and is knowne to bee one of Gods Children Rom. 10. 14. 1. Cer. 1. 3 2. Tim. 1. 19. and contrariwise it is a brand of an Infidell or an Atheist neuer to pray Ieremy 10 25. Psalme 14 4. But that wee bee not deceiued herein for ignorant people may mutter ouer and say by rote certayne prayers and the hipocrite may make a goodly shew certaine rules must bee obserued and heeded First that our praiers bee made in knowledge of Gods will otherwise they are not made in â—ayth and so cannot please God Rom. 14 ver 4. Secondly that in priuate we pray not so much by prescript for me as according to the present sense feeling of our owne wants imperfections crauing the supply of them Thirdly that it doe not consist in a few words of course but bee enlarged as time and our present necessities occasion vs. 1. Sam. 1. vers 15. Fourthly that the matter and subiect of our prayers bee chiefely and in the first place the aduancement of Gods Gospell and kingdome the remission of our owne sinnes and the saluation of our soules and then in the second place to pray for temporalls and outward things but alwayes conditionally and with subiecting our wills to Gods will Math. 26. ver 39. Fistly it must not be only for a brunt vpon a sudden motion or onely in time of great trouble but daily and continually for thus are wee taught to pray incessantly and neuer to giue ouer vntill God grant our requests 1. Thes. 5 Luke 18 7 Sixtly wee must pray in humilitie and in vnfained loue to God and men for the proud mans prayer God reiecteth Luke 18. vers 14. and the malitious mans prayer and sacrifice is abhominable Lastly not to be tedious wee must not pray onely for our selues and kindred as carnall men in their manner sometimes doe but for the whole church of God vpon earth and for euery state and condition of Christians as Kings Counsellers Rulers Iudges Magistrates the reuerend Prelates Pastors Preachers Ministers commons and most earnestly and compassionately for those whom wee know afflicted hated persecuted for the truth and Gospels sake or for any good cause whatsoeuer or where-soeuer If thou finde all these signes of faith or most of them in thy selfc be thankfull to GOD for them and which of them thou feelest and perceiuest thy selfe to bee destitute of in part or whole seeke for the obtaining of it and if thou bee wholy voyde of them then it is high time whiles opportunitie serueth to labour to procure them by all holy meanes Looke therefore to the maine chance get and nourish faith and thou canst not perish but want or neglect thou it and thou canst not bee saued I am horum mauis accipe To the former notes and testimonies of faith may very well be added puritie and innocencie of life and a liuely hope of eternall glory for these are certaine and infallible notes of faith and peculiar effects of it but of these I purpose to treate distinctly and more at large in the two next points of preparation wherof these are branches And thus much of faith the foundations obiect application and notes of it The second principall head in this preparation is puritie and innocencie of life and conuersation This is a notable and peculier worke and declaration of faith and it proceedeth as naturally from it as the beames from the sunne the waters from the fountaine and the fruites in their season from the fruitfull tree herevpon faiâ—h is said to purifie the heart Acts. 15. 9. faith and repentance are both preached together and so ought to bee practised Mark 1. 15. The necessitie of this holinesse and innocencie appeareth plainely without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12. â—4 except Christ washe vs wee haue no part with him â—ohn 13. 8. except a man bee borne of water and the holye Ghost hee shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. 5. Finally no vncleane thing shall enter into the heauenly Cittie neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or lyes Apoc. 21. 27. Likewise innocencie and harmlesse simplicitie is a cognizance and badge of them that are prepared for Gods kingdome for they must bee innocent as Doues Math. 10. 16. harmelesse as yong children Mat. 18. 3. without guile in their mouthes Psalm 32. 2 suffering wrong rather then offering it and dooing no man iniurye but labouring to doe good to all men and no maruaile for beeing borne a new and cast into a new molde wee must operari secundum formam renouatam according to our new nature so must be our actions and if wee bee rightly regenerate the effects that doe retaine the similitude of the cause must needs entertaine some correspondencie with it Secondly Christ Iesus the vnspotted Lambe of GOD will neuer marry with the Church vntill shee bee first washed and sanctified Ephes. 5. 26. 27. and they onely that haue not defiled their garments idest corrupted their conscience with grosse and grieuous sinnes shall walke with Christ in white Apoc. 3. vers 4. Thirdly being contracted and ingrafted into Christ that is holinesse it selfe we must not walke after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1 wee must be conformable vnto Christ his death by mortification and to his resurrection by newnesse of life or else wee are no liuely members of his body but dead and rotren flesh It is an axiome in Philosophy quo quid propinquius bonoâ—eo melius Aristo 3. Top. wherefore if we be in Christ and contracted to him wee must needs be better for wee are not onely neere him but of him and he in vs and we in him And that our holinesse and innocencie of life bee not rather in the flowre then in the fruite and in pompe more then in proofe we must sce that it be constant and encrease 〈◊〉 as wee continually partly by ordinary slips and infirmities and partly by spirituall conflicts combates receiue some losse foiles decayes so must we dayly endeuour to strengthen our selues to repaire our decayes and to mend our garments and to regaine and recouer our losses And as generatio vnius est corruptio alterius so wee must see how by the engendering of holynesse sinne doth decrease for as one kingdome cannot endure two Kings so the kingdome of Christ cannot consort with the dominion of Satan Wherefore we must not please and content ourselues with the out-ward shew of holinesse or deceiue our selues with the opinion that men may conceiue of vs out-ward shewes are like Sodome Apples goodly in colour and appearance but if a man crush and open them they are nothing but powder or ashes and as for mens opinion of vs it is no certaine euidence of our inward holines for Hipocrisie is spunne with so fine a 〈◊〉 that it can deceiue the most Godly and iudicious at least for a long time in the world thus Dauid was deceiued in Achitophell his â—amiliar and counsellor the Apostles in Iudas
