselues 2 Chron. 15.2 That there is a necessity of afflicting them with such tedious terrors or else he delights not in it Read Esay 57.17 18. For the iniquity of his couetousnesse I smote him the went on frowardly in the way of his heart viz. till then I haue seene his waies and I will heale him c. That hee hath not done this to destroy but to humble for alas Esay 27.3.4 if hee meant so What are the bushes to his consuming fire And all these he doth cause them to digest and stay themselues by and fasten vpon in more or lesse measure to keepe them from extremity causing terror to decrease and hope to succeed as we see in his course with Iob as tedious as it was Iob 32.40 in sending Elihu and chap. 40.1 2 3. in speaking himselfe for the proportion both doe agree Q. Iâ— this hope grace or can any such bee said to beleeue it A. No hope is the fruit of faith this hope goeth before faith Yet it is such as the Lord enableth to vphold them betweene the horrours of the Law and the grace of the Gospell the LORD being as truly in his way with them whom hee will bring home euen in the first seed and beginning as in the perfitings thereof if wee knew assuredly who they were See Acts 15.18 Q. What are the markes of this hope A. Such as these First In the entrance it is very weake and staggering betweene feare and hope very doubtfull Ionas 3.9 Who can tell It s a great hazard Onely as it is in Gold-weights the least straw will cast them so heere it
somewhat cut of our selues the imputation of the righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus remoouing our guilt and bestowing on vs pardon acceptance to fauour and right to eternall life as adopted heires thereof And in this respect we are regenerated and borne again by reconciliation Secondly by the estate of grace in somewhat within vs which is the Inherency of that Image of Christ infuzed into vs and abiding in our nature soule and body and all the powers and faculties of both purging out and killing old euils and planting good anew in the stead thereof In both these stands the new creature renewed in Christ to true righteousnesse and holinesse in this World and heereafter to the glorious image of God in perfection And this latter concerneth our Renouation Q. Doth the Text mention any more A. Yea the instruments of applying these good things to vs And that both outward and inward Outward the Word and Sacraments He nameth not the Word but yet includeth it For a seale is nothing without a couenant He meanes theÌ„ that by the word of truth the Couenant of Grace offring vs to be reconciled to God preached freely generally without exception to such as need it to all sorts ages sexes conditions the Lord as by an externall ordinance doth apply and conuey these good things of Iesus Christ to his elect And then hauing so done he sealeth vp and assureth them by the answerable seale of Baptisme Then the inward instrument of application without which the outward is barren is the worke of the Spirit of regeneration which attends the Word and Baptisme and washeth the soule by the power thereof euen the Spirit of Christ To the which end this Spirit doth ingender the grace of faith in the soule for the apprehending of our part in our particular Saluation and Regeneration Which grace of faith although it be not heere named yet is implied sufficiently in this worke of the Spirit For there is no other way for the Spirit to settle these benefits vpon vs but faith onely as in the Articles following shall appeare And thus we see how the Apostle doth in this text most pithily contriue the chiefe heads of this Part as in the Articles following appeares The Articles of the Second Part. Q. What is the first Article in this Second Part Article 1 A. That there is a Deliuerance ordained and granted to miserable man out of this his thraldome As the matter of Adams creation lay before the Lord at his free choise whether to create it or not so the obiect of Redemption fallen man lay at the Lords courtezie whether or no he would deliuer him If man had beene wholly left to himselfe his mends had beene in his owne hands in all outward miseries it s otherwise a man may be lost in a forrest and perish pursued by enemies assaulted by diseases oppressed by death perish without help Heere not so misery was the furthest from meriting but not occasioning mercy the Lord freely out of meere mercy beheld misery and when there was none to saue he himselfe did yea vsed this ruine as a meane of declaring himselfe to man the author of a farre more excellent estate then he lost by his fall And this purpoze of God the Father to permit the fall that he might worke his owne endes thereby viz. the setting forth of the riches and treasure of his grace of election in Christ by the meanes of calling and the Gospell is that which the Holy Ghost doth make the obiect of the admiration and astonishment of men and Angels Who pry into this mystery as the Cherubins into the Mercy seate So that first note In the most wofull mine of man there is a deliuerance See these texts Eph. â— 1 1. Thess 1. vlt. Luke 1.74 Esay 63.5 And secondly it s appointed by the Lord out of the vnsearchable treasure of his wisedome vsing it as a meane to declare himselfe to his Church in all those excellencies of his attributes especially the coniunction of mercy and iustice which in the creation could not appeare See Col. 1.27.28 Eph. 2.10 Q. What vse may be made heereof A. Singular vse and that many waies first To stay the heart of a distressed wretch in the sight of his misery by this light and dore of hope Although farre from beleeuing it yet by hope to sustain it selfe by from vtter sinking Oh blesse that fountain which could not bee dryed vp by sinne rather occasioned it selfe to mercy by misery Wonder why Angels were left remedilesse not wee Ponder it in our deepe feares and remember the Gospell of deliuerance is froÌ„ God as well as the Law of terror despaire not the Lord cuts off none who cut not off themselues Secondly let it teach vs to gather to our selues a Article 2 strong bottome against that slauish feare and enmity of our spirit against GOD. Why oh man If GOD were as thou framest him where had thy hope beene Dost thou not see that the LORD IESVS himselfe came from the mercy of an enemy Is then anger alone in God who against the cry of infinite iustice had a deeper mercy in store darest thou call him an hard Master or aduersary who of his owne will and loue cut off his owne plea and deuised a deliuery when no man or Angell could dreame of it Is hee like to reiect a poore soule who hath layd the foundation of his grace in such a foundation as Emanuel Thirdly let it teach the Ministers of the Gospell to looke to the order and substance of their teaching The order not to mis match these two doctrines of the first and second part of the Catechisme teaching this before the other be well grounded in the hearer For the substance taking heed least they defraude the soule of this point when shee is low brought but to offer it as an vpholder for a time till more come But fourthly and especially let this bee a meane to carry a poore heart that would faine beleeue quite beyond and out of her selfe The meditation of this freedome of Gods purpose first especially for the glorifying of himselfe in all his attributes should rauish the heart and carry it out of the basenesse of selfe and selfe-endes into the streame of this soueraigne will and glory of God It should bee aboue our owne saluation And it cannot be well conceiued how those preparatiues to sayth should be wrought in the hearer sauingly and not slauâ—shly as endeauours of our owne except this streame of Gods glory and ayme at his owne endes aboue ours be set before our eyes to abandon all selfe-respects in the matter of sayth and saluation Let vs diâ—â—gently try our owne spirit from the true Spirit of Grace by this marke Q What else doth this Article containe A. Besides this that God hath not left man to sinke in his owne misery but hath in his deepe wisedome found out the way of his deliuerance this Article aymes at a further end viz.
for if the surâ—ty faile in any point his vndertaking is vneffectuall Greatmen must haue their Peeres to acquit them no common persons Sâ—e Rom. 1.3 Eph. 1. vlt. Q What is the vse of it A. Briefly this to stay and comfort an heauy heart in the view oâ— the hainous circumstances of her sinne making it out of measure sinfull as depth of continuance odious greatnesse against knowledge meanes of grace with an high hand Bee not dismaid Hee that is thy surety made not thy peace for small and some but all and the greatest so that thy thought must be how to receaue this fulnesse Heb 9 14. not for the greatnesse of the sinne The Lord Iesus offred himselfe vp by his eternall Spirit that an eternall Maiesty might bee appeased for sin of an eternall guilt and curse and such is all sin but especially crying sin his merit is more out of measure deseruing then sinne is sinnefull and hath merited far more happinesse then Adams sinne forfeited Get humblenesse and faith and then thy great sins shall be as deaw to the sunne and as a spoonefull of water cast into the Ocean Q What is the third thing considerable A. Vnion of both natures into one person by the vnconceauable work of this Spirit of God It s much that a soule and a body but much more that flesh and the Word should be really one person I doe not say that the Diuinity of Christ was a nature as the humanity for Christ was so a nature that yet a distinct subsisting person of himselfe But the meaning is that this person of the Word tooke the nature of his flesh into his person therein to subsist The flesh of Christ was no person as Abraham or Dauid but a nature onely hauing no subsisting of it selfe at all but as it dwelt in the Godhead As Misleto is no plant of it selfe otherwise then it fastens and subsists in the appletree So that Iesus Emanuel God and man vnited was the third qualification of the surety Assistance could not haue caused identity or samenesse onely hypostaticall vnion could do that By vertue whereby not onely properties are communicated to ech other in forme oâ— speech as The Lord of life was slayne GOD dyed c. but in reall manner the efficacy of the one nature was imparted to the other Yet this vnion doth no more admit confuzion then separation no not in the lowest degree of eclipsing in death or the graue See text Ioh. 1.1 â—say 1.4 Call him Emanuel Mat. 1.23 Q. What is the vse heereof A. Most sweet lo all broken soules in their approch to the throne of grace What is so bottomles and vnsubsisting a thing in it selfe as a soule in the anguish of conscience Yet euen then looke vp to Emanuel and he will vnite thy poore empty bottomlesse spirit to his owne person that in him thou mayst haue a reall beeing and subsistence Oh poore soule who thinkest thy selfe meerely lost in this thy estate In time thou shalt see it was mercy brought thee to be out of hope in thy selfe that the hope of thy wel beeing might be in him for euen the flesh of Iesus himselfe had the like vnablenesse of subsisting except the second person had taken it to himselfe Q. What is the vnction of Christ A. It is a consequent vpon his personall vnion whereby the Godhead made the man-hood full of himselfe and of all gifts and graces of the Spirit meet to enable him to his worke of mediation and by name separated him from men to be excellent as to be the Prophet Priest and King of his Church That this was from the wombe appeares by sundrie glorious effects exceeding man as that in Luk. 2. at twelue yeeres old Yet especially his Baptisme was the anoynting of him to the entire and immediate execution of these Offices for therein hee did more fully receiue the anoynting with the Oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes as was prophecied Psal 2. Esay 42.1 and Esay 61.1.2 He was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliuer his people And these offices do mutually serue each other The vse is that wee his members might acknowledge him an eminent Mediator as hauing a calling from GOD as those three sorts of Men had vnder the old Testament And that we might be out of doubt that the acts and suffrings he performed were allowed according to that voice This is my well beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And that wee knowing into what treasure the Lord hath put all his graces euen the flesh of Christ might there seeke and finde them all Therefore 1. Cor. 1.30 Paul sayth Of him are we who is made vnto vs of the Father wisedome as a Prophet righteousnes as a Priest sanctification and Redemption as a King Ioh. 1.17 Reuel 1.6 The Lord hath made him whatsoeuer his Church needes that of his fulnes we might receyue grace for feare And that we also in our measure together with vnion to him might receyue his vnction and become Prophets Kings and Priests to God and be conformed to our head in all his excellencies not in the poynt of his meritig but of his Graces Q. Proceed to the fourth the former part to wit the merit A. This is yet more essentiall then the former three The fourth then I say is Actiue obedience of Christ I do not separate the actiue from the passiue as if eyther alone could satisfie or as if I ascribed the effects of eyther to the one without the other but yet distinctly I speake of both for the vse of each of them to the soule Marke then what I haue noted The Lord Iesus became piacular for vs not onely by bearing our punishment but by translating vpon himselfe the reall imputation of our guilt with out the least measure of inherent guilt This latter would haue disabled his person for he must be separated from sinners Heb. 7.26 yet the want of the former would haue made his merit none of ours and his death vniustly inflicted Therefore he was made Sinne originall and actuall all the sins of the elect were charged vpon him that he by his perfect obedience might disanull them and bring in and settle vpon vs perfect righteousnes And as the miâ—ery of a man stands in both sinne and guilt and staine aswell as in curse so must our Surety performe righteousnes aswell as beare the curse Now this righteousnes of Christ is both his Naturall and his actuall opposite to this naturall and actual vnrighteousnes of Adam I say both the purity of his humane nature infused by Vnion aâ—d also the obedience to the whole Morall Law to the vttermost extent thereof And this is as true a part of the material cause of our iustification as the other of the Passiue though not to be disioyned Q Whereof doth this Article obedience consists A. Of the whole conuersation of our Lord Iesus his
who had the power of it and all his instruments made his Crosse his Trophee and his Chariot of Triumph ouer them all like Samson who more hurt his enemies at death then all his life So thirdly after death when they had got his dead body into the graue thinking that the sealing of the stone could haue made him theirs neuer to rise any more Lo by his power hee kept his vnion still and after his fourty houres sleepe was ouer hee resumed his body and soule againe and gaue them another blow worse then all roze againe conquered their malice neuer more to be conquered to dye no more All the enemies in Hell and vpon Earth could not any further assault him his triumph being begun he was out of their reach Q. What vse make you hereof A. First the maine vse which is also the scope of this sixth Branch is the assurance which the poore soule vnder a condition of grace may take to it selfe in pleading her part in this satisfaction For what gaue a being and life to this suffering of Christ Surely his conquest If any enemy could haue held him vnder chaynes from his victorious Resurrection all his satisfaction had beene frustrate But that could not bee It was vnpossible as wee see Act. 2.24 that death should hold him Now then by his conquest how liuely renowmed powerfull a merit gaue hee to all his suffrings He sent his Church into assured possession of all his merits Oh as the autor to Heb. 10.22 saiâ—h Let vs come with this Assurance of Faith to the throne of Grace saying Lord giue thy poore needing seruant the fruit of my Lord Iesus his obebience the power of his conquest the full efficacy of his redemption That as hee Rom 1.1 Eph. 1.21 by his Godhead declared himselfe a Coâ—queror and asâ—uâ—ed the truâ—h of his merit and death yea consummated it alâ—hough he laid vpon the Crosse All was finished so my soule may take hold of this strength and claime the life and power of this satisfaction with fuller assurance Oh let vs not want the strength of this perswasion but presse it and say Lord I come to thee in the merit of a Christ not dead but aliue a Conqueror that made good to me all his sufferings by his victory and gaue all his enemies a deadly blow when they looked to haue ouerthrowne him Let this bee the first Vse learne this as the maine to drinke at this cisterne this well of Saluation as the former and then the other comfortale Vses will follow of themselues Q What other follow heereupon A. Sundry consolations to a beleeuing soule touching the Assurance of Faith and Perseuerance Victory in Combats Afflictions Death it selfe and against the power of the graue The Lord Iesus hath the key of death in his hand and will make his more then Conquerours in all nothing shall separate Rom. 8. vlt. any of his from him Tâ—uching Faith how many are the feares that a poore soule hath she shall neuer bee able to beleeue Within her selfe what weakenesse forgetfulnesse melancholy guilt of Conscience through corruption a dead heart slauish and fearefull presumptuous hardned by the deceit of sinne vnworthinesse neglect of the season of grace this body of death oppozing all savor of goodnesse and so euen death of body makes them afraid they may dye ere they beleeue So without them what temptations against God the Scriptures what enemies haue they to darken and dull them their sences vnderstandings and heart what enemies of the wicked haue they without them Ill husbands Wyues to dismay them telling them that they cannot bee assured in this life of their saluation How doe enemies affright them with malice threats big lookes disdaine and scorne putting them in feare they shall neuer escape out of their clawes In this variety of affliction what is there to sustaine them what is it which teacheth them to kisse the rod Mic. 7.9 take vp their crosse and heare the indignation of the Lord till hee pleade their cause and bring forth their light Surely the strength of this their Captaine and Conqueror the Lord Iesus who hath told them In the world they shall haue affliction Iohn 16. vlt. but be of good Comfort I haue ouercome the world It s he that tels them till Gods season of their suffring be come so much so long and that very crosse God hath ordeined for them no enemy shall doe them hurt And when they doe hee will make it tolerable and easie vnto them doe them good for their sakes that hurt them Rom. 8. But aboue all they are made Conquerors and their chin is kept aboue water they fight vnder hope of victory and say with the Church Mica 7.8 Reioyce not ouer me Oh my enemy for when I am downe I shall rise and when thou art fallen thy wound shall be incurable There is a fable that when the Goat cropped the Vine-branches shee bids the Goate Bite and spare not but shee should beare so much Wine as should serue to sacrifice her This Vine is the militant body of Christ so that as he feared not his enemies because he subdued them in suffring so should they Q What else A. Lastly it comforts them by Faith in the Conquest of our Lord Iesus against the power of the graue For as it was with their Head hee could not bee held in it Act. 2.24 so with them their flesh rests in hope of that triumph Oh Hell where is thy sting oh Graue where is thy victory The full Redemption of their bodies causes them to feare no death nor graue Nay their hope makes them say If wee hoped onely in Christ heere we were of all others most miserable but this conquest makes vs happy in all our misery Not onely that without but within themselues their poore Knowledge Faith Patience is sustained with this Spirit of the Lord Iesus that one day it shall bee better when all imperfect things shal be done away the body shake off corruption and they see him in whom now they beleeue Their life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 1 Iohn 3.2 and although it appeare not now what they are yet when their Captaine comes they shall bee conquerors as hee therefore in the meane time though they bee basely esteemed of and set at nought yet their spirit of victory and hope props them vp and makes them merry because a day is comming will pay for all But I am loth to dwell at large vpon any vses saue the scope of the Article Q. Hauing ended the Merit proceed to the seuenth and last Branch of this second Article What is the Applying Worke of Christ and wherein doth it stand A. It is that solemne part of His Mediation for the sake whereof he forsooke the earth and was exalted aboue all principalities and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father that by his intercession alwaâ—es made for his Church he might apply to
