by the finger of God whereas Exod. 31. 18. no part of the ceremonial Law was 3. It was written in tables of stone to signifie the perpetuity of it 4. It was before any ceremony of the Law yea before Christ promised for it was instituted in Paradise Gen. 2. 2 3. 5. The ceremonies were as a partition-wall betwixt Jews and Gentiles but God extends this Commandment not only to the Jews but also to strangers Exod. 20. 10. Herein I say the Moral Law which is the ten Commandments is preheminent above the ceremonial or judicial Law 1. Because the Moral Law is a foundation of the other Laws and they are reducible to it 2. The Moral Law was to abide always but not the ceremonial nor judicial 3. This was immediately written by God and commanded to be kept in the Ark which the others were not The ceremonial Law was to continue but until Christ came The judicial Law Gal. 3. 19. was for the Jews political estate for the time being But of the Moral Law it is spoken The Lord came from Sinai with Deut. 33. 2. ten thousand of His Saints from his right hand went a fiery law for them The Service and Ministery of the Angels in promulgating of the Law makes much to the honour of the Law for we never read of a Law enacted by so solemn sacred and august a Senate as the Moral Law was where Jesus Christ accompanied with thousands of Angels was the Speaker and gave these Precepts Acts 7. 53. Heb. 2. 2. Psal 68. 8. By how much the more glory God put upon this Moral perpetual Law the greater is their sin who derogate from it I have read a story of Stesâ—chorus that when in some words he had disparaged Helena's beauty he was stricken with blindness but afterwards when he praised her again he obtained his sight It may be because some men have not set forth the due excellency of this Moral Law God hath taken away their eye-sight not to see the beauty of it but let them begin with holy David to set forth the excellent benefits of it and then they may see the glory perpetuity and morality of it more than ever How careful then should men be that they transgress not this Law which hath so sacred authority It was Christ that appeared to Moses in the bush He is also called the Acts 7. 35. Isai 63. 9. Angel of the Covenant because He made that Covenant of the Law with the people on Mount Sinai And it was no created Angel for thus He beginneth I am Jehovah thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt Well might Paul then speaking of the Moral Law say It is holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. Away then with those prophane opinions and licentious Doctrines of some against the Sabbath-day which is a taking away of one of the Commandments The Sabbath hath its morality and perpetuity from the meer positive Commandment of God Pardon this digression and come we to a more practical discourse The Sanctification of the Sabbath is Description whereby we rest from labours and outward work that man together with his family and beasts may be refreshed that the whole day may be spent in the Worship and Service of God So there are two parts of this 1. Rest from labour Parts of it 2. Sanctification of this Rest To sanctifie the Sabbath is not to make it holy so it is already by God's institution but to separate it from prophane uses and to devote it to the Worship of God We must omit upon this day the works of our outward temporal Vocation which must be done in the six dayes of the week But the proper works of the Sabbath are these three 1. Works of Necessity which are allowed for our bodily sustentation 2. Works of Charity both to man and beasts which can no ways be deferred to another day So our Saviour which of you having an Oxe or an Ass Luk. 14. 5. fall into a pit will not help him out on the Sabbath day 3. But especially of works Piety which are the proper works of the Sabbath as to frequent the publick Assembly to read and hear to meditate and speak of the Word of God sing Psalms receive the Sacrament to exhort and encourage each other to Piety to build up Jude â—0 each other in our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost c. And to refrain all those things which may hinder divert or distract the mind from the Service of God and everlasting benefit of our Souls such as vain thoughts idle worldly and unsavoury speeches which no ways tend to edification pastimes recreations and such-like which are Isai 58. 13 14. expresly forbidden in the Prophet Isaiah as some well observe which may be explained thus Turn thy foot from the Sabbath that is from spurning at it and this is Paraphrased by not doing our own ways nor finding our own pleasure nor speaking our own words Herein is the negative Sanctification of the Sabbath Affirmatively it consists as the same Prophet farther goes on 1. In calling the Sabbath our delight that is in a real account of it to be such and using it as such both in desiring it before it comes and rejoycing in it when it is come as a good and joyful day 2. In calling it the holy of the Lord that is by faith to apprehend it to be of His holy institution and so set it apart from all other worldly time to sanctifie it 3. In calling it honourable or a glorious day a portion of time honoured with the name of God stamped upon it as the day of days and so accounting and using of it 4. In honouring Jehovah herein by declaring His holiness and goodness in His Sabbath setting forth His praise from morning to night The due sanctifying of the Sabbath is hedged about with many great and precious promises both of the upper and nether springs Judg. 1. 