distant hence Secondly His body is impassible not subiect to any such indignities Thirdly then Iudas and all reprobate and wicked men who receiue the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud should bee saued for they that eate of the bread of life liue for euer Ioh. 5. 57. They that eate his flesh drinke his bloud dwell in him he in them vers 56. But they doe not feede vpon the bodie and bloud of Christ because they want the mouth and stomack of faith to receiue and digest it Iohn 6. 63. Lastly the elements of bread and wine retaine both their names and natures euen after the words of consecration as is perspicuous and euident by the Scripture 1. Cor. 1. 26. 27. 28. 29. And herevnto accord the ancient Fathers as Augustine Theodoret Tertullian Cyprian Chrysostome yea and some of later times among the Papists as Gelaâ—ius and Bertram Ergo. Christ is not there bodily present neither is the bread and wine conuerted substantially and really into his body and bloud therefore as the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation is an inuention of later times and here ouerthrowne so must it needs also follow that our coniunction with him in this mortalitie must needs bee altother spirituall The second thing to be considered in the diffinition is that albeit this contract and vnion is not feigned supposed imagined or by touching and commixion yet it is a true a reall and a substantiall vnion for wee are substantially vnited to him our body to his body our soule to his soule and our whole person to his whole person so that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Eph. 5. 30. And as Adams whole person was really and substantially coupled with the whole person of Eue. So is it betwixt Christ and the Church He is the head and we the members hee is the husband and we the wife Now in that this contract and vnion is reall and substantiall it is also indissoluble and eternall For first the Lord saith by Hosea as I haue before mentioned I will marry thee vnto mee for euer Secondly Christ his power is infinite and none can take any out of his hands Iohn 10. 28. Thirdly his loue is constant whom hee loueth hee loueth to the end Iohn 13. 3. Fourthly the sauing graces of his spirit the proper endowments of his elect are without repentance and irreuocable Rom. 11. 29. Fiftly Christ is an effectual and continuall mediator vnto God his Heauenly Father for them Luke 22. 32. Heb. 7. 25. Lastly if any true and liuely member of Christs body should bee lost then either Christ should want either power loue or wisdome to preserue and saue it but hee wanteth none of them or els his body should be maymed and vnperfect which can neuer bee for it is his fulnesse Ephesians 1. 23. and hee will in the life to come make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church Without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5. 27. Vse Therefore let euery man trie by the touch-stone of Gods word whether he feele the spirit of God in lightning and renuing him and faith purging his heart and firmely apprehending and applying Christ withall his benefits vnto himselfe if hee finde himselfe in this estate let him thanke GOD and by the continuall and serious vse of the worde Sacraments prayer and practise of good workes maintaine and confirme it for doubtlesse hee is a true member of IESVS CHRIST ingrafted into him and shall thus continue for euer For these are not the workes of flesh and bloud and meere Nature but of the Spirit of GOD and grace The third thing in the deffinition to be explained is the Order of the vnion touching which wee are to note that the Church is first vnited vnto the body and flesh of CHRIST Secondly to his soule and lastly to his God-head and so to his whole person and therefore the Scriptures commonly speake of first propound Christs humanity vnto vs and afterward his deity Rom. 1. verse 3. and 4. Chap. 9. ver 5. and 6. The reason herof is because we cannot bee vnited vnto his deity but by his flesh wherin hee wrought our redemption for the humane Nature of Christ is as it were a doore to let vs into the communion of his deitie and the conduict pipe of deity to conuey and deriue it vnto vs. And as in the sacraments the true-beleeuers doe by the outward signes and symboles as by instruments receiue the thing signified viz Christ and his merits so they also by the meanes of his humanity are made partakers of his God-head and so are vnited vnto him The third thing to be considered in this contract is the rare and royall benefits and prerogatiues that hereby flowe and redound vnto vs. First wee haue from Christ and from his merits and sufferings the foundation and beginning of our new birth and being he is the roote and wee are the plants he the Vine and wee the branches of his fulnesse we all receiue grace for grace finally we are in him who is made vnto vs of God wisedome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Ioh. 15. 2. Iohn 1. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ier. 2â— 5. 6. Secondly we being contracted vnto Christ our head and husband are interessed in and partakers of all his royalties and benefits so far forth as may be the proportion and difference beweene the husband and the wife beting retained for from the fountaine of his God-head and conduit of his humanity are deriued vnto us his righteousnes santification triumph glory From Christ wee haue redemption through his blood euen remission of our sinnes according to his rich grace by his sufferings we are â—reed and deliuered from the guilt of our sinnes and the feare of condemnation by his obedieâ—ce to the Law imputed to vs we are accepted as iust before God and fit for eternall life 2. Cor. 5. 19. 21. Apoc. 12. 1 Now what an vnspeakable benefit is remission of sinnes which sinne draweth vpon vs all temporall and eternall plagues can be by noe other meanes obtained then by our coniunction with him Psal. 32. 1. 2. Thirdly communicating with Christ in the vnion of nature we also in some proportion and similitude are partakers of his propheticall priestly and Kingly Office We are made prophets to confesse him and to teach and comfort others Priests to mortyfie sinne to suffer for Christ to offer sacrifices of praise thankesgiuing vnto him and to consecrate our selues soules and bodies wholy vnto him Rom 8. 39. Apo. 1. 6. 1. Peter 1. 9. Wee are Kings to fight against the world the flesh and the Deuill and by faith in him to ouercome them 1. Iohn 4. 5. And here wee receiue that right in whole and dominion in part which we wholy lost in Adam Math. 19. 28. 1. Cor. 6. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 4. 5. Fourthly all Plagues Aduersities Crosses Punishments are made but only temporary and fatherly corrections vnto
