the glory of Christ. We read in the holy story that God took of the spirit which was upon Moses and gave it unto the seventy Elders that they might bear the burden of the people with him and that hee might not bear it as before hee had done himself alone It may bee his burden being thus lightned the abilities that were left him for government were not altogether so great as the necessity of his former imployment required them to have been and in that regard vvhat vvas given to his assistants might perhaps bee said to bee taken from him But wee are sure the case was otherwise in him of whom now wee speak unto whom God did not thus give the Spirit by measure And therefore although so many millions of beleevers doe continually receive this supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ yet neither is that fountain any way exhausted nor the plenitude of that well-spring of grace any whit impaired or diminished it being Gods pleasure That in him should all fulnesse dwell and that of his fulnesse all wee should receive grace for grace That as in the naturall generation there is such a correspondence in all parts betwixt the begetter and the Infant begotten that there is no member to bee seen in the Father but there is the like answerably to bee found in the Childe although in a farre lesse proportion so it falleth out in this spirituall that for every grace which in a most eminent manner is found in Christ a like grace will appeare in Gods Childe although in a far inferiour degree similitudes and likenesses being defined by the Logicians to bee comparisons made in quality and not in quantity Wee are yet further to take it into our consideration that by thus enlivening and fashioning us according to his own image Christs purpose was not to raise a seed unto himself dispersedly and distractedly but to gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad yea and to bring all unto one head by himselfe both them which are in Heaven and them which are on the Earth That as in the Tabernacle the vail divided between the Holy place and the most Holy but the curtaines which covered them both were so coupled together with the taches that it might still bee one Tabernacle so the Church Militant and Triumphant typified thereby though distant as farre the one from the other as Heaven is from Earth yet is made but one Tabernacle in Jesus Christ In whom all the building fifty framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord and in whom all of us are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit The bond of this mysticall union betwixt Christ and us as elsewhere hath more fully been declared is on his part that quickning Spirit which being in him as the Head is from thence diffused to the spirituall animation of all his Members and on our part Faith which is the prime act of life wrought in those who are capable of understanding by that same Spirit Both whereof must bee acknowledged to bee of so high a nature that none could possibly by such ligatures knit up so admirable a body but hee that was God Almighty And therefore although wee did suppose such a man might bee found who should perform the Law for us suffer the death that was due to our offence and overcome it yea and whose obedience and sufferings should be of such value that it were sufficient for the redemption of the whole world yet could it not be efficient to make us live by faith unlesse that Man had been able to send Gods Spirit to apply the same unto us Which as no bare Man or any other Creature whasoever can doe so for Faith wee are taught by S. Paul that it is the operation of God and a work of his power even of that same power wherewith Christ himself was raised from the dead Which is the ground of that prayer of his that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned wee might know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power which hee wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principality and Power and Might and every Name that is named not onely in this World but also in that to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to bee head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Yet was it fit also that this Head should bee of the same nature with the Body which is knit unto it and therefore that hee should so bee God as that hee might partake of our Flesh likewise For wee are members of his body saith the same Apostle of his flesh and of his bones And except yee eate the flesh of the Son of man saith our Saviour himself and drink his blood yee have no life in you Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him Declaring thereby first that by this mysticall and supernaturall union wee are as truely conjoyned with him as the meate and drink wee take is with us when by the ordinary work of Nature it is converted into our own substance Secondly that this conjunction is immediately made with his humane nature Thirdly that the Lamb slaine that is Christ crucified hath by that death of his made his flesh broken and his blood powred out for us upon the Crosse to bee fit food for the spirituall nourishment of our soules and the very well-spring from whence by the power of his Godhead all life and grace is derived unto us Upon this ground it is that the Apostle telleth us that wee have boldnesse to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh That as in the Tabernacle there was no passing from the Holy to the most Holy place but by the vaile so now there is no passage to bee looked for from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant but by the flesh of him who hath said of himself I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by mee Jacob in his dream beheld a ladder set upon the Earth the top whereof reached to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending on it the Lord himself standing above it Of which vision none can give a better interpretation then hee who was prefigured therein gave unto Nathaniel Hereafter you shall see Heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Whence wee may well collect that the onely meanes whereby God standing
and night And thus for our main and principall debt of Obedience hath our Mediatour given satisfaction unto the Justice of his Father with good measure pressed down shaken together and running over But beside this we were lyable unto another debt which wee have incurred by our default and drawne upon our selves by way of forfeiture and nomine poenae For as Obedience is a due debt and Gods servants in regard thereof are truly debters so likewise is sinne a debt and sinners debters in regard of the penalty due for the default And as the payment of the debt which commeth nomine poenae dischargeth not the tenant afterwards from paying his yearly rent which of it self would have been due although no default had been committed so the due payment of the yearly rent after the default hath been made is no sufficient satisfaction for the penalty already incurred Therefore our surety who standeth chargeable with all our debts as he maketh payment for the one by his Active so must he make amends for the other by his Passive obedience he must first suffer and then enter into his glory For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect that is a perfect accomplisher of the worke which he had undertaken through sufferings The Godhead is of that infinite perfection that it cannot possibly be subject to any passion He therefore that had no other nature but the Godhead could not pay such a debt as this the discharge whereof consisted in suffering and dying It was also fit that Gods justice should have been satisfied in that nature which had transgressed and that the same nature should suffer the punishment that had committed the offence Forasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Such and so great was the love of God the Father toward us he spared not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all and so transcendent was the love of the Son of God toward the sons of men that he desired not to be spared but rather then they should lie under the power of death was of himself most willing to suffer death for them which seeing in that infinite nature which by eternall generation hee received from his Father he could not doe he resolved in the appointed time to take unto himselfe a Mother and out of her substance to have a body framed unto himself wherein he might become obedient unto death even the death of the crosse for our redemption And therefore when hee commeth into the world he saith unto his Father A body hast thou fitted me Lo I come to doe thy will O God By the which will saith the Apostle wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Thus we see it was necessary for the satisfaction of this debt that our Mediatour should be Man but he that had no more in him then a Man could never be able to goe through with so great a work For if there should be found a Man as righteous as Adam was at his first creation who would be content to suffer for the offence of others his suffering possibly might serve for the redemption of one soul it could be no sufficient ransome for those innumerable multitudes that were to be redeemed to God out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Neither could any Man or Angel be able to hold out if a punishment equivalent to the endlesse sufferings of all the sinners in the world should at once bee laid upon him Yea the very powers of Christ himself upon whom the spirit of might did rest were so shaken in this sharp encounter that he who was the most accomplisht pattern of all fortitude stood sore amazed and with strong crying and tears prayed that if it were possible the houre might passe from him This man therefore being to offer one sacrifice for sins for ever to the burning of that sacrifice he must not onely bring the coals of his love as strong as death and as ardent as the fire which hath a most vehement flame but he must add thereunto those everlasting burnings also even the flames of his most glorious Deity and therefore through the eternall Spirit must he offer himself without spot unto God that hereby he might obtain for us an eternall redemption The bloud whereby the Church is purchased must bee Gods own bloud and to that end must the Lord of glory be crucified the Prince and author of life be killed he whose eternall generation no man can declare be cut off out of the land of the living and the man that is Gods own fellow be thus smitten according to that vvhich God himselfe foretold by his Prophet Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered The people of Israel we read did so value the life of David their King that they counted him to be worth tenne thousand of themselves how shall we then value of Davids Lord who is the blessed and onely Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords It was indeed our nature that suffered but he that suffered in that nature is over all God blessed for ever and for such a Person to have suffered but one houre was more then if all other persons had suffered ten thousand millions of years But put case also that the life of any other singular man might be equivalent to all the lives of whole mankind yet the laying down of that life would not be sufficient to doe the deed unlesse he that had power to lay it down had power likewise to take it up again For to be detained always in that prison from whence there is no comming out before the payment of the uttermost farthing is to lie always under execution and to quit the plea of that full payment of the debt wherein our surety stood engaged for us And therefore the Apostle upon that ground doth rightly conclude that if Christ be not raised our faith is vaine we are yet in our sinnes and consequently that as he must be delivered to death for our offences so he must be raised again for our justification Yea our Saviour himself knowing full well what he was to undergoe for our sakes told us before-hand that the Comforter whom hee would send unto us should convince the world that is fully satisfie the consciences of the sons of men
every thought to the obedience of Christ. Where as wee must needs acknowledge that it is God which worketh in us both to will and to doe and that it is hee which sanctifyeth us wholly so are wee taught likewise to beleeve that both hee who sanctifyeth and they who are sanctifyed are all of one namely of one and the self-same nature that the sanctifyer might not bee ashamed to call those who are sanctifyed by him his brethren that as their nature was corrupted and their blood tainted in the first Adam so it might bee restored again in the second Adam and that as from the one a corrupt so from the other a pure and undefiled nature might bee transmitted unto the heires of salvation The same God that giveth grace is hee also that giveth glory yet so that the streams of both of them must run to us through the golden pipe of our Saviours humanity For since by man came death it was fit that by man also should come the resurrection of the dead Even by that man who hath said Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day Who then shall come to bee glorifyed in his Saints and to bee made marvellous in all them that beleeve and shall change this base body of ours that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious body according to the working whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe Unto him therefore that hath thus loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him bee glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen PHILIP 3. 8. I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSSE FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD FINIS 1 Pet. 1. 19. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Psalm 147. 5. Exod. 34. 6 7. 1 Joh. 5. 7. 1 Chron. 29. 11 12. Psal. 145. 10 11 12. Act. 17. 24. Gen. 1. 26 27. Psal. 103. 19. 66. 7. Jude ver 6. Rev. 12. 7. Gal. 3. 10. Gen. 2. 17. Eccl. 7. 31. Rom. 5. 12. 14. Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 28. 45. Mat. 1. 21 22 23. Gal. 4. 4 5. Phil. 2. 7 8 9. Heb. 5. 4 5. Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 10. 12. Luk. 4. 18 19. Isay 9. 6 7. Heb. 3. 1. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Heb. 12. 23. Cant. 2. 16. Joh. 17. 21 22 23 24. Rom. 3. 24 25 26. and 4. 6 7. Rom. 8. 15 16 17. 23 24 25. Eph. 1. 4. Col. 3. 9 10. 12. 14. Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. Exod. 20. 2 3. Exod. 20. 5 6. Exod. 20. 