what is true and tells the heart You must not doe thus or thus the will saith I must have another verdict so that the root of liberty is mainely in the will Deut. 30.19 I have set life and death before you chuse life c. That is the blessings are many if you obey the curses are many if you disobey therefore chuse the good way Act. 5.4 Was it not in thy power c as if he should say It was in thy choice to have given or not to have given I adde that the will of Adam could chuse any good whether naturall morall or heavenly the two former remaines in us but Adam was further enabled to chuse holy things There was no command but hee was able to obey nor no truth but hee was able to chuse Good is the food of the will Adam was able to disgest any good with full content and herein mainely consists liberty for a man to chuse that which is good It is no liberty for a man to be carried on headily to evill Men esteeme none so free as they that chuse what they list I will chuse bad as well as good saith one I will profane an holy-day as well as sanctifie it but this is not free-will to be hurried on to evill In 2. Pet. 2.19 the false Apostles would give a man free liberty to doe any thing and yet goe to heaven as the Text saith 2 Pet. 2.19 promising liberty when tâ—â—y themselves are the servants of sinne There is no such slavery under heaven as to be slave to sinne but for a man to have a soveraigne uncontrolled power to be carried to that which is good truely and spiritually this is liberty The Angels of heaven are most free in the performance of their duty they are so confirmed that they cannot love evill nay God himselfe wills good most freely There are no bounds to his will and yet he cannot but will good therefore when wee are able to will good most freely wee are most free He is a free man that is able to follow good beyond persecutions and temptations The other description of liberty is a very false one 3. Without any impediment Of impediments in chusing good This is a great blessing to be able to embrace good without any hinderance Nothing could crosse Adam in his course A man may binde anothers hands but he cannot command the will There was this speciall priviledge in Adams will that nothing could thwart him Now this appeares in foure things 1. There was no weaknesse in him to disable him there was no good to be done beyond the depth of his understanding and reach of his will Psal 73.16 David had that feeblenesse of understanding that it was too difficult for him to observe the difference of Gods providence but this was not in Adam 2. There was no stirre of corruption that could oppose him corruption is like a backe-byas that hinders our course The Saints of God finde alwayes some stirrings of corruption still opposing them in duty but it was not so in Adam Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit This every Saint of God findes for when he would be humble then pride stirres c. it was otherwise with Adam 3. There was no strength of corruption that might foile him but our corruptions prevaile over us Rom. 7.23 I see another law leading mee captive unto the law of sinne Mans proud heart makes him vent wrathfull words and foyles him but Adam had no power of corruption to foyle him As it is with a ship well trimmed if winde and tide serve it goes on amain so Adams heart was full of holinesse which carried him forward to good amaine he had sea-roome to inlarge himselfe in the choice of good 4. There was nothing without to stop Adam in what he would The Divell might offer a temptation to Adam but he could offer no compulsion he might see if he could perswade him but he could not force him When the serpent spoke with Eve if she had resisted him he would have gone from her For Adam had the soveraigne dominion over the creatures the Divell only usurpt it Adam had nothing within nothing without to hinder him The fourth thing in the description is that it was after a mutable manner The meaning is Adam was able as to chuse any good which God had revealed and performe it so to entertaine any evill and commit it It was with Adams liberty as with a paire of scales that are equall if you put more into the one then the other you will easily make the one sinke and the other rise so Adam was in an even poize he might be carried to good if hee would exercise that power he had and he might turne himselfe towards evill if hee would abuse that liberty he had For the opening of this two questions may be scanned Quest 1. What was the ground of the manner of this choice of good and evill in Adam Ans It lay in the nature of Adam and flowed from that mutability which was in the nature of Adam who was a reasonable creature Though nothing could force Adam to turne from a good course yet there was a mutability joyned with his liberty that he might turne himselfe from God Solomon having discoursed of the deceit of a woman supposing it demanded whence it came He answereth Eccl. 7. ult I know that God made man upright but he sought out inventions inventions were of his owne devising not of Gods ordering Nothing in the world could compell man to doe it but hee sought out crooked wayes This was intended