thus excluded Lastly the â—enerall application and vse of the doctrine The person that excludeth them that indeed first excluded him because they did not nor would not receiue him into their heart is Christ the bridegroome the Sonne of God and the iudge of the world he is the porter by whom and through faith in whom all the beleeuers enter in and finde pasture Iohn 10. 9. hee is the Prince of shepheards as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Bishop of our soules that properly and by his owne power bindeth and looseth retaineth and remitteth For that which his Ministers doe subordinately and ministerially that doth hee absolutely and as cause and principall Iohn 20. 22. 23. Math. 16. 19. hee alone hath the Keye of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth so that hee hath right power and authoritie to receiue in or put out whome hee will Apoc. 3. 7. they that kisse him beleeue in and obey him shall bee saued and glorified Psalm 2. 12. Marke 16. 16. Hebr. 5. 9. and they that sinne against him hurt their owne soule they that hate him loue death Prou. 8. 35. they that will not haue him to raigne ouer them are his enimies and shal be slaine before his face Luke 19. verse 27. and they that eyther by open persecution or else by infidelitie and by contempt scorne or impenitencie fall on this stone shall bee broken and on whom soeuer of them it shall fall it will grinde him to powder Luke 21. 44. The vse of this doctrine is two-fold First it condemneth and ouer-throweth the vsurped false and forged authoritie of the Romish Antichrist who will needes bee Christs Vicar generall on earth and blasphemouslie assumeth vnto himselfe the Keyes of Heauen and Hell as though it were in his power to saue pardon or to retaine and condemne whome hee would whereas first hee cannot bee Christs vicar for Christ in the spirituall regiment and gouernment of the Church is with it to the ende of the world Math. 18. ver 19. 20. and is present by his power aud deitie in euery place Math. 28. 19. 20. and therefore needeth no substitute to supplie his Roome Secondly the holy Ghost is Christs deputy and viceâ—erent for hee is in euery place and enlighteneth guideth sanctifâ—eth and gouerneth the Church and so neither doth nor can the man of Rome saue himselfe from death diseases much lesse from the bottomlesse pit from whence hee came and whether hee must needes goe withall our consents as â—udas to his place Thirdly in respect of order and publicke administration the Christian Magistrate may with much better right and equity bee called the Vicar of CHRIST in gouerning the people according to the worde of GOD. And in this sense Eleutherius Bishoppe of Rome writing to Lucius King of the Brittaines calleth him Christs Vicar for by Christ Kings raigne and Princes decree iustice And as for the Authoritie of binding and loosing the Ministers of the true Church wherein the Pope hath no more right then the Pirate in the true ownershippe haue onely a Ministery of reconciliation and a ministery of binding and loosing but the inwarde operation and working of the Holie Ghost in the heart is Principall and belongeth to CHRIST IESVS alone Luke 24. 45. Act. 16. 14. So in censuring admonishing suspending excommunicating exhorting threatning and in all other Ecclesiasticall Offices CHRIST hath no deputie but onely instruments that doe witnesse and testifie his will according to the rule of Scriptures but the whole entire action is personall and proper to him alone and vtterly ouerthroweth the feigned and counterfaite supremacie of the Romish Pirate and Prelate Vse If wee would not haue Christ at the day of iudgement to disclaime and exclude vs as hee did the foolish Virgins wee must not by infidelitie and impenitencie debarâ—e him out of our hearts but by a liuely fayth let and receiue him into them and entertaine and feast him with loue reuerence amendment of life obedience and the like graces of the Spirit for CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts if we beleeue he knocketh at our hearts often by his worde by his Spirit by his mercies and by his iudgementes and if wee assent vnto him and by fayth admit into the Chamber of our hearts he will dwell with vs yea dine and suppe with vs and supply all our wants Apoc. 3. 20. Wherefore let vs not as the Church in the Cantikles suffer CHRIST our beloued to remaine without hauing his head full of dewe and his lockes with the drops of the night because forthwith wee would not arise and dresse vs nor defile our feete Cantickels 5. 2. and 3. or put our selues to any payne or trouble but let vs let open vnto him by yeelding vnto the truth and by beeing amended by his admonitions so shall wee bee CHRIST IESVS his possession his peculier people and a temple for him and his Spirit to dwell in otherwise if wee suffer any one sinne whether of Idolatrie or of infidelitie or of worldlinesse or of filtie liuing or of grosse ignorance or any raigning and dominering sinne that is vnfelt and vnresisted to sway vs and tyrannizc ouer vs wee driue and bannish IESVS CHRIST not so much out of our coastes as the Gergesites did Mathew 12. 45. as out of the Castle and pallace of our heartes and admit sathan our deadly enemie in his Roome and steade Thus much of the first part nameâ—y the person who shutteth The second branch is the time when the gate is shut viz when all meanes and occasions of comming vnto saluation are taken away and when the time of grace repentance and reconciliation is past which is when this life is ended Luke 16. 23. 24. 25. 26. 28. 29. 〈◊〉 the â—iche glutton in hell desiring and seeking vnto Abraham that hee would send Lazarus whom hee had neglected and contemned to yeelde him the least comfort hee could not obtaine it and when he desired that Lazarus might bee sent to his fathers hoâ—se to aduise and warne his fiue brethren that they should not come into that place of torment hee speedeth not in his preposterous and vnlawfull suite but his brethren are referred and remâ—tted vnto the interpreters of Moses and the Prophets Againe the dead do not praise the Lord neither doth the dust giue thankes vnto him or declare his trueth Isay. 38. 18. Secondly at the day of the Lord for as death leaueth men whether penitent or impenitent so the last iudgement findeth and iudgeth them and no otherwise it is no time of reconciliation and of obtaining mercy as the example of the fiue foolish Virgins and of those that Luke 13. 25. cryed Lord open vnto vs when the doore was shut and could not be admitted and intromitted doth plainly proue and demonstrate The reason hereof is because the Lord in his mercie and grace doth in this life to those especially that be in and of the visible church offer
