's thine and thy supplie II. The Adjunct of the Church of Christ The Adjunct of the Church is the Communion of Saints and members of this mystical bodie of Christ which is nothing els but the due entercours and holie fellowship reciprocally between member and member for the good of the whole Two things wee are to consider in this Communion of members in the Church 1. Due qualifying of the persons that are to communicate 2. Due exercise of communion among them that are so qualified 1. Qualification generally stand's in this that they bee brethren No sooner is a man a believer and a new creature born to God but hee is also a brother No bastard no stranger no Gibeonite no blemish't one may enter the temple of this Communion More specially they have the true Spirit of brethren of members by which the former is manifested to bee true Wee must know that this Spirit of Communion is the priviledg of the whole Invisible Church before it bee the spirit of any particular member for the members draw spirit from the bodie as the bodie from the head Now this spirit is flowing from Christ who hath therefore shed his blood for his Church not onely that hee might unite it together with it self but also that it might edifie it self in love And the Lord Jesus hath obteined this Spirit from his Father This Spirit of Communion may bee discovered in these two particulars First in the spirit of Preserving her self in her estate and integritie Secondly in the spirit of Furniture for the several operations whereby communion may bee supported I. In preserving Communion and this it doth 1. By separation of fals parts or contrarie which threaten ruine to her Mettals melted will go together and unite their substance but sever the dross which is of another nature from incorporateing with them the Citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem hee loathes swearers liers forswearers usurers and so of the rest No communication between Christ and Belial light and darkness 2. By gathering together of new This preserving Spirit is also a drawer of like parts to her self for the filling up and strengthening of Communion shee is still aiming at the bodies increase and therefore as the waters of the sea win upon the banks so doth this spirit of Communion seek out and enlarge her borders Our Lord Jesus the head of this communion spent his life in gathering members to this bodie Peter gathered 3000. at once and each member of it doth or ought to becom all in all to gain som 3. By preventing of any thing hurtful to herself This Spirit is warie to defeat whatsoever attempts may bee made against her communion either by opposite persons or properties II. The Spirit Furnishe's the Church with all such gifts as serv to maintain communion Such are 1. Love mother-grace of all the rest that which Saint John so magnifie's 1 Joh. 5. 1. Hee that loveth him that begat love's him that is begotten It 's the band of perfection that hold's in all the duties of Communion as the corner-stone doth the sides of the wall 2. Sociableness a compound of three coards not easily broken viz. 1. Amiableness which is that holy suavitie of spirit which opposeth tartness austeritie sowreness and sullenness whereby men are like ragged unhewen stones unmeet to couch in this holie building 2. Humbleness which opposeth pride which is a vice excommunicate from true fellowship of Saints causing men to think themselvs their parts their persons too good for communion It 's discerned by two marks peaceableness and equalness 3. Self-denial contrarie to Self-love the bane of communion when men seek their own esteem credit end profit and prais and if they fail thereof they little look how the publick welfare goe's forward 3. Tendernes and compassion Gal. 6. 1. If any bee prevented by error ignorance Satan sudden temptation let him that is stronger set him in joint again so the word is and restore him in the spirit of meekness II The Exercise of Communion stand's in three things 1. Graces 2. Means or Ordinances 3. Services or Duties I. In Graces In the tradeing whereof these rules must bee observed First bring in thy stock into this bank each member in this staple of Communion must get the gift of exchange hee must maintain a due entercours Secondly Humilitie is an excellent mean to exercise communion in graces condescending to men of low degree Proud ones get little and do little in this communion of Saints Thirdly Covet others graces 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet the things that are most excellent Appetite after the graces of communion is the instinct of God's spirit for the growth of Graces Men that hunt the Bezar seek not her flesh but that which is precious in her the stone which is so cordiall Base respects are nothing to the Saints in regard of this jewel Fourthly extract graces from others Solomon saith Prov. 20. 