by believing you do indeed honour him and he that honoureth the Son honoureth the Father Ioh. 5. 23. Here is a compendious way to glorifie God receive salvation of him freely righteousnesse and eternall life and this sets to a seal of Gods truth and grace and mercy and who so counts the Son worthy to be a Saviour to them and sets to their seal of approbation to him whom God the Father hath sent and sealed he also honours the Father and then he that honoureth the Father hath it not for nothing For them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. saith the Lord And he that serves me him will my Father honour Joh. 12. 26. As the believing soul cares for no other and respects no other but God so he respects no other but such a soul I will dwel in the humble and look unto the contrite there is mutual respects and honours God is the delight of such a soul and such a soul is Gods delight that soul sets God on a high place in a throne in its heart and God sets that soul in a heavenly place with Christ Eph. 2. 6. yea he comes down to sit with us and dwell in us off his throne of Majesty Isa. 66. 1 2. 15 57 Psal. 73. 24. to the end Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel c. Whom have I in heaven but Thee c. It is good for me to draw near to God 1 John 1. 3. These things declare we to you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And John 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be one as we are one I in them and they in me that they may be perfect in one c. IT is a matter of great consolation that Gods glory and our happinesse are linked together so that whosoever sets his glory before them singly to aim at they take the most compendious and certain way to true blessednesse His glory is the ultimat end of man and should be our great and last scope But our happinesse which consists in the enjoyment of God is subordinate to this yet inseparable from it The end of our Creation is communion and fellowship with God therefore man was made with an immortal soul capable of it and this is the greatest dignity and eminency of man above the creatures He hath not only impressed from Gods finger in his first moulding some characters resembling God in righteousnesse and holinesse but is created with a capacity of receiving more of God by communion with him Other creatures have already all they will have all theycan have of conformity to him but man is made liker than all and is fitted and fashioned to aspire to more liknesse and conformity so that his soul may shine more and more to the perfect day There was an Union made already in his first moulding and communion was to grow as a fragrant and sweet fruit out of this blessed root Union and similitude is the ground of fellowship communion That union was gracious that communion would have been glorious for grace is the seed of glory There was a twofold Union between Adam and God an Union of state and an Union of nature He was like God and he was Gods friend All the creatures had some liknesse to God some engravings of his power and goodnesse and wisdome but man is said to be made according to Gods Image Let us make man like unto us Other creatures had similitudinem vestigii but man had similitudinem faciei Holinesse and righteousnesse is Gods face the very excellency and glory of all his Attributes and the Lord stamps the image of these upon Man Other Attributes are but like his back-parts he leaves the resemblance of his footsteps upon other creatures What can be so beautifull as the Image of God upon the soul Creatures the nearer they are to God the more pure and excellent We see in the Fabrick of the World bodies the higher they are the more pure and cleanly the more beautiful Now then What was man that was made a little lower than the Angels In the Hebrew a little lower than God tantum non Deus Seeing man is set next to God his glory and beauty certainly surpasses the glory of the Sun and Heavens Things contiguous and next other are like other The water is liker air than the earth therefore it is next the air The air is liker Heaven than water therefore it is next to it Omne contiguum spirituali est spirituale Angels and men next God are spirits as he is a Spirit Now similitude is the ground of friendship Pares paribus congregantur similitude necessitudinis vinculum It is that which conciliats affection among men so it is here by proportion God sees that all is very good and man the best of his works and he loves him and makes him his friend for his own Image which he beholds in him At length from these two roots this pleasant fragrant fruit of Communion with and enjoyment of God grows up this is the entertainment of friends to delight in one another and to enjoy one another Amicorum omnia communia Love makes all common it opens the treasure of Gods fulnesse and makes a vent of divine bounty towards man and it opens the heart of man and makes it large as the sand of the sea to receive of God Our receiving of his fulnesse is all the entertainment we can give him O what blessednesse is this for a soul to live in him and it lives in him when it loves him Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat and to taste of his sweetnesse and be satisfied with him this makes perfect onnenesse and perfect onnenesse with God who is the fountain of life and in whose favour is life is perfect blessednesse But we must stand a little here and consider our misery that hath fallen from such an excellency how are we come down from Heaven wonderfully Sin hath interposed between God and man and this dissolves the union and hinders the communion An enemy is come between two friends and puts them at odds and Oh! an eternall odds sin hath sown this discord and alineated our hearts from God Mans glory consisted in the irradiation of the soul from Gods shining countenance this made him light Gods face shined on him But sin interposing hath eclipsed that light and brought on an eternall night of darknesse over the soul And thus we are spoiled of the Image of God as when the earth comes betwixt the Sun and Moon Now then there can no beams of divine savour and love break through directly towards us because of the cloud of our sins that separates between God and us and because of the partition-wall of Ordinances and the hand-writing which was against us Gods holy Law and severe Justice Col. 3. 14. Then What shal we do How shal we
himself thus and sought out to himself such sad inventions Eccles. 7. 29. and having destroyed himself Hos. 13. 9. What think ye Should any pity him If he had fallen in such a pit of miserie ignorantly and unwillingly he had been an object of compassion but having cast himself headlong into it who should have pity on him Or who should go aside to ask how he doth or bemoan him Ier. 15. 5. But behold the Lord pities man as a Father doth his Children Psal. 103. His compassions fail not He comes by such a loathsome and contemptible object and casts his skirts over it and saith Live Ezek. 16. And maketh it a time of love I say no flesh could have expected any more of God than to make man happy and holy to promise him life in well-doing But to repair that happinesse after it's wilfully lost and to give life to evil doers sinners O how far was it from Adams expectation when he fled from God Here then is the wonder that when men Angels were in expectation of the revelation of his wrath from heaveÌ„ against their wickednesse the execution of the curse man was concluded under that even then God is pursuing man pursues him with love and opens up to him his very heart and bowels of love in Jesus Christ Behold then the second revelation manifestation of God in a way of grace pure grace of mercy pity toward lost sinners The kindnesse of God hath appeared not by Works but according to his abundant mercy shewed in Christ Iesus Tit. 3. 4. 