who doth not love fear trust in him as well as he that sets up an Idol to worship him 2. The first and main evil of sin was in the omission Sin first draws away from God before it enticeth Iam. 1. 22. Ier. 2. 13. To speak exactly there is no sin but that of omission it is a deficiency and coming short of the rule 3. The state of unregeneracy lies mainly in the sins of omission there is much more evil in a state of sin then in the act of it Eph. 2. 12. the reign of sinne is more seen in omission then commission there is a higher act of soveraignty in the negative voice then in any positive Law 4. The ground of every sin of commission is a sin of omission turning away the soul from God Psa. 14. 1 2. Iob 15. 4. Iam. 1. 14. negligentiam in orando semper aliqua notabilis transgressio sequitur Iohn 20. 24 25. Rom. 1. 21. compared with 24. 2 Thes. 2. 10. 5. The greatnesse of sin is measured by the mischief it doth the sinner sins against the Gospel are greater then those against the Law sins of commission make the wound sins of omission keep you from the plaister Iohn 3. ult 6. These are the sins which Christ will mainly enquire after Mat. 25. 42 43. We should loathe sins of omission which in the world are little made of 1 Sam. 12. 23. Wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel saith Paul Peter and Iohn say We cannot but speak the things which we have heard These omissions directly oppose the will law and honour of God as well as the committing of foul faults 2. They will damn us as well as commissions 3. They will make way for grosse evil deeds There are three sorts of omissions 1. Totall non-performances not praying reading hearing meditating Psal. 14 4 â— 2. Seldome performances intermission or performing of duties unevenly 1 Thes. 5. 17. Col. 4. 2. 3. Sleighty performances when we keep a tract of duty but do it customarily pray not fervently and spiritually Rom. 12. 11. Sins against the Gospel are greater then sins against the Law 1. The more Laws are transgrest the greater the sin There are three sorts of Laws 1. The Law of nature which teacheth to do good to them that do good to us Mat. 5. 43. 2. The morall Law which requires subjection to whatever God commands 3. The Law of faith Rom. 3. 27. which requires subjection to God in his Son all these are broken by sinning against the Gospel 2. The more of the minde of the Law-giver is in the Law the greater is the sinne Mens legis est lex Gods minde is clearly seen in the Gospel viz. the exalting of himself in his Son Pro. 8. 30. 3. The more any one sins against light the greater the sin there was never such a discovery of the filthinesse of sin nor of the justice of God upon sin it could not be purged but by the bloud of God Acts 12. 28. See Ephes. 5. 26. never such a discovery of Gods grace as in the New Covenant a second Covenant was never tendred to the Devils 4. They are sins against higher love God loved Adam and the Angels Amore amicitiae they had never offended him he loved us Amore misericordiae Rom. 5. 8. he loved Adam and Angels in themselves us in Christ Eph. 1. 6. 5. These sins make way for the sin against the holy Ghost Matth. 12. 32. Objectum hujus peccati non est lex sed Evangelium The sins of Gods people are greater then others sins In eadem specie peccati gravius peccat fidelis quam infidelis Grace aggravates and heightens sin They sin 1. Against the highest light Ps. 51. 6. 2. The highest love peculiar goodnesse electing love Of all sins to be without God or out of Covenant with God is the greatest sin it is against the great command in the Law the first Commandment and the great promise in the Gospel Those sins wherein a mans self is the object are the worst of all sins self-deceit is the worst of all deceits and self-murder is the worst of all murders The degrees of sin in a mans own heart or the conception birth and perfection of sin there First Injection or suggestion from Satan which stirs up the lusts in the heart 1 Iohn 5. 19. Secondly The soul receives the thought there must be Partus cordis as well as seminarium hostis Bernard Iob 17. 11. Thirdly Delectatio the soul is pleas'd with such thoughts so Eve Fourthly Upon this the will consenteth then lust is conceived Fifthly There is a consultation in the soul how to bring this into act Rom. 13. 14. CHAP. VII That all Sins are Mortal THe Schoolmen and their followers the Jesuites distinguish sins into Venial and Mortal Some sins say they are sua natura in their own nature venial others mortal of which they reckon up seven Veniale quod est praeter mortale quod est contra legem As all sin except that against the holy Ghost Mark 7. 29. is venial in Christ so without him is all mortal and deadly Cartw on Mat. 5. 23. All sinne deserveth eternal death Rom. 6. 23. as appeareth by the opposition of life everlasting which the Apostle joyneth in the same verse Id. ibid. There is the merit of hell in every idle word because the wages of sin as sin is death Every transgression of the Law is worthy of death Gal. 3. 10. Every sinne is a transgression of the Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. Rainold de lib. Apoc. Tom. 2. cap. 164. 165. See Deut. 27. 26. 30. 19. Ezekiel 18. 4. Iames 2. 10. Numbers 15 22 23 24. 1 Cor. 15. 56. Bellarmine seeks to elu de these and that other place with these glosses The soul that sinneth that is mortally shall die the wages of sin that is of mortal sin is death and the sting of death is sinne that is deadly sinne these are tautologies as if the Prophet had said The soul that sinneth a sinne unto death shall die and the Apostie sinne that deserveth death deserveth death He saith they are venial ex natura sua such as if God please to remit the temporal punishment they are so little that he cannot inflict eternal for them they are venial propter parvitatem materiae imperfectionem actus Quodvis peccatum peccantem in rigore lâ—gis morte involveret si persona absque misericordia Dei in Christo judicaretur Episc. Daven Sins may be termed venial or mortal 1. Either comparatè in comparison of others or simpliciter simply and in themselves and that either 1. Ex natura sua of their own nature 2. Ex gratia by favour or indulgence 3. Ex eventu in the issue or event in the two last respects all the sins of the elect are venial but no sins ex natura sua are venial that is such as in their own nature deserve
the repentance of Ahab 2. Of punishment by which he appointeth to the delinquent creature the punishment of eternal death for the least sinne Gen. 2. 17. Rom 6. 23. which death is begun in this life in divers kindes of miseties and punishments which for the most part are proportionable to their sins Gen. 3. 17. and 20. 18 but is perfected in the life to come when the full wrath of God is poured upon it Iohn 3. 36. 2 Thess. 1. 16. This justice is so essential to God immutable and as I may so speak inexorable that he cannot remit the creatures sins nor free them from punishment unlesse his justice be satisfied God cannot dispense against himself because sins do hurt the inward vertue of God and the rule of righteousnesse the integrity therefore and perfection of God cannot stand if he satisfie not that yet through his bounty and goodnesse he hath found out a way by which due satisfaction may be given thereunto viz. By Christ who hath born a punishnent equivalent to our sins for us The Scripture proves the justice of God 1. Affirmatively when it calls him Just A Revenger Holy Right and extols his Justice Exod. 9. 27. Psal. 11. 7 Ier. 12. 1. 2. Negatively when it removes from him injustice and iniquity respect of persons and receiving of gifts and also all the causes and effects of injustice Deut. 32. 4. 10. 17. Dan. 9. 14. Iob 8. 3. 3. Affectively when it Attributes to him zeal anger fury Exod. 20. 5. 32. 10. Numb 11. 10. which are not in God such passions as they be in us but an act of the immutable Justice 4. Symbolically when it calls him a consuming fire Deut. 4. 24. compares him to an angry Lyon an armed Souldier Isa. 38. 13. 5. Effectively when it affirms that he renders to every one according to his works 1 Sam. 26. 23. Gods Justice comprehends his righteousnesse and truth he is just in words and deeds Gods Justice is considered four ways 1. As he is free Lord of all and so his decrees are just Rom. 9. 13. 14. 2. As he is God of all and so the common works of preserving both the good and bad are just 1 Tim. 4. 14. Mat. 5. 45. 3. As a Father in Christ and so he is just in performing his promises and infusing his grace and in bestowing the justice of his Son 1 Iohn 1. 5. 4. As Judge of all the world and so his justice is not onely distributive but corrective His Justice is 1. Impartial he will not spare 1. Multitude all Sâ—dome and Gomorrha and the old World perished 2. Great ones the excellency or greatnesse of any creature will not exempt it from punishment the Angels and Adam fell he spared not the Angels but threw them into hell Adam was cast out of Paradise for one sinne 3. Neernesse the Jews Gods people formerly are now cast off Moses and David were punished 2. General it extends to a mans posterity God will visit the iniquity of fathers upon their children 3. Inexorable no sinners can escape unpunished the sins of the godly are punished in their surety Christ and they are afflicted in this life God is Justice it self justice is essential to him his will is the rule of justice a thing is just because he willeth it and not he willeth it because its just He will right the wrongs of his children 2 Thess. 1. 6 7 8. He cannot be corrupted nor bribed Gods Justice comprehendeth two things under it 1. Equity in that he directs men equally and requites them equally commanding all and onely good things such as they in reason ought to do promising and threatning fit and due recompences of their obedience and disobedience 2. Truth whereby he declareth nothing to them but as the thing is and fidelity whereby he fulfilleth all that he hath spoken The Arminians urge How can God in Justice command a man by his word the performance of that which cannot be done by him without the inward help of the Spirit and yet in the mean time God denies this inward grace unto him God may without blemish to his Justice command man to perform his duty although he have now no strength to do it because once he had strength and he hath now lost it Precepts and Exhortations ordinarily signifie the approving wâ—ll of the Commander and his duty to whom they are propounded although sometimes the duty rather of the hearer then the will of the speaker be declared by them Rescrip Ames ad responsum Grevinch c. 12. Deus jubet aliqua quae non possumus ut noverimus quid ab illo petere debeamus Aug. de grat lib. arbit c. 16. Gods Commandments and Exhortations shew what he approves and wills to be done as good but his promises or threatnings shew what he intendeth effectually to bring to passe Mr. Pemble of Grace and Faith Da Domine quod jubes jube â—uid vis said Austin God giveth thee although thou be unable a Law to square thy life by for three causes Ut scias quid acceperis ut videas quid amiseris ut intelligas unde repetendum sit quod amiseris It reproves such as live in sin Exod. 34. 17. Psal. 5. 5. Gal. 6. 6. if God be merciful that he may be feared much more is he just that he may be feared 2. We must take heed of justifying the wicked we should be just in our actions to man in buying and selling in rewarding and punishing Magistrates Ministers Masters Parents should be just We should not murmure at Gods disposing justice in making us poor and should yield to his directing justice obeying his Commandments seem they never so unreasonable Mauritius the Emperor when his wife and children were murthered before him and his own eyes after bored out uttered this speech Iustus es Domine recta judicia tua We should get Christs righteousnesse to satisfie Gods Justice for us and to justifie us The consideration of Gods Justice should afright us from hypocrisie sinning in secret keeping bosom sins It ministers comfort to the godly who are wronged by the wicked they shall have an upright and just Judge who will uphold them in a good cause Psal. 33. 24. It may serve to exhort us to glorifie Gods Justice both in fulfilling of his promises and punishing wicked men Psal. 7. 18. and 51. 15. 4. God is True Truth or veracity is by which God is true as in himself so in his sayings and deeds He revealeth himself to his creature such a one as indeed he is Real truth or the truth of things is a property of them by which they are the same indeed which they seem It is an agreement betwixt the being and appearance of things it is double 1. Essential or of the very substance of things 2. Accidental of the qualities and actions of things and this as it is referred to the reasonable creature for
in nummo aliter in Filio Augustine The Image of God in which man was created is the conformity of man unto God 1. In his soul. 2. In his body for his soul. 3. In the whole person for the union of both The soul of a man is conformable to God in respect of its Nature Faculties and Habits First In respect of its Nature Essence or Being as it is a spiritual and immortal Substance The Scripture witnesseth 1. That the soul of a man is a spirit Mat. 27. 20. Acts 7. 59. as appears by comparing the 1 Pet. 4. 19. with Heb. 12. 9. in Peter God is called The Creator of souls in the Hebrews The Father of spirits in the same sense 2. That it is immortal 2 Cor. 5. 8. Phil. 1. 21 22. 2 Pet. 1. 14. The Sadduces indeed denied the immortality of the soul this opinion of theirs began on this occasion Antigonus Sochaeus the Disciple of Simeon the just said We must not serve God for hope of reward or wages Hence his Disciples Sadok and Baithos took occasion to teach that there is no reward or punishment after this life whereas Antigonus meant that there ought to be in us so great love of the Divine Majesty and of vertue it self that we should be willing to serve God and ready to suffer any thing without looking for any reward or wages Reasons of its immortality 1. Because it cannot be destroyed by any second cause Mat. 10. 28. 2. Being severed from the body it subsists by it self and goes to God Eccl. 12. 7. Luk. 16. 22. 3. Because it is a simple and immaterial substance not depending on matter the minde works the better the more it is abstracted from the body when it is asleep or dying 4. Because it transcends all terrene and mortal things and with a wonderful quicknesse searcheth after heavenly divine and eternal things There is an invincible argument for the thing secretly imprinted in the instinct and conscience of the soul it self Because it is every good mans hope that it shall be so and wicked mans fear 5. The food of the soul is immortal 1 Pet. 1. 23. the evident promises of eternal life prove the soul to be immortal He that beleeveth in me hath eternal life and To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Nothing can satisfie the soul but God 6. Man is capable of vertue and vice of immortal desires and affections 7. The souls of Adam and Eve were not made of any matter but came by immediate Creation in whom God gave a specimen what he would perpetually do with other men That is but a cavil that Solomon Eccl. 12. 7. speaks only of our first Parents See Dr Rainolds of the Passions c. 34. Children are called the fruit of their Parents body to note that they are only fathers of their flesh they have another namely God which is Father of their spirits S. Paul teacheth it Heb. 12. 9. and the use of it And this checks their opinion who will have souls propagated no lesse then bodies Many collect the immortality of the soul and salvation of Iobs children because they were not doubled as the rest of his estate was The soul of man is as it were the breath of God God did not say of mans soul as of other creatures Let it be made Let there be a soul in mans body No but when he had formed the body he breathed the soul into him It was to note that the soul of man had a more heavenly and divine original then any of the other creatures that are here in this world Vide Bellarm. de Amis gratiae lib. 4. cap. 11. See Sir Walter Rawleighs Ghost lib. 2. per totum And Master Rosse his Philos. Touchstone Conclusion 2. The soul of man is conformable to God in respect of its faculties in its Understanding Will and Memory is like the Trinity 3. In the Qualities Graces and admirable endowments of it In the Understanding there was First An exact knowledge of God and all Divine things Col. 3. 10. Knowledge is a principal part of Gods Image by reason he was inabled to conceive of things spiritual and universal Secondly A perfect Knowledge of all inferiour things Adam knew Eve and imposed names on the creatures sutable to their natures He had most exquisite prudence in the practical part of his understanding in all doubtful cases He knew what was to be done 2. In the Will there was holinesse Ephes. 4. 24. God had the highest place in his soul his glory was his end His liberty then stood not in this that he could stand or fall a possibility to sin is no perfection Thirdly The image of God in our affections stood in four things 1. All the affections were carried to their proper objects Adam loved feared and desired nothing but what God had commanded him to love fear and desire 2. They were guided by a right rule and carried in a due proportion to their objects Adam loved not his wife more then God 3. They were voluntary affections he loved a thing because his will made choise of it 4. They were whetstones of the soul in acting From this Image did necessarily follow peace with God fellowship and union He knew God to be his Creator and to love him in all good things he enjoyed God and tasted his sweetnesse Mans body also after a sort is an Image of Divine Perfection Observe first The Majestical form of it of which the Heathens took notice by the structure of the body a man should be taught to contemn the earth which his feet tread upon and to set his heart upon Heaven whether his eyes naturally tend It was convenient for man to have an erect stature 1. Because the senses were given to man not only to procure the necessaries of life as they were to other living creatures but also to know 2. That the inward faculties may more freely exercise their operations whiles the brain is elevated above all the parts of the body Aquinas part 1. Quaest. 91. Artic. 3. he gives two more reasons there of it Secondly Gods artifice in it Psal. 139. 15. Thou hast curiously wrought me and I was wonderfully made Vide Lactantium de opificio Dei Materiam superabat opus of the basest matter dust God made the noblest creature Thirdly The serviceablenesse of every part for its end and use Fourthly There is matter of humiliation because it was made of the dust Gen. 3. 19. Iob 14. 18 19. 5. 15. The Greek name makes man proud cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids him aspire look up but the Hebrew and Latine humble him bids him stoop look down Adams body was mortal conditionally if he had not eaten of the Tree there could be no outward cause of his death for Gods protection kept that off nor no inward cause because original righteousnesse was in his soul and for old age
