Reconciliation For he is our peace Eph. 2.14 who hath made both one and hath broken down the Middle Wall of Partition between us to reconcile both unto God c. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus SECTION VI. II. On God the Father's Part. VVe see in all Arts and Crafts that by what Art and Cunning a thing is made at first by the same it is repaired when fallen to decay As a Ruinous house is repaired best by the Carpenter that built it At the first Creation God was the Carpenter of the World the Workman that wrought Man out of the Earth as the Potter worketh his Clay God the Son was the Wisdom of his Father the Art whereby the World was made All things were made by him Joh. 1.3 10. and without him was not any thing made that was made For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible Whether they be Thrones or Dominions Col. 1.16 c. or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist And he is the head of the Body the Church who is the Beginning the First-born from the dead that in all things he might have the Preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell And having made peace through the blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven SECTION VII III. On the Son's Part. When we repair a thing we do but reduce it to the form which it had at first As when our Plate is battered or broken we re-fashion it according to the first Mold Man was first made according to the Image of God by Sin that Image was decayed God repaired by his Son who was his Image So being made conformable to the Image of the Son we are thereby made conformable to the Image of the Father So that as Creation came when Man was fashioned after the Image of God so Re-creation and Redemption came when the Image of God was fashioned into Man to fashion Man again after the Image of God SECTION VIII IV. On Man's Part 1. In respect of his First Transgression 2. In respect of his Redemption 1. In respect of his First Transgression If ye will eat of the Tree of Knowledge saith Satan ye shall be as Gods he meant not in Nature but in Wisdom Gen. 3.6 for the Tree was to be desired to make one wise Now see the Wit of Man he reacheth at this Wisdom eats of the Fruit and thereupon is sick to death Now the Rule in Physick is to cure by Contraries So then as Death came when the Folly of Man exalted himself to the likeness of God so to bring Life the Wisdom of God humbled himself to the Likeness of Man 2. In respect of Man's Redemption The End of Man's Redemption was that Man should be made the Son of God When we would alter any thing from some Quality that it hath already to a more noble nature we apply it to an Agent which actually enjoyeth that noble form which we desire should be transferred to our matter As when one would induce the quality of heat into Water we oppose it to the Fire which hath that innate quality more noble than any other thing so Man being to be made the Son of God it was fittest that the Son of God should qualifie him for that dignity because the Son of God hath that Prerogative already and on whomsoever he works he must needs transform them to the Sons of God As the Fire turns all things to its self God being best pleased with his own Son might best by him become pleased with Man for who could better convey God's Love than the Son who was God's best beloved Now the Woman hath her longing and so hath the Man It was their Ambition to be like God Gen. 3.21 The Man is become like one of us These words in story then spoken become a Truth now Man is become as God as one of the Trinity because one of the Trinity is become as Man If God becomes like Man then Man becomes like God even as every true Copy is like the Original If the Saints be like the Angels then the Angels are like them If my Picture be like me then am I like my Picture and it is more than like it is the very same Man is as verily the Son of God as the Son of God is very Man The change on God's side makes the like on Man's Joh. 1.12 The Son of God being made Man makes Man the Son of God God gave his Son to be Man's Son and took Man's Son to be his Son This St. Paul calls our Adoption whereby we are translated from the Family and Power of Satan into the Liberty of the Children of God As the Adopted Son changeth his Family being exempted from the Power of his Natural Father and made Son to him that adopted him And hereby our Right and Estate in Heaven is equal with our Saviour's who is the Natural Son of God as the Adopted Son hath the same Title to his Father's Inheritance with the Natural Son And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him Ro. 8.17 that we may be also glorified together And here I will stop and take breath being tired with speculation of such Wonderful Dispensations not as though I had already attained unto the depth of these Mysteries or could attain unto it but I admire and aspire to comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and length and breadth of this Love of God which passeth all knowledge The CONTENTS Christ sole Mediator God is one All Nations Sinners Jews and Gentiles made one Christ a Soveraign Mediator Testament includes a Covenant Wherein Christ's Mediatorship consists Mediator and Testator how concurring TITLE III. Of the Mediatorship of Christ THIS is that most Excellent Divine and Humane Person Transition Christ sole Mediator that was only worthy and willing and accordingly did take upon him that transcendent Office and Dignity to be more than any Men or Angels could be even the sole and soveraign Mediator between God and Man 1. Because God is one Gal. 3.20 Reasons of it God is one God is said to be one for his Nature and Subsistence for his Duration or Eternity for his Fidelity of Promise and Performance But in this sense He is one in the New Testament because he is one and the same God to the Jews and to the Gentiles with whom he hath made this one Everlasting Testament He is to them a Father who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ he is a Justifier of them by one Faith Is God the God of