5. So then we have this purpose of Gods love unfolded to us in the Scriptures and this is the substance of them both Old and New Testament or the end of them Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law to all sinners concluded under sin and a curse by it our Lord Jesus the good Ebedmelech comes and casts down a cord to us draws us up out of the pit of sin and misery he comes to this prison and opens the doors to let captives free so then we have holden out to us a Redeemer as a repairer of our breaches God in Christ reconciling the world O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy Help found Hos. 13. 9. He finds to himself a ransome to satisfie his justice Job 33. 24. He finds a propitiation to take away sin a sacrifice to pacifie and appease his wrath he finds one of our Brethren but his own Son in whom he is well pleased And then holds out all this to sinners that they may be satisfied in their own consciences as he is in his own mind God hath satisfied himself in Christ you have not that to do he is not now to be reconciled to us for he was never really at odds though he covered his countenance with frowns threats since the Fal hath appeared in fire and hunders and whirlwind which are terrible yet his heart had alwayes love in it to such persons and therefore he is come near in Christ about reconciling us to himself Here is the business then to have our souls reconciled to him to take away the enmity within us and as he is satisfied with his Son so to satisfie our selves with him be as wel pleased in his Redemption and purchase as 〈◊〉 â—…er is and then you believe indeed in him Now if this were accomplished what have wee more to do but to love him and to live to him when you have found in the Scripture and believed with the heart what Man once was and what he now is what God once appeared and what hee now manifests himself in the Gospel ye have no more to do but to search in the same Scriptures what ye henceforth ought to be Ye who find your estate recovered in Christ ask what manner of persons we ought to be And the Scripture shal also give you that form of sound words which may not only teach you to believe in him but to love him and obey his coÌ„mands The Law that before condemned you is now by Christ put in your hands to guide you and conduct you in the way teacheth you to live henceforth to his glory The grace of God that hath appeared to all men Tit. 2. 12. teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldlie lusts we should live godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Here is the summe of the rule of your practise and conversation piety towards God equity towards men and sobriety towards our selves self-denyal and world-denyall and lust-denyal to give up with the world and our own lusts henceforth to have no more to do with them to resign them not for a time not in part but wholly and for ever in affection and by parts in practice and endeavour and then to resign and give up our selves to him to live to him and live in him Thus we have given you a summe of the Doctrine of the Scriptures of that which is to be believed and that which is to be done as our duty Now we shall speak a word of these two Cardinall Graces which are the compend of all Graces as the objects of them are the Abridgement of the Scriptures Faith Love these sound words can profite us nothing unlesse wee hold them fast with Faith and Love Faith is like the Fountain-grace streams come out of it that cleanseth the Conscience from the guilt of sin and purifieth the heart from the filth of sin because it is that which cometh to the Fountain opened up in the house of David draweth water out of these Wells of Salvation If you consider the fall and ruine of Mankind you will find infidelity unbelief the fountain of it as wel as the seal of it Unbelief of the Law of God of his promises and threatning This was first called in Question and when once called in Question it is half denied Hath God said so that you shal die It s not far off you shall not surely die Here then was the very beginning of mans ruine he did not retain in his knowledge and believe with his heart the truth and faithfulnesse and holinesse of God which unbelief was conjoyned intermingled with much pride you shal be as Gods he began to live out of God in himself not remembring that his life was a stream of that Divine Fountain that being cut off from it would dry up Now therefore our Lord Jesus Christ an expert Saviour and very learned and compleat for this work he brings man up out of this pit of misery by that same way he fell into it he fell down by unbelief and he brings him up out of it by faith This is the cord that is cast down to the poor Soul in the Dungeon or rather his Faith is the dead grip of the cord of Divine Promises which are sent unto the captive prisoners and by vertue thereof he is drawn out into the light
which he chiefly aims at Shal we not then conceive that the Lord who instructs every man to this discretion teaches him Isa. 28. 26. Is himself wise in his Counsel and hath some grand project before him in all this Fabrick of the World and the upholding of it since it was made Certainly he hath and if you ask what it is the wise man will teach you in the general He made all things for himself even the wicked for the evil day Pro. 16. 4. Here then is his great design and purpose to glorifie himself to manifest his own Name to men Angels Now his Name comprehends Wisdome Goodnesse Power Mercy and justice the first three he declares in all the works of his hands all are well done wisely done the excellency of the work shews the wonderfull Counsellour the wise Contriver the goodnesse of any creature in its kind declares the inexhausted spring of a selfe-being from whom it proceeds the bringing all these out of nothing and upholding them is a glorious declaration of his power But yet in all the works of his hands there is nothing found to manifest his glorious mercy and justice upon which are the flower and garland of his Attributes and unto which wisedom and power seems to be subservient Therefore his Majesty in that one entire purpose of his own glory resolves to manifest his wrath and his mercy upon men and Angels subjects capable of it which two Attributes are as the Poles about which all the Wheels of Election and Reprobation turns as you see in that place Rom. 9. 22. 23. Let this then be established as the end of all his works as it is designed in his Counsell and nothing else It is not the Creature nor any thing in the Creature which is first in his mind but himself and therefore of him and for him are all things Here they have their rise thither they return even to the Ocean of Gods eternall glory from whence all did spring The right establishing of this will help us to conceive aright of his Counsell of Predestination It is a common cavil of carnall reason How can the Lord reject so many persons foreordain them to destruction It seems most contrary to his goodnesse and wisedom to have such an end of eternall Predestination before him in the creating so many thousands to make men for nothing but to damn them Here carnall reason which enmity to God triumphs But consider I say that this is not the Lord's end and chief design to destroy men even as it is not his Majesties first look or furthest reach to give unto others eternal life so it is not his prime intent to sink them in eternal death as if that were his pleasure delight no indeed neither is the creatures happinesse nor its misery that which first moves him or is most desired of him but himself only and he cannot move out of himself to any businesse but he must return it unto himself therefore the wise Preacher expresses it well He made all for himself even the wicked for the day of evil It was not his great end of creating wicked men to damn them or creating righteous men to save them but both are for a further and higher end for himself and his own Glory All seem to agree about this That the great end of all the Lords Counsels and decrees is his own glory to be manifested on Men Angels and that this must be first in his mind not that there is first or last with him but to speak after the manner of men if he had many thoughts as we have this would be his first thought and in this one purpose this end is chiefly