praise and the glory of his happy change saying Not unto us not unto us but unto thy name be the praise and the glory of this great work Quest. Doth Regeneration admit any degrees Answ. Yes verily For Regeneration may be considered in the beginning and progress of it or in the consummation and perfection of it It is begun and increaseth in this life it is consummate and perfect in the life to come In this life there is spirit mixed with flesh that is grace with some corruption of nature as is evident by the Apostles complaint in these words When I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my mâ—mbers So that sin and corruption doth remain in all the regenerate as long as their souls remain in their mortal bodies it remains though it doth not raign in them It is in this life cast down but not cast out And this God in great wisdom is pleased to permit to keep us humble and low in our selves and to drive us unto Jesus Christ that as long as this flux of blood runneth we should alwayes be desirous to touch at least the hem of his garment But at death that corruption will be utterly consumed and body and soul clean freed from it insomuch as at the resurrection when body and soul shall be again united the regeneration begun in this World will be manifested to be most perfect Whereas in this life the most regenerate are imperfect through the Reliques of sin and remainder of corruption which will abide in them so long as they abide and continue in this World Now seeing the work of Regeneration is imperfect in the very best here in this life and that there remains flesh and corruption in them so long as they remain in this World Do not thou look too high I mean after a greater measure and degree of grace than here is to be had Many there are who being regenerate by the spirit of God and so brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace presently look for a freedom from all sin and corruption which because they find working and stirring in them thereupon question the work of Regeneration and truth of grace in their souls But let such know that they look for more than here is to be found or than God expects from them For God doth not expect or require of us here freedom from sin and corruption but that we should endeavour to subdue and mortifie it more and more according to the measure of grace and strength which we have received from him He doth not require of us that we be without sin but that sin do not rule nor raign in our mortal bodies according to that of the Apostle Let not sin raign in your mortal bodies Neither doth the Lord require of us exact and perfect righteousness which is impossible to our corrupt nature but only that we strive and labour after it that we sincerely endeavour to serve him after the directions of his Word And that for our failings and imperfections we do in an humble confession bewail the same and then beg the pardon and forgiveness of them in and through the merits of Jesus Christ. And this God will accept of for he esteemeth more of our affections than of our actions and accepteth the will for the deed according to that of the Apostle If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not CHAP. IV. Of the Parts of Regeneration and Causes concurring thereunto HAving shewed you what regeneration is and how it doth admit degrees I shall shew you the Parts of Regeneration which are two 1. Mortification 2. Vivification Mortification is implyed under the phrases of casting off and crucifying the old man and destroying the body of sin This is a duty expresly enjoyned in these words mortifie your members which are upon the earth By members on the earth he meaneth all sorts of lusts and sins whereunto a natural man is given as is evident by the particular instances which he himself reckoneth up in the words following as fornication uncleanness c. These must be mortified that is put to death It is not enough to curb and hold in sin but the life of it must be let out And indeed it is not possible to put on the new man till the old man be cast off Therefore there is a necessity of mortification first before vivification For the bringing in of one form presupposeth the putting out or destroying of the other Wherefore after Mortification followeth Vivification 2. Vivification is the begetting of the life of grace in us whence we live in holiness and righteousness It is set forth in Scripture by Gods quickning us and by our walking in newness of life Vivification then implyeth a new spiritual life which God by his spirit worketh in us which is clean contrary to our former natural corrupt course of life For the effects of this life are holiness and righteousness and all manner of good works Now it is absolutely necessary that this part of regeneration namely Vivification be added to Mortification which is the other part even as necessary as that Christ being dead should be raised Where had been the benefit of Christs death if he had not risen from the dead And what can be imagined to be the profit of mortification without vivification It is therefore the accustomed course of Sacred Scripture to infer the following of holiness upon the flying of sin the doing of good upon eschewing of evil Now the things which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Let us therefore prove our regeneration not only by ceasing from sin but following holiness and working righteousness Content not thy self to say I am not what I was unless thou canst also add I am what I was not It will be but little boot to thee to say I am no drunkard nor swearer nor covetous nor a walker after the flesh unless thou canst also say By the grace of God I now walk after the spirit in faith and love and holy obedience watchfull unto and endeavouring after a fruitfulness in every good work Thou art not unjust thou sayest but doest thou shew mercy Thou art no longer earthly but art thou heavenly minded Thou art no longer contentious or quarrelsome but art thou a peace-maker Thou hast no longer fellowship with the ungodly but art thou a familiar of the Saints Thou wilt not now curse or swear or lye or scoff but dost thou pray and bless Dost thou hear and read and meditate on God Dost thou study thine heart and govern thy thoughts and affections Dost thou bridle thy tongue set a watch