in the two Sacraments that Adam had Gen. 2.9 the Lord set two trees in the garden first the tree of life to intimate that as verily as he saw that tree so verily if he loved God hee should live for ever and secondly the tree of knowledge of good and evill to wit if hee did eat of that fruit hee should know what it was to have the image of God and what to bee deprived of it These two Sacraments intimated that God had set life and death before Adam hee might chuse the one and refuse the other Our Sacraments signifie not so Baptism signifies our implanting into Christ the Lords Supper signifies our growth in Christ but in the Sacraments of Adam the one shewed a possibility he had to live the other the possibility he had to dye This mutability was no part of the liberty of Adam for it destroyed his liberty but it was a quality that did accompany the condition of Adam Gen. 1.1 Darknesse was upon the face of the deepe The text doth not say God created darknesse but it did accompany the creature naturally so did this mutability accompany Adam Immutability belongs to God onely and therefore Job saith he found no stedfastnesse in his Angels mutability therefore belongs to the creature as a creature Quest But how did this stand with the perfection of Adams nature An.
full streame of immutable assistance had carried him on daily in his service This is the happinesse of a Saint in heaven not only to be freed from misery and anguish or to have joy and delight a man was not made only for these but to please God If it were possible for a sinfull creature to carry a proud heart to heaven hee were miserable but if a man have holinesse all sweet content is his This is but the second part of happinesse Qu. Why did God make this covenant with Adam Answ This covenant observed had added immutability to Adams happinesse Because it was the only way to conveigh an immutable condition to Adam God had furnished him with all things nothing was wanting but immutability and constancy Immutability is an essentiall property belonging to God Mal. 3.6 Jam. 1.17 therefore it was impossible that any immutable quality should bee put into Adam If Adam had made use of Gods continuall assistance sustaining him though hee were in himselfe mutable yet hee could never have changed A glasse though it bee brittle yet hold it in a mans hand continually it will never break so though Adam were brittle yet if hee would have kept him in the hands of Gods assistance he could not change Adams obedience was an helpe hereto had Adam done Gods will hee had pleased God Gods pleasure is himselfe himselfe is immutable therefore hee must have an immutable assistance The damned in hell did offend God and provoke his displeasure his displeasure was unchangeable therefore he delivereth them up to the authority of sinne to be unchangeably sinfull and perish everlastingly so it was here with Adam Gods pleasure was immutable therefore he pleasing him God must reward him answerably Use 1. The first Use is of Instruction Impossible to bee saved by the Law it is impossible for any man to bee saved by the works of the law Why He that will bee saved by the covenant of works must performe the conditions of the covenant but no man can do this for the law requires personall obedience that is that which comes from his owne power and constant obedience in all things at all times without any failings therefore no man being able to do this no man can have life by his works Rom. 3.20 By the law a man hath knowledge of sinne now if the law discovers a mans sinne and pronounce him guilty of death it cannot save him Gal. 3.10 They that will be saved by the works of the law are cursed for cursed is every man that continueth not in all these things to doe them If a man breake the law but once though hee never breake it more hee could not be saved by it It is impossible for a man to keep the law since the fall and therefore it is impossible for the law to save him Gal. 4.21 Cast out the bond-woman and her son The law begets children to bondage it shewes a man his bondage in sinne and condemnes him for it Adams sin is rightly charged upon us Use 2. Wee learne hence not to repine at the Providence of God not to charge God foolishly because the sin of Adam is imputed to us We have in our hearts the old Proverbe of Judah Our Fathers have eaten sowre grapes and our teeth are set on edge See saith some man Adam hath sinned and shall I be punished Thus the soul snarles at God like a chained dog Labour to quiet all such distempers If Adam had performed the law thou wouldst have beene content to have been happy why then is it not equall that since he broke the law thou shouldst bee plagued It was the argument Job used to his Wife Job 2.10 Shall wee receive good at the hands of God and not evill So when the heart begins to rise against God saying Adam sinned and shall I be plagued Thou speakest foolishly shall wee receive good if he had kept the law and shall we not receive evill since hee hath broke it Are you content to partake of the mercy of Christ and not to partake of Adams sinne who stood in your stead Use 3. The third Use is of direction To live holily