we want it wee must vse the meanes to get and obtaiâ—e it and if wee finde our selues possessed with it wee must then preserue cherish and norish this holy flame with the knowledgâ— of Gods word with the vse of the Sacraments by conference by meditation by prayer by practise of good workes and by hope expecting and waiting for the ende of it euen the saluation of our soules For first our faith through the frequency and violence of temptations is often fore assaulted and weakened and therefore it had neede be repayred and confirmed Secondly onely that faith that vsually doth growe and encrease is the sauing and liuely faith and shall neuer be extinct for defect of oile nor pine away by any spirituall consumption but continueth firme and vnmoueable and obtaineth the promises Eph. 4. 11. 12. 13. Lastly if faith haue not as before specified his continuall supply of food it will faile as the wine did at the mariage in Cana of Galil if it be not norished and preserued it will wither like the corne sowen in the stony ground for want of moisture and it wil be lost as we see how it was in the foolish virgins at the Bride groomes comming and that argued that it was not true faith in existence but onely in apparence and that it was rather an opinion then a deepe impression for otherwise the faith of Peter and so of Gods elect shall not faile and the gifts of God namely that directly concerne saluation are without repentance Luk 22. 32. Rom. 11. 19. neuer extinct or taken away But that neither with the ignorant nor with the hypocrites nor yet with the Papists and other heretikes wee content and deceiue our selues with a mocke faith an historicall and temporary faith or with a crackt and erronious faith insteed of that which is sauing and iustifying we must found and search our soules whether wee bee Orthodoxe and vncorrupt in the principles of faith whether we rest wholy vpon the right obiect whether it be ioyned with particuler application and lastly whether we discerne and find in our selues the inward outward signes and euidences of it for then vndoubtedly wee haue that faith that iustifieth the sinner purgeth the heart engrafteth vs into Christ and saueth our soules But of these and the like particulers briefely and in order Principles and foundations of faith are these preaching of the word of God is the ordinary and principall meanes of saluation Rom. 10 14. Christ is both God and Man in one person perfect GOD and perfect man man to suffer and dye and satisfie for sinne in our nature that had offended and God to support his humanitie to giue efficacie and power to his doctrine and miracles and to adde infinite merite and desert to all his actions and sufferings Thirdly onely faith is the hand and instrument to apprehend and apply CHRIST vnto vs with all his blessingâ— and so to iustifie vs. Faith is like the eye which albeit in the acte and vertue of seeing it is alone yet not solitarye and alone in the bodye but ioyned to other parts so faith albeit it alone iustifieth vs before GOD yet it is not solitarie and alone but alwayes according to the proportion of it accompanied with holy life and good workes Gal. 5. verse 6. There are onely two Sacraments which Christ instituted and left vnto the Church Baptisme the sacrament of our new birth and entrance into christianity the outward signe whereof is Water and the Lords Supper the sacrament of our growth and perfect nourishment and encrease in Christianity the outward signes and matter whereof are Bread and Wine remaining both Bread and Wine for substance both in the sacramentall vse of them and afterwards as Paul maketh it manifest 1. Cor. 11. 26. 27. That no man performe and fulfill the lawe and therfore no man is to hope and looke for righteousnesse and saluation by that obedience which hee sheweth to the lawe Rom. 8. 3. Gal. 2. 15. 16. That we cannot make satisfaction to God for the least of our sinnes but that Christ alone hath most fully and onely performed it 1. Pet. 2. 24. Apoc. 1. 5. 6. That the saluation of all that beleeue is certaine and infallible not onely in Gods decree but also to themselues Rom. 8. 38. Heb. 10. 22. and therefore that the opinion of the Papists is wicked which make faith vncertaine and so holde our saluation to bee doubtfull That all doctrine necessary to saluation is contained in the Scriptures so that nothing is either to be added to it or detracted from it Deut. 4. 2. Apoc. 22. 18. 19. Gal. 1. 8. That the knowledge of the Scriptures are necessary for all sorts of people for their saluation and therefore that they ought to read them that they may thereby learne and vnderstand what God would haue them to beleeue and doe Iohn 5. 39. Mar. 12. 24. Math 22. 29. That God alone is to be adored of vs and that no part of diuine worship is to bee giuen vnto any creature Math. 4. 10. That holinesse of life good workes as effects and consequents of faith and the way wherein wee should walke Ephes. 2. 10. is necessarily required of all that will be saued Hebr. 12. That the Sacraments are onelye signes and seales of righteousnesse and not causes of saluation and therefore our saluation doth not so depend vpon them that they that want them must needs bee damned whereas our saluation consisteth onely in Christ his merits Marc. 16. 16. which none can dispoile and dismantle vs of That Christ his body was but once conceiued of the substance of the Virgin Mary and cannot bee made of any other matter and that CHRIST hath onely one body and therefore it is not made of Wheate bread as the Papists say it is dayly for it is not the seede of Dauid and bread is not the flesh of the Virgin That the humaine nature of Christ is now onely resident and contained in heauen and therefore it is not to be adored in earth Acts. 3. That the whole force vertue and efficacie of our saluation and redemption is in the onely and once offered sacrifice of CHRIST Heb. 10. 12. 14. and that this sacrifice could bee offered of none but Christ who was to be a Priest for euer Lastly to omit diuers other articles which bee more plaine and confessed it is a foundation of faith to know beleeue and hold that then immediatly after the dissolution from the body the soules of the righteous are carryed by the Angels into heauen and the soules of the wicked and impenitent are carryed by the diuill into hell and that the same bodyes with all their perfect partes and demensions shall for substance bee raised vp by CHRIST at the day of iudgment Iob. 19. 25. 26. Of this maine and principall article many are ignorant or at least not iuditiously and soundly perswaded as may appeare by the examinatioÌ„ of the ignorant people both