the good will of the Imputer that bestows it and our own good will who accept it The want of this distinction makes many run aside first into confusion and then into contention but the clear understanding and application thereof settles the controversie into peace and quietness So Righteousness is imputed and Sin is imputed and Reward is imputed and punishment is imputed so Works are imputed for Righteousness and for a Reward of debt and Faith is imputed for Righteousness and for a Reward of Grace In a word as for imputation of sin it comes by the Law through works and for imputation of Righteousness it comes by the Gospel through Faith The Law curses and condemns the Sinner the Gospel blesses and justifies the ungodly No Law was ever made to justifie that must be grace nor Grace was ever made to condemn that must be Law Moses's yoke is intolerable for condemnation to death Christ's yoke is easie for justification to Life Let Christ therefore live that we may live also in him and by him But let Moses die and be buried and his Sepulchre never be found The CONTENTS Right Corporation Impunity Liberty Provision Protection Audience Alliance Resurrection Jurisdiction Glory Rights of Christ Expectation Supplication Possession TITLE III. Of the matter of Justification THe matter of Justification is Rights A Right is whereby some benefit is made ours Matter of Justification Right There is a difference between Right and Righteousness Righteousness is a moral word signifying a virtue or habit to do that good and right which Law prescribes and it is opposed to unrighteousness and sinfulness which is a vice and habit of doing that evil and wrong which Law forbids But Right is a Jural word signifying the having holding and enjoying of some benefit and good which some Law settles upon us and makes to be ours And this is opposed to a Burthen or charge signifying the having holding and suffering of some grievance and evil which some Law also settles upon us and makes ours In every Kingdom there are diverse rights as the right of Liberty to be a Free-man a Member of a Corporation of suffrage to have a voice in Elections of Family to succeed to an Inheritance of Honour to have a precedency and take place of Power to give Judgment and do justice of Office to perform some function and service of Benefice to have and enjoy some profits and generally all Capacities Abilities Augmentations Honours Degrees Rewards c. are Benefits and Rights There are also in every Kingdom diverse wrongs and burthens quite contrary and privative to those As the burthen of slavery that deprives a Man of liberty of Banishment that deprives a Man of some Corporation of Bastardy that deprives him of his Family of Infamy that deprives him of Honour c. and generally all Incapacities Disabilities Diminutions Degradations and Penalties are Burthens and Wrongs In every Family there are diverse Rights Matrimony a state of right whereby the Husband and the Wife have a right to each others Bed and Board and over each others Bodies Children and Estates 1 Cor. 7.4 Primogeniture is a state of right to succeed to the whole inheritance of the Father Cleanness was a state of right to enter into the Congregation and partake of the Sacrifice Ministery a state of right to preach the word and apply the Sacraments Righteousness in Scripture many times is put for a right As Abraham believed in God Rom. 4.3 and it was accounted to him for righteousness i. e. for a right For God promised Abraham a Blessing that Eliezer his servant should not be his heir but that he should have a Son and Heir of his own Body and that his Seed should be as the stars of Heaven for multitude Abraham believed in God for this Promise and Blessing and his Faith was counted for righteousness or gave him a right and title to this Blessing Had not Abraham believed God i. e. had he not accepted of God's promise God's promise had been a dead offer to him and Abraham had had no right at all unto it But his Faith i e. his acceptance of the promise gave him a right to claim and enjoy the Blessing And Abraham received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised i. e. of the right of Faith for Seals are not signs of moral righteousness but of jural rights for Seals are put to conveyances and evidences and other writings to testifie matters of right So by Circumcision he had now God's Seal to that Grant which God had formerly made to him And v. 13. The promise that Abraham should be the heir of the World was not to him through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith i. e. through the right by faith That is the right of inheritance promised came not to him by any right that the Law gave him but by the right which his faith gave him Contrarily the word unrighteousness in Scripture many times is put for wrong Luc. 16.8 The Lord commended the unjust Steward in the Original the Steward of unrighteousness i. e. the Steward that was not right vers 9. The Mammon of unrighteousness Luc. 18.6 i. e. the Mammon that is not the right riches Hear what the unjust Judg saith in the Original the Judg of unrighteousness Gen. 18.25 i. e. Judg that did not do right but wrong Shall not the Judg of all the World do right in the Original shall he not do righteousness Ps 4.1 Hear me O God of my righteousness i. e. my true