seemeth good unto him That we may be constant universal sincere in our obedience Walking before him in truth and with a perfect heart and may do that which is good in his sight That in the generall course of our lives we may demean our selves in a setled regular way of submission and obedience having respect to all Gods Commandments Obeying from the heart the forme of doctrine delivered to us Following the Lord fully walking exactly and precisely before him That we may have not only the forme of godlinesse but the power also That we may sanctifie the Lord God of Hosts making him our fear and our dread considering that the end of all things is at hand when we must all appear before his dreadful tribunal every one to receive according to that he hath done in his body whether it be good or bad That we may be lesse afraid of other matters that cannot hurt us men that shall die and the sons of men that shall be made as grasse but may chiefly fear him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell Behaving our selves as being alwayes in his sight and presence as considering that our most secret bosome-sins which with such Art and care we have endeavoured to conceal from men are all of them naked and open in his sight before whom we must be judged at the last day That we may be humble before him ascribing nothing to our own power or merit That our hearts may not be lifted up to forget the Lord nor our mindes hardened in pride as considering that his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him And that if any man think himself to be something when indeed he is nothing he deceives himself That we may be clothed with humility counting it our safest defence and most comely ornament That we may not mind high things nor be wise in our own conceits Considering the basenesse of our Originall the many diseases and miseries which our bodies are liable unto the sinful and slavish condition of our souls our nothingnesse as creatures our vilenesse as sinners CHAP. XIX What are we directed to pray for out of the second Commandment THe second Commandment does enjoyn us to worship God after such a spiritual manner and by such holy means as is agreeable to his Nature and required in his Word So that from hence we are taught to pray for the direction and asistance of his Spirit in all our holy duties that he would work in us an holy frame and temper of heart without which 't is not possible for us to performe any acceptable service That he would quicken our affections to a greater fervency and delight in our attendance upon him That he would make us more careful in enjoying and increasing our communion with him by a conscionable observance of all those holy ordinances which he hath appointed particularly 1. Prayer 2. Ministery of the Word 3. Receiving of the Sacraments 1. That he would poure upon us the Spirit of prayer and supplication make us diligent and constant in our Publick Private devotions that we may accustome our selves to them with a greater forwardnesse and delight as being the chief means to ease our hearts of all troubles and sorrow to fill up our joy That we may be more solemn and reverent in our approaches before him as considering that we who are but dust and ashes vile despicable creatures are to speak unto that dreadful Majesty before whom all the world shall be judged at the last day That we may be more vigilant over our own hearts in respect of roving distracted thoughts which are so apt to interrupt us in this duty That we may stir up our selves to lay hold on God and set our faces to seek him Not pouring out words onely but our souls before him Serving him in our spirits Drawing near unto him with a true heart sprinkled from an evill conscience That he would be pleased to assist us and to accept of us in this duty Shedding abroad his love in our hearts Opening our lips that our mouths may shew forth his praise And then that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts may be alwayes acceptable in his sight That we may confesse our sins with a greater sense and sorrow for them feeling in our selves a greater loathing and detestation of them Acknowledging our transgressions and setting our sins before us Abhorring our selves for them and repenting in dust and ashes That we may put up our petitions with a greater faith and fervency as being truly sensible of our own wants and those gracious promises which he hath made for the supply of them Drawing near in the full assurance of faith nothing wavering Asking such things as are according to his will That his Spirit may help our infirmities and make intercession for us and that he would remember the promise which he hath made to be nigh unto them that call upon him in truth and to fulfill the desire of those that fear him That we may give thanks with greater chearfulnesse and love and sense of his favours with such heartinesse and fervency as may be in some measure proportionable to our importunity in the want of mercies That we may be ready to speak the praises of our God whilest we have any being that our meditations of him may be sweet and we may be glad in the Lord. That we may retain a relish and taste of this holy duty in our mindes after the performance of it behaving our selves answerably in the course of our lives observing what return is made to our prayers Hearkening what God the Lord will say Considering the several wayes and dispensations of his providence towards us that we may understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. This Commandment does likewise concerne the duties which belong to that other Ordinance the Ministery of the word in reference both to Minister People The Minister may hereby be directed to pray that God would endow him with all those graces and abilities which may fit him for the discharge of his calling both in respect of his Life Doctrine that he may both save himself and them that hear him 1. For his Life That he may shew himself as a pattern of good works Of a blamelesse conversation not self-willed not soon angry Not given to wine no striker not given to filthy lucre but a lover of good men sober just holy temperate gentle unto all men apt to teach patient Renouncing the hidden things of dishonesty Not walking in craftinesse but by manifestation of the truth commending himself unto every mans conscience in the sight of God Behaving himself as a steward of the mysteries of God Not seeking so much his own profit as the profit of many that they may be saved that