in their sicknesse and otherwise These heads foundations viz. they that shall either with Atheists deny al or with the Church of Rome deny or by consequence ouerthrowe most of them or with the common or vulgar protestant bee ignorant of them cannot possibly for the time present haue true faith for faith can no more then a temple a house or any other edifice bee without his many grounds and foundation Wherefore if we erre or bee ignorant in these or in the like principles of faith let vs by diligent hearing of the word reading of the Scriptures and Orthodoxe bookes by consulting the Godly learned and by earnest prayer to GOD for illumination and vnderstanding seeke to bee better informed and resolued The second point to bee considered is whether Christ with his onely merites and obedience bee the onely Obiect of our faith so that in matter of saluation wee vtterly disclame and renounce all other feined merites satisfactions intercessions of men and Angells for Christ alone is our perfect redeemer and mediator Act. 4. 12. Heb. 7 25. Phi. 3. The third point whether our faith doe not onely rest in abare and naked knowledge and history of Christ as the fayth of the deuills and reprobates doth but also apply and appropriate Christ yea and enclose as it were him and all his merits vnto themselues and their owne saluation for as without vse and application of the weapon there is no defence or anoyance without vse and application of medicine no cure without vse and applie of meate and drinke no continuance of life without putting on of apparell no warmth or hiding of our vnseemly partes without acceptance and perticuler acknowledgement of the Kings generall pardon there is no forgiuenesse so vnlesse we apply and appropriate Christ with all his obedience and merites vnto our selues wee haue no comfort helpe and benefit by him wee do ebut beate the ayre run at randome and shoote at the rouers Wherefore to conclude this point wee must say with Dauid O Lord my strength and my redeemer and with Thomas the Apostle My Lord and my God and with the Church in the Canticles my welbeloued is mine and I am his Cant. 2. 16. Fourthly we are a little to consider take a view of some pregnant remarkable signes and effectes of true faith whereby as by certaine trusty intelligencers we may be informed and certified whether we haue true fayth or not First it is one signe of a beleeuer to ioyne and associate himselfe to those assemblies and those people wherein and amongst whom the true sincere worship of God is professed and established for in the 2. of the Acts of the Apostles it is sayd the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued Act. 2. 47. And it is a note of perdition for a man to forsake the holy assemblys so to withdraw himselfe and his faith from GOD. Hebrewes 10. 25. and 39. Thomas absenting himselfe from the Apostles and their fellowship but some eight daies or there abouts was so hardned in vnbeleife that he would not beleeue the testimony and asseueration of the rest of the Apostles that told him that Christ was risen except hee might see the print of the nailes and put his finger into the print of them and put his hand into his side and had not CHRIST beene so mercifull vnto him as to condescend to his infirmitie and withall to molliâ—ie his heart hee had perished in his obstinacie What then is to bee sayd of them that seldome that negligently yea that neuer come into GODS Chamber of presence to heare the blessed Preaching of his word and to pertake of the Heauâ—nly Manna of the Sacraments surely they are in a most dangerous and desperate case A second note of faith is constantly wisely and boldly to confesse and maintaine the doctrine of saluation and all the foundations of fayth when we are therevnto called For we must beleeue with the heart and confesse with the mouth Rom. 10. 10. We must haue Christ his name written in our forheads Apoc. 14. 1. Wee though we liue wheresathan hath his throne must keepe Christs name and not deny the faith Apoc. 2. 13. Whereso â— it standeth vs vpon to looke to our selues and to beeware that wee bee not daunted with scoffes and slaunders terrified with feare of trouble and persecution seduced with flattery ouercome with false perswasions and corrupted with offer of profit and preferment For if wee bee ashamed of Christ our good Lord Maister and Redeemer he wil be ashamed of vs if wee deny him hee will deny vs before his Heauenly Father and all the Holy Angells and contrarywise if wee confesse and honour him before men hee wil confesse and honour vs. Finally wee are then onely made partakers of Christ if wee keepe sure vnto the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est the beginning of our assurance or wherby we are vpholden Heb. 3. 14. A third euidence of fayth is to shew and make knowne our dislike and hatred of errour and false doctrine yea to set and oppose our selues against it so farre forth as our calling will warrant Thus Dauid professeth that hee hateth all false waies Psal. 119. 104. and 128. Thus Paul being at Athens and seeing the Citty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est that is addicted to Idolatry it is sayd that the Spirit in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was prouoked to indignation Acts. 17. 16. and thus the Angell of the Church of Ephesus is commended because hee could not forbeare them that were euill because hee did examine the â—alse Apostles found them out Apoc. 2. 2. A 〈◊〉 and that a more inward and inâ—allible note of faith is with Ezechias Dauid Iob Anna Gedeon and others to beleeue and depend vpon God euen then when wee haue for the present no feeling and when in trouble we see no meane of deliuerance for this is a demonstration that we rely wholy and only on his helpe and therefore is most acceptable to his maiesty yea if God in our seeming and apprehension should wound vs bee an enemy vnto vs write bitter things against vs yea and kill vs yet must wee trust in him 2. Chro. 32. 31. 32. Isay. 38. ver 2. 3. Psalm 77. 7. 8. 9. Iob. 13. vers 15. 1. Sam. ver 15. â—udg 6. 13. 2. Sam. 15. 26. For God many times leaueth his Children without sense and feeling of present comfort that partly to bring them to repentance for sinnes past Iob. 13. 26. partly to make them knowe themselues for the time present Deut. 13. 2. 3. partly to preueÌ„t sinnes in time to come 2. Cor. 12. 7. 8. A fourth note is the gift practise of prayer or the inuocation of Gods name in the only mediation of Christ for this is a speciall character and note of an elect of God whereby he is discerned from an Infidell or reprobate