6. There is wisdom in the heart of the wise and a man of understanding will get it out Delilah lay at Sampson till hee had told her his whole heart So should'st thou that seekest the grace of others First by putting thy case in their persons whom thou tradest with as if thou wouldest learn what patience in sickness and pain is or how thou mightest die well ask others how should yee do in this case make mine your own Secondly observ wisely what fall's from the godly in their communion and conversation over-see not their words behaviors affections zeal scopes Thirdly let faith bee the chief extractor All things are yours saith Paul meaning all graces in all the members it 's a great help of profiting when as wee believ all the graces of others are ours allotted us by priviledg from Christ whose wee are Fifthly Rest not onely in the outward object but pierce into the inward There is more in a Saint then a bare sentence or carriage will express Look into the bottom as the Cherub into the mercie-seat Sixthly Bee wise to chuse thy object Each man excell's not in each grace or gift And when wee meet not with that wee look for wee think meanly of men as Naaman did beeing crossed by Elisha But the Graces of God are to bee marked as they bee most eminent As in Moses his meekness in Phinehas his zeal in Abraham faith II. In Meanes or Ordinances These edifie the Church First as they are ties and bands of Communion Secondly as they are active instruments or helps to beget and nourish it 1. As ties and bands Psal 122. Jerusalem is called a compacted Citie knit together by the Assemblies by the Sacrifices by the Thrones of Judgment Act. 2. 46. The Church continued and â—lave together in the use of the Ordinances the sacrament especially of the Supper Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the Word Praier and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of communion Wee see that the common ties of nature education and place do much tie
to know the meer common sins which everie one may read in great letters running and through eas seek no further becaus indeed knowledg in not their aim but their policie to avoid the shame of gross ignorance 6. Self-love by which hee is loath to bee informed in truths his partialitie and subtiltie which suffer's him not to bear such truths as are like to oppose his personal pretious and beloved evils whereby hee is loath to hear of any sins save other mens not his own 7. Errors of our own conceit of sound righteousness to wit that wee have served God well both in shunning of sin or doing dutie when wee have been drawn to it onely by forrein compulsion or outward occasions The Law enlighten's us in the discerning actual sins both in themselvs and in their Penalties 1. In themselvs sundry waies 1. By her authoritie in commanding setting up herself in the conscience the most privie chamber of the Soul this no law of man can do 2. By her harmonie consent and coherence this no man can see except enlightned Jam. 2. 10. bee that break 's one is culpable of all As hee that break 's one Link of a golden chain breake 's the coherence As hee that break 's his neighbors fence trespasse's him as well as if hee ranged over all his ground because the bond is broken 3. By her royaltie That as a King is not prescribed against by the qualitie of any Subject offending why hee may not hold him guiltie So in this no person is accepted of God in this kinde This royal law is impartial it will shew a Queen her sports as well as a poor woman 4. By her integritie and soundness that is it open's sin to the soul in one kinde as well as the other Such is the corruption of Adam that it will suffer much of the bodie of sin to vanish in the survey But where God enlighten's hee discover's sin in all her sexes male and female strong and weak remembred and forgotten ignorance and knowledg in a word one and other for want of which many a Soul never com's to the bar of God's conviction This rule shew's the difference of these First sins of Omission are passings by and balking of som dutie behooving to bee don whether against or without knowledg Secondly sins of Commission are actual doings of som evill in thought word and deed against the revealed will of God whether wee bee convinced or not convinced convinced thereof to bee sin as to work upon the Sabbath to speak vainly to nourish base thoughes Thirdly sins of Knowledg are transgressions of the Law of God against a mans conscience and the check of it whether greater or smaller as when Shimei paised Jordan against his own covenant or when a man goeth against his own light Sins of Ignorance are when a man transgresseth but yet not knowing his sin to bee sin as Abimelech coveting of Sarah Paul's persecuteing the Church 4. Sins of weakness or Presumption differ onely from sins of knowledg in the intention of him that sinneth Not each sin of knowledg amounteth to a sin of presumption though all presumption must need 's bee a sin against knowledg Sin of presumption then is a sin of knowledg committed with an high hand Sin of weakness is a sinning against such knowledg as yet is prevented in her work through accident as either inabilitie of grace to stick to knowledg or through timerousness and fear although dalliance and wantonness bee absent and though conscience bee present to accuse 5ly Sins of presumption it self are not all one for som are onely presumptuous in act as David's adulterie and murther others are total when a man is totally and finally carried in a presumptuous stream of habited sinning This trencheth most horribly against the patience and long-suffering of Grace it self and commonly drawe's impenitencie of spirit upon it self which cannot repent when it would 6ly A just fruit of this dalliance with grace habitually is that total and final Desertion of God's spirit giveing over the presumptuous