aimed at and all other things are by the Lords counsel subordinate to this as means to compasse that But as concerning the order of these means and consequently of his Majesties purpose about them men by examining his Majesty according to the creatures Rules or according to sense bring him down far below his own infinite greatnesse Some conceive that that was first as it were in his mind which is first done looking upon the execution of his purpose in the works of his power they imagine that as he first created man righteous so this was his first thought concerning man to creat man for the glory of his goodnesse power without any particular determination as yet of his end and I conceive this is the thoght of the multitude of people they think God was disapointed in his work when they hear he created such a glorious creature that is now become so miserable they cannot believe that his Majesty had all this sin and misery determinated with him when he purposed to create him but look upon the emergement of mans Fall into sin and misery as a surprisal of his Majesty as if he had meant another thing in creating him so was upon this occasion of man's sinne driven to a new consultation about the helping of the businesse making the best out of it that might be Thus through wisdome the world knows not God They think God altogether like themselves and so liken him to the builder of an house who let nothing before him in doing so but to build it after that manner for his own ends but thē being surprised with the fall and ruine of it takes a new advisement and builds it up again upon another surer foundation but because they cannot say that God takes any new advisements in time but must confesse that all his Counsels are everlasting concerning all the works of his hands therefore they bring in fore-knowledge to smooth their irreligious conceit of God as if the Lord upon his purpose of creating man had foreseen what should befall him and so purposed to permit it to be so that out of it he might erect some glorious Fabrick of mercy and justice upon the ruines of man And that little or nothing may be left to the absolute Soveraign will of God to which the Scripture ascribes all things they must again imagine that upō his purpose of sending Christ to save sinners he is yet undetermined about the particular end of particular men but watches on the tower of fore-knowledge to espie what they will do whether men will believe in his Son or not whether they will persevere in faith or not and according to his observation of their doings so he applies his own will to carve out their reward or portion of life or death These are even the thoughts which are imbred in your breasts by nature that which the learned call Arminianism is nothing else but the carnal reason of mens hearts which is enmity to God it is that very Disputation which Paul in this Chapter exclaims against Who art thou O man that disputes But certainly all this contrivance is nothing beseeming the wisdome of Soveraignity of God but reflects upon both upon his wisdome that he should have
he doth first and so some do rank his decrees that he had first a thought of glorifying men and to attain this end he purposed to give him grace and for this purpose to suffer him to fall for all to create him But we must not look thus upon it either it were a foolish rediculous counsell unbeseeming the poor wisdom of man to purpose the glorifying of man whom he had not yet determined to create therefore we should alwayes have in our mind that the great end and project of all is the glory of his mercy and justice upon men and this we may conceive is first in order neither mens life nor death but Gods glory to be manifested upon men Now to attain this glorious end with one inclination or determination of his will not to be distinguished or severed he condescends upon all that is done in time as one compleat and intire mean of glorifying himself so that one of them is not before another in his mind but all together for attaining this he purposes to create man he ordains the fall of all men into a state of sin and misery some of these upon whom he had resolved to shew his mercy he gives them to Christ to be redeemed restored by grace Others he fore-ordains them to destructions all this at once without any such order as we imagine Now though he intend all this at once and together yet it doth not hence follow that all these must be executed together as when a man intends to build a house for his own accommodation there are many things in the house upon which he hath not severall purposes But yet they must be severally and in some order done First the foundation laid then the Walls raised then the roof put on yet he did not intend the foundation to be for the walls or the walls for the roof but altogether for himself Even so the Lord purposes to glorifie his mercy and justice upon a certain number of persons and for this end to give them a being to govern their falling into misery to raise some out of it by a Mediator and to live some into it to destruction all this as one intire mean to illustrate his glorious mercy and justice but these things themselves must be done not all at once but one before another either as their own nature require or as he pleaseth the very nature of the thing requires that man be created before he sin that he sin and fall before a Mediator suffer for his sin and that he have a being before he have a glorious being and that he have a sinfull and miserable being before he have this glorious and gracious being which may manifest the grace and mercy of God But it is the pleasure of the Lord that determines in what time and order Christ shal suffer either before or after the conversion of sinners or whether sinners shal presently be instated in glory and perfectly delivered from all sin at their first conversion or only in part during this life Seeing then this was his Majesties purpose to make so many vessels of honour upon whom he might glorifie the riches of his grace end mercy And so many vessels of wrath upon whom he might shew the power of his anger You may think what needed all this businesse of mans redemption might not God have either preserved so many as he had appointed to glory from falling into sin and misery or at least have freely pardoned their sin without any satisfaction and out of the exceeding riches of his mercy and power have as well not imputed sin to them at all as imputed their sins to Christ who was not guilty What needed his giving so many to the Son and the Sons receiving them What needed these mysteries of Incarnation of Redemption seeing he might have done all this simply without so much pains and expence why did he choose this way Indeed that is the wonder and if there were no more end for it but to confound mortality that dare ask him what he doth it is enough Should he be call◅ down to the Bar of Humane Reason to give an account of his matters Who hath known the mind of the Lord or being his counsellour hath taught him That is in the depths of his unsearchable understāding that he chose to go this round to compasse his end by such a strange circuit of means when he might have done it simply and directly without so much pain yet it is not so hidden but he hath revealed as much as may satisfie or silence all flesh For we must consider that his great project is not simply to manifest the glory of his goodnesse but of his gracious and mercifull goodnesse the most tender and excellent of all therefore man must be miserable sinfull and vile that the riches of his grace may appear in choosing and saving such persons But that it may appear also how excellent he could make man and how vain all created perfections are being left to themselves therefore he first made man righteous and being fallen into sinne and misery he might straight way have restored him without more ado but his purpose was to give an exact demonstration of mercy tempered and mixed with justice and therefore he finds out the satisfaction in his eternall Counsell I have found a ransome and so he chooses Jesus Christ to be the head of these chosen souls in whom they might be again restored unto eternal life and these souls he in his everlasting purpose gives over to the Son to be redeemed and these the Son receives And thus the glory of mercy and justice shines most brightly yea more brightly than he had at first pardoned O how doth his love and mercy appear that he will transfer our sins upon his Holy Son and accept that Redemption for us and his Justice that a Redemption price he must have even from his Son when once he comes in the stead of sinners and in this point do the Songs of Eternity concenter Rom. 9. 