pains and endeavours I beseech thee to help me to labour in the work of the Lord and to crown my pains and endeavours with a blessing from Heaven Make me more spiritual in Worldly businesses and less wordly in spiritual businesses Be pleased to put good meditations into my mind and holy desires into my heart Let no corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth but such as may administer grace to the hearers Help me to redeem time let me not lose one day more set me presently to work out my salvation with fear and trembling let me choose the good part and make sure for eternity let me never venture my soul on false and deceitfull hopes but let me make sure Good Lord let me not be deceived and found an hypocrite at last but let me be sound in the faith that I may have rejoycing before thee in the great day Neither pray I for my self alone but for thy whole Church wheresoever dispersed or howsoever distressed upon the face of the whole earth In special I pray thee to bless this Land and Nation with all blessings both temporal and spiritual And herein our Soveraign Lord and King make him an instrument of bringing much glory to thy namâ— and much good to thy Church and people Bless him in his Relations Counsels and Forces Bless the Magistrates and Ministers with the whole people of this Land the afflicted members of Jesus Christ let thy mercies be suitable to their several needs and necessities Vouchsafe to every one of us grace to live in thy fear to dye in thy favour and to raign with thee Eternally in Heaven And now O Lord in the name of Jesus Christ I bless and praise thy glorious Majesty for all those manifold favours thou hast in a plentiful manner conferred on my soul and body for my preservation as from manifold dangers whereunto I was subject so from many sins wherinto the corruption of my flesh and the perswasion of the Devâ—l would have thrown me headlong Blessed be thy name for thy good providence over me through the whole course of my life thou hast been my God from my Mothers womb supplyed me with all needfull good things But above all blessed be thy name for that foundation of all other mercies thy dearly beloved Son for those great things he hath done and suffered for me and those many good things whereof in and through him I have hope or am made partaker Lord pardon the manifold weaknesses and imperfections which have accompanied this holy service in and through thy beloved Jesus Christ. To whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit I do from my heart render all praise and glory both now and evermore Amen FINIS THE PRINCIPLES OF Christian Religion Explained to the Capacity of the Meanest By T.G. Minister of the Gospel John 17.3 This is life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright at the Globe in Little-Brittain 1668. THE PRINCIPLES OF Christian Religion EXPLAINED Quest. WHo is the Maker of all things Answ. God Gen. 1. 1. Col. 1.16 By him were all things Created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit of infinite perfection God is said to be a Spirit 1. Negatively to intimate that he is not a body or material substance 2. Analogically Spirits being the most perfect and excellent of all created beings are the fittest to represent the incomprehensible God to our narrow conceptions God is said to be a Spirit of perfection or perfect spirit thereby to exclude all manner of imperfections and including all manner of perfections and excellencies In that he is a Spirit of infinite perfection thereby is implyed that there is no measure or bounds set to his perfection Whereby he is distinguished from the glorious Angels and the souls of the Saints in Heaven which though they are perfect spirits yet their perfection is limited Whereas Gods perfection is beyond all measure being infinite Q. How many Gods are there A. There is one only God 1 Cor. 8.4 There is none other God but one Q. How many Persons are there in the God-head A. Three the Father the Son and the holy-Ghost Though there be but one God in substance and essence yet there be three distinct Persons subsisting in that one God-head This appeareth from Christs own testimony in Matth. 28.19 Where he gives commission to his Apostles to teach all Nations and Baptize them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost See likewise 1 Ioh. 5.7 That God should be one in essence and three in persons is a Mysterie not to be comprehended yet ought to be believed being so plainly revealed in the Word Q. How is God farther set forth unto us in his Word A. 1. By his Properties 2. By his Works The Properties of God are certain excellencies attributed to him as when he is said to be Eternal Almighty Merciful just c. Q. What are the kinds of Gods Properties A. 1. Incommunicable 2. Communicable Incommunicable properties are such excellencies which are so proper to God alone as in no respect they can be attributed or communicated to any other As Eternity without beginning Immutability not subject to any change All-sufficient not only for himself but for all others Omnipotency able to do all things Ubiquity to be everywhere present These and such like are excellencies proper only to God and cannot be communicated to the Creature Communicable Properties are certain excellencies in God communicated also to creatures as Power Wisdom Holiness Iustice c. Thus Sampson was a strong man Solomon a wise man Noah a just man c. But yet there is a great difference between these communicable properties as they are in God and as they are in the creature 1. They are in God Originally he is the primary fountain of them all who hath what he hath in and from himself Thus all these Properties in God are his very Essence 2. They are all in God infinitely without any limits or bounds He is infinite in power wisdom holiness justice c. But in the Creature they are 1. By participation they receive all their excellencies from God What hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 4.7 2. By Measure The Creature that hath the most and best excellencies hath but a stinted measure Eph. 4.7 Q. To what heads may the works of God be brought A. Creation and Providence Q. What is meant by Gods creating things A. A making them out of nothing To create is to give a being to things that never were and that out of nothing In this respect it is said Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth that is when there was nothing at all no not any matter out of which things might be made then God Created all things Which kind of making things out of nothing is proper to God
governed by him and we must as willingly cast our selves at the feet of Christ in subjection to him as into the arms of Christ for salvation from him we must be as willing to serve Jesus Christ as to be saved by him The purpose of God in freeing us from the spiritual bondage in which we were by nature being this that we should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our lives Vainly therefore do they deceive themselves who are willing to receive Christ as a Redeemer but not as a Ruler as a Saviour but not as a Lord and King Let such know that Christ will be a Saviour to none to whom he is not a Lord and King His subjects alone and none other will he save for he will not part his Offices In the last place is added And rest upon him alone for the pardon of our sins here and for eternal life and Salvation hereafter This resting on Christ we find is set forth in Scripture by sundry Phrases as a trusting in Christ Eph. 1.12 And a leaning on Christ Cant. 8.5 A staying our sâ—lves upon him Isa. 50.10 Q What are those espâ—cial benefits which believers receive from Christ A. 1. Justification 2. Adoption 3. Sanctification That justification is by faith the Apostle concludeth Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Q. What is Iustification A. Justification is an act of Gods free grace whereby he forgives us all our sins and accepts of us as righteous in and for the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us That justification is an act of Gods free grace The Apostle expresseth Rom. 3.24 Being justified freâ—ly by his grace And that God accepts us as righteous in and for the Righteousness of Jesus Christ is clear from Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sin-ers So by the Obedieâ—ce or