heart to such a sinning against grace as at last despiteth that grace which it hath so long slighted as the Gnat which burneth it self in the candle and this is called sinning against the holy Ghost differing from habited Presumption in this That in that a man sinneth against the grace of the Spirit but in this a man despiteth the Spirit of Grace it self 5. By her extent it is a great piece of the light of the law to extend it self in the soul to all parts and degrees of sin 1. in her Spiritualness teaching us not to rest onely in open gross moral offences but to go to spiritual wickedness 2. In her inquisition and search it dare and can go to any part of the whole man and fetch out any poyson out of any corner 3. in her aggravateing power whereby shee inlarge's sin by her circumstances causing it thereby to seem the more odious and setting the wors colors upon it as becaus such a person committed it a publick man against such light when hee needed not from meer malignitie of Spirit in the mid'st of blessings against mercie gospel vowes covenant c. 4 in her puritie the law doth not go tell the Soul of each sin but set's the mirror of God's pureness before her that shee may according thereto discern and judg of sin good and bad true and evil These are helps to serv the work of the law in convinceing not to forestall the work of the Spirit she more sound light the soul hath the better Howbeit God is free to work in what way and measure hâ—e pleas II. The law discover's sin by the Penalties The Lord take's away all distinction of venial and mortal sin from a man present's himself to him in his full justice of revenging all sin without exception tell 's the Soul deferring of punishment is no remoovall of it that all sins deserv all punishments that the least cost the Lord Jesus his blood and hee that beleev's it not shall pay for it in hell there is no lying hid from God's eye no shift or evasion besides faith and repentance The Lord discover's Original sin to the soul many waies 1. By the special terms of his Word the Lord is in no one thing so emphatical as in the names hee give 's to this poyson Hee call's it the old man the flesh lust concupiscence the law of the members the law of sin reigning in the members the bodie of death and the like 2. By comparison For when the Soul hath had the view of actual sins before as most irksom and now com's to see greater abominations then these as the Lord tell 's Ezek. Chap. 8. 15. Oh! how out of meature sinful seem's it to the soul how doth shee crie out miserable man for mark thus shee speak's although actual sins were enough to sink mee into miserie yet I see they were but evil in respect of their part
wel-fare Shall a beleever rest in his pardon more then in the righteousness of God which may make them accepted and beloved No the Liverie they wear is The Lord our Rightousness Vse V. Let this rais the price of the Lord Jusus's love in the hearts of all his children the more cost the more love Vse VI. How should it teach us to abhor all enemies of the Cross Vse VII If this death of the Lord Jesus bee our satisfaction and the freedom from sin and curs our pardon peace and heaven where is the dwelling of our hearts upon it the delight of our souls in it how is it that each base shadow of joy can affect us when this cannot if our hope were here onely in Christ of all others wee were most miserable Nothing here can keep thee from miserie what is then thy happiness This satisfaction onely Let it bee all in all to thee the seasoning of thy blessings supplie of all wants Vse VIII Especially let the chief stream of this point's use bee this First to all Ministers to teach it and the people to applie it to themselvs in all their fears yea the greatest agonie yea death it self Whatsoever thou foregoest hold this Stand with open face and hold this mirror to poor finners that they may behold the LORD our Righteousness Secondly to all People Consider yee who have truly felt that Serpent of the Law sting yee mortally in the other part com applie the remedie in this look upon this brazen Serpent and live and first I say feel the strength Secondly take hold of it and make peace for the former Know without a promise from God there is no peace unto you and promise there can bee none without satisfaction This is the strength of an offer and a promise Anger abide's in God without this price and thou art but as the bush and drie stubble before it Bee assured then no promise speak's to thy soul and to thy heart except it hath this strength of Christ in whom each one is Yea and Amen Hence com's all wrath to bee turned into love and this will make God willing to offer and faithful to perform els not That bottomless depth of mercie in thy Judg and Enemie cannot bee gaged without this bucket by this thou maiest reach it Again as this is sufficient strenth so it is that onely which can redeem thee Hee redeemed us not with pearls but with the precious blood of the Lamb Wilt thou go to thy duties performances grace Alas they have no blood of expiation in them all these will say satisfaction is not in mee where then surely here onely Vse IX If so abandon all and cling to this onely Take hold of this sufficient and onely sufficient strength as the Prophet bid's thee Whatever enemie pursue thee at the heels this is thy refuge that here thou maiest have