22. and Eph. 1. 11. WE are now upon a high subject high indeed for an eminent Apostle much more above our reach the very consideration of Gods infinite wisdome might alone suffice to restrain our unlimited thoughts and serve to sober our minds with the challenge of our own ignorance and darknesse yet the vain and wicked mind of man will needs quarrell with God enter the lists of disputation with him about his righteousnesse and wisdome in the Counsel of Election and Reprobation But who art thou O man that replyest against God or desputes ver 20. This is a thing not to be disputed but believed and if ye will believe no more than ye can comprehend by sense or reason then ye give his Majesty no more credit than to weak mortall man Whatever secret thoughts do rise up in thy heart when thou hearest of Gods fore-ordaining men to Eternall life
the Kings Statute and Law if it vary in any thing from his intention it s not valid and binding I beseech you take the Scriptures for the Rule of your walking or else you will wander the Scripture is Regula regulans a ruling Rule If you be not acquainted with It you must follow the opinions or examples of other men and what if they lead you unto destruction Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them c. Eph. 2. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles AS in darknesse there is need of a Lanthorn without and the light of the eyes within for neither can we see in darknesse without some Lamp though we have never so good eyes nor yet see without eyes though in never so clear a Sun-shine So there is absolute need for the guiding of our feet in the dangerous and dark paths to Eternall life that is full of pits and snares of the Lamp or Wood written or preached without us and the illumination of the holy Ghost within us These are conjoyned Isa. 56. 21. This is my Covenant the spirit that is upon thee and the words that I have put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor the mouth of thy seed c. There are words without and there must needs be a Spirit within which makes us to behold the truth and grace contained in these words There is a Law written without with pen and ink and there is a Law written within upon the heart with the Spirit of the living God The Law without is the Patern and exact copy the Law within is the Transcript or the Image of God upon the heart framed and fashioned according to the similitude of it 2 Cor. 3. 3. Heb. 8. 10. So then there needs be no more question about the Divine Authority of the Scriptures among those who have their senses exercised to descern between good and ill than among men who see and taste concerning light and darknesse sweet bitter The perswasion of a Christian is fetched deeper than the reasons of men their faith is the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not seen it s an eye a supernaturall eye whereby a soul beholds that Majesty and excellency of God shinning in the word which though it shine about the rest of the World yet it 's not seen because they cannot know it nor descern it Wonder not that the multitude of men cannot believe the report that is made that there is so few who find any such excellency and sweetnesse in the Gospel as is reported because saith Isai. 53. 1. the arm of the Lord is not revealed to them the hand of God must first write on their heart ere they understand the Writtings of the Scriptures his arm must creat an eye in their souls an eternal light before it can behold that glorious brightnesse of Gods shinning in the word The word is Gods testimony of himself of his grace and mercy and good-will to mankind Now no man can receive this testimony unlesse it be sealed and confirmed by the holy Ghost into the heart saith Peter We are his witnesses of these things and so also is the holy Ghost whom God hath given to those that obey him Acts 5. 32. The word witnesses to the ear and the spirits testifieth to our spirits the truth and worth of that and therefore the spirit is a seal and a witnesse The word is the Lord's voice to his own Children Bastards cannot know it but my sheep hear my voice Joh. 10 4. 16. You know no difference between the bleeting of one sheep and another but the poor lambs know their mothers voice there is a secret instinct of nature that is more powerfull than many marks and signs Even so those that are begotten of God know his voice they descern that in it which all the world that hear it cannot descern there is a sympathy between their souls and that living Word that word is the immortall seed they are begotten of and there is a naturall instinct to love that and to mediate in it such an inclination to it as in new born babes to the breasts so the Children of God do desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby aâ—… they were born of it 1 Pet. 2. 2. In these Scriptures which we read in your audience you have something of their excellency and our duty there is a rich jewel in them a precious pearl in that field even Jesus Christ and in him eternall life and therefore we ought to search the Scriptures for this jewel to dig in the field for this pearl the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is a sure foundation whereupon souls may build their eternall felicity and the hope of it Jesus Christ is the very chief stone in that foundation whereupon the weight of all the Saints and all their hope hangs And therefore we ought to lean the weight of our Souls only to this truth of God and build our faith only upon it and square our practice only by it We shal speak something of the first that it may be a spurre to the second The Jews had some respective opinion of the word of God they knew that in them waseternall life they thought it a Doctrine of life and happinesse and so cryed up Moses Writtings but they would not believe Christs words they erred not understanding the Scriptures and so set the Writtings of Moses Law at variance with the preaching of Christs Gospel What a pittyfull mistake was this they thought they had eternall life in the Scriptures and yet they did not receive nor acknowledge him whom to know was eternall life therefore our Lord Jesus sends them back again to the Scriptures go and search them you think and you think well that in then you may find the way to eternall life but while you seek it in them you mistake it These Scriptures testifie of me the end of the Law but you cannot behold the end of that Ministry because of the blindnesse of your hearts Rom. 10. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 14. Therefore search again unfold the ceremonies I am wrapt in them and life eternall with me dig up the Law till you find the bottome of Gods purpose in it till you find the end of the Ministration and you shal find me the way and truth and life and so you shal have that eternall life which now you do but think you have and are beguiled While you seek it out of me in vain you think you have it for it is not in the Scriptures but because they testifie of me the life and the light of men May not this now commend the word to us Eternall life is in it Other Writings and discourses may tickle the ears with some pleasing eloquence but that is vanishing it s but like a Musitians voice some may represent some petty momentary advantage but how soon shal an end be put till all that so that within