their nothing hee may create the fruit of the lips peace and he well vphold Gospell Ministery and the power of both in the midst of the enemies and although they be neuer â—o fâ—râ—â—us yet Mica 2.7 His Spirit shall not be streightned but his Word shall still bee good to such as walke vprightly And of these two Articles seuen Branches so much Q. What is the third Article of the second Part A. That the act of God the Father imput ng rhe merit of the Actiue and Passiue righteousnesse of our Satisfier to a sinfull soule is the true formall and being cause of his Iustification Q This Doctrine of Imputation is somewhat darke to me Rom. 4 6. 2 Cor. 5.17 therefore explane it and first the phrases vsed by the Holy Ghost for somâ—time he speakes of Imputing somewhat sometime of not imputing and againe in one place hee speakes of Imputiâ—g righteousnesse sometime of Imputing Faith to righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 Cleare these termes A. By the terme of not imputing Sinne and not imputing Righteousnesse he intimates in how many respects Châ—ist hath holpen vs to wit both to forgiuenesse in the one being made sinne for vs and to acceptation in the other by clothing vs with his righteousnesse yet so as by both Actiue and Passiue righteousnesse iointly not seueraâ—ly considered Conferre Psalm 32.1 with 2. Cor. 5.17 where both couering sinne and reconciling are made the effects of not imputing sinne By the second phrase we must conceaue one thing to bee meant For its familiar with Paul to vse these two phrases for one thing namely imputation of Faith and of righteousnesse Not that faith can in any sence be our righteousnes but because Christ apprehended by faith is the same thing with Faith it selfe in the Scripture Besides we know faith must euer concurre with imputation in the act of it and therefore the Holy Ghost honors it with the name of being imputed to righteousnesse That Faith must needs so concurre note three things in this worke First God enables the Soule to beleeue on the Lord Iesus by the promise and the spirit thereof Secondly the Soule yeeldeth and consenteth Thirdly God casteth heereby this righteousnesse thus beleeued vpon the Soule and imputes it to pardon and life Faith then alway concurres with imputation the life wherto may be said of iustification which it were blasphemy to ascribe to faith seeing its God that iustifieth but yet Faith is still said to iustify because of her necessary concurrence The which Phrase is tropicall the instrument being put for the principall agent Otherwise in proper speech alas How shall poore faith apprehend in the soule an infinite righteousnesse except we take it thus that God by faith as his owne instrument doth conuey all the obiect of Christ at once into vs And this I would haue the Reader to marke for two causes The first to decide that Question so much demanded whether faith apply Christ in each of his merits particularly or no To which I say that it is the worke of God the Father to proportion the merits of Christ Iesus in particular to the soules need its God the Father who accepts the merit and therfore he onely can proportion it Poor finite faith though it know neuer so much of the particular merit yet cannot do it because the merit is infinite Faith onely hearing the offer of God already reconciled and appeased by this merit to be freely tendred to her receaues this tender as God makes it that is all the Lord Iesus made by God to the soule wisedome righteousnesse and what else soeuer So that whether wee comprehend the thing offred or no it s no materiall if we beleeue the offer to be truly made to vs we receaue it in the kind wherein God bestowes it and in a word when we cannot comprehend it the Lord comprehends vs. So that faith is casting of the soule vpon the offer of Christ from the Father giuing him all at once in all his good things which the Spirit reueales and the more the better yet faith is not in this most to bee admired for particular applying each benefit but for her accepting of what the Lord hath couched in the offer that is whole Christ Secondly I say this answer is to be noted against a Schismaticall opinion of some that hold the Act of Beleeuing to be that which God accepts to iustification A dangerous conceit which makes Christ a meer seruant to faith and vnder the colour of ascribing honour to faith takes away all Christs preeminence For although this opinion exclude not Christ wholly from the reckoning yet in the act of iustifying it onely giues all to the worke of faith And they say As the act of Adams sin condemned him so the act of our faith iustifies vs. But the Paralell is foolish and absurd Adams sin might condemne himselfe and vs but our faith can neither saue ours nor our selues of it selfe that which it saues vs by is the obiect and merit which it apprehends and that by the act of Gods imputing it to vs. Q. You seeme to make imputation an act of Gods free grace but the word is vsed as an act of iustice for Paul saith To him who worketh righteousnesse is imputed by debt A. I answer Paul there opposing Iustification by works and iustification by Faith Rom. 4.4 5 for the more curâ—ant expression vseth one word in both cases but very improperly For it s as if a man should say to his debtor Pay me an hundreth pound and I will impute it as an whole discharge This we know is no proper speech for in such a case its small thanke to him to impute that for which hee is bound to giue acquittance so that imputing properly is gracious For it is such an act of God as comming betweene our beleeuing and his iustifying doth not legally take any discharge of debt from vs but doth graciously impute that which is not ours as if it were ours for the making of vs guiltlesse and accepted Q I conceaue you somewhat better Howbeit I still see that imputation is of such a thing as is our owne really why then not as well of a thing inherent viz. a righteousnesse of our owne as the Papists dreame A. Because these two haue a winde difference viz. to be really made ours and to be from or inherently in vs. The righteousnesse of Christ imputed cannot iustify vs except it be ours how be it it is so not because it comes froÌ„ within vs but because it s cast vpon vs and in a word it s not first in vs and then imputed but first imputed and then made ours Q. But can meere imputation make a thing really ours A. Yea. Nothing can be more reall then imputation The imputing of a man is reall when he imputes an vncertain and vndue payment as if certaine and due and this is good and firme among men 2 Sam. 19.19 23. Dauids not imputing Shemei's rayling
and not looke at him It fell so out at length that he met him in such a narrow lane as he could not balke him but must needs talke with him The good Merchant takes him to him and told him he was glad he had met him he wondred what he meant so to decline from him What said he do you thinke me your enemy If I were could I not crush yee with a word speaking Alas I am not offended with you if you be not with me for all your treachery but forgiue and forget it The words of this man so pierced the Coblers heart that it brake instantly and hee falling downe vpon his knees and with bitter reares confessed his villainy and repenting of it told him This loue should for euer bind him vnto him and so he continued This base Papist is the heart of euery child of old Adam this royall Merchant is the Lord this narrow lane is the streight of conscience beset with sinne and curse this kind behauiour is this offer of Grace Let vs not bee worse to it then a cankred Papist but breake our hearts and melt into teares and with Saul to Dauid say Where shall a man find such loue 1 Sam. 24.19 as to spare his enemy when hee had him in his hand and to bee content to cut off the lap of a Garment when hee might haue cut my throate Breake thy heart in the bosome of this loue Q Is there any more vses of it A. Touching the maine vse of faith I shall finish the Vse 6 last Article with it God willing Yet this one more let mee adde That wee learne hence to vnderstand the Couenant of God and the promise of grace as it is in it selfe not a bare naked thing but filled with all the strength mercy Iustice and faythfulnes of the Promiser And so doing pray the Lord to write it in thy soule The offer of God thou seest is fâ—unded vpon a satisfaction as in the second Article I sayd and what then Surely it hath the full strength of it therein It hath made the Father well pleased Conceaue then that in this offer the Lord is voyd of anger as he sayth Esay 27.3 Anger is not in me Iâ— I were angry What should dry stubble doe But I am reconciled I cannot now be angry with a poore soule I haue taken order to answer my Iustice by my Sonne and in so doing I meant no more to bee angry If I were it was for a time to humble an hard heart but then with euerlasting mercy I will compasse thee I haue toucht this already before Onely marke this that all that is in a promise or an offer is little enough to settle a poore soule being in her feares Therefore be able to say A promise is no empty thing it proceedes from a GOD satisfied therefore If I perish by beleeuing bee it so I will perish Q What is the most proper adiunct of the Church of Christ A. Communion of Saints or members of this mysticall body of Christ which is nothing else but the due enter course holy fellowship reciprocally betweene member and member for the good of the whole Read Ephes 4. vers 12 13. Psal 133.1 2 3. Q How many things are we to consider in this Communion of members in the Church A. Two things first due qualifying of the persons that are to communicate Secondly due exercise of Communion among them that are so qualified Both intimated in that text Psal 133.1 They must be brethren And these Brethren must dwell euen together Q. Wherein stands this Qualification A. Generally in this that they bee Brethren No sooner is a man a beleeuer and a new Creature borne to GOD but hee is also a brother or she a sister of those that are bredde both Relations goe together So then first thou must bee a member of this body a citizen of this Ierusalem a sonne and daughter of the Almighty and a sister of the Church a free denizon of this corporation or else thou art not so much as generally qualified Touching the grounds of this I will not heere preuent my selfe for I shall handle the point of fayth and the New creature in their places onely heere I say in these this qualification consists No bastard no Gibeonite no stranger no blemisht one may enter the Temple of this Communion Secondly and more specially that they haue the true spirit of Brethren of members by which the former is manifested to be true For all that are truly borne children and legitimate haue the true spirit of such and also of brethren this Spirit of Communion therefore is the tryall of sound ones from Countetfeits Q. Shew then some markes of this Spirit of Communion A. As the Philosophers say There is a soule of the world which holds together the parts so much more there is a Spirit of Communion which vnites the members of it As the parts of the body of man would loosen and fall asunder if there were not instruments of sinewes of muscles of ligaments aptly ioyning them so heere This Spirit of Communion then is the same with the Spirit of vnion though in a seuerall consideration hee that is one with God that begat 1. Ioh. 5.1 is one with them that are begotten and the one issueth from the other But to the point this Spirit of Communion may bee discouered in these two particulars First In the spirit of preseruing her selfe in her estate and integrity Secondly In the spirit of Furniture for the seuerall operations whereby Communion may be supported Q. What is the former of these viz. Preseruing of Communion A. It s a qualification whereby it is with the members of this mysticall body as it is with all other bodies eyther Naturall or politique it hath an instinct giuen vnto it to preserue her selfe in her estate from dissolution and ruine No body hath so close neere a Sympathy to it selfe as this nothing need teach any liuing member in the body to preserue it selfe and the body in which it subsists instinct doth it alone So heere for the opening whereof consider these few things First This spirit of Selfe-preseruation in the Church is the spirit of Separation of different or contrary parts which threaten ruine to her Metals melted will goe together and vnite their substance but seuer the drosse which is of another nature from incorporating with them Psal 15. The Citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem is brought in by his loathing quality he loathes Swearers lyers forswearers vsurers and so of the rest the scope is a true member of Communion discernes a non-member a Neuter and loaths to intermixe or vnite with them As Peter told Simon Magus Act. 8.21 Thou hast neyther part nor fellowship in this body They may thrust in themselues into fellowship vndiscerned but so farre as they are knowne the Spirit of Communion segregates them from her selfe No Colliers trade is so noysome to a Fullers as the
he the same mind be in you that was in Christ who if hee had sought himselfe hee had left vs in our ruine and misery but he Rom. 15.3 pleased not himselfe but as it is written c. The contrary to this is selfe and selfeloue the bane of Communion when men seeke their own esteeme their own credit ends profit and prayse and if they fayle hereof they little look how the publike welfare goes forward We know a priuate Wealth is contrary to a Commonwealth So is Selfeloue to Communion So that where this threefold cord is knit there is a great qualification of the soule to Communion Q. What is the third grace A. Tendernesse and compassion Col. 3.12.13 A grace very essentiall to this communion of Saints And it concerneth the stronger members toward the weaker Gal. 6.1 If any be preuented by error ignorance Satan sudden temptation let him that is stronger set him in ioynt againe so the Word is and restore him in the spirit of meekenes It cannot be but offences pritches tetches distastes will fall out among Christians but tendernesse will handâ—e these matters as the Chirurgianâ— hand will handle the broken or spreynt ioynt till it haue settled it This is contrary to that rough and stiffe spirit which cannot interpret forbeare or long-suffer but would haue all brought to their owne leuell and scantling and rather then they wâ—ll yeeâ—d to the infirmities errors and mistakes of others they will ouerthrow Communion Who saith Paul 2 Cor. 11.29 is weake and I burne not I am all in all to winne some If I cannot eatâ— flesh but I must offend my brother I will not eate it while I liue This is a rare grace in our age wherein each one is a man of his owne bottome and condemues all who bee not of his owne frame Tender conscience is now called Singularity as if it euer had been so in the Church that in all cases of difference there could be established one consent Nay it s strange to see how custome and preiudice haue hardned men from all tendernes and compassion Q. Are there any more graces of Communion A. There is no one grace of the Spirit but makes much for Communion Phil. 2.2 3 4. Col. 3 12. Rom. 12.9 as iudicious wisedome to discerne things that differ stayednesse to ponder things without rashnesse and precipice sincerity and singlenesse of heart against all false brotherhood like mindednesse order and constancy in holding out in a good cause candor and ingenuity of heart fidelity and trustinesse teacheablenesse thankfulnesse cheerfulnesse and the rest of this kind prouidence also and forecast But these I leaue to the discretion of the Reader to conceaue of by those three maine graces before-named Q. I partly see what you meane by this first Generall viz. Qualification proceed now to the second Wherein stands the Exercise of Communion A. In three chiefe things First Graces Secondly Meanes or Ordinances Thirdly Seruices or duties of all which I will adde a word or two and so come to the vse Q. What is the Exercize of Communion in Graces A. As the commodity to bee sold is so is the market Looke of what accompt wares are in the traffique of men such are the graces of the Spirit in the Communion of Saints See 1 Cor. 1 4 6 7. and 2 Cor. 2.14 15. They are the chiefe commodity that the members of this body trade for As earthly men are some Merchants of Pearles or oâ— Gold or of Silkes and Veluets or of Spices c. So these are Merchants of Graces and if they raise to themselues an estate in these in Precious Faith in Liuely hope in Patience Thankefulnesse c. they compt themselues to haue made the best of all markets And as the greater the trading is among men and the more the returne the richer is the Merchant so heere the more plentifull the Merchants and the commodities to bee sold are the richer are the traders therein Q. How may the soule trade for Grace What are the Rules to be obserued therein A. First each member in this staple of Communion must get the gift of exchange He must not beare the mind to be for himselfe onely but must maintaine a due entercourse and exchange of Grace for grace Looke what the Lord Iesus our head is to all the body that the members by deriuation are to bee to each other Read Iohn 1.17 Bee sure then first that thou bring in thy stocke into this banke remembring that all the members of communion haue the same stock of sanctification giuen them to trade withall they are furnisht with Talents more or lesse for this encrease and aduantage by other Read Luke 19.13 and Matth. 25.15 Also Ephe. 4.13 Hence it is that they are all said to partake of one Spirit and 1 Ioh. 3.3 Euery one beleeuer hath this hope as if no grace ought to be a stranger to any member in this body for the kind thereof Now then hauing this stocke each must afford grace to other so Paul speakes Ephes 4.29 as one doth present his ware in the market to another And this is to be free of Gods market to be holy chapmen and customers therin As in the Prouerbs chap. 1.14 those lewd ones say Come cast in thy lot among vs let vs haue one purse so is it heere And this Peter calleth the Dispensation of the manifold graces of God See his 1. Ep. 4.10 Paul to Philemon verse 20. cals the Hauing ioy of him and refreshing his bowels in the Lord. Get then this treasure into thee first as the trader gets himselfe siluer which answers all things and then bury not thy talent but exchange and trade buy sell afford good penny worths liue by the gayne of all gracious examples speeches behauiours conuersings in this Communion Our Lord Iesus his speech was It is better to giue then receaue Grace was put into thee for vse euen the good of the body therefore conceale it not share with the Grace of Communion and out of the treasure of thy good heart bring forth good things Q. What other Rule do you giue for this A. Secondly humility is another excellent meane to exercise Communion in graces See Rom. 12.10 2 Cor. 12 5 6. Rom. 12.16 Which is To preferre others graces before our owne and to thinke no otherwise nor desire others should thinke of vs otherwise then as wee are condescending to them of meane degree Proud ones get little and doe little in the communion of Saints They get little First because euery one thinks them to bee such as need not prayer need not counsell example their great shew make men lesse tender of them but a good man desires his wants should rather draw forth the help of others then his gifts seeme to need none Secondly the proud man disdaynes to spy grace in any saue in some eminent paternes and men of note for learning wit or parts But humblenesse spyes grace euen
