Because God hath prized us so highly we should not disesteem or sleight our selves but carefully passe the time of our dwelling here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. 10. Q. Why to our neighbour A. Because God hath so dearly loved us 1 Joh. 4.10 Sect. 4. Of our receiving our Remedy 1. Q. HOw doe we receive the remedy which Christ hath wrought for us A. Onely by Faith Ioh. 1.12 Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 10.4 2. Q. But doth not faith work by love Gal. 5.6 A. Yes outwardly to the world and inwardly to our self in point of its own probation but not upwardly to God in point of our justification there Works are shut out Rom. 3.28 Eph. 2.9 3. Q. But though our Works have no hand in receiving our Justification yet do they not help to make us acceptable to God A. No more then the wiping with a filthy ragge would cleanse our faces Is 64.6 4. Q. But is there no worth or virtue in our Faith for which it receiveth our justification A. No for we are said to be justified or saved by Faith Rom. 3.28 and through Faith Eph. 2.8 but never for Faith for the price is onely Christs satisfaction Act. 4.12 Is 53.5 And to say we are justified by Faith is but a Figurative speech for Faith doth justifie us no otherwise then our hand doth feed us and that is but as a receiving and an applying instrument 5. Q. And doe you by your particular faith receive your own justification to your self A. Yes or else my faith were no better then the Devils I am 2.19 6 Q. But is it not enough at least for the ignorant to beleeve as the Church believeth in implicite Faith A. No for the just shall live by his faith Heb. 2.4 And in the Creed we are taught and required every one to professe and confess the particulars of our faith 7. Q. And have you any assurance in your particular Faith A. Yes though in much weaknesse Mark 9.24 and reluctation of the flesh Gal. 5.17 For Faith is the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 8. Q. How can you have particular assurance having no particular warrant or promise to you by name A. Because the Covenant of Grace was made indefinitely to all beleevers every beleever may and must take and apply the same unto himself in particular as Iob 19.25 Iob. 20.28 Gal. 2.20 9. Q. What followeth or may be gathered out of this doctrine of our justification by Faith onely A. Humiliation and Confirmation 10. Q. How or why Humiliation A. Because in our justification we are meer and bare receivers and have nothing to boast of 1 Cor. 4.7 Luke 17.10 11. Q. How or why Confirmation A. Because we build not on the sand of our own merits but on the foundation of Gods knowledge 2 Tim. 2.19 Gal. 4.9 and on the rock of Christs perfection 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. Sect. 5. Of the proof of our Faith 1. Q. WHat need is there of proving our faith A. None in respect of God for he knoweth what is in man Ioh. 2.25 and worketh whatsoever is good in man Iam. 1.17 but in respect of the Church and of our selves 2. Q. What is the proof of our faith outwardly to the Church A. It s good fruits Gal. 5.6 2 Cor. 5.17 Iam. 2 18. 3. Q. How necessary is that good fruit Obedience to true faith A. As necessary as the soul is to the life of the body I am 2.26 4. Q. What reason can you shew for this A. Because love is of the nature of fire 5. Q. And what do you infer from that A. That the fire of Gods love wheresoever it is received by faith will inflame Ps 39.3 and purifie Act. 15.9 6. Q. What inward proof is there to our self and our own conscience A. The testimony of Gods Spirit Ioh. 4.13 Rom. 8.16 7. Q. How is that wrought known or found A. Descendendo by showring down comforts Ps 72.6 and ascendendo by exhaling Graces Gal. 5.22 for so Iacobs dream Gen. 28.12 is fulfilled in Christ Ioh. 1.51 8. Q. What followeth for instruction of our practise out of this doctrine of the necessity of good works A. That we must take heed of denying God our selves Tit. 1.16 and of setting others awork to blaspheme him Rom. 2.23 24. 2 Sam. 12.14 Sect. 6. Of the helps of our Faith 1. Q. WHat speciall help have you of or to your faith A. The Sacraments for therein Christ is offered to us both by word and action 2 Q. How long have Sacraments been in use A. From the beginning 3. Q. What Sacraments had Adam A. The tree of Life pawning life to his obedience and the tree of knowledge of good and evil pawning death to his disobedience Gen. 2.9 4. Q. Had these any relation to Christ and the covenant of Grace A. No for there was yet no need because no sin 5. Q. When began the Sacraments of Grace A. Circumcision began by Abraham Gen. 17.9 and the Passeover by Moses Ex. 12.3 6. Q. Why are these ended and taken away A. Partly because Christ was the end of the Law Rom. 10.4 and the body of those shaddows Col. 2.17 and partly because God fitteth his Church according to its age and quality with spirituall as the Nurse doth her child and the Physician his patient with corporall food and Physick 7. Q. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church A. Two onely as generally necessary to salvation that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 8. Q What say you then to those 5 which the Church of Rome will have also to be Sacraments Confirmation Pennance Extreme Unction Orders Matrimony A. That they be not Sacraments First because Christ did neither partake nor ordain them Secondly because they be not all alike common to all for Orders can belong but to one profession Thirdly because they crosse and oppose one another as Orders and Matrimony which cannot agree together as they suppose 9. Q. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament A. I mean an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and as a pledge to assure us thereof 10. Q. What do you shew or touch in this answer A. The nature of a Sacrament that it is an outward sign of an inward grace The Author that it is from Christ The Effect that it doth conveigh and assure the Grace which it signifieth 11. Q. Doth then the outward sign alwaies give and confirm the grace which it signifieth A. Not properly of it self and by the very action but instrumentally where it pleaseth God to make it effectuall for Simon Magus was in the gall of bitternesse after Baptism Act. 8.13.23 Whether Judas did communicate is controverted and Iudas after the Lords Supper if he received it was a lost child of perdition Joh. 17.12 12. Q. Why then doth your common Catechism say that in Baptism you
unto all Ro. 10.12 This may humble us this may comfort us this may unite us 1. This may humble us for God makes no difference of us in the best things let not us therefore be proud of our difference in the worst things God will have differences and degrees in his Church militant for orders sake for he is the God of order not of confusion yea in his triumphant Church too no doubt degrees of glory For one Starre differeth from another Star in glory so is the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. Let not then this order make disorder presuming in superiors murmuring in inferiors there it cannot be because of their fulnesse for every one is filled alike because he is fulfilled their filling is alike though their measures differ And here it should not be because of our emptinesse we are alike empty of grace by nature till God affords us severall degrees of filling And if we will boast of worldly fullnesse how little cause have we to be proud of it when as here we see the stream of grace runs alike to all sorts and degrees 2. This also may comfort us that this stream runeth unto all for therefore it cannot fail to us neither can we fail to it It cannot fail to us by length or largenesse of running the spring is the same how many soever do drink of the stream we cannot faile to it by our high or low being for it finds out all estates it runs unto all Despair not therefore on Gods part his Fountain cannot be drawn dry despair not on thine own part for whosoever thou art thou art not debarred the stream of grace this comfort aboundeth whatsoever faileth all sorts partake of grace it runneth unto all All we have received 3. Thirdly this may unite us why God doth equall us in the best things his grace runneth unto all what stronger bond can there be of union Have we not all one Father why do we transgresse every one against his brother Mal. 2.10 Endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all Eph. 4.3 And so much of the second generall part of the text viz. the stream All we have received The third and last generall part is the bankes And grace for grace Every Fountain hath a stream every stream hath its banks therefore the Evangelist here sheweth not onely the Fountain from whence and the stream how but also bankes and bounds how farre forth and in what measure grace doth flow And grace for grace Some will have it taken prorata portione that there is a proportion of grace in us answerable to that in Christ Namely that he imparteth to his Church every of his graces because Christ is the head and the Church is the body and caput in membra redundat between the head and the body there is communion of influence and can be no stoppage And so grace for grace is that we have a grace in us for every grace grace that is in Christ and so that we also have our fulnesse answerable to his And so indeed the Church is called his body the fullnesse of him that filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 So that then this is true being truly taken and rightly understood the banks observed our measure kept Christ communicateth unto us whatsoever he hath even grace for grace his fulnesse becomes ours And that is not onely by way of imputation he