strong consolation in all fears against all enemies fearest thou the sins of thy youth or age The Lord Jesus was conceived in the Womb that the infant Elect which never saw light migt bee saved by him Youth notwithstanding her disobediene age for all her rebellion might bee forgiven Do thy moral sins of murther stealth uncleanness swearing distress thee This Lord Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for thee Do thy spiritual wickednesses oprress thee an unbelieving secure hard heart by the contempt of the gospel The Lord Jesus suffered the powring out of his blood to break the heart of those that pierced him upon the Cross Art thou poor Thy satisfier was so Rich Hee was the Lord of all Are thy sins great Hee died for Noah's drunkenness Lot's incests David's adulterie Small Lo even thy least vain word cost him his life-blood But perhaps not som sins but perhaps sin it self and the bodie of death trouble 's thee Hee was made sin that knew none Oh! then whatsoever sin can say yet go on to the throne of grace as Heb. 4. 16. and look to finde mercie in time of need Doth the Divell gates of Hell Conscience or the Justice of GOD threaten thee They cannot save for sin if they do thy conscience hath her answer to God against all And so plead this thy pardon to the Lord. Say thus Oh Father even thou cuttest off thy plea in giving this price in accepting it in offring of it to mee J Lord am here before thee pinched and damned by my sin if thou doest reckon it to mee Oh! Lord I put this blessed price beetween mee and wrath Lord have no power to denie it mee Even I if I were left with an Orphan's estate could not keep it from him Lord I am fatherless my orphan's stock is in thy keeping thou took'st it to bestow it Lord let my Soul have strong consolation in her seeking refuge to thee becaus this price warrant 's mee VI. Branch The Conquest of Christ Hee overcame all enemies rose again from the dead and gave a full beeing to the merit of his satisfaction Conceiv of it in three estates of Christ 1. Before his death Though the Lord Jesus was not exempt from mortalitie and infirmitie but subject to all through our sin yet hee conquered in suffering for he endured no more then himself pleased 2. At his death Although our Mediator must needs drink that cup which his Father gave him yet hee was a conqueror then too and above any enemy 3. After death when they had got his dead bodie into the grave hee resumed his bodie and soul again and gave them another blow wors then all hee rose again conquered their malice never more to bee conquered to die no more Act. 2. 24. Rom. 1. 3. Vse I. This inform's us of the assurance which a poor soul under a condition of grace may take to it self in pleading her part in this satisfaction For by his conquest hee sent his Church into a lively possession of all his merits Let us therefore com with the assurance of faith to the throne of grace Heb. 10. 22. saying Lord give the poor needing servant the fruit of the Lord Jesus his obedience the power of his conquest the full efficacie of his redemption Oh let us not want the strength of this perswasion but press it and say Lord I com to thee in the merit of a Christ not dead but alive a Conqueror that made good to mee all his sufferings by his victorie and gave all his enemies a dead blow when they looked all to have overthrown him Vse II. Sundrie consolations Touching Faith how many are the fears that a poor soul hath that shee shall never bee able to believ Within herself what weakness forgetfulness melancholy guilt of conscience through corruption and dead heart slavish and fearful presumptuous hardned by the deceit of sin unworthiness neglect of the season of grace this bodie of death opposing all savor of goodness and so even death of bodie make 's them afraid they may die ere they believ So without them what temptations against
Baptism received with holy confidence go to the Lord for her due nourishment by and in him saying thus Oh Lord I am thine save mee Psal 119. 94. Of thee I am who art made unto mee not onely Righteousness but sanctification with growth and increas in it I com therefore to plead my right in all humilitie If I had never came to birth or to the light I had so been at an end but seeing thou hast not denied mee the life of a childe of thine do not leav mee to shift but Lord bring mee up at thy cost and let mee have my portion from thy Table and my daily bread from thy hand My Baptism I alreadie enjoy in the death and life of Christ to make mee thine O Lord let also his blood grace and spirit run in the veins of my soul to strengthen mee in the inner man with all long-suffering and wel-pleasing and joyfulness all grace of thy new creature let it bee mine 2. Prepare thy soul to this feast of the mountains Esay 25. as oft as thou comest which must bee oft 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. and com not without thy feast-Apparel And let this bee one rule unto thee Do not catch up this Robe on the sudden but wear it daily between Sacrament and Sacrament That faith in the Lord Jesus thou walkest or would'st com with to the Supper live by it daily Christ is the same in the promise and the seal That repentance thou walkest with to the Sacrament practice it daily hee that in a great frost would keep the ice thin must keep it broken every day so thou thy