15. heavenly and earthly blessings to keep men close to their obedience why should not these cords of love bind and engage men They who abhor Sabbath-performing in duty drive the Lord from promise-performing in mercy bitterness will be to them in the latter end I have observed that a serious strict and conscientious observation of the Sabbath is the outward greatest character of an upright and gracious person The 92 Psalm entituled a Psalm for the Sabbath-day declareth that it is a good thing to begin the day with Praises to God early in the morning and continue the same until it be night Q. Some will say this strict observation of the Sabbath belonged only to the Jews A. Nay but as the most Reverend Arch Bishop Vsher and others very well say we are bound more strictly to observe these Sabbath-duties than they were and that because of the greater measures of Gods Graces upon us than ever were given unto them Q. But the
to do us good But though God turn not away from us oh how apt are we to turn away from Him Nay saith the Lord I will Jer. 32. 40. put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me God inclines our hearts to do those things which He commandeth and so by over-powring our stubborn and perverse wills He makes us to be a willing people in the day of His power Psal 110. 3. First This Covenant of Grace is one in substance for there is one God one Mediator between God and men even Christ Jesus one manner of reconciliation Acts 4. 12. Joh. 14. 6 8. 56. one faith one way of salvation and that for all those that are saved since the beginning of the world or shall be saved to the end of it So the Covenant of Grace is one according to the principal conditions whereby 1. God obligeth Himself to us promising remission of Sins to all those who repent and believe and we do bind our selves to believe in God and act repentance 2. But according to the less principal conditions or as others say the manner of administration so they are two Covenants the Old and the New the first and the second Q. Wherein do the two Covenants agree viz. this old and new A. 1. They agree in the author God and in the Mediator Christ 2. In the promise of Grace which is of pardon of Sin and life everlasting freely given to those that believe by and through Christ which promise of Grace was common to the Saints of old as well as unto us although now it is more clear and more often repeated 3. In the condition in respect of us In both God required faith and obedience So to Abraham Walk before Gen. 17. 1. Mark 1. 15. me and be upright And to us Repent and believe the Gospel So the new Covenant agrees with the old according to the principal conditions both in respect of God and also of us Q. Wherein the new Covenant and the old do differ A. 1. In corporal promises as the Land of Canaan promised to the Jews their form of ceremonial Worship and their outward political Government until Christ came Christ to be of their seed and many other such-like But the new Covenant hath not such special corporal promises but only in general that God will preserve His Church to the end of the world c. 2. In the circumstances of the promise of Grace In the old Covenant they were received into Grace and favour upon believing in Christ that was to come In the new Covenant we are received into Grace and favour by believing in Christ that is already come 3. In the rights and signs added to the promise of Grace for in the old Covenant there were other Sacraments various chargeable painful as Circumcision the Passeover Oblations Sacrifices But in the new Covenant there are fewer Sacraments and they more simple as Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 4. In the clearness in the old Covenant all were typical and under shaddows as their Priests Sacrifices c. so all things were obscure But in the New Covenant all things are clearer both in Doctrine and in Sacraments we having the fulfilling of the types 5. The old Covenant and the new do differ in gifts heretofore it was more narrow and sparing now a more large Jer. 31. 31 2 Cor. 3. 9. Joel 2. 28. and plentiful effusion of the Graces of the Spirit I will make a new Covenant with them saith the Lord I will write My Law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be My people c. I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh c. 6. In the time the old Covenant was but temporary until the coming of the Messiah The new Covenant is eternal I will make an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32. 40 with them 7. In obliging the old Covenant obliged the people to all the Law both both Moral Ceremonial and Judicial The new Covenant obligeth us only to the Moral Law and to the use oâ— the Sacraments of Christ 8. In the amplitude and largeness in the old Covenant the Church was included within the Jewish Nation to which all others that would be saved must joyn themselves thence was that saying Salvation is of the Jews But in Joh. 4. 22. the new Covenant the Church is scaâ—tered over all Nations and access is open to it unto all believers Of every nation he that feareth God and worketh Acts 10. 