thorow the cloud of meane estate learning parts it lookes narrowly and spyes oftentimes great grace in a meane man for attire for carriage and fâ—â—hion The Spirit of Grace carries the eye of the humble to the treasure where it lyes lye it neuer so close and low Againe humble ones are both fitter to communâ—cate and to receaue The former because they thinke they can fall no lower nor lose any great credit for they haue no great thing to lose Hence it is that when selfeloue will chuze to haue no prayer at all then to forfeit her repute humblenesse will trust God with her selfe and pray The latter because being empty they are hungry and the hungry are glaâ— of any thing Eagles catch no Flyes but meane ones stoope to meane things They are truly seruants of the Seruants of God Not that an humble man denies the grace of God but because he conceaues that eyther hee is indeed the meanest of others in grace or else that his better graces dwell not so well as other mens because darkned with more corruptions then other mens smaller The humble Christian is in loue with the Graces of others and out of loue with himselfe Hee enuies not slights not others hee sees the vncomely parts often more graced then the comely and beholds a pearle as of patience wise speech cheerfulnesse mercy loue euen in the dunghill of the meanest outside Shee knowes her owne vilenes and wonders if any thing can come from such a one but others she knowes not and therfore what she sees vncomely she hides but beleeues that excellency in them which she sees not Q. What else is required A. Thirdly coueting of each others graces 1 Cor. 12.31 Couet the things that are most excellent Especially those wherein others excell vs most Appetite after the graces of coÌ„munion is the instinct of Gods Spirit for the growth of graces Many dwell much vpon any gift they haue to improove it but they see not where the hedge is lowest to amend it Coueting then is to esteeme the good for that which is precious in them and to seeke it earnestly Pro. 19.22 That which is desireable in a man is his goodnesse As Abraham said to the King of Sodom Gen. 14.21 Giue me the soules take thou the prey so the hungry heart couets communion for graces other things shee seekes in other places riches and pleasure and the like but Grace shee seekes where the Spirit of Grace lyes Men that hunt the Bezor seeke not her flesh but that which is precious in her the stone which is so cordiall Base respects are nothing to the Saints in comparison of this Iewell And this they seeke couetously as Paul Phil. 3. If by any meanes I might attaine c. And indeed it s the onely meane to procure it for who knowing the price of grace will helpe them to it who are indifferent whether they haue it or not The Lord Iesus when hee saw the poore woman would not giue him ouer till shee had her desire powred out all his treasure vpon her Matthew 15.28 And so importunity is a maine helpe to communion in graces Q. What is the last meane to attaine grace A. A gift to extract it out of such as haue it in them Salomon saith Pro. 20.6 There is wisedome in the heart of the Wise and a man of vnderstanding will get it out There must be a deep bucket to diue into a deep well to fetch out the water of it The skilfull Chymist or Apothecary knowes what Oyle what Salt what Qâ—intessence lyes in the Minerals Spices or Herbs and applyes his Art to extract and purchase them That Shunamite rested not in the staff which Gohazi had she would haue the skill of the Prophet So doth each Christian applyes himselfe to extract the gift of another as Elisha 2 King 4.30.34 Layed eies to eies and face to face of the child whom he restored Some excell in this more then others Delila lay at Samson till hee had told her his whole heart So shouldst thou that seekest the grace of others First by putting thy case in their peâ—sons whom thou tradest with As If thou wouldst learne what patience in sicknes and payne is or how thou mightst dye well aske others How would you doe in this case make mine your owne Secondly obserue wisely what falles from the godly in their communion and conuerse ouersee not their words behauiours affections zeale scopes Watch theÌ„ narrowly as Benhadads men did Ahabs Yea obserue the speciall seasons wherein such grace may be gayned and redeeme them eyther in publique or priuate ordinarily or extraordinarily Speciall opportunities affoord speciall enlargements Thirdly let faith be the chiefe Extractor Beleeue the graces of the body to be giuen for thy vse not onely in the ordinances but euen in priuate conuerse All things are yours 1. Cor. â— 21 saith Paul meaning all Graces in all the members it s a great help of profiting whenas wee beleeue all the Graces of others are ours allotted vs by priuiledge from Christ whose we are Fourthly Rest not onely in the outward obiect but pierce into the inward There is more in a Saint then a bare Sentence or carriage will expresse Looke into the bottome as the Cherub into the Mercy-seate The Spirit of faith 1. Pet. 1.12 humblenes hope in a Christian is a differing thing from prayer or Speech in the family the wisdome meeknes of a woman appears rather in the frame and spirit of her course and constant walking then in her words or outside Pro. 18.4 The treasure of the wise is in their hearts Begge of the Lord skill in this mystery till thou canst say I thanke God I discerne in sâ—ch a sicke man the spirit of patience susteyning him in another that prayeth the Spirit of humblenesse feeling in a third of Sobirety loue Compassion an heart aboue the Earth c. Fifthly Bee wise to chuse thy obiect Each man excels not in each grace or gift And when wee meete not with that wee looke for wee thinke meanly of meÌ„ as Naaman did being crossed by Elisha 2. King 5.12 But the Graces of God are to be marked as they be most eminent as in Moses his mickenes in Phinees zealâ— in Abraham fayth Rom. 12.4 The eye lookes not at the foot to reach a thing but at the hand nor at the hand to go but at the foote Acknowledge this peculiarnesse and profit by it Fiftly Although thou extract not at the first what thou desirest yet wayt still to see more But if thou get that thou seekest blesse God and be satisfied and thankfull as Paul I haue enough I am full I haue receiued the fruit of your loue a sweet sauour Phil. 4. And looke what wee freely receaue that freely beteame to others that the Graces of the Spirit may neuer lye dead in the banque of CoÌ„munion but still runne fresh and be of vse for the good of the body Yea vse
quckening worke of the spirit of which more in the third part and the last is Glorification Q Let vs proceed to the opening of their seuerall natures and vses breefly so farre as serueth for our purpose A. It were endlesse to wade into all onely to shew the realnesse of them and the vse of them to the soule that it may see how richly Christ is offred to the soule I will touch euery one of them The first of them is Vocation See texts Esay 55.5 Rom. 8 30.1 Cor. 1.2 Now this calling is a worke of the Spirit issuing from election whereby whom the Lord hath chozen to be his he brings to know it And that by the voyce and call of the outward word and inward spirit cryâ—ng to their soules thus Come out of her my people and returne to me Come out from thy former corrupt estate of sinne subiection to Satan curse misery lewd customes error of the wicked hell and returre to that blessednes which thou hast lost So then calling is that whole workmanship of GOD whereby he pulles the soule from a bad estate to a good be it longer in working or shorter darker or cleerer easier or harder it s the drawing of it from darknes to light Act. 16.18 That from whence it s drawne is an vnregenerate estate That whereto is faith Between these thee whole work of God is calling Q. Can you not breefly summe vp the parts of it A. Yes it may bee conceaued to stand in these two parts Eyther the preparing worke of calling or the finishing The former is that by which the Lord finding the heart vncapable of a promise brings it and prepares it to be such an one as may see it selfe capable and vnder condition of beleeuing such an one as may beleeue For as for the opinion of such as imagne that GOD breeds faith all at once without preparing the heart they ouerthrow that grace in respect of a soules triall of her selfe and in respect of Gods Glory which they would seeme to magnify And they strengthen the hand of sinful men in their error thinking there is no difference betweene men al may beleeue in Christ This by the way The latter is that by which the Lord doth finish the worke of faith and power which is the Condition of the Gospell without which no man can partake any of the priuiledges following Note For it succeeds the condition of the Law and in stead of Do this fayth Beleeue this and liue Note well these termes Preparation is the condition of faith and faith the condition of the couenant Q. What are those preparatiues A. Partly legall partly Euangelicall in a word when the Spirit of God by both leaues such an impression in a troubled soule vnder the spirit of bondage of which in part that it comes by the sight of the Gospell to so much hope as workes the heart to mourning and brokennes to desire of mercy to esteeme it and to bee nothing in its owne eyes in comparison of it together with diligent vnweariednes till it haue obteyned it All which are the preuentions and assistance of the spirit of calling drawing the soule home to God by the steps and degrees that the soule is capable of Q. And what is the finishing worke A. That wherein Calling is perfected and wherein true conuersion of the soule begetting of it and bringing of it home to God for all these are the same doth consist For when the soule thus prepared sees that the promise belongs to her and she may and must beleeue it then the spirit stampes this gift of faith vpon the soule to receaue and tak it to her selfe from the promise Q. Passe by the vse of this now because wee shall come to it in the last Article and proceed to the second A. The second is Vnion Which is the first benefit in order I meane for else all are together in respect of the soules title and right to Christ and this oppozeth the cutting off of the sinner from GOD and all influence and Communion with his grace and by faith so bringeth the soule vnto God that its vnited made one and incorporated againe into him by the flesh of Christ vnited to his Godhead as Article 2. And it s the worke of the Spirit of Christ making the Lord and the soule one spirit and causing the soule to partake by vertue thereof all that power of this both in priuiledges and graces which follow And therefore I set it in the forefront of the rest for its sure the soule can no more receaue ought from God till it bee one with him by Christ then Christ could merit any thing for vs till the Deity and flesh were really vnited no more then the body and soule can impart or receaue to or fro till they be one See texts Eph. 5.31 32. Ioh. 17. often In all which its euident that till wee bee one with God in Christ wee are without him in the world the Lord abhorring all relations that want vnion But if once vnited then he is in vs wee in him Eph. 2.2 Iohn 1â— vlt. hee dwels in vs we in him as an inhabitant in his house and the soule in the body he is one with vs he is marryed to vs Hosc 2. Eph. 5. and we are his spouse and therefore hence issâ—â—th â—ll vertue vigor anâ— power into vs that is meete for our support eyther earthly or spirituall till our vnion bee perfected in glory To this that belongeth that is sayd we are ingrafted into him as a scien into a stocke which fetcheth all her nourishment thence As the two Seales of Baptisme and the Supper doe tipifie there being no possibility of the Communion of the latter without the vnion of the first Q. Proceede to the third Benefit A. The third is Iustification which is the second benefit of the poore beleeuer opposite to the estate of her guilt and punishment by sinne by which the soule stands in a full and perfect pardon of sin quietnesse and peace toward God through his discharging her from all guilt and punishment and esteeming her as fully cleared and acquitted therefrom as if she had neuer offended See texts Rom. 8.30 Rom. 5.18 Q. Why say you fully and perfectly can wee be perfect in this life A. No but for speciall cause to difference the benefit of Iustification from Sanctification the one being Christ made ours wholy for we cannot else stand before God except perfect by our selues or another the other in part our Sanctification being in this life imperfect But of this in second Article see more Q Seeing wee ayme onely at a view of the Article and cannot discourse about euery thing goe to the fourth and so wee will conclude all with the vses afterward together A. The fourth is Reconciliation which is oppozed to our estate of enmity and brings vs into amity and fauour with God as Eph. 1.5 Paul calls it our acceptation and belouednesse with
to be difficult as especially the two latter for as I freely grant faith to be the gift God wrought by his Spirit so I would faine know what you meane by those two latter viz. The condition of faith and the relying of the Some vpon the offer of God Expliaine these A. I will endeauor it And for the former as before in the point of Vocation I shewed what I meane by the Condition of faith so briefly I answer it is such a Qualification as God requires of one who may beleeue the promise of reconciliation to belong to him True it is if wee looke at the power of God he could in a moment set a man in state of grace out of the state of corruption but in this wee must looke at his will reuealed and what is most agreeable to the spirit of Bondage The Lord knowes it is no easy thing to beate a man out of himselfe when the sence of his burden lyes vpon him therefore he so prepares him that he shall not deny but that he meanes him well euen when he deserues least And surely it ought not to seeme so strange a point if wee weigh the Scriptures which neuer speake in any other language We read in Zach. 12.10 and 13.1 that when the Lord would set open a fountaine to his Church for sin and transgression he first put into them the Spirit of grace and compassions or Supplications causing them to see him whom they had pierced and mourne bitterly If we see the fulfilling heereof in the Gospell wee shall find that this Spirit of mourning went before faith as a preparatiue Reade Act. 2.37 when those murtherers of CHRIST heard that he was the Lord of life who offred life vnto them by Peter they were pricked in their heart saying Men and Brethren c. Now the Apostle answers Repent and beleeue Read these seuerall conditions of fayth Mat. 5. Blessed are they who thirst they who are poore in spirit they that mourne for theirs is the kingdome they shall be satisfied and Mat. 11.30 Come to me all that are loden and I will ease you What thinke we are not these conditions of a thing as yet wanting to wit of beeing comforted eased and satisfied The like I may say of that Ezek. 36. touching Seeking God I will doe this for them pardon them yet I will be sought for it by them So that its playne that the Lord meaning to bring the soule to beleeue prepares it first Q. What is it which workes these preparations is it any other thing in the world then that which worketh fayth A. No doubtlesse The Spirit of grace accompanying the offer of GOD in the Gospell doth worke both in the soule howbeit by degrees the former at the first and the latter after and that according to the measures of enlightening perswasion which the soule is capable of As wee see in deepe Melancholy and Sorrow that which at the first seemes harsh and cannot be endured yet by degrees the Spirit is glad to embrace In the morning wee see there is more light comming from the Sâ—nne then that which followes the rising of it for it sends more and more light before it rize So here The offer of Christ to the soule and the goodnes oâ— the offrer doth imprint in the soule some steps and prints of it in a more remote degree as to see a possibility of mercy to stay the soule from faynting when yet it is farre from resting in it And as the Spirit addes more light and sauor of it so it workes the heart to the making more toward it if some barre of Satan or corruption let not as by mourning for that sinne which offended such a good GOD although yet I apply not this goodnes and so by desiring it to bee my portion and seeing all other things to be drosse to it and so of the rest The summe is the Lord by these meanes enlarges the heart more and more to thinke that mercy to belong to her which she feeles to be dayly presented in more orient colors and to be the offer of him that needed not to offer it and whereof she feeles more and more need so that as the purpose of God appeares more cleerly to it so the timorous soule makes neerer and neerer to it till it come to rely it selfe at last vpon it And who feeles not the experience of this in himselfe that as light encreases so the soule is bolder to venture and feeles eft one step eft another to be wrought of hope stay good affections of sorrow of desire when yet she dare not iudge such a Iewell as mercy to be her portion And to end this what our sence may conclude in the scattering of darknes by degrees in the aire vpon the approach of light although till the Sunne rise the day is not perfect the like may bee sayd heere in the wanzing of feares more and more by the approach of the promise when yet the day starre of righteousnes is not risen Q. But I obserue that many doubt of this for sundry causes first they obiect Nothing can please GOD without faith now its sure Godly sorrow and desire please God and therefore what need wee seeke a further way when Faith may be said to containe them all How answer you this A. I say this It pleaseth God that these steps toward Faith be wrought in the soule though I deny that they formâ—lly pâ—ease God as acts proceeding therefrom For there are three acts of the Spirit in them that heare The first a meere common worke which hypocrites may haue The second a gracious sauing worke as faith proper to the Elect. The third I take to be a middle worke which as it is not grace formally so neyther is it a common worke but such a worke of the Spirit as stands in order to faith certainly following and this is good in respect of that it produceth to with Grace it selfe which shall not bee hindred but perfited in due time And of this sort are these preparations Now to make these the worke of Faith is inconuenient for although a soule to bee conuerted hath a seed of Grace remotely cast in by the Spirit which shall be perfected yet how absurd were it to say That a man hath that which hee mournes for the want of or which hee desires to haue I say in that respect in which hee mournes and desires it otherwise I doe not doubt but where there is true Faith there may bee a mourning after more It is obiected Faith may be and not discerned I answer For a time it may and in some degree or temptation holding vnder but not in an habited and settled manner of absence Q. What say you to the second doubt This opinion seemes to crosse a truth That conuersion is wrought in an instant A. I deny it not by this assertion for as it is in the wombe that there are some preparations naturall in the fruit to