soul-issues lest thine heart harden 3. Beeing thus com to the Supper set thy faith on work say thus I know no Divel in hell can sever Jesus EMMANUEL my meat and drink from the Elements but this Word hath united them for ever That by sacramentall union with them as sensible hee might unite himself with mee spiritually and really in this seal of his 4. Seeing him there thine take him eat and drink him and enjoy him let thy soul applie him to thee for that thou lackest and hee serveth that is to applie thy wants where the hedg is lowest with the to pare off thy superfluous part to fill up and supplie thy decayes and voidness I mean such gifts or graces as concern thee either in thy particular Calling or in thy general 5. Least thou should'st stagger about thy right and part herein remember the end of the Sacrament is to rid thee of this fear For why it is God's seal to the covenant of his Grace to make thee his Son and Daughter and to sanctifie thee it 's his uttermost securitie for any outward one nay it 's his instrument of conveying the greatest measure of his Spirit unto thee 6. Haveing so received it live by him depart as one well satisfied enlarge him both for number and measure of growth to all parts of thy life all estates graces duties VI. Rules concerning Praier 1. Retain this heavenly Ordinance of God in that due esteem which the Lord hath graced it with for all ends both of humiliation and supplication The Lord and thy soul by experience do know it to bee the key of all the coffers of God and that High-priest's liveing way made by the blood of Christ whereby thou hast access daily yesterday to day and ever the oftner the welcomer to the Holie of Holies to the seat of Mercie 2. God in the Lord Jesus by a promise having thy wants in a readiness and thy faith on wing let not thy cours in praying issue from a formal plat-form but a lively feeling and humble pinching of soul for thy necessities 3. Shake off all extremities of a corrupt heart by faith which must hold thine eie fixed upon thy Mediator against all thy presumption commonness dulness deadness coldness and beseech the Lord to stir thee up to pray as hee shall suggest unto thee by the present occasion well digested either for the Church others or thy self If thou would'st bee heavenly in praier first abase thy self as a worm dust and ashes yea as Mr. Bradford hell and the sink-hole before the Lord who is heaven and holiness 4. Add these meet qualities of praier viz. fervent importunitie as one whom God cannot bee rid of till thou speed and frequencie as haveing sped well already 5. And above all com not to pray with any tainted known sin I say not onely gross but even secret and close through a lazie heart loath to cast them off or a loos heart loveing them better then the things thou praiest for least the Lord justly leave thee to bee wearisom to him and thy self VII Rules concerning Meditation 1. It take's away letts either giddiness of minde or unsavoriness of spirit the former like a sieve out of the water looseth all it get's suffer's nothing either truthes heard or works seen to abide long in the heart but Meditation set's them in the heart that they leak not out Heb. 2. 1. In stead of the later it season 's the heart with the sap the life the savor of good things 2. It make's the meaning view scope and order both of particular doctrine and the whole scope of Religion to becom our own 3. Wee com hereby to the eas of practice the fruit whereof experience so that if once wee have found crosses to do us good wee fear not when new ones approach if wee have felt the gain of a Sabbath get a delight therein in a word whatsoever is easie it becom's sweet and therefore if this bee worth somwhat to finde the yoke of God easie and his burthen light as to say the truth it is the upshot of goodness well may wee then say Meditation is a divine help to a good cours To these may bee added three other means of Godliness viz. 1. Resolvedness 2. Watchfulness 3. Experience I. Resolvedness is a grace of the Spirit standing in an holy firmness of minde and heart to keep fast the truth of God both in judgment and the power of practice Truth if it bee once lost in the judgment will not long hold in the practice therefore wee must bee well principled and grounded in the Truth love it for it self and embrace it with our best affections Not beeing wheeled and hurried about with the new tricks and devices of men of unsound judgment nor yet put on som truthes for a time with great zeal and heat and suddenly when a greater heat of opposition arise's out of a giddie minde and fearful heart recant as fast and betray the truth of God to time-servers and Enemies Therefore wee are bidden Buy the truth whatsoever wee give for it but sell it not whatsoever wee might have for it Contend wee for the faith Jud. 2 yea unto blood To this end let us wisely and strongly observ resist and reject all novelties and schisms starting up among us and abhor them bearing witness to the Truth of God