get the Spirit of promise how to get power to carry us on in a Christian course If thou wilt stand fast have recourse to that which may support thee have recourse to the Spirit in the promise Our grace is feeble but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and it will make thee to endure Rev. 14. The reason why the grace of the Saints of God is feeble is because they have not recourse to the Spirit We look to our owne pits no wonder then if the streams of grace be dry have recourse to the fountaine which is Christ 1 Sam. 2.9 10. No man shall prevaile by his owne strength Say as David Psalm 51.14 Stablish mee with thy free Spirit my spirit is feeble and unconstant but doe thou stablish mee Isa 40.29 The strong men shall faile if they trust in themselves but hee that putteth his trust in the Lord shall renew his strength like the Eagle Hence many a weake Christian liveth and dyeth comfortably when as the stronger stagger all their daies because the one trusts to Christ the other to his owne abilities This David makes the foote of a Psalme Psal 136. The mercy of the Lord endureth for ever bee sure therefore to repose thy selfe on that most constant bottome §. 12. Gen. 2.9 And God set two trees in the garden NOw we come to the seals of this Covenant Of the Sacraments of life to Adam and those were two trees the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill Trees types by Gods appointmēt They were not bare trees but set apart by Gods appointment As water in Baptisme is set apart to be significant to typifie spirituall Baptisme so did the Lord appoint these for a significant end They were naturall trees but had a kinde of institution by God touching the termes of agreement betweene him and Adam Concerning these trees wee must enquire foure things 1. The reason why God appointed them 2. The nature of them 3. The reason of their diversity Why appointed of God 4. The use of the whole For the first of these Why they were appointed I answer God did appoint them for a double end 1. To perswade Adam of his faithfulnesse that hee would put it out of question that hee purposed seriously to doe what hee promised Not that God needed this for any weaknesse on his part but to condescend to the infirmity of Adam When a man hath sealed to a covenant hee cannot fly off therefore the Lord did it to make all sure and to fence them against the policy of Sathan who told the woman shee should not dye Gen. 3.5 As if he should say God grudges at your happinesse hee knowes if you eate you shall live Therefore the Lord sets his seale to certifie Adam
hee seriously meant what hee had promised 2. They were as monitors to stirre up Adam to watchfulnesse over his courses and therefore these trees were in the midst of the garden Gen. 3.9 and any thing that is in the midst wee easiliest discerne A man that lookes upon the seale is thereby put in mind of the covenant so did these daily put Adam in minde of the covenant 2. Qu. What was the nature of this seale Ans The tree of life implyed two things Tree of life why 1. It put him in mind of the covenant of life and this is done by way of signification 2. The eating of this Adam having first obeyed would have been a mean◠to conveigh to him immutable assistance to eternall life There bee divers opinions of Divines touching this but surely it did mainely seale the covenant and the reason is because life which was in the covenant was communicated by this tree but life spirituall only was intended in the covenant therefore the seales seale life spirituall onely It is a weake opinion of some that thinke the tree would make Adam immortall though it were after his fall They prove it out of Gen. 3.22 else why should God thrust him out of Paradise lest he should eate of the tree of life I answer This word lest implyes not what followed but what they conceived would follow Tree of knowledge of good and evill Touching the tree of knowledge of good and evill wee are to know three things 1. What is meant by knowledge 2. What by good and evill 3. Why it is called so For the first Knowledge in Scripture hath a double sense Sometimes it signifies to bee able to pierce into the nature of things as it is Ephes 1.17 This spirituall knowledge was not here meant for it was not here ratified but taken away 2. It signifieth sense and experience We use to say I never knew what poverty meant Such a man may talk of it but never had experience of the pinching of it so wee say also I now know what a prison meanes Perhaps hee knew what it was before but that was but a bare notion now he hath tasted of it by experience and can read the nature of it by proofe So 2 Cor. 6. ult it is said Our Saviour knew no sinne hee had knowledge humane and spirituall and therefore knew the loathsomnesse of it the meaning of it is he knew not what it was by his own experience Exod. 4.4 The Lord saith Pharaoh shall know that I am God that is hee shall know by experience that I am a just God and feele it to his cost So Isa 26.10 The wicked will not learne righteousnesse and in this sense it is here taken to wit for experimentall knowledge 2. Qu. What is meant by good and evill Answ Good implies