creatures all things being put under his feet yet this corruption of our nature hath now made us become more vile then the beasts that perish 'T is the root and the fountaine of all other sin from whence every actual abomination does proceed Atheisme and Pride and basenesse and cruelty and prophanenesse and every other vice which the most wicked wretch in the world is guilty of doth proceed from hence Hell it self which is the proper place of sin is not more full of sin for the kinds of it then our natures are If there be any particular sin which we have not fallen into in our lives 't is not for want of corrupt principles and dispositions in our natures which do incline us to all but by reason of Gods restraining or renuing grace which hath as yet with-held us from them without which we should break out into as great abominations as were ever committed by the vilest of the sons of men All that pravity and basenesse which fils up every part and power about us are but diffusions of our Original corruption what a world of mischief is there in our several parts our Wills Affections our Tongues Eyes And yet all these are but as little rivulets The fountaine or rather the Sea that feeds them is our corrupted nature 'T is this that fils us with enmity against all spiritual truths and Ordinances makes us what we should tremble to think of haters of God though he be the God of our life and of our happinesse in whom we live and move and have our beings Hence is it that when we would do good evil is present with us that we have a law in our members rebelling against the law of our mindes and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin 'T is this that makes us like corrupted vessels to pollute all the gifts that are poured into us those graces and abilities which from God are bestowed upon us pure and excellent when they are by us put forth in duties are not without some favour of our own corruption This containes in it not only an utter deficiency of all good but also a loathing and disliking of it Not only a liablenesse to evil but also an inherent propension and strong desire to it All which is as natural to us as blacknesse to an Ethiopian and like the fretting Leprosie adheres to our natures with so much pertinacy that it cannot be utterly removed while we are on this side the grave till these our earthly tabernacles shall be dissolved No sope or nitre can purge it The general deluge could not wash it away that swept away sinners indeed but not one sinne Neither shall the fire of the last day cleanse it It does totally overspread both our Inward man Outward man 1. Our Inward man is hereby depraved both in respect of 1. Understandings 2. Consciences 3. Affections 4. Wills 5. Memories 1. Our Vnderstandings are hereby become full of vanity inconsideratenesse ignorance neither knowing nor enquiring after God Every thought and imagination of the heart being only evil and that continually So that we are not of our selves sufficient to think any thing that is good being given over to a reprobate minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a minde void of judgement not liking to retaine God in our knowledge Becoming vain in our imaginations having our wicked hearts darkened Being wise to do evil but fooâ—ish to that which is good Counting the things of God foolishnesse Being carnally minded which is enmity against God For it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Full of pride prejudice and contradiction against all sacred truths setting up our own imaginations and fleshly reasonings against the spiritual notions that are dictated to us Being alienated from the life of God through the blindnesse that is in us 2. Our Consciences are hereby become full of stupidity and insensiblenesse past feeling being feared as with an hot iron Altogether defiled Not performing their office of bearing witnesse accusing or excusing us rightly according to several occasions Being deaf unto every holy suggestion of Gods Spirit secure against all the threats and judgements of the Law 3. Our Hearts and Affections being evil from our youth full of wicked policies and unsearchable deceits Deceitful above all things and desparately wicked who can know them Full of lustings against the Spirit of God Sending forth evil thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies full of folly and madnesse preferring empty transitory contentments before those great matters that concerne our eternity Altogether obdurate against the means of grace not to be wrought upon either by hopes or feares by mercies or judgements slighting the threats of God undervaluing his promises distrusting his power abusing his patience quickly revolting and backsliding from every holy desire Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sins 4. Our Wills have now lost their first native freedom making us become servants unto sin Bringing us into bondage unto corruption Being full of loathing and aversnesse full of enmity and obstinacy against any thing that is good Casting Gods laws behinde our backs and hating to be reformed 5. Our Memories being naturally very unfaithful and slippery in letting out things that are good but very tenacious in evill matters II. Our outward man which was at first created with a kinde of divine Majesty above the other creatures is now become weak and vile exposed to all manner of infirmities diseases sins So that we are all over nothing else but a body of sin and of death our members being instruments of unrighteousnesse Eyes full of Adultery Pride Envy Eares uncircumcised deaf unto every holy suggestion easily open and attentive to vanities lies slanders Tongues unruly and full of deadly poyson conteining a world of iniquity defiling the whâ—le body setting on fire the course of nature being themselves set on fire of Hell Given to unsavory unedifying discourses revilings prophanenesse blasphemies That which should be our glory the best member that we have is by this Original corruption become the worst defiling all the rest Our Throat being as an open sepulchre with our tongues we use deceit the poison of aspes is under our lips Our mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse our feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in our wayes and the way of peace have we not known there is no fear of God before our eyes All which will yet appear more deformed and loathsome if we look upon our own natures in the rage blasphemies basenesse madnesse of other mens lives There being not any kinde of evil which either man or devil hath committed but there are in our natures the principles and inclinations to it The best of us being by nature as bad as the worst of
making us wanton and contemptuously to spurne at his laws Lading and wearying him with our sins whilest he does continually heap upon us his unwearied mercies By our Impatience under those small crosses that are justly inflicted upon us Not behaving our selves humbly and cheerfully under Gods fatherly chastisements Not accepting the punishment of our iniquity though it be much lesse then we have deserved Not bearing the indignation of the Lord as considering how we have sinned against him Being subject to murmuring and repining to fainting and despaire to seek help and deliverance by unlawful means By want of submission and obedience unto him according to our duty and profession very inconstant in our holy services temporary and by fits subject to backslide and revolt upon every slight temptation Our goodnesse being as the morning cloud and as the early dew which passeth away Not Vniversall in our obedience but partial and by halves apt to pick and chuse in our duties according as they may best suite with our own humours and the course of the times not having respect to all his commandments Not hating every false way Not hearty and sincere in our performances doing them with all our might but Hypocritically Perfunctorily Negligently By our not fearing of God according to the infinite power justice majesty of the divine Nature or according to those manifold sinnes whereby we have provoked his wrath Behaving our selves with much