waite for the pretious fruite of the earth and haue long patience vntill hee receiue the first and the latter raine and shall not wee bee much more patient and settle our hearts seeing the comming of the LORD iâ— so neere Iam. 57 8. To this hope wee must annexe and adioyne an earnest desire and ardent prayer as for the accomplishment of other promises so specially for the second comming of our LORD and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Hence it is that wee are tought to pray thy Kingdome come Mathew 6 10 to hasten vnto the day of the comming of GOD 2 Peter 3 12. to desire to bee cloathed with immortalitie yea to siâ—h for it 2. Coâ—inthi 5. 9 We must say come LORD IESVS come quicklie Apoc. 22. 19. 20. How long LORD IESVS how long Apoc. 6. 10. 11. Wee must with the creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is carefully and desirously looke for Romans 8. 19. as hee that out of a prison grate or casement putteth forth his head to behold a farre off him that is expected Reasons in briefe to kindle and encrease this hope and desire of this solemnization and perâ—ect coniunction with Christ are especially foure First the example and feruent desire of the creatures who albeit they be sin-lesse yet because mans sinne hath corrupted them and doth continually peruert and abuse them they in their kinde feruently desire to bee freed from this bondage and to bee restored into the glorious libâ—rtie of Gods children much more wee that haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit must long and looke for a farre more glorious estate Roman 8. 19. 21. 22. 23. Secondly the infinite miseries troubles persecutions of the world and the vanitie ticklish and sickle estate and mortality of all things herein contained must stirre vp our hearts desire and expectation of full redemption and glorification Phil. 3. 20. Heb. 13. 13. 2. Cor. 4. 8. 9 17. Collos. 3. 1. 2. 3. to this purpose doth the triumphant Church in heauen in a generall sort desire the end of the world that the Lord may iudge and auenge their bloud that was shed vpon the earth Apoc. 6. vers 10. A third reason and that more principall is that an end may bee put to all sinne and wee may haue perfect victorie ouer it yea and treade downe Satan vnder our feete for then we shall be deliuered froÌ„ all the relicks stumps rootâ—s and remainders of sinne 1. Cor. 15. 55. 56. Rom. 16. 20. Apoc. 3. 4. and 19. 8. Whereas in this mortalitie wee dayly and euery moment sinne against and offend our GOD breake all his commandements and prouoke his anger and pull downe many iudgements vpon vs. Rom. 7. 17. 18. 19. and 23 24. Gala. 5. 17. yea all our obedience and our best actions are tainted with sinne and so vnperfect Isa. 63. Tit. 3. 5. 1. Cor. 13. 10. 11 Lastly the fruition and enioyment of Christ his glorious presence and perfect fellowship must be a forcible and effectuall meanes to confirme our hope enflame our desire Phil. 1. 23. Hebr. 11. 25. 27. for here is the banquet that neuer endeth the mariage that lasteth for euer the triumph that is perpetuall the absence and remouall of all euill and the presence and possession of all good but hereof wee must speake more at large in the third generall section Here by this doctrine are condemned all Sadduces Atheâ—sts Nulli-fidians and Scorners of Christs comming who because they walke by sense and not by faith by reason and not by Scripture and follow their owne lusts and will not bee ruled by the line of Gods word deny and deride the doctrine of the resurrection Christs second comming heauen and hell as 2. Pet. 3. 3. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 17. 18. Secondly here are reproued and conuinced all Epicures Libertines loose-liuers and all worldlings and voluptuous persons who albeit they in worde deny not any Article of faith as the former did and doe yet they denie the power of all religion in their hearts and so liue as though there were neither God nor diuell heauen or hell louing riches more then religion and pleasures more then pietie 2. Timot. 3. 45. Vse 3. Thirdly wee shall by obseruing and noting the measure quantitie of our hope and desire of Christs comming c. iudge of and discerne the quantitie of our faith for these being necessary effects of faith if they be great and liuely so is our faith and if they bee weake or dead so is our faith for the tree is knowne by the fruites and the cause by the vndoubted and proper effects of it And thus much of preparation and the principall parts of it Now we are to come to treat of the speciall opportunitie and time when both this generall and particuler preparation is to be made that is onely the present time and this present life whiles the day the light and the truth lasteth and while the meanes and ministery of grace reconciliation and saluation are offered and continue Titus 2. 10. Gal. 6. 10. Ioh. 9. 4. Ioh. 12. 35. 36. 2. Cor. 61. before our hearts be hardened with the long custome of sinne and so they become vncurable Hebr. 3. 13. Acts. 28. 27. whilest Câ—rist knocketh at the doore of our hearts 3. 20. before the night commeth Iohn 9. 4. and the doore bee shut Luke 13. 25. for in the graue in death and hell noe praysing of GOD and no time of repentance and reconciliation as Isay. 38. Luke 16. 24. 25. the Bride must trimme her selfe in this life Apo. 19 7. Now must the wedding garment bee prouided Math. 22. 11. this life is the time of grace for the ministerie of reconeiliation is onely here 2. Cor. 5. 18. 1. Cor. 15. 24. and 28. Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13. for at the daye of iudgement it shall wholy cease Lastly Christ forgiueth sinnes onely in earth Luk. 5. 24. and the Apostles and so the ministers of the word in al ages succeeding them binde and loose retaine and remit sinnes in earth Math. 16. 19. Iohn 20. 23. wherefore we must seeke the Lord â—hiles he may be found and in the sixe dayes of this life prouide vs of the heauenly Manna that wee may keepe with him an euerlasting Sabboth in the highest heauens Here is ouer-throwne that vile and damnâ—ble doctrine of the Popish purgatorie who imagine and teach that the soules of many are temporallye tormented in Purgatorie flames and that they may bee eased and released of their torments by the prayers and intercessions and satisfactions of the liuing and specially by the pardons of the beast I meane not Nebuchadnezar transformed for seauen yeares into a beast but the Pope eternized for one whereas first this late coyned doctâ—ine is iniurious and derogatorie to Christ his all-sufficient satisfaction who dyed onely once to put away sinne Heb. 9. 26. Hebr. 7. 25. and in all places of scripture merite satisfaction and redemption is onely ascribed to his bloud