ordinary custome among the Romans It is a gracious sentence of God the Father on a believer whereby for Christs sake he cals believers his children and really admits them into the state and condition of children He cals us sons Gal. 3. 26. 4. 4 5. and admits us into the state and condition of sons I will be their Father and they shall be my children It is amongst men a remedy found out for the solace of a father which hath no childe by taking one to the right of an inheritance who by nature hath no claim to it 1. There is the election of him that would have him 2. The consent of the adopted 3. He called him Son in the Court when the Lord makes believers his children he thus adopts them There is a difference yet between divine and humane adoption 1. Man puts not a new nature into the party adopted God when he adopts he makes them new creatures 2. Man is moved to this many times by some perfection or apprehended excellency in the party so Pharaohs Daughter because she saw Moses a fair childe took him for hers but it is not so with God there is no good but what he works Ezek. 16. 6. 3. They adopted for their comfort and because they had no sons on whom to bestow their inheritance but God infinitely delighted in his own natural Son and he needed not us he hath his Angels to glorifie him How this Adoption is wrought It is done by applying of Christs Sonship to them The applying of Christs righteousnesse to us makes us righteous and the applying of his Sonship to us makes us the sons and daughters of God Christ being the first-born is heir and all Gods people co-heirs with him Rom. 8. 16 17 18. What Benefits have we by it All the whole work of our Redemption is sometimes exprest by it Iohn 1. 11. The glory of heaven is laid down in this one word Rom. 8. 15. We groan that we might receive the adoption of Sons The Benefits thereof are brought to two heads 1. We are really cut off from the family from which we sprung old Adam sin hell we are now no more in a sinful condition 2. We are ingraffed into Gods family and have all the priviledges of a natural son By the Law of the Romans one might do nothing to his adopted childe but what he might do to his own begotten Son By this means 1. They receive the Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 8. 15. 2. They have the honour of sons Iohn 8. 35. 3. They have the boldnesse and accesse of sons May cry Abba Father they may come to God with open face as men freed from condemnation Ephes. 3. 12. 4. They have the inheritance of sons Rom. 8. 27. they have a double right to heaven Titulo Redemptionis Adoptionis Three things will shew our Adoption 1. Likenesse to the Spirit of Christ thou wilt be holy as he is 2. Thou wilt bear an awful respect to God the childe honours the Father 3. There is the Spirit of prayer the childe comes to the Father to supply his wants CHAP. VI. Of Iustification THis word is used in Scripture sometimes to celebrate with praise Luke 7. When they heard this they justified God 2. To commend ones self being puffed up with the thoughts of our righteousnesse so the Lawyer willing to justifie himself 3. To be freed as he that is dead is justified from sin 4. It is taken for the declaration of our Justification as some expound that Was not Abraham justified by works Justification or to justifie in Scripture is not to infuse in a man righteousnesse by which God will pronounce him righteous but is taken for Gods absolving of him in the Court of free-grace not laying his sins to his charge and withall giving him the right to eternal life because of the obedience of Christ made his It is a judicial act Psal. 143. 2. 2. It is opposed to condemnation a Law term Prov. 17. 15. Rom. 8. 33 34. taken from the Courts of Judicature when the party accused and impleaded by such adversaries is acquitted There is a great difference between Vocation and Justification Vocation precedes Justification follows Justification praesupponit aliquid viz. Faith and Repentance Effectual Calling ponit haec non autem praesupponit The Doctrine of Predestination is handled in the ninth Chapter of the Romans and the first of the Ephesians of Justification in the third and fourth Chapter of the Romans of the first sinne of Adam in the third of Genesis and fifth of the Romans of the Lords Supper in 1 Cor. 11. of the Office of Ministers 1 Tim. 3. of Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. of Assurance â— ep Iohn Some say Justification hath a twofold notion Sometimes to justifie us to make us just thus God did make Adam just and justified him by making him a perfect holy good creature this is called the Justification of infusion But properly it is a Law term and to justifie is to declare one just and righteous Thus we are said to justifie God that thou maist be justified when thou judgest we do not make but pronounce him just Justification is a judicial Act of God the Father upon a beleeving sinner whereby his sins being imputed to Christ and Christs righteousnesse to him he is acquitted from sin and death and accepted righteous to eternal life In which description there are four things 1. The Authour who it is that justifieth God the Father Rom. 3. 29 30. 18. 33. it is God that justifieth and it is done by God as a Judge of the quick and dead 2. The object of it who it is that is justified a believing sinner Rom. 3. 16 17. Iohn 8. 21. 3. The matter of it the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to him the righteousnesse of Immanuel of God made man 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is the Lord our righteousnesse 4. The form it is a sentence pronouncing or declaring us free from sin and death and accepted of God There is an imputation which ariseth from inherent guilt so our sins were not imputed to Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2. Which is founded in a natural Union so Adams sinne is imputed to us but neither the filth nor guilt of Adams sinne were conveyed to Christ he came of Adam in a singular dispensation by vertue of that promise The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head 3. By way of voluntary susception Christ submitted to our punishment he was made sin by Covenant by treating with his Father The debt of a believing sinner is reckoned to Christ and the obedience of Jesus Christ is really reckoned to a believing sinner The result of which exchange is the acquitting of a sinner from sinne and death All the punishments due to us for our sins are reckoned to Christ by vertue of those transactions between God and him Christ became our Surety God layed on him the iniquity of us
Some say it was an eternal transaction before all time onely manifested to us by the Spirit There are four set periods of Justification First In Gods purpose which reacheth as far as the eternal transactions between God and Christ such as were set down in the Lambs book Secondly When Christ did in the name and stead of sinners perform that which was the matter of their justification but in neither of these periods was the soul translated out of the state of nature into the state of grace Thirdly Actually at that moment when we come to own Christ as a Saviour by beleeving Fourthly When the Spirit which translates the soul out of the state of nature into the state of grace makes it known to the soul. Others say there are five as it were periods or degrees of Justification 1. When the Lord passeth a sentence of Absolution on men at their first Conversion immediately upon their Union with Christ Act. 13. 38 39. 2. He that is justified fals into daily transgressions therefore there must be a daily imputation and application of the death of Christ Iohn 13. 10. 3. There is a high act of justification after great and eminent fals though there be not an intercision yet there is a sequestration such cannot then plead their right Davids sinne of adultery and murder made a great breach upon his justification therefore he prayes God Psal. 51. To purge him with hysop to apply anew the bloud of Christ. 4. There follows a certification a sentence passed in the soul concerning mans estate 1 Iohn 5. 9. Rom. 8. 33 34. 5. Justification is never perfected till the day of judgement Act. 3. 19. then sentence is passed in open Court before men and Angels Of preparatory Works to Justification The 13th Article of the Church of England saith Works done before the grace of Christ or Justification because they are not done as God hath commanded them we doubt not but they are sins Matth. 7. A corrupt tree brings forth corrupt fruit Heb. 11. Without faith it is impossible to please God Tit. 2. 9. To the defiled all things are defiled Whether these Works without faith merit ex congruo Potest homo nondum reconciliatus per opera poenitentiae impetrare mereri ex congruo gratiam justificationis Bellarm. l. 5. de grat lib. arbit c. 22. The Papists say one must dispose and sit himself by Alms and Repentance to partake of Christ this they call Meritum ex congruo and then say they one receives primam gratiam See 2 Cor. 3. 5. Rom. 9. 15 16. We confesse that God is not wont to infuse saving grace but into hearts fitted and prepared but he works these preparations by his own Spirit See B. Dav. Determ of Quaest. 34. Whether Works with faith deserve grace ex condigno We say not as Bellarmine chargeth us that the Works of the regenerate are simply sins but in a certain respect The Papists say after one is made a new-creature he can perform such Works as have an intrinsecal merit in them and then by their good Works they can satisfie for their smaller offences Secondly They have such a worth that God is tied say some of them by the debt of justice Others say by the debt of gratitude to bestow upon them everlasting glory Some say they deserve this ex natura operis Others say Tincta sanguine Christi being died with the bloud of Christ This is a damnable doctrine throws us off from the Head to hold justification by works Our good Works as they flow from the grace of Gods Spirit in us do not yet merit Heaven 1. From the condition of the Worker though we be never so much enabled yet we are in such a state and condition that we are bound to do more then we do or can do Luk. 17. 7. We cannot enter into Heaven unlesse we be made sons Come ye blessed of my Father and the more we have the Spirit enabling us to good the more we are bound to be thankful rather then to glory in our selves Againe we are sinners the worker being a servant sonne sinner cannot merit 2. From the condition of the work those works that merit Heaven must have an equality and commensuration as a just price to the thing bought but our works are not so Rom. 8. 18. those sufferings were the most glorious of all when Paul was whipt imprisoned ventured his life he doth not account these things considerable in respect of Heaven See Rom. 8. 18. Iam. 3. 2. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. Rom. 7. 24. 11. 35 36. Ephes. 2. 8. and D. Sâ—lat on Rom. 2. p. 118. to 185. They say The Protestants so cry up Justification by grace that they cry down all good works at least the reward of them we say there is a reward of mercy Psa. 62. lat end Bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum Aug. Bona opera suxt occultae praedestinationis indicia futurae foelicitatis praesagia Bernard de gratia libero arbitrio Extra statum justificationis nemo potest verè bona opena satis magnificè commendare Luther More hath been given in this Land within these threescore yeares to the building and increase of Hospitals of Colledges and other Schools of good learning and to such like workes as are truly charitable then were in any one hundred years during all the time and reign of Popery Dr. Willet confutes the calumny of the Romanists charging our Doctrine of justification by faith only as a great adversary to good Works For he proves that in the space of sixty years since the times of the Gospel 1000000lb lb hath been bestowed in the acts of piety and charity Whether we be justified by inherent or imputed righteousnesse We do not deny as the Papists falsly slander us all inherent righteousnesse 2 Cor. 5. 17. nor all justification before God by inherent righteousnesse 1 Kings 8. 32. But this we teach That this inherent righteousnesse is not that righteousnesse whereby any poor sinner in this life can be justified before Gods Tribunal for which he is pronounced to be innocent absolved from death and condemnation and adjudged unto eternal life The Church of Rome holdeth not this foundation viz. the Doctrine of Justification by Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. 1. They deny justification by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse yea they scorn it and call it a putative righteousnesse 2. They hold justification by inherent righteousnesse that is by the works of the Law Gal. 5. 4. The Papists place the formal cause of justification in the insusion of inherent righteousnesse The opinion is built upon another opinion as rotten as it viz. perfection of inherent righteousnesse for if this be found to be imperfect as it will be alwayes in this life the credit of the other opinion is lost and that by consent of their own principles who teach that in justification men are made
vers 14. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Christians should be ready to give an answer to every man which doth ask them a reason of the hope which is in them the foundation is that which is first and surest laid and hath an influence into all the building Men should do all upon trial and solid conviction 1 Thess. 5. 21. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. The Papists would have the people take things upon trust they say those places concerne the Doctours of the Church not the people but compare the 20 and 21. vers in the Thessalonians and 1. vers with 6. in Iohn and we shall see the contrary This trial is profitable First Because truth then will have a greater force on the conscience Secondly This is the ground of constancie 2 Pet. 3. 17. Thirdly Hereby we shall be able to maintain the truth Matthew 11. 19. The Scriptures are fundamentum quo the fundamental writings which declare the salvation of Christians Iohn 5. 37. Christ fundamentum quod the fundamental means and cause which hath purchased and doth give it Iohn 4. 42. The person we must build on is Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. He is called the foundation of foundations Isa. 28. The doctrinal foundation is the written Word of God which is not only the object and matter of our faith but the rule and reason of it Hold Christ as your Rock build on him the Scripture as your rule and the reason of your believing this is general there are some particulars First Some things are simply necessary It were a notable work for one to determine this how much knowledge were required of all Secondly Not absolutely necessary Some make the foundation too narrow some again too wide some say that if a man nean well and go on according to the light he hath though he know not Christ he shall be saved Others say that all are bound to know distinstly the Articles of the Creed Fundamental truths are all such points of Doctrine which are so plainly delivered in Scripture that whosoever doth not know or follow them shall be damned but he that doth know and follow these though erring in other things shall be saved All the principles of Religion are plain and easie delivered clearly in 1. Scripture they are to be a rule to judge of other Doctrines 2. They are very few say some reduced to two heads by Iohn Baptist Mark 1. 15. and by Paul 2 Tim. 1. 13. 3. In all principles necessary to salvation there hath been agreement among all the Churches of Christ Ephes. 4. 5. though they may differ in superstructures Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditur Catholicam est Vincent Lyrin These Fundamentals said a Reverend Divine now with God are twelve three concerning God three concerning Man three concerning the Redeemer three concerning the means of attaining good by this Redeemer Concerning God 1. There is one God which is an Infinite Perfect and Spirituall Essence 2. This one God is distinguished into three Persons or manners of subsistence after an incomprehensible way which we believe but cannot perfectly understand The Father begetting the Son begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding 3. This one God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost is the Maker Preserver and Governour of all things by his Wisdom Power Justice Providence Concerning man 1. That he was made by God of a visible body and an immortal and spiritual soul both so perfect and good in their kindes that he was perfectly able to have attained eternal life for himself which was provided as a reward of his obedience 2. That being thus made he yielded to the temptations of the Devil and did voluntarily sin against God in eating of the Tree forbidden and so became a childe of wrath and heir of cursing an enemy to God and slave to the Devil utterly unable to escape eternal death which was provided as a recompence of his disobedience 3. That he doth propagate this his sinfulnesse and misery to all his posterity Concerning Christ. 1. That he is perfect God and perfect Man the second Person in the Trinity who took the Nature of man from the Virgin Mary and united it to himself in one personal Subsistence by an incomprehensible Union 2. That in mans Nature he did die and suffer in his Life and Death sufficient to satisfie Gods Justice which man had offended and to deserve for mankinde Remission of sins and Life everlasting and that in the same Nature he Rose again from the Dead and shall also Raise up all men to receive Judgement from him at the last Day according to their Deeds 3. That he is the only sufficient and perfect Redeemer and no other merit must be added unto this either in whole or part Lastly Concerning the Means of applying the Redeemer they are three 1. That all men shall not be saved by Christ but onely those that are brought to such a sight and feeling of their own sinfulnesse and misery that with sorrow of heart they do bewail their sins and renouncing all merits of their own or any creature cast themselves upon the mercies of God and the only merits of Jesus Christ which to do is to repent and believe and in this hope live holily all the remainder of their life 2. That no man is able thus to see his sinnes by his own power renounce himself and rest upon Christ but God must work it in whom he pleaseth by the cooperation of his Spirit regenerating and renewing them 3. That for the working of this Faith and Repentance and direction of them in a holy life he hath left in writing by the Prophets and Apostles infallibly guided to all truth by his Spirit all things necessary to be done or believed to salvation and hath continued these writings to his people in all ages Observe those places Act. 15. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Let a man hold this that there was nothing but death in the world till Christ came and that he is come to save sinners Ioh. 17. 3. Secondly There are practical places 1 Cor. 6. 9. Titus 3. 8. Let us 1. See our selves dead without Christ and wholly trust in him 2. Let us be exemplary in our lives and conversations There are other Fundamentals which are only comparatively necessary that is expected from one man which is not expected from another and more from those that live in the Church Have these six Principles of the Apostle not only in your heads but hearts 1. That a man is dead in himself 2. That his remedy lies out of himself 3. Know the Doctrine of the Sacraments 4. The Word of God 5. Have some apprehension of the life to come 1. That there is a passage from death to life 2. That there is a fixed and irrevokable estate after this life 6. Hold the Doctrine of Faith so that Christ may live in you and you be delivered up into that forme of Doctrine lay hold on
his Rationale Theologicum l 1. c. 3. 4 5. 8. and l. 2 c. 5. 6. and also by Daillè in his Book entituled Laâ—foy fondee sur les Sainctes Escritures 1 Partie He shews there That Christ and his Apostles and the Ancient Fathers in disputing against their Adversaries used consequences drawn from the scripture Mat. 12. 32. Acts 17. 2. 3. and 18 23. Acts 17. 3. opening and alledging St Luke there useth two words very proper for this subject the first signifies to open the other to put one thing neer another to shew that the Apostle proved his conclusions by the scriptures in clearing first the prophecies and in shewing the true sense and after in comparing them with the events the figures with the things and the shadows with the body where the light of the truths of the Gospel of it self shined forth Mat. 22. 29 31 32. He blames them for not having learned the Resurrection of the dead by this sentence of the scripture therefore they ought to have learned it Now the sentence which he alledgeth saith nothing formally and expresly of the Resurrection of the dead but infers it from what he had laid down Hic Dominum uti principiis rationis naturae adeo manifestum est ut ne Veronius quidem Magister Artis negandi negare illud possit Vedel Rat. Theol. l. â— c. 6. vide plura ibid. c. 5. The Ancient Fathers prove by consequences drawn from scripture that God the Father is without beginning against the Sabellians and that the Son is consubstantial with the Father against the Arrians that Christ hath two Natures against the Eutychians The Papists will not be able to prove their Purgatory and many other of their corrupt opinions by the express words of Scripture We shall now lay down some Propositions or Theoremes about the sufficiency of Scripture First In every Age of the Church the Lord hath revealed so much supernatural truth as was for that age necessary unto salvation his wayes he made known to Moses Psal. 103. 7. and his statutes to Israel Deut. 4. 6. Psal. 147. 20. Heb. 1. 1. Therefore that is an erroneous opinion that before the Law written men were saved by the Law of nature and in the time of the Law by the Law of Moses and since in the time of the Gospel by the Word of grace Secondly The substance of all things necessary to salvation ever since the fall of Adam hath been and is one and the same as the true Religion hath been one and unchangeable 1. The knowledge of God and Christ is the summe of all things necessary to salvation Ioh. 17. 3. Col. 2. 2. but this knowledge was ever necessary Ier. 9. 23. Act. 4. 12. the fathers indeed saw Christ more obscurely and aenigmatically we more clearly distinctly and perspicuously but yet they knew him and believed in him unto salvation as well as we Ioh. 8. 56. 2. The Covenant of grace which God made with man is an everlasting Covenant therein the Lord hath revealed himself to be one and unchangeable as in nature so in will Heb. 13. 8. Rom. 3. 29. shewing that as God is one in nature truth and constancy and that as well toward the Gentiles as toward the Jews so he would justifie both the Circumcision and Uncircumcision the Jew and the Gentile by one way of Religion that is to say through faith and belief in his Sonne Jesus Christ. 3. Christ and his Apostles professed and taught no new Religion but the same which the Scriptures of the Old Testament did before instruct Matth. 5. 17. Iohn 5. 39. Acts 10. 43. Luke 24. 25 26 27 44 45. Acts 18. 28. and 17. 7. and 26. 22. and 28. 23. Rom. 6. 26. Therefore the believing Jews and the converted Gentiles are stiled the children of faithfull Abraham being justified by Faith as Abraham was Whence we may conclude that before under and after the Law since the fall of Adam there was never but one true Catholick Religion or way to Heaven and happiness Thirdly The Word of God being uttered in old time sundry wayes was at length made known by writing the Lord stirring up and by his holy Spirit inspiring his servants to write his will and pleasure Fourthly So long as there was any truth in any Age necessary to be more fully and clearly known then was already revealed in the Books of Moses it pleased God to stirre up holy men whom he divinely inspired and sufficiently furnished to make the Truth known unto the Church thus after Moses during the time of the Law the Lord raised up Prophets who opened the perfect way of life unto the Church of the Old Testament more clearly then it was before manifested in the Books of Moses the Time and Age of the Church requiring the same The Church of the Jews in the several Ages thereof was sufficiently taught and instructed in all things necessary to Salvation by the writings of Moses and the Prophets which appears 1. In that our Saviour being asked of one What he should do that he might inherit eternal life answered What is written in the Law and Prophets How readest thou Luke 10. 25 26. and out of the Scripture he declared himself to be the Saviour of the world fore-told and promised Matth. 21. 44. and 26. 31. Luk 4. 21. and 24 25 26 27 44. Ioh. 3. 14. 2. The answer of Abraham to the rich man sending his friends to Moses and the Prophets sheweth that they sufficed to instruct the faithful Jews in all things necessary to Salvation Luk. 16. 29 30. by them they might learn how to obtain Life and escape Death when he saith Let them hear them he meaneth them only as that place is meant Mat. 17. 5. The Jews themselves acknowledged the sufficiency of those writings to lead them unto life and happiness Ioh. 5. 39. Fifthly The Prophets did expound the Law of God and speak more plainly precisely and distinctly touching the coming of the Messias then Moses did but the last full and clear Will of God touching the Salvation of man was not manifeâ—â—ed by them that was together and at once to be published and taught by the Messias who also at his coming did establish that order in the Church of God which was to continue therein for ever For 1. Christ was ordained of the Father to be the great Doctor of his Church a Prophet more excellent then the rest that were before him both in respect of his Person Office Manner of receiving his Doctrine and the excellency of the Doctrine which he delivered 2. This was well known not only among the Jews but also among the Samaritans insomuch that the woman of Samaria could say I know when the Messias is come he will tell us all things Joh. 4. 25. 3. The time wherein God spake unto us by his Sonne is called the last dayes or the last time Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 20. to note that