according to the Word and receive no more upon trust from men but as you find it upon triall to the truth of God 1 Tim. 〈◊〉 13. Hold fast that form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love c. HEre is the sum of Religion here you have a compend of the Doctrine of the Scriptures All Divine Truths may be reduced to these two Heads Faith Love What we ought to believe and what we ought to do This is all the Scriptures teach and this is all we have to learn What have we to know but what God hath revealed of himself to us And what we have to do but what he commands us In a word what have we to learn in this world but to believe in Christ love him and so live to him This is the duty of man this is the dignity of man and the way to eternall life Therefore the Scriptures that are given to be a Lamp to our feet and a Guide to our paths contain an perfect and exact rule credendorum faciendorum of Faith and Manners or Doctrine and Practice We have in the Scriptures many truths revealed to us of God and of the works of his hands many precious truths but that which most of all concerns us is to know God our selves this is the special Excellency of the reasonable creature that it s made capable to know its Creator and to reflect upon its own being Now we have to know of our selves What we are now and what man once was and accordingly to know of God what he once revealed of himself and What he doth now reveal I say The Scâ—…iptures holds out to our consideration a twofold estate of Mankind according to these a twofold revelation of the Mystery of God We look on Man now and we find him another thing than he was once but we do not find God one thing at one time and another thing at another time for there is no shadow of change in him and He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore we ask not What he was and what he is now but how he manifests himself differently according to the different estates of Man as we find in the Scriptures man once righteous blessed Eccles. 7. 29. and God making him such according to his own Image Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 25. in righteousnesse and true holinesse we finde him in communion and friendship with God set next to the Divine Majesty and above the works of his hands all things under his feet How holy was he And how happy And happy he could not chuse but be since he was holy being conformed and like unto God in his will and affection chosing that same delight that same pleasure with God in his understanding knowing God and his will and likewise his own happinesse in such a conformity he could not but have much communion with him that had such conformity to him Union being the foundation of coÌ„munion great peace solid tranquility in him Now in this state of mankind God expresses his goodnesse and wisdom and power his holinesse and righteousnesse These are the Attributes that shine most brightly In the very morning of the Creation God revealed himself to man as a holy and just God whose eyes could behold no iniquity therefore he made him upright and made a Covenant of life and peace with him to give him immortall eternal life to continue him in his happy estate if so be he continued in well-doing Rom. 10. 5. Do this and live In which Covenant indeed there was some out-breakings of the glorious grace free condescendency of God for it was no lesse free grace and undeserved favour to promise life to his obedience than now to promise life to our Faith so that if the Lord had continued that Covenant with us we ought to have called it grace and would have been saved by grace as well as now though it be true that there is some more occasion given to mans nature to boast glory in that way yet not at all before God Rom. 4. 2. But we have scarcely found man in such an estate till we have found him sinfull miserable and fallen from his excellency That Sun shined in the dawning of the Creation but before ye can well know what it is it s eclipsed and darkned with sin and misery as if the Lord had only set up such a creature in the Firmament of Glory to let him know how blessed he could make him and wherein his blessednesse consists and then presently to throw him down from his excellency when ye find him mounting up to the Heavens and spreading himself thus in holiness and happinesse like a Bay-tree Behold again and you find him not though you seek him you shal not find him his place doth not know him He is like one that comes out with a great Majesty upon a Stage and personates some Monarch or Emperour in the World then ere you can well gather your thoughts to know what he is he is turn'd off the Stage and appears in some base despicable appearance so quickly is man stript of all these glorious ornaments of holinesse and puts on the vile rags of sin and wretchednesse and is cast down from the Throne of eminency above the creatures froÌ„ fellowship with God to be a slave and servant to the dust of his feet and to have communion with the devill and his angels And now ye have man holden out in Scripture as the onlie wretched Piece of the Creation as the very plague of the World The whole Creation groaning under him Rom. 8. and in pain to be delivered of such a burthen of such an Execration and Curse and Astonishment You find the testimony of the Word condemns him altogether concludes him under sin and then under a curse and makes all flesh guilty in Gods sight The Word speaks otherwise of us than we think of our selves Their imagination is only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. O then What must our affections be that are certainly more corrupt What then must our way be All flesh hath corrupted their way and done abominable works and none doth good Psal. 14. 1 2 3. But many flee in unto their good hearts as their last refuge when they are beaten from these out-works of their actions and wayes but the Scripture shal storm that also The heart is deceitful above all things who can know it Jer. â—…7 9. It is desperatly wicked In a word Man is become the most lamentable spectacle in the world acompend of all wickednesse and misery inclosed within the walls of inability and impossibility to help himself shut up within the prison of despair a stinking loathsome and irksome dungeon It is like the mytie pit that Ieremiah was cast into that there was no out-coming and no pleasant abode in it Now Mans estate being thus nay having made
searching we could find them out unto perfection but to believe what is spoken till the day break and the shadows flee away and the darknesse of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse We are called then to receive this truth that God is one truly one and there are three in this one the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost This I say you must believe because the wisdom of God faith it though you know not how it is or how it can be though it seem a contradiction in reason a Trinity in Unity yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith silence it with this one answer The Lord hath said it If thou go on to dispute and to enquire how can these things be Thou art escaped from under the power of Faith and are fled unto the tents of humane wisedom where thou mayest learn artheism but no Religion for the world through wisedom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. And certainly who ever he be that will not quiet his conscience upon the bare word of truth in this particular but will call in for the help of reason and disputation how to understand and maintain it I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of God and satisfaction of mind than before There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary Who art thou O man that disputes When ever thou thinks within thy self How may this be how can one be three and three one then withall let this of Pauls sound in thine ears Who art thou O man who disputes Think that thou art man think that he is God Believing ignorance is much better than rash presumptuous knowledge ask not a reason of these things but rather adore and tremble at the mysterie and Majesty of them Christianity is foolishnesse to the world upon this account because it 's an