two things 1. A performance of duty to God and pleasing him Micah 6.8 Hee hath shewed thee what is good So David saith I love the thing that is good in thine eyes 2. It implies the happinesse and blessing that flowes from closing with God As a man by chewing meate receives nourishment so doth a man by doing good Psalm 125.4 Doe good to those that are good Evill is a disobedience and vengeance commeth therefrom by a just recompence of reward 3. Qu. Why is it called the tree of knowledge of good and evill Ans Not because in it selfe it had any vertue to cause the knowledge of good and evill for in its owne nature it was as other trees Gen. 1. ult God saw that all things were good and this among the rest But because God did hedge in this tree and forbid Adam to eate of it it was therefore unlawfull because God forbad it It was called thus in two regards 1. It did signifie to Adam that if hee did eat hee should die and so have experience of good and evill 2. If Adam did eat then through his owne sinne it was made a means to make Adam know by experimental proof what it was to please God and what to displease him as you may see Gen. 3.7 They saw by the eye of their conscience their lusts ovespreading them and shame following them and that they were deprived of happinesse Q. But why did God give these two contrary seales Ans 1. That Adam might see and know his changeable estate that hee might goe in the right way and be blessed that hee might not goe in the wrong way and bee cursed Our Sacraments are to one thing by Baptisme God entertaines us into his family by the Lords Supper hee nourisheth us in his family 2. That hee might make ful provision for Adam that so hee should not say If I had had this I might have stood For like as it is said Exod. 33. I have set life and death before you God set the tree of life to encourage Adam and the tree of knowledge to affright him Thus the Lord would bee wanting to him in nothing Use Hear curses to affright frō sin aswell as mercies The Use that will follow from the diversity of the seales is this Hence we learn as well to heare curses to terrifie us from sinnes as mercies to encourage us If Adam had need of this in his innocencie that had no sinne how much more need have wee when the flood gates of sinne are within abundance of bad examples without If a man in a good and healthfull constitution need opening diet then much more a body that is corrupt hath need of strong physick If Adam that was in an wholesome condition had need of a threatning how much more need have wee that have hearts overcharged with strong distempers and clogged with venome and malice This cheks the conceit of carnall persons that think Ministers ought not to speak such terrible things either they must bee wiser then God or wee must bee better then Adam Therefore wee should deale with our hearts as men do with the creature though it be somewhat tame it must have an ordinary fence and if it be unruly wee shackle it So Adam had a well tempered disposition yet he had a prohibition but alas our natures are like an untamed heifer as they Jer. 2. that snuffe up the wind like the wild asse are carried on violently into corruptions What shall we say of these wild asse colts as Job speaks Ch. 11.15 for if Adam had need of a chek a thousand threatnings are too little for such wretches as we are §. 13. Ephes 5.16 Redeeming the time because the daies are evill THis verse shewes unto us the proof of a wise man and one that doth truly take notice of all the occasions of time whereby he will redeem the time Wise men will doe so In the verse are two things to be considered 1. A Dutie and 2. the Reason of it 1. The Dutie Redeeme the time 2. The Reason Because the dayes are evill full of misery and all abomination and harder times will come in
is this because God requires that I should come alwaies to a Congregation when according to the order of the Church it is appointed or celebrated for all but here it is celebrated at severall times for severall persons by reason of the greatnesse of the Congregation And now these cautions premised it is a sin for a man not to take all the occasions in the place where hee lives to partake of Gods ordinance that hee hath appointed for his good Now the grounds of the Point are these 1. Our own necessity might justly require this our sinnes many wee want strength and power against them our abilities small weakenesse of grace great and therefore we had need of all the helps that may encourage us of all the means that might strengthen us of all Gods ordinances that might carry us on with more chearfulnesse and comfort and sufficiency in a Christian course 2. Look wee here to the mercy of God and the richnesse of Gods goodnesse and the bounty and the large provision that God makes for us hee also requires our care and christian attendance unto the enjoyment of the meanes for our good the Lord is the Master of the Feast it is his mercy to provide these means and his free grace to give us liberty to enjoy them then to turn our back unto these ordinances is to cast his kindenesse into the kennell it is an high dishonour to God and an high contempt unto his ordinances Quest. 