may both keep thy counsel and give thee counsel ARTIC VI. God's People have many blessed priviledges to encourage them against their Lets THat as the Lets and discouragements of the Children of God in this their militant condition are many on the left hand by their enemies so on the right hand on God's part there are many priviledges and favors allowed them whereby their condition is made both comfortable and honorable And that both to draw on many to bee of God's houshold when they see what gains and vails belong to his service as also to encourage such as are already admitted members of it and besides to compel such as care not to join themselvs to them becaus of som hard conditions to the flesh when they see their Priviledges to acknowledg their state to bee above their own and to pine and consume for the wilful debaring themselvs of such happiness Their nature consist's in two things 1. In their Price and worth 2. In their Peculiaritie 1. Their Price is in this The least of them cost the blood of the Lord JESUS their nature is excellent gratious and glorious their use is sutable for they attend the welfare of the best creature in the world and the instrument of obtaining them is no less then that whereby justification is gotten Lastly they are the Legacies of the last Will and Testament of Christ sealed with his death and pledges of his presence till wee enjoy himself serving to conduct us homeward in a tolerable manner as many baiting-places to refresh us till wee com thither 2. They are peculiar things as well as pretious so ours that no other's portion besides us wee know peculiarness doth greatly beautifie a pretious thing A stranger shall not enter into her joy Mar. 4. 10. To you it is given not to others Joh. 17. 9. I pray not for the world 1 Peter 2. 7. A peculiar people The whole bodie of these Priviledges are of two sorts 1. Either exemptions from evils which lie upon the wicked 2. Or enlargement to those good things which others cannot com by as to bee kept by the power of faith c. Generally these Priviledges belong to a Beleever either here 1. In this life accompanying our conversion as Righteousness Peace Joy in the holy Ghost following wch concern either Persons Estates Spiritual Temporal 2. In death or hereafter 1. Priviledges of our person God is ours in Covenant and will bee so for ever Esay 54. Hee take's thought for us Phil. 4. 6. and 1 Pet. 5. 7. all things shall work together for our good 2. Priviledges concerning our estates in common God will do for us in both estates spiritual and temporal above all that wee can ask and think Eph. 3. and supplie abundantly all our wants Hee will supplie our bodilie wants povertie infirmities c. and our spiritual as want of knowledg faith c. and besides in neither estate will hee require more of us then according to our abilities Mat. 25. 15. Not according to what wee want but what wee have hee look's at our talents and no further so wee bee faithful in that little 3. Priviledges touching our temporal estates Our temporal reache's to our estate of the world and it concern's either Blessings or Crosses Touching blessings thus 1. Whatsoever is meet for the bodie for meat drink apparel health life good daies success welfare good marriage credit and the like shall bee given us Psal 84. 11. Psal 37. 4. Luke 12. 22. 2. Our labors shall bee blessed and wee shall eat the fruit of them Psalm 128. 2. 3. Bee it more or less it shall bee enough and wee content with it as our portion best of all 4. A little of the righteous is better and shall go further then a great deal of the wicked 5. All they have they have it from a running fountain and with the good will of him that dwelt in the bush Deut. 33. 16. 6. Wee have it without sin and without sorrow i e. carking distrust or baseness Touching Crosses thus 1. No more no other no sooner can befall then the Lord hath cut out for us Jo. 8. 20 59. 2. Hee fitteth our yokes for us as wee for our cattle great and smal Lam. 13. Mal. 16. 3. The extremitie of the cross shall shall never pinch us the streight shall not annoy us 4. Wee shall escape many that the wicked pull upon themselvs Psal 32. 8. 5. These must bee wee shall bee upholden in them Mic. 7. 8. Psal 140. 7. 6. They shall bee sent in love so that they shall not bee the envenom'd arrows of the Almightie in our flesh but the corrections of a father Heb. 12. 9. and 1 Chron. 22. 10. 7. When they have don their errand they shall return and wee bee delivered Mic. 7. 8 9 10. 8. Lastly wee shall bee more then conquerors Rom. 8. 37. and partake full redemption Eph. 4. 30. 4ly Priviledges concerning our spiritual estate Som of these concern God som our selvs Touching God this All his administrations shall profit us hee will discover himself in them to us in the way of his govern ment of the age and times wee live in in his blessings upon his own and judgments upon his enemies his patience and carriage towards our selvs in our whole courses c. the administrations of God in all shall teach and profit us Touching our own spiritual estate These Priviledges belong to our spiritual estate 1. Either in point of Faith 2. Or of our Obedience Touching our Faith 1. The just shall not onely bee forgiven by faith but also live by faith as Hab. 2. Heb. 10. 38. 2. They shall grow from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. 3. Their faith shall never totally or finally fail them Luc. 22. 32. 