Implicite faith so to speak given to God but there is no fear of being deceived though he lead thee blind by a way thou know not yet he cannot lead thee wrong This holy simplicity in believing every word of God trusting without more trying by disputation is the very Character of Christianity and it will be found only true wisdome for if any will become wise he must be a fool in mens account that he may be wise he must quite his reason to learn true Religion which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason neither is it contrary to it though it be high above it In this place of Moses you have the Unity of God asserted The Lord thy God is one Lord And that is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature That God is One for all may know that the common notion and apprehension of God is that he is a most perfect being the Originall of all things most wise most powerfull infinite in all perfections Now common reason may tell any man that there can bee but one thing most perfect Excellent there can be but one infinite one Almighty one beginning and end of all one first mover one first cause of whom are all things and who is of none Again in this place of Iohn ye have a Testimony of the blessed Trinitie of Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in that holy Unity of Essence The great point which Iohn hath in hand is this fundamentall of our Salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Saviour of the World in whom all our confidence should be placed and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls this he proves by a twofold testimony one out of Heaven another in the Earth There are three bearing witnesse to this truth in heaven The Father the word that is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God whom this Apostle calls the word of God or wisdom of God Ioh. 1. 1. and the Holy Ghost The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of Heaven when Christ was baptized Mat. 3. 17. This is my wel-belovd Son hear him here 's the Fathers Testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people and divinely with great glory and Majesty from Heaven as if the heavens had opened upon him and the inaccessible light of God had shined down on him which was confirmed in the transfiguration Mat. 17. 5. VVhere the Lord gave a glorious evidence to the astonishment of the three Disciples how he did account of him how all Saints and Angels must serve him Him hath God the Father sealed saith Iohn Indeed the stamp of divinitie of the divine Image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ was a Seal set on by God the Father signifying confirming his approbation of his well-beloved Son and of the work he was going about Then the Son himself did give ample Testimony of this this was the subject of his Preaching to the VVorld I am the light and life of men He that beleeveth on mee shall be saved and therefore he may be called the word of God and the wisedom of God Joh. 1. 1. Prov. 8. Because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mysterie of Wisdom concerning our Salvation He is the very expression and Character of the Fathers person and Glory Heb. 1. In his own Person and he hath revealed and expressed his Fathers mind and his own Office so fully to the World that there should be no more doubt of it Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this Word might be established But for superabundance behold a third the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptisme in his Resurrection after his Ascension the Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work in the similitude of a Dove the Holy Ghost testified it in the power that raised him from the dead the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the Apostles according to Christs promise For the other three witnesses on earth we shal not stay upon it only know that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the word and spirit signified by water the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ the Testimony of the spirit in our Conscience bearing witnesse to our Spirits is an assured Testimony of this that Jesus Christ in whom we believe is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The changing pacifying and comforting of souls in such a wonderfull manner cryes aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living God whom to know is eternal life But mark I pray you the accuracy of the Apostle in the change of the speech these three witnesses on earth saith he agree in one in giving one common testimony to the Son of God and Saviour of Sinners But as for the heavenly witnesses the Father the Word and Holy Ghost how ever they be three after an inconceivable manner
that God As his authority should imprint reverence so his goodnesse thus manifested should engrave confidence And thus the life of man vvas not only a life of obedience but a life of pleasure and delight not only a holy but a happy life yea happy in holinesse Now as it was Pauls great businesse in preaching to ride marches between the covenant of grace and the covenant of works to take men off that old broken ship to this sure plank of grace that is offered by Jesus Christ to drowning souls So it would be our great work to shew unto you the nature of this Covenant and the terms thereof that you may henceforth find and know that salvation to be now impossible by the Law which so many seek in it We have no errand to speak of the first Adam but the better to lead you to the second Our life was once in the first but he lost himself and us both but the second by losing himself saves both We have nothing to do to speak of the first Covenant but that we may lead you or pursue you rather to the second established upon better tearms and better promises The tearms of this covenant are Do this and live perfect obedience without one jot of failing or falling an intire and universall accomplishment of the whole will of God that is the duty required of Man there is no latitude left in the bargain to admit endeavours in stead of performance or desire in stead of duty there is no place for Repentance here if a Man fall in one point he falls from the whole promise by the tenour of this bargain there is no hope of recovery If you would have the duty in a word It s a love of God with all our heart and soul our Neighbour as our self that testified verified in all duties offices of obedience to God love to men without the least mixture of sin infirmity Now the promise on Gods part is indeed larger then that Duty not only because undeserved but even in the matter of it it 's so abundant Life eternal life continuance in a happy estate There is a threatning added In what day thou eatest thou shalt die that is thou shalt become a mortall and miserable creature subject to misery here and hereafter which is more pressingly set down in that Word Cursed is he that abides not in all things written in the law to do them It is very peremptory that men dream not of escaping wrath when they break but in one suppose they did abide in all the rest Cursed is every man from the highest to the lowest the Lord Almighty is engaged against him his countenance his Power is against him to destroy him make him miserable whoever doth fail but in one jot of the commands he shall not only fall from that blessed condition freely promised but lose all that he already possessed fall from that image of God dominion over the creatures and incur in stead of that possessed and expected happinesse misery here on soul body in pains sicknesses troubles griefs c. And Eternal misery on both without measure hereafter Eternall destruction from the presence of the Lord the glory of his power Now This Law is not of Faith saith the Apostle This opens up the nature of the bargain and the opposition between the present Covenant that which is made with lost sinners in a Mediator This Covenant is called of Works Do this and live To him that worketh is the promise made though freely too It is grace that once a reward should be promised to obedience but