35. righteousness is accepted of Him 1. Then take we heed of refusing this acceptable time and this day of Salvation Now the door is open let us come in thereat and joyn our selves to the Lord to be His Covenant-Servants and that for ever taking the Lord to be our God to love serve and fear Him and to keep his Commandments 2. The cause why God enters into Covenant with us is as because He loves Heb. 6. 18 us so to give us strong consolation that He will do us good and make us for to know it Labour we therefore for more knowledg of God in Christ to understand the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8 19. and to be filled with all the fulness of God For there may be knowledg without Grace but there can be no Grace without knowledg Then may we comfort our selves in applying the promises of the Covenant to our selves as to instance in these three promises only As 1 Of Justification when Sin lyes heavy on thy Conscience lay claim to the Covenant wherein God hath said Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more 2. Of Sanctification if a lust be too strong for thee and thou wouldst fain be rid of it go to God and beseech Him to make good His Covenant in this respect to deliver thee from all thine enemies to write His Law in thy heart to give thee a new heart to pour clean Ezek. 36. 25 26. water upon thee even the sanctifying Graces of His holy Spirit and from all thy filthinesses to cleanse thee And then as He said to St. Paul His Grace 2 Cor. 12. 6. shall be sufficient for thee 3. Of outward blessings and deliverances in every streight want danger disease or the like plead hard with God tell Him of His Covenant pray Him to be thy buckler and to deliver thee to supply all thy need and to be a present help unto thee in thy needful time of trouble c. The promises are full of consolation but thou must suck hard at these breasts of consolation and draw them out Isai 66. 11. And so make use of the promises to the utmost Thus Jacob stayed himself upon the promise when he was in great extremity and in very much fear of his rough brother Esau he urged God with his promise Lord thou hast said Thou Gen. 32. 12. 28. 13 15. wilt surely do me good deliver me
Baptism are the Sacrament of our reception and entrance into the Church Q. Wherein do Circumcision and Baptism differ A. 1. In the Rite or Ceremony which is not the same in Baptism as in Circumcision for in Baptism is only a washing but in Circumcision a cutting off the foreakin of the flesh 2. In the circumstance of the sex or age Circumcision belonged only to Males and at eight days old Baptism belongs to both sexes Male and Female and presently after they are born 3. In the manner of signifying Circumcision on God's part promised Grace through the Messiah to come but Baptism through Christ already come And on their part they being Circumcised were received into Grace by believing on the Messiah to come but we through faith in Him already come 4. In the particular promise Circumcision had also the promise of corporal blessings as of the land of Canaan c. But Baptism hath no such special promise of any temporal benefit 5. In the manner of obliging Circumcision on their part obliged them to the keeping of the whole Law Ceremonial Judicial and Moral but Baptism obligeth us only to the keeping of the Moral Law that is to faith and repentance 6. In the objects and duration Circumcision was commanded to the posterity of Abraham only and the Proselytes and was to endure but till the coming of Christ Baptism is instituted for all Nations that will come into the society of the Church and to endure to the end of the world To close up all with these few heads Aphorisms about Baptism 1. Baptism avails though administred by a contemptible person as much as if it were administred by an Apostle for if Baptism were in the merit or worth of the Minister then it did not belong unto Christ 2. The power of baptizing the Lord hath reserved to Himself it is Christ alone that baptizes with the Holy Ghost the applying of the outward Element Christ hath committed to His Ministers lawfully called and deputed 3. Baptism is the same as He is by whose power and authority it is administred Not as He is by whom it is performed 4. Every true believer in Baptism is made a King and a Priest and Prophet Rev. 1. 5. Christ washes us from our sins in His own blood and so makes us Kings and Priests unto God and His Father So St. Crysostome When as Christ hath washed us from our sins in the laver of Baptism by His blood He makes us Kings and Priests unto God Baptism as we have seen is a high Ordinance of God and a means whereby He hath appointed to communicate Christ and His benefits to our Souls and therefore not to be neglected or slightly esteemed but used with all reverence and thankful devotion when it may be had Yet where God denyeth it either in regard of the shortness of the Infants life or by any other unavoidable necessity there comes no danger from the want of Sacraments but only from the contempt of them The right use of Baptism is when inwardly in thy heart thou feelest some motion to sin through thy lusts then meditate on that solemn vow thou madest to God in thy Baptism And if by infirmity thou fallest once or oftner into some sin still have recourse to Baptism that thy Soul may be encouraged therehence For although Baptism be but once administred yet that once testifieth that all mans sins past present or to come are washed away 1 Pet. 3. 21. Eph. 5. 