7. Exod. 20. 8 9 10 11. Exod. 20. 12. Exod. 20. 13. Exod. 20. 14. Exod. 20. 15. Exod. 20. 16. Exod. 20. Acts 26. 20. 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. Jer. 31. 18 19. Eph. 6. 10 11 12. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Gal. 6. 14. Rom. 8. 35 36 37. Gal. 5. 14. Col. 3. 5 6. Lev. 1. 74 75. Tit. 2. 11 12 13 14. Matth. 6. 6 7. Matth. 6. 9 10. Ver. 11. 12 13. Matth. 6. 13. Matth. 5. 16 17 18. Eph. 4. 28 29. Heb. 13. 16. Rom. 10. 14 15. Eph. 4. 11 12 13. Rom. 4. 11. Matth. 18. 15 16 17. Heb. 9. 1. 9 10. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. Joh. 1. 17. Heb. 12. 27 28. Matth. 28. 19. 1 Pet. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. 1 Tim. 4. 12 13. 2 Thes. 2. 3 4. Heb. 9. 27. 1 Thes. 4. 15 16 17. 1 Cor. 15. 51 52. Matth. 25. 34 35. All men desire eternall happinesse Religion the means to obtain happinesse No salvation but by the true Religion Diverse kindes of false Religion What Christian Religion is Of Catechising what it is Where to bee used and by whom The necessity of it a Eccles. 1. 2. True happines consisteth in God How we come to injoy God b Job 22. 21. c Joh. 17. 3. Gal. 4. 9. d Eccle. 12. 13. e 2 Cor. 5. 9. f 1 Sam. 2. 30. Means to know God By his Divine Works and holy Word Job 22. 20. Joh. 6. 68. Of the Divine Works of God Plato Galen Homer Virgil. Ovid. The uses of knowing God by his Works Of Gods holy Word the Scriptures How the Scriptures were delivered Revelations Oracles Visions What Scripture is That the Scriptures are the Word of God Reasons to prove God to be the Author of the holy Scriptures 1 Efficient Instrumentall 2 The simplicity and sincerity of the writers 3 The quality and condition of the Penmen of holy Scriptures 4 The heavenly matter of holy Scripture 5 The Doctrine of the Scriptures above humane capacity 6 The concord of the several writers one with another 7 The prophesies fulfilled in their due time 8 The Majesty and authority of the Scriptures 9 The motives used in them to perswade not reason but commands 10 The end and scope of the Scriptures which is Gods glory 11 Their admirable power 12 Their antiquity 13 The hatred of the Devill and wicked men against them 14 The preservation of the Scriptures 15 Their power to humble a man and raise him up again 1 Cor. 14. 25. 16 The consenant testimony of all men at all times 17 The known miracles done by the Writers of the Scriptures 18 The testimony of the Spirit in the hearts of men That the authority of the Scriptures doth not depend on the Church What are the books of holy Scriptures In what language the Old Testament was writen That the Scriptures of the Old Testament were first writen with vowels and pricks The books of Moses The books of the Prophets The Historicall books The Doctrinal books The Poeticall books The Prosaicall books The Apocryphall books The errors of the Apocryphal Books Of the books of the New Testament The properties of the holy Scriptures As 1 holy 2 Highest in authority 3. Sufficient in themselves That the Scriptures are a perfect rule for doctrine life and Salvation Objections against the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures answered Tim. Qu. An. Of the perspicuity of the holy Scriptures The Papists objections against the perspicuity of the Scriptures answered Ans. Why God hatâ— left some places of Scripture obscure Of the Translation of holy Scriptures An objection grounded on various readings answered Why the Scriptures must be expounded by the Scriptures The use of holy Scriptures Who must read the Scriptures That all must read the Scriptures proved The Papists objections against reading the Scriptures answered That there is a God Of the Nature of God Of Gods Essence The name of God Of the Properties or Attributes of God A description of God God a Spirit The perfection of God The felicity of God Of the simplenesse or singlenesse in God Gods infinitenesse Gods immensity or greatnesse Gods eternity The life of God Of the knowledge and wisdom of God Fore-knowledge and Counsell of God The Counsell of God Gods absolute wisdome and knowledge 1
mercy in God doth spring out of his free love towards us Why doe you say out of the free love of God are there more loves in God then one There are two kinds of love in God one is wherewith the Father loveth the Son and the Son the Father and which the holy Ghost beareth towards both the Father and the Son and this love I call the naturall love of God so that the one cannot but love the other but the love wherewith he loveth us is voluntary not being constrained thereunto and therefore is called the free love of God and thereof it commeth to passe that mercy is also wholly free that is without reward or hope of recompence and excludeth all merit How prove you that the mercy of God ariseth out of his love That the love of God is the cause of his mercy it is manifest in the Scriptures 1 Tim. 1. 2. Paul saluteth Timothy in this order Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ to shew that that peace which the world cannot give the mercy of God is the cause of it and the cause of his mercy is his grace and his grace is nothing else but his free favour and love towards us The same order doth Paul observe in Titus 3. 4 5. where he saith when the goodnesse and love of God our Saviour appeareth not by the works of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercy he saved us First he sets down the goodnesse of God as the cause of his love Secondly his love as the cause of his mercy And thirdly his mercy as the cause of our salvation and our salvation as the effect of all and therefore there is nothing in us which may move the Lord to shew mercy upon us but only because he is goodnesse it self by nature and to this doth the Psalmist bear witnesse Psal. 100. 5. saying that the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth is from generation to generation Towards whom is the mercy of God extended or shewed For the opening of this point we are to consider that the mercy of God is twofold First generall Secondly speciall God as a God doth shew mercy generally upon all his creatures being in misery and chiefly to men whether they be just or unjust Psal. 140. 147. and so doth succour them either immediately by himself or else mediately by creatures as by Angels or Men by the Heavens by the Elements and by other living creatures and this generall mercy of God is not extended to the eternall salvation of all but is only temporary and for a while Of this read Luk. 6. 36. What say you to the speciall mercy of God That I call the speciall mercy of God which God as a most free God hath shewed to whom he would and denyed to whom he would and this pertaineth only to the elect and those which fear him Psal. 103. 11. for he sheweth mercy upon them to their eternall salvation and that most constantly while he doth effectually call them unto himself while he doth freely and truly pardon their sins and justifie them in the bloud of the Lamb Jesus Christ while he doth sanctifie them with his grace and doth glorifie them in eternall life and of this speciall mercy we may read in Eph. 2. 4 5 6. How great is the mercy of God It is so great that it cannot be expressed nor conceived of us and that is proved by these Scriptures following Ps. 145. 