having once resolved to give it herein justice appears in an equall and uniform distribution of the reward according to Works So that where there is an equality of works there shall be an equality of reward and no difference put between persons equall Which is the very freedome of the Covenant of grace that it passes overall such considerations and deals equally in mercy with unequall sinners unequally it may be with them that are equall in nature You may ask was not Adam to believe in God did not the Law require faith I answer Christ distinguishes a twofold faith You believe in God believe also in me No question he was called to believe in God the Creator of the VVorld and that in a three-fold consideration First to depend on God the self-beeing and fountain-good his own goodnesse was but a fluxe and emanation from that Sun of righteousnesse so was to be perpetuated by constant abiding in his sight the interposition of mans self between him and God did soon bring on this eternal night of darknesse Nature might have taught him to live in him in whom he had life beeing and motion and to forget look over his own perfections as evanishing shadows But this quickly extinguished his life when he began to to live in himself Next he was obliged to believe in Gods word both threatning and promise to have these constantly in his view And certainly if he had kept in his serious consideration the inestimable blessing of life promised and the fearful curse of death threatned if he had not been induced first to doubt and then to deny the truth and reality of these he had not attempted such a desperate rebellion against the Lord. Then thirdly he was to believe and perswade himself of the Lords fatherly love and that the Lord was well pleased with his obedience and this faith would certainly beget much peace quietnesse in his mind and also constrain him to love him and live to him who loved him and gave him life and happinesse out of love yet this holds true that the Apostle saith the law is not of faith to wit in a Mediator and Redeemer it was a bond of immediate friendship there needed none to mediate between God and man there needed no reconciler where there was no ods nor distance But the Gospell is of Faith in a Mediator it s the souls plighting its hope upon Jesus Christ in its desperate necessity so supposes man sinfull and miserable in himself and in his own sense too and so putting over his weight burden upon one whom God hath made mighty to save The Law is not of Faith but of perfect works a watch-word brought in of purpose to bring men off their hankering after a broken and desperate Covenant It admits no repentance it speaks of no pardon it declares no Cautioner or Redeemer there is nothing to be expected according to the tenor of that Covenant but wrath from Heaven either personall obedience in all or personall punishment for ever that is the very tearms of it it knows no other thing Either bring compleat righteousnesse and holinesse to the promise of life or expect nothing but death This may be a sad meditation to us to stand and look back to our former estate compare it with that into which we
if I may speak so our creation in holynesse and righteousness after his own Image that same hath consulted about the rest of it hath found out this course that one of them shal bee made after mans Image and for this purpose that he may restore again Gods Image unto us O bless this deep invention and happy contrivance of heaven that could never have bred in any breast but in the depths of eternal wisedome and let us abandon forsake our own imaginations and foolish inventions let us become fools in our own eyes that we may become wise Man by seeking to be wise became a fool that was an unhappy invention now it s turned contrary let all men take vvith their folly and desperate vvickedness let not the vain thoughts and dreams of our own vvel-being and sufficiency lodge vvithin us and vve shal be made vvise come to the Fathers vvisdom unto Jesus Christ vvho is that blessed invention of Heaven for our remedy How long shal vain thoughts lodge within you O when will you be washed from them How long shal not your thoughts transcend this temporal and bodily life How long do you imagine to live in sin and die in the Lord to continue in sin and escape wrath Why do you delude your souls with a dream of having interest in the love of God and purchasing his favor by your works These are some of those many inventions man hath sought out Rom. 5. 22. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin so death past upon all men for that all have sinned THis is a sad subject to speak upon yet it is not more sad then useful though it be unpleasant to hold out a glass to men to see their own vile faces into yet it is profitable yea and so necessary that till once a soul apprehend its broken and desolate condition in the first Adam it can never heartily imbrace and come to the second Adam You have here the woful and dreadful effects and consequents of the first transgression upon all mankind the effect is twofold sin and misery or sin and death the subject is universal in both all men the whole world Behold what a flood of calamity hath entred at a smal cranny by one mans transgression May it not be said of sin in general which the wise man speaks of strife The beginning of sin is as when one lets out water therefore it had been good leaving it off before it had been medled vvith it entred at a smal hole but it hath overflowed a vvhole vvorld since That vvhich first occurs is that all mankind proceeding from Adam by ordinary birth are involved in sin by Adams transgression But that may seem a hard saying that sin and death should flow unto the vvhole posterity vvho had no accession to Adams transgression It vvould seem that every man should die for his own iniquity and that it should reach no further in justice But consider I pray you the relation that Adam stood into and in vvhich he is here holden out as a figure of Christ. Adam the first man vvas a common person representing all mankind in vvhose happiness or misery all should share God contracts vvith him on these terms that his posterities estate should depend on his behavior Now if all mankind vvould have reaped the benefite and advantage of Adams perseverance iâ—… such an undeserved reward of eternal life vvould have redounded by the free promise unto them all vvhat iniquity is it that they also be sharers in his misery Our stock treasure vvas ventured in this vessel if vve vvere to partake of its gain vvhy not of its loss You see amongst men children have one common lot vvith their parents if the father be fore-faulted the heirs suffer in it are cast out of the inheritance It might appear a surer vvay to have the fortunes of all so to speak depend upon one their happiness assured unto them upon the standing of one then to have every one left unto himself his own vvell-being depending upon his own standing as it is more likely one and that the first one shal not sin then many and especially when that one knew that the weight of all his posterity hung upon him it might have made him very circumspect knowing of how great moment his carriage 〈◊〉 But certainly vve must look a little higher then such reasons there was a glorious purpose of Gods predominant in this else there was no natural necessity of imputing Adams sin to the children not yet born or propagating it to the children He that brought a holy one undefiled out of a Virgin who was defiled could have brought all others clean out of unclean parents but there is a higher counsel about it the Lord would have all men subject to his judgement al men once guilty once in an equal state of misery to illustrate that special grace shewed in Christ the more and demonstrate his power and wrath upon others That which concerns us most is to believe this that sin hath over-spread all and to have the lively impression of this were of more moment to true Religion than many discourses upon it I had rather ye went home not cursing Adam or murmuring against the most High