is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 but by the way of influence and participation because as he is even so are we in this world 1 Jo. 4.17 But his fulnesse is ours onely according to our measures proportionable to our capacity In us it is plenitudo sufficiens sufficient to every man for his own salvation The just shall live by his faith Heb. 2.4 by this that is his own faith But in him it is plenitudo superabundans fullnesse abounding to others salvation the precious oyntment upon our Aarons our high priests head runneth down to his beard and to the skirts of his clothing to all his parts and members In us it is plenitudo vafis vessell-fullnesse we have this treasure in earthen vessells 2 Cor. 4. but in him it is plenitudo fontis fountain-fullnesse They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.13 In us it is plenitudo comparata compared-fullnesse respective to each subject or continent My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12 9. But in him it is plenitudo absoluta absolute fullnesse without all respect or measure for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him Jo. 3.34 In a word there is plenitudo apta plenitudo aequa plenitudo superfluens an apt an equall and an overflowing fulnesse 1. An apt fulnesse as when a house or Town or Country is said to be full of people meaning well filled aptly or competently full So the house of Baal was said to be full from one end to the other 2 Kings 10. and yet Jehu bad his 80. men go in and slay them It was full then and yet there was room for 80. more Such is our fulnesse here in this life we are aptly and competently filled with grace so much as may suffice us but so as there is stil room for more more may come in for we must still grow in grace 2 Pet 3. And multiply graces faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse love 2 Pet 1. And this is like the Israelites gathering of Manna in the desert of sin He that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack every man gathered according to his eating Exo. 16. God gave them their portion competent for naturall life and so he doth give us our portion competent to each for spirituall life none of the elect hath too much none too little but every one sufficient just enough to serve his turn 2. There is plenitudo aequa an equall fulnesse as when a vessell is so top-full that there is nihil vacuum no part of it is empty no room for more So were the waterpots filled up to the brim Jo. 2. so full that they could hold no more And this is proper to the Saints in Heaven In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy Ps 16. they are top full and have no more room for grace their measure is fulfilled 3. Thirdly there is plenitudo superfluens an overflowing fulnesse such was that of the widowes pot of oyle that never ceased running so long as there were any empty vessells to receive it And this is Christs fountain the stream wherof floweth unto all Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace So thâ—n we receive grace for grace with Christ an answerablenesse of his graces proportion of his fulnesse how to our
imbraceth his body and spurneth his feet No no but Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit Hee that serves God aright serves him with an equall mind and saith with the Psalmist I have respect unto all thy Commandements Ps 119.6 and resolves with Saint James that he who faileth in one point of the Law is guilty of all But in their later falshood ye may behold and wonder that they should be precisest in smallest matters O but there was great skill and cunning in that for thereby they stayed the world from looking after their greatest businesses For it could not be easily imagined or suspected that they who were so conscionable as to tyth herbes yea the basest and vilest of their herbs would be unconscionable in the greatest matters of judgement and mercie that they which did strain at a gnat could possibly swallow a Cammell Let the discovery of this evill be enough of it self to make us not to learn it but to loath it to learn that of Christ This ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone The greatest duties are first to be respected and the least after not to be neglected 4. Lastly their righteousnesse was vainglorious Yea this was that whereof all their other services did relish and whereby their imperfections were as it were perfected and made up For why was their righteousnesse verball why formall why partiall but for vainglory sake And if this sauce sowreth the best service as indeed it doth how tart then did it make their services which were every one so harsh in themselves and how fulsome a messe did they make being all put together Yea in their vain-glory wee may observe which indeed is naturall to all pride not onely the advancing of themselves but the abasing of other