his fierce anger that we perish not Lo they melt into teares of blood within them they fast put on sackcloth on themselues and their beasts and make a ruefull spectacle So doth the soule heere leaue taking thought for it selfe take thought for the Lord saying Oh wofull man that I am whom the Lord should be found of when I sought him not who had care of my happinesse when I cared neither for him nor my selfe Oh now the soule sees strange sights which was blind before Now it sees patience in the Lords offer and saith Rom. 2.3 If thou hadst taken me in my riot vncleannesse raking vp heapes to my selfe hypocrisie security ciuility and pitcht mee into hell in my impenitency thou hadst beene iust I had my mends in my owne hands Besides this it sees bounty in God all the long time of ignorance and wonders that the Lord should endure such a wretch so stole in sinne old and new to treade vpon his â—arth breathe in his ayre feed vpon his creatures enioy marriage protection health credit successe and the like being blessings onely for them who haue Christ the Lord of all whom I haue not But that to all these he should adde the chiefe mercy Christ and his good things which the world lying in euill knowes not yea pin them vpon her sleeue heaping offer vpon offer seconding one with another and wayting till the dew of the night had wet his lockes Oh it makes him astonisht Whence came those clockings of thine Lord those knocks at the dore of my conscience those suites of thine to be let in those importunities allurements perswasions and cords to draw mee out of my old course Nay more that Spirit of thy grace to dryue them home to present them really to me conuince me of thy faithfulnes Oh these do euen powre out the heart into sorrow which was dead and shut vp before When the Lord is instant and deales as if the soule should be the gainer Oh it makes it confesse that the violation of such grace by contempt is the most fearfull wickednes in the world This is to lament after the Lord and to see him whome hee hath pierced Q. Proceed to another A. The soule rests not heere but breakes out into desire that it might liue to glorify this grace and partake of it that it might magnify it before all the world and giue witnes to it against all despizers of it Oh this way of God in Christ is amiable to the soule and it wishes that not onely her head were a fountein of teares but the heart also of zeale loue and desire after it and the praysing of God for it 1. Tim. 1.16 17. Oh happy man if I might euer tast so much of it as might make songs of their deliuerance And this desire breaks out into longing hungring after this righteousnes no hunted Hart so braying after waters as this after saluation and to see into the riches of this mystery And as the hungry belly sits not still but deuizes all art and wayes yea breakes stone walls to fill it selfe so this soule faynting after a deferred mercy is restlesse neglects no meanes hearing Sacraments conference questions meditation and rusheth through armies of discouragements reproaches wrongs and losses for the getting of these waters of Bethlem that it might powre them out in sacrifice of thanks to the Glory of Gods grace Zach. 12 1â— Especially it vtters it selfe in supplications and requests to God that he would accomplish her warfare and put all her teares in his bottell against the day of saluation come and till hee heare and answere in his accepted time Thus wee see it dallyes not but plies GODS season Q. Adde one or two more A. The soule sets an high price vpon this saluation and recompts the seuerals of it that it may see the invaluablenesse of this Pearle Mat. 12.44 hauing spyed the Pearle withdrawes it selfe hides it ponders the worth of it viewes the particulars of it as one would do of a purchase and by so musing of it sets the whole man a fire with it in the esteeme and value thereof Oh! that the LORD of grace should impart himselfe in his secret of mercy to such a one as I that hee might glorify this worke aboue all the Creation I see it is his cheefe obiect that out of a ruine hee might set vp the Throne of his Glory in the soules of his Elect and bee magnified for it by them and in their saluation Oh shall not this rayse vp my affections I say not aboue my money Pleasures Marriage Ease Hopes and Paradise below but euen my owne priuate saluation Poore soule if God had not sought himselfe in thee what had become of thee Hee saued thee for his Name and shall not that name of his be set vp and shrined in thine heart aboue all Idols which brought and layd such a treasure in thy lap and would chuse thy saluation to bee his Master-peece in which he would make himselfe admired in those that beleeue both heeâ—e and at his comming 2 Thess 1.10 refuzing to be glorified in his owne wisedome except thou also mightst be saued Oh! the sence of this and the benefits which the soule enioyes in Christ the meanes thereof rauisheth the heart with the price of it and causes it to compt of all things heere as drosse Phil. 3. that one day it may partake the happinesse of it when all hypocrites shall gnash their teeth for forsaking such an offer Q. Conclude with the last for these may serue to giue a tast of the rest A. It lastly empties the soule of her selfe Euen as the Queene of Sheba beholding the Glory and wisedome of Salomon had no spirit left in her but was ashamed of her owne siilinesse and as Peter Luke 5. beholding the glorious power of Christ in bringing so many fishes into his net when he could catch nothing was amazed So doth the Lord in this case Hee causes that lothnes and resistance of that proud heart that sauors no grace or fayth to quaile and faile vtterly takes away that corrupt selfe and selfeloue which is offended at his grace And as the Word of the Prophet bidding Naaman wash and bee cleane being once digested draue him out of his humors and distempers so the brightnes of this grace offred to the soule doth deuoure the opposition thereof Especially it turnes away the soule from her owne ends in seeking saluation shee dares not now ascribe to her owne duties hearings prayers affections preparation but casts them into the Sea that life may be preserued She feeles the great ends of GODS Glory to worke all these in her but no way as workes commending her to GOD but as sparkles of that Spirit of Grace which by these steps drawes her home to GOD because hee will saue her And therefore in all these she is humbled in her selfe and naked as one that is no better then she was in point
of desert though in the way of saluation much neerer And therefore she sayth with the Church Hos 14.3 Ashur shall not saue mee I will not ryde vpon horses but with thee the fatherles shall fynd mercy And heerein shee differs from all proud hypocrites who wanting this fire vpon their herth are faine to rest vpon the deeds and compasse themselues with their owne sparkles though they lye downe in sorrow Esay 50.11 Nay it s certaine a prepared heart is so farre from the boasting of a Pharise in his attempts that rather he is as Peter toiled and weary of himselfe so farre from sacrificing to his nets that he looks vpon them with abhorring and sayth Lord depart from mee a sinfull man And by this little I desire my Auditors to thinke of the rest I do not affirme that GOD doth alway proceed alike with all for matter of order sensiblenes manner or measure In some hee workes more at the first then in others some hee sooner calls then others in some one of these is more cleere then in others as in Lydia and Zacheus and commonly as the degrees of corruption haue beene so are the degrees of humblin g and as the obedience to meanes hath beene longer without breaking out so the measure of Terror is lesser The Lord is a most free agent tyed to none we speak onely of such preparations as experience sheweth to be most ordinary among hearers Q. Adde somewhat breefly for vse hereof ere we come to the latter branch of faith that so confuzion may bee auoyded A. The vses are these Vse 1 First this is terror to all that dreame their estate to be good when yet they lie in their sins whole men they thinke Christ is offred them barely Be reconciled to God be they what they will be And in this they are the more strengthened by the opinion of such Diuines as dislike these preparations I confesse then indeed this is a bad fruit of it and yet the best that I haue found to come from it But to passe by them to these I say Beware lest ye play the despizers of grace so long by turning it to wantonnesse while the LORD leaues yee to vanish and perish in your owne error and euils Secondly to all such as remaine blind and dead-hearted blocks in the midst of this grace of the Gospell They see no light nor feele any warmth therefrom but still are cold snakes and are neyther affected with good nor euill neither hope sorrow desire or estimation of this pearle will fasten on them At the heare-say of a bargaine at the noise of their pleasures and at their jigs and tales they can laugh but heere neither will good day mend nor bad paire them Where is the hope of your faith where no dram of the condition of it is wrought Consider at death ye shall heare God saying thus Lo the things which your hearts loued ye haue and if my grace and offer had beene as precious as a base pot of beere as a game at cardes as a long locke at your eares ye had also had that But now your knocking at my doore is too late who heard not my knocking 's at yours Thirdly all dallyers with the season of this grace and putters off this rich offer of God pind on their sleeue thinking that they might haue God tyed to them and because they haue tasted of his grace with the tip of their tongue therefore they may haue it at their command whereas hauing once despized it they grow further and further from it dayly They should haue learned that the condition of faith is the preparation to faith dally with the one and forgo the other Also all hypocrites that rest in some appearance of these preparations not wrought in them by the Spirit of grace but from their owne principles which appeares in this that if they be reprooued they cannot endure it dare not enter into the tryall of their mournings desires and prooue them to come from the Spirit of grace but loue their owne ease better then the rules of God while their owne pangs last who but they but when their owne sparkles be out then full of sorrow No constancy playnnesse felfedeniall can be found in them grace is nothing worth of it selfe except some mixture of their owne concu re with it A signe that they haue felt little sweetnesse in it and therefore are farre from beleeuing it Oh lose not your labour lay not out your mony for no bread chuse not to goe a mile with God for nothing rather then two for saluation let Gods glory bee aboue your selues and lose not all for a false heart but take his counsell that said 2 Iohn 8. Lose not the things yee haue swet for till yee haue got a full reward euen Faith to saue your soules Secondly lastly exhortation to poore soules whom God hath truly brought vnder the condition of faith to blesse him for that handsell I say first to acknowledge it great mercy although they haue many doubts and feares and distempers to hinder them and the Deuill to come between cup and lip that they might not drink of this cup of saluation Oh remember its mercy to be brought within these Suburbes of Heauen If ye desire say not It s nothing It was wont to be the answer of a discontented woman who had enough when shee was asked how she fared to answere We haue nothing c. This whining heart is in vs and hinders vs from much good Be thankefull for any thing especially a pledge of faith nay be humble and say Lord what euer is not Hell is from mercy I will rather comfort my selfe that the Lord meanes mee the fulnesse of this earnest rather then grudge that presently I haue not my will and so waxe weary of wayting And secondly should expell slauish feare from them because the Lord hath giuen them a condition of faith Beware ye doe not abuse it Pledges are well kept by honest men not spoiled Do not tempt God by your distrust nor suffer the good preparations of the Spirit to dye or wanze through boldnesse loosenesse worldlinesse pleasures lest God make them as bitter to yee as Samsons dallyings with his harlot If yee belong to God he will saue ye but it shall be thorow the fire and with some smart ere the Deuill and your conscience haue done wiâ—h ye It is in this case as with them that play at Slyde-groat the siluer at first may bee easily discerned by the stamp but by that time they haue vsed it at the pleasure a while is so defaced yee that know not what to make of it Make conscience of keeping Gods pledges safe and entire And to conclude let these conditions already wrought bee encouragements to attend the LORD for Faith it selfe When a Manoa told his Wife they must dye because they had seene GOD shee rather argued contrarily that if GOD would slay them hee would neuer haue
remember that Iesus Christ Hob. 13.8 is yesterday and to day and the fame in the order of his grace for euer Otherwise the sodering with the Lord shall cause ye much sorrow and yet you must come backe this way when all is done Thirdly let this be admonition to all poore soules or others Vse 3 who would obteine this grace to rely vpon the promise of the Gospell to pardon and peace both abhor all let of this grace and vse all meanes to get it The first among other lets let these be auoyded first take heed of resting in deuout complaints of the want of fayth For although there is an holy complayning of Gods people as we see Esay 63.15 where the Church laments her hard heart in the Lords bosome asking Where are thy bowels c yet sure it is the common trade of complaynts come from a corrupt heart of ease loth to be informed and searched to the quicke Good complaynts made in season to such as can ease vs from the depth of a broken heart is a great friend to faith but counterfeict complaynts are the greatest lets thereof Therefore in stead of our compaints let vs do as Ester did at Mordecai his request Mourne sayth he and spare not but rest not there in any conditions of fayth Rest not in the handmayd but goe to the Lord and his promise to end the question And so did Ester Ester 4.16 5â— she complayned of her weaknes but rested not in that but went to the King saying If I perish I perish and so found the Golden Scepter held out to her The second let is Take heed of Sloth and ease when the Lord hath brought thee within sight of his promise consult not with sloth which slayes the soule but looke vp to the Lord for assisting grace to hold on the vse of meanes and so to finish his worke Thus Gedion hauing begun to pursue Zeba and Zalmunna would not stoppe his course nor the worke of GOD by reuenging them of Succoth and Penuel Iudg. 8 7. but first dispatcht one thing and then returned to the other Most wise in this was Eliezer when the question was about his stay for Rebecca ten dayes No sayth hee seeing the Lord hath prospered me Gen. 24.56 hinder me not And so preueâ—ting danger of delay carried her away with him instantly So the merchant in the purchase of the pearle If in any good thing then aboue all in this dallying is dangerous The Apostle 2. Cor. 6.2 hauing pressed the receyuing of the offer dwels vpon this for hee sayth This is the accepted time and day of Saluation It is the diuels Maygame to see men make shipwracke in the Hauen Doe not by a lazy heart with the Lord Act. 24.25 as Felix did with Paul speaking of the iudgement day put him to another time which neuer came Few there be but haue their season from God take heed of dallying with it lest God deny it or an heart when thou perhaps wouldst haue thy heart neuer so open Our nature is to seeke grace most when its most out of season But that is Gods season to deny Mat. 25.9 Pro. 1.28 Q. Are there any more lets in this vse of admonition A. Yea the third is ouermuch filling of our hands with the delights of this earth as lawfull liberties pleasures wealth credit Farmes Oxen Wife posterity These are as the Sea-eatings of the banks downe and destroying all See Luke 14.18 It is as if a man a drowning should hold his gold so fast that hee cannot take hold of a pole to saue his life or as if ones hand coud not receiue a pearle being full of nut-shels Come to fasten vpon the promise empty-headed hearted and handed Oh that the deuill did not bleare mens eyes with this vnder the colour of lawfulnesse What although yee might win the world if ye lose your soules They may be lost aswell by winning it in an excesse of liberty as against conscience If ye haue shot the gulfe take heed ye be not drownd in a shallow Obserue thy selfe and thou shalt finde that when thou goest from an eager pursuit of thy beloued vanities for so are liberties if abuzed as all the wotd is vnsauory so especially the promise of Reconciliation If thou wilt sauor that well let all other Phil. 3.18 euen the best blessings be as drosse to it Q. What else A. Especially take heed lest a worse thing Heb. 12.15 euen a roote of bitternesse spring not vp to defile thee Goe not to the doctrine of Reconciliation with a surfet of any priuy lust which thou wouldst not gladly know and forgoe for the promise For this will so defile thee that whatsoeuer commeth in the way thereof will be defiled Read Ioh. 3.19 in the end They hated light because their workes were euill they would not be rid of them Nothing marres Gods bargaine so much as the presage that it will cut off our lusts You that read this in Gods feare weigh it In my poore experience I haue seene this euill that many professors some by a peeuish spitefull preiudicate heart to be won by no meanes others by the pride in gifts selfeloue others their vncleane dallyings loosenesse in company others and the most by the thorne of couetuousnesse haue choked most fayre hopes of fayth but these haue kept the heart in warping One such gourd to the pottage one such dead fly in the oyntment marres all The diuell can with one lust chase away ten graces So it is when the heart is enclined to bee vaine in talke curious in toyes and fashions but aboue all when it is surfeited with hollownesse and vses it selfe to speake or doe as Balaam did Num. 23. who would beare himselfe out to make conscience but in alâ— a rotten heart followed him to his ruine This bitter roote is discerned two-waies First when its naturallest of all vices as we know Twichgrasse and May-weede will ouergrow the soyle that is giuen to it Secondly the oft returne of the same sinne after the seeming departure of it Read and ponder that of the end of him whom the vncleane spirit cast out once returned to with seuen times more strength and looke vp to God against it Q. Is there any more A. The last at the least which I will touch is vnwillingnesse to submit to Gods way of beleeuing I discourage none but warne onely Men looke God should wayt vpon vs and fill vs with goodnesse while wee are ydle if our hearts can be in frame and as we would God shall haue our good word but we are loth to bee too farre downe But learne to know the Lords way and yeeld humbly to it in vse of meanes and be not our owne caruers Those that saile vpon the Sea are vp in the cloudes and downe in the depths suddenly Get an heart to trade with the Lord according to his way And as it is fearefull to be alway dead and not