and right God for other gods were false and wrong gods And ver 5. Offer the Sacrifices of righteousness i. e. the right Sacrifices what those Sacrifices are he specifies afterwards as the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and of a broken heart Oblations and Burnt-offerings were not the right Sacrifices but Thanksgiving and Contrition Thou satest in the Throne of judging right Ps 9.4 Math. 21.32 in the Original in the Throne of judging righteousness John came unto you in the way of righteousness i. e. in the right way SECT I. Corporation The matter of our Justification is a right of Incorporation into God A Corporation is a Body in Law As besides Natural Parents there are Parents in Law so besides Natural Bodies there are Bodies in Law Diverse Persons united into one and communicating in good or evil are one Body and prosper or suffer together If one member suffer all the members suffer with it or if one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12.26 A Family is a Corporation Husband and Wife are one Body Father and Children are one Body A Kingdom is one Body A Church is one Body These partake of wealth and honour Sin or punishment Their Heads are mutually augmented or diminished because they are one Body In a Corporation some Persons have no right because they
by the Scriptures and by the Spirit of God in them If there be other Traditions without writing they also for the main agree with the Traditions written but some circumstances may differ and some must needs be lost in both But still the Traditions in Writing must needs be the surest and most lasting wherefore God himself wrote the two Tables with his own hand and commanded Moses to write the rest for a perpetual Record As for Traditions without writing they must needs be more hazardous because of the shortness of mens lives the weakness and varieties of mens apprehensions and memories the Interest of parties c. Nor are Writings impregnable but in the changes of times if they escape the fire and other ruines they cannot escape the ignorance and perversness of Scribes But God hath hitherto among both Jews and Christians secured the main Oracles written and unwritten and will secure them for ever SECT III. As for an exact Representation of the holy Catholick Church it cannot easily be imagined either in the Head thereof which is Christ Representative Church there being no express warrant for such a Representative Head or in the Members for such a Representative Body For who can represent the mind of Christ but the Spirit of Christ which is in him or who can represent the mind of Christians but the Spirit of Christians which is in them For Christ will not needs not come in Person to declare his will because he hath sufficiently done it already and Christians cannot meet all together to declare their will because there are most in Heaven from whence it is impossible for them to come and the rest are in all parts of the World from whence it is little less than impossible they should gather together and if they should they would all agree most certainly in the same Faith and Holiness but in Forms and Circumstances they could not And besides there would be Hypocrites among them do what they can for all that Profess have not faith And moreover men as men have various conceptions apprehensions and reasonings and languages and humors and interests And words are too few for things and are ambiguous and Idioms are diverse and there will be mistakes and there is no help for it and few have the true Arts of right reasoning therefore in these cases they must be contented to bear one with another and keep the peace well enough We may thank God that he hath left us the Scriptures and they are sufficient for salvation and be contented and judge as well as we can So men are fain to do in Civil Laws with some helps of Judges because mens Laws are not so plain as they should be but Gods are and they must rest satisfied with what they know till God shall come in into them by farther discoveries upon their honest search and endeavours after saving truth But still where scruples are some body must determine Some body must determine because of practice and because of peace I mean in matters of Discipline and so people must be contented though not satisfied but in Faith and a good Conscience every one knows sufficiently and every one is satisfied So in a Ship the Pilot must steer as well as he can though he may fail and some body else may know better For every one hath liberty to judge for himself but not altogether to act for himself much less for others That 's left to Governours who are as Gods yet they may erre as men it being Gods Prerogative only to know all good and evil and yet under God we must be guided by them who with reverence and godly fear do determine hard cases as the Turkish Mufti who when consulted to give his Judgment sets it down in writing and subscribes modestly This is my Judgment but God knows better And now what would the World have or what can they have more than they have and why will they not be contented with what they have and God thinks fit for them to have Why call they for a Judg when God is their Judge as the Israelites called for a King when God was their King This is to reject the Judgment and Government of God and trust to the judgment and government of Men and to have greater assurance than God thinks fit to allow them Pride There is an itch of Power in all this in the Clergy that are forbidden by their Master to seek after Greatness and leave the care and government of the Church and Commonwealth to Kings and Princes to whom it is committed to be Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers of Gods People Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Let them give their Advice to Kings humbly and teach their People truly and give them good Examples and they have done their duty God is not will not be wanting to his People for soul or body for this life or for a better But still the noise of an Earthly Judg rings in mine ears and I cannot be quiet for it And the sound thereof takes with the Vulgar and they are too willing to be cheated and some body thereby gets no small advantage O good God when shall we be at peace A Faction a stream of Worldly-mindedness and glory runs high The true Spirit of Christianity is lowly and lovely and quiet and looks up to God in the midst of all distractions What should poor Souls do but trust to their good God and be silent acquaint themselves with him and be at peace Calumnies They tell us we have no Church we are without a Head we have no Shepherd no Guide no Assurance we are utterly lost and out of the bosom of the Church c. Soft and fair Are we not Men have we not our reason and senses about us have we not Faith and a good Conscience within us What should we have more They that have ears to hear let them hear We will speak for our selves once more O ye that call your selves the Darlings of God the only True Church give us leave to own the same God and Faith with you and God will own us we doubt not whether you will own us or no. We are men and Christians still for all you our Senses and Judgments and Wills are our own still for all you There is Grace sufficient for us and you notwithstanding all your Anathema's and Curses against us Though you curse yet we bless All the Evidences cannot be on your side we have something to say for our Religion as well as you Scriptures The Scriptures of God we say under God are our Judges We go to the Law and to the Testament of God These you say are not Evident they are dead letters they cannot speak We say that the mind of God in them is a living letter and the Spirit speaks in them and is to be trusted to when the Spirits of men fail and are not to be trusted We understand
Sacrifices and Services that are acceptable unto God He is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 3. Because he qualifies all our Sacrifices and Services through his Perfection all our Imperfections are hid and covered 4. Because he only made an Attonement for the sins of the Whole World Christians true Sacrificers and Priests II. Christians are True Sacrificers and Sacrifices in their Bodies and Souls offered as living Sacrifices which is their reasonable service not of themselves nor by themselves but in Christ and by Christ 1. Because Christ is the Head of the Church 2. Because Christians are the Body All are offered by Christ the Priest and Christians Priests all suffering together Christ for us and we under him for our selves to fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ for his Bodie 's sake which is the Church Decrees III. We are told of a Decree and of Decrees 1. Of Absolute Election from all Eternity Christ's Doing and Suffering 2. Of Christ's doing and suffering all that is to be done or suffered for our sins to pacifie God's Wrath and Merit Happiness Our Doing and Suffering 3. Of our doing nothing and suffering nothing what think we Is Faith nothing are Hope and Love and Good Works and Tribulations all nothing and just nothing True we and all our Faith and Love and Good Works and Afflictions are all nothing and worse than nothing in themselves and out of Christ considered but in Christ and for his sake Christ hath made them something yea and all acceptable to God too and rewardable too by God for his sake Reasons 1. Because they are Spiritual Acts and Spiritual Acts are pleasing to the Father of Spirits as 1. Killing of Lusts and corrupt Affections 2. Consuming them 3. Offering up holy desires to God 2. Because they keep the Covenant of Faith with God 3. Because they flow from an habit of Holiness to justifie true Faith in God 4. Because they do good to Men. 5. Because they obtain Reconciliation with God I do not say they procure or purchase or merit it at God's hands but that they obtain or receive it at the hands of God for the Worthiness of Christ 6. Because they are the weightier Duties of the Law Tithes of Mint and Cummin Sacrifices Offerings and other Rites were the weighty duties of the Law of Moses But Justice and Judgment and Mercy are the far weightier services of the two these must and ought to be done but not to leave the rest undone So Prayer Alms Fasting Hearing Preaching Praising Communicating Baptizing c. are the weighty duties of the Law of Christ but Mortification Crucifying Self-denying Regeneration New Creation c. are the far weightier services of the two these must and ought to be done and not to leave the other undone And these must first and last be done leave all the rest undone till this be done Leave thy gift at the Altar and go and first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come again and offer what thou hast to offer Wash your hands ye Sinners and purifie your hearts ye Double-minded and then come and offer a spiritual offering Offer to God Thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the Most High and this is better than a Bullock that hath horns and hoofs Obedience is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Lambs Go learn what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice 1. So then there is a God that is offended Corollaries 2. So then there must be a coming before this God to answer for those offences 3. Outward Sacrifices of Bulls and Goats of old and other services of Circumcision Sabbaths c. when brought