This I say is prides propertie for every ascent is by pressing or treading somewhat down This no doubt the Pharisees were guilty of else Christ would never have taxed and charged them with such a boasting as Lu. 18. to set them forth speaking so proudly to the contempt and condemning of all others I am not as other men are Whereupon Saint Augustine De ver Dom. ser 36. Diceret saltem sicut multi homines Quid est caeteri homines nisi omnes praeter ipsum He might have said not as many men but now he saith not as other men what is it but that he condemneth all men And that not in a few or light things but many and great Extortioners Unjust Adulterers Yea he is not content with indefinite or generall speaking but dares touch upon particular saying Or even as this Publican Whereupon again Saint Augustine Insulat non exultat Hom. 44. Hee doth but insult upon his fellowes hee doth not rightly rejoice in himself There is a holy rising of the soul a rising by humility as the Eagle is said to rise highest out the lowest Valley So the virgin mothers rising was My soul doth magnifie the Lord saith she and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low linesse of his hand mayden but the Pharisees rising was both presumptuous and contemptible to rise by trampling on the necks and crowns of others Thus yee see how still they dip their soules in a double die of sinne breaking the rule of faith which saith Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 And breaking And breaking the rule of of faith which willeth that every man esteem another better then himself Phil. 2.3 Acquitting where they should condemne I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rem 7.18 and condemning where they should acquit Charity thinketh not evill believeth all things hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13. Beware therefore as of double sin in every kind for in one sin shalt thou not be unpunished so especially of this swelling and trampling pride For every one that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Finis Serm. sive tract 6. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium Two SERMONS upon Ps 8.4 The former of them for a Funerall farewell to the late Honorable the Conutesse of Manchester preached in my place in Manchester house in Canon Row Westminster in a Right Honoable presence Ian. 8. 1653. Text. Psa 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him IT is a naturall thing to naturall men to affect knowledge therefore our first parents in Paradise could not be content with all the trees in the Garden but they must needs have a tast of the tree of Knowledge though God himself had forgiven them But it is a supernaturall thing to regenerate men to affect the Knowledge of themselves Therefore though the heathen men had that excellent saying among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy self Yet they had it as from the Oracle of Apollo and they held it for no humane but for a Divine precept Therefore also when Adam forgetting himselfe desired that high Knowledge which was forbidden him God himself came and told him his own and what he was Dust thou art and dust thou shalt return Upbraiding his pride and condemning his folly that he would presume to desire so high Knowledge which was too wonderfull and excellent for him and in the mean time neglect that Knowledge which was more proper and sutable to him namely the knowledge of himself Indeed Saint Paul saith Knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 but no doubt hee meaneth outward Knowledge of things without us which is called Scientia as for the knowledge of our self which is rather to be called Conscientia if it be right and true it can not puffe us up it will rather beat us down and humble us For he that knoweth himself knoweth that he is a creature therefore that he hath a creature that he is not of himself nor by himself nor for himself but that his creation is from God his preservation by God and his whole being in God And so the knowledge of a mans self brings him to the knowledge of God So that as Saint John saith of Love 1. Joh. 4.2 How can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen love God whom he hath not seen So may I say of Knowledge How can hee that knoweth not himself whom he hath seen know God whom he hath not seen Hugo lib. 3. de Anima Frustra cordis oculum erigit ad Deum qui nondum idoneus est ad videndum seipsum Hee doth in vain lift up his eyes to see God who is not yet fitted to see himself Chrys Est primum hominis sapientiam affectantis contemplare quod ipse sit It is the chief property of a man that affecteth wisdome to contemplate what himself is Wherefore this holy Prophet David was very carefull in seeking for this knowledge and very diligent in searching the state and condition of himself And howsoever no doubt he studied