and maintaining of their full strength and Nature and the propagating of their kinde according to their severall kindes The second is the life of sense whereby things are inabled to discern things hurtfull to them and things good for them to shun the one and to seek the other These are imperfect kindes of life because they are inherent after a sort in the bodies of things accompanying a corporall being which is the meanest being But thirdly there is a more worthy and noble kinde of life called reasonable such as is seen in men and in Angels which is an ability to proceed reasonably and understandingly in all actions for the attaining of good and shunning of evils fit for the welfare of the person endued with reason Now we must not conceive in God any such imperfect thing as growth or sense for he is a spiritual a simple and immaterial Essence but his life is to be understood by the similitude of the life of reason for he is a perfect understanding To the being then of God adjoyn reasonablenesse in our conceiving of him and we conceive his life somewhat aright Gods life differs from the life of the creature 1. His life is his Nature or Essence he is life it self their 's the operation of their Nature he is life they are but living 2. His life is his own he liveth of and by and in himself their life is borrowed from him in him we live and move Acts 17. 25 28. He is life and the fountain of life to all things 3. His life is Infinite without beginning or ending their life is finite and had a beginning and most of them shall have an end 4. His life is entire altogether and Perfect their 's imperfect growing by addition of dayes to dayes He liveth all at once hath his whole life perfectly in himself one infinite moment 5. He liveth necessarily they contingently so as they might not live 6. His life is immutable their 's mutable and subject to many alterations First This serves to blame those which carry themselves no otherwise to God then if he were a very dead Idol not fearing his threats or seeking to obey him Secondly To exhort us all often to revive in our selves the memory and consideration of his life by stirring up our selves to fear his threats respect his Promises obey his Commandments decline his displeasure and seek his favour Let us serve fear and trust in him which liveth for evermore Provoke not the Lord by your sinnes For it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. Thirdly Here is comfort to all the faithful servants of this God which desire to please him for they have a King which liveth and hath lived for ever a King Eternal Immortal Invisible and onely Wise in his life they shall enjoy life though friends die God ever liveth His life is the preserver upholder and comforter of your life God living of himself can blesse you with natural spiritual and eternal life Iohn 14. 10. Rom. 8. 10. 17. Life is better then all the comforts of it Men will give skin for skin and all that they have for life It is reported of one that he offered to redeem his life thrice his weight in Silver twice in Gold once in Pearl But we do little for the living God and communion with him in the life of grace and for obtaining eternal life It were better we had never had any life at all then only the life of nature Mat. 26. 24. and 18. 5. Eccles. 6. 3. God is Immortal and Incorruptible he liveth for ever in like perfection The Scripture confirmeth this 1. Negatively when it removes mortality and corruption from God Rom. 1. 23. 1 Tim. 1. 17. and 6. 16. 2. Affirmatively when it giveth life to God Genes 16. 14. Deuter. 5. 26. Ier. 2. 13. The property of Gods life is it is Endlesse Incorruptible Deut. 32. 40. Life is essential to God he is life it self but the life of other things is accidental His life is also effective he gives life to all living creatures 2. God is of himself Eternal of himself and absolutely Immortal and Incorruptible He only hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. Angels are not immortal in and of themselves they have not original or absolute immortality their immortality is dependent and derivative 3. Because he is void of all composition therefore he is free from corruption 4. Because he is simply and every way Immutable 5. This is proved from the Nobility and perfection of the Divine Essence Living bodies are more perfect then such as do not live but God is the most perfect and noble being Iohn 5. 26. 6. Because he is blessed therefore he is Immortal Ezek. 37. 14. 1. This comforts all Gods people who have the living God for their friend who liveth for ever and they shall live eternally with him the life of God comforted Iob 19. 25. Let them trust in the living God This should comfort us against spiritual weaknesse and deadnesse though we be dull and dead in Prayer God is life and will quicken us 2. We miserable men for sin are all subject unto death 2 Sam. 14. 14. Psalm 144. 4. Psal. 90. 6. Iob 14. 1. Iob describes there the brevity frailty instability and manifold miseries of this life therefore let us place all our confidence and hope in God who is Immortal and Incorruptible our soul is immortal and made for immortality it is not satisfied with any thing nor resteth but in God who is Immortal and Incorruptible A thing may be said immortal two wayes First Simpliciter absolutè per se suaque Natura so that there is no outward nor inward cause of mortality so only God Secondly which in its own nature it may be deprived of life yet ex voluntate Dei neither dies nor can die so the soul and Angels are immortal CHAP. IV. That GOD is Infinite Omnipresent Eternal GOD is truly Infinite in his Nature and Essence actually and simply by himself and absolutely he is Infinite It is a vain conceit that there cannot be an infinite thing in Act. He is not Infinite 1. In corporal quantity and extension but in Essence and Perfection 2. Not privativè but negativè he hath simply no end 3. He is Infinite not according to the Etymon of the word which respects an end only for he is both without beginning and end although the word be negative yet we intend by it a positive Attribute and perfection The Scripture demonstrates God to be Infinite 1. Affirmatively Psal. 143. 3. 2. Negatively in the same place 3. Comparatively Iob 11. 8. Isa. 40. 12 15. Dan. 4. 32. 2. Reason proves this The perfection of God whatsoever thing hath not an end of its perfection and vertue that is truly and absolutely Infinite Infinitenesse is to be without bounds to be unmeasurable to exceed reason or capacity it is
6. He knows himself and all other things perfectly all things past present and to come open secret certain contingent that which shall be which shall never be we cannot shew the Causes nor Properties of an Herb and understand onely those things which are or at least have been and we know doubtingly There is in God say the Schoolmen Scientia visionis simplicis intelligentiae the object of the first is all things possible of the other only things which really are have been or shall be Visio enim terminatur ad existentiam rei non ad solam possibilitatem saith Bellarmine 1. This is a terror to the wicked who is ignorant of God 2 Thess. 1. 8. The study of the knowledge of God and our Lord Jesus Christ is the highest noblest the most soul-perfecting and exalting knowledge that can be all other knowledge without this will nothing advantage us 2. It is necessary for us to be ruled by him who is so full of Knowledge and to believe all which he saith by way of relating promising threatning 3. This may comfort Gods people My witnesse is in Heaven said Iob If they know not how to expresse themselves in Prayer God knowes their groans To Gods Understanding are referred his Wisdome or Prudence and Prescience The Wisdome or Prudence and counsel of God by which God rightly perceives the best reason of all things which are done Hence it is that all things are joyned and knit together in a most perfect harmony and beautiful order so that they well agree both amongst themselves and with God God is wisdom it self Prov. 8. His Wisdom is 1. Infinite Psal. 136. 5. and unsearchable Iob 11. 7. 2. Essential to himself He is the only wise God Rom. 16. 27. 1 Tim. 1. 17. He is wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working Isa. 28. 29. 3. He is perfectly originally unchangeably wise Isa. 40. 13. 4. The fountain of all wisdom Was there such wisdom in Adam to give names to things according to their natures and in Salomon to discourse of all things and is there not much more in God Wisdom is an ability to fit all things to their ends He that worketh for a worthy and good end and fitteth every thing unto it worketh wisely God doth four Actions to all his Creatures as Creatures viz. 1. He made them 2. Sustaineth them 3. Actuateth them 4. Guideth and disposeth them all wisely aiming at a noble end viz. his own glory content and satisfaction He hath set also to each of them special ends to which they serve in nature and that end is the mutual preservation one of another and common beautifying of the whole workmanship in subordination to that high end of his glory and so he hath sitted each thing for that particular end he made it and all for the universal end to which he intended all The Sun was made to distinguish day and night and the several seasons it is most fit for that end it is most fit for the end in its quantity quality motion and all that pertain to it God made grasse for the food of Beasts it is fit for that end so in the rest Wisdome hath two principal acts Fore-sight and Fore-cast by which a man can before hand see what will be after to make his use of it 2. Disposing and ordering things by taking the fittest means and opportunities to attain his own good and right ends This vertue is Infinitely in God for he doth fore-see all things eternally and in time disposeth of them most fitly by the fittest means and opportunities for the best that can be to his own glory which is the highest end that he can and should aim at for to that which is the best of all things must all things else be referred therefore God is the onely wise God Gods knowledge differs from his wisdom in our apprehension thus His knowledge is conceived as the meer apprehension of every object but his wisdom is conceived as that whereby he doth order and dispose all things His knowledge is conceived as an act his wisdom as an habit or inward Principle not that it is so but only we apprehend it in this manner Gods wisdom is seen in these particulars 1. In making of this great world 1 Cor 1. â—1 all things therein are disposed in the best Order Place Time by the wisest Architect How doth David in the Psalms admire the wisdom and power of God in making of the world Psal. 136. 5. and 104. per totum Much wisdom and art is seen in the Sun Stars creeping things Salomon in all his glory was not comparable to one of the Lilies for that is native and imbred his adventitious 2. In particular in making of man the little world David is much affected with this Psal. 139. 14 15. 3. In the Order which is in these things God hath made every thing beautiful in his season saith Salomon He is called The God of order Psal. 19. The heavens are said to have a line which is likewise called their voice because God by this exact order and art which he shewed in making of them doth plainly declare to all the world his Glory and Power 4. In that nothing is defective or superfluous 5. In contriving things by contrary means He brings about contrary ends by contrary means by death he brought life to believers by ignominy and shame the greatest glory By terrors for sin he brings the greatest comfort and leads men by hell to heaven 6. By catching those which are wise in their own craftinesse Psalm 59. Iob 9. 4. 7. In finding out a way to save man by Christ Ephes. 3. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdom in many curious passages 1 Pet. 1. 12. the very Angels desire to pry into this Mystery and indeed here was so much wisdom that if the understanding of all men and Angels had been put together they could not have devised a possible way for mans salvation 8. In the Church in the Oracles of Scripture exceeding all sharpnesse of humane wit in the Original Progresse Change and migration of the Church and other mysteries of the Gospel the profound and immense wisdom of Gods counsels shines 9. In the particular passages of his Providence to his Children about their outward condition in taking David from the sheep-fold to be a King but how much misery did he undergo before he was setled So to Iacob Abraham and Paul in doing them good by their sins making them wary 10. In heaven in which the Counsels Acts Decrees and Promises of God all obscurity being removed shall be most clearly unfolded Dost thou want wisdom go to this fountain Iam. 1. 5. Psal. 94. 10. all the wisdom of men and Angels comes from him The godly have a most wise teacher Iob 36. 22. 2. Take heed of trusting in thy own crafty wisdom 1 Cor. 3. 18. 3. Gods wisdom cals for our fear the people feared
Gen. 7. 19. Paradise signifieth a Garden the word being translated out of Greek into Latine and so into French and English In Hebrew it is called Heden which signifieth Delights a Garden of all manner of Delights a place beset with all kinde of fruitful and beautiful Trees Paradise was a little model of Heaven and a sign of the great Heaven assuring Adam that if he continued in obedience to God he should be translated into Heaven to enjoy God supernaturally as there he did enjoy him naturally for the Law saying Do this and live means it of everlasting life So Mr Wheatley held but M Ball seems to differ from him in his Book of the Covenant Man was to die if he disobeyed Gen. 2. 17. which implies strongly that Gods Covenant was with him for life if he obeyed In several other Scriptures the promise is annexed This do and live Negatio fundatur in affirmatione the life promised must be answerable to the death threatned that was not only a miserable condition but a separation from God for ever in hell therefore the life promised was not only a happy condition but a translating of Adam to Heaven and his injoying of God for ever there How long Adam should have lived before he had been translated is not determined There is an innate desire in the soul after the full enjoyment of God here this instinct was not put in men in vain Rom. 3. 23. And come short of the glory of God The word signifies to fall short of the race that price and crown he ran for the full and perfect enjoyment of God See Heb. 4. and what man fell short of by sinne if he had not sinned he should have obtained This is the received opinion of Divines That if Adam had not sinned then as soon as the number of Saints had been accomplished men should have been translated from the earth to heaven from their natural life to spiritual life as we reade of Enoch and Elias Heb. 11. 6. 2 King 2. 11. Dr Hampton on Gen. 1. 26. Though Menasseh Ben Israel de fragil hum Sect. 12. saith That common opinion that Enoch was translated with his body and soul to heaven doth not take place with them and saith that R. Solomon Abrabanel Aben Ezra interpret Gen. 5. 24. of a short death See more there There were two special Trees in it one called the Tree of life the other of the knowledge of good and evil Some say it was called the Tree of Life from the effect because of the hidden power and force it had of sustaining and prolonging mans life Although it be a Dispute Whether it had this force as meat to prolong life or as a medicine to prevent death old-age and diseases as likewise whether this power in the Tree were natural or supernatural Vide Menass Ben Israel de fragil hum Sect. 4. Therefore others say it was called so not from the effect but signification because it was an outward sign that God would give them immortality if they did continue It is questioned Whether the Tree of Life was a Sacrament Paraeus answers That it was a Sacrament three wayes First As an admonition to them that the life which they had they had it from God for as often as they tasted of it they were to remember that God was the author of life Secondly As it was a symbol of a better life in heaven if he did continue in obedience Thirdly Sacramentally of Christ as in whom Adam and Angels did obtain life Revel 2. 7. He is called The Tree of Life in the midst of Paradise but that is only allegorical and allusive so that what the Tree of Life was to Adam in innocency the same is Christ to us in our corrupt estate 2. The Tree of Good and Evil. It was not so called from any internal form as if it self were knowing good and evil nor from the effect as if by eating thereof it would have procured wisdom in man and made him wiser nor yet was it called so from the lying promise of the Devil concerning omniscience for God called it so before they met together therefore it was named so from the Event for God by this name fore-told what would follow if man did not abstain from it that he should experimentally know what was good and what was evil he should practically feel what he had lost and what evil he had plunged himself into Some have thought that those words Gen. 3. 24. should not be understood historically but allegorically that is that God gave him no hopes of coming into this place again but the Text contradicts that some have understood by Cherubims some species and images of terrible creatures as we call Scare-crows but that is simple to think that Adam was so childish to be afraid of those others interpret it of the fire of Purgatory The more probable Interpretation is that by Cherubims are meant Angels who did after a visible manner shake up and down this fiery sword Moses doth therefore call them Cherubims because the Jews knew what he meant having such forms over the Ark. Therefore it is taken for Angels not simply but as they appeared in some shape It is a curiosity to enquire how long they staid there although it is certain they ceased when Paradise was destroyed which was by the Floud Therefore this serves 1. For Information to instruct us 1. That every man and woman hath a soul there is a body and a spirit which enlivens and acts the body for all performances of the Compositum we must glorifie God in both 1 Cor. 6. 20. 2. It is immortal by Gods appointing but in it self endable because it hath a beginning that it may be capable of everlasting weal or woe 3. It is so immortal that it admits of no cessation or intermission the Anabaptists say It is asleep when it parts from the body till the day of Resurrection as soon as it leaves the body it goes either to Abrahams bosome or a place of torment This opinion of the souls sleeping is repugnant to the holy Scriptures Luk. 16. 23. Phil. 1. 23 and an heresie long since condemned in the Church The soul lives after death and in a state of separation Psal. 90. 10. and we flee away that is the soul as a bird out of the shell Eccles. 12. 3. Revel 6. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 1 8 9. See Ioh. 17. 22 24. 1 Cor. 13. 12. and B. Halls Invis world l. 2. Sect. 3. 4. At the last day it shall be united with the body and the body raised up for it and both be happy or miserable for ever 2. Be thankful to God that hath given us our souls and redeemed them by the bloud of his Son Propter hanc Deus fecit mundum propter hanc Filius Dei venit in mundum Chrysost. Blesse him especially for soul-mercies Eph. 1. 3. Ioh. 3. 2 4. and let the soul praise him Psal.