25 26 27. And never rest before thou hast a feeling of that renewing power signified in Baptism namely the power of Christ's death Mortifying sin and the virtue of His resurrection in the renewing of the Spirit EXERCITATION THE THIRD Of the Lords Supper the second Sacrament of the New Testament IT hath several appellations it is called 1. The Lord's Supper or Caena Domini from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communis caena vocatur à communione vescentium For seorsim prandebant prisci Romani sed cum amicis caenabant About Supper-time the Jews were to eat the Paschal Lamb which circumstance of time the Church hath changed according to the liberty in these things she hath It is called the Lord's Supper because our Lord Jesus Christ sitting at His last Supper ordained it instead of the Passeover 2. It is called the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10. 21. 3. A convention of the Church 1 Cor. 11. 20 33 When ye meet together in one place c. And When ye come together to eat 4. The Eucharist because of the usual Thanksgiving 5. A Sacrifice so it was called by the ancient Fathers non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut meritorium not a propitiatory or meritorious Sacrifice as the Papists would have it but an Eucharistical Sacrifice because it is a solemn commemoration and celebration of the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ 6. At length it was called Missa from the offerings sent by the rich to the relief of the Poor or from a dismission of the Congregation after the publick Ordinances But we retaining the appellation or name delivered in Scripture call it the Supper of the Lord. There are many detestable and abominable differences between the Lord's Supper and the Popish Mass which I think not fit here to recite as not at all for edification I define the Lords Supper thus The instituted and commanded distribution of Bread and Wine by Christ Himself in which Christ is certainly promised to me and all true believers Or thus The Lord's Supper is the distributing and taking of Bread and Wine commanded by Christ to all true believers that He might testifie by these tokens that He gave His body to death for us and shed His blood and that He gave us these to eat and drink to assure us that He will dwell in us and nourish and quicken us to eternal life First He assures and seals that He gave His body for us upon the Cross and that His blood was as truly shed for us as we see with our eyes the bread to be broken for us and the cup to be given to us Next that He by that His body Crucified and by that His blood poured out will as certainly nourish our Souls to eternal life as surely as our bodies are fed by Bread and Wine taken from the hand of the Minister which are reached forth unto us as seals and pledges of the body and blood of Christ The Rites or Signs here are the Bread broken and eaten the Wine distributed and taken or the breaking and distributing of the Bread the distributing and drinking of the Wine The things signified are the body of Christ Crucified and the blood of Christ poured out the eating and drinking of them signifie our union with Christ by faith whereby we being made partakers of Him and all His benefits from Him as branches from a Vine do suck and draw eternal life or nourishment to eternal life Of this our union and communion with Christ
justice and judgment and so opened to him a way that he might run head-long to his own utter ruine and destruction So God confounds his implacable enemies two ways here 1. By hardness of heart which ariseth as we said before when God with-draweth His Grace from a man and leaveth him to himself so as he goeth on from sin to sin and never repenteth to the last gasp And we must esteem of it as a most fearful and terrible judgment of God for when the heart is possessed therewith it becomes so flinty and rebellious that a man will never relent or turn to God This was manifest in Pharaoh for though God sent most grievous plagues upon him and all the Land of Egypt yet would he not submit or humble himself save only for a fit while the hand of God was so heavy upon him for when the hand of God was removed he returned to his former obstinacy wherein he persisted until he was drowned in the red Sea And this judgment of God of hardness of heart is the more fearful because when a man is in the midst of all misery he feels no misery 2. God confounds His enemies as by hardness of heart so by final desperation I say final because all kind of desperation is not evil for a man may despair of himself and of his own power in the matter of Salvation which tends to his everlasting comfort But final desperation is when a man utterly despairs of the pardon of his sins and of everlasting life Examples we have in Saul that slew himself in Achitophel and Judas that hanged themselves c. This sin of desperation is caused thus so many sins as thou committest without repentance so many wounds thou givest to thine own soul and in life or death God will make thee to feel the smart of it and the weight of them all whereby the soul sinks down to the gulph of despair without recovery The sins which thou committest lye at the door of thy heart though thou feel them not as God said unto Cain Gen. 4. 7. sin lyeth at the door and if thou dost not prevent them by speedy and timely repentance God will make thee to feel them once before thou dyest and raise up such terrours in thy Conscience that thou shalt think thy self to be in Hell before thou art there They that were sent from the chief Priests c. to apprehend Christ though He had acknowledged I am He and they were astonished and fell to the ground and He had miraculously healed Joh. 18. 