4. The Lord will count their faith as righteousness to them impute Christ's merit and holiness unto them in all their real services not looking upon that is theirs but judging them according to the better part that Grace which hee hath given them As their afflictions streights and difficulties encreas so shall their faith Touching ohedience som Negative Positive Negative No lets enemies divel sin or world shall pull us from God or pluck us from our stedfastness 2 Pet. ult Positive are made To the whole cours of it or To the particular parts To the whole such are these God that begun his work shall finish it for us Phil. 1. 6. Wee shall bee upholden in our whole cours graciously Psal 41. 11 12. and that hee will guide us by his grace till hee receiv us to his glorie that wee shall persever unto the end Rev. 2. 10. To the particular parts which are either The cours of Worship or Of Conversation The former may bee referred to the means of obedience or the duties of it of which generally this is the sum That the means are theirs all blessed to them for the helping them home in peace And the Lord who hath enjoined
uttered by man In this it is differenced first from the ignorant erroneous and superstitious conscience not fearing at all or fearing amiss Secondly defiled conscience dallying with God half convinced and half whole Thirdly seared and hardned conscience which by long rebellion and resistance of the law hath got the masterie of the law and is waxen sensless and useless forgetting her offices Fourthly The act of the law in all this is to cast down the soul at the feet of God For there is in nature an intolerable bearing up a mans self in his estate a prideing of himself boldness boasting of sin Hee is so far from beeing ashamed that till the law com home to him thus bee is alive Rom. 7. 9. that is jollie jocand merrie as the fool that cast's arrowes darts and saith Am I not in sport A Sinner's crown is not his bare sin in corners and by stealth that is his wo his law but his crown is his libertie of spirit in it to do what hee list to run ride talk practice to drink swear lie and couzen and no man controll him Now this jollitie and boldness and pride in sin the Lord in his ministerie of the law resist's and that hee doth when hee pull's the sinner upon his knees cast's his crown in the dirt dismount's him as hee did Saul from his Palfrey Acts 9. and the desperate Jaylor in his profaneness and crueltie Acts 16. 27. And those killers of Christ Act. 2. saying Lord what wilt thou have mee to do Oh then hath wrath seazed upon the soul when it hath killed this jollitie and let out this pleurisie out of it And hence it is called the Sacrificeing-knife sharper then any two-edged sword the killing letter that which slew Paul not by mortification but by shedding the blood and bowels of sins jollitie to the ground The effects of this terror are usually three 1. Stoopping in a cours of evill This differ's from the effect of providence whereby the Lord doth limit the number and measure of sin in the wicked for the preservation of peace and civil societie For though that bee a divine work yet it is not the immediate work of the law but either a Providence without a word or els by the general power of the word restraiing sin but this is a special kinde of restraint issueing from the work of the law for the good of the soul so restrained And it is a loathsomness of the soul findeing no joy in old courses beholding them with repenting and irking of thoughts wishing them undon and abhorring to return to them through the terror of conscience beeing under this whip of the law 2. The second effect is shakeing of a rotten peace scil fals secure peace which it take's to herself when God debar's her of all sound peace Esay 57. ult A sinners life is his rotten peace both without a law and with or under a law by sumdrie practice and colors viz. 1. By nuzling himself under flattering meanes 2. Withdrawing from stirring ones 3. Holding off conviction with obstinate error or faneness and coloring with half yeelding and and shew of consent the heart being rotten 3. The third effect of the law is the spirit of bondage The Lord aime's by this to hold and keep the soul whom hee will save from all revolt to former lusts and liberties The spirit of bondage is the frame of a fearful heart held under slaverie and chaines of the law from all escapeing As wee say such a man hath the spirit of mirth or covetousness in which hee is rooted So the Woman is said to have a spit of infirmitie when her diseas had so prevailed over her that shee was crazed by ha bit So the Spirit of bondage Gal. 4. 7. is to bee one sold to it that cannot get out Vse I. Of Admonition to beware wee rest not in this servile estate For it differ's from true fear as much as from true libertie for 1. True filial fear is a load-stone to attract the soul to God this rather of it self drive's from God 2. This fear hath a respect to sin as the occasion onely to punishment as a caus as the slave look's not at sloth but at the whip But true filial fear look's at sin as the proper caus of fear but at punishment as the occasion 3. True fear soften's this rather harden's and imbitter's the heart Examples in Josiah and Ahab 4. It hath excess in it both for the constant assault of it without all intermission in all places duties and occasions and also for the dangerous inconveniences it bring 's after it oftentimes hinder's all fitness of spirit both to dutie and in dutie and defile's all 5. It differ's from true filial fear as doth the fear of an harlot and a loyal wife the one fear's danger and hurt from her husband the other