hereditary to all his seed in case of obedience and his sin in case of disobedience 3. There is an after consent on our part to Adams treason Imitation is a kinde of consent Isa. 43. 27. 4. The offering of another Adam to thee in the Church shews that the dispensation is not rigorous so you may share in his obedience as well as the others disobedience It is as agreeable to the wisedom and justice of God by the first Adam to introduce death as to the wisedom and grace of God by the second Adam to introduce life The first Covenant makes way for the second 5. There is a parallel in Scripture between the first and second Adam Isa. 49. 18. Rom. 5. 12. 1 John 5. 11. Christ is caput cum foedere as well as the first Adam Object This sinne of Adam being but one could not desile the universall nature Socinus Ans. Adam had in him the whole nature of mankinde 1 Cor. 15. 47. by one offencr the whole nature of man was defiled Rom. 5. 12 17. Object Adams sin was nor voluntary in us we never gave consent to it Answ. There is a twofold will 1. Voluntas naturae the whole nature of man was represented in Adam therefore the will of nature was sufficient to conveigh the sin of nature 2. Voluntas personae by every actuall sin we justifie Adams breach of Covenant Rom. 5. 12. 19. seems clear for the imputation of Adams sinne All were in Adam and sinned in him as after Austin Beza doth interpret that Rom. 5. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so our last Translators in the Margent And though it be rendred for that all have sinned by us the Syriack Eras. Vaâ—ab Calv. Pisc. yet must it so be understood that all have sinned in Adam for otherwise it is not true that all upon whom death hath passed have sinned as namely Infants newly born it is not said All are sinners but All have sinned which imports an imputation of Adams act unto his posterity Vide Bellarmine Tom. 4. l. 4. de Amiss grat Statu peccati c. 3. Peccatum Adami ita posteris omnibus imputatur ac si omnes idem peccatum patravissent Id. ib. c. 16. and again c. 8. peccatum originale tametsi ab Adamo est non tamen Adami sed nostrum est Some Divines do not differ so much re as modo loquendi about this point they grant the imputation of Adams sin to his posterity in some sense so as that there is a communication of it with them and the guilt of it is charged upon them yet they deny the imputation of it to posterity as it was Adams personall sin But it is not to be considered as Adams personall sinne but as the sin of all mankinde whose person Adam did then represent It was one that made us sinners it is one that makes us righteous prior in semine alter in sanguine it was man that forfeited it is man that satisfied D. Hampton on Rom. 5. 10. The parts of this corrupt estate Sinfulnesse of nature and life and the punishment of sin here and hereafter The division of sin into Original and Actual is gathered out of Rom. 5. 14. and I shall first treat of originall sin or the corruption of nature Sin is an absence of that righteousnesse which should be in us in our nature as originall sin in our actions as actuall sin a morall inconformity or difformity in nature or life to the Law of God This vitiousnesse of nature is not unfitly called Sin Rom. 6. 7. 1. Ex causa it is the fruit and effect of that first transgression of our Father Adam 2. Ex effectu it is the root seed spawn of all actual transgressions in every one of us Originall sinne is against the whole Law which is spirituall and requires perfect integrity in man more specially against the first and last Commandments That there is original sin a defilement in every mans heart as soon as he is born which were enough to destroy him though he break out into no outward acts of rebellion is proved 1. By Scripture Gen. 6. 5 8. Iob 14. 14. 15. 14 15 16. Psal. 51. 5. Sunt qui dicunt quod per hoc innuitur Eva quae non peperit nisi postquam peccavit Porchetus Rom. 5. 12. Eph. 2. 13. 2. By the effects 1. Mans desperate contrariety to good things even from his youth Psal. They went astray from their youth up In Isay Transgressors from the womb A childe is opposite to any good duty and ready to imitate all evil 2. The Lord instituted circumcision to shew the filthinesse we are begotten and born in and which should be cut off Therefore saith Bellarmine it was commanded to be done in that member in which the effect of that sin doth more violently appear and by which mankinde is propagated and by propagation infected The use of baptisme also is to take away the guilt and filth of nature The woman that had a childe was to go offer as unclean 3. It is demonstrated by sicknesse other crosses and death even of infants Rom. 3. 23. 4. The unserviceablenesse of the creatures proves that there is original sin 5. Because there must be a change of our natures 1. Every man is born guilty of Adams sin 2. Every man is born dead in sin Ephes. 2. 1. 3. Every natural man is born full of all sin Rom. 1. 29. as full as a toad of poison 4. What ever he doth is sin 1. His thoughts Gen. 6. 5. 2. His words Psal. 50. 16. 3. His actions 1. Civil Prov. 21. 4. 2. Religious Prov. 15. 18 19. 28. 9. The vile nature of man is apt to commit most foul and presumptuous sins Rom. 3. 9 10 11 to 18. v. Mark 7. 21. Reas. 1. From mans self sin hath come over all together with death 2. The devil laboureth to bring men to the most notorious sins that he may render them most like to himself Ephes. 2. 2. 3. The world is full of such things and persons as may induce an evil nature to most horrible deeds 4. God in justice gives men over to work wickednesse with greedinesse CHAP. II. What Original Corruption is THese names are given to Orignall sin in Scripture It is called sin Rom. 7. 8. The sinning sin Rom. 7. 13. Sin that dwelleth in us Rom. 7. 20. Sin that doth easily beset us Heb. 13. 1. The body of sin Rom. 7. 23. A law in the members and the body of death Rom. 7. 24. It is also called flesh Joh. 3. 6. Rom. 7. 5. The old man Rom. 6. 6. Ephes. 4. 12. Col. 3. 9. The law of sin Rom. 7. 25. The wisdom of the flesh Rom. 8. 6 7. The law of sin and of death Rom. 8. 2. The plague in ones own heart 1 King 8. 38. The root of bitternesse Heb. 12. It is called by the Fathers Original sin It is not a meer want of
confirmed by King Iames Daemonol l. 2. c. 6. B. Carletons Examinat of Sir Christ. Heyd Book c. 5. Saul was convinced of the evil of Witchcraft his zeal ran out against Witches yet after he himself went to a Witch The End of the fourth Book THE FIFTH BOOK OF MANS RECOVERY BY CHRIST Wherein are handled His Names Titles Natures Offices and twofold Estate of Humiliation and Exaltation CHAP. I. Of Mans Recovery SECONDLY Mans Restauration or Recovery from his miserable estate that he had plunged himself to by sin 1. What this Recovery is 2. The causes and parts of it Of the first It is a part of Gods special Providence whereby man is recovered out of the state of Sinne and slavery to Satan Death and Hell to an estate of Grace Life and Glory Death and sin entred by the first Adam the second Adam brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel Rom. 3. 24 25. Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22. God still delighted to deal with a common person in the name of all the rest in both the Covenants there was a principal contracting party a common representee Adam in the Covenant of Works Christ in the Covenant of Grace either of these was to communicate his estate to his posterity Both these were common parents authors of life to their seed 1 Cor. 15. 45 49. But they differed 1. In the Dignity of their persons Adam was a holy man yet but an earthly creature Christ is the Lord from heaven See Rom. 5. 15 16 17. 2. In the Degree of the publick Office Adam was a common person but not a Surety for them Christ was a Surety Heb. 7. 22. able to give his a new heart 3. In the Manner of Representation Adam took nothing from us and conveyed nothing to us but sinne Christ took sinne from us made our transgressions to be his and his obedience is become ours 2 Cor. 5. 21. This work of mans recovery is Gods Master-piece all other designs are subordinate to this all his Attributes shine out in this God manifested great love to man at the first in making him happy in stamping his Image on him and in making himself his end but he discovered greater love in the work of redemption Iohn 3. 16. He discovered great power in creating the world of nothing but greater in mans recovery it is greater power to restore a creature when fallen then to uphold it at the first all other acts of power were but over the creature this was over his Son Iohn 10. 18. never was there such an act of grace to take the creature into personal Union with the God-head Zech. 13. 7. God discovered great wisdom in making the creatures and in his Law but that prescribed not a way how to satisfie God and sanctifie man and that so easily Heb. 2. 12. See Rom. 11. 33. He declared also his Holinesse and Justice rather then sin should go unpunished his own Son was punished 2. The Cause of it It comes wholly and onely from the free grace and favour of God Ephes. 2. 8. By grace you are saved through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God The ground of mans restitution was the bringing in of the second Covenant God vouchsafing to deal with man as a rational creature was pleased to deal with him in way of a Covenant the Covenant of Works being broken and it being impossible to enter into heaven that way Rom. 8. 3. God made a new and better Covenant called the Covenant of Grace of which Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezekiel speak This is the way of Gods bringing lost man to life and happinesse by a Mediator The first Covenant was Gods way of bringing man to life by his obedience The righteousnesse required to bring a man to life in the second Covenant is not his own righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of a Mediator 1. This Covenant of Grace was ever one and the same Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever all that obtain life obtain it the self same way The same Covenant that was revealed to Adam when he sin'd was revealed after to Abraham and Noah the Prophets and to us 2. Although for substance this Covenant be one and the same in all ages yet the external administrations of it were different in one manner before Christ exhibited in another after Then it was administred by Prophecies Promises Sacrifices Tâ—pes Shadows after Christ exhibited in the flesh it was administred only in the Ordinances of preaching and the Sacraments Their Types Shadows Sacrifices Washing Circumcision eating rosted Lambs held out the same Christ that our Sacraments hold out 3. The Administration of the Covenant of Grace since Christ was exhibited is far more glorious theirs was called the old Covenant ours the new one This lies in three things 1. It is more universal a great while the other was onely in Abrahams family and after appropriated to the Nations of the Jews and some that turned Proselytes now the utmost isles of the world see the salvation of God 2. Now the Covenant of Grace is revealed more clearly the things about Christ were then dark babes may now understand those things that their Doctors did not 3. A greater measure of Grace and Holinesse is now communicated 3. The parts of this Recovery are two saith Mr Richardson 1. The work of Mans redemption 2. The Application of it The work of Redemption is the purchasing of man from his undone condition by a Redeemer or Mediator or the Recovery of man from his estate of sinne and misery by a full price paid for him by a Redeemer 2. The Application of it is whereby it is made ours by imputation These two are joyned together Iohn 3. 16. Mark 16. 16. The one of these is the Sufficiency of mans Recovery the other the Efficiency Paul and Peter speak often of a price paid for us I shall therefore shew 1. Who this Redeemer is that hath paid this price for us 2. What the price is that he hath paid for us Our Lord Jesus Christ Immanuel the Word made flesh God and man united in one Person is the Person The price that he hath paid was the subjecting of himself in our stead to do what we should have done and suffer what we should else have undergone Mat. 18. 11. Luk 19. 10. Rom. 3. 24 25. 1 Tim. 5. 15. All the Ceremonies and Sacrifices under the Law had relation to Christ they were but the shadow and he was the body First The Nazarite must be sanctified in his mothers womb to signifie that Jesus the true Nazarite should be conceived without sinne in the womb of the Virgin Secondly His two Natures were signified by the Goat that was killed and the Scape-goat and by the two Sparrows the one killed and the other let go His Offices of King and Priest typed by the High-priests Crown Garments and Ornaments His Death by the Sacrifices and his lifting up
manner of Tyrants to seek the destruction of the right Inheritor dissembled with the Wisemen pretending that his purpose was to come and worship him and learning by them what he could for that purpose intended in very deed to have made him away by which means he was compelled for the saving of his life to take a long and tedious journey down into Aegypt no Question with great labour and wearinesse to himself as well as to his Parents Thus you have the sufferings of our Saviours Infancy next consider his whole life and what was it but a suffering of all misery both in the whole course of it and in the conclusion of all at his death For the course of his life it was private and publick For his private life untill his thirty years he lived a Carpenter He that was sufficient to have governed all the Monarchies under the Sunne to have ruled the whole world to have led mighty Armies and to have read a Lecture of Wisdom to Angels and Archangels he was servant to his Father a Carpenter and spent his time obscurely in a manual occupation handling the Mallet and Chezil and doing the work of a mean labourer burying as it were all his Divine Excellencies under the thick and dark cloud of a poor Trade and not shewing forth so much as a glympse of his heavenly glory but that at one time at the age of twelve years he peeped a little out of the Cloud when at a feast in Ierusalem he disputed with Doctors to the astonishment of all the hearers and beholders He was cast down from all honour and made to inherit contempt and basenesse But come we to his publick life where he was to take upon him a glorious function fit for himself even to be the Minister of the Circumcision a Prophet to the people Israel First He entred into this function with a great toil and labour for by and by after his Baptism and Calling to publick view he was thrust forth into the wildernesse there to be tempted of the Devil not for a few hours or dayes but for full fourty dayes together There he did challenge all the powers of darknesse and hand to hand did enter the lists to fight a combate with all the Devils of hell There was he singled forth and they let loose to try the utmost of their mighty and subtil temptations three principal ones are mentioned but no question he stood not against so little as three thousand for what would not Satan assay to do him mischief What evils did he not by word or suggestion labour to draw him to when he had him for so long a space of time at so great a disadvantage all alone in the wildernesse and fasting he would strain himself to the utmost of his wicked wit to have poysoned him with some taint of wickednesse that he might have killed the whole body of his Church in him the Head thereof as he destroyed all mankinde in the first Adam the common root of it It is certain that our Lord was armed with power and wisdom to discover and resist his temptations and knew he should could and would be victorious but no doubt the combate was troublesome and tedious and filled his righteous soul with unspeakable dolour and anguish Let a vertuous and honourable Matron be shut up so many dayes together in one room with a base and loathsome adulterer there to suffer all his impure solicitations will not her misery be so much the greater in sense by how much her self is more shamefac'd and honest and more abhorrent from all such impurity so it was with the soul of our blessed Saviour That great and foul polluter of himself and mankinde the Devil had liberty given him to try what ever he could do with all his crafty and abominable temptations to draw our Lord Jesus from his God and to make him as all other men were a sinner The most valiant person in the world armed with the best weapons for defence and furnished with so much prowesse and skill that he knew he should be conquerour and unwounded would yet finde it unspeakably troublesome to ward oft the multitude of blows of ten thousand at once assailing him with such fiery darts and poisoned weapons that each of them had they but fastened to draw bloud would have been mortal unto him Had any of Satans temptations fastened on the soul of Christ he had been made a sinner and so separated from the Union with the second Person and so himself with all his members that depended upon him had perished eternally Doubtlesse though he knew he should overcome yet the bearing off putting by and resisting so many mighty blows and subtil thrusts must needs be extreamly tedious and bitter unto him by how much he was more perfectly holy and did more detest all such manner of temptations Thus his sufferings from Satan were horrible though in the issue harmlesse yea and glorious but now thinke what he bare in his whole life after Five things are most intollerable to the nature of man in passing of his life Poverty Reproach Labour Danger and Sorrows he was laden with all these in all extremity First for Poverty Though he were very rich saith St Paul yet he became poor for our sakes he had been no slothful nor prodigal Person in his private life but he was a Servant to his father in law and the calling was poor so that he could get nothing but from hand to mouth and therefore being to leave his Trade and become a Minister and Preacher of the Gospel he had no house nor home of his own to dwell in no stock nor revenues to live upon but was fain to live of pure alms and though he was no beggar yet as if he had been a beggar to maintain himself altogether by the kindenesse of others The Foxes have holes the Fowls nests but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head We reade of a bag he had but it was not filled with the fruits of his own hand or stock but with the gifts and alms of others He had it but he had it of alms it was enough but at other mens voluntary cost What ingenuous spirit doth not feel it an abasement to be so maintained You see his Poverty he was of so low estate that indeed he had nothing at all but what good people would bestow upon him Again for Reproach How insufferable a thing is that to worthy natures to be standered reviled ill-spoken of and laden with false accusations and calumniations Doth it not seem unto us a heavier thing then death Who is not so tender of his good name that the least blemish and aspersion cast upon him seemeth more smarting then the cutting of a sword But our Saviour had all manner of disgraces cast upon him not by mean base beggarly and despised companions but by the Scribes Pharisees Elders High-Priests and Rulers of the City