by faith in me Note the phrase Iustification is much ascribed to faith As Act. 13.38 Rom. 5.1 Rom. 3.25 but heere sanctification also So Act. 15. Hauing purified their hearts by faith 1. Pet. 1.22 And Saint Peter Hauing purified your harts by faith to the obedience of the Gospell Yea the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.13 seems to make faith to bee the instrument of the spirit sealing the soule After ye had beleeued ye were sealed by the spirit of promise faith attending the Spirit in beleeuing the promise it selfe doth further attend also the seale of it and applies both to the soule The reason is because although the seale is aboue a word yet it 's by a word and with it and not else Q But here it a great scruple how faith should be the apprehender of both these at once viz forgiuenesse of sinne and renuing of the soule For who sees not how wide a difference there is betweene receauing a thing without vs as imputation of righteousnesse and a thing really inherent in our natures as the image of God and renouation A. I grant the point needeth due consideration yet as the Lord shall guide me I will endeauour to answer it And seeing the truth hereof is as cleere in the Scripâ—ure as any one therefore the manner thereof wil the better be found out To this end note that faith being the instrument of the spirit in both the acts of regeneration I meane reconciling and renuing doth of necessity attend the worke of the spirit in both If then it be true which I sayd that the spirit reades a lecture of the Couenant to the Soule according to the whole purpose thereof then needes must faith do likewise euen follow the direction of the spirit in applying them equally to her selfe for faith is as the eye of the handmaid to the Mistres that is do that which the spirit suggesteth and takes all which the Lord offers her euen the Lord Iesus at once and wholly If the spirit say take Christ both for pardon and sanctification lo it takes him for both together of the former there is no doubt Let vs see for the latter Eph. 1.18 the Apostle prayes that the eyes of the mindes being enlightned by faith they might ver 19 20. see the exceeding powerfull and mighty worke of the Lord Iesus in them that beleeue that is whaâ— hee can doe by the power of his death and resurrection So in Eph. 3. end he praies that they might haue Christ dwel in their harts by faith that so they might comprehend his length and depth that is take him as hee is to the soule and haue the knowledge of him that passeth all knowledge beeing filled with his fulnesse So that faith takes the Lord Iesus in his fulnesse that shee might bee compleate in him both for mercy and sanctification So if we looke Ioh. 17. vlt. As thou O Father art in mee and I in thee so thy loue may be in them and I in them Marke Christ is not onely offred to the elect to be for them in pardon but to be in them to dwell to rule to comand to exercise power ouercorruption and for gouernment to bee as a soule in the body to act guide and beare sway in them as the branches in the vine out of which they wither so that the promise offers Christ both for vnion of reconciliation and also Communion and influence of grace In both which she takes him for he is not diuided a pearle is little worth being broken Now then looke how the hand of the Prophet was vpon the Kings in shooâ—ing so is the hand of the Spirit vpon the soule in beleeuing and as the hand of the writer vpon the learner to frame it his way so is the spirit vpon faiths hand And as the wax takes all the whoâ—e print of the seale so doth faith of the promise by the hand of the spirit So that although its certaine that nothing is more vnlike than the things themselues which faith applies in the manner of apllication the one taking a grace onely imputed and resting onely in the act of God casting forgiuenesse vpon the soule without any addition of inherent goodnesse to it the other taking Christ as infused and dwelling in the powers of the soule yet this puts no difference vpon the apprehension of faith seeing with one hand and one act both the Lord offers them the Spirit ioynes them the soule beleeues them The spirit is that which doth order these two benefits and settles them vpon the soule and in the soule but faith with one hand and act doth receiue them according to the seuerall vse and seruice as the spirit pleases to apply them It pleases the law to conveigh a Copy-hold by Court roll and a free hold by other conveyance of writing seale deliuery and possession but the same hand takes the copy and receaues the liuery and season So heere Q. What doth faith in the application of this Gift of Reneuation or the new creature A. Two things It workes the heart to be renued by an argumentation See 2. Cor. 5.14 For the loue of Christ constraineth vs because wee thus iudge c. Marke faith iudges the matter aright and passes a sound verduict vpon it If Christ haue so loued vs how should our soules earne toward him in all conformity to his blessed nature faith is in this as in all other respects a deepe Logician shee argues for God strongly shee brings euidence vnanswerable for him that as a she carries about her the marke of a diuine cause beeing the most Divine worke of God that ever hee did since the Creation above all the gifts of Adam and ayming at a better end so she carryes also strong reason to move the soule to bee like to her workeman and to resemble his holy nature The word constreine vs signifies such an hemming in as of the beast in a Pound or Pinfold that is put into it and câ—nnot get out by any euasion so doth faith controll the heart that it cannot wind out must needs yeeld to bee as hee who hath imputed his righteousnesse to forgiue her that is righteous and holy The very savour and instinct of faith tends to holinesse she serves to abandon nature to set vp holines in the soule As she settles an imputed holinesse to iustifie from Christ so she cannot rest till she her selfe partake it within Such things as are alway lying among sweets cannot chuse but resemble and sauour thereof Faith comes from the divine breath of God and is his gift therefore cannot degenerate but as riuers flow from the sea and runne thither so doth faith come from God and returnes to him shee sins not till shee haue so pleaded for God that she haue drawne the heart to sauor him in his holinesse And secondly by infusion She is the Tunnel of the spirit to convey the renuing of the holy Ghost into the soule As the hand of the workman
and circumstances according to Christian rules of which see Phil. 4.6 Finally brethren whatsoeuer is pure good of good report c. Also it s a grace teaching him that hath it to keep a decorum in religions and outward conuersation as knowing what his person cōdition wil beare or refuse Lastly how to carry himselfe in the vse of things indifferent without excesse or defect how to vse Christian policy with simplicity purenes of conscience Q. What is Simplicity A. It is a grace of a renued soule looking at truths in the naked nature apprehending and iudging of them without all mixture or corruption of fleshly conceit and wisdome and accordingly desirous to be informed of them as they are and to loue embrace and ensue them accordingly neither looking at the right hand or left I feare that as Satan tempted Eue so he tempt and lead you from the simplicity of the Gospell Q. What is Sincerity or Vprightnesse A. It is a grace of the Soule looking at the actions of Conuersation in respect of their right and true ends and therefore as it oppozeth al hypocrisie which is to do good with a squint look and mixture of our owne ends of credit gaine ease or content so it doth good with a pure ayme at Gods glory the honest discharge of duty and the good of others so as a man may haue good conscience in all things See 1. Cor. 1.12 and Act. 26.1 Iob 1. he abhorred to be an hireling This is called perfection viz. of parts not degrees Q. What is faithfulnesse A It properly respects the due manner of conuersation that it be holy and approouing what is accepted howbeit properly it hath a respect to opposition For as we say of a good and faithfull seruant wee dare trust him with vntold gold meaning although we see them not so this grace is such an honesty as puts God in security not to reuolt from him or warp notwithstanding baytes to allure or terrors to discourage or dangers to deferre either by threats error of the wicked collapsed times or provocations from our own false hearts Reu. 2.13 and Reu. 3.8 Thou hast kept my word and not denyed Mat. 25. Well done good and faithfull seruant It 's also taken for sincerity Act. 16.15 Q. What is integrity and what grace of the soule is it A. An equall and whole vprightnesse of it towards all the Commandements of God without partiality or taking exception Psal 119.6 When I haue respect vnto thy commandements It is contrary to that halting of spirit with God and patchery of a false heart whereby it affords God a maymed sacrifice in some duties forward that come on the right side but such as finde not fauor in our eyes reiecting them Q. What are the Graces of quantity or measure A. They may be referred to two Prosperity and Constancy Q. What is Prosperity A. A grace of the soule compounded of many in a word the welfare of a soule in respect of degrees and measures of grace And it hath three parts first Rootednesse secondly Fruitfulnesse thirdly Growth Rootednesse of the soule is a grace contrary to staggering and slightnesse whereby it is both grounded wel in knowledge for direction of life and setled in grace for full purpose and resolution of obedience See that of 1 Cor. 15. ult unmoveable So elsewhere the word of stablishing and setlednesse in the grace of the Gospell is used Also 11.23 That with full purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord. Secondly Fruitfulnesse is a grace issuing from rootednesse whereby the soule is abundant in the worke of God and full of the fruits of weldoing The contrary is barrennesse and emptinesse when the soule scants the Lord in his due as if he were an hard Master The effect of it is to auoid unprofitablenesse in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus 2 Pet. 1.8 Read for this grace 1 Cor. 15. ult The third is the fruit of both to wit Groth and encrease For as wee see it to be in trees when they are once well fastned in the earth rooted we looke they should beare fruit and then that in so bearing they waxe and grow in height and bredth and fruite so is it here Groth is a grace of the soule by which it encreases by due steps degrees to that fulnesse of the measure of Christ according to the proportion of the part Ephe. 4.15 Pet. ult Luk. 8.8 And it commonly is the effect of the meanes of grace blessed to the beleeving soule as 1 Pet. 2.2 Now then of these three stands Prosperity which is the spirituall gladnesse and laughter of the thriving soule 3 Iohn 2. Thy soule prospereth that is apparently is fat and well liking in goodnesse as those three children Dan. 1. and as we say the corne and hops laugh upon the ground and poles that beare them And it is a grace of the soule rooted fruitfull and growing whereby it beareth marke in the sight of all Act. 15.23 that it goes well with i◠to Godward and is cheerefull full of health vigor and contentment saying thus What I am I would be and wish no better Q. What is Continuance A. A grace of measure in the soule whereby it gives not in nor is faint or weary in weldoing and its contrary to staggering sloth and ease It hath two branches the first is firmenesse and resolution in the truth Col. 4 12. The other respects the course or wheele of conversation and it is either a going on and on from duty to duty with strength and purpose Psal 119.57 and long-breathednesse Psal 84 7. and Heb. 12.1 Run the race with patience set before thee taking alwayes in good part thicke and thin and not fainting in affliction and troubles Or else it is small Perseverance the fruit of the former for by a continuing in well-doing Rom. 2.7 and accounting each day a peece of our journey home at length we attaine the end of our hope and the issue of our faith and combat This grace hath the honour of all the rest not because the rest are inferiour to it but because it hath the lot above all the rest to stand next to the doore of salvation and to let in the soule thither See Mat. 24.13 14. Revel 2.10 And thus much of the Graces qualifying good conversation generally Q. What are the particulars that immediately helpe conversation A. All the sanctifying graces of the spirit of God according to the peculiar use they have in conversation as some are more proper for one use some for another and all for some or other Thus faith is a grace for the just to live by to God in the world hope is a grace to beare up in streights patience in an affliction thankfulnesse in blessings moderation in lawfull liberties innocency and righteousnesse in the common life of men love generally helpes all in a word each grace doth more or lesse serue for the enabling of the soule
to a well a bearing of it selfe towards God man or selfe Of these I speake no more onely I would adde one thing That graces of the spirit serve not onely to take up the residence within and no more but mightily to strengthen the soule to all spirituall or externall conversation see that Col. 1.11 Strengthned by the might of his power unto all long-suffring with joyfulnesse and well pleasing c. Hence it is that Eph. 6. Paul reckons up speciall graces of the spirit as the compleat harneis of a Christian I will open this by a similitude I told yee that Conversation is like a wheele Note then As in a Wheele there be three parts the nave the spokes and the round so here the nave is compared to the spirit of regeneration or the new creature of which in Article 1. the spokes are these graces I have named issuing from the nave and fastned to the round for as these staves doe unite the strength of the nave to the round and carry the strength thereof to each part of the wheele which else would breake and split in sunder so these graces of the spirit of Christ are the staffe of our life and the very support of our conversation and wheele of our course As for example Take away knowledg from the use of our liberties faith from the Sacraments or Word love from visiting the sicke mercy from almes where shall these parts of conversation become And thus much of this first part of the substance of conversation in graces Q. What is the second part of the substance hereof A. It is the consideration of the Subject who is to lead this conversation that is the regenerate person Now looke what the severall instruments are by which a Christian doth and must ordinarily converse those are the subject in which it stands and therefore had neede to be accordingly qualified Q. What are they and how many A. Three Thoughts Affections and Actions Q. What are the Thoughts and what rules are there for the frame of their conversation A. Thoughts are the first movers in the soule and from them issueth either good or bad life see Pro. 4.23 so our Saviour That which defiles a man comes from within as evill thoughts Mat. 15.19 They are the master-wheele If a man be envious and malicious Psal 36.4 his thoughts devise mischiefe upon his bed if the course be covetous the thoughts first set them on fire they pierce them through with cares 1 Tim. 6.10 So in the rest Therefore it being granted that we speake of the new Creature who hath purified already his soule to obedience let these rules serve to frame his commonwealth of thoughts aright First let our continuall care be to keepe the through-fare of the soule free from them as by pardon of them Acts 8.22 so by purging of them daily from that vanity prophanenesse disorder endlesnesse and other sins thereof which makes the conversation vaine 1 Pet. 1.18 Eph. 4.24 put off the old man of deceitfull lusts Secondly Iere 4.14 Mica 6.5 labour to season thy imagination and the doores of thy sences eyes and eares with holy meditations of God his Church his Will and Promises Psal 1.2 In the Law of God he meditates day and night Psal 19. ult Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be alway acceptable Thirdly watch over these thoughts as men doe for theeves and aske whence they come and whither they will ere they passe yea keepe the whole prison the streighter for the sake of thy thoughts because if the ringleaders breake loose all the rest follow them Pro. 4.23 And the doore of the thoughts had neede be kept as well as the tongue Psal 141.3 yea and keepe in holy thoughts that they goe not out as fast as they come in Eze. 46.9 So fourthly attend seriously upon holy objects to fixe the imagination upon good things Esay 26.3 which is the way to beat off the swarme of these flyes Above all looke to the maine worke of Renuing and let all thy springs be in the Lord Psal 87.7 even the root of thy whole conversation which is the spring of thy thoughts and this will cause the branches and streames to be holy and cause thee to dwell upon meditation and to be heauenly minded Q. How is the wheele of Affections to be guided A. The Affections are the wheeles of the soule indeed anâ— upon them the soule is either hurried to evill or led to good Little doe most men thinke how they are carried by these their passions by each object Sometime by love by joy by hope on the right hand otherwhiles by feare by sorrow by anger pitty or the like rare is that man who venters not upon the sea of conversation with the broken barke of Affections It may be said of them as of that ancient Where they doe well none better where ill none worse Heathens were faint to abandon them quite the Stoicks I meane for the pudder they found by them and to deny all affection and so put out their eyes and cut off their hands and feete for feare of offending them But the Scriptures afford more grace than so therefore first weigh well how hardly the best escape the violence of them Note how Dauid disguizeth himselfe suddenly in swearing Nabals death vpon his defeate 1. Sam. 25.13 Ioh. 18.10 how soone Malchus his eare is smitten off by Peter in his passion how soone fire from heauen is sent for by the discontenâ—ed disciples Luk 9.54 So also Dauids rashnesse to Nathan 2 Sam. 12.5 which he must needes blush for So by the beholding of Bathsheba how soone was a fire kindled but long in quenching How suddenly Iosh 7. did the babilonish garment fire the heart of Achan The newes of Absoloms death pierce and disguise Dauid 2 King 5.20 Not to speake of Gehazi his sudden following Naaman Felix his hope of a bribe from Paul the disciples excesse of sorrow vpon a word speaking by Christ that foolish pity of Ahab vpon the men of Benhadads errand the extreame feare of the women vpon the Angels words All these Cloudes of witnesses shew the vnbridlednes of the passions and therefore should prepare vs with earnestnesse to preuent them Secondly yet note how affections are as soone vp in armes if the heart be well seasoned and stablished with grace How soone was Peter mooued with holy feare vpon the draught of fishes Luk. 5.8 How easily was the poore blind man rayzed vp in the depth of loue to the Lord Iesus how soone was sorrow wrought in the hearts of three thousand murtherers at once by Peters preaching how presently was compassion mooued in Peter and Iohn toward the cripple Act. 3.4 how quickly was zeale stirred vp in Phineas against Zimri and Cosbi Numb 25.11 and so may bee said of the rest Thirdly therefore let vs nourish the fire of the holy Ghost kindled in vs in our first regeneration and apply it
daylie life so doth the soule all her workes in Christ Christ in her prayes preaches prospers suffers and in a word doth all her workes in her as Esay 26. Q. What is the life of faith in estates and first in Prosperity A. The cleauing of the soule to God in the promise of his Al-sufficiency Gen. 17.1 and 1 Cor. 3. end Al things are yours and ye Christs It s the Lord Iesus our head who being Lord of all made himselfe no body that we might haue right to all promises Faith then cleaues to this promise First That if God hath made vs a feast in the mountaines much more hee will in the valleyes Esay 25. And looke what blessing so euer he see good it 's mine life good daies good marriage children family health successe recouery credit wealth it 's mine A childe of God beleeues no temporall promise otherwise than a spirituall both purchased by Christ alike although if he see them vnfit I am to beleeue a supply otherwise as good or better but else faith cleaues to a temporall in the full right to Christ without ifs or ands as well as the other And not onely so but serues Gods prouidence for them with holy confidence setting the Lord aboue his owne labours in the secret blessing of a promise going to worke without indirect courses without sinne or sorrow beleeuing that whatsoeuer his portion be more or lesse it 's his giuen him by his father and therefore best and any other should be worse and to conclude accounting the commonest blessing to be no common loue to him but vouchsafed in kindnesse to his seruant and therefore not snared thereby and nailed to the earth but raised vp rather as by wings to the giuer to serue the Lord with a good and cheerefull heart for all his blessings Q. What is the life of faith in the estate of aduersity A. It is the cleauing of the soule to God in the promise of his protection and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 The poore soule saith with David on his death-bed The Lord liueth who hath deliuered my soule out of all aduersity sword of Saul pursuit enemies in battell and now will deliuer me in deatâ— And how first as it was with Christ that no trouble nor yet one houre sooner befell him than God preordained so shall a poore soule beleeue that no enemy shall hurt or afflict in any kind then or vntil the Lord see meet but as he so thou shalt passe through all so also 2. If any doe assault thee sickenesse poverty suits prison malitious enemies thou shalt say with Christ This is their houre they are come in season they are meet read 1 Pet. 1.6 they are no accidents they are the allottings of my Father for speciall good 3. When they doe lye vpon thee yet the Lord shall bee thy light in darkenesse and shall bee thy defence and couer thy head in the day of battell See Micah 2.7 Psal 84. end hee shall make thy bed in sicknesse and walke with thee in the Fornace hee shall be thy peace of heart thy strength to endure hee shall purge thee by them and bring thee out as gold out of the Fornace So that thou shalt say Perhaps the Lord shall doe me good for this crosse this day make me better than if I had not had it It is good for mee that I was afflicted And after a tolerable passage read Ier. 29.6 7. he shall deliuer me out of all one way or other so that the spirit of glory and the conquest of Christ rests vpon me and by his promise Ioh. 16. vlt. I haue ouercome the world I shall take good courage and say Micah 7.8 I shall rise when I am fallen and afterward I shal with the Lord Iesus be out of the gunshot of all afflictions yea as the estate of a beleeuer is through his whole life so shall it be comfortablest at death and the last day shall be his best a rest from all labours Q. What is the life of faith in meanes vsing A. It is the cleauing vnto God by the promise for the power and blessing of and vpon all his ordinance which point seeing it will fall into Article 4. vse 3. therefore thence fetch direction Q. What is the life of faith in duties A. It s the cleauing of the soule to God by a promise for strength to giue vs the grace to doe what hee commandeth of which also seeing I treat in Article 3. vse 4 there looke Q. What is the life of faith in Graces A. It 's the soules cleauing to God in the promise and in the grace of the Lord Iesus for a supply of grace conuenient for it selfe both for number and measure Ioh. 1.17 from his fountaine we receiue grace for grace like for like so many for so many In the strength of this promise a poore barren soule comes to the Lord and hearing what treasure is in Christ and for whom comes with confidence and pleades for it selfe Oh Lord as empty a wretch as I am of mercy of compassion of righteousnesse of loue of patience thou hast put all into the nature of Christ Emanuel though I am pestred with a peeuish froward proud worldly spirit yet thou hast sayd where sinn hath abounded grace abounded much more thou delightest to honour thy Sonnes grace in purging such sinfull ones from their cursed qualities thou wilt haue thy grace pointed at Oh! who would haue euer haue looked to see such a proud wretch humble so worldly an one heauenly minded Nay the Lord can vse those weapons of sinne to bee weapons of righteousnesse choler to turne zeale for God prodigality to turne bounty to the poore members of Christ I see where the Lord creates the new creature hee also creates the graces thereof where he marryes he giues the marriage Ring beset with all Iewels of faithfulnesse humblenesse and the like Why then should a poore member pine away for want when the head is full and full for his members Oh! I see all things are mine in Christ all meanes duties yea and graces mine Didst thou not say so Lord and causedst me to trust thee for it that out of thy Fountaine I should haue for both number those that are most wanting and for measure that which may strengthen a feeble heart Euen as Haman hearing what should be done to a fauorite answered he meanes me whom else so the poore soule heere The Lord hath renued mee and whom should he bestow Graces vpon to beautifie sooner Q. Goe forward to the second branch of our Communion with God wherein doth it consist A. In the exercise of the graces of his spirit For looke how Merchants and Chapmen haue the policy and traffike for wares and mony so the godly haue their commerce with the Lord for grace Read Phillip 3.19 But our conuersation is in heauen And this stands in these three things First in the encrease of their graces for the experience of the sweete