9. James 2. 13. 1 Cor. 11. 32. Psal. 57 10. How long doth the mercy of God continue towards us Although the mercy of God be great and infinite in Christ yet for that mercy which pardoneth our sins and calleth us to faith and repentance by the Gospel there is no place after death but onely while we live in this world which is warranted by these places ensuing Gal. 6. 10. Let us doe good whilest we have time to shew that a time will come when we shall not be able to doe good Apoc. 7. 17. Be faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life to shew that the time which is given unto death is a time of repentance and of exercising of faith and of works but after death there is no time but to receive either an immortall Crown if we have been faithfull or everlasting shame if we have been unfaithfull Besides these see Apoc. 14. 13. Mark 9. 45. Esa. ult 24. Luk. 16. 24 25 26. Mat. 15. 11 12. John 9. 4. What uses may we make of Gods mercies First it serveth to humble us for the greater mercy is in God the greater misery is in us Secondly we must attribute our whole salvation unto his mercy Thirdly we must flee to God in all our troubles with most sure confidence Fourthly we must not abuse it to the liberty of the flesh to sin although we might find mercy with God after death for the mercy of God specially appertains to those that fear him Psal. 103. 11. Fiftly the meditation of Gods mercies towards us should make us to love God Psa. 116. 1. Luk. 7. 47. fear God Psa. 130. 4. praise God Ps. 86. 12 13. 103. 2 3 4. Sixtly it must make us mercifull one to another Luk. 6. 36. Matth. 18. 32 33. What is the justice of God It is an essentiall property in God whereby he is infinitely just in himself of himself for from by himself alone and none other Psalm 11. 7. What is the rule of this justice His own free will and nothing else for whatsoever he willeth is just and because he willeth it therefore it is just not because it is just therefore he willeth it Eph. 1. 11. Psal. 115. 3. Mat. 20. 15. which also may be applied to the other properties of God Explain this more particularly I say that God doth not always a thing because it is just but therefore any thing is just that is just because God will have it so and yet his will is joyned with his wisdome as for example Abraham did judge it a most just and righteous thing to kill his innocent son not by the law for that did forbid him but only because he did understand it was the speciall will of God and he knew that the will of God was not only just but also the rule of all righteousnesse That wee may the better understand this attribute declare unto mee how many manner of wayes one may be just or righteous Three manner of ways either by nature or by grace or by perfect obedience How many ways may one be just by nature Two ways First by himself and of himself in his own essence and beeing thus we say that in respect of this essentiall righteousnesse there is none just but God onely as Christ saith none is good but God only Secondly derivatively by the benefit of another to be either made righteous or born just and in
wombe of a Virgin without the help of man by the immediate power and operation of the holy Ghost forming him of the onely substance of the woman and perfectly sanctifying that substance in the Conception Luk. 1. 34 35. 42. So was hee borne holy and without sinne whereunto all other men by nature are subject VVhy was it necessary that Christ should bee conceived without sinne First because otherwise the God-head and Man-hood could not be joyned together for God can have no communion with sinne much lesse bee united unto it which is sinfull in a personall union Secondly being our Priest he must be holy harmlesse undefiled and perfectly just without exception Heb. 7. 26. 1 Joh. 3. 5. For if he had been a sinner himselfe he could not have satisfied for the sinnes of other men neither could it be that an unholy thing could make us holy VVhat fruit then and benefit have we by his originall righteousnesse First his pure Conception is imputed unto us and the corrupruption of our nature covered from Gods eyes whiles his righteousnesse as a garment is put upon us Secondly our originall sinne is hereby dayly diminished and fretted away and the contrary holinesse increased in us VVhat is his actuall holinesse That absolute obedience whereby he fulfilled in act every branch of the Law of God walking in all the Commandements and perfectly performing both in thought word and deed whatsoever the Law of God did command and failing in no duties either in the worship and service of God or duty towards men Matth. 3. 15. Rom. 5. 18. 4. 8. VVhat benefit have we hereby 1. All our actuall sins are covered while we are cloathed by faith with his actuall holinesse 2. We are enabled by him dayly to dye unto sinne and more and more to live unto righteousnesse of life But receive we no more by Christ then those blessings which we lost in Adam Yes we receive an high degree of felicity by the second Adam more then we lost by the first Rom. 5. 1. for being by faith incorporated into him and by communication of his Spirit unseparably knit unto him we become the children and heires of God and fellow-heires with Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 6 7. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Rom. 8. 9 10. who carrieth us as our head unto the highest degree of happinesse in the Kingdome of heaven where we shall lead not a naturall life as Adam did in Paradise with meat drink and sleep but a spirituall life in all unspeakeable manner and glory There remaineth yet the second part of Christs Priesthood namely his Intercession what is that It is that work whereby he alone doth continually appeare before his Father in heaven to make request for his elect in his own worthinesse making the faithfull and all their prayers acceptable unto him by applying the merits of his own perfect satisfaction unto them and taking away all the pollution that cleaveth to their good works by the merits of his passion Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 9. 24. 12. 24. 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Exod. 28. 36 37 38. In how many things doth his intercession consist In five 1. In making continuall request in our name unto God the Father by the vertue of his own merits Secondly in freeing us from the accusations of our adversaries Thirdly in teaching us by his Spirit to pray and send up supplications for our selves and others Fourthly in presenting our prayers unto God and making them acceptable in his sight Fifthly in covering our sins from the sight of God by applying unto us the vertue of his mediation What fruit then have we by his intercession 1. It doth reconcile us to the Father for those sins which we doe dayly commit 2. Being reconciled in him we may pray to God with boldnesse and call him Father 3. Through the intercession of our Saviour Christ our good works are of accompt before God How are we made Priests unto God by our communion with Christ Being sanctified by him and our persons received into favour Ephes. 1. 