Apostles in the New Testament to pray Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters CHAP. IX Whether one may be certain of his Iustification THe Scripture holds out assurance in reference 1. To Faith Heb. 10. 22. 2. Hope Heb. 6. 11. 3. Love 1 Iohn 4. 17 18. Our knowing our Justification is called the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. The witnesse of the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. The sealing of the Spirit Ephes. 1. 14. The earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5. 5. One may be certain 1. Of his Justification Isa. 45. 24. 2. Of his Adoption Isa. 63. 16. 3. Of his Perseverance in Gods favour unto the end Psal. 23. 6. 4. That after this life he shall inherit eternal glory 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Iohn 3. 14. There is a three-fold certainty 1. Moral this consists in opinion and probability and admits of fear 2. Of evidence either external of things particular and obvious which comes by the senses or internal by the understanding and energy of principles 3. Of Faith this certainty is the greatest and exceeds the evidence of the outward senses or the knowledge and understanding of all principles because that full assurance of faith relies on the Divine Promises Faith is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 3. 12. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plena certioratio Heb. 10. 24. words that signifie a sure and certain establishment Assurance of Gods grace and favour to save a mans self in particular is wrought in the hearts of those that have it in truth in three degrees First They apprehend a possibility of it when the heart is convinced of sinne and wounded with sinne when the Law cometh in such power the sinne reviveth and a man dieth that is findeth himself dead or in a damnable estate even then the promises of the Gospel being believed and acknowledged for first true do cause the dejected Spirit to support it self with this thought The Lord can forgive can accept me be a Saviour to me There are mercies enough in him merits enough in Christ it is not impossible but that I even I also may be taken into grace So the Leper came to our Saviour saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and the blinde men being asked by Christ Believe you that I can do this for you said Yea Lord To which he replied Be it unto you according to your faith Secondly They apprehend a probability of it not alone God can save me but it may be also that he will Who can tell but God will have mercy upon us that we perish not as did the Ninevites and Hezekiah did wish that Isaiah should cry mightily if so be that the Lord of Heaven would hearken to the words of Senacherib and deliver them When Bartimeus the blinde man came crying after Christ at first he was perswaded that Christ could cure him but then when he called him and the people told him so much he cast off his cloak and came running with more life he began to be perswaded then that like enough Christ meant him some good and would restore him his sight Thirdly They apprehend a Certainty a mans soul concludeth The Lord will pardon will save is reconciled will deliver God is my Shepherd I shall not want Thus doth Assurance grow in the Saints from weak beginnings first he saith I am sure God can save and therefore I will run to him then hopes God will help and therefore I will continue seeking lastly I am sure God will save therefore I will most confidently rely upon him There is a three-fold Assurance 1. Of Evidence it is the duty of every Christian to attain this 2. Of Affiance which God doth accept of 3. Of Obsignation which God vouchsafes to some in bounty whereby God doth so firmly seal the faith of some as if he had told them that he did die in particular for them this Assurance really excludes doubtings and is given to men after long and fiery trials when they have stood in an eminent way for Christ as did the Apostles and Martyrs Some have been so swallowed up with joy that they have cried out Lord humble me one to whom God revealed his Election could neither eat drink nor sleep for three dayes space but cried out Laudetur Dominus laudetur Dominus Gods people may have an infallible and setled Assurance of their being in the state of grace and their continuance therein This may be proved 1. From Scripture There is an expresse promise to this purpose Isa. 60. 16. See 2 Cor. 13. 5. Heb. 8. 11. 1 Iohn 3. 2. to 15. 2. 3. 5. 13. 2 Ep. 14. 2. Reason 1. From the nature of this estate The state of grace is called life Translated from death to life and light life and light cannot be long hidden Again a man is brought into this condition by a great change and alteration and many times also sudden great changes chiefly being sudden will be easily perceived It is a passing from death to life a translating from the power of darknesse into the Kingdom of his dear Sonne The state of grace doth alwayes bring with it an earnest combate and conflict between two things extreamly contrary one to the other flesh and Spirit this battel cannot be fought in the heart but the man will feel it In the state of grace Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith and by his Spirit and the Word dwelleth there the inhabiting of such guests is evident a King goes not in secret with his train nor the King of glory 2. The Lord hath afforded such helps to his servants as may bring them to the knowledge of their own estate and their certain continuance therein The word of God layes down the general Proposition All that turn shall live all that believe shall be saved the Sacraments bring the general promises home to each particular soul being a particular Word as much as if God should come and sayto the child If thou be not careles to seek Regeneration and to come to me for it I will surely regenerate and wash thee The Lords Supper is an actual word too as if God had said If thou hast confessed thy sins with sorrow and dost labour to be perswaded of my will to pardon them in Christ Be they pardoned be they healed The Spirit of God worketh with the Word and Sacraments to make both effectual and to stablish strengthen and settle the soul that it shall not be moved It sealeth them up to the day of Redemption that is not only marks them for Gods own but as an earnest of their inheritance assures them that by the power of the Spirit they shall continue so Thirdly God requireth of them such duties as it were in vain or impossible to do if they might not be assured of their estate and the perpetuity thereof 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 10. To what purpose were
foolish and unreasonable Vide Daven Determ Quaest. 6. There is a two-fold Obedience 1. Legal so to keep Gods wayes as to do all which the ten Commandments require at all times in all fulnesse without any the least failing in matter or manner which was the bargain made with our first Parents Adam and Eve and which by nature lies on us Do this and live such a keeping of the Law is utterly impossible for Paul saith That which the Law could not do in as much as it was weak through the flesh The Law cannot bring us to heaven because our flesh in breaking it disableth it from giving us the reward which is promised to absolute perfection and by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified if we could perform such an Obedience we needed not any Mediator 2. Evangelical a true striving to perform the former Obedience it is an upright and hearty endeavour after the fore-named perfect Obedience For the Gospel doth not abolish the Law from being the rule of our life but alone from being the means of our Justification and so from bringing the malediction of the Law upon us but it establisheth the Law as a rule of good life tying and inabling us to labour with uprightnesse and sincerity to perform all things written in the Law in all perfection The Obedience of the Law excludes all defects that of the Gospel all wilful defects and allowed sins This Obedience is two-fold 1. Counterseit false and feigned when the will in some things yeelds to Gods will not because it is his will but because his will doth not much crosse the motions of theirs this is the obedience of hypocrites 2. True and hearty when for Gods own sake principally the will frames it self in all things to stoop unto him Of this there are two degrees one perfect when the will is wholly carried after Gods will without any gainsaying with the full sway and whole swinge of it this was only in Adam 2. Imperfect when the will opposeth it self to its own disobedient inclinations and doth consent to obey and is displeased with its own disobedience We must all set our selves to yeeld true obedience to God How often and earnestly doth Moses inculcate this Deut. 4. 1. 5. 1. If ye love me keep my Commandments saith Christ. Peter saith We must yeeld our selves to God as those that are risen from the dead meaning quickened in soul by vertue of Christs Resurrection 1 King 2. 3 4. Reasons First From God 1. In regard of his right to rule he is the author of our being and continuance he hath also redeemed us wherefore it is pressed on the people of Israel that they ought to obey God above all people because he redeemed them out of the hand of Pharaoh Secondly His fitnesse to rule 1. He is most wise and just to make good righteous and equal Laws 2. Most careful to observe the carriage of men 3. Most bountiful to reward obedience 4. Most severe to punish disobedience Thirdly He hath done us already so much good and laden us with so many benefits that we are ingaged Fourthly To this adde the excellency of his holy Nature for wisdome and goodnesse Secondly From our selves Who are 1. Subject to him as being his Children Servants Subjects 2. Foolish and weak in our selves subject to many enemies dangers Thirdly From the Commandments which we must obey 1. They are most just as holding perfect agreement with right reason and equity teaching us to give God and man his own 2. They are fitted to our good as well as to Gods glory confusion would follow if every one might hate and kill whom he would 3. Obedience is most necessary acceptable profitable and possible praying hearing knowledge of God faith The rule of it must be the Word of God the extent the whole Law in every point Deut. 28. 58. Levit. 19. ult Psal. 119. 6. Act. 13. 22. Col. 4. 12. the whole will of God the form of it is conformity to the Word and will of God The end principal that we may honour and please God Mat. 5. 16. As you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God saith Paul The Properties of it 1. Generality or Universality it must be entire Luk. 1. 6. 2. Constancy I will incline my heart to thy testimonies alwayes to the end 3. Sincerity it must be grounded on Gods authority and aim at his glory Motives to Obedience Consider 1. The Majesty and Excellency of him whose servants you are He is the King of Kings Constantinus Valentinianus Theodosius three Emperors called themselves Vasallos Christi Moses My servant Peter Paul a servant of Christ. 2. The honourablenesse of the work His service is perfect freedom 3. The great priviledges and reward of this service II. Means 1. Take notice of and be abased in the sense of our own disobedience 2. Pray to God to give his Spirit to encline our hearts to his testimonies 3. Consider the necessity fruit excellency and equity of Obedience CHAP. XVI Of the Sanctification of the Conscience COnscience is taken 1. More strictly and properly when it is joined with other faculties of the soul as Titus 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 5. In the first it is differenced from the minde in the later from the will 2. More largely when 't is put alone and so it stands for the whole heart soul and spirit working inwardly upon it self by way of reflex So Acts 24. 16. It is a distinct faculty the Apostle seemeth to make it so when he saith of unbelievers That their mindes and their consciences are defiled and because it hath the name of the whole heart given unto it 1 Sam. 24. 5. 1 Iohn 3. 10. and because in the working of it it hath a certain general and universal command over all the other faculties It s proper work is to dispose a man aright to Gods word and to set a work all the rest of his powers for that purpose Conscience is an ability in a man to judge of his estate and actions according to a rule prescribed by God it is no further therefore Liberty of Conscience but licentiousnesse then it is regulated by the Word for the Conscience is Regula regulata Est liber animae ad quem emendandum scripti sunt omnes libri Bern. What Conscience is it is hard to finde as in mens dealings the use of it some making it a distinct faculty from the understanding some an habit some an act it is the understanding reflecting upon its self in its acts in regard of the goodnesse or badness of them Or the judgement that a man gives of himself in reference to the judgement of God There is a kinde of syllogism He that believes in Christ shall be saved But I believe in Christ. He that loves the Brethren is passed from death to life But I love the Brethren Converting Grace reneweth a mans conscience 1. Whereas it
Scripture but prosperity See Ier. 15. 9. Amos 8. 9. They also urge that place Rev. 21. 22. Brightman understands it not of the Church militant but of the Jewish Synagogues They shall not worship God after their own manner and worship when the Jews are converted 1. God hath chosen these to be Canales gratiae the Conduit-pipes whereby he derives himself and his graces to his people 1 Cor. 1. 24. 2. He hath commanded us to wait upon them attend to reading search the Scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. be baptized for remission of sins do this in remembrance of me pray continually Despise not prophesying 1 Thess. 5. 19. Paul there intimates an aptnesse in men under the notion of magnifying and advancing of the Spirit to despiâ—e prophesying and sheweth also that the means to quench and extinguish the illuminations of the Spirit is to have low and unworthy thoughts of the word of God and of prophesying according to the Analogy and proportion of that Word We use the Ordinances not only for the enjoyment of God in them but as a testimony of our obedience God gave not the Spirit for this end to be the onely rule for man to live by but to help him to understand the rule and enable him to keep it 3. God hath limited us so to them that we have no warrant to expect the communication of grace but by the Ordinances 4. He hath threatned a curse to those that reject them Heb. 10. 25 39. Observe the punishment both of Jews and Gentiles which slighted the Ordinances 1 Cor. 1. 22 23 compared with v. 24. If these therefore be children which set so light by the Ordinances they will not live long without bread God hath given up the leaders of this errour to borrid blasphemous opinions they think they have no need of Christ Some think that they are Christ Others that they are God and that they are glorified and cry down Sanctification as an Idol This may suffice for the Ordinances in general of the Ministry and preaching of the Word I have spoken already the other particular Ordinances I shall handle and defend afterwards Others run into another extream and make Idols of the Ordinances 1. By resting in a bare formal attendance upon them as the Harlot in the Proverbs I have had my peace-offerings to day We must remember they are but means the end is communion with God and Christ and therefore we should not rest in the work done 2. By leaning too much upon them they are means to which we are limited but we should not limit the Lord when thou hast done all loathe thy self and all that thou hast done and rest on free-grace We should be careful of duty as if there were no grace to justifie us and so rest upon grace as if no work were to be done â—y us The Ordinances are either 1. Ordinary as Hearing the Word Singing of Psalms Prayer Receiving the sacraments 2. Extraordinary Fasting Feasting Vows CHAP. II. Of Ordinary Religious Duties and first of Hearing the Word I. That we must hear the Word HEaring of the Word preached is a duty that lies upon all Saints Ephes. 2. 17. Heb. 12. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 11. 3. 18 19. It is a necessary and beneficial duty 1. Necessary It is seed to beget and meat to nourish 1 Pet. 2. 2. It is â—eedful in respect of our ignorance Ephes. 4. 18. Forgetfulnesse Heb. 2. 2 3. Isa. 62. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 12. This is the word by which we are to examine our estates and by which God will judge us at the last day 2 Cor. 5. 15 16. All the Persons of the Trinity speak to you in every truth discovered The Father Iohn 6. 45. the Son Heb. 12. 25. the Spirit Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches 2. Beneficial 1. Souls are converted unto God as death comes by hearing so life Rom. 10. 17. Revel 6. 1. 2. It is a great means of salvation Rom. 1. 16. it is called salvation it self the one thing necessary Iam. 1. 21. 3. The Spirit is conveyed by it both in the gifts and graces 2 Cor. 3. 8. Rom. 1. 12. 4. Growth in grace comes by it 5. Satans Kingdome is overthrown by it he fals from heaven like lighâ—â—ning Object I can reade the Word at home which is more truly the Word then what others preach If he were a man of an infallible spirit it were something but they may erre as well as we some therefore will hear none but look for Apostles Answ. If they were men of an infallible spirit thou must try their Doctrines by the Word If God should send you Prophets and Apostles you must take nothing upon trust from them Gal. 1. 8. 1 Iohn 4. 1. II. How we must hear the Word SOme things must be done 1. Afore hearing 2. In hearing 3. After hearing I. Afore hearing Thou must pray for thy teacher that he may so speak as he ought to speak Ephes. 6. 19. Col. 4. 3 4. and for thy self that thou maist hear profitably and be blessed in hearing Prov. 2. 3 5. Psal. 25. 4. 119. 10 18 27. II. In hearing 1. One must set himself as in Gods presence when he is hearing of the Word Deut. 32. 2. so Luk. 10. 16. 1 Thess. 2. 13. so did Cornelius Acts 10. 33. 2. Attend diligently to what he heareth Luke 19. 48. Gods people are oft called upon to attend Mark 4. 9 23. 7. 14. It is seven times repeated Revel 2. He that hath an ear to hear let him hear so did Lydia Acts 16. 14. Attentivenesse implies 1. Earnestnesse and greedinesse of soul Bibulae aures James 1. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 2. so the people that slockt after Christ. 2. The union of the thoughts and all other faculties of the soul it is called attending upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7. 35. 3. Hear the Word with understanding and judgement Matth. 15. 10. Psal. 45. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 7. 4. He should hear with affection and delight Deut. 32. 46 47. Mark 13. 37. Acts 2. 4. 5. He must take every thing as spoken to himself Matth. 19. 25 27. 26. 22. Iohn 5. 27. III. After hearing 1. We must meditate of what we have heard Acts 17. 11. 2. Apply it to our selves To apply the Word is to take it as that wherein I have an interest Psal. 119. 111. every precept promise and priviledge The life of preaching and hearing both is application If one could repeat the Bible from one end to another it would not make him a knowing Christian. When our Saviour told his Disciples One of them should betray him they all ask Is it I A good hearer Isa. 55. 2. is said to eat which notes an intimate application the stomack distributes to every part what nourishment is sutable to it 3. Conferre of it with others Ier. 33. 25. See Iohn 16. 17 19. Mark 4. 10. 7. 17. 10. 10 11. Conference is that whereby
Aretius Zanchius to that purpose to shew that â—raction may be omitted in the very act of the Supper But Zanchy in an Epistle to a noble man hath this passage The bread is to be broken before the people after the example of Christ the Apostles and all the ancient Church and also to expresse the mystery of the passion and death of Christ which are lively represented by that action The breaking of the bread signifies 1. How we should be broken in humiliation for our sins and the pouring out of the wine how our bloud and life should be shed and poured out for our sins if we had that we deserve 2. They represent unto us how the body of Christ was broken and his bloud poured out for our sins M. Perkins Not the Palatine the French or English Churches have lately invented or brought in the breaking of the bread but the whole Apostolical ancient Church above 1500 years ago and since that time have used it according to Christs command Do this Paraeus de Ritu fractionis in S Eucharistia c. 5. See his 6th Chapter where he shews how frivolous that argument is Frangere Hebraica phrasi nihil aliud est quà m distribuere and gives this rule Where ever in Scripture the word Break concerning bread is put alone it is an Hebraism and signifies to distribute because the Hebrews above other nations used not to cut bread with a knife but to break it with their hands when they took it themselves or gave it to others to take but when the word â—ive is expresly added to it it signifieth the true breaking or dividing of the whole bread into parts as Matth. 14. 19. Mark 6. 41. Luke 9. 26. Matth. 15. 36. Mark 8. 6. and in the institution of the Supper Mat. 26. 26. Mark 14. 22. Luk. 22. 19. It is not necessarily required that the Lords Supper be administred in unleavened bread For bread is often times named and repeated but the word unleavened is never added Wherefore as it is in it self indifferent whether the wine be red or white and whatsoever the kinde or colour be if it be wine so it is not greatly material whether the bread be leavened or unleavened so it be bread Attersol of the Sac. l. 3. c. 5. The Papists pretend the institution of Christ who say they made the Sacrament of unleavened bread instituting it after he had eaten the Passeover which was to be eaten with unleavened bread according to the Law of Moses neither was there any leaven to be found in Israel seven dayes together We deny not saith Attersol but Christ mâ—ght use unleavened bread at his last Supper having immediately before eaten the Paschal Lamb yet no such thing is expressed in the Gospel The Evangelists teach He took bread but make no mention or distinction what bread b he took nor determine what bread we should take no more then limit what wine we shall use but leave it at liberty to take leavened bread or unleavened as occasion of time place persons and other circumstances serve so we take bread If Christ on this occasion used unleavened bread it was because it was usual common and ordinary bread at that time as we also should use that bread which is common It is therefore no breach of Christs Ordinance nor a transgression of the first original institution of the Lords Supper to eat either the one or the other The Papists give a mystical reason why the bread must be unleavened because hereby is signified our sincerity but this is ridiculous for if unleavened bread because it is unmixed must signifie my sincerity then the wine because it is mingled with water must signifie my duplicity and hypocrisie Whether it be leavened or unleavened bread we will not strive but take that which the Church shall according to the circumstance of the times and persons ordain Yet this we dare boldly say That in the use of leavened bread we come nearer to the imitation of Christs action then those which take unleavened For our Saviour took the bread that was usual and at hand there being only unleavened bread at the Feast of the Passeover and no other to be gotten We therefore taking the bread which is in ordinary use and causing no extraordinary bread to be made for the nonce are found to tread more nearly in the steps of our Saviour Christ. Therefore unlesse you will renew the Jewish Passeover of banishing all leaven at the time of the holy Communion your precise imitation of unleavened bread is but apish Although Azymes were used by Christ it being then the Paschal Feast yet was this occasioned also by reason of the same Feast which was prescribed to the Jews Protestants and Papists both grant it not to be of the essence of the Sacrament that it be unleavened but in its own nature indifferent When the Ebionites taught unleavened bread to be necessary the Church commanded consecration to be made in leavened bread The Grecians use leavened bread the Papists unleavened and that made up in such wafer-cakes that it cannot represent spiritual nourishment We hold either indifferent because in the institution we reade of bread without commanding leavened or unleavened De panis qualitate nos non contendimus si modo verus sit solidus panis quod de hostia Papistarum vix potest affirmari Ames Bell. Enerv. Tom. 3. Disp. 32. Cassander himself complaineth that the Papists bread is of such extream thinnesse and lightnesse that it may seem unworthy the name of bread Whereas Christ used solid and tough bread which was to be broken with the hands or cut with the knife The custome of the Christian Church by the space of above a thousand years was to put upon the sacred Table after Christs and the Apostles example a solid loaf which was broken into pieces among the Communicants for all the people did communicate Now this quantity of bread is reduced into round and light wafers in the form of a peny whereof they give this mystical reason because that Christ was sold for thirty pence and because that a peny is given for a hire unto those that have wrought in the Vineyard Matth. 20. 10. Upon these Hostes they have put the Image of a Crucifix Pet. du Moulin of the Masse lib. 1. cap. 7. lib. 3. cap. 3. The use of the Wafer-cake is defended by the Papists and some Lutherans as Gerh. loc commun Tom. 5. de Sacra Coena c. 7. but Christ used it not whose action is our instruction and also there is no Analogy or a very obscure one between the sign and thing signified Whether it be necessary to mingle water with the Eucharistical wine Aquinas saith Water ought to be mingled with wine but it is not de necessitate hujus Sacramenti Some Papists for mingling water with wine pretend the Antiquity of Councels and Fathers But we say 1. There is no such thing in