righteousness of oâ—e namely Christ shall many be made righteous that is perfectly righteous so as God shall accept them for righteous We are justified not by any inherent righteousness of our own which is imperfect but by the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to us and by God himself accounted ours 2 Cor. 5.21 He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousâ—â—ss of God in him that is in Christ. In which words is expresly noted that we are so made righteous before God in Christ as he was made a sinner for us Now how was Christ made a sinner for us Namely by imputation according to that of the Prophet Isa. 53.6 The Lord hath laid on him the iâ—iquity of us all God accounted our sins his and accordingly he was punished as a sinner And so he accounts his righteousness ours and in that respect we are righteous before God The Lord accounting us as righteous through Christs righteousness as if we had kept the whole Law Admirabâ—e is the comfort which a believers soul receiveth from this point of his juâ—tification before God For so soon as he beâ—ieveth even while he liveth in this World he is thus justified in Gods sight Hereby therefore is he upheld against the afflicting sense of the imperfection of his own righteousness For though his own righteousness be but as filthy rags yet this is his comfort that he is righteous in the sight and account of God by the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to him Q Which are the parts of Iustification A. 1. Remission of all our sins 2. Acceptation of us as righteous through the imputation of Christs Righteousness Rom. 4.6 7 8. 1. Our sins make us odious and abominable in the sight of God yea they make us cursed and lyable to eternal damnation they therefore are first taken away not that they are not or that God seeth them not but in that God imputeth them not to us 2 Cor. 5.19 2. God to make us glorious in his sight imputes his Sons righteousness unto us and therein accepts us In which respect we are said to be made righteous by Christs righteousness Rom. 5.19 and to be made accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 By laying these two parts of our justification together the transcendent love of Christ to believers is clearly set out For 1. That which is our own namely our sins because they make us miserable he taketh from us and layeth on himself He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 2. That which is none of our own because without it we cannot be happy he imputes to us and accounts ours and accepts of us as if it were our own namely his own perfect righteousness For â—aith the Apostle We are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Q. What is Adoption A. Adoption is an act of Gods free-grace whereby of Children of Wrath and of the Devil we are made the Children of God Ioh. 1.12 We are not only accounted Children and taken into the number of the seed of God but are invested with all the priviledges of the Children of God Rom. 8.17 Q. What is Sanctification A. Sanctification is a work of Gods Spirit whereby a justified person is by degrees renewed throughout according to the Image of God in holiness and righteousness First Sanctification is said to be a work of Gods Spirit because he is the principal author and efficient cause thereof Whereby a justified person is renewed I add a justified person because Justification and Sanctification alwayes go together Though Justification be before in Nature yet are they both wrought at the same time The Lord accounteth no man righteous by imputing Christs righteousness unto him but he makes him also righteous by a righteousness inherent in himself Is renewed by the work of Sanctification a man is morally made a new man and as it were another man All things are become new 2 Cor. â— 17 He hath new thoughts new desires new dispositions This renewing is by degrees that is by little and little and not all at once Indeed we are justified at once but we are Sanctified by degrees In which respect Sanctification is compared to the light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4.18 And Eph. 4.26 To the body of a man which groweth and encreaseth in stature and strength till it be come to the perfection of it Even so our Sanctification encreaseth by degrees we go on from grace to grace from vertue to vertue till we be perfect men of full growth in Christ Jesus This renewiâ—g as it is by degrees so it is throughout that is within and without in all the faculties of the soul and parts of the body And that according to the Image of God in holiness and righteousness So that a Christian by the life of Sanctification lives like unto God at least he hath an holy disposition and inclination and heartily endeavours so to do to be holy as God is holy and as the Apostle speaketh Rom.
how uncertain thou art of being out of Hell till the next morning Surely this consideration is enough to amaze any poor Christian who is indeed Regenerate but maketh some question thereof in himself How much more should it amaze and startle thee who art yet in thy carnal and sinfull estate and stir thee up without any farther delay to escape for thy life and make out in hast after thy Redemption from this dreadful condition I would ask thee this question Whether if thou shouldst put off thy seeking after the great work of Regeneration and conversion till another year week or day thou art sure to be then on this side the grave or on this side hell Certain it is thou hast no assurance of thy life for one day longer Nay I dare boldly say thou thy self knowest and believest as much Ah sinner what folly yea what madness is it then for thee wilfully to live one day longer in such an estate in which if thou shouldst dye thou art without hope of recovery undone for ever Obj. Haply thou wilt say though I am not sure to live another day yet I am likely being in good health and strength of body Answ. How many as strong and healthfull as thy self have suddenly by death been snatched away And why maist not thou be as soon taken away having no Lease of thy Life who then but a fool or a mad-man would adventure his eternal happiness upon such an hazard Oh therefore as thou tenderest the everlasting good of thy precious soul put not off this great and weighty work a day longer for who knoweth what a day may bring forth Hadst thou been taken away in the state thou art in how sad had thy case been where hadst thou been at this hour Certainly thou art not able to conceive the dreadfulness of that misery thou shouldst now have been in And hast thou lived all this while in so great danger and wilt thou live in it still God forbid Hath a miracle of mercy kept thee out of hell so long and wilt thou yet continue securely in such danger of it Oh ungratefull wretch Questionless if thou hadst any ingenuity in thee thou wouldst be ashamed thus to abuse the patience and long-suffering of God towards thee which should have led thee to repentance Thou shouldst rather take up a resolution and say though I have hitherto abused the patience and long-suffering of God I will abuse it no more Though I have often slighted and rejected the gracious invitations of Jesus Christ yet through the grace of God I will reject them no more but close with them and give up my self unto Christ from henceforth