6. we have freedome and boldnesse to draw neare and offer our selves soules and bodies and all that we have as a reasonable sacrifice to God the Father and so we are admitted as a spirituall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 5. to offer up the sacrifices of our obedience prayers and thanksgiving which howsoever imperfect in themselves Esa. 64. 6. and deserving rather punishment then reward Psalm 143. 2. Tit. 3. 5. are yet as our persons made acceptable unto God and have promise of reward Matth. 10. 41 42. by the onely merit and intercession of the same our high Priest So much of our Saviours Priestly-office which is exercised in things concerning God how doth he exercise his office in things concerning man By communicating unto man that grace and redemption which he hath purchased from his Father Rom. 5. 15. 17. 19 Joh. 5. 21. 17. 2. 6. Luk. 4. 18 19. What parts of his office doth he exercise therein His Propheticall and Kingly office Acts 3. 22 23. Psal. 2. 6 7 8. What is this Propheticall office The office of instructing his Church by revealing unto it the way and meanes of salvation and declaring the whole will of his Father unto us in which respect he was he is and ever shall be our Prophet Doctor or Apostle Esa. 61. 3 4. Psal. 2. 6. 7. Luk. 4. 18. Mat. 17. 5. 23. 8 9 10. Heb. 3. 1 2. For what reasons must Christ be a Prophet First to reveale and deliver unto his people so much of the will of God as is needfull for their salvation Secondly to open and expound the same being delivered Thirdly to make them understand and beleeve the same Fourthly to purge his Church from errors Fifthly to place Ministers in his Church to teach his people In what respect doe you say that he is the onely teacher of his Church 1. In that he only knowing the Fathers as his Sonne hath the prerogative to reveale him of himselfe and others by him to us for no man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reveale him Mat. 11. 27. 2. In that he is onely able to cause our hearts to beleeve and understand the matter he doth teach and reveale What were then the Prophets and Apostles They were his Disciples and servants and spake by his Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 3. 19. Nehemiah 9. 30. Eph. 2. 17. What difference is there between the teaching of Christ and of the Prophets and Ministers sent from him 1. Christ taught with another authority then did ever any other Minister before or after him Mat. 5. 22. 28. 32. 34. 44. 7. 28 29. Mark 1. 22. 2. By vertue of his Propheticall office he did not only bring an outward sound unto the eare but wrought as he did before his comming and as he doth now by the ministery of his word an alteration of the mind so farre as
that concerne himselfe 1. Friends and Neighbours should see that his body be honestly buried and Funerals decently performed Gen. 23. 4 19. 25. 9. 1 Sam. 25. 1. Psal. 79. 3. Rom. 11. 9. 2. Moderate mourning is to be used for him Eccles. 12. 7. 1 Thes. 4. 13. 3. We are to report well of him as he hath deserved 4. We are to judge the best of him What is that which concerneth those that belong to him To provide for his wife children and posterity that he may live in them Ruth 2. 20. 2 Sam. 9. 7. So much of the respect which we owe unto our Neighbours Is it not required also that we should shew mercifulnesse unto our beasts Yes A righteous man is to regard the life of his beast Prov. 12. 10. and all hard usage of the creatures of God is forbidden Deut. 22. 6 7. and 25. 4. yet not so much in regard of them 1 Cor. 9. 9 10. as that thereby the Lord would traine us forward to shew mercy to our Neighbour For it being unlawfull to use the dumbe creatures cruelly it is much more unlawfull to use men so What are the breakers of this Commandement to expect The Apostle Iames teacheth that when he saith Iudgement without mercy shall be upon those that are mercilesse Iames 2. 13. Of how many sorts are those judgements They either concerne this life or that which is to come What be those that concerne this life 1. Severe punishments by the Law are to be inflicted upon the body as limbe for limbe eye for eye hand for hand tooth for tooth wound for wound bloud for bloud life for life Exod. 21. 23. Iudg. 1. 5 6 7. although it were a beast if it were knowne to be a striker Exodus 21. 28. 2. Short life Psal. 55. 23. bloud-thirsty men that live not out halfe their dayes 3. Magistrates that should punish murtherers if they spare them their lives are in danger to goe for the offender as Achabs did for Benhadads 1 Kings 20. 42. David was exceedingly punished for sparing bloud-thirsty men such as was his son Absalom and not punishing them 2 Sam. 13. 28 29. 14. 33. 16. 11. 4. God threatneth that hee will not onely revenge the bloud of the slaine upon the murtherer himselfe but also upon his issue and posterity in unrecoverable diseases 2 Sam. 3. 29. What is the punishment that concerneth the life to come 1. That their prayers are not heard Esay 1. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 8. 2. Everlasting death both of body and soule in the bottomlesse pit of Hell and as the degrees of sinne are so shall the punishment be What meanes are we to use for furthering us to the obedience of this Commandement It behoveth us to consider that first all men are made in the Image of God Gen. 9. 6. and of one bloud with us Acts 17. 26. and all Christians in the Image of Christ also in whom we are all one body 1 Cor. 12. 17. 2. God hath appointed the Magistrate also to punish proportionably every offender in this kinde Gen. 9. 6. Lev. 24. 20 21. Yea himselfe also extraordinarily bringing murtherers to light and punishment Gen. 4. 9. Prov. 28. 17. Acts 28. 4. VVhat must we avoyd as hindrances to the obedience of this Commandement 1. The false opinion of the world in placing manhood in revenge aud bloud-shed Gen. 4. 23 24. 2. The company of furious and unmercifull men Proverbs 22. 24 25. 3. Greedy desire of gaine Prov. 1. 19. Mic. 3. 3. 4. Pride Prov. 13. 10. 5. Riot and drunkennesse Prov. 23. 29. Hitherto of the generall duties that belong to the person of man contained in the sixt Commandement what followeth The duties which we owe to man in regard of the things which belong unto him the first whereof concerneth those that bee most deare unto him namely his family and his wife especially who is nearest unto him and as himselfe being one flesh with him In respect whereof temperance and chastity is required in the next Commandement What are the words of the seventh Commandement Thou shalt not commit Adultery Exod. 20. 14. What is comprehended under this name of Adultery All sins of that sort committed either in the body or in the mind of persons whether married or unmarried are signified by this name to signifie the vilenesse of the breach of this Commandement What then is the meaning and scope of this Commandement That all uncleannesse and impurity be avoided and chastity by all meanes preserved 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 5. What is here forbidden All impurity uncleannes together with all means and provocations to lust What is here required All purity honest behaviour continent and chaste usage towards our selves and towards our Neighbours 1 Thes. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 34. What are the speciall breaches of this Commandement They are either inward or outward What is the inward The unchastity and dishonesty of the mind with all filthy imaginations and inordinate lusts Mat. 5. 