and the like and let thy eye be fixed chiefely vpon the righteous and encourage them that they may bee the guides to the rest Vse not to dally out the season of dutie in families which procures commonnesse and formality Catechise admonish reward and censure and hold vp order by these meanes Touching inferiors bee wholly for the good of the whole family not your owne ends Children downe right in subiection and not insolent spenders and claymers of their parents wealth as theirs for the support of their vices and lusts but vnder authority with all loue and well deseruing seeing they can haue but al after the decease of Parents and the whilest their due education As for seruants I haue elsewhere spoken at large let this suffice that they shew all good faithfulnesse and respect as those vpon whom the well or ill fare of the family dependeth and the more they are betrusted the more trusty for few families doe ruinate wherein bad seruants haue not one principall hand Q. One word more of the tongue and so end A. It 's a great wheele also of Conuersation As great wheeles in fire-works set the lesser on fire so doth the tongue the whole course of mortality Iam 3.6 and it 's set on fire by hell without grace But euen where there is grace how little seene in this kind and yet our religion is in vaine without it as Iam. 1.26 It 's the chiefe Agent and chapman of conuersation and by it conuersation vtters it selfe But how what scolding and brawlings in family what multitude of them in buying and selling what iangling vp and downe the streetes by gadding gossips of vnstayed minds what poison foames from the heart by the vent of a lying cruell malicious taunting backbiting pratling vaine and unruly tongue And while the eare is the receiuer this theefe will neuer change his trade Truly as once at sea an owner of a ship cryed cryed out when his ship was tossed and in danger Oh saue my ship one answered If it be yours why doe ye not rule it so we may say our tongues are ours for title but their own for gouernment we haue no keep of them If occasion be giuen to speake of a good thing none so still if of our owne neuer haue done as the Poet spake of those Fidlers that either could not bee got to it or could make no end Let this shame vs Christians that not onely natures fences of teeth and lips but the Lord Iesus his blood and his word should not be able to rule this little but vnruly member Get vs a well stayed heart and ballanced with grace and this will keepe in our tongues first from excesse and then good matter good heart and good occasions will set them on worke for good for God for our brethren As the tongue hath set all on fire oft times and made all men beshrew vs so the same being seasoned by the grace of Christ may bee the Creator of fruite of the lips which is peace and both glorifie God and edifie man all conuersion of the soule and all building vp in Grace beeing the effect of this member sanctified Thus much for the opening of this second Article Q. Now briefely adde some generall vse because the opening of this Conuersation is vse of it selfe A. First let it warme all weake and fearefull ones who being vnder the condition of grace yet through melancholy Vse 1 the Deuils deteyning of you and distrust dare not or will not apply the promise to shake off your distempers but still wrap yourselues into Satans chaines and chuse to make your hell another heauen by your bondage Oh come out of the thraldome betimes For lo the very hearsay of these two Articles should gaster ye the Lord hath a great deale of worke for yee to do both to make ye new creatures to order all your conuersation aright Oh here is a full worke of a mans life Doe ye consider what this conuersation is how large how deep how broad doe ye wisely weigh the dimensions of it If ye did you would be afraid least death should surprise ye ere ye haue strooke one stroke of this seruice of God Till yee haue faith what can come from ye to please God Oh! to you to you onely belong the promise it must be God indeed who must work it but why do ye deny that it is yours how deeply do ye dishonour God and depriue him of his glory Oh! remember there is a great conuersation of seruice required of ye the art of obedience is long the life is short Begge of God that ye may be roused out of the den of ease or sullennesse or feare and say Lord hasten and finish the worke of faith with power I shall bee shent else and benighted the day will faile me and I shall bee dead before I come to any proof of grace the new creature This I vrge the rather because I see how many please themselues in this estate of the suburbes and shame not to say if I might euer haue learne to beleeue I would care for no more would yee not me thinkes you should tremble to see such a world of worke a whole conuersation to walke in and yet you still to begin who shall doe Gods worke if you sit still yee will say perhaps if wee could beleeue wee should not perish Is that all Is Gods glory lesse to you than your owne saluation Cast off your ease And take heed least ye bee faint to crowde in at heauen gate with much adoe when others goe in at a wide doore when their hearts shall tell you faith was wanting to purge your heart your tongues liues still you walked in many vnreformed courses for lacke of the power of faith will this be a welcome thought on the death-bed I remember what the Lord said to Elia 1 King 19.13 when hee was fled from Iezabel What dost thou heere Elia in this caue Vp and eate for thou hast a long iourney so I say to thee Vp and eate take and beleeue the promise Purge thy heart renew thy soule enter into an holy conuersation begin quickly bee thankefull for thy deliuerance and consider heere is plenty of worke for thee heere is a course of seruice toward God toward man heere bee affections thoughts and actions to bee gouerned the very view of this iourney might dismay one that wants feete and hands Oh! that this among other motiues might rouze thee vp I tell thee were thy faith like Abrahams heere were worke enough to do for thee how stands thy heart to it If there be any desire of Gods honour in the to leaue some marke of faith behind thee and to dye with peace in the conscience of thy holy endeauour of well-pleasing bestirre thy selfe and set on vp and be doing and the Lord shall be with the willing Secondly it should be terror to all hypocrites and time-seruers Vse 2 who make religion and profession a
and to oppose it to Christ in the point of being so iustified This doe not wee in affirming the Law to be our direction for wee affirme that a man is first iustified by Christ onely abolishing the Law in that point wholly Therefore this cauill is falsely cast vpon vs. Q. Explane this better for you seeme herein to confound the two couenants Do this and liue and Beleeue this and liue doe you not so A. God forbid for the opening of which it will be fit in a word to shew in what respect these two couenants are opposite and in what not The old couenant is contrary to the new only in the point of liuing by doing or beleeuing and being iustified by doing or beleeuing Whosoeuer will be iustified by doing destroyes iustification by beleeuing as both those old hereticall Pharisees and now Papists affirme As the Apostle in Rom. 11.6 vrgeth If of workes no more of grace for so workes were no more workes if of grace not of workes Gal. 5.4 for then grace were no more grace In this respect then the Law of doing and the Law of faith are irreconciliable and as contrary as to bee saued by ones selfe is contrary to beeing saued by another and in this respect doth Paul so oppose these vilifying the Law and exalting the Gospell calling the one an old letter the other the Spirit the one wanzing and to be abolished the other to be setled by the others ruine Else the Apostles phrases cannot be approoued for hee onely confutes the error of the Iew that tooke that Couenant of works to import a possibility for nature to doe it Gal. 3.21 former part Gal. 3.24 But the old couenant is not contrary to the new in point of direction to obedience neither is the law contrary to the promises but subordinate rather for as the Law first serued to prepare a way to Christ so hauing once trodden the Law vnder Christ feete in that supposed strength thereof to iustifie a sinner it 's safe to affirme doe this vnder the Lord Iesus doe this in faith and liue not that workes are causes of but the way vnto life euen that life which faith hath procured and Christ purchased as one well said No causes of a kingdome but the way of reigning And thus the Law falling into the streame of Christ is not or opposite vnto him but in order of direction to a beleeuer how he may walk vnto saâ—uation Q. Yet one doubt more appeares for this opinion Christ is made a lawgiuer A. True but with a distinction Not as if hee by dying should merit to vs a way of iustifying our selues by the forme of the old couenant Doe this and liue which some Diuines haue affirmed and they are lately well confuted for this were but a nice trick to establish Iewish and popish iustification but he is our Law-giuer by directing vs to life by this Law hauing first iustified vs by his grace Q. But seeing the Law was a yoke not to be borne and an impossible Master to obey as Act. 15.10 is spoken how can it be made a direction for vs A. Iesus Christ hath taken away that yoke and so put it vpon vs the same Law yet altered much in the property thereof and that sundry waies and so made it no yoke of the Law but a yoke of his own sweet and easie and light and which he tels vs wee may well beare being ridde of the other as Mat. 11.29 30. Q. Shew that wherein stands this ease A. He hath purchased it for vs as our Priest King Prophet Q. How as your Priest A. Sundry waies First by discharging vs from the yoke of superfluous ceremonies of the old ceremoniall and iudicial Law Col. 2.14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances which was contrary to vs. In this wee got a great quittance of the Law The more wrong doe they vnto vs who restore this burden as the papists and thinke they doe vs a good turne destroying Christs ease who hath rid vs of all beggerly Rudiments Gal. 4.9 and Col. 2.17 so that we are dead with Christ from them Col. 2.20 Secondly hee hath freed vs from the rigor of morrall Lawes as that one of the Sabbaths excessiue obseruation but especially the whole burden of the morrall Law Gal. 3.13 that immoderate impost of doing all according to the full matter mannor and measure so that now the Law is quallified and is onely required of vs as the obedience of faith and accounted vnto vs as full as if we could wholly fulfill it By which meanes these commandements are not burdensome 1 Ioh. 5.3 But thirdly and especially hee hath rid vs from that wofull penalty of curse more heauy then all Gal. 3.13 euen eternall death of soule and body which throughout our life enthralled vs to bondage Heb. 2.15 and that by his blood and satisfaction for vs Gal. 4.5 Fourthly hee hath remooued that vnwelcomenesse of our persons whereby al that came from vs was irkesome to God and made both vs and our seruice accepted Eph. 1.6 yea and that euen our wants and infirmities Reuel 1.6 euen Priests to offer vp acceptible sacrifices Lastly he doth still by his intercession still procure acceptance still for vs that no time or age may make the Father weary of vs. Q. What hath he done for vs as a King A. First hee strengthens and stablisheth all those ties and bands of obedience due to himselfe from vs that the more freed we are from bondage the more we may bee tyed to the libertie of this royall law of his setting vp his throne in the soule more fully thereby vpon better prerogatiue before it was iustly vrged but weakely because the strength of Creation was lost and gone as Rom. 8.3 That which by the Law was impossible through weakenesse of flesh c. But now being recouered vpon tearmes oâ— easinesse and delight hee may more equally and duely require it without excuse And by this the Law is the more established in vs Ro. 3.31 Do we then by faith frustrate the Law nay rather we establish it For as the Lord requires obedience of his Creature vpon the planting of his image in it so by this restoring it from her ruine and curse he much more settles the same vpon the beleeuer faith to say the truth being the grace that conformes the soule to this image in the vtmost intent of God which when shee hath perfectly done shee shall bee of no more vse To this end pertaines that Roman 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to all that beleeue Meaning that the Law is satisfied in her scope of perfect obedience by Christ seeing faith in him hath obteyned a ful acceptance of obedience as if it were legally perfect Secondly he doth by his Kingdome infuze strength into vs to obey the Law enclines our wits thereunto and makes it to vs actually as Christ found it to himselfe and hath made it to vs euen
without wearinesse Q. Are all these equall in excellency A. No as the Lord hath planted such a light in the Sunne as giues light to all inferiour Planets so hath he giuen to the Ministry of the Word an eminency aboue the rest so that therefrom as the begetter of faith and grace doth issue all ability and strength to other ordâ—nances The Moone may helpe a traueller when the Sunne is absent yet shee hath but a borrowed light therefrom So haue other ordinances of the Sacraments prayer conference and the like their foyson from the Word preached which I speake not to diminish the rest for all haue their speciall vse and each of them with the word are aboue it onely the Sacraments in their sealing property and priuate duties in their peculiâ—r familiarity although if comparison be made the Word preached hath the preheminence Rom. 10.14 See Numh. 29. where the chiefe ordiâ—ances are vrged Q. What vses serue these for A. As I said for the builning vp and preparing the soule for euery good worke and the perfecting of sanctification in the feare of the Lord 1 Cor. 6.1 Q. I would heare them named and distinguished A. It is not the purpose of this view to make common places of any thing which as many others haue excellently performed the seuen treatises especially so to omit them I desire my reading Auditors to reuiew those seueral Scriptures vpon which all these haue beene at large handled as the Doctrine of fasting vpon Mat. 6.6 of publike thanksgiuing vpon Lament 3 23. of hearing aright vpon Esay 55.3 of the Sacraments vpon 1 Pet. 3.21 by the way and largely vpon 1 Cor. 11.28 of experience vpon Lament 3.27 of watchfulnes Mat. 24 42. And so of Communion and assembling Psa 133. and Heb. 10.25 To giue euen a little of these Sermons would fill the booke which is now much fuller than I meant yet for the desire of your good somewhat of fiue or sixe of the chiefe their nature and vse in the helping to godlinesse And first to distinguish them They are either priuate or publike and both these sorts are equally either ordinary or extraordinary Being wee with the latter and they are either fasting or thanksgiuing Q. What is Fasting A. A solemne ordinance of God attended with rest and abstinence wherein the Church lawfully assembled to heare and pray doth powre out her soule in selfe-affliction and supplication with importunity for the turning away of some great present or imminent sinne and danger Q. And what is Thankâ—giuing A. A sollemne ordinance of God wherein the Church lawfully assembled powres out her selfe in prayses and thanks for some rare blessings and deliuerances And let this also bee vnderstood of priuate in both extraordinary kinds termes being obserued Q. And what are the publike ordinary A. The Word read and preached with prayer and the administration of Baptisme and the Supper Q. What are the priuate ordinary A. Prayer family duties reading the word meditation conference and the like Q. What is the Word preached A. It is a publike eminent ordinance wherein the Minister lawfully deputed doth distinctly and soundly read the Word giue the sence ground the Doctrine and conuincingly apply it by instruction reproofe confutation and exhortation Q. What is the Sacrament of Baptisme A. The former Sacrament of the New Testament wherein by due application of water to the infant all Christ is sealed vp to the soule for regeneration Q. What is the Sacrament of the Supper A. The second in order in which by due giuing and receiuing of bread wine the Lord Iesus is wholy giuen and taken by the beleeuing soule to be nourished to eternall life Q. What is priuate Payer A. A lifting vp of the heart to God in the name Iesus Christ in confession and supplication for the pardon of sinne the granting of all good things and acknowledging of mercies already receiued Q. What is Meditation A. A serious reuiuing of these truths we haue heard or the administrations of God towards vs or others that both mind and heart being seasoned with the sauour thereof we may be furthered thereby to duty Q. What is Conference A. A wise and louing laying together by two or more of such things as concerne the glory of God and our spirituall edifying for mutual information quickning I ayme in these descriptions rather at the good then the humour and conceit of my reader and that by way of digression and by these let the rest be aymed at Q. Now that which you most ayme at being to show how all these make for the groth of the soule in godlinesse let mee heare you treat of it in particuler A. I will giue a view of some of the chiefe and so hasten to end with vse First for that of hearing the Word bee sure thou hast true right to the blessing of it This Article of the meanes belongs onely to the new creature to further him in his course else the word cannot build thee except first it haue begot thee See 1 Pet. 2.3 If ye haue tasted how gracious the Lord is then come to the Word to grow by it Else it will poison thee if thou bee impure nothing is pure Eph. 4 22.23 .. If ye haue knowne the truth as it is in Iesus then come and put off c. Secondly prize and couet it Prize it as that word which hath beene the seed of immortality and glory vnto thee It will be no hard worke to prize it if thou haue found it so in the former vnto thee For this experience will send thee to the Word with all reuerence and esteeme saying where shall I finde such treasure as here It is my life and the food thereof no Market can afford that ware that the Word offereth if thy heart be not lost in profits and pleasures froth and ease but prizeth aboue all things the grace of an holy conuersation surely that word will be precious that directs to it This made Dauid thinke himselfe in a store house and treasury when he came to the Word because it serued to order all his matters Now if it bee precious it will be couetâ—d hungred after attended with al heed yea snatcht with violence as precious things are 1 Pet. 2.2 Couet and eagerly tugge at the Word as the child at brest Sleepe not wander not gaze not but attend the Gates and Posts of Wisedome and Vnderstanding if thou lookest they should preserue thee Thirdly come from an holy course and practise when thou commest to heare Come not from thine owne course of wrath world selfe purge these first 1 Pet. 2.1 and so come Repent of all old sinnes of heauing thy triflings and dallyings with the Word thy base mixtures and come from a good course and so the Word shall send thee backe to it with more strength and grace than thou camest Who is he that eates the sauoriest meale The idle sluggish one No the strong laborer toyled worne