to be ruled and governed by him God hath allotted to every man who lives in the bosome of the Church a certain day of grace and time of repentance which whosoever neglects can never be saved Ah sinner as therefore thou wouldst not neglect thine own Salvation neglect not the day of grace neither let slip the season of mercy but as the Apostle exhorteth To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation if that be once past there is no recovering it CHAP. VII Sheweth the miserable and dreadfull condition of the Vnregenerate in their life-time HAving given you some Motives to quicken up your desires and endeavours after the work of Regeneration I come now to shew you the Means on your part to be performed for the better attaining thereunto which may be brought to these two general heads 1. The Embracing some truths 2. The Practising some duties The Truths to be embraced are these 1. That every man in his state of unregeneracy is in a miserable state and dreadfull condition 2. That there is hope of mercy for the greatest sinners That you may the better understand the miserable condition of men in their state of Unregeneracy I shall shew you their miseries 1. In this life 2. At death 3. After death Their miseries in this life are briefly these I. They are Servants to sin and slaves to their lusts making it their main work and design to serve their sinfull flesh with its affections The baseness of this slavery under sin will appear the more if we shall consider 1. What it is we do inthrall thereby even our precious souls which at first were created after the Image of God and fitted for his noble service and communion with himself Now for this immortal Being to be a drudge to base pleasures and profits to the vain and vile things of this World is a most sad degeneration 2. What are the fruits of this spiritual bondage and slavery 1. At the best a little seeming pleasure or profit that lasts but for a moment which the Apostle calls the pleasures of sin for a season they are but of little worth and but of short continuance And sure it must needs be a point of folly eagerly to pursue these sinfull lusts and pleasures which are but light and temporary which do but appear and vanish to the hazard of those durable riches and eternal pleasures which are at Gods right hand 2. Another fruit which usually follows upon our slavish subjection to our lusts is death eternal according to that of the Apostle the wages of sin is death and that eternal as appeareth by the opposition of eternal life for saith the Apostle The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life So that as eternal life followeth an holy life so eternal death followeth a sinfull life This is the reward sinner that thy God whom thou servest will pay thee at last thou must dye the death Oh the folly and madness of this sensual enslaved World Surely were there nothing in sin but the present slavery it were enough to disswade any ingenuous spirit Who would be a slave a slave to a lust at the command of every unclean motion at the beck of every brutish affection But if the vileness of the work will not deterr thee will not the dreadfulness of the wages neither which is eternal death and condemnation Oh consider this you who make so light a matter of sin and take such pleasure in obeying the lusts thereof II. All men in the state of unregeneracy are servants and slavos to the Devil Which necessarily followeth upon the former for such as are in subjection to their lusts must needs be under the bondage and slavery of Satan in that the chief power he hath over us is by lust to allure us unto sin I know all men are apt to say that they hate and defie the Devil and abhor to be his slave or servant but yet in the mean time they obey his sinfull commands and thereby declare themselves to be his servants for as the Apostle speaketh Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey And saith the
lake which burneth with fire and brimstone to all eternity Oh me-thinks the name of eternal judgement should if not fright him out of his wits yet awaken eyely unregenerate man out of his security and stir him up without further delay to abandon his wicked and ungodly course of life and to set upon the practice of all holy and religious duties and to labour therein to get the work of Regeneration wrought in his heart that he may become a new creature It may be thou hast a plentiful portion of this Worlds goods enjoying what thine heart can wish or desire But oh what will it profit thee to live plentifully and prosperously here and to be eternally miserable hereafter Thy former happiness will serve only to make thee more sensible of future miseries And therefore when thou art tempted to any unlawfull pleasure or profit reason thus with thy self Shall I for a short momentary pleasure that will soon have an end run the hazard of an eternal judgement that will never have an end shall I for a little profit here loose my soul to all Eternity What greater folly yea what greater madness can be imagined Thus much of the miseries of the Unregenerate in this life Come we now to shew their miseries at death CHAP. VIII Sheweth the miserable and dreadfull condition of the Vnregenerate at their death IF the life of an unregenerate man be so miserable as hath been shewed How dolefull think you will be his death surely his misery then will be much increased As will appear from the consideration of these particulars I. When death shall appear unto thee and tell thee it hath a message from the Lord who hath sent an habeas corpus for thy body Then comes in Conscience if a little awakened with her books of accounts her black and bitter roul and shews thee thy old reckonings and arrears setting before thee the follies of thy youth the sins of thy riper years and the iniquities of thy whole life Ah sinners thou who goest on impenitently in thy wicked and ungodly course of life consider with what a ghastly countenance thou wilt look upon that black and hellish Catalogue of all thy sins thy lyes and oaths thy railing and rotten speeches thy scoffings at Gods people thy goods ill gotten thy time ill spent thy profanation of Sabbaths thy speculative wantonness yea thy many actual filthinesses and uncleannesses thy pride worldliness and covetousness thy sensual revellings and jovial meetings Ah sinner sinner what horrour will then possess thy soul no heart of man can conceive nor tongue of men and angells can express Indeed many there are who upon their death-beds have little right or sense of their sins neither do they think of judgement or eternity but drop into hell before they consider any thing But yet upon the approach of death commonly there is some terrour and trembling upon the consciences of carnal men and if ever any sin did formerly sting it will then especially Oh methinks a serious apprehension and sensible fore-thought of these things even at hand for ought any man knows should make the hardest heart to tremble and melt into tears of unfained sorrow II. The Devil will not be then wanting to aggravate thy sins and to set before thee the curses and the judgements due unto thee for the same thereby to drive thee to despair For when death layeth siege to the body then doth he most violently assault the soul. And the shorter he perceiveth his time to