consideration of our Saviours death for our sins should be unto us a most powerful motive to repentance Two things are necessary in the point of repentance for sins past to confesse and lament them before God humbly craving pardon and for the time to come to reform and amend our lives casting away all our transgressions and applying our selves to all holinesse and righteousnesse Now to the performance of this duty the death of Christ must needs be to him that considers of it the most effectual argument and mighty motive in the world Do we not here see that the sins we have lived in are most loathsome to God for had he not hated them with infinite hatred would he have inflicted such horrible punishments upon our Saviour his only Son by them Do we not see that they are most dangerous to our selves exposing us to the suffering of intollerable evils unlesse by vertue of Christs death we be freed from them which can never be but upon our Repentance God hath in the death of Christ discovered such infinite abomination of sin and withall such infinite grace to the sinner that this should prevail with us Paul saith All we which are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death and we are buried with him by baptism into his death and we are crucified together with him that the body of sinne may be abolished We must be made partakers of the death of Christ if ever we will be made partakers of his resurrection we must be made conformable to his death if ever we will live and reign with him Marks to know whether our repentance be right 1. If it be speedy and without delay Satan alwayes saith it is either too soon to repent as in youth or too late as in old-age 2. Constant not cast it aside because we repented at our first conversion 3. Voluntary and so a filiall not a forced repentance voluntary repentance speaks love to God forced love to our selves 4. It must be deep and thorow repentance sutable to our sins the greatest sinners if gracious have the greatest sorrow and their joy is the more full after Psa. 22. 4. 2 Sam. 14. 14. III. Love This is a special grace of the Gospel it is a longing desire for the good of our brethren or a willing that good to one which is proper to him There is a double Union First Mystical with Christ the Head by faith and with one another by love Secondly Moral an agreement in judgement and affection Ioh. 17. 11. See 21 22 23. v. Act. 4. 32. Christ was 1. Incarnate for this end that his people might be one Ephes. 1. 10. 2. This is often inculcated in Christs Sermons Iohn 15. 17. He came from heaven on purpose to propound to us a patern of charity Ephes. 5. 2. Unity is the beauty strength and safety of the Church Act. 1. 14. See Isa. 11. 6. 3. Christ died for this end Isa. 2 15 16. 4. Christ aimed at this in his Ascention and pouring out of his Spirit Ephes. 4. 5. 5. It is the end of Christs Ordinances in the Church of Baptism 1 Cor. 12. 13. and of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10. 17. Every one is bound to love four things saith Augustine First God who is the chiefest good and therefore deserves the chiefest love Secondly Himself God gives no commandment for one to love himself because he commands one to love God as the chiefest good and so to love him as to enjoy him which one cannot do without love of himself Thirdly To love man as man 1 Thess. 3. 12. Fourthly To love all the Saints the brotherhood 1 Pet. 3. 17. those which love Saints as Saints or because Saints must needs love them all Ephes. 1. 15. Col. 1. 4. Philem. 5. Our love must be 1. Sincere or without hypocrisie Rom. 12. 9. it is so when we cleave to what ever is good in him and abhor what is evil in him 2. Fervent 1 Pet. 1. 22. 3. Constant a friend loveth at all times We must also love our enemies Matth. 5. 44 45. It is reported of Iohn that in his old-age being unable by weaknesse to speak long unto the Congregation he would stand up and â—n stead of a long Sermon ingeminate this precept Diligite filioli diligite Little children love love one another The subject of his Epistle is love 1 Iohn 3. 18. He is called the beloved Disciple because he was so full of it himself Christ cals it the new Commandment because excellent or because solemnly renewed by him Iohn 13. 34. These are my Commandments that you love one another This is the great grace which distinguisheth the children of light from the children of darknesse Iohn 13. 35. He that loves not is not of God There are high Elogies of it 1 Cor. 17. We must love our neighbour as our selves Iam. 2. 8. We must neither wish nor do them any more hurt then we would wish or do to our selves 2. We should really promote his good as our own 1 Cor. 10 24. We are 1. To pray for them Heb. 13. 3. 2. Counsel them Heb. 3. 13. 3. Relieve them in their wants Mat. 25. lat end The Sacrament is a Seal of our Communion that we are all one bread and one body It is evident that Christ upon his death instituted that Supper As to be a seal of that Covenant of grace between God and us ratified therebâ— So also to be a communion the highest outward pledge ratification and testimony of love and amity among his members themselves M. Thomas Goodwins Christ the universal Peace-maker part 2. Sect. 2. Yet the great wall of separation between the Papists and us is the Sacrament of the Altar and those that are called Lutherans and Calvinists the Lords Supper And this is a grace pressed with the like necessity toward man that saith is toward God The Christians in the Primitive Church did kisse each other at the Sacrament this was called Osculum pacis the kisse of peace in sign of love D. Clerk Some keep themselves from the Sacrament because they are not in charity These men shew manifest contempt to Christ and his blessed Ordinance that rather then they will forsake their malice they will want it 2. Such professe they will live still in malice and have no desire to be reconciled for if they had they need not refuse to receive 2 Cor. 8. 12. The Love-feasts were appointed to signifie their mutual love one to another they were immediately before the receiving of the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11. 21. St Chrysostome makes the love-feasts to be after the taking of the Eucharist They were used to have a great Feast to which all the poor people were invited on the charges of the rich This they did partly in imitation of our Saviour who instituted the Sacrament after a full Supper and partly in expression of their perfect love towards all men These Agapae or Love feasts
we declare what a worthy and reverent estimation we have of the Lord as by speaking all good of his Name Word and Works and in our lawful callings by ordering and behaving our selves wisely and graciously Rogers seventh Treatise of the Commandments c. 15. Thus B. Downame and Wollebius also interprets this Commandment The gracious heart sees God in every thing Exod. 15. 1 2 3. Deut. 33. ult Iudg. 5. 3 4. 1 Sam. 2. 2 3. In afflictions I held my peace because it was thy doing saith David in mercies Gen. 33. 10. See ver 4. Psal. 44. 3. Reasons 1. The Lord promiseth this as a great mercy Matth. 5. 8. See God in all his dispensations here and beatifically in Heaven 2. This will set one in Heaven Matth. 18. 20. the Saints in Heaven injoy God in all 3. The Lord requireth this of us he alone should be exalted Isa. 2. 17. Rev. 21. 22 23. Now we will proceed to shew what things are 1. Required in this Commandment 2. Forbidden in this Commandment The things required may fitly be drawn to these two head 1. A due and right use of such holy actions as fall out to be performed in and with our common affairs by which we do call God himself as it were to intermeddle with our businesses and affairs 2. A right and due behaviour in our common affairs so far as they may any way touch God or concern him For the first there are say some though this be controverted two holy actions whereof we have many occasions to make use of in our ordinary dealings these are An Oath A Lot An holy action is that which hath God for the next and immediate object and which is done for the exercising of holiness either in whole or in part as for the next immediate end thereof which description doth sufficiently distinguish the thing described from all other things and agrees to all such things which are of that kinde and this description doth equally agree to these two forenamed things viz. a Lot and an Oath both of which are holy 1. For an Oath I will declare 1. The nature 2. The use of it For the nature of an Oath there are the essential or proper parts of it and the next and proper end whereto those parts are to be applied in the taking of an Oath The parts of an Oath I tearm those several and distinct acts which are included in it and each of which must be conceived to be done at least implicitely when we take an Oath There are four in all 1. An Affirmation or Negation either narrative or obligatory that is either barely declaring what is or is not or else binding one to or from some thing and this it hath common with common speech 2. A confession of Gods Omniscience Omnipotence Justice Authority and other like holy Attributes all included in the mention of his holy life in that usual form of swearing The Lord liveth 3. Invocation of Gods Name or a calling upon him to shew these holy Attributes of his in bearing witness to the truth of that which we do swear Assumere Deum in testem dicitur jurare quia quasi pro jure introductum est ut quod sub invocatione divini testimonii dicitur pro vero habeatur Aquin. secunda secundae q. 8. art 1. 4. Imprecation against our selves or a putting over our selves into his hands to be by him punished according to his power and justice if the thing we affirm be not true or if we do any way falsifie our Oath Wherefore these two parts are frequently expressed in an Oath though they be most times omitted and the bare Name of God mentioned saying The Lord liveth The Apostle saith God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son And I call God to record against my soul. And Ruth takes her Oath in these tearms The Lord do so to me and more also if any thing but death shall separate betwixt thee and me So Solomon God do so to me and more also if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life These are the parts of an Oath The end or purpose to which these all must be applied is the ending of some doubt or controversie and so setling of peace and quietness for so saith the Apostle Heb. 6. 6. An oath for confirmation is to them an end of all controversies For God is so great a lover of peace and concord amongst men that he is well pleased that they make use of his Name for the preventing of dissention and establishing of peace To these two things must be added a third that we may fully know the nature of an Oath and that is the object of it or the person to be sworn by which should have been named in the first place and that is God himself as witnesseth the Prophet Jer. 4 2. Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth So Deut. 6. 11. Thou shalt fear the Lord and serve him and swear by his Name 10. 20 Thou shalt cleave to the Lord and swear by his Name These things now laid all together give us to understand the true nature of an Oath viz. That it is an holy action wherein we refer our selves unto God as a competent witness and Judge for the confirmation of the truth of our speeches to make all doubts and controversies cease See Robinsons Essayes Observ. 49. Hitherto we have seen the nature of an Oath let us search into the use of an Oath and shew 1. Upon what occasions it is to be used 2. In what manner it is to be used The occasions of using an Oath are for the satisfying of one that requireth or will accept it in a thing of some weight either for it self or for the consequents whether it be before a Magistrate judicially or in private speech as also for the tying and binding ones self to do or not to do a thing of some moment which I might else by some occasion be altered in In all these cases we have examples of good men that have used swearing and therefore we may also lawfully swear To satisfie another that requires it Abrahams servant took an Oath about the taking of a wife for Isaac and Ioseph about burying his father in Canaan and the Israelites about burying Iosephs bones To satisfie another that would accept the same Paul swore to the Romans and Corinthians of his good affection to the one and the cause of his not coming to the other To binde himself Solomon sware to put Adonijah to death and Ruth to go with her mother and the Prophet Elisha not to leave Eliah So when it falleth out that in a matter of some moment there is cause of satisfying another in giving him assurance that I speak truth or of binding my self to speak truth and accomplish the truth of my words then it is an honour to God that we interpose his Name to assure others and tie our selves to
of all that good they had by him or of all that they might have hoped to have enjoyed by his means if he had lived Furthermore publick persons are injured both the Magistrate in that the Laws and orders by him justly made are like mounds by an unruly beast troden down and broken and the whole Common-weal in that both the peace and quietnesse thereof is disturbed and seeds of discord and enmity sown among the members thereof for most times the murder of one breeds a quarrel amongst many that survive and also a member thereof is cut away to the hindring it of that service which his sufficiencies either for the present did or for the future might have afforded it And lastly A stain and blot is cast upon the face thereof and that such a stain as cannot be washed away but by the bloud of him that did cast it on It is also mischievous to the committer exposing him either to a violent death by the hand of the Magistrate or to fearfull punishments by Gods hand For the bloud-thirsty man shall not live out half his dayes and to everlasting damnation at last for murderers must be without unlesse repentance come betwixt Murder hath often been strangely discovered by Dogs Cranes Crows See the Theatre of Gods Judgement Chap. 11. Psal. 9. 12. Habakkuk 2. 11. and Camera Histor. Meditat. l. 2. c. 6. Luther reciteth a story of a certain Almaigne who in travelling fell among thieves which being about to cut his throat the poor man espied a flight of Crows and said O Crows I take you for witnesses and revengers of my death About two or three dayes after these murdering thieves drinking in an â—nne a company of Crows came and lighted upon the top of the house whereupon the thieves began to laugh and say one to another Look yonder are they which must revenge his death whom we dispatched the other day The Tapster over-hearing them told it to the Magistrate who presently caused them to be apprehended and upon their disagreeing in speeches and contrary answers urged them so farre that they confessed the truth and received their deserved punishment See Goularts memorable Histories p. 415 416. to 429. Self-murder is a great sinne and a manifest breaking of this Commandment For as in all the other Commandments the Lord doth forbid men to wrong themselves as well as their Brethren so likewise in this no man may sinne against his own honour and dignity no more then against the honour and dignity of another No man may defile his own body nor waste his own goods nor blemish his own name more then his neighbours therefore neither may he kill himself The killing of ones self is the highest degree of violating this Commandment because it crosseth the nearest of all bonds and observes not the rule of charity there where most charity is due for love should alwayes begin at home 2. This fact crosseth the strongest inclination of nature and clearest principles of reason for nature makes a man desirous of his own being and studious of his own preservation This is then contrary to the two strongest laws and rules of life the Law of God and nature 3. The causes of doing it are very naught First It comes from extremity of pride and impatiency He will not be at Gods command nor at his direction nor be at all unlesse he may be as he will himself and so it ariseth from an untoward mixture of high-mindednesse and base-mindednesse Base-mindednesse because he hath not strength enough of resolution to bear some evil which he feels or foresees high-mindednesse because he will not stoop unto the ruler of all things to bear the burden which he layes upon him 2. Another cause of this sin is horrible despair infidelity A third cause of it is an enraged conscience as in Saul Iudas Achitophel 4. The vehement temptation of Satan taking advantage either of a melancholick constitution of body or of the affrightments of conscience Thirdly The effects of it are bad for by this means a man wrongs God himself and the world He wrongs God first by breaking his Commandment 2. By defacing his Image 3. By leaving his standing wherein he was placed by him without and against his will Secondly He wrongs himself for he extreamly hazards himself to damnation if not certainly casts himself into hell for he runs upon a most palpable and fearfull crime and leaves himself no leisure at all to repent of it It is a hard thing to hope that he should be pardoned who willingly thrusts himself out of the way of repentance and doth commit such a fault that we never read of any in Scripture that did commit it but damned reprobates Lastly He doth great wrong to others also his friends and well-willers to whom he gives occasion of the greatest grief that can possibly befall them about the death of their friend in that the manner of dying is so uncomfortably wretched Besides to all the world it leaves a miserable scandal seeing all think and speak hardly of him that hath so done and it leaves a bad example to others Sauls murdering of himself made his own armour-bearer do it Iudg. 16. 30. Samson by publick calling as a Judge and singular divine calling as a Type of Christ and deliverer of the Church did pull the house down on himself and the Philistims that by his death he might deliver unto death the publick enemies of the Church Heb. 11. 32. Besides It cannot be said that Samson killed himself indeed he died with them but the end he propounded was not that he might die but he sought revenge upon the enemies of God which was the work of his calling and that which was like to bring and procure it As a zealous and diligent Preacher who by his pains and study in his Ministery impaireth and spendeth his health and strength cannot be said to be the procurer of his own untimely death for he hath spent his strength in his calling to which end God gave it him See Elton on this Command and M. Baxters Saints everl Rest par 1. Sect. 6. The Heathen Philosophers have adorned this fact as Cato is extolled for it see therein the vanity of mans reason and wit that can fall in love and liking yea admiration with such a monstrous wickednesse Amongst the Donatists there were the Circumcelliones who gloried in casting themselves down from rocks into the fire or by yielding themselves to death other wayes because it is written that the flesh is to be mortified and he that hates his life shall finde it With us the self-murderers are accustomed to be cast out in high-wayes or else in places where none else are usually buried and to have a stake knocked into them for the great horrour of the fact and to warn others Helps against this sinne 1. Maintain the peaceable and pure estate of your consciences this will make life sweet to him that