12. Malchus his ear yet for all though they had seen his wonderful power both in word and deed they proceed in malice against Him and bind Him as a Malefactor In this we note what a fearful sin hardness of heart is The danger whereof appears in this that if a man be possessed with it there is nothing that can stay or daunt him in his wicked proceedings no not the powerful words and deeds of our Saviour Himself And indeed among all God's judgments there is none more fearful than this of hardness of heart and yet how rife is it among us even in these our days For it is very evident that the more men are taught the Doctrine of Gods Law and Gospel the more hard and senseless are their hearts like unto an anvil the more it is beaten upon with the iron hammer the harder it is So that that denunciation against the Jews Acts 28. 26 27. is fulfilled in them It is such a terrible judgment of God into which when a man is fallen he feels neither pain nor grief Therefore we have cause with fear and trembling to look into it lest it take such hold of us that we be past all hopes of recovery Sin is a deceitful thing and custom in sin brings hardness of heart therefore read that Heb. 3. 13. and Rom. 2. 5. Let us bewail and be humbled for our hardness of heart whereby we are hindered from knowing and acknowledging God aright and from discerning His glory and Majesty from acknowledging God's judgments or our own sins dreaming we are safe from God's vengeance and such perils and miseries which arise from sin whereas all those out of Christ and in this estate have nothing stands between them and vengeance EXERCITATION THE TENTH Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16 17. Verily my Sabbath ye shall keep for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest holiness to the Lord. Whosoever doth any work in the Sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh He rested Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy HEre we have the Commandment of God for the strict observation of the Sabbath-day No one Commandment so often iterated or so much pressed This Commandment requireth at the hand of every man one day of seven in every week to be set a-part unto a holy rest and requireth all persons to separate themselves from their ordinary labour and all other exercises to God's Service alone on that day that so being severed from their worldly businesses and all the works of their Labours and Callings concerning this Nehem. 13. 15. 22. life they may wholly attend to the Worship of God alone wholly to separate themselves to the Worship and Service of God that they may with more freedom of Spirit perform the same If Adam in his perfection had need of this holy day as it was first enjoyned in the state of innocency much more Gen. 2. 2 3. have we To teach man from time to time on the Sabbath-day to withdraw himself from the cares and labours of this life to apply himself in freedom and tranquillity of mind to the meditations and actions of a spiritual life Q. But some will say this fourth Commandment is ceremonial and so it is taken away by the death of Christ A. I answer No but it is constantly and perpetually to be observed 1. For it is placed in the number of the ten Commandments which are perpetual otherwise the Moral Law should consist but of nine which is contrary to God's Word And He declared unto Deut. 4. 13. you His covenant which He commanded you to perform even ten Commandments 2. Because this fourth Commandment among the rest and in the middle of them as a Diamond in a ring was written
18 There is no fear in love c. And also largely to that place Rom. 8. 15 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear c. That place in Rev. 21. 8 But the fearful c. shall be cast into the lake of sire c. answered What is that fear of God here commanded farther set down in three particulars Q. What are the special marks of the true fear of God answered in seven particulars Q. What the arguments are to induce us to fear God answered in eight things In way of a conclusion Thirteen sentences about the fear of God Exercitation V. Of waiting upon God upon these words My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from Him Three ingredients to wait upon God What waiting upon God is Four signs of our waiting upon God Four helps for strengthening us against troubles An explanation out of the Greek of waiting and expectation The manner of our waiting in three things Gods waiting upon us Wait upon God only What expectation is What we expect from God Examples of the miseries of those who would not wait upon God Exercitation VI. The way to salvation repentance and faith On these words Mark 1. 15 Repent ye and believe the Gospel What repentance is Repentance is twofold 1. Legal 2. Evangelical What they both are The signs whereby they may be known Four parts of Evangelical repentance Repentance must be renewed What faith is Five acceptations of faith The object of true saving faith The manner of Gods working of it The absolute necesssity of it in every part of Gods worship Encouragements to labour for it Exercitation VII Holiness on these words Psal 93. 