2. But what if a man bee not prepared for the Sacrament is hee then bound to come Answ No he ought not to come unto the Supper of the Lord but this hee must know His sin is desperate his offence is hainous and high that he is thus unworthy and sinfull and unprepared for to come and therefore he must not rest here in this estate but take it as a marvellous hainous and miserable condition wherein hee must never give himselfe rest untill he get out thereof There is such a peevishnes of distemper in a mans spirit such an idleness in his nature that because he cannot have and do what he would therefore he will neither have nor doe what he should and because his heart is not humbled and the like therefore he will be content to continue in his corruptions and keepe his sinne and cast Gods kindnesse behind him for in effect he saith he will not doe what hee should unlesse the Lord will doe for him what he list A gaine there is also an idle distemper in the heart when a man thinks thus If I should come to the Sacrament I must walke thus strictly and exactly and I must part with my corruption and that is the reason we will not receive the Sacrament Quest 3. But you will say What great sinne is there in this that a man should abstain from comming to the Sacrament wherein appeares it Answ It appeares in this in that the soule loveth his sinne and harboureth his corruption more tenderly and imbraceth it more neerly and prizeth it more highly then he doth the bloud of Christ or the mercy and favour of God in Christ this every man that will not prepare for the Sacrament nor come to the Sacrament shewes by his practice and proclaims in the course of his life The second thing to bee handled was After what maner or how he should be prepared There bee two things here considerable 1. How a man should bee prepared for the Sacrament 2. How he may partake of the benefit and fruit of the Sacrament For the former that a man may bee prepared for the Sacrament two things are required 1. He must have these graces Faith Repentance Knowledge and Love for without these no man can receive good from the Sacrament Ob. But here may some object and say If a man cannot find or feel that he hath grace must he therefore abstaine Ans A mans sense and feeling and the judgement that he passeth upon himselfe out of his weaknesse is no rule to go by in this case The reason is because many times the best Saints are most suspicious and hee that hath most grace in temptation hath least sense and feeling of his grace Qu. Why how then what course must hee take and by what rule must he be judged An. He must openly nakedly plainly and to the full lay open his estate unto some faithfull judicious and holy-hearted Minister and if upon sincere relation of his estate the Minister out of the Word shall answer all the objections that he can make against himselfe and is able to give out of his owne relation arguments to convince him then is hee bound to submit unto the Word and to addresse himselfe unto the partaking of the Sacrament 2. For preparation to the Sacrament it is not enough for a man to have these graces but he must renew them and put fresh colours upon all those spirituall abilities that God hath bestowed upon him hee must not only have faith repentance knowledge and love but hee must renew all these For the renewing of repentance observe this Look what sin thy soule hath over-loved look what staines and blots thy heart hath taken since thou hast received the Sacrament and get thy heart more loosened from every sin then ever it was before the committing of it and never leave it untill it bee come to a right set and frame and as ready to entertaine the grace that is in Christ and to submit thereto as formerly thou hast been nay more then ever thou wast before Also renew thy faith thus Looke what doubtings and staggerings thou hast had since the last Sacrament how thy faith hath been weakned and clouded and renew this grace afresh and to this purpose remember this rule See a greater insufficiencie in thy selfe then ever thou didst formerly and come with greater boldnesse and confidently expect more mercy and favour from the Lord by his ordinances then ever thou didst before And so likewise for renewing of thy love observe this rule See a greater need of the Sacrament then formerly thou hast done and then see a greater strength assistance to be received from the Sacrament every day more and more Now for the second thing which is the way to partake of the good of the Sacrament that is done these waies 1. You must rightly inform your selves of what you must expect from and what you may have in the Sacrament what you come for and what is there to be gotten All spiritual good that your hearts can desire is to be had here The soul can want nothing can desire nothing God hath promised nothing can bestow nothing but it is here to be received The ground is this because Christ is there and all his merits and he that hath the Sonne hath life and in him all things In a word all that the sinner can desire as the pardon of what is amisse in him power for the subduing of all corruptions for him and the quickning