security and inadvertency under all the various dispensations of his providence as if we our selves were not at all concerned in them Not regarding the works of the Lord nor considering the operation of his hands still going on after the imagination of our own hearts as if we had made a Covenant with death and with hell were at an agreement very apt to promise to our selves peace and impunity though we do still persevere in our wonted rebellions very subject to slavish worldly fears of men that shall die and the sons of men that shall be made as grasse Forgetting the Lord our Maker who stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth Not grieving when he strikes us refusing to receive correction though he does consume us making our faces harder then a rock and refusing to return By not demeaning our selves humbly before him according as our own vileness and the greatnesse of his mercy does require Behaving our selves in our general course as if we were desirous to live without God here and content to be annihilated hereafter so we might but in this world enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season CHAP. IX Sins against the second Commandment THE Second Commandment does concern the Manner and Means of Gods worship Against this we sinne not onely by representing and worshipping of him in Images but also by entertaining grosse mis-conceits of the divine nature by mixing any will-worship superstition or our own inventions with his service when we do not serve him after such a way as is agreeable to his nature and required in his word that is not in spirit and truth Not with uprightnesse sincerity cheerfulnesse 1. It will here concern us to examine how exceedingly we have failed in the manner of those good duties which we have attempted How much aversenesse there is in us from setting about them How much distraction and benummednesse of spirit in the performance of them How much impotency and wearinesse in the Continuance of them How much pride unspiritualnesse formality want of relish deadnesse uncomfortablenesse there is mixed with our best services Serving God with feigned lips Drawing neer to him with our mouthes and honouring him with our lips when our hearts are far from him Resting our selves in the meer outsides of duties when we do not enjoy any Communion with God in them 2. We ought to examine our failings in respect of the means or kindes of divine worship Our carelesnesse to keep our selves close in a constant holy communion with God by the right use of all his sacred Ordinances 1 Prayer both Private Publike 2 Ministery of the Word 3 Receiving of the Sacraments 1. Our Negligence in setting any solemn time apart for our secret devotions betwixt God and our souls Omitting them upon every trivial occasion or slight pretence of businesse Our carelesnesse in the private observance of this duty with our families and neer relations and in publike with the Congregation Our approaching before God without that preparation reverence or attention as becomes such vile creatures speaking to so great a Majesty Regarding iniquity in our hearts not calling upon him in truth Flattering him with our mouthes and lying to him with our tongues when our heart is not right with him Not Confessing our sins with that sorrow shame and confusion of face as having thereby so much dishonoured his glorious name and endangered our own salvations Being rather apt to cover our transgressions with Adam by hiding our iniquity in our bosome Or if we do acknowledge them yet we are not careful to forsake them but do still go on in a continuall round of confessing and committing committing and confessing again Failing very much in the Matter of our Petitions not asking those things which are according to his will Apt to make our prejudicate opinions and passionate wishes the subject of our Prayers instead of the holy and unchangeable will of God For the manner of them not with faith and fervency as being truly sensible of our own wants or as if we did really beleeve this duty to be an effectuall means for the supply of them Not tenderly affectionate in our forgiving of others or our interceding for them In our thanksgiving not mentioning the favours we have received with any such hearty sense of them as may stir up in our souls cheerfulnesse love gratitude Not praising God with our whole hearts and all that is within us Coming before him with customary devotion rather to satisfie the scruples of a natural conscience then out of any true love to this duty it self or experimental evidence of comfort to be had by it our hearts being apt to wander from him even whilest we are speaking with him to think but lightly of him whilest we pretend much honour to him Not retaining any taste or relish of these duties after they are ended Not living suitably to them Not taking notice how God does answer our Prayers in the several passages of his Providence towards us 2. For the Ordinance of Preaching the Minister does herein offend by being negligent and slothful in his calling not preaching with that constancy faithfulnesse simplicity judgement authority courage demonstration of the Spirit as he should The People by neglecting to hear and read the Word according to their severall opportunities By not preparing themselves for this holy exercise Not coming unto it with hungring and thirsting desires and loving
will without Gods restraining or renewing grace at some time or other dispose us unto And herein more particularly the blindenesse of our understandings our wicked imaginations and fleshly reasonings the perversnesse of our wills the hardnesse and earthinesse of our affections the insensiblenesse of our consciences the depravation of all our faculties 2. The malice and subtilty of the Devil who as a roaring lyon walks about seeking whom he may devour and is still provoking us to those evils which are most suitable to our particular occasions and dispositions Watching for advantage against us desiring to fift and winnow us as wheat and therefore we had need to pray that we may be sober and vigilant having upon us the whole armour of God whereby we may withstand the wiles of the Devil that we may constantly resist him being stedfast in the faith taking heed of the depths of Satan That we do not fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil That the God of Peace would bruise Satan under our feet 3. The allurements or terrours of the world either by profits pleasures honours on the one hand or losses dangers troubles disgrace persecution on the other The rain descending the floods coming the windes blowing and beating upon us The evill customes and examples of the generation wherein we live the slavish hopes and fears of men Besides these kindes of temptation we are likewise to pray against the degrees of it suggestion consent practice delight habitual custome and necessity That God would enable us always to watch and pray lest we fall into temptation And because every man hath some particular sin or temptation to which he is more especially exposed belonging either to his age temper calling therefore he should endeavour to observe and finde out and more fully to inlarge himself in his deprecation against that 3. The last sort of evil to be prayed against is that of Punishment The kindes of which were mentioned