5. Holiness becometh thine house O Lord for ever What Holiness is 1. As applyed to God 2. To believers Our holiness must bear a conformity to Christs holiness in four things What sanctification is The terms from which and to which Two degrees of sanctification Two parts of it The ends of it in two things What we must do that we may be holy Four things thereto Three things to be observed for holiness sake Christ is the principle of our holiness and also the pattern of it the comeliness of holiness Of Gods house How holy it is and how holy we must be A Scriptural Prayer to God for Holiness A farther Encomium and praise of Holiness Exercitation VIII Of Swearing On these words Jer. 23. 9 For because of Oaths the Land mourneth A sad complaint of the over-spreading and greatness of this horrid sin of prophane swearing Of taking Gods name in vain Superstitious and foolish swearing How an Oath is to be taken The parts of an Oath The form of an Oath The end of an Oath The divers kinds of an Oath How an Oath is to be performed Is it lawful for Christians to take an Oath Proved affirmatively by four reasons An exploding the Opinion of the Anabaptists c. by six Arguments By whom we must swear About what things an Oath may be taken Whether all Oaths are to be kept How God in Scripture is said to swear The sum of the third Commandment Six Corollaries Of the government of the tongue Exercitation IX Hardness os heart On these words And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also The Plague of hardness of heart Examples of it To harden the heart what it is 1. In reference to God 2. â—o Satan 3. To a mans self Of conscience what it is How did God harden Pharaohs heart and how he did iâ— himself The miseries ensuing hardness of heart Exeroitation X. Of the Sabbath On these words in Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16 17. 20. 8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy The necessity of a sabbath The morality of it The excellency of the Moral Law above the Ceremonial or Judicial What the sanctifying of the sabbath is the parts of it A short Paraphrase on Isai 58. 13 14. which is borrowed The strict observation of the sabbath belongs more to us then to the Jews the reasons of the alteration of it How the sabbath is a sign Woe to sabbath prophaners and sabbath idlers The right manner of sanctifying of the sabbath Be not weary of sabbath-duties For Reasons why it is called sabbath The many sabbaths of the Jews formerly Three Reasons why God commands us to observe the sabbath We must lay out our strength in sabbath-duties Exercitation XI Of Patience On these words Luk. 21. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls Of afflictions to the Godly 1. For correction 2. For tryal Inferences upon each Examine for what particular sin God so afflicts Afflictions a sign of Gods love Why afflictions are called temptations What patience is Of impatience The good effects of patience Motives to it The true nature of patience towards God our selves and others Four Arguments to strengthen us in our patience The vices contrary Exercitation XII Pride and humility On these words James 4. 6 God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble What Pride is The parts of Pride How it is shewed Of pride against God and of pride towards men Of the sin of the fallen Angels and of the sin of our first Parents Four helps to subdue pride What grace is Several acceptations of grace A description of humility Humility towards God humility towards men Five means to attain humility towards God Three marks of humility towards men Humility farther described and praised Incitations to humility Some additional notes about pride and humility Fourteen Aphorisms about humility Exercitation XIII Of Care On these words 1 Pet. 5. 10 Casting all your care upon God for He careth for you Seven Arguments against carefulness Twofold care of outward things Worldly cares compared to thorns in four respects Irregular cares are 1. Superfluous 2. Sinful We are to do our duty faithfully and then trust in God who is our Father and the great house-keeper of all the earth The fourth Petition in the Lords Prayer fully explained If we rowl our selves upon God He hath engaged Himself to relieve us Outward things are necessary for us in a threefold respect Rest upon Gods Providence What Gods actual Providence is Of the fate of the heathen Philosophers The parts of Providence Depend upon Providence Wait Gods time Live by faith Be we diligent in our callings The tenderness fidelity and wisdom of Gods Providence The twelve miracles observed about Manna More of Gods Providence and twelve Corollaries thereabout Exercitation XIV Of death judgment hell and heaven On these words Rev. 20. 12. 15 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire 1. Of death what death is The causes of it The