with work he feeds hard and goes to his work better then he came from it To him that hath shal be giuen Fourthly deny thy selfe and thy own wisedome partialities preiudices of man of gifts of ordinances if the Lord will haue the Minister forget all his one for Gods ends and for euidence of conuiction how much more thou Oh! come without thy selfe and say Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth Incline mine eare to heare and to be meeke teachable simple as the babe Esay 55.4 and remember if the Lord haue giuen thee all to be thine Cephas Paul Apollo do not thou say onely one is thine Set the Lord aboue man gifts and thy owne depth be a foole that thou mayst be wise Fifthly beleeue God 1. See and ponder Mic. 2.7 the end That in his Word this direction to be life is to be found search the Scriptures Iob. 6. for therin ye looke to haue eternall life let nothing come betweene thee and it and lot vpon it as thy portion for thy vse against thy lets Secondly That he can guide his Word peculiarly to doe thee good and speake to thy soule though thou bee but one of many hearers The Lord Iesus that great Steward of Gods prouisions hath giuen in charge to his steward Luk. 12.42 to giue thee thy demensum whether weake or strong milke or meate correction and instruction for crosses or blessings be thy need what it will hee will finde out for euery member of his houshold Thirdly mixe the word with faith beleeue it obey it feare it see God true in it in al his promises charges and threats and stand ready to catch that part of it which is thine as the tradesman stands ready with his mould to catch the molten mettall to frame his vessell looke not at omens wants but bring thy owne that when any thing falles from God thou maist catch it vp for thy vse Be humble and tremble at it Esay 28.7 and 66.5 weaned from the brests Striue not so to catch at shadowes to bring away al each pretty speech that thou forget to carâ—y away thy owne due which is euer the best part of the Sermon for thee As he said to his sonnes I leaue you my Kingdome but looke to find it to you as you are to it so I say come to the Word with your wants and mixe it with faith and it shall bee so vnto you Lastly depart from hearing as well apaid well fed keepe your charge loose it not in the ayre of the world carry it with you into each part of the world but let nothing rob yee of it and so musing of it after applying it to occasions which are many and going to it againe with reuiewing that is past wait still for more take forth a new lesson dayly haue an eare to heare where God hath a tongue to speake loose not one vnder another 2 Ioh. 8. and so sanctifie all with praier and I see not but in spite of Satan the hearing of the Word may especially helpe thee on to an holy course Q. Giue also some direction about the Sacraments A. The former of them is Baptisme To omit all other take these few notes about it First as it should teach all that bring their infants to dedicate their Children to God by prayer when they bring them to this sceale so especially let all others that solemnly attend the Sacrament there recall to mind how the Lord hath been aforehand with them in like sort euen hanging his badge vpon them when they were cut off and knew it not let them now being hearers of the Couenant fetch from it the sealing power of it to assure their soules that the Lord meanes them well beleeuing that in this Lauer the Lord Iesus was conueyed to them not one for a matriculation into visible Communion but for effectuall Calling them to be the sonnes and daughters of the Almighty Let it by faith carry their fearfull weake hearts into the assurance of Gods Couenant that pardon and adoption is theirs union and ingrafting is theirs and into the Baptisme of the holy Ghost and fire which is the new Creature and the grace thereof And secondly Let them hold the Lord sure to them in this Couenant by this seale as a Corporation would hold their liberties by the Kingâ— Broad Seale And when the Deuill fils thee with doubts â—bout thy Conuersion the condition of faith the beleeuing in the promise strength to a godly life flye to thy Baptisme as thy vttermost assurance and say If the Lord werâ— found of an Infant that could not seeke him and gaue me hâ—â— seale that he would saue mee what will hee doe now I seeke him faithfully Can he now turne from me who first sought mee No except I despise his cognizance and runne from him When thou lookest vpon his Rayne-bow in the Clouds thou fearest no floud any more but Baptisme is better 1 Pet. 3.18 it 's Gods Arke which by water saues thee from perishing by the waters of Gods wrath rest thy soule in an holy quiet and secure right and title to all which the Lord giues his Church in Christ of which part 2. Artic. 5. Remember that the Spirit by faith doth as really dip and drench thy soule with his pure water Ezek. 35.25 to rinse away thy guilt blemish and câ—rse of sinne and to quicken thee vp to the life of the new creature in righteousnesse as by his Ministers hand hee dips thee into and tâ—kes thee out of the water Know that Gods Ordinances are no vaine things as Saint Iames of the word so I say of this Seale Doth the Scripture speake in vaine So doth Baptisme seale in vaine No they are Tunnels by faith to powre into the soule regeneration Touching Infants what God is able to blesse Baptisme vnto in them I say not this I say that as Baptisme doth them no good by faith so yet it settles vpon the elect ones the reals of Christ Adoption and Holinesse and the fruit of Election though neither onely seeing they may dye before it nor necessarily for they may enioy it after but yet really to so many as or when as it seemes good to the Lord of it to vse it to that end And let vs beleeue that the poorer this Iorden is in respect of that Popish Ahana and Pharfar and the stronger shall be the spirit of God in it to cause thy flâ—sh to returne as a little childes that thou maist be cleane Marke then if one great stop in a Christians conversation stands in distrust about the truth of his estate in both parts of Gods Couenant how can that which secureth the heart of it chuse but be a singular helpe to faith and godlinesse Q. How is the Supper such an helpe A. Thus First the soule knowing that God doth sustaine her by the same whereby he begat her doth vpon this Baptisme receiued with holy confidence goe to the Lord for her due nourishment by and
our selues to the chiefe worke which is soule-affliction Let vs consider if we were pined with necessity of abstinence from meat and drinke for any time what a fearefull anguish would it bring vs vnto and is not thinke wee sinne that deserues it of more afflicting vexing nature Oh! if we could preuaile with God to feele this sting in kind how sweet should a fast bee and how saplesse is it when we can scarce in a whole day feele one dart of sinne or wrath to pierce vs Let vs ayme at it then and much more that sinne doe humble vs then any sorrow whatsoeuer Let vs first Mic. 7.9 beare the indignation of the Lord for our sinne and for the â—est let God alone to plead our cause for what should it help vs to be rid of all other enemies while our owne pride selfe-loue hipocrisie vaine-glory worldlinesse and hardnesse of heart still glow at our hearts Therefore as poore Vriah was faint to be set in the forefront before his fellowes so let vs set these before all enemies that if any dart any strength from heauen be sent vs these may haue the first handsell thereof for the strength of all our sorrowes and enemies lyes in our weaknesse therefore let vs so lye vnder the affliction and confusion of these that the Lord may bow his heart to be afflicted in all our sorrowes and then he will soone bow the heauens and melt our calamities away although they seeme as mountains yet they shal flow down at his preseÌ„ce Esa 64.1 yet let vs not onely doe thus remember that fasting is also a Sabbath of reconciliation therefore let the Lord Iesus his Redemption be looked at by faith and keepe vs from base bondage and the feare of hipocrites Let vs beleeue that vpon one crosse he both satisfied for our sinnes and conquered all enemies and therefore in his merit let vs confidently approach to the throne of grace for pardon of the one and deliuerance from the other Secondly apply ourselues to all the supports of a fast which the Lord hath granted to keepe vs from deadnesse and wearinesse the Word I meane fitted to our occasions and the like yet as seruing to the maine of humiliation and confidence Adore we the Lord in his owne strong way and our vtter nothing Let vs blesse him that we be freed from those Popish dumbe Pageants who beside the outward abstinence want all furniture of fasters Thirdly consider that the Scripture in no one thing affords vs greater consolation and hope than in this for there is scarce one example of a fast which wants the experience of good successe yea extraordinary like it selfe as in Esters Nehemiahs and Ezraes Israel's against Beniamin the Churches Act 12. doth appeare Nay let our owne experience hearten vs when euer did we meet a new without proofe of some blessing vpon the former publike humiliation Fourthly and considering it must be no small grace either of mourning or faith which must preuaile against those holds either without or within which we pray against let vs know that our lockes had neede be well growne with Sampsons for such a purpose Therefore let none dare to compasse this Altar with vnpreparednesse of heart And so looking to the Lord Iesus for couering vs and accepting vs let vs desire some signe of mercy and consuming of our Sacrifice that we depart with comfort and hope to haue God to set his fiat to our suites And so shall we find fasting a speciall helpe to grace Q. Conclude with Thanksgiuing is that an helpe alse A. Yea verily if first wee come full of the matter of our thanks for so are all the thanksgiuings of this kind which the Holy Ghost recordeth Moses and Miriams Iudg. 5. Exod 15. Deborahs Dauids and the rest And therefore to carry a liuing memoriall and catalogue of the chiefe publike ones of which a reuerend Writer of our Church hath deserued well and so the like briefe of our owne were most needfull Remember the great prouidence of setling the Gospell and banishing Popery and since that the strange miraculous deliuerances not once or twise from forraine enemies home iudgements In secret record our owne our first calling since that our many staggers and reuolts his renewed mercies by occasion in our changes of estate in our streights in deep desertions when wee could no more sustaine our selues then if we had hung in the ayre how he hath euer been our portion when friends haue forsaken vs vnthankfully and will bee so still our blessings aboue many gifts of minde condition and calling graces of soule how God kept vs from forsaking his Couenant in our deepest temptations of Satan and enemies Secondly Be enlarged accordingly with due simpathy both for the Church and thy selfe reioycing with her with and for whom thou hast oft mourned and preferring her peace to thy chiefe ioy Affection is the fire to the Sacrifice and know that Psal 50. ult hee that prayseth God honoreth him and the ascent of prayses shall be the descent of blessings and happy is he who may maintaine this entercourse with God for the enlarging of him to more grace And so much of the whole doctrine of the meanes Q. Is there any vse to be made hereof Vse 1 A. Yes and first seeing the chaine of these holy helps is so precious and profitable to a godlie life first wee confute all breake the linkes thereof and vnsauorily make comparisons that betweene one and other to the ouerthrow of all Some betweene preaching and prayer some betweene Word and Sacraments as the Papists doe How is the Sacrament of the Altar magnifyed with them and how are all other vilified thereby whereas we do hold that they haue a sweet harmony and neither without other to be set vp yea wee are to confesse that each of them with the other is better than other neither sundred from other Couenant from Seale Seale from it priuate from publike are profitable Let each one haue his precedency and his prayse How should any bee wanted when no one hath the peculiar vse of the other and yet all will supply each others defect Let the solemnesse of the publike the familiarity of the priuate and the need of all affect vs with exceeding thankfulnesse especially for our liberty in the vse thereof which Popery had debarred vs of in each kind by a strange tongue of Scripture a Sacrifice for a Sacrament yea a confusion of many for a few And secondly all such as carry away the honour from the Ordainer to the Ordinance by fearefull sacrilege ascribing to the bare words of Scriptures as the Gospell of Saint Iohn a coniuring power to exorcize Diuels and to the meere opus operatum of Sacraments the masse especially as great power as to Christ putting the pix-bread into dead mens mouthes thus falling in loue with the meanes and renouncing faith to set vp God aboue them whereby the true power of all Religion is turned into a
me out of thy clawes and from reuolting Q. How tempts he in the Assisting grace A. Especially in the first workes of the Law which some referre to the former hee corrupts the minde and spirit both in the enlightning part and the terrifying The former hee abuseth to multiply the fearefull view of sinne The latter to make terrour intolerable Hee tempts to bee weary of this Discipline tels them some good people neuer had terror that it will spoile their natures and so it will that they were best to put it by for Mellancholly and these Preachers will kill them let them be merry and sport themselues with pleasures with ease and liberty and then their senses will be fresher themselves fitter for good Now they are but dulled and the Preacher will cast downe ten ere comfort one and therefore leaue off with small trouble rather than great and terror is not repentance neither it can doe no good but kill And when many are thus snared they destroy themselues by violence despairing of any helpe But if they grow to some hope by the Gospell and not to make their hell another heauen then hee tempts them about the condition of the Promise either for kinde or measure that they neuer saw that sweetnesse in Christ which should break their hearts they neuer mourned enough nor hungred nor tooke paines aright nor prized the Promise or if they did yet for necessity or else out of selfe-loue alas they haue despised the Gospel it selfe and can grace saue them that haue hardned themselues as well against it as the Law besides they see others called home long since themselues behinde they are so vile hardened vnworthy cannot pray meditate and therefore God may doe much but they are daily worse rather than better and so in the rest it is not condition can saue them but faith Q. And how in the worke of Beleening A. Here he labours to hold them vnder especially by their irkesome bondage Oh saith he Faith is onely of the Elect and thou art none it 's the free gift of God and he may deny it as well as grant it Many haue come to the birth and haue dyed so and to beleeue is a greater thing than to talke of Sometimes hee makes it lesse than it is to puffe vp the heart with presumption Or hee hides the vertuous savour and strength of the Promise the Simplicity the Faithfulnesse of the Promiser and the offer Hee tells them if they beleeve they must be changed which is hardest of all yea rather than faile hee will seeke to pull downe the whole frame of God ouer their head fill them with temptations about the truth of the Scriptures as if they were but fables and Ministers preacht their owne fancies Hee poysons them with melancholicke distempers and feares askes them how they know this word which they so cleaue to is the Word or not puts worse temptations into them namely whether there be any God or no. And most vsually keeps them betweene the doubt of the Condition and the doubt of the Promise to bee at uncertainties But oh poore soule how shalt thou know thy Election saue by beleeuing or what is that freedome of God saue his bounty to the miserable and who are worthy Revel 3.4 saue those who are made so Looke backe to that I haue written in Part 2. Article the last and God stay thee Q. Proceed to his temptations of them that are called A. These concerne them either in point of their faith and as touching the former he tempteth two waies either about the being or the life of faith or else secondly their obedience Q. How about the being A. Thus he takes aduantage of the weake setling at the first and by that vnrenewednesse of nature which opposes this spirituall grace he seekes to ouerthrow them in the holding of their confidence He knowes this is their onely prop and therefore sometime by shewing them how poore their fruits are or how small their humblings were or what selfe-loue is mixed with their faith or how deadly and dully they walke or that they cannot appropriate Christ in each part of his merit or by the like hee concludes their faith is but temporary and no faith of the elect And at such a bay he holds some for lacke of knowledge that they yeeld and are ready vpon the least Sermons touch or obseruing of other mens confidence for many are too confident or vpon the occasion of any meanes to be vsed or duty to bee done or crosse suffered or the vrging of any priuiledge of a beleeuer to start and say yea if I had faith But I haue none Poore Creature if thou euer hadst it thou yet hast it and therefore hold that thou hast got 2 Iob. 8. Q. How about the life of faith A. Exceedingly For in truth this prooues the other Hee therefore knowing what aduantages he hath in this by either that naturall ease sloth and aweknes to enlarge the truth of one promise to all and partly that willing want of Christians in this point who chuse rather to soder with God in duties then obey him in nourishing their faith daily hee doth very much prevaile and by the small life seekes to destroy the beeing of faith If thou hadst but faith as a grayne of mustard seed thou mightst remoue mountaines But alas what faith hast thou who canst not beare the such a slight crosse a pette fillip of the finger an ill word for thy prosession the losse of a little matter Cow or horse Nay many that want can beare more than thou If thou liuedst by faith either in states meanes graces or duties thou wouldest bee otherwise then thou art not so soone vnsetled not so little growing not so defectiue in the measure of grace in vprightnesse integrity c. But iet the reader reade of this in the second Article of the life of faith Take from Satan his chiefe weapon thy carelesse neglect and the Lord shall sticke to thee in point of weakenesse Q. How doth he assault in point of obedience A. Either he tempts them about it or against it Q. How tempts he them about it A. Thus he buffets them in their comfort therein For whereas it's Gods will that he that walkes vprightly should walke safely and sweetly lo Satan separates the end from the meanes An hipocrite seperates the meanes from the end looking for peace where there is no vprightnesse But heere the stratagem of the Deuill contrary and therefore either he hides that from his eye which should bee his maine comfort in all failings or else takes vantage by that which should bee his humiliation to bee his vtter discouragement And indeed he is rightly himselfe in this for as in the former point he belyes God to the soule as if he could not support it for euer by his promise in the life of faith as Heb. 13.8 so here hee belyes the soule to it selfe and holds it in bondage And although he