28. Col. 3. 5. What are the speciall branches of this inward impurity 1. The desire of strange flesh with resolution to have it if he could Col. 3. 5. 1 Thes. 4. 5. For to lust after a strange woman with consent of heart is forbidden in this Mat. 5. 28. as lust without consent is in the last Commandement Not that the bare affection is of it selfe a sin being rightly directed to a true and good object but the abuse of the affection the right subject manner and measure being not observed 2. Inward boiling and burning in affection whereby godly motions as with a fire are burnt up and a mans mind is so carried away that he is hindered in all other things belonging to his Calling This is an high degree of corruption which if it be not restrained will breake forth into further mischief Jam. 1. 15. And therfore we are earnestly to pray to God against it if we can no otherwise prevaile we must use the remedy of Marriage prescribed by God himselfe For it is better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7. 9. 3. Evill thoughts and cogitations in the mind arising from foolish and vaine talke but first and principally from our owne concupiscence when a man suffers as it were his soule to be trampled under foot with impure imaginations Jam. 1. 14 15. 4. Iealousie in the mind betwixt two persons upon no just occasion or good ground which is contrary to that entire love and affection which a man should have towards his wife Numb 5. What is the inward vertue here commended The virginity and constancy of the mind and the chastity and purity of the heart 1 Cor. 7. 34. 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. 5. 23. What is the outward breach of this Commandement Such uncleannes as being once seated in the mind after sheweth it selfe outwardly Wherein doth it shew it selfe Either in things that belong to the body
cases be performed There must be 1. A serious search and enquiry after all sins Lam. 3 40. as Traitors against God but especially speciall sins Ier. 8. 6. Psal. 18. 23. as the Arch-rebels 2. Humble confession of Sins 1. Of necessity unto God with shame of face and true sorrow of heart Prov. 28. 13. Ier. 31. 18 19. 2. Vnto men conditionally Luk 17. 9. viz. if either 1. The Church for satisfaction of the publike offence do enjoyne open acknowledgment 2 Cor. 2. 6. Or 2. Some personall wrong dedemand private reconciliation Luk. 17. 4. Or 3. The weaknesse of the labouring Conscience do require the secret assistance of a faithfull and able Minister or brother Iames 5. 16. 3. Fervent and faithfull prayer Psal. 51. 1 2 c. to God in Christ both for pardon of what is past verse 7. and for supply of renewing grace for the time to come verse 10. 4. Promise of amendment and satisfaction to such as we have endammaged Seeing many doe falsly pretend that they repent how may we know that our repentance is true A true triall of ununfained repentance may be taken 1. From the generality of it viz. if it extend to the abhorring and shunning of all sins Psal. 119. 128 139 24. and to the love and practice of all duties without reservation Psal. 119. 6. 2. From the thorow performance of each part viz. 1. Hatred of sin in spirituall warfare against it and that even unto blood if need be Heb. 12. 4. 2. Of the love of righteousnesse in bringing forth fruit worthy amendment of life Matth. 3. 8. to wit good works What is the spirituall warfare The daily exercise of our spirituall strength and armour against our adversary with assured confidence of victory for the state of the faithfull in this life is such that they are sure in Christ and yet fight against sin there being joyned with repentance a continuall fighting and strugling against the assaults of a mans owne flesh against the motions of the Devill and enticements of the world How shall we overcome these enemies By a lively faith in Christ Iesus What is then our principall strength The powerfull assistance of God in Christ Ephes. 5. 10. who hath loved us whereby we become more then conquerous Rom. 8. 37. What is our spirituall Armour The compleat furniture of saving and sanctifying graces called therefore the Armor of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 6. 7. and the Panoplie or the whole armor of God Eph. 5. 11 14 c. viz. 1. The girdle of verity and sincerity 2. The breastplate of righteousnesse that is holinesse of life and good conscience 3. The shooes of the preparation or resolution to goe through with the profession of the Gospell of peace 4. The shield of Faith 5. The helmet of the hope of salvation 6. The sword of the Spirit which is the sound knowledge and wise application of the Word of God 7. Finally continuall and instant prayer in the spirit Who are the Adversaries in the spirituall conflict They are either our friends proving us or our enemies seducing and endangering us Who is that friend of ours for our probation who entreth into conflict with us God himselfe who though he tempt no man unto evill no more then he can himselfe be tempted Iam. 1. 13. yet as a Master of defence enureth us to conflict by contending with us even in his owne person viz. sometimes by probatory commandements Gen. 22. 1. or sensible apparitions Gen. 32. 24. but more ordinarily by striking our hearts with his terrors Job 6. 4. withdrawing the comfort of his gracious presence Psal. 77. 7. leaving us for a time to our selves 2 Chron. 32. 31. that by our fals we may acknowledge our weaknesse Finally exercising us under the crosse and yoke of outward afflictions Heb. 12. 5 6. Rev. 3. 19. How must we contend with God No otherwise then Iacob Hos. 12. 3 4. and other holy men have done that is by obedience humility patience and fervent prayer unto God who only inableth us to previle with himselfe giving us the blessing and name of Israel Gen. 32. 28. What are those enemies of ours that seeke to seduce and indanger us Whatsoever marcheth under the banner of Satan the god and prince of the darknesse of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 6. 12. who sometimes immediately assaileth us with impious and odious suggestions 2 Cor. 12. 7. Zach. 3. 1. But more usually imployeth his forces or attendants namely the world 1 Iohn 2. 15. and the flesh Gal. 5. 24. So that the faithfull in this life have battell both without by the temptations of Satan and the world and within by the battell of the flesh against the spirit How doe these enemies fight against our soules By imploying all force and fraud to draw us by sin from the obedience and favour of God unto damnation 1 Iohn 2. 15. What must we doe being thus assaulted We must stand fast being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and taking unto us the whole armour of God Eph. 6. 13 14. that we may be able to resist in the evill daye and to lead captivity captive How shall we overcome By a lively faith in Iesus Christ. To come then to these enemies in particular What call you Satan The adversary or enemy of God and his people How may we be able to stand against his assaults First we must labour to informe our selves that we may not be ignorant of his enterprises or stratagems 2 Cor. 2. 11. Secondly we must boldly resist Iam. 4. 7. 1. Pet. 5. 