I pray thee c. So do thou as Jacob there did wrestle with God in Prayer and give Him not over until He bless thee So David prays to God to have respect Psal 74. 10. to the Covenant Jeremiah likewise prayeth Do not Jer. 14. 21. abhor us for Thy Names sake Oh remember break not Thy Covenant with us So look to the Covenant and the Promises build upon them hold them fast and be assured that in God's good time though perhaps not in thy desired time all shall be fulfilled And God will either give thee the mercy desired or that which is better for thee Now let us consider the misery of all those who are not in Covenant with God They are without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. and have no hope they have no right to one of the promises wicked creatures subject to many wants and need much assistance from God and yet can have no confidence to go unto God Oh that pitiful speech of Saul I am 1 Sam. 28. 1â— sore distressed for the Philistins make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth me no more c. Yea as they have no comfort from God so God is their enemy a devouring fire unto them everlasting burnings quickly and easily consuming them as stubble yea and all the creatures are at enmity with them because they are at enmity with God All Men Beasts and Devils may hurt them there is no prohibition against them for wicked men have no interest in God by Covenant and so are out of His more especial profection God oftentimes le ts loose the creatures against them go and worry them wound them hurt them be an enemy unto them destroy them Afflictions to those that are not in Covenant with God are as a cup of poison and as a sword for their destruction The bread and meat which they eat may choak them Though they have a civil right before men yet they are usurpers before God of all their Lands and Estates and of all the good things of the world which they have and do enjoy On the other side I might largely speak of the comforts blessedness security and happiness of all those who have a Covenant-interest in God and who can truly say to the Lord O Lord thou art my God Read Job 25. 23. to the end As God is faithful in keeping Covenant with us let us be faithful in keeping Covenant with God In Covenants between men there is usually a league offensive and defensive to defend and help each other Let God's enemies be our enemies as David said Do not I hate them O Lord that Psâ—l 139. 21. hate thee and am not I grieved at those that rise up against thee I hate them with perfect hatred I account them mine enemies Let no iniquity cleave unto us neither allow we our selves in any one known Sin Grieve when God's Name is dishonoured His Laws broken His Sabbath prophaned c. Let every thing that bears the Stamp or Name of God be precious to us as His Ordinances Sabbaths Servants c. Stand up in Gods Num. 25. 7. cause like Phinehas and shrink not back Side not with any ungodly speeches courses or practises As God is not ashamed Heb. 11. 6. to make us His people and to be called our God so let not us be afraid or ashamed to make it good upon all occasions Else if we be ashamed of Christ and His words here of us will He be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father Mark 8. 38. with His holy Angels Especially let us take heed we be not a shame to Christ and our Christian profession by ungodly or unsuitable lives We have great cause of admiration that the great and glorious and most holy God would enter into Covenant with us such vile miserable and sinful creatures and so to oblige Himself unto us to do us good As God is ours so all that is in God is ours and for our good He provides Isai 54. 13. 48. 17. for us for Soul and Body He doth instruct and teach us we are all taught of God who alone teaches to profit He helps us to grow in Grace and to hold out against all oppositions He comforts us with the consolations of God which are very sweet and precious He 2 Cor. 1. 4. encourages us in His ways preserves us therein against all the temptations and power of Devils or wicked men He is Josh 23. 6. Psa 84. â—1 a sun and shield to us to direct and protect us He gives us grace and glory no good thing will He with-hold from us None shall ever pluck us out of His Joh. 10. 28. hands He will guide us with His counsel here and at length will bring us safe Psal 73. 24. to His glory That where our blessed Saviour is there we may also be and Joh. 17. 24. that for ever We have also a right to the creatures and to all God's promises and to Heaven God hath confirmed and ratified His Covenant with us 1. By his promise which is a sure word Therefore it is of faith that it might be of Grace to the end the promise Rom. 4. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 19. might be sure c. 2. By His oath God willing more abundantly to shew to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things that is His Word and His Oath in which it was impossible Heb. 6. 17 18. for God to lye we might have strong consolation c. 3. By the death of His Son the blood of Christ For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death Heb. 9. 16. of the Testator By the seals of the Sacraments which is not so much to confirm the promises on God's part but to help our faith to believe them and to rely upon them Q. How may we know if we are in Covenant with God A. 1. By faith Abraham believed God and was reckoned to be in Covenant with God and so he was called Rom. 4. 3. the friend of God But this must be a true lively working faith a faith that shews it self by its good works This Acts 15. 9. faith purifies the heart 2. If we be in Christ and have His Spirit for if any have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His. This holy Spirit makes us like unto God and so testifies with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and also that we are partakers of the Covenant After that we believe in Christ we are sealed with Eph. â— 13 14. that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. This is a Divine impression of light and an inexpressible Rev. 2. 17. Joh. 14. 21. assurance that we are the children of God and so in Covenant with Him None knows it but