still in God 1 Sam. 2. 7. Hos. 2. 9. therefore God may take away one mans Estate and give it to another 2. The Egyptians had forfeited what God had given them therefore it was just with the Lord to take it away 3. He might do it not onely as an act of vindicative justice to the Egyptians but as an act of remunerating justice to the Israelites there being no Magistrates to do them justice and reward them for their service Gen. 31. 9 16. 4. The Hebrew word there used signifies to ask or desire and Iunius and Ainsw on 12. 36. render it not to borrow It may be questioned whether it be just to punish theeves with hanging when the Law of God hath not appointed this punishment Exod. 22. Some therefore think our Law hath been too severe that way and too remisse in case of Adultery Chrysostome saith Ubi damnum resarciri potest non est homini adimenda vita yet by the Law of Moses he that stole a man though he could restore him was punisht with death But there is no comparison say some between goods and the life of a man yet those thieves that either assault a mans person on the high-way or break open a mans house to rob him are great offendors Draco the Law-giver of Athens appointed death to be the punishment of theft Solon mitigated that rigour and punished it with double restitution The Locrians put out his eyes that had stolne ought from his neighbour The Hetrurians stoned them to death There was no Common-wealth where this sin was not highly detested and sharply punished except the Lacedemonians where it was permitted and tolerated for their exercise of warlike Discipline Mr. Gage in his Survey of the West-Indies c. 12. saith in Nicaragua they adjudged not a thief to death but to be a slave to that man whom he had robbed till by his service he had made satisfaction A course saith he truly more merciful and not lesse just then the losse of life Mens excuses for it First It is but a small matter 1. Thou art the more to be condemned is it but a little matter and wilt thou venture that which is more worth then all the world thine own soul for it 2. Thou then maist the better forbear it 3. Hadst thou a tender conscience it would much trouble thee Austin was troubled for his stealing of apples when he was a boy and this he records in his Confessions too he thought it so much 4. By this little the Devil will carry thee to greater it may be in consequence great a great tree groweth from a little Mustard-seed Secondly They do it for necessity Solomon saith If a man steal for necessity men will not much condemn him but he speaks it comparatively with the sin of adultery there can be no necessity to sin though when a man steals that hath enough it is a greater offence Thirdly They have enough from whom they steal This doth not therefore warrant them to pervert all right and justice as if they were Magistrates or God himself to appoint how much every one should have Fourthly They do it secretly they shall not be known nor discovered God and thy own conscience are enough to manifest it to all CHAP. X. The ninth Commandment THou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy Neighbour Hebr. word â—or word Thou shalt not answer about thy neighbour a testimony of falshood That is thou shalt not answer in judgement eiâ—her for or against thy Neighbour falsly THe word answer is sometimes in Scripture taken more generally for speak as Prov. 15. 1. Matth. 11. 25. and so it is here to be taken as if it had been said Thou shalt not speak any thing whereby thou maist hurt the good name and credit of thy neighbour The former Commandment was concerning our own and our neighbours goods this requireth that we hurt not our neighbours nor our own good name but as occasion shall be given maintain and increase it By neighbour he understands any man for every man is neer to thee by nature of the same blood and flesh Act. 17. 26. Isa. 58. 7. The secret and inward breach of this Commandment consisteth in ungrounded suspition and unjust judging and condemning of our neigbours contrary to the expresse commandment of our Saviour Matth. 7. 1. The outward breach of it is either without speech or with speech Without speech either by gesture or silence By gesture when one useth such a kinde of behaviour as tends to vilifie mock and disgrace his brother Psal. 22. 7. By silence when one holds his peace though he heareth his neighbour slandered and he can testifie of his own knowledge that the things spoken are false and injurious By speech this Commandment is broken either by giving or receiving By giving out speech either true or false One may slander another by reporting the truth if one speak it unseasonably and his end be evil and malicious this was Doegs fault 1 Sam. 22. 21. In speaking that which is false either concerning ones own self or another Concerning himself 1. In boasting and bragging Rom. 1. 30. 2. By excusing those faults we are charged with or are guilty of 3. By accusing as when men in a kinde of proud humility will deny their gifts with an intent to get more credit So much for breaking this Commandment by speaking that which is false concerning themselves Now it follows concerning others and that is either publick or private Publick when the Magistrate or Judge passeth false sentence in any cause that comes to be heard before him Herein also may Counsellors offend when they uphold and maintain an evil Cause for their fee. Witnesses also do offend this way when they come before the Judges and give a false and lying testimony This is a hainous sin as appears by the punishment Deut. 19. 18 19. 2. Private either in unjust accusing or unjust defending That unjust accusing privately is called slandering and back-biting when one will speak ill of his neighbour and falsely behind his back The causes of detracting or back-biting are 1. Want of consideration of our selves Gal. 6. 1. We are not humbled for the world of corruption that is in-bred in us 2. Uncharitablenesse and malice Iam. 3. a malicious heart and reviling tongue go together 3. Pride and envy the Pharisees could not give our Saviour one good word because of their enâ—ie against him whose way Doctrine and conversation did contradict and obscure theirs 4. An hypocritical affectation of holinesse above others Ex hoc uno pij sumus quod alios impietatis damnamus so the Pharisee dealt with the Publicane so the Papists traduce us as vile they are the onely Saints There are divers waies of back-biting or detracting 1. To impose falsely a fault upon the innocent party as when the Pharisees charged Christ that he was an Impostor and wine-bibber so when Potiphar's wife forged that tale against
sent his Trumpeter to sound at anothers door he was presently to be led to execution that night the King caused his Trumpeter to sound at his brothers door whereat he was exceedingly astonished and presently went to the King and casting himself at his feet askt him What offence he had committed that he should deal so with him and humbly beseech him to spare him The King told him he had committed no offence against him but alwayes carried himself as a kinde brother but if he were so afraid of his Trumpet why should not he much more fear when he thought of the day of Gods judgement Secondly We should judge our selves our estates and wayes 1 Corinth 11. 31. Thirdly Strive to get an interest in the Judge and to evidence the same to our selves Fourthly Lay up prayers for it that we may finde mercy by Christs means at that day 2 Tim. 1. 18. Fifthly We should be industrious by imploying the talent the Lord hath given us Matth. 25. Sixthly We should look for wait and long for that day Phil. 3. 30. Rev. 22. 29. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Tit. 2. 13. Thy Kingdom come CHAP. III. Of Hell or Damnation 1. THere is a hell or state of misery to come after this life This is proved 1. By Scripture our Saviour teacheth it in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus and in that of the last judgement Matth. 13. 30. and often in Revelations 2. By the Conscience wicked men finde in themselves an apprehension of immortality and a fear of some punishment after death 3. The Heathens though they have corrupted this truth with innumerable follies yet held that there was a hell a being and place of misery to wicked men after this present life 4. Clear reason proveth it since God is just therefore many abominable sinners enjoying more prosperity in this life then those which live farre mâ—re innocently must be punished hereafter according to the multitude and hainousnesse of their sins Psal. 73. 17. 2. The nature of the misery there suffered in regard of the matter or parts properties and circumstances The parts are two privative and positive 1. Privative Matth. 25. 41. Poena damni the absence of all manner of comfort here they drink the pure and unmixed cup of vengeance it is a darknesse without any light called outer darknesse not a drop of cold water there to cool Dives his tongue Divines unanimously concurre that this is the worser part of hell to be for ever totally separated from all gracious communion with God 2 Thess. 1. Their being is upheld by Gods power his wrath and vindictive justice are present with them but they have no comfortable communion with him Whence follows 1. An everlasting hardening in sinne because they are separated from him which should soften them 2. Everlasting despair they shall have an apprehension of their losse which shall be more then the sense of pain 2. Positive the presence of all manner of torments which may be referred to two heads the sense of Gods anger and the miserable effects thereof Isa. 30. 33. for these things sake the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience Tribulation and wrath indignation and anguish shall be upon the soul of man that doth evil Three drops of brimstone if it light upon any part of the flesh will make one so full of torment that he cannot forbear roaring out for pain How extreamly troublesome will it be then when the whole man is drowned in a lake or river of brimstone The wrath of God is insupportable and is therefore compared to fire which is more hard to bear then any rack 2. The effects of this anger on the soul and body of the sinner the soul is affected with the horrour of its own conscience which takes Gods part against the sinner and in a most rageful manner accuseth him The worm of conscience in hell is the furious reflection of the soul upon it self for its former offers mis-spent time by-past joyes and now miserable hopelesse condition From the sense of Gods anger and this rage of conscience follow extremity of grief fear and despair then which the soul cannot meet with greater tormenters The spirits grieve with the anguish of what they do feel and fear and tremble at the apprehension of what they shall feel and are in utter despair of escaping or well bearing they cannot be hard-hearted there if they would But when the soul and body shall be joyned then shall the body bear a part in the torment which flows from the sense of Gods anger and shall feel as much pain as any rack or fire could put it to and both soul and body covered up with horrible shame and confusion in that it shall be made manifest to all creatures how wicked they have been and for what sins the Lord doth so avenge himself upon them Secondly The Properties of this misery are chiefly two Extremity and Eternity 1. Extremity The torments are great as falling upon the whole soul and body without any mitigation or comfort the length of time makes not these pains seem lesse but still they continue as extream as at the first to the sense of the feeler because they do so far exceed his strength and the power of Gods anger doth so continually renew it self against them 2. Eternity This misery continues for ever in all extremity the things that are not seen are eternal these shall go into everlasting punishment their fire never goeth out their worm never dieth this is the hell of hell endlesse misery must needs be hopelesse and so comfortlesse it is just that he should suffer for ever who would have sinned for ever if he had not been cut off by punishment See Ier. 15. 1. they wilfully refused happinesse if Heathens they have wilfully transgrest the light of nature if Christians they have carelesly neglected the offers of grace Ier. 3. 5. their desires are infinite Socinians say there will come a time when Angels and the wickedest men shall be freed Augustine speaks of some such merciful men in his time Gods intention from everlasting was to glorifie his justice as well as his mercy Rom. 9. 22 23. The Covenant under which unregenerate men stand and by which they are bound over to this wrath is everlasting All a mans sufferings are but against the good of the creature every sinne is against the glory of the Creatour They will never repent of what they have done Voluntas morientis confirmatur in eo statu in quo moritur Thirdly The circumstances of these torments are a miserable place and miserable company a pit a dungeon a lake a pit of darknesse and no light which is below as â—arre removed from God and good men as can be the Scripture speaks of hell as a low place 2 Pet. 2. 4. most remote from Heaven 2. Not one person there free from the like torment all wail and weep and gnash their teeth they curse and accuse
but the faithful which died before Christs ascension Revel 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth presently from the time of death 1. Christs death was efficacious to believers before his coming as well as since Heb. 13. 8. 2. The faithful before Christ expected heaven when this life was ended Heb. 11. 11 14 15 16. 3. The believing thief was with Christ in Paradise that day Luk. 23. 43. which Bellarmine de Beatitud Sanctorum l. 1. c. 3. interprets to be heaven this was before Christs Ascension Luke 16. 23 26. Abrahams bosome is a place of comfort for Abraham was there comforted 2. There is a great Chaos which signifies an infinite distance between Abraham and the rich glutton which utterly overthrows the dream of Limbus which signifies a border or edge and supposeth that place to be hard adjoyning to that of torment CHAP. IV. Of Everlasting Life THe last prerogative of the Church is Life Everlasting which being the summe of all desires is fitly placed in the last place Here are two things 1. Life it self 2. The continuance of life noted in the word Everlasting See Acts 13. 48. Eternal life is three wayes promised 1. As the free gift of God without any respect of any worthinesse in us Rom. 6. ult Iam. 1. 12. 2. As our inheritance purchased by Christ Ephes. 1. 14. 3. As a free reward promised and given to obedience Rom. 6. 22. In the first respect our salvation and all the degrees is wholly to be ascribed to the gracious favour of God in Christ. In the second to the mercy of God and merit of Christ. In the third to the mercies of God redoubled and multiplied upon us and not to any desert of ours B. Down of Justification lib. 2. cap. 4. Life is that whereby any thing acteth liveth and moveth It is either natural or spiritual and that last hath two degrees the life of grace and glory First That there is everlasting life is proved 1. From the love of God to his servants that is everlasting 2. Because God will be eternally glorified 3. It is the aim of the Saints 1 Cor. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 9. It is 1. A transcendent or surpassing life it exceedeth natural and spiritual life 2. A satisfying life Psal. 17. 15. there shall be all good and perfect good and perfectly injoyed God shall be all in all he is a satisfaction to himself much more to us 3. A glorious life there is a glorious God a glorious Christ there are the glorified Saints and Angels 4. A most joyful life Enter thou into thy masters joy we shall delight in God and he in us 5. Eternal life eternity heightens either happinesse or misery It is called eternal life not properly but by a Catachresis it hath a beginning but no end it is not temporary defined by any certain term obnoxious to any change it shall continue for ever without end Some question Whether one may propound eternall life as an end to aim at It is lawful for Christians that most deny themselves to make eternal life the great scope they aim at nay it is needful for them so to do 1. From the glorious precepts of God obliging the soul to propound such an end 1 Tim 6. 12 19. Phil. 2. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 9. 24. 2. The promises of God encouraging Matthew 5. 11 12. 1 Timothy 4. 8. Matth. 19. 28. 3. We have the presidents of believers that denied themselves in this world Heb. 11. 24 25 26. v. 35 36. Iude v. 21. 4. Eternal life was Gods end Heb. 2. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 8. It was the end of Christs incarnation suffering ascention intercession Iohn 10. 10. 17. 24. we should aim at Gods end 5. It was Gods design from all eternity to bring men to eternal life 1 Cor. 2. 7. 6. The great condition on which God promiseth eternal life is that we might seek and endeavour after it Rom. 2. 7. 7. We are much concerned in it What proportion is there between time and eternity How to know whether we make eternal life the end of this life 1. Then we will have high thoughts of eternity the comforts that are eternal are worth regarding and the miseries that are eternal should chiefly be avoided 2. We will then seriously enquire after the way to heaven Ier. 50. 5. Ps. 16. ult David often begs of God to teach him his waies 3. We will then make it our main work to come to heaven Phil. 3. 11 13 14. one thing is necessary 4. We will be content with no reward on this side eternal life Psal. 17. lat end 41. 4. 5. We will rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God 2 Tim. 4. 8. Titus 2. 13. Iude v. 21. 6. It will be our aim then to overcome the fear of death 7. We will often review our evidences for heaven Heb. 2. 11. and desire God to search and try us Psal. 139. ult It is a Question An sancti fruantur beatitudine ante ultimum judicium It was a current opinion among most of the Fathers if not all That the souls of men after their death do not go immediately to heaven but are in a receptacle or mansion-place till the day of Judgement and some of late have followed it especially the Anabaptists The souls immediately departed have not the compleat fulnesse of that happinesse which they shall have yet they are not excluded from the enjoying of God Luk. 23. 43. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Phil. 1. 23. Some say there is a difference of those that are raised again as Lazarus and some others for it is likely say they that their souls went not into heaven but were detained by God who would unite them again to shew forth his glory The accidental joy of the Saints say the Schoolmen shall be greater both extensively because it shall be in soul and body and intensively because the soul shall rejoyce to see the body glorified 2. The essential glory shall increase extensively because it shall redound unto the body The souls of the godly immediately after their departure hence from the body are said to be in rest Heb. 4. 11. in consolation Luke 16. 25. in security Iohn 11. 15 18. therefore they presently go to heaven to God and Christ. Consider the names given to the state of glory it is called Life These shall enter into life Rest finde rest go to rest our home our Fathers house a purchased and glorious inheritance A Kingdom the Kingdom of heaven Ioy our Masters joy everlasting joy Glory weight of glory eternal weight of glory The City of our God The Scripture cals it Paradise a place of all delight and pleasure alluding to that Paradise planted by Gods own hand to make it a delight for the innocent state of man and Abrahams bosom wherein the Saints receive refreshing which is a borrowed speech taken from Fathers carrying and cherishing their little
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2. 24. There is a justification 1. Ad Regnum which brings one into the state of Grace of which Paul speaks 2. In Regno Abraham was justified by works and he was called the friend of God of that Iames speaks Sanctification is of the same time with Justification but Justification doth in order of nature go before it for all the graces of Sanctification are bestowed on a man as in Christ Ephes. 1. 3. so one God made man a holy creature he was peculiarly devoted to Gods service when man fell the devil defiled this Temple God departed from us he aâ—ain cleanseth away this filth and repaireth his image in us * Loc. Commun Class 1. c. 11. There is a total change of the whole man the Mind Rom. 12. 2. Spirit Ezek. 36. 26. Heart Deut. 10. 26. Conscience Heb. 9. 14. Will Phil. 2. 13 Affections Gal. 5. 24. The body it self Col. 2. 11. Rom. 6. 12. Christ is our Sanctification three several wayes 1. Meritoriously he hath purchased it from God by his being an offering for all our defilement 2. As he is the exemplar or copy of it 3. He is by his Spirit the efficient cause that brings into the soul the vertue of his Death to kill sinne and of his Resurrection whereby his life is communicated to us See Dr Willet on Exod. 30. 34. Impuritas uniuscujusque rei consistit in hoc quòd rebus vilioribus immiscetur Non enim dicitur argentum esse impurum ex permixtione auri per quam melius redditur sed ex permixtione plumbi vel stanni Aquinas 2a 2ae Quaest. 7. Artic. 2. Puritan in the mouth of a Drunkard doth mean a sober man in the mouth of an Arminian it means an Orthodox man in the mouth of a Papist it is a Protestant and so it is spoken to shame a man out of all Religion It hath been an old custom of the world to hate and maligne the righteous to reproach them to call them Puritans though very Heathens have acknowledged that there is no Religion without purity Cicero Horace and others describing a man that is religious say that he is an entire man a man pure from sinne Mr Fenner on John 3. 20. See Mr Burrh on Hos. 2. 5. pag. 307. There is 1. A beauty in holinesse 1. Every grace is an ornament 1 Pet. 5 5. See Psal. 45. 1â— 14 16. Ezek. 8. 14. 2. Holinesse is called a new Creation Eph. 2. 10. A Resurrection Ephes. 4. 5. 3. Sinne is a deformity 2 Pet. 3. 14 filthinesse it self 2 Cor. 7. 1. Ephes. 5. 27. Corruptio optimi pessima sinne is not only malum triste but turpe 2. This beauty of holinesse consists in four things 1. It is a conformity to the image of God 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2. Beauty consists in indeficiency when no part is wanting 1 Thess. 5. 23. 2 Tim. 3. 17. they are in parts perfect as children though not in degree 3. Beauty consists in a symmetry a due proportion of parts the understanding guides the man the will submits to the dictates of an enlightened understanding the affections are subject to the command of reason John 11. 33. 4. There is a lustre in beauty the Spirit of grace is called the oyl of gladnesse Psal. 45. 7. because it makes the face to shine Sincerity is the harmony and zeal the lustre or varnish of all graces Psal. 42. 11. 3. There is that beauty in holinesse which is not to be found in any thing here below 1. It is in the inward man 1 Pet. 3. 3. Absolom though outwardly beautifull was inwardly deformed 2. This commends a man to God 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. 3. All other beauty will decay by sicknesse or old-age not this Prov. 31. 30. 4. This prepares you for the wedding the time of this life is the time of Espousals the Marriage shall be in the life to come Revel 19. 7. Holinesse is the image of Christ. Sin is wounded at our first conversion Rom. 6. 13 14. but this work is carried on by degrees till it be utterly extinct Rom. 6. sin is called the the old man for its weaknesse and decay See 1 Thess. 5. 22 23. Anno Christâ— 1262. exorta est secta Flagellantium qui ingenti turba obeâ—ntes pagos oppida nudi umbilico tenus facie tect a sese flagellis cruentabant manfit hic mos Romae ubi septimana quae diom Paschatis proximè antecedit poenitentes longo ordine nudis seapulis larvata facie publicè se diverberant flagellis Quem morem ipsi vidimus Lutetiae sub Henrico tertio Homines ad furorem usque superstitiosi nesciunt Deum amare immutationem cordium non verò dilaniationem corporum Molinaei Hyperaspistes lib. 1. cap. 29. Vide Novar Schediasm Sac. prophan lib. 1. cap. 22. They are hostes naturae not peccati Sin 1. abuseth us Man being in honour continued not a wicked man is called a vile person Psa. 15. 2. It deâ—iles us and stains all our actions Tit. 1. 15. 3. Deceives us Heb. 3. 12. Ephes. 4. 22. 4. It keeps away all good Isa. 9 2. 5. It lets in all evil Jer. 2. 19. The death of Christ is useful for mortifying of sin 1. By way of representation it shews us the hatefulnesse of sin Isa. 53. 10. Consider his agony and sorrow on the Crosse though sin was but imputed to him 1 Cor. 5. 21. 2. By way of irritation it stirs up in the soul a displicency against sin Isa. 43. 24. shall sin live that made Christ die 3. By way of pattern and example therefore the Scripture often expresseth our Mortification by our crucifying Gal. 2. 20. 5. 24. 6. 14. Of all deaths crucifying is the most painful and shameful it notes that sorrow and shame which Christians feel in the remembrance of sinne that which was done really in Christ must be done in us by analogy Phil. 3. 10. 4. By way of merit Christ shed his bloud to redeem uâ— 1. From the world Gal. 1. 4. that it might not be so pleasing an object 2. From our vain conversation 1 Pet. 2. 24. Grace is a part of Christs purchase as well as pardon 5. By way of stipulation and ingagement Christ â—â—ood as a Surety before Gods Tribunal He was Gods Surety and ours on Gods part he undertook to bestow on us not only remission of sins but the Spirit of God to become a principle of life to us and of death to our corruptions Rom. 8. 13. 1 John 3. 19. on our part he undertook that we should no longer serve sin Rom. 6. 13. About means of mortification of sin See Mr Hilders on Psal. 51. 5. Lect. 64 65 66 67. Spiritual life is that supernatural grace by which the whole man is disposed to live to God 1. A supernatural grace because it comes from our union with Christ Joh. 6. 57. 2. By which one is disposed to live to God Gal. 2. 20. The supream or fundamental principle of spiritual