9. that is give no place or ground unto him Ephes. 4. 27. or admit no conference with him but rather neglect and despise his suggestions Thirdly we must take the shield of faith in Christ and his assistance setting him on our right hand who is mighty to save Psal. 16. 8. Isa. 63 1. whereby we may quech all the fiery darts of the wicked one Eph. 6. 16. Forthly we must brandish against him the sword of the Spirit that is the word of God Eph. 6. 17. after the example of our Saviour Mat. 4 4. c. keeping our selves to that only which God revealeth to us and requireth of us What is the first assault of Satan against us By subtilty he allureth us to sin and therefore he is called a Tempter and a Serpent How shall we overcome him in these temptations First by faith in Iesus Christ who overcame all Satans temptations in his owne person that so we might overcome him Secondly by resisting the inward motions and outward occasions of sin How shall we doe that By beleeving that we are baptized into the death and Resurrection of Christ. What is the second assault of Satan against us He layeth fearfully to our charge our sins committed and therefore he is called the Devill and accuser How shall we overcome him in these accusations First by faith in Iesus Christ who hath
for the cleansing of it Thus much of the Sacramentall element and Sacramentall actions which are the outward part of baptism What now is the inward part Those spirituall things which are signified and represented and exhibited in and by the outward element and actions as the water signifies the blood of Christ the Ministers consecrating the water signifies God the Fathers setting apart his Son for the expiation of the sins of the world by his blood the Ministers applying the water to the body of the baptized to cleanse it signifieth Gods applying the blood of his Son to cleanse the soule for justification and remission of sins and not onely to signifie but to seale up unto the beleever that the inward part is effected as well as the outward How come these visible things to signifie such invisible mysteries First there is a naturall fitnesse and aptnesse in the outward things to expresse the inward as for water to bee a resemblance of the blood of Christ thus they agree First water is a necessary element the naturall life of man cannot be without it and the blood of Christ is as necessary to his spiritual life Secondly water is a comfortable element as the Hart panteth after the water brooks Psal. 42. 1. The thirst of the body cannot bee quenched but by water hence the heighth of misery is described by a barren and dry ground where no water is Psal. 63. 1. so the thirst of the soule cannot bee quenched but by the blood of Christ Joh. 4. 13. Thirdly water is a free element as it is necessary usefull and comfortable so it is cheap and easie to come by without cost so is the blood of Christ Esa. 55. 1. Hoe hee that thirsteth come and drink freely Fourthly water is a common element none are barred from it any may go to the river and drink and the blood of Christ is offered as generally to all rich and poore high and low bond and free every one may lay claim unto him come have interest in him Joh. 1. 12. Who ever receiveth him who ever beleeveth the proposall is without restraint none can say I am shut out or excepted Fifthly water is a copious and plentifull element there is no lesse in the river for thy drinking of it there is enough for all men so is the blood of Christ all-sufficient it can never bee drawn dry of his fulnesse wee may all receive and yet hee bee never the more empty hence the Scripture speaks of plenteous redemption Sixthly lastly and especially water is a cleansing and a purifying element and it resembles the blood of Christ fitly in that for 1 Joh. 1. 7. The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin And here we may also observe the symbolicalnesse betwen the Sacramentall action of washing and the inward grace signified First nothing is washed but that which is unclean even so the Sacramentall washing implies our naturall pollution whosoever submits to this Sacrament of Baptism doth by so doing acknowledge himself to bee defiled whoever brings a childe to bee baptized doth by so doing make confession of originall corruption and sinfulnesse as Johns hearers were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins Mat. 3. 6. Secondly as the applying of the water to the body washeth and cleanseth so it is with the blood of Christ it cleanseth not the soule but by being applyed to it in the merit and efficacy of it by the sanctifying Spirit of which the outward ministeriall washing is a sign and seale 1 Cor. 6. 11. What is there besides the naturall fitnesse of the outward things to expresse the inward 2. There is also considerable Gods divine institution ordaining and appointing these things to typifie to the soule Christ crucified in his cleansing quality for otherwise though there were never such aptnesse in the creature yet it hath nothing to do to meddle with a Sacrament unlesse the Lord do specially appropriate it to serve for such a purpose and then with Gods institution there goeth a blessing and a speciall vertue and power attends on a divine Ordinance that which makes the outward signs significant is Gods Word and appointment But is Christ and the cleansing power of his bloud only barely signified in the Sacrament of Baptisme Nay more the inward things are really exhibited to the beleever as well as the outward there is that sacramentall union between them that the one is conveyed and sealed up by the other hence are those phrases of being born again of water and of the holy Ghost Joh. 3. 5. of cleansing by the washing of water Eph. 5. 26. so arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins Acts 22. 16. so Rom. 6. 3. we are buried with Christ by baptisme c. the Sacraments being rightly received doe effect that which they doe represent Are all they then that are partakers of the outward washing of baptisme partakers also of the inward washing of the Spirit Doth this Sacrament seal up their spirituall ingraffing into Christ to all who externally receive it Surely no though God hath ordained these outward means for the conveyance of the inward grace to our souls yet there is no necessity that we should tie the working of Gods Spirit to the Sacraments more then to the Word the promises of salvation Christ and all his benefits are preached and offered to all in the ministery of the Word yet all hearers have not them conveyed to their souls by the Spirit but those whom God hath ordained to life so in the Sacraments the outward elements are dispensed to al who make an outward profession of the Gospel for in infants their being born in the bosome of the Church is in stead of an outward profession because man is not able to distinguish corn from chaffe but the inward grace of the Sacrament is not communicated to all but to those onely who are heirs of those promises whereof the Sacraments are seals for without a man have his name in the Covenant the seal set to it confirms nothing to him What is the advantage then or benefit of baptisme to a common Christian The same as was the benefit of Circumcision to the Jew outward Rom. 2. 28. Rom. 3. 1 2. there is a generall grace of Baptisme which all the baptized partake of as a common favour and that is their admission into the visible body of the Church their matriculation and outward incorporating into the number of the worshippers of God by externall communion and so as Circumcision was not onely a seal of the righteousnesse which is by faith but as an overplus God appointed it to be like a wall of separation between Jew and Gentile so is Baptisme a badge of an outward member of the Church a distinction from the common rout of Heathen and God thereby seals a right upon the party baptized to his ordinances that he may use them as his priviledges and wait for an inward blessing by them yet