before him could not do the deed 4. Outward Sacrifices among us Christians as of Prayer Sacraments c. when brought before him cannot do the deed 5. But Christ's Sacrifice of himself once offered to God through his Eternal Spirit in Heaven hath done the deed by his merit 6. And Christians Sacrifices of themselves often offered to God through Christ's Spirit in Earth do the deed by our duty I. See then what true Religion and the power of Godliness is Pure Religion and undefiled before God is this for a man to visit the fatherless and widow in their distress and to keep himself unspotted from the world The rest are but the forms and outsides of Religion 1. As among the Jews Sacrifices and Oblations Tithes Fasts Feasts Sabbaths Circumcision Passover Washings c. 2. As among Christians Prayers Praises Preaching Sacraments Fasts Feasts Offerings Penances Burnings Prostrations c. The Substance is Spiritual Prayer Communicating Fasting Feasting Justice Equity Mercy Humility c. II. The Christian Law requires more than any Positive Law Justice is the most that any Positive Law besides requires but Mercy to our very Enemies and purity of heart and poorness of Spirit c. no Law but this doth urge Called the Law of Love and Grace a Law above all other Laws III. 'T is good but Law living according to the Law of bare Nature as 1. To defend ones self 2. To nourish young 3. To do no wrong Natural Justice and Love IV. 'T is good but Law living according to the Positive Law of Nations as 1. Suum cuique tribuere to give every one his own 2. Neminem laedere to hurt no body 3. Honestè vivere to live honestly Positive Law These are good steps to farther Justice of Equity Grace and Mercy And yet but a small matter V. 'T is good and high living according to the Law of Christ in the Gospel as 1. To love our Enemies 2. To offer Life and all for Truth 3. To do Equity and Mercy c. This is that that God requires of all The Christian Law This is Perfection Covet after the best Gifts But behold I shew unto you a more excellent way This is above all Law Super-Justice VI. A Rebuke 1. To all Rigor and Extremity of Law 2. To all carelesness of others sufferings and wrongs Who cares what becomes of all Miserable persons Let them starve or hang or damn they care not A merciless Spirit worse than an unjust spirit No bowels nor yernings nor pity that 's a hard case VII A Rebuke to all formal Religion as 1. In outward Ceremonies 2. In outward acts of Justice Honesty and Love Opus operatum trusting in the Work done 3. In sinful compliances and worldly correspondencies for friends gain honour and favour fair shews complements no real honesty or love Worldly policy VIII Rebuke of Pride as 1. For Honour and Greatness 2. For Riches and Estate 3. For Power and Prowess 4. For Beauty 5. For Learning and Wisdom 6. For Wit and Cunning. Worldly Pride We are all fellow creatures we are all partakers of the same Grace without merit or desert we have nothing but what we have received there is no respect of persons with God IX Many a habit
in me I may challenge my Right in him and he may challenge his Right in me These are my greatest Rights to my God and to my self SECT XIX Next to these Rights I have Right to one Person especially from all the world beside Rights to Wife which God hath given me to my self and made my second self that is my Wife who is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone and are no longer two but one Flesh and by a higher Law she is Soul of my Soul and Spirit of my Spirit and we are no longer two but one Spirit By her I come to have Right to be a Husband and so a Father and so have Right to her as to a Wife and I have power over her as a Husband and she hath right to me as to a Husband and she hath power over me as a Wife And so I come to have Right to Children by her and she hath Right to Children by me and the Children have Right to us both So we have Right to Rule and they to Obey we have Right to instruct and they to be instructed Therefore next to my Right to God and to my self is my Right to my Second self which is my Wife SECT XX. And next to these is my Right to my Children Rights to Children that they are lawfully begotten of my Body and of my Wives Body and therefore they are mine and they are hers by right of Nature and of Law and none but God and we can claim any interest in them or title to them as Children But as Subjects and Servants to the King and his Ministers both Parents and Children may be claimed and used by their Superiours and all for God who hath given this power over them and made them as Gods unto us SECT XXI After my Right to my God to my self to my wife and children Rights to Estate and Honour I come to have right to my Estate or Office or Degree or what Honour and Benefit accrues to me by them and from them and these are the goods that God hath given me to feed and clothe and protect my self and my wife and children and servants c. With these I am invested and infeudated and they are mine under God of whom I hold and no body may invade my Bed where is the Honour and Estate of my wife and family nor my House or Land Cattel or other goods thereupon which is the Revenue and maintenance of my House or my Patrimony nor my Degree and Quality which is the augmentation of my Head and a badge of my Honour All these the most Rich and Bountiful God hath given me to use them rightly for his glory And he is a Traitor in my family if wife child or servant and a Robber out of my family that shall go about to ravish any of these my Just Rights from me and God that gave them me will defend them to me and cursed be those that shall estraye them from me but if they do by Divine leave I must submit