before under the head of Confession and are likewise reducible under that other head concerning Protection and therefore it will be needlesse here to make any particular recital of them In the general we are to pray against all those judgements which may be inflicted upon us either in our bodies friends names estates Against those more eminent miseries of Sword Famine Pestilence which three being of a publike nature concerning the Nation and community in which we live may be more particularly insisted upon under the head of Intercession against distraction and sorrow of minde trouble of conscience the losse of Gods holy Ordinances and eternal damnation That no evil may befal us neither any plague come nigh our dwellings That he would not rebuke us in his anger neither chasten us in his displeasure That he would not cast us away from his presence nor take his holy Spirit from us Those judgements ought to be more particularly deprecated with which we are at any time frighted or afflicted CHAP. XVII Of comprecation for spiritual good things The sanctification of our Natures the obedience of our Lives NExt to Deprecation against evil may succeed Comprecation for that which is good Now because good things may be wanting either in whole or in part or in respect of Duration and some intermissions therefore we should petition not onely for the things themselves but also for the increase and continuance of them Good is either Spiritual Temporal In asking of spiritual good things the first and chief matter to be prayed for is the sanctification of our natures That Gods Kingdome may come into our hearts That he would give unto us a new heart and put a new spirit within us That he would take from us our stonie heart and bestow upon us hearts of flesh That he would put within us the law of the Spirit of life which may make us free from the law of sin and death That we may put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse That we may be regenerate and become new creatures being born again of that incorruptible seed the Word of God That God would grant us according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inward man That he would establish our hearts unblameable in holinesse before God even our Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints That the Spirit of Christ may dwell in us That we may continue in the grace of God and in the faith grounded and setled and may not be moved away from the hope of the Gospel Of this kinde is that Petition of David for himself Create in me a clean heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me And the Apostle for others The God of Peace sanctifie you throughout that your whole spirit and soule and body may be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we are more particularly to insist on the renovation of our several Faculties Parts answerable to what we did acknowledge concerning the Depravation of them in the Confession of our Original sin As first for our faculties 1. That we may be transformed by the renuing of our mindes that we may be able to have a spiritual discerning of the things of God being wise to that which is good but simple and harmlesse to that which is evil 2. That he would purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God that they may be tender of his glory and our own good truly performing the offices which belong unto them both in accusing and excusing us according to several occasions 3. That he would circumcise our hearts that we may set our affections on things above and not on earthly matters that we may not be deceived with false appearances but may approve the things that are most excellent 4. That he would reforme and sanctifie our wills that we may in every thing submit them unto his delighting to do his will Not seeking our own wills but the Will of him that sent us 5. That he would rectifie our memories making them more faithful in retaining all such holy Lessons as we shall learne in recalling them to minde according to several opportunities that we may be alwayes ready to stir up our mindes by way of remembrance that we may never forget God And so for our Parts or outward man that we may become the Temple of God where his Spirit may dwell That we may present our bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is our reasonable service That all our parts and members may be instruments of righteousnesse unto holinesse In which desires we may strengthen our faith with such arguments as these 1. God only is able for this great work In us dwelleth nothing that is good It is he that must
work in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure 'T is not in our power to regenerate our selves for we are not borne of blood nor of the Will of the flesh nor of the Will of man that is not of any natural created strength but of God And he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think 'T is as easie for him to make us good as to bid us to be so 2. He is willing and hath promised to give unto us a new spirit To put his law into our inward parts to write it in our hearts And if men that are evil know how to give good gifts to their children how much more shall our heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him He hath professed it to be his own Will even our sanctification And he cannot deny us the performance of his own Will He hath promised that those who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse shall be filled And therefore if he hath in any measure given us this hunger we need not doubt but he will give us this fulnesse likewise He hath said that he delights to dwell with the Sons of men and what reason have we to doubt the successe of our desires when we do beg of him to do that which he delights in 2. The next thing to be prayed for is the obedience of our lives answerable to that in the Lords Prayer Thy will be done one earth as it is in heaven And here likewise we are to petition for spiritual grace and ablities both to perform and to continue and to increase in all holy duties 1. For the Performance of them that he would lead us into the paths of righteousnesse That with simplicity and godly sincerity we may have our conversation in this world That denying all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we may live soberly righteously and godly in this present world That God would give us grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly feare That we may not any more be conformed unto this world That being dead unto sin we may live unto righteousnesse Not any longer spending the rest of our time in the flesh to the lustâ— of men but to the Will of God That the time past of our lives may suffice to have served divers lusts That for the future we may walk as obedient children not fashioning our selves according to the former lusts of our ignorance but as he that hath called us is holy so we may be holy in all manner of conversation To this purpose is that desire of David O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes and in another place Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of uprightnesse and elsewhere Shew me thy wayes O Lord and teach me thy paths lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation Teach me thy wayes O Lord and I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to feare