be the more eagerly doth he bestir himself And when through pain of body and perplexity of mind thou art least able to make resistance then will he most fiercely assault thee Whereas formerly his great design was to â—ull thee fast asleep in a presumptuous security by perswading thee that thy state and condition was as good as the best and thy salvation sure enough at thy death if he be not then also pursuing the same design if he can no longer hold thee under thy sleep it will be his great work to perswade thee that thy sins are greater than can be forgiven that there is no place for thee in Heaven and that it is impossible thou shouldst be saved He that hath made the way to Heaven so broad and the entrance so easie all thy life long will at thy death do his utmost to shut the door against thee III. Death puts an end to all thy Worldly comforts and contentmâ—nts which must all die with thee as to thy use and comfort It salutes thee with this sad word Thou hast received thy good things Now an end of thy Heaven and joy Particularly 1. Then thou must part with all thy carnal pleasures and delights which thou hast loved so dearly Yea then thou wilt find little comfort remaining of all thy former pleasures wherein thou tookest so much content and delight and for the enjoyment whereof thou dispensedst not only with the duties of thy calling but likewise with the duties of piety Yea it will be a very hell unto thee upon earth to consider what eternal torments thou art like to endure for those poor and perishing pleasures which thou enjoyedst here for a season Are these the things for which I dye Are these the price of my soul of my blood of my peace Ah sinner the remembrance of thy past pleasures will then possess thee with a double passion First with grief because thou art parting with them And then with dâ—tâ—station because they have brought upon thee such bitter sorrows and torments in hell with the Devils and damned to all eternity O the tayle of these Locusts whose fair faces have heretofore bewitched thee O the sting the sting that they carry in their tayles which is now all that remains to thee 2. Thou must part with thy nearest and dearest relations as thy dear Wife or dear Husband with thy beloved Children Death will separate thee from them all Ah sinners sad will it be to part with these here to live for ever with the Devils and damned in hell And how will it torment thee when you must part to remember to how little good purpose you lived together 3. Thou must part with thy wealth and riches carrying nothing away with thee of all thy enjoyments We brought nothing into the World and it is certain we can carry nothing out as the Apostle speaketh But as we came naked into the World so we shall go naked out of the World And therefore when rich men dye they are said to leave a good estate behind them And indeed they may well be said to leave it because they cannot carry it away with them Ah sinner I know it will be a death to thee to part with thy wealth which was thy life but to consider how thou hast damned thy soul for the getting thereof this will be an hell to thee 4. Thou must part with all the means and opportunities of grace Now thou enjoyest the ordinances of
Chain and he cannot go one link thereof farther than he pleaseth 2 From siâ— Though the Regenerate are not freed from the in-being of sin which doth and will live in them so long as they live in this World yet are they freed both from the guilt of sin and from the power and dominion of sin 1. From the guilt of sin that is from that wrath and punishment which is due to sin so that none of our sins shall be able to condemn us For Christ as our Surety Saviour and Redeemer did bear all our sins in his body upon the tree and there offered up his life as an all sufficient Sacrifice and full satisfaction to Gods justice for the same So that God being fully satisfied by the death of Christ for our sins he will not nay he cannot in justice require satisfaction again from us Well therefore might the Apostle make this bold challenge who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect seeing Christ hath dyed and by his death fully satisfied Gods justice for their sins 2. From the power and dominion of sin which cometh to pass by the Spirit of Christ conveighed to them whereby their sins are in some measure mortified and subdued so that they do not rule nor raign in them as formerly Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle and why because you are not under the Law but under grace In our unregenerate estate sin had not only possession of us but dominion over us so that we did yield a willing subjection unto the command of sin But since we are regenerated by the Spirit of God we are freed though not from the in-being yet from the dominion of sin So that though sin may tyrannize over us yet shall it not raign in us We shall not yield a free and willing obedience to the command thereof This is the great comfort of Gods Children that though sin be not removed yet it is subdued Though they oftentimes feel the workings and stirrings of corruption in them which make them to have many a sad heart and wet eye yet are they freed through Christ from the dominion of sin 3. The Regenerate are freed from the Law not only from the Ceremonial and Iudicial Law which were peculiar to the Jews and dyed with the decay of their Common-wealth but likewise from the Moral Law which concerns all men at all times in all places yet not as it is a rule of Obedience and Christian walking for so it still remains in force even to the Children of God even after their Regeneration But 1. As it was a Covenant of works or as the Covenant thereof was works We are not absolutely bound to such rigour and exactness as that required Indeed we ought to endeavor after the most perfect obedience and to be humbled for our defects and failings therein but not to despair because of them for all failings not allowed are pardoned Besides Christ our surety hath in all things fullfilled the Law and performed perfect obedience thereunto So that the strictness of the Law being fulfilled by our surety it s not expected that it should be performed by us in our own persons 2. We are freed from the Curse and condemnation of the Law Christ saith the Apostle hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us So that although we do not perform it in that exact manner and measure which it requireth yet our transgressions shall not be imputed to us to condemnation The Law may condemn the actions but not the persons of the Regenerate it hath nothing to do with them therefore the Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus V. Provision of all needfull good things is another priviledge of the Regenerate who have a right to all good things through Christ and the possession of all things God seeth good for them It is observable that when God was with Israel in the Wilderness where nothing was to be had they lacked nothing It is naturally engrafted into all Parents to provide for their Children what then can they want who have God for their Father who as he is all-sufficient so a most loving Father to his Children whose love far surpasseth the love of natural Parents to their Children Art thou a Child of God by Regeneration then look up to thy Heavenly Father