and shall either have Restitutio in integrum in things of the same kind or ex gratia uberiori abundanti things of a better kind even Spiritual and Eternal shall be added to me and I will trust God with my self even with all that I am and all that I can do and with all that I have or possess and though I am not worthy to understand when or why or how yet I believe that God is my sheild and will be my exceeding great Reward and then I rest my self contented with his good will and pleasure Let me therefore look carefully to preserve my own Rights every way and to abstain from invasion or hurting any mans Rights any way SECT XXII Rights not to be violated Let me therefore first be so wise as to understand what Rights are both God's and mine and other mens both private and publick Let me next be so honest and just as to do Right to God and to my self and to all men For they are the wisest men that know best what is right and what is wrong and to whose persons they do belong And they are the honestest men that practice the right and avoid the wrong So shall there be no accusation from God nor regret from our own Consciences nor cries and clamours of men or other creatures spoiled or abused by me All is right and peace to a just and righteous God to a good Conscience in a wicked world I shall stand right in the sight of God I shall have right to Jesus Christ and in him to all things and shall be able to lift up my head at the day of Judgment when my redemption draweth near 1. Let me not violate my right to my God by unfaithfulness nor destroy his right to me of Adoption by my rebellion 2. Let me not violate my right to my self by sinning against my Conscience by sinning against my Body which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 3. Let me not violate the right I have to my Wife by prostituting her and my self to base lusts 4. Let me not violate my right to my Children by suffering Adultery in her and my self 5. Let me not violate my right to my Honour by base actions and by neglect of their Education 6. Let me not violate my right to my Prince and Country by Rebellion and Murder c. The Rights that accrue to me are these 1. Birth-right or chiefly first Birth-right 2. Purchase-right 3. Labour or Work-right 4. Promise or Gift-right And because all these are sacred in themselves and the more when they are concerning Holy and Spiritual Things therefore it must needs be profane 1. When a man willfully parts with his own rights without just consideration or reason as Esau who is therefore called profane because he sold his Sacred Birth-right or Primogeniture by which he was to be both Prince and Priest so basely and rashly for a Mess of Pottage 2. When another wilfully and covetously ravishes the rights of others to whom they do belong and taketh them by extortion to himself or giveth them to strangers This is a horrid and crying sin causing sad cries and complaints in the ears of God and Man from Orphans Widows Strangers and miserable persons many a bitter curse is darted to Heaven for these things Heavy is the load that presseth down these guilty Souls unto the Nethermost Hell and is an everlasting clog upon their Consciences in the world to come Great are the Destructions and Devastations that are made in this World 1. In single persons 2. In Families 3. In Towns and Cities 4. In Provinces and Kingdoms Hinc illae Ruinae hinc illae Lachrymae Hence are Ruines hence are Complaints one draws another and takes away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him This sets the Gowned and the armed Militia on work and sets the world together by the ears And for this reason 1. Because men do
or condemneth for the approving or rejecting of truth or falshood is called the Conscience For the Mind Will and Conscience are faculties of that substance which is the Spirit Hidden Man This Spirit is the very Being and Person of a Man called in the Scripture the Hidden Man and the Inward Man because it is a fine secret substance which is both unseen and invisible and because it dwelleth inward within the Body as in a moving Tent or House which in Scripture is called the Outward Man i. e. a poor weak cottage framed of a few slender bones Outward Man clouted together with rags of Flesh plaistered over with a skin of Parchment and thatched over head with a shag of Hair which after a few years is half blown off and after a few more the whole hovel is quite blown down to the ground for it is but a sorry composure of Flesh and Bloud mire and clay God knows Natural Man And while this Native Spirit or inmate or inward Man to the Body acteth no otherwise than according to that native force and strength which he hath by Nature so long is he called the Natural Man and the Carnal Man Supernatural Inspiration But moreover when any supernatural influence or ability is inspired into the Native Spirit of Man it is also called the Spirit For such an ability inspired is as it were a Super-spirit or Spirit upon Spirit or an After-spirit whereby the Spirit of man is changed altered and moved to act otherwise than by the course of Nature it could or easily would And this Supernatural inspiration is differenced by the effects which it operateth upon the Native Spirit Penal and grievous For when the Justification is penal and grievous to depress deject and vex the Native Spirit then it is called in Scripture an Evil Spirit Such an evil Spirit was upon the Native Spirit of Saul after his disobedience Such were the evil Spirits 1 Sam. 16.14 Luc. 7.21 Luc. 8.2 whereof Christ cured many And such was that evil Spirit mentioned Acts 19.15 16. Beneficial and gracious And when the Inspiration is beneficial and gracious to