thy name 2. For our continuance in them That we may serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lives Being stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord Holding faith and a good conscience Patiently continuing in well doing without wearines as knowing that in due time we shall reap if we faint not Holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering that our hearts may be established with grace that amidst all outward changes and losses we may still hold fast our integrity Thus the Apostle prayes for the Thessalonians that God would stablish them in every good word and work 3. For our Increase in them That God would make all grace to abound towards us That we alwayes having alsufficiency to all things may abound to every good work That we may be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse unto the glory and praise of God That forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching unto those things which are before we may continually presse towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God Thus doth the Apostle pray for the Hebrews The God of peace make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight And Epaphras for the Collossians that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God CHAP. XVIII Of the several graces and duties injoyned in the first Commandment THe graces that we should pray for are many of them briefly summed up together in several Scriptures But for our more full and distinct apprehension of them they may be more particularly considered according to their distinct relations either to the Law Gospel The duties enjoyned by both these may be easily collected from those vices and failings mentioned in our Confession The first Table in the Law doth concern our duty to God The first Commandment doth enjoyn us to have Jehovah alone for our God that is in all respects to behave our selves towards him as our God So that by this we are directed to pray for these graces and duties viz. Knowledge and Belief of him Trust and Hope in him Love towards him Zeal for him Rejoycing in him Gratitude towards him Patience under him Obedience to him Fear of him Being humble before him Because it is not good that the soul should be without knowledge we should therefore pray that he would be pleased to incline our ears unto wisdome and apply our hearts to understanding That he would open our eyes to behold the wonderous things of his Law That he would give unto us the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of our understandings being inlightened we may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power That he would enable us to be more inquisitive after those sacred truths revealed in the Word more diligent to acquaint our selves with his holy attributes and works more mindefull of his Holinesse Justice Truth Power Omnipresence that he is about our paths and beds and acquainted with all our wayes He does search and know us understanding our thoughts afar off all things being naked and open in his sight That we may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall understanding that we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God that we may follow on to know the Lord.
after he hath preached unto others he himself may not become a cast-away 2. For his Doctrine that he may study to approve himself unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth That he may preach the Word being instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine with meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth Feeding the flock of God not by constraint but willingly Not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde That he may speak as the Oracles of God That his doctrine may be in demonstration of the spirit and of power with uncorruptnesse gravity sincerity not as pleasing men but God who tryeth the hearts The People or hearers may be hereby directed to pray for a greater love and esteem of his Word as being the Ordinance of his infinite wisdome which he can make effectual for the Conversion and salvation of souls Considering that the fashion of this world passeth away Pleasures shall die and vanish Honours shall be laid in the dust gold and silver shall rust and canker but the word of God abideth for ever This alone is able to make us wise unto salvation and to save our soules being that word by which we shall be judged at the last day That therefore we may value it above gold and silver finding a relish in it sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb That we may alwayes love the beauty of his house and the place where his honour dwelleth To publish with the voice of Thanksgiving and to tell of all his wondrous works This one thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary That we may have a greater care to know and practise his will As new borne babes desiring the sincere milk of the Word to grow thereby That he would teach us so to prize and improve the present liberty and Sun-shine of the Gospel that we may be carefull in this our day to lay up for our selves a good foundation against the evil time That we may approach unto this Ordinance with such reverent and prepared affections as may become his more especial presence amongst us Considering our feet when we draw neer before him that he would over-awe our spirits with an holy fear and reverence in the apprehension of his presence and beholding of us who is a God of infinite holinesse and glorious Majesty that we may bow down our souls with a willing subjection unto every sacred truth That he would subdue the pride of our hearts Cast down every imagination that exalteth it selfe against him and bring into subjection every thought unto the obedience of Christ and because the Word of it selfe is but a dead letter and it is not in the power of any outward means the wisdome or preparation of weak sinful man to subdue the power of sin the Kingdome of Satan or to create men in Christ Jesus unto good works that therefore he would be pleased to accompany the outward means by the inward efficacy and operation of his Spirit Man can speak only unto the ear but he can speak unto the heart and 't is as easie for him to make us good as to bid us be so and he hath promised to meet such as desire to wait upon him and to remember him in his wayes That he would remove from our understandings the veile of ignorance and infidelity whereby we are made incapable of spiritual truths that he would take from our affections that natural pravity and malice whereby we are made enemies to spiritual notions that we may receive the truth not only in the light but in the love of it not with-holding any truth in unrighteousnesse That he would strengthen us against all temptations of Satan cares of the world hardnesse of our own hearts or what ever may hinder our profitable and saving hearing That he would take from us all irreverence distraction prejudice dulnesse in hearing of his Word and because it must redound either to the glory of his justice in our farther hardening and final condemnation or to the glory of his mercy in our conversion and salvation that he would therefore sanctifie it to our good that as the rain cometh down from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it fruitful so the Word that goeth out of