the bloud of Christ himselfe Thus much of the matter of this Sacrament wherein consisteth the forme thereof Partly in the outward actions both of the Minister and of the receiver partly in the inward and spirituall things signified thereby these outward actions being a second seale set by the Lords owne hand unto his covenant What be the Sacramentall actions of the Minister in the Lords Supper Foure First to take the bread and wine into his hand and to separate it from ordinarie bread and wine What doth this signifie That God in his eternall decree hath separated Christ from all other men to be our Mediator and that he was set apart to that office and separated from sinners Exod. 12. 5. Heb. 7. 26. What is the second To blesse and consecrate the bread and wine by the Word and Prayer What doth that signifie That God in his due time sent Christ into the world and sanctified him furnishing him with all gifts needfull for a Mediator How are the Bread and Wine to be blessed and consecrated By doing that which at the first institution Christ did What is that 1. He declared the Doctrine of the mystery of the Sacrament unto his Apostles which received it by teaching the truth of that which these outward signes did signifie 2. He thanked his heavenly Father for that he had so loved the world that he gave him which was his only Son to die for it through the breaking of his most holy Body and the shedding his most precious bloud Also he gave him thanks for that he had ordained these outward elements to seale our spirituall nourishment in Christ. 3. By a trope of the chiefe part of Prayer which is Thanksgiving for the whole the Evangelist giveth to understand that our Saviour Christ sued to God his heavenly Father that his death in it selfe sufficient to save might by the working of his holy Spirit be effectuall to the elect and that those outward signes of bread and wine might through the operation of his holy Spirit be effectuall to the purposes they were ordained unto How shall it be knowne that he gave thanks and prayed for these things seeing there is no mention of these things in the Evangelists 1. The very matter it selfe that is handled doth guide us to the knowledge of these things 2. The like manner of speech in other places of Scripture where there being no mention what words he used yet must needs be granted that he gave thanks and prayed proportionably to the prayer and thanks here used For taking the Barley loaves and Fishes and giving thanks what can be understood but that he giving thanks to God that had given those creatures for their bodily nourishment prayed that he would blesse them and make them effectuall to that purpose and end Mat. 14. 14. and 15. 36. John 6. 11. And as it is not lawfull to eat and drinke the common meat and drinke without such prayer and thanksgiving so is it not lawfull to communicate these elements without thanksgiving and prayer So much for the second Action which the Minister indeed performeth with the Communicants but yet as chiefe in the action What is the third To breake the Bread and poure out the Wine What doth it signifie The passion and sufferings of Christ with all the torments he endured for our sins both in body and soule his blessed body being bruised and crucified his precious bloud shed trickling and streaming downe from him to all parts of the ground and his righteous soule powred out unto death Isa. 53. 5. 10. 12. Heb. 9. 14. That Christ himselfe of his owne accord offered his body to be broken and his bloud to be shed upon the Crosse And that as the Bread nourisheth not if it remaine whole and unbroken so there is no life for us in Christ but in as much as he died What is the fourth To give and distribute the Bread and VVine to the Receiver What doth that signifie That God giveth Christ and Christ himselfe to us That Christ Iesus with all his merits is offered to all sorts of Receivers and that God hath given him to the faithfull Receivers to feed their soules unto eternall life John 3. 14 15. 6. 50 51. What be the Sacramentall Actions of the Receivers They be two First to take the bread and wine offered by the Minister What doth that signifie The receiving of Christ into our soules with all his benefits by faith That they and only they have benefit by Christ crucified which thus apply Christ to themselves by a true and lively faith John 1. 12. What is the second To eat the bread and drinke the wine receiving them into the body and digesting them 1 Cor. 11. 26. VVhat doth that signifie Our uniting to Christ and enjoying of him that we must with delight apply Christ and his merits to all the necessities of our soules spiritually feeding upon him and groaning by him For the eating of the bread to strengthen our nature betokeneth the inward strengthening of our soules by grace through the merit of the breaking of Christs body for us and the drinking of the wine to cherish our bodies betokens that the bloud of Christ shed upon the Crosse and as it were drunke by faith cherisheth our soules And as God doth blesse these outward elements to preserve and strengthen the body of the receiver so Christ apprehended and received by faith doth nourish him and preserve both body and soule unto eternall life John 6. 50 51. 1 Cor. 10. 3. 11. 16 17. Is Christs body and bloud together with the outward elements received of all Communicants No for howsoever they be offered by God to all Matth. 26. 26. yet are they received by such alone as have the hand of faith to lay hold on Christ and these with the bread and wine doe spiritually receive Christ with all his saving graces As for the wicked and those that come without faith they receive onely the outward elements 1 Cor. 11. 27. and withall judgement and condemnation to themselves verse 29. So much for the matter and forme Shew now the speciall ends and uses for which the Lords Supper was ordained 1. To call to minde and renew the memory and vertue of Christs death 1 Cor. 11. 24. 2. To encrease our faith begotten by the Word preached and to confirme unto us our nourishment onely thereby by the means of Christs death 3. To encrease our love 4. To encrease our joy in the holy Ghost our peace of conscience our hope of eternall life and all other graces of God in us 5. To stirre us up with greater boldnesse to professe Christ then heretofore we had done 6. To quicken our hearts to all holy duties 7. To shew our thankfulnesse to God for his mercie bestowed upon us in Christ. 8. To make a difference betwixt our selves and the enemies of Christ. 9. To knit us more neere in good will one to