elevate and exalt and sublimate the native Spirit of man refining re-enforcing and strengthening the native fineness force and strength thereof then it is called a Good Spirit Which Good Spirit is again diversified according to the diverse effects which it worketh upon the native Spirit Hence we read The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him Is 11.2 the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. And again 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear but of power of Love and of a sound mind But when this good Inspiration is beneficial in a peculiar manner Holy Spirit for pious uses and holy purposes exalting the native Spirit of man to such a degree that thereby he disrelisheth despiseth and forsaketh vanity worldly and earthly things relisheth affecteth and aspireth after Divine and Heavenly things performeth or is enabled to perform the true Service of God in the duties and works of true holiness according to the precepts of the New Testament then this good Inspiration is called the Holy Spirit and many times singularly The Spirit in an Eminent and excellent sense And the man whose native Spirit is inspired with this Holy Spirit Spiritual Man is called the Spiritual man the New man and a new Creature because by this Holy Spirit his native Spirit is sanctified regenerated or re-nated i. e. begotten again born again new formed or new created The Spirit then is a supernatural ability of man's native Spirit to form the works of true Holiness And the words Mortification Sanctification Regeneration and Renovation and the like signifie either that thing or the effects of that thing whereof the name is the Spirit For the works of true Holiness are Love Joy Peace long suffering Gal. 5.21 gentleness Good Fidelity Meekness Temperance and such like all which are called the Fruits of the Spirit This Spirit which sanctifieth the knowing faculty of the mind of Man to discern between good and evil as also the moving faculty of the Will to choose good from evil doth also farther sanctifie the judging faults of the conscience to accuse or excuse acquit or condemn rightly and truly as it ought to do keeping a conscience in all things void of offence both towards God and towards Men. The CONTENTS Definition Seat Vnderstanding Will. Memory Reflection TITLE II. Of Conscience Definition COnscience is the judging faculty of the Soul of a Man regulated by a Law for the practise of life and conversation Seat There needs no dispute about the Seat of Conscience whether it be in the Understanding Will or Memory for it is in them all even in the whole Soul Understanding The Understanding speculative considereth Universals Principles Axioms that is Notions or Rules natural or revealed for contemplation of wisdom so the conscience intends the truth of things The Understanding practical considereth particulars consequences and conclusions that flow from those natural Axioms in order to action So the conscience intends the goodness of things and both these are one and the same faculty Will. The Will is created with liberty to follow the dictates of the understanding for the exerting of internal and external actions in the practise of life and conversation Memory Reflection The Memory is the Treasury of all that is done in the whole Man And when the conscience in all these faculties hath speculated considered directed and willed it doth also reflect upon all these internal acts and glances shrewdly upon all the external acts that flow from them judging exactly and impartially upon every one of them and passing sentence accordingly For which cause it may be fitly described Judicium hominis de semetipso The judgment of a Man upon himself A Watchman an Intelligencer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Porter of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Houshold God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Overseer upon the place an Universal Spye to all our practises or if you will God's Vice-gerent in our own breasts The CONTENTS To direct To urge To register To testifie To accuse Before the Action In the Action After the Action TITLE III. Of the Disposition of Conscience THe Disposition of the conscience is rightly to perform these several Offices 1. To direct 2. to urge 3. to record 4. to testifie 5. to accuse or excuse for grief or comfort SECT I. 1. To direct as a Law This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law of the mind To direct the Spirit that delights in the Law of God Ro. 7.23 James 1.21 Rom. 1.19 Arist That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common notions in all nature the work of the Law written in the heart
the abundance of light and grace which it affordeth Do we not count the last Adam stronger than the first Is not he able to cast down all the strong holds all the towring imaginations which flesh and blood though tainted in the womb can set up against him And therefore if we be truly what we profess our selves Christians this weakness cannot hurt us and if it hurt us it is because we are not Christians To conclude If in Adam we were all lost in Christ we are come home and brought nearer to heaven Et post Jesum Christum when we have given up our names unto Christ and profest our selves Members of that mystical Body whereof he is the Head all our complaints of weakness and disability to move in our several places are vain and unprofitable and injurious to the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation Ro. 1 16. And a gross and dangerous errour it is when we run on and please our selves in our evil ways to complain of our hereditary infirmities and the weakness and imperfection of Nature