his mouth may not return unto him void but accomplish his good pleasure and prosper in that to which it is sent That it may be unto us sharp as a two-edged sword to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit the joynts and marrow discovering the very thoughts and intentions of the heart And because Paul may plant and Apollos may water but he only can give the increase That therefore he would be pleased to give a blessing and successe to his own Ordinance That his Word may be unto us a word of power converting the soul and making wise the simple that he would give unto us hearing ears and understanding hearts that we may believe and be saved That he would write his laws in our inward parts That he would open our eyes to behold the wondrous things of his law Incline our hearts to affect direct our steps that we may walke in the paths of his precepts Shew us thy wayes O Lord and teach us thy paths lead us in thy truth and guide us for thou art the God of our salvation Teach us thy wayes O Lord and we will walke in thy truth unite our hearts to fear thy name Shew us the way that we should walk in for we lift up our souls unto thee Teach us to do thy will for thou art our God Let thy good Spirit lead us into the land of uprightnesse That we may behave our selves with humility attention alacrity laying down all high thoughts fleshly reasonings stubborne resolutions being ready to receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save our souls That we may enjoy communion with him in his Ordinances that he would fill us with all joy and peace in believing That he would sanctifie our judgements affections memories that we may apprehend and believe and affect and retain those sacred truths that shall be delivered That he would inlighten our mindes open our hearts soften our consciences compose our thoughts to attend unto his Word with meeknesse and faith receiving it into good and honest hearts with full purpose to walk answerably to it in our conversations That Christ may be formed in us that our hearts may be established in every good word
temptations of the world but hath by his good providence with-held us from many of those sins and dangers to which of our selves we were exposed There are many others in the world who have this day perhaps been surprized by some mischief or have fallen into some great sin and the same might have been our condition and therefore we have reason to be sensible of his favour in exempting us from it that he hath in any measure afforded us direction and successe in our affaires and not blasted our endeavours accompanying us in our goings out and comings in Because the Lord hath commanded his loving kindnesse in the day therefore in the night shall my song be unto him and my prayer unto the God of my life Next to these we may recite those temporal favours which do more particularly concern us either in our Soules Bodies Friends Names Estates 1. Our Souls in respect of our Vnderstandings Memories Consciences Affections that we were not made idiots or blockish we might have been possessed with stupidity and forgetfulnesse with madnesse and astonishment of heart with wilde and raving passions And therefore we have reason to be sensible of that great favour we enjoy in respect of the clearness of our understandings strength of our memories peace in our coÌ„sciences moderatnes in our affections c. 2. Our Bodies in regard of Health Senses Limbs That he doth not send upon us sore sicknesses and of a long continuance and make us Prisoners to the bed of languishing That he does not chasten us with strong pain upon our beds so that our life should abhor bread and our soul dainty meat That we are not tormented with grievous aches with loathsome diseases and sores that we have the free use of our senses not blinde or deaf or dumb c. that we are sound and perfect in our limbs not maimed or deformed as many others are whereby their condition is made very uncomfortable in comparison to ours 3. Our Friends that God hath inclined the hearts of others to shew us any favour that we do enjoy the acquaintance of such in whose society and converse we may relieve and refresh our selves amidst the maâ—y perplexities that we shall meet with 'T is the case of many others to be left in a forlorn and friendlesse condition with Ishmael to have every mans hand against them and therefore we have great reason to blesse God for raising us up friends and benefactors and continuing them to us 4. Our Names that he hath bestowed upon us any reputation in the hearts and reports of others and not given us over to such scandalous sins as would have made us a proverb and reproach that we are not Cains to kill our Brethren nor Amnons to commit incest nor Absaloms to attempt the ruine of our Parents nor Judases to murder our selves The seeds and principles of all these abominations being in our natures it must needs be acknowledged for a great mercy to be withheld from them That he hath in any measure restrained the malicious tongues of others from aspersing of us 5. Our Estates and therein for plenty liberty quietnesse suitablenesse God might have placed us in some needy slavish unquiet condition in some calling disproportionable to our inclinations and gifts and therefore we have reason to acknowledge his mercy in bestowing upon us competency of means freedom and seemlines of condition wherin we are not forced to flatter or borrow fitnes of calling c. That we have opportunity to serve the Lord our God with joyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart in the abundance of all things Whereas 't is the case of many others that they are forced to serve their enemies in hunger in thirst in nakednes and in want of all things There may be some poor Christians perhaps at this time under cruel restraint and imprisonment others it may be wallowing in their blood by reason of bitter and fierce persecutions for their bearing witnesse unto the truth of Jesus Other precious Saints of whom the world is not worthy may be now under great necessities wandering up and down in deserts and mountains being destitute afflicted tormented having not a place whereon to rest their heads Whereas 't is our happinesse that we are supplied with all things convenient for us having bread to eate and clothes to put on and many other particular favours which are renewed to us every moment the very continuance and commonnesse of which doth take away their observation And as we are thus to remember private mercies so likewise should we take notice of those temporal favours which concern the publike the peace plenty strength safety of the Nation wherein we live For that every one may sit under his own vine and fig-tree there being none to make us afraid That he hath not delivered us to trouble and astonishment and to hissing That whereas his anger and his fury hath been poured out upon other places upon man and upon beast upon the trees of the field and upon the fruit of the ground yet the overflowing scourge hath not come near us He might make us a reproach and a taunt and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about us Executing upon us judgment in anger and in fury in furious rebukes He might infatuate our Governours and mingle a perverse spirit in the midst of them This is the condition of other places and