and tender the meanes of faith repentance grace mercy and forgiuenesse of all their sinnes by the holy ministery of the worde and Sacraments as 2. Cor. 6. 2. Titus 2 10. 11. 12. Iohn 12. 35. Iohn 4. 9. Isay. 55. 67. Gala. 6. 10. Prouer. 1. 24. 25. 26. and because the wicked are temporizers eyther vtterlye and totally dispise and contemne it as Luke 14. 18. 19. 20. or else they come onely in shew and content themselues with a naked profession and some outward reformation wanting the hand and firme grapple of true faith that firmeth apprehendeth claspeth and applyeth Christ to their eternall saluation Hebr. 4. 2. and also destitute of inward reformation and holinesse comming I say without the wedding garment of faith and sanctification they are found detected by Christ conuinced of hypocrisie bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 22. 11. 12. 13. Vse The vse hereof is first to shew the vilenesse and vanitie of the doctrine of Popish purgatory whereof I spake at large before and therefore a word now shall suffice it is a vile doctrine because it detracteth from yea and maketh frustrate the all-sufficient death and purgation of Iesus Christ. Hebrew 7. 25. It is vaine and false for as there are but two sorts of persons elect or reprobate Sheepe or Goates good or euill and as men dye eyther in the estate of grace as all the elect doe or else in â—he estate of damnation as doe all the reprobate and impenitent so are there but two places in the scriptures appointed for them after this life viz. heauen and hell therefore no purgatory or third place Iohn 5. 29. Apoc. 14. 13. wherefore seeing there is no such purgatorie after this life nor no meanes left to relieue or release them therefore all prayer of the liuing for the dead is simplye vnlawfull for first it is against the rule of faith videliz the worde of GOD and therefore must of necessitie be sinne Secondlie it is against the rule of charitie that should alwayes iudge the best of the dead and not perswade themseues the dead are in torments where-of they haue noe certaine ground or knowledge Vse The second and last vse is to teach vs not to stay for companions in the way to eternall life Iohn 13. 24. for so wee may perish together nor to deferre or put of our conuersion from day to day Math. 24 48. 49. 50. 51. least either by death or the last iudgement we be suddenly surprised and ouertaken and accordingly iudged and condemned 1. The. 5. 2. Thus much of the time The third branch and member of the diuision is the persons and parties that are shut out viz. the foolish virgins idest those that did not prouide for the time to come because they did carelessely please them-selues in their wants and so passed by the time of mutuall communication and they contemned the helps that were offered vnto them and therefore they are deseruedly derided for their folly and doe suffer the Iust punishment of their negligence and brutishnes Hence wee learne that it sufficeth not to carry onely the shining lamps of externall profession to haue asight or tast of Gods mercies without sound feeling of them and norishment by them Hebr. 6. 4. Mat. 13. 20. or to haue onely an externall holines amongst men as these foolish Virgins noe doubt had for if a man haue noe more then this hee cannot goe beyond a reprobate in Christianity and all these temporall and common graces will faile a man in the time of temptation in the day of death and at the Last iudgement as Hebre. 6. 4. 1. Iohn 2. 19. But true fayth whereby wee are iustified and sanctified before GOD neuer faileth Luke 22. 32. and all the sauing guifts of GOD are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. and GOD will remember their sinnes and iniquities noe more Heb. 10. 17. therfore hee will neuer take his grace wholly from them wherefore let vs not content our selues with a bare knowledge and historicall faith but turne this temporary faith into a true and sauing faith and let not the strangnes or rarenes of diuine misteryes onely or principally moue and enduce vs to the profession of religion for so may Simon Magus and the Athenians bee Christians neither let gaining or retaining of worldly wealth peace prosperity friendship and dignity or credit bee our inducements or perswations to Christianity for these things are vncertaine and when these ends faile as they doe oft then their profession religion and temporary fayth and obedience determineth wherefore let the ends of our fayth profession and religion be only the loue of GOD and the zeale of his glory the delight in the truth the obedience of his will and a carefull and constant desire of saluation and that wee may know that our faith is not temporary and historicall but sound and sauing let vs try and examine it by these rules following first that wee bee humbled in our hearts for our sinnes Isai. 51. 17. and that wee haue a Godly sorrow for them 2. Cor. 7. 10. Secondly that wee bee perswaded that our sinnes be pardonable for otherwise wee shall dispaire as Caine did Gen. 4. 13. Thirdly wee must sincerely desire the meanes of saluation such as faith repentance mortification and reconciliation are fourthly wee must pray for nothing in the earth so much so earnestly and so continually as for the forgiuenesse of our knowne and vnknowne sinnes fiftly wee must labour and endeuour in all our actions to approue and commend our selues rather vnto GOD then vnto men lastly whether by experience and continuall obseruation of Gods fauour goodnesse and mercifull prouidence towardes vs wee attayne vnto the strength ripenesse and full measure of fayth Rom. 5. 4. 5 Psal. 23. 6. 1. Sam. 17. 34. 35 36. If wee finde these things in our selues wee haue true fayth and shall neuer perish but if wee want them either in part or in whole let vs seeke betimes to procure and so to encrease them And thus much of the persons The fourth branch and part is the state and condition of the foolish Virgins at the comming of the Bride-grome and that is contayned in these wordes viz. And the gate was shut and heere two principall poynts are to bee marked and attended First from what they are excluded viz. from the fauourable and comfortable presence of Christ and from the glory of Heauen Secondly into what place and companie they are remitted and reserued viz. to hell where they shal be tormented with the diuill and his Angells in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone foreuermore Touching their exclusion from the glorious and blessed fellowshippe of Christ what a torment is this and how doth it greeue and gall them to thinke and consider of it Surely it cannot bee imagined much lesse liuely expressed It is at this day a great part of the diuills torment to remember from how