for a supply of all good things For can they that are evill know how to give good gifts to their Children saith our Saviour And shall not your Heavenly Father give to you the things whereof ye have need He feedeth the Fowls of the air and the Beasts of the Field and he that is carefull to provide for his Hawks and his Hounds will he suffer his Children to beg and starve who must one day be his heirs Be not then faithless but believe and say not What shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithall shall we be cloathed For your Heavenly Father knoweth whereof ye have need and shall relieve you VI. Acceptance of their Services though full of weaknesses infirmities and imperfections Natural Parents are not more ready to accept of the weak Services performed by their Children than God is to take in good part the imperfect services of his Children How maimed and broken are our prayers many times yet coming from a broken heart they find acceptance with God Though he regardeth not the glorious works of hypocrites yet he graciously accepteth of the weak Services of his Children done in sincerity When we cannot pray with that affection and fervency as we desire yet if we set upon it with an honest and sincere heart doing it in obedience to the command of God with a desire to approve our selves unto him therein and grieving for our failings and imperfections God will overlook our failings and crown our weak endeavours with acceptance VII Protection from things hurtfull is another priviledge of the Regenerate They are here subject to manifold casualties and contingencies from which the Lord in mercy protects them keeping Watch and Ward for them Yea he is said to be a wall of fire round about his people A wall to defend them and of fire to consume those that rise up against them So that they shall not be afraid of evil tydings for their hearts are fixed trusting in the Lord. I deny not but the Children of God may be wronged oppressed spoiled of all they have and unjustly stain yet in all these shall they not be hurt for God will turn all to their good Note what David said of Shimei's cursing him The Lord will look on my affliction and requite good for his cursing this day On this ground the Hebrews took joyfully the spoyling of their goods VIII Support under all afflictions is another priviledge of the Regenerate For God is present with them in all their afflictions supporting their weakness with his might
he slew a man he that Sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck Though the Sacrificing of Oxen and Lambs were good and commanded by God himself yet because they failed in the manner of performing them they were no more acceptable to God than the killing of men or cutting off a dogs neck which things were forbidden by the Law and abomination to the Lord. 3. Failing in the manner of performance makes God not only to reject our duties but to pronounce a woe and a curse against the performers of them Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Though it be the work of the Lord that work which the Lord appointeth to be done yet notwithstanding if it be done negligently not after a right manner cursed is he that doth it 4. It is the right manner of performing duties that obtaineth a blessing from God It may be thou hast heard much and prayed much and fasted much and yet hast found little good or benefit thereby Examine whether thou hast not been dead and dull formal and perfunctory in them doing them as if thou didst them not If so no marvail that thou hast received so little good by them As therefore thou wouldst be loth to pray in vain or hear in vain or fast in vain as thou wouldst be loth to lose the things which thou hast wrought see to it that thou be as carefull of the manner as of the matter of them how thou dost them as that thou dost them Do what thou dost with all thy soul yea and with all thy might and then thou maist expect a plentiful and gracious return For the right manner of performing good duties take these few directions I. Be sure you take Christ with you both for assistance and acceptance 1. For assistance For without me saith Christ you can do nothing That is without Union with Christ and Communion with him you cannot perform any acceptable service unto God You may fall upon the duty of prayer and attend upon the Ministry of the Word but without assistance from Christ you can neither do the one nor the other as you should Whensoever therefore you set upon any good duty in the first place beg strength and assistance from Christ and rest and lean upon him for his help go not to pray or hear but in the strength of the Lord. 2. Take Christ with you for acceptance both of your persons and services Christ is the beloved Son of God with whom he is so well pleased that likewise in him he is well pleased with all those that come to God by him and look for neither audience nor acceptance but upon his account alone The truth is as our persons are vile and wretched and all as an unclean thing so our Services even our most holy Services are all polluted and tainted with the corruption of our natures and therefore they are odious and abominable in the sight of God who may justly reject both us and them and will do it unless covered with the worthiness of our Lord Jesus Christ but in him we shall not fail to obtain gracious acceptance Whensoever therefore we go unto God in prayer or in any other ordinance let us carry Christ with us in the arms of our faith Plut arch in the life of Themistocles reports that it was the usual custome of some of the Heathens namely the Molossiaâ—s that when they would seek the favour of their King they took his Son in their arms and so went unto him And questionless it would be the wisdom of Christians in seeking the face and favour of God who is the King of Heaven and of earth to take the holy Child Jesus with them without whom they may not see his face II. Stir up thy self and all thy strength put forth thy self to the uttermost strive to be lively active and stirring in Spirit Get the Spirit of faith and of power this will be oyle to the wheels and wind to the Sails which set all a going let this be wanting and thy best services will be lifeless and dead Services in which the Lord takes no delight There is a threefold strength we should labour to put forth in all our holy duties 1. Strength of Intention 2. Strength of Affections 3. Strength of Body 1. We must intend our work as if it were for our lives for so it is whether it be the work of praying hearing meditating or the like We must put forth the strength of our intention as well as of our attention not giving way either to drowsiness of body or distractions of mind But oh what light matters are apt to steal away our minds and thoughts in the performance of holy duties If one of our superiours were talking with us he would expect that we should mind what he saith and not turn aside to talk with every one that passeth by us But when God is speaking to us in the ministry of his Word or we are speaking unto him by prayer how ordinarily do we turn aside to every vain thought and trifling business which offereth it self to us Intend God more earnestly and this will fire your thoughts 2. Strength of affections is required in every good duty Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might