but bemoaning yourselves for your wretched estate then be able to give reasons for the general imputation propagation of sin Ye all see it is therefore you should rather mourn for it then ask why it is There is sin entred into the world by imputation and also by propagation Adams first sin and hainous transgression is charged upon all his posterity and imputed unto them even unto them who have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression that is actually as he did Infants whom you call innocents and indeed so they are in respect of you who are come to age yet they are guilty before God of that sin that ruined all Now that you may know what you are and what little reason you have to be pleased with your selves and absolve your selves as ye do I shal unbowel that iniquity unto you First there was in it an open banner displayed against God When the soveraign Lord had enjoyned his 〈◊〉 â—…uch a testimony of his homage and loyalty and that so easie to be performed and such as not a whit could â—…ba e from his happiness what open rebellion was it to refuse it It was a casting off the Soveraign dominion of God than which nothing can be more hainous as if the clay should refuse to serve the Potters pleasure and therefore it is eminently and signally styled disobedience as having nothing in it but the pure naked nature of disobedience no difficulty to excuse it for it was most easie no pleasure to plead for it for there were as good fruit beside a world of them No necessity to extenuate it so that you can see nothing in it but
without previous fore-sight or consideration of their doings preparing men to eternall wrath for the praises of his Justice without previous consideration of their deservings passing a definitive sentence upon the end of all men before they do either good or evil When ever any secret â—…urmises rise in thy heart against this learn to answer this enter not the lists of disputation with corrupt reason but put in this bridle of the fear of Gods greatnesse and the conscience of thy own basenesse labour to restrain thy undaunted wild mind by it Ponder that well who thou art who disputes who God is against whom thou disputes if thou have spoken once thou wilt speak no more what thou art who is as clay formed out of nothing what he is who is the former and hath not the Potter power over the clay Consider but how great wickednes it is so much as to question him or ask an account of his matters after you have found his will to be the cause of all things then to enquire further into a cause of his wil which is alone the self-rule of righteousnesse it is to seek something above his will and to reduce his Majesty into the order of Creatures it is almost abominable usurpation and sacriledge for both it robes him of his royall prerogative and instates the base foot-stoole in his Throne But know that certainly God will overcome when he is judged Psa. 51. 6. If thou judge him he will condemn thee if thou opugâ—… his absolute and holy Decrees he will hold thee fast bound by them to thy condemnation he needeth no other defence but to call out thy own conscience against thee bind thee over to destruction therefore as on saith well Let the rashnesse of men be restrained from seeking that which is not lest peradventure they find that which is Seek not a reason of his purposes lest peradventure thou find thy own death and damnation infolded in them Paul mentions two Objections of carnal fleshly wisdome against this Doctrine of Election and reprobation which indeed contain the sum of all that is vented and invented even to this day to defile the spotlesse truth of God all the whisperings of men tend to one of these two either to justifie themselves or to accuse God of unrighteousnesse And shal any do it and be guiltlesse I confesse some oppose this Doctrine not so much out of an intention of accusing God as out of a preposterous ignorant zeal for God even as Iobs friends did speak much for God nay but it was not wel spoken they did but speak wickedly for him some speeak much to the defence of his righteousnesse and holynesse and under pretence of that plea make it inconsistent with these to fore-ordain to life or death without the fore-sight of their carriage But shall they speak wickedly for God or will he accept their person He who looks into the secrets of their heart knows the rise and bottome of such defences and appologies for his Holinesse to be partly self-love partly narrow and limited thoughts of him drawing him down to the determination of his own greatest enemy carnall reason Since men will ascribe him no righteousnesse but such a one of their own shaping conformed to their own modell do they not indeed rob Him of His Holinesse and Righteousnesse I find two or three Objections which it may be reduced to this Head First it seems unrighteousnesse with God to predestinate men to eternal death with out their own evil deserving or any fore-thought of it that before any man had a being God should have been in his Counsel fitting so many to destruction Is it not a strange mocking of the creatures to punish them for that sin and corruption unto which by his eternal Counsel they were fore-ordained This is even that which Paul objects to himself is there unrighteousnesse with God Is it not unrighteousness to hate Esau before he deserves it Is he not unrighteous to adjudge him to death before he do evill vers 14. Let Paul answer for us God forbid VVhy there needs no more answer but all thoughs or words which may in the least reflect upon his holinesse are abomination though we could not tell how it is righteous and holy with him to do it yet this wee must hold that it is It is his own property to comprehend the reason of his Counsels it is our duty to believe what he reveals of them without further enquiry he tells us that this it is clearly in this Chapter this far then we must believe he tells us not how it is then further we should not desire to learn God in keeping silence of that may put us to silence make us conceive that there is a depth to be admired not sounded Yet he goeth a little further and indeed as high as can be to Gods will he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth now further he cannot go for there is nothing above this we may descend from this but we cannot ascend or rise above it But is this any answer to the Argument A Sophister could presse it further and take advantage from that very ground What is not this to establish a meer tyranny in the Lord that he doth all things of meer will and pleasure distributes rewards punishments without previous consideration of mens carriage But here we must stand and go no further than the Scriptures walks with us what ever reasons or causes may be assigned yet certainly we must at length come up thither All things are because he so willed and why he willed we should not ask a reason because his will is supream reason and the very self-rule of all Righteousness Therefore if once we know his will we should presently conclude that it is most righteous and holy If that evasion of the fore-knowledge of mens sins and impenitency had been found â—…id certainly Paul would have answered so not â—…ve had his refuge to the absolute will and pleasure â—…f God which seems to perplex it more but he knew well that there could nothing of that kind whether good or evill either actually be without his wil or be to come without the determination of the same will and so could not be foreseen without the Counsel of his will upon it and therefore it had been but a poor shiâ—… to have refuge to that starting hole of fore-knowledge out of which he must presently flee to the will pleasure of God so he betakes him straight way to that he must hold at and opposes that will to mans doings It is not of him that willeth c. If he had meant only that Iacob and Esau had actuallie done neither good nor evill he needed not return to the sanctuary of Gods will for still it might be said it is of him â—…hat runs and wills and not of Gods will as the first Original because their good and evill