against scripture Qu. If there be no such reall conuersion of the bread wine into Christ his body bloud why theÌ„ are the vnworthy receiuers guilty of the body bloud of Christ Ans. First because they wanting faith which is the eie mouth anâ— stomack of the soule discerne not this mysticall bread and wine from common bread and wine but come vnto it as vnto a prophane banquet Secondly because they by their infidelity and wicked hearts abuse and prophane these holy seales and pictures and therefore are guilty of high treason before God eueÌ„ as he that rendeth abuseth and trampleth vpon the kings image or broad â—eale is guilty of treason before men Qu. How then is the bread and wine to be receiued Ans. Reuerently and by faith Qu. How by faith Ans. By beleeuing that as verily as I receiue the bread and wine so spiritually I receiue and feed vpon Christ his body and bloud For faith maketh that present to the â—oule that is in place far distant And as the eye of a man doth by his sight touch the starres though many thousands of miles distant so doth faith mount vp into Heauen so apprehend and feede on Christ. Act. 7 verse 55. Q. What is fayth Answ. A perswasion of Gods fauour and mercy in Christ. Que. Who are worthy Communicants or receiuers An. They only that firmly beleeue in Christ hunger and thirst after him truly repent them of their sinnes and are thankfull for the great worke of their redemption Qu. But the faithfull themselues as we haue the Apostles themselues for instances labour of many doubts wants infirmities relesses ergo no man is worthy to commâ—nicate Ans. First the Lords supper is a medicine to the weake fainting soule therfore wee are as well to purifie our hearts in it as to bring pure hearts to it Secondly al notwithstaÌ„ding al their other ignorances and infirmities in whom sinne raigneth not and that come to the Lords Supper without guile and hypocrisie are worthy in Gods acceptation Q. VVho then are vnworthy receiuers Ans. All that are grosely ignorant all Infidels Atheists Hypocrites Hereticks Schismatiques and in a word all impenitent and prophane persons Qu. VVhat danger do these incurre Ans. If they repent â—ot besides temporall plagues they incurre eternall condemnation Q. May not an elect and a true beleeuer sometime receiue vnworthy Ans. Yes Qu. How then doth â—e escape eternall condemnation Ans. First his person is accepted with God therefore being once in Christ he caÌ„neuer perish Rom. 8. 1. Ioh. 10. 27 SecoÌ„dly he is temporally chastised for his vnworthy receiuing as the Corinthians were but all his sinnes are pardoned the gilt of them taken away Q May not a true Christian with a safe conscience communicate there where is knowâ—e to bee present some open and vile offenders Ans. Yes if he do not consent vnto their sinne or approoue of it for it is not his fault and another mans badnes must not make him to refuse the Manna of his soule Secondly the Prophets themselues and others obserued the sacrifices and feasts with those that were most wicked yea Christ himselfe kept the Pasouer amongst the wicked â—ewes Qu. What benefit and comfort hath a right receiuer by the Lords Supper Ans. First a confirmation of faith in the promise of grace and in his communion with Christ Secondly a reuiuing of the death and passion of Christ and the benefits that proceed thence in his memory Thirdly a more firme and neere vnion with the members of Christ. Lastly a most certaine hope of the life to come 1. Cor. 11. 26. Qu. What must a man do that hâ— may be a worthy receiuer Ans. He is to performe three seuerall duties First before he communice secondly in the time of communicating and thirdly after that hee hath communicated Qu. VVhat must a man doe before he communicate Ans. Hee must trie and examine himselfe Qu. Is it not sufficient that his pastor or minister examine him and approue of him Ans. No for albeit it be a good and necessary duty yet it sufficeth not for first hee may deceiue the Minister but he is better knowne to himselfe Secondly hee must liue by his owne faith and answer for his owne sinnes wherefore it concerneth him neerely to looke to himselfe Qu. VVherein must a man examine himselfe Ans. In foure things First whether hee know God know the fall of man and the maner of his restitution by Christ. Secondly in his faith namely whether hee desire apprehend and receiue Christ as he is described in the scriptures and exhibited in the Sacraments Thirdly in repentance viz. whether he repent of all his knowne sinnes and haue a care and resolution to do those things that please God Math 3. 17. Lastly in charity whether hee loue good men and wisâ— well euen to his enimies and seeke daily to reconcile himselfe vnto his neighbour whom he hath wronged or offended Mat. 5. 25. Q. VVhat is the duty of a worthy receiuer in the very art and time of the receiuing of the Sacrament Ans. He must reuerently behaue himselfe ponder the great mercies of God vouchsafed him by the eyes of faith so behold and contemplate all the storie of Christ his passion as if with his eyes he saw him hanging on the crosse and crucified and his bloud dropping out of his vaines Qu. How oft must a man receiue the Sacrament Ans. Very often for so the Apostle willeth 1. Corinth 11. so the primitiue Church practised and euer neede the often vse of it Q. VVhat duty must a man performe after the receiuing of the Sacrament Ans. Hee must praise the Lord and giue him thankes for the wonderfull worke of his redemption and for all the meanes therevnto belonging Secondly hee must bee occasioned hence more constantlye to prosesse Christ and more entirely to loue his children and seruants FINIS Deo Tri-vno laus gloria Si Christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis 2. Obser. Vse Ioh 6. 26. Obs. Psa. 45. 10. Chap. 8. 9. 10. 11. Psal. 18. 7. Luk. 18. 8. Luke 21. ver 11. Math. 4. 7. Isa. 47. 13 and 14. Luke 16. vers 22. Psal. 19. 14. Iob. 20. ve 21. Ioh. 26. ver 25. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 1. 1. Reason 2. Reason 2. Cor. 12 Exo. 3. 4. ver 3. 5. Heb. 11. verse Act. 1. 25. Pro. 8. ver 15. and 16. Apoc. 316. Apoc. 6. 9. Obiect Ans. Rom. 9. 22