saith the Wise man This may especially be applyed to the duties of Gods worship and service that we do them vigorously with all the strength of our affections Which the Apostle requireth where he bids us be fervent in spirit serving the Lord. The word in the Greek notes an ebullition or boyling up of our spirits to the height There is nothing in the World more unbecoming the Worship of God than flatness of spirit and coldness of affection when a man serves God as if he served him not It was Davids commendation that the zeal of Gods house did eat him up Which expression sheweth the vehemency of his zeal and strength of his affections as in reforming Gods house so in performing the duties of his Worship and service For this was Iacob honoured and called Israel because he prayed with the strength of his affections and is therefore said to wrestle with God in prayer whereby he prevailed As thou desirest to prevail with God in Prayer thou must with Iacob wrestle with him putting forth the strength of thine affections which will be a special means to keep away vain wandring thoughts So long as honey is boyling hot flies will not venture on it So if the heart and affections be boyling hot in prayer vain thoughts are not apt to enter in 3. Strength of body must likewise be put forth in every good duty For Col must be worshipped as with our spirits so with our bodies And blessed is the strength which is put forth in the service of God Carnal men are apt to lay out the strength of their bodies upon their lusts Why then should not we be as ready to
death and condemnation These men howsoever they would be esteemed good Masters and good Governours yet are they far from such in that they neglect the main duty belonging to good Governours which is to take care of the souls of those under their charge and willingly suffer all manner of wickedness and prophaness to rule and bear sway in their Families and that without any check or controul I dare boldly say it were much better for a man to put his Child into a Pâ—sthouse than into such a Family in that wickedness is more infectious than the Plague spreading infinitely polluting every one it comes near And whereas the Plague and Pestilence can but kill the body the contagion of sin is apt to destroy both body and soul. And therefore what is usually written upon the doors of such houses as are visited with the Plague Lord have mercy upon us may far better be written upon the doors of such houses where through the neglect of Family-duties sin and wickedness doth abound I know there are very many both Parents and Masters who having provided for the bodies of those under their charge think they have sufficiently discharged their duty towards them But I would demand of such if their care be only to provide for the bodies of their Children and Servants what do they more to them then to their beasts If they only cloath them and pay them their wages what do they more to them than the Turks and Infidels who know not God do to their Children and Servants If their care be only to provide for them an earthly inheritance without any care to make them Heirs of an Heavenly inheritance what do they more to them than Iews who are ignorant of Christ and his Gospel do for their Children Let such know that it is their duty to provide not only for for perishing Carcasses but also for the immortal souls of all theirs And it is a vain and foolish imagination for any to think they have done their duty when they have apparelled nourished and brought up their Children and Servants considering they have a far greater account to make before God for their souls of which if any should perish through their negligence and unfaithfullness how dreadfull will their account be oh what answer will they be able to make when the blood of their Children and Servants souls shall be required of them CHAP. IV. An Exhortation unto all Parents and Masters of Families to make Conscience of Family-duties Use 2. LEt the second Use be an Use of Exhortation to stir up all Christian Parents and Masters of Families to be carefull that their whole house do faithfully serve the Lord as well as themselves that they take up Ioshuah's resolution as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. As you would not be guilty of the blood of your Children and Servants souls and as you would not have them cry out against you in everlasting fire see that you bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Every Governour should be that in the body politick of his own house which the heart is in the natural body of man as it communicateth life and vital spirits to the rest of the members So must the Master of the houshold endeavour to impart the spiritual life of grace to all that are members of his body politick And his house by a constant conscionable performance of holy and religious duties there should be a little Church For the maintaining the Worship of God makes every house to become a sanctuary an house of God Hence divers pious Governours in the new Testament are said to have Churches in their houses as Philemoâ— Aquila and Priscilla and Nimphas whose houses were called Churches as in respect of the Saints in their houses so in respect of the worship of God among them Oh what an honour will this be to us when upon this account our habitations shall be called rather Churches than private houses Temples of God rather than the dwellings of men For the more profitable pressing of this Use I shall shew you what be the duties and services which are especially required of Parents and Masters of Families in reference to those under their charge CHAP. V. Of Family Prayer with quickning Motives thereunto I. PRayer which is one principal part of the service of God in all Families and therefore ought to be performed by the Governour thereof who as he is a King to govern his Family so a Priest to offer up a Morning and an Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and praise unto God in and with his Family This we find commended to us in the practice of the Patriarchs who when they removed to any place they builded an Altar where God was to be called upon by the whole Family Thus did Abraham Isaac and Iacob David though a King yet prayed with his Houshold as their Governour for it is recorded of him that having offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord he returned to bless his houshold that is say Expositors to bless God with his Family and to beg Gods blessing on them In the New Testament the Apostle writing to Masters of Families concerning their duties adjoyneth this continue in Prayer implying it to be one special duty incumbent on them to be constant in Family-prayer Of Cornelius it is said that he was one who feared God with all his house which gave much Almes to the people and prayed to God alway which implyeth that he prayed daily with his Family These examples are recorded by the Holy-Ghost as Copies for us to write after But for your more full conviction of that obligation that lyes upon you for the performance of this duty let the following arguments be duly weighed Arg. 1. The first Argument shall be drawn from that trust that is committed unto governours of Families Here observe 1. That Governours of Families are intrusted with the souls with the Religion of their Families not that they may prescribe unto them or impose upon them what way of Religion they please or that inferiours may be excused by the errours or neglects of the Superiours but it is committed to their care and they have received a charge from the Lord to look diligently to all that are under them that they duly worship God observe his ordinances and keep â—â—s statutes That there is such a care incumbent on them is evident under the Law the Master of the Family was by the appointment of God to look to the circumcising of all the Males of his house both those that were born in his house and those that were bought with his money In the fourth commandment the Master of the Family is charged not only to keep the Sabbath in his own person but to look to his family also Thou shalt do no work therein that 's not all nor thy Son nor thy Daughter nor thy Man-servant nor thy