we have reason to praise him if it be not so with us In a more especial manner we ought to take notice of our freedom or deliverance from those sore judgements the sword the famine and the pestilence 1. For our Peace for delivering us from the hurtful sword that there is no breaking in nor going out nor any complaining in our street whereas he might whet his glittering sword and make his hand take hold of judgement till his arrows he drunk with blood and his sword to devoure flesh Yet he hath made peace in our borders so that violence is not heard in our land nor wasting or destâ—uction within our borders Whereas other countreys are made desolate so that their high wayes are untrodden and the travellers walk through by-ways the inhabitants of the villages cease Yet he hath been pleased to make us like the garden of Eden our Cities being fenced and inhabited and hath not taken away our peace from us his loving kindnesse and mercies 2. For our Plenty that he hath according to his promise called for the corne and wine and increased it and layed no famine upon us multiplying the fruit of the trees and the increase of the field that we do not receive the reproach of the famine amongst the heathen For crowning the year with goodnesse and making his paths to drop fatnesse 1. For bestowing upon us the former and the later raine moderately and in his season that he does
is circumstantial or ceremonial Obedience and Mercy being better then sacrifice Sins against the clear light of nature or reason are in many respects worse then those that are discovered to us by the written Word The more obligations are broken the greater still is the sin as when our offence is not onely against the Word of God but likewise against the Law of Nature Conscience particular Promises and Vows 2. By examining the latitude and comprehensiveness of any kinde of sin though it may more especially referre to the breach of some one Commandment yet if we search into its utmost compasse and extent we shall finde that it does also refer unto divers others So the sins of the second Table do not only intrench upon one another but also upon those of the first Table by reason of that disobedience which is in them unto the Command of God 3. By distinguishing the degrees of sin the first Consent being not so bad as the Act nor the Act so bad as the Custome and delight A particular offence being not so bad as an habitual reigning sin that wastes the conscience 3. That which does more especially concern us in our Confessions is the aggravation of particular sins Because a general view of them is more apt to produce a confused stupor and amazement rather then any proper and genuine humiliation Every man hath some black dayes in his Calendar some more notorious sin whereof he hath been guilty He should in his private humiliation endeavour to call those to fresh remembrance and set them before him Not forgetting that horrour and dread which appeared to him when God did first discover them to his conscience And therefore it will concern us to labour after a more distinct discovery of the heinousnesse of our particular offences which will best appear by examining them according to their divers circumstances Now the Circumstances of actions are usually reckoned to be these seven 1. The Person 2. The Place 3. The Thing 4. The Means 5. The End 6. The Manner 7. The Time 1. The Person is considerable under a twofold capacity either for the Person Offended Offending 1. The Person offended the Creator and Governour of the world so eminent for his Greatnesse and Majesty which does adde much to the offence An ill word against the King being high Treason whereas the greatest offence against another is not so much So that it may be very helpfull to set forth the heinousnesse of any sin to consider who it is that is offended by it Not only our Brethren Superiours Equals Inferiours or our selves but the great God who is able with the blast of his mouth with a frown of his countenance to ruine us eternally and cast us into hell And it must needs argue extream folly for men to contend with their Maker to provoke him to jealousie as if they were stronger then he So infinite in holinesse and knowledge of pure and piercing eyes abhorring sin infinitely and yet necessarily beholding it Though men may stop their eares or shut their eyes against what they dislike yet God cannot go out of the hearing or seeing of sin He hears every one of our vain and sinful words He sees into the secret corners of our hearts the least glimpse of any sinful contrivement which we our selves can scarce take notice of and should we provoke the eyes of his glory So terrible in his Justice and Majesty who shall one day come with thousands of his glorious Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all those that know him not or obey him not So merciful and gracious unto us The Lord our Redeemer the holy One of Israel our King Our Father who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace And shall we return evil for good and hatred for his good will Shall we thus requite the Lord Is not he our Father that bought us hath he not made us and established us The Person offending a frail creature of a dependant being preferred out of nothing to the noble condition of the humane nature One that hath taken upon him the Profession of Religion ingaged himself to the duties of Christianity by a solemn Vow in Baptism participated the means of Grace in a greater measure then others and hath had so much experience of Gods more especial favour towards him One who is called a Christian and rests in the Gospel and makes his boast of Christ and knows his will and approves the things that are more excellent c. 2. The Place where we have enjoyed the liberty and sunshine of the Gospel In the land of uprightness dealing unjustly In that very place which hath so much abounded with temporal and spiritual blessings flowing with milke and honey and that which is more nourishing and pleasant to the soul then either of these to the body The Word and Ordinances of God in sincerity and power 'T is recorded of the Israelites Psal. 106 7. that They provoked God at the sea even at the red sea which is repeated with an Emphasis as being the place of mercy where they had lately seen so miraculous a deliverance which circumstance did adde a great aggravation to their rebellion 3. The Thing that which we have so often relapsed into against which we have so frequently resolved being in it self it may be of a more foule and scandalous nature c. Hitherto does belong the aggravations which concern the kinds of sin which were mentioned before 4. The Means with hypocritical pretences making Religion the veile for our unlawful desires fighting against God with those abilities with which we should serve him Abusing that health wealth strength wit and all the other Talents we have received not only neglecting to improve them unto the glory of the Giver but wastefully lavishing of them so that we cannot with the foolish servant give God his own again using them as weapons against him thereby resisting his Spirit and Ordinances 5. The End for lying vanities the short pleasures of sin which are not without some mixture of sorrow in the very injoyment of them and do afterwards fill the soul with guilt and fear Forsaking the Fountain of living waters and hewing out unto our selves broken Cisterns that will hold no water Spending our money for that which is not bread and our labour for that which satisfieth not Prosecuting those things whereof we might be ashamed the end of which will be death 6. The Manner how which is capable of much amplification it being a great addition to the heinousnesse of any sin when it is committed either Out of ignorance when we have had means of being better informed Out of impudence against the dictates of nature the light of reason and education some taste and relish of spiritual things the checks of conscience former promises and resolutions