be so that thou shouldst be willing to haue it so no let it make thee longue and stretch out thy necke a far off after thy Redemption and when thy knocking off drawes neere lift vp thine head Here is thy pilgrimage when shall I come to my fathers house how long Lord holy and true how long Lye under the Altar and cry till God answer thee Count them happyest that are gone before and put off their harnesse Oh when shall I follow well after and ouertake deere husband wife and friend that haue got the start of me Lord here is not the place I looke for here an handsell and earnest but Lord euen my very faith and hope which are my best graces in trauell are but releefes of misery for a season euen these should here cause me to cry out for the Christ of a better life saying with Paul If our hope were here in Christ only of all other I were worst Faith and Hope and Patience and Hearings and Sacraments shall cease if then therwith sin and sorrow cease not what is my best but misery but as long as I haue Christ for hereafter I care not hee will pay for all If here to be a little eased of my feares bee such a benefit what is it to be quite rid of them If here to be guided by faith what there to need none If here to hope for a good end what there to enioy the thing hoped If here to liue a barren poore sad life patience mixt with impatience knowledge with error faith with infidelity what there to haue the vse of them taken away Christ made mine wholly fully all loue without defect ioy without mixture peace without disturbance Christ in his kind blessednesse and perfection he was not giuen me to be some grace and more sin but all grace and no sinne then I shall not see him through this grate of my prison but with open face as hee is and as he sees me Oh Lord this coast of the present world so dimmeth and darkens that coast of heaven that I cannot behold it Turne thy loue-tokens oh Lord once at length into presence and fruition and shew me thy glory Q. What other vses are there A. Exhortation and that in generall first to resist all these Vse 2 wofull enemies of our peace It is a word soone spoken but of long and hard practice to stand I say vpon our guard therefore a little I would direct about it though I feele my selfe in a sea of matter yet I will send my Reader to large and godly Treatises of this vast argument and my selfe cull out two or three directions best agreeing to my drift Q. Begin then first with the first annoyance or let which is our owne corruption how is that to be resisted A. I will mention three wayes 1. The spiritual combat ere sin be brought into act 2. Watchfulnesse against outward occasions and temptations 3. Wisedome after we are fallen Q. What is the duty of the Combat A. It is the exercise of that holy Principle of the Spirit of the new Creature which perpetually fighteth against the flesh in the regenerate Let this bee perpetually maintained and the hand of Faith or of Christ rather bee continually iogged by vs for the liuely quickening grace thereof to resist our inward selfe-temptations Gal. 5.17 The Spirit lusteth against the Flesh and ye cannot be as ye would There is in the New Creature a renuing throughout in euery part yet not throughout in all As in a dead Palsey all one side dead yet the other wholly aliue How doth the liuing part fight against the dead If a man should haue a dead carkasse bound to his backe till he dyed were it not an heavy plague would it not be irkesome So this body of death to the liuing part of the new Creature Oh mourne and grone it out The Physitians say Every deepe sigh spends a drop of bloud Oh that thy grones might consume this bloud I likened it before to Peninna I Sam. 1. Let Hanna then bee to Peninna as shee to bee sure will be to her Shee will not see the least looke of Elkana toward her the least loue-token not one nights lodging not one cast of favour but shee will pine at it vpbraid her for it vexe at and grudge her the least drop Oh! Let Hanna doe so to her Let her all that shee can get into her husbands heart and the more shee is envyed the more let her cling to him that his loue may support her against her enemy let him be to her aboue all her feares Oh if this were how happy were we It 's said of Rebecca that she was weary of her life for Esaw's wives as I noted and wisht them out of doores Let vs be like her and say Oh Lord these base dogging thoughts of sinne which breed ill affections and threaten to breake forth daily into action how noysome are they When Rebecca felt a strugling she asked the cause of the Lord and he answered Wonder not there be two nations in thee a cursed and a blessed one one whom I have hated another loued it must be thus wait thy time pray for a good trauel the whilst thou must beare this strife within thee So doe thou doe not onely beare it but maintaine it also Say to the Lord I can neuer shunne euill but I am the more tempted to it never ensue goodnesse but I am driuen from it Lord why is it thus Oh quicken vp that loue that Image of thy righteousnesse that seed of God that inner man of the Spirit which may present thee so to my soule that thy sweetnesse and love may cause the Image of old lust to be despised decay daily more and more Create in my soule that holy nature of thine which may for euer abhor foile conquer this flesh and the opposition of it in me Thou oh Lord art as holy as sin is wicked Oh Lord shew it and the preuailing nature of it let it burne vpon the Altar of my soule against the Altar of corruption Oh that I could find but one day of many that I were mine owne and free to righteousnesse rid of my cumber and clog That I could feele those secret motions and instincts of sin in me rebelling against thee tickling mee snaring and leading me captiue being as sensible and wake to marke and discouer them and nip them in the necke as they are to annoy me Q. What is the second duty of watching A. Continually to obserue and preuent occasions offered when we cannot foile inward motions Cut off her prouision and sterue sin As men deale with fields of weeds which they cannot root up they hooke them and so kill them by oft cutting off their tops so doe thou with occasions obiects counsell prouocation to thy wrath reuenge couetousnesse maintaine a sound desire to abhorre them that they neuer enter thy trenches The welcomming of obiects is as casting of oyle
quite vs like men 1 Cor. 16.13 is a better grace It is not our vaine weapon of selfe-confidence learning experience wit or parts no not our great resolutions our deep vowes against oathes vncleannesse or the like will saue vs or that we scorne the Deuil as the slaue of God What shall it boot vs to scorne him as a slaue of God when he is our tyrant Therefore neither feare him slauishly nor scorne him prophanely but be armed wisely and constantly watch to it with prayer the Lord shal be with thy endeauour and teach thy hands to fight preuaile Eph. 6. from 14. verse to the 18. Q. But in a word how should the parts of the Armour be vsed A. If once truly put on they shall bee vsed the more easily The most blessed part of thy Armour is faith which puts on all the rest and doth as the shield not onely defend thee but all thy armour also It is that grace which carries a poore soule into the field with like courage to Dauid when he said 1 Sam. 17. Who is this dog that defieth the host of Israel This day shall God inclose thee in mine hand It argueth thus first by experience if euer Satan or world could haue foyled me it had been in my onset my fresh-water souldier but euen then the Lord kept me against a Beare and a Lyon and shall he keepe me to destroy me I haue been kept from him in my first call to God and shall I not now much more being armed I am the Lords he will couer my head in the day of battell Againe it disputes for God against her own weaknes by proofe of continuall assistance I see indeede stronger than I haue beene foyled but the Lord can bring a weake nouice through as well as a strong man the Battell is the Lords Race is not with the swift nor the Battell with the strong But he that fights as well with few and weake as strong and many giues victory as he pleaseth And as when wee see a weake wearish old man of 80 yeeres we wonder so weake an one should so hold out when thousands of stronger dye in their strength so here yet beleeue that so it may be and he that in all our brunts and streights hath kept vs and as the fierie dart hath beene cast at vs hath latcht it for vs and to shew what he can doe for a poore wretch hath brought me through so many pikes of Deuil or world already can he not doe so still Thus faith in temptation by deuill malice of instruments is more than a Conquerour not to shun temptations but not to be consumed euen in the burning And Faith claspes here to a merit of Christ her Captaine by a word or promise I haue prayed for thee that thy faith fail not the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it I haue ouercome the world be of good courage the like These faith cleaues to and puts all her strength vpon them The Lord Iesus hath disarmed this strong Gyant triumphed ouer him on the Crosse and led him and all his captiuitie captiue and they fight against mee but with the dregs of courage and policy since he ouercame them Secondly they keepe on the helmet of hope on their head as a woman would doe her hat in a wet iourney They looke at that final redemption and victory which is set before them when their harnesse are off and this holds vp their faith which else by one or other temptation would be foiled Heb. 12.2 as Christ who for the hope set before him endured the shame so these endure the heat of this battell knowing it shal one day ioy them to haue been so occupied and the end shall pay for all Thirdly the peace of conscience treads downe all as Sampson trod down his enemies horse and foot Iudg. 15.8 For why this peace of God rules their hearts minds they are tempted strongly but they will not lose their peace and buy repentance at so deree a rate Their precious peace they will not change for any deuils or worlds pleasure If they should lose it to win the world what shou'd it profit them Shall I Iudg. 9. forsake my fatnesse and sweetnesse to exalt my selfe God forbid The false mother cared not for cutting the child but the true mother trembled at it So the true child of God cries saue my peace whatsoeuer I forgoe Fourthly The brest-plate of righteousnesse next their heart as a Corslet of proofe preserues them Lord thou knowest righteousnes and obedience innocency toward thee and men hath alway bin deerer to mee then goods ill gotten then all spoiles all pleasures of sin for a season all baits of men or terrors and threats They have lighted vpon my brest-plate and beene dashed And through thy mercie by whatsoeuer darts Satan beguile me I hope these shall not while I can keep my integrity As good Iob Iob 27.5 said to his enemies My righteousnesse shall ye neuer take from me Fifthly Their Girdle of truth and sincerity not of tongue onely but of soule not looking with Balaam at base ends but truly at the honour of God whose loue I can proue because hee vpholds me in my integrity Sixthly the Sword of the Spirit the Armoury of God his Word that offensiue weapon by which the soule is able not onely to saue her selfe but to crush and foyle her aduersarie the Lord hauing put into his Word that authoritie which no Deuil can resist especially when it is wisely sparily and seasonably vsed not to dally with Satan but to brush him off as the Butchers flap beats off and crushes the flies As we see in those apt Scriptures which Mat. 4. our Saviour used and by vsing blessed to vs when we shal according to our temptations by faith retort Satan with them And thus I haue giuen a short tast of a thousand which might haue beene added beseeching the Lord to blesse them and the whole doctrine of this Article which here I conclude The sixth Article Q. VVHat is the sixth Article of this third part A. That as the lets and discouragements of the children of God in this their militant condition are many on the left hand by their enemies so on the right hand on Gods part there are many priuileges and fauours allowed them whereby their condition is made both comfortable and honourable And that both to draw on many to be of Gods houshold when they see what gaines and vayles belong to his seruice as also to encourage such as are already admitted members of it and besides to compell such as care not to ioyne themselues to them because of some hard conditions to the flesh when they see their Priuileges to acknowledge their state to bee aboue their owne and to pine and consume for the wilful debarring themselues of such happinesse As then wee see it to bee in the Companies of Royall Cities and their seuerall Trades and
cannot rob it of the truth of grace yet he robs it of the comfort thereof chusing to play at any game rather than sit out For the former of these what is the ioy of a deere seruant of God in his poore obedience duties Sabbaths but that of Hezekiah O Lord thou knowest I haue been vpright This the Deuill hides away from the soule as the point of comfort by it as if it were little worth for lack of measure And then whereas the want of measure integrity fruitfulnesse and constancy should onely humble them lo it deiects them Oh say they what good doe I what serue I for a very clod of the earth what wife husband friend neighbor or stranger fares the better for me None liue so as I so barren Oh put case it be true it should abase thee but seeing there is vprightnesse it should not dismay thee And looke what the poore Christian doth most note by himselfe to be amisse that Satan takes for granted to doe the soule most hurt by Lo these sins thou confessest therefore of thy owne mouth God may condemne thee No wofull enemy for hee that confesses and forsakes them all and would be as fruitfull as he is honest as wise as he is vpright shall not be cast off Oh! the wofull bordage that Satan holds vnder many a sad heart though sincere by melancholy and feare Q. And how doth he tempt against obedience A. Sundry wayes hee labours to bring the soule vnder sin to renounce a good course to be slacke remisse loose common prophane vnprofitable euen by consent And this is his most naturall temptation For as he is exceedingly wicked so its little to him that comfort be stopped except the conscience be wasted now that he knowes sinne against knowledge will doe and hereby bring God against a man also As Balaam Numb 31.16 seeing Sorcery could not curse Israel sought to lay blocks of sinne before them that God might curse them Oh! What a May-game was it thinke we for him to see Dauid foyled by Adultery Noah by drunkennesse Lot by incest Hezekia by pride Peter by reuolt How doth such successe put hopes into him to keepe and practise his Trade vpon the best Therefore here hee vses all meanes to bring his purposes to passe He takes vantage of each thing First He markes his season and time when the heart is most at ease as Absalom noted Amnon lying most open and being garnisht which perhaps another time would haue beene armed iealous and fearefull Thus Dauid in Bathsheba Hee concurres not onely with the corruption of the heart as before but secondly with the constitution and complexion of the spirit of nature in a man Is he propense to lust to vncleannesse to iouialnesse to ambition Oh saith he hee is mine I will tempt him with meet baits Thirdly Hee watches the accomodation of occasions as when excesse of cheerefulnesse or of sadnesse of praises or disgraces of welfare and successe or defeat or the like and when the spirits are open then is his opportunity to worke the heart ro wanton speech to riot to wrath and discontent to swelling pride to ostentation of gifts to the making away of a mans selfe and the like Fourthly Hee will make vse of their best Graces and Priuileges all men know you well enough to be one that make conscience you may doe such or such a thing and no man suspect ye therefore be not so nice in trifles defeat an Orphan oppresse the fatherlesse falsifie the trust reposed in ye c. Fifthly Sometime of secrecie of time and place who shall euer find it out who is here twenty mile from neighbours to discouer thee Sixthly By fine colours of pretensed meanings as Ananias and Sapphira meant well to the Church why might they not meane well to themselues So by colour of iustice my paines haue beene such and such in businesse for others why may not I pay my selfe so and so they being neuer the wiser and perhaps neuer the worse as the case may stand As once a wretch spake of mony giuen him for the poore Who is poorer than my selfe Seuenthly By their falls to driue them to sinne for somewhat rather than to be punished for a little ouer shooes ouer knees So by comparing themselues with worse than themselues to be bold and presumptuous in liberty-taking By the oft shunning of sinfull occasions to venture beyond their calling and so be snared Nay by truths of God both in examples of the Saints falles why maiest not thou doe so and repent and in rules that the best men haue their infirmities and therefore why should I be free Infinite is this field let the rest of the sheaues be brought to these bandes but if he can so dazle the heart till he haue snared vs he will be content we shall afterward see in what pickle we are get out how we can These for a taste although I might say that his oppressing the soule being thus fallen that it might not rise againe withholding the sight of mercy encreasing either stupor of conscience our slauery of distrust and so wheeling off the soule till death is worse than the former But I cease Q. What is the third let can the world let vs also A. Yea most dangerously and that by defiling the minds the wils and courses of men both in doctrine and manners See Ephes 4 14. Rom. 12.2 1 Ioh. 2.16 And againe 1 Ioh. 5.19 lyeth in euill as in the sequell shall appeare Q. But how can this be shew it plainely .. A. It both containeth in it all euill and setteth it forth and is it selfe set on fire by the Deuill who is the Chap-man of it to set the glosse vpon them and to vend the wares of it For the first of which see that in Iohn All that is in world is the lust of heart lust of the eye pride of life He speakes of these not onely as the appetites of bad men but as worldly obiects This Ware then being the worlds Merchandize and Staple no wonder if shee defile For the second Shee is carefull not onely to keepe in her Ware-house but to lay forth vpon the open stall and set out to sale these Wares in the most busie manner that can bee No Market or Fare no company or meeting no family or place of resort but sauouring these commodities eyes gazing feet walking hands reaching after tongues iangling members of body and powers of soule attending and acting this Merchandize and therefore Saint Iohn saith The world lyeth in euill saped in the Conuersation of it For the third The Deuill the god of this world and Lord of this Staple and Common-wealth to whose banke and Exchequer all this Custome and Tribute goes I meane hell is not wanting both to suppresse all meanes which might marre this Market of mischiefe and is at hand to vnite to acquaint to accomodate these wares to all Customers as their minde most stands to one more than