for God may yet breath his Complaints and Expostulations against every Son of Adam that will not turn Though you are weak though you have received a bruise by the Fall of your first Parents yet in me is your strength and then Why will ye die O house of Israel Hos 13.5 Dr. Spencer of Prodigies Praef. Religion is easily concluded a great adversary to a true generousness and universal freedom of spirit and that its whole business is to subdue the Spirits of men to some cold and little observances Generousness pale and feminine fears Hence men quickly grow weary of it as of a yoak that continually galls them and conclude themselves gainers if they may but purchase manhood with Atheism Id. ib. Religion is not to be dallied with non patitur ludum fides Pious frauds as Strong-waters do the body may perhaps help religion in a fit but if used familiarly disable the native heat and strength thereof Hay and stubble laid upon a good foundation such I count well-meant forgeries in Religion will catch fire and consume at last and leave a great stain and soil upon the foundation As it reports Religion a system of some pitiful rites sneaking and beggarly Elements Elements there is nothing more effectually inclines subtil minds to Atheism as the evaporating religion into a multitude of touchy and critical modes and observations which cannot command reverence to themselves before discerning minds which soon see through them they are so thin and aery Id. ib. No two things do so usurp and waste the faculty of Reason as Enthusiasm and Superstition the one binding a faith the other a fear upon the Soul Pessimum est plane pestis tabes Intellectûs si vanis accedat veneratio Id. ib. p. 10. When our Saviour came into the world the Religion of the greatest part of it through the agency of the Devil ran out into a multitude of little rites weak observations bodily postures And he appoints a Religion directly opposite plain simple rational life and spirit whose main design was to employ and perfect the mind and spirit of a man And can it be thought that heaven and hell now touch each other so far that we must borrow the measures of our biggest fears and hopes and motives to Repentance from the Ethnick Divinity or from the Jewish Rites in which if there had been aliquid sani to be sure the Devil would have hindred its gaining so great a regard as it did among his Votaries must we look for such a Jewel as the intimations of the Counsels of Wisdom are in the dunghil of obscene and monstrous Births c. Id. ib. p. 11. God was pleased heretofore suitable to the Nonage of the Church to address himself very much to the lower faculties of the Soul Phancy and Imagination accordingly we find Prophesies delivered Nonage of the Church in vehement and unusual schemes of speech such as are greatly adapted to strike and affect imagination Christ was pro-raised as one speaks sub magnificis admirationem facientibus ideis the mysteries of the Gospel were held forth in most splendid types and symbols and the Law of God forc't upon the spirits of men heretofore by the terrours of a thundering heaven and a burning Mountain and speedy vengeance upon the despisers thereof The spirits of good men carried out to actions and tempers beyond their natural capacities by the pregnant and vigorous Impresses of the divine Spirit and the fears of the Church excited and her faith assisted by many signs and wonders the withdrawing whereof the Church bewails they all vanishing at the light of Divine Revelation prevailed as Stars do upon the approach of the day-light But they which talk of and look for any such vehement expressions of Divinity now mistake the temper and condition of that Oeconomy which the appearance of our Saviour hath now put us under Wherein all things are to be managed in a more sedate cool and silent manner in a way suited to and expressive of the temper our Saviour discovered in the World Who caused not his voice to be heard in the streets Is 42.2 and to the condition of a reasonable Being made to be managed by steady and calm Arguments and the words of Wisdom heard in quiet in a smooth and serene temper the mysteries of the Gospel come forth cloathed in sedate and intelligible forms of speech The minds of men are not now drawn into extasie Eccles 9.17 by any such vehement and great examples of Divine power as attended the lower and more servile state of the World The Miracles our Saviour wrought were of a calm and gentle nature curing the blind restoring the sick and lame not causing of thunder and storms as Samuel but appeasing them Matth. 16.1 None of them such as the Jews called for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signs from heaven such prodigious and affrighting thunders and fires which attended the delivery of the Law and the Spirit of Elijah Indeed the Veil of the Temple was rent the Sun dreadfully eclips't the Earth terribly shaken at his death but these astonishing wonders were made use of as his last reserve to conquer the prejudices of an obdurate people upon whom his more gentle and obliging instances of divine Majesty made no impression and perhaps these prodigious changes in Nature were intended as Prophetick Emblems of the great change shortly to ensue in heaven the way and worship of Religion and earth the powers and kingdoms of the World by the power and doctrine of the Person Heb. 12.26 27 who then died upon the Cross The mighty rushing wind at Pentecost which was issued in a soft and lambent fire upon the heads of the first preachers of the Gospel was possibly a figure of that more vehement and terrible state of the Law which usher'd the way for and was determined in the more sedate and gentle