bringeth in Christ himself applying that rite This is my body which is broken for you Q. What is signified by powring out the Wine A. The shedding of Christs blood Or his suffering unto death and powring forth his soul an offering for sin Q. What is signified by the Ministers giving Bread and Wine to the Communicants A. Gods giving and offering his Son to them In the Sacrament God doth offer and tender Christ to every Communicant yea he doth as it were put him into our hands with his own hands Q. What is meant by those words of the Minister Take Eat Drink A. Gods will for our applying Christ to our selves He doth not only in a dumb shew make offer of Christ but by his Minister speaks unto us and saith I will and require you to take my Son to apply him to your selves that so you may live by him What can we more expect on Gods part to move us to receive his Son Q. What doth the peoples taking the Bread and Wine set out A. Their receiving Christs body and blood That is a spiritual receiving of Christ made man and made a Sacrifice to themselves and that by faith For faith is that instrument whereby we receive Christ and all his benefits as they are offered to us in the Gospel and sealed unto us in the Sacrament Faith is to the soul as the hand is to the body That which is offered to a man for his good the hand receives to be his own Thus God offering his Son unto us faith first perswades the heart of Gods good will to man and of his true intent to bestow Christ upon him and thereupon applyes and takes Christ to himself as his own By faith the things signified are as truly received for the nourishment of the soul as the signs are received fâ—r the nourishment of the body Faith is not only our hand to take hold of Christ but our mouth to take him in to take him down into our hearts whereby he becomes our nourishmâ—nt and strengâ—h Q. What is the duty of every Communicant before he goeth to the Lâ—rds Table A. Examinâ—tion 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself aâ—d so let him eat of that bread and driâ—k of that Câ—p. Concerning this see my Directions for the worthy receiving the Lords Supper Chap. 24. Q. What is Prayâ—r A. Prayer is an offering up our dâ—sires to God in the name of Christ for such good things as he hath promâ—sâ—d to give and we stand in need to receive Prayer stands not in the bare use of a form of good words but is the pouring fâ—rth the soul and the desireâ— thereof after God and the good things he hath to bestow Isa. 26.9 In the name of Christ. God heareth not sinners that is coming in their own name But sayes Christ himself Joh. 15 16. Whatsoever ye shall aâ—k the Father in my name he will give it you For such things as he hath promised to give and we stand in need to receive Our prayers must be according to Gods Will. And this is according to the will of God that we ask what he hath promised and what he knows we have need of And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 Joh. 5.14 The Parts of Prayer are 1. Confession or the acknowledgement of our sins and transgressions 2. Petition or the asking or craving from the hands of God such things as we want 3. Thanksgiving or the praising of God for the mercies we have received Q What shall be the state of men after death A. I. In general 1. The bodies of all men shall be raised out of their graves and shall live again 1 Cor. 15. 2. All men shall be brought to Judgement 2 Cor. 5.10 II. In particular 1. Belâ—â—vers shall go into everlasting life 2. Uâ—believers and ungodly into everlasting fire Mat. 25.34 41. FINIS â— Sam. 2.30 Mat. 6.1 Joh. 7.48 1 Tim. 1.16 (a) Mat. 6.30 Mat. 8.26 Mat. 14.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) Mark 9.24 Heb. 12 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui multis praefectus est aut multos doctrinâ dignitate antecelliâ— Joh. 1.18 Col. 2.3 Mat. 15.28 Isa. 42.3 Luk. 19.10 Isa. 49.15 Psal. 103.13 Mat. 11 28. Mat. 1.21 Rom. 6.14 Mark 9.23 Mark 16.16 Maâ— 9.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum qualitates â—oâ— secundum ipsam vel ani-nae vel corporis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneratio Secundum carnem Joh. 3.6 Rom. 7.21 22 23. Habitat sed non regnat manet sed non dominatur dejectum sed non ejectum tamen c. Benard in Serm. 10. on Psa. 90. Rom. 6.12 2 Cor. 8.12 Eph. 4.22 Rom. 6.6 Col. 3 5. Inductio unious formae est destructio alterius Eph. 2.5 Rom. 6.4 1 Pet. 1.3 Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.3 Joh. 3.4 Tit. 3.5 Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.23 Eph. 1.13 Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 4.15 Philemon verse 10. Eph. 4.24 Eph. 2.10 Joh. 3.3 Psal. 103.11 2 Thes. 2.13 1 Thes. 4.3 Mat. 24.35 Eph. 4.24 Job 14.4 Joh. 3.6 Rev. 21.27 Rev. 22. Hab. 1.13 Psal. 5.4 2 Cor. 6.14 Heb. 12.14 Psal. 50.5 Psal. 89.7 Joh. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 132.4 Psal. 49.12 Jer. 10.14 In illis tantum sunt opera Dei in hac est imago Dâ—i Aug. Rom. 2.28 29. 1 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 6.17 Jam. 2.5 Prov. 27.1 Heb. 3.15 Heb. 11.26 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 6.16 1 Joh. 3.8 Prov. 10.7 Prov. 3.33 Zech. 5.4 Psal. 32.1 Isa. 57.20 1 Tim. 6.7 Job 1.21 Heb. 9.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amos 5.19 Luk. 16.22 Rev. 6.11 Heb. 12.23 Rev. 6.16 Rom. 2.5 Psa. 145.17 Luk. 16.19 20 21. Rom. 2.6 In die judicii cum justi introducentur in regnum Dei injusti autem abjicientur for as Aug. in Psal. 72. * Zeph. 1.15 Rom. 8.1 Act. 17.30 31. Rev. 6.16 Mat. 24.30 Mat. 16.27 Tit. 2. â—13 Mat. 17.2 Mat. 24.30 Mat. 24.31 Mat. 25.31 2 Thes. 1.7 Act. 24.25 Eccl. 11.9 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.13 Exod. 19.16 Mat. 24.31 Rev. 6.15 16. Jer. 8.6 Rom. 2.15 1 Cor. 4.5 Rom. 2.5 1 Cor. 11.31 Psal. 16.11 Luk. 13.28 Numb 5.18 27. Isa. 33.14 Dan. 4.33 Mat. 18.22 Dan. 5.6 Mat. 5.46 Prov. 1.24 c. Mat. 25.41 Psal. 16.11 Gen. 5.24 Mat. 8.12 Eccl. 11.7 Rev. 19 20. Rev. 20.10 Isa. 30.33 Mat. 13.42 2 Thes. 1.8 Jer. 33.14 Dan. 7.10 Isa. 66.24 Mark 9.44 46 48. Isa. 30.33 2 King 23.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non videns Neh. 11.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5.29 30. Rev. 9.11 Rev. 20.10 Mark 9.44 Mark 3.12 Mat. 18.8 Mich. 7.19 Psal. 86.5 Eph. 2.4 2 Chron. 33.3 c. 1 Tim. 1. 13 c. (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes. 1.11 (b) Exod.