acceptation of persons and then of services There must be an acceptation of the person in reference to his service as well as state The service must 1. Flow from a regenerate nature and act John 3. 6. 2. Must be agreeable to a rule prescribed 3. The matter of it must be good to give alms is good but they must be of our own Ephes. 4. 28. 4. The means must be good it was ill done of Iacob to get the blessing by a lie 5. The ground of undertaking it must be good Jer. 23. 21. * The holy ends of service are mainly three 1. To please God Col. 1. 5. 2. To glorifie him Joh. 17. 4. 3. To enjoy Communion with him Heb. 10. 22. One should be equally prepared for the Lords Supper as for death Sacramentum articulus mortis aequiparantur say the Casuists Downam in loc Try how thou standest in the grace of God Calvin Judge thy life exactly Theod. Bring all things to the rule Morton Hoc dicit quia per schismata prostrata â—raâ— Ecclesiae disciplina Ne credite inquit etiamsi Ecclesiae judicia essent impune vos laturos contemptum mysteriorum Grot. Examination is necessary 1. That we may know our estate 2 Our interest in Christ Job 8. 20. We must try whether we have spiritual life before we look after spiritual nourishment Isa. 1. 16. Jer. 17. 9. No man can come so worthily as he ought nor so fit as he ought 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20 21. The benefit of the Sacrament is pro ratione fidei communicantium Origen Quiâ—quid 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ad 〈…〉 Corruptio opâ—imi pâ—ssimâ—â— mâ—rs â—â—â— malis vita bonis Aqâ—â—n â—eus erit corporis sâ—nguinis Christi violati Jerom. Par fecit quasi Christum trucidaret Heb. 6. 6 10 â—9 Grotius Diciâ—â—r teneri reus corporis Domini qui illud est aspernatus ut Apoâ—â—olus ipse explicat versu 29. Beza Beâ—â—ay Christ as Iudas Theodoret Guilty of murthering him as the Jews Aquinas Iudas betrayed and the Jews murthered Christs body when he was abased we abuse it now he is glorified 2. They did it ignorantly we wilfully This sinne of unworthy receiving is Peccatum contra remedium universale contra medicinam unicam contra consolationem vitam animarum Id est edendo ac bibendo damnationem in se aâ—â—ersit Quod per se salutare est in vâ—nenum ipâ—i vertitur Grot. Mat. 3. 8. Mat. 10. 11. 22. 8. Ephes. 4. 1. Indignè id est aliter quam dignum est tanta mysteria tractari Beza Certain Donaâ—ists saith Optatus lib. 2. casting the holy Sacrament to dogs were themselves devoured as dogs A Bachelour of Arts being Popishly affected at the time of the Communion took the consecrated bread and forbearing to eat it conveyed and kept it closely for a time and afterwards threw it over the wall of the Colledge but a short time after not enduring the torment of his guilty conscience he threw himself headlong over the battlements of the Chappel and some few hours after ended his life B. Morton l. 5. of the Masse c. 3. Sect. 6. He saith there he saw it it was one Sir Booth of St Iohn Colledge in Cambridge Cyprian Serm. 5. de lapsis hath two Stories of some that came to the Sacrament and did latenter accipere secretly receive to one the Minister gave the bread he took it but it stuck in his throat Gladium sibi samens non cibum The other took it but when he came to eat it he had ashes in his hand Alius qui ipse maculatus sacrificio a sacâ—rdote celebrato partem cum caeteris ausus est latenter accipere sanctum Domini edere contrectare non potuit cinerem ferre se apertis manibus invenit Gen. 22. 4 5. Num. 9. 10 13 Psal. 103. 1. See in M. Dod on the Sacrament a Catalogue of the sins against every Commandment and D. Wilkins his Discourse concerning the gift of prayer ch 8 9 10 11 12 13. The soul and all the powers of it must be given to God and that with preheminence above all other things and in all fulnnesse of perfection So far as he may be their object God is not to be hated Episc. Daven de justitia actuali Luk. 13. 3 5. John 3. 36. * Rom. 7. 13. It comes from the Devil it is called his work and wicked men are termed the children of Belial See John 6. 44. We should be especially humbled for original corruption Psal. 51. 5. Jam. 1. 14. All humiliation ariseth out of a sense of our own vilenesse and Gods displeasure the Law discovers that as well as actual sinne Consider 1 The greatnesse of the sinne Ratione quidditatis formalitatis ratione causalitatis it is the cause of all actual sins Ratione virtualitatis potentialitatis ratione eminentiae it is the first of that kinde 2. Think of David and Paul how they were troubled with it we have as great cause to be humbled as they 3. Think of the holinesse of God he is essentially holy as we are naturally sinful 4. Take some time to view thy self in the glasse of the Law Rom. â— 20. that is a copy of Gods holinesse go from Commandment to Commandment The end of the Sacrament is to keep in memory the great things Christ hath suffered for us 1 Cor. 11 24. See Exod. 12. 17 26. * Licet plagarum numerum in Christi flagellatione excesserint ministri quem Hebraei ex lege servabant ut ob id non Hebraeorum more sed Romanorum flagellatum Christum plerique dixerint quod tamen columnae fuerit alligatus etiam Hebraeorum morem consuetudinemque redolet quod miror posse in dubium revocari Novar Sched Sac prophan l. 1. c. 21. Not barely to go over the history of his passion but to get our hearts affected with his sufferings Lam. 1. 12. Zech. 12. 10. We must not leave meditating on Christs love till he be Totus fixus in corde qui totus fixus fuit in cruce Bern. There is 1. An historical remembrance of Christ when we look upon the death of Christ as of an innocent person and not on Gods design in it Luk. 23. 28. 2. Doctrinal or dogmatical this only rests in generals 3. Applicative Phil. 3. 8 10. not only look on Christ crucified but finde our selves crucified with him The historical remembrance is an act of fancy the doctrinal of reason this of faith 1. We should remember what Christ endured we deserved Isa. 53. 5. 2. There is no sinne light that was so heavy on Christ Matth. 27. 46. he mourned for our sins and shall not we our selves mourn and throw away those sins that stabbed him to the heart Certè patientem Christum nemo luget veriùs quà m qui ea ob quae passus est Christus odisse incipit Drexel Aetern prod c. 2. Sect. 23. 3. It is a great matter to recover a lost sinner 4 We should
love our own souls and the souls of others since Christ manifested such love to our souls 5. We should not crosse the ends of Christs suffering 1. He died to redeem you from this present evil world 2. To destroy the works of Satan We should live to him * 〈…〉 are some particular cases wherein it is not safe for some particular persons at that time â—â—â— in 〈…〉 to pâ—t them to try themselves by signs But for the general it is necessary and the duty of all people to â—â—ok to signs and to try themselves by them M. Hooker on Rom. 8. 10. A two-sold knowledge is required of every receiver 1. A diâ—cernning of the body and bloud of Christ he must be able in some competent measure to understand the Doctrine Nature Use and End of a Sacrament by whom it was instituted and why and for what end 1 Cor. 11. 29. they were to instruct their children what this and that action signified in the Passeover 2. Of himself implied in the duty commanded of examining our selves Edere Christum est credere in Christum Quâ—d paras dentem ventrem Crede tantùm manducasti August He that comes without faith receives Sacramentum notâ—em â—em Sacramenti Iesus Christus isque crucifixus debet esse proprium sidei nostrae objectum Rivetus Instruct. Praepar ad Coenam Domini cap 10. Prayer profits not without faith Rom. 10 13 14. Mark 11. 24. Luk. 18 lat end Mark 9. 23. Faith only makes up the union between Christ and us John 6. 56. The people of God have a four-fold glorious sight in this life John 14. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1. They see God in Christ. 2. They see Christ in God 3. They see Christ in themselves 4. They see themselves in Christ. See Rom. 8. 9 10. Common people say they have believed as long as they can remember and they thank God they never doubted While men are in their natural condition they think it is nothing to believe in Christ though they walk contrary to him but when sinne is fully discovered and one sees the severity of Gods justice it is then hard to believe Rom. 1. 17. 2 Thess. 1. 3. Consider 1. Thy natural estate is a state of death damnation John 3. 18. Gal. 3. 23. 2. So long as thou abidest out of Christ thou abidest in death John 3. 36. 1 Joh. 3. 14. All sins de merito are damnable they deserve death but not de facto no sinne necessarily brings death but unbelief because it keeps a man off from Christ the fountain of life John 6. 5 7. 3. Thou canst not be the fountain of thine own life 4. Life is to be had in no other but Christ John 5. 40. 5. There is no way of having life from him but by union with him 1 John 5. 12. the first thing that grace puts forth in the soul is an instinct after union Faith is an instinct put in by the teaching of the Father after union with Christ. The sole way to get this supernatural grace is with hearty â—amenting of its absence and weakness to beg it of him who is able to work it in the heart and to feed and nourish it by a continual meditation of his greatness and great works which he hath formerly wrought for our confirmation Poenitentia est dolor de peccato cum adjunctâ— proposito melioris vitae Luth. in loc commun de poenitentia All the Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles run on this Christ commanded his Disciples to preach it It is one of the two parts of the Gospel the summe of the Gospel is Faith Repentance It is Praeterita peccata plangere plangenda non committere Aug. It 's secunda ta bula post naufragium medicina est spiritualis animi vitiorum say others See Mr Calamy on Act. 17. 30. and Cameron on Mark 1. 15. Our sorrow for sin should be our chiefest sorrow because sin is the greatest evil and it is so in respect of the intellectual part and in respect of the displicency of the will wherein the strength of repentance lieth According to the multitude of thy mercies blot out all my offences and create in me a new heart and a right spirit Lord do away the sinne of thy servant Petit 5. It is not only among the precepts but promises and priviledges of the Gospel Act. 9. 18. Da prâ—â—s poenitentiam postea indulgentiam Fulgentius They are therfore Ministers of the Gospel not legal preachers which preach repentance There is one act of faith to be done once for all to lay hold on Christ and be united to him and justified by him yet I must live by it and do every duty by it so for repentance Isa. 27. 9. Jer. 2 19. Heb. 12. 11 Before the Supper and the offering of a childe in Baptism then Christs death is represented Rom. 6. 4. Gal. 3. 1. a On a mans death-bed the day of repentance is past for repentance being the renewing of a holy life the living the life of grace it is a contradiction to say that a man can live a holy life upon his death-bed D. Taylors Rule of holy living chap. 4. Sect. 4. That place Ezek. 33. 14. is it which is so often mistaken for that common saying At what time soever a sinner repents him of his sins from the bottom of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. Let not that be made a colour to countenance a death-bed penitent D. Taylor on Jer. 13. 16. Serm. 2. One may repent on his death-bed as well as the thief on the Crosse but it is dangerous to put off repentance till then it will be harder to come in It s a rare sight saith one to finde a young man godly and an old man penitent We acknowledge that as God cals some at the first hour so may some be called at the last hour of the day yea inter pontem fontem D. Iackson indeed hath an opinion that a man may proceed so farre in sin in this life that the door of repentance may be thâ—t upon him none of our Divines deny the possibility of any mans Salvation while he lives in this world D. Twiss ag Hord. p. 45. There is a Gospel-command to repent Mat 9. 13. Act. 17. 30. 2. The very space of repentance is a mercy and given you that you may repent Revel 2. 21. 3. It is the natural fruit of a regenerate heart Ezek. 11. 19. 4. It is repentance to salvation 1 Cor. 7. 10. There is more joy in heaven for one sinner that repents then for ninty nine that need no repentance as if he had aimed at the Antinomians * Act. 5. 31. 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Whosoever hath truly repented is 1. Low in his own eyes so Paul 2. Fears sin ever after Eccl. 9. 2. 3. Is pitiful to others in their fals Gal. 6. 1. 4. There will be a growth in the
and weaknesse the Tree of life would have preserved him from that 3. The whole person consisting both of soul and body was conformable to God in respect of his felicity and dominion over the creatures Gen. 1. 26 28. The image of God doth not principally consist in this but secondarily therefore though the man and woman were created perfectly after Gods image in other respects yet in this respect the woman had not the image of God as the Apostle sheweth The power which Adam had over the creatures was not absolute and direct that God reserved to himself but it was for Adams use then the stoutest and fiercest beasts would be ruled by Adam this dominion since the fall is lost for a great part because of our rebellion against God the creatures rebellion should minde us of ours we may see sometimes a little childe driving before him an hundred Oxen or Kine this or that way as he pleaseth For the infusing of the soul it is most probable that the body was first made as the organ or instrument and then the soul put into it as God did make Heaven and Earth before man was made God did not create all the souls of men at once but he creates them daily as they are infused into the body for that the reasonable soul is not ex traduce Baronius in his Philosophia Theologiae Ancillans Exercit. 2. Artic. 3. proves it well There are these two Questions to be resolved 1. Whether immortality was natural to Adam 2. Whether original righteousnesse was natural to Adam For the first A thing is immortal four wayes 1. Absolutely so that there is no inward or outward cause of mortality so God only 1 Tim. 6. 16. 2. When it is not so by nature but immortality is a perfection voluntarily put into the constitution of the creature by the Creator so Angels are immortal 3. Not by any singular condition of Nature but of Grace so the bodies of the Saints glorified 4. When it is mortal inwardly but yet conditionally it is immortal that is if he do his duty and so Adam was immortal For the second Question The properties of it are these First It is original righteousnesse because it is the natural perfection of the whole man and all his faculties for distinction sake we call it original righteousnesse It is so both in regard of it self for it was the first in the first man Secondly In regard of man because he had it from his very beginning Thirdly In regard of his posterity because it was to be propagated to others Secondly It is universal it was the rectitude of all parts it could not else be an image of God unlesse it did universally resemble him in all holinesse His understanding had all things for truth his will for good his affections for obedience Thirdly Harmonious every faculty stood in a right order the will subject to the understanding and the affections to both Fourthly It was due to him not by way of desert as if God did owe Adam any thing but conditionally supposing God made Adam to enjoy himself and by way of means Fifthly Natural 1. Subjective that which inwardly adheres to the nature of a thing from its beginning 2. Perfectivè that which perfects nature for its end and actions 3. Propagativè when it would have been propagated in a natural way if man had continued in innocency but Constitutivè and Consecutivè supernatural The Papists deny that that was natural to man in innocency and therefore they say mans nature is not corrupted by the fall because a supernatural gift only is taken from him all his naturals being left which is the opinion of the Pelagians who affirm That the nature of man fallen is perfect before the committing of actual sins Paradise is spoken of in Gen. 2. Some of the Ancients as Origen Philo yea and of later Authors have turned all this into an Allegory but now that it was a real corporal place we may prove 1. Because God planted a Garden and put Adam into it and there went a River out of it which was divided into four streams but these were visible and corporeal as Euphrates and Tigris and in the third Chapter it is said That Adam hid himself with the leaves of the Tree therefore the Trees in Paradise were real and not allegorical and lastly Adam was cast out of it The ground of allegorizing all these things ariseth from the vanity of mans mind which thinketh these things too low for the Spirit of God to relate and therefore endeavours to finde out many mysteries 2. In what part of the earth it was Some have thought it to be the whole world but that cannot be for it is said God took Adam and put him into it and likewise that he was cast out of it Others thought Paradise to be a very high place reaching to the very Globe of the Moon but that cannot be habitable for the subtilty of the air Others as Oleaster and Vatablus think it was in Mesopotamia only and that it hath lost his beauty by the floud A Lapide Willet Rivet Zanchius and others say it was about Mesopotamia and Armenia because 1. There are the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris 2. Because Eden is part of Babylonia and this part of Mesopotamia as is manifest from Ezek. 27. 23. Isa. 37. 12. 3. These Regions are in the East and most pleasant and so agree with the description of Paradise Gen. 2. But the safest way is not to trouble our selves any further then Moses Text which saith it was in the Region of the East in respect of Iudaea Egypt or Arabia and as for the limits and bounds of it they cannot now be known Vide Bellar. de gratia primi hominis c. 12 13. Homer had his invention of Alcinous Gardens as Iustin Martyr noteth out of Moses his description of Paradise Gen. 2. And those praises of the Elysian fields were taken out of this story Ver erat aeternum c. Ovid. Metam lib. 2. And from the talk between Eve and the Serpent Aesops Fables were derived Thirdly Whether the waters of the Floud did destroy it Bellarmine and generally the Papists will not admit that it was destroyed by Noahs Floud and it is to maintain a false opinion for they say That Enoch and Elias who are yet in their bodies are the two Witnesses spoken of and that they shall come when Antichrist shall be revealed and then he shall put them to death and therefore they hold that Enoch and Elias are kept alive in this Paradise which they say still remaineth but that this is a meer fable appeareth because Iohn Baptist is expresly said by Christ to be the Elias that was to come because he came in the spirit of Elias Therefore we hold that wheresoever Paradise was yet in the great Floud it was destroyed not but that the ground remaineth still only the form beauty and fruitfulnesse is spoiled