After much consideration and debate with our own hearts Against our own experience and observation of many judgements that have been inflicted upon such a sinne Against many examples much patience the means of remedy in which respects the sins of men are much worse then those of the devil for he never sinned against example being the first offender nor against patience being immediately upon the first offence cast into hell nor against remedy there being no possible means allowed him for his recovery Out of base ingratitude against the frequent and favourable motions of the blessed Spirit Despising the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering whereby we should have been led to repentance After frequent relapses which do multiply the guilt of sin like the increase of figures though the first fault be but as one yet the second relapse makes it as ten the third as an hundred the next as a thousand and so on according to this multiplied proportion Out of presumption and forestalling of pardon making the mercy of God to lead us unto sin Out of much obduratenesse and pertinacy casting his laws behinde our backs and hating to be reformed Drawing iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with cart-ropes Treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath as if we would weary God with our iniquities with much forwardnesse and constancy notwithstanding the great trouble and difficulty there hath been in the service of sin without any or with very small temptation with much cheerfulnesse and delight as if there had been pleasure in destruction with much eagernesse and desire drinking inquity like water working all uncleannesse with greedinesse with an high hand as if we would reproach the Lord refusing to return unto him with mad impudence provoking God to his Face as if we were stronger then he 7. The Time when Not only in our childehood but in our man-hood not only when we sate in darknesse in the dayes of our unregeneracy but since he hath called us into his marvellous light since the glorious Gospel hath shined into our hearts having perhaps but lately suffered under such an affliction and received such a special deliverance upon which we did renew our Covenant with God by fresh resolutions of strict and circumspect walking Each of these circumstances may be otherwise more largely amplified according to the several natures of those sins to which they are applied in our confessions but by that which hath been already said it may sufficiently appear how the distinct understanding and consideration of them may be very useful in this businesse CHAP. XIV Of our acknowledging the punishments that are due to sin WHen we have thus acknowledged our sins by an Enumeration and Aggravation of them we are in the next place to own the punishments that are due unto them thereby the better to affect us with sorrow and indignation at those evil courses which will expose us to so many fearful dangers That thus remembring our doings which were not good we may loath our selves for our abominations Acknowledging that we are not worthy the least of his mercies or truth that he hath shewed unto us Desiring to abhorre our selves and repent in dust and ashes Thus the Prodigal in his submission to his father first he acknowledges his offence I have sinned against heaven and against thee and then he ownes the punishment And am no more worthy to be called thy son There being a natural consequence betwixt these two For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto judgement if he spared not the old world but brought a flood upon them if the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were turned into ashes being condemned unto a dreadfull overthrow that they might be examples to those that after should live ungodly if God spared not the natural branches but cut them off for their disobedience and unbelief we may certainly then conclude that though sentence against other evill works be not executed speedily yet they shall not go unpunished But evill shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him And therefore besides the confession of our sins it is also requisite that we own and acknowledge the punishments that are due unto us for them Now these punishments are either External Internal Eternal 1. The External are those that concern the outward man either in Body Friends Name Estate 1. In our Bodies 'T were but justice if God should deprive us of our health if he should smite us with a consumption and a feaver with an inflammation and an extream burning with the botch of Egypt with the Emrods and with the Leprosie whereof we cannot be cured if he should send upon us sore sicknesses and of long continuance if he should suffer us with Job to be so wholly overspread with sores that we should become loathsome to our own selves That we should chuse strangling and death rather then life It were but justice if he should strike us blinde or deaf or lame if he should take from us those senses by which we have so much dishonoured and provoked him if he should deprive us of those limbs and members which we have used as instruments of sin and weapons of unrighteousnesse 2. In respect of our Friends We might justly expect that God should cast us into a forlorn destitute condition when there should be none to relieve or pitty us He might take from us the help and comfort of our Friends either turning their hearts against us or depriving us of them by death 3. In regard of our Names and Credit He might give us over to those notorious scandalous censures by which we should be made ashamed to live and afraid to die He might justly make us an astonishment and a proverb and a by-word amongst all Nations To be laughed to scorn and had in derision of them that are round about us He might blot out our names from under heaven 4. For our Estates If God should lay judgement to the line and righteousnes to the plummet he might number every one of us to the sword and to captivity and to ruine Depriving us of our liberty peace plenty It were but justice if he should suffer us to be shut up in some prison or dungeon where we could not enjoy the mercies that we possesse If he should lead us into captivity sell us unto some cruell slavery and bondage Scatter us abroad amongst all the Kingdoms of the earth Causing us to wander about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Being dispersed in the deserts and mountains in dens and caves of the earth If he should take from us that peace quietness comfort which we have formnrly enjoyed filling us with confusion and trouble giving us over to the rage and malice of our enemies Causing the Sun to go