reverence's him for love Vse II. Let none stumble at it for although it bee no better in it self yet the Lord can moderate correct it and guide it so that it shall bee a special medicine to prepare the heart for that which lightness and giddiness would disable it from attaineing God's End in setting thus his law on work is to make way for a sinners reconciliation which otherwise were not possible to work Assoon catch an hare with a taber as a wilde wilful sinner by the charm of the Gospel This appeare's sundrie waies 1. By this meanes God joine's all wholesom doctrine together For it is not his purpose to leave the soul in this case to seek out of herself after eas seeing it 's not in her power But hee himself will have his Minister to join all doctrines together in the order of Catechism both of remedie and miserie in their due order 2. By this consternation hee doth trie and wearie the spirits as in a Labyrinth working them to an utter hopelesness in themselvs to bee better that in such a case the least inkling of mercie might bee as newes out of a far country 3. That by the hear-say of it their hearts might bee raised up to make serious inquisition after it and not to perish in their miserie When the Prodigal was brought to husks at the trough then and never till then the notion of a father pierced him really Vse I First observ how God prevent's a sinner by his wisedom For what is all the complaint of a poor soul when the promise is offred Oh it 's true if I were loaden I doubt not of eas thou liest against thy self thou doest doubt of eas by the promise for of the former thou canst not doubt haveing been enlightned cast down and convinced by the law That then which is the more easie to grant the Lord work 's first as a part of the condition of Grace that is to bee loden that when the harder com's to bee urged that is Faith then the condition already wrought might bee readie to comfort the poor soul 2ly Wonder thetefore
Let it likewise comfort all poor souls that need it both as concerning the propensness of God to love them and his constance of love toward them whom hee alreadie loved If thou had'st procured this love well migh'st thou fear the loss of it But if insinite goodness and a bredth incomprehensible were the fountain of it I speak to a poor soul under the condition loden or lost what doubt is there of his loveing thee If hee freely first mean't it and cut off the way of justice and the bridg of vengethat hee might not pass it over why should'st thou think hee should destroy his own work why should hee not bee willing to love thee whatsoever thy sin bee and haveing loved thee eternally what shall or can enter into him to change this principle in him or caus him to repent Vse V. This Doctrine serveth especially to stay the heart of a distressed wretch in the sight of his miserie by this light and door of hope Oh! bless that fountain which could not bee dried up by sin Wonder why Angels were left remediless not wee Ponder it in our deep fears and remember the Gospel of deliverance is from God as well as the law of terror Despair not the Lord cutt's of none who cut not off themselvs Vse VI. It teache's us to gather to our selvs a strong bottom against that slavish fear and emnitie of our spirit against God Why oh man if God were as thou framest him where had thy hope been Darest thou call him an hard Master the adversarie who of his own will and love cut off his own plea and devised a deliverie when no man or Angel could dream of it Vse VII Let it teach the Ministers of the Gospel to look to the order and substance of their teaching The order not to mis-match these two doctrines teaching this before the other bee well grounded For the substance takeing heed least they defraud the soul of this point when shee is brought low Vse VIII Let this bee a mean to carrie a poor heart quite beyond and out of it self The meditation of this freedom of God's purpose should ravish the heart and carrie it out of the baseness of self and self-ends into the stream of this Sovereign will and glorie of God It should bee above our own salvation Let us diligently trie our own spirit from the true spirit of Grace by this mark Further wee must observ that GOD in accomplishing man's deliverance out of this miserable estate is also the most free and sovereign Worker and applier of this deliverance to the soul For what els should it profit us that hee hath devised such a way as Christ and such means as the Gospel beleeved except hee took it upon him to possess the soul of it also Vse I. This will teach us to conceiv in what sens the Lord doth offer us his Christ command us to believ and promise us to eas us if wee hunger mourn bee poor in spitit to wit that hee is far from intimateing any power or will in us to concur with him in the least of these or to asscribe ought to him that willeth or runneth but rather to shew what those excellent Graces are which hee freely worketh in all whom hee will save Vse II. This will help us to judg who those parties are in all likelihood whom God will concur with and assist in the use of means tending to deliverance Such is the base slaverie of man that hee distrust's him sooner in no one thing then in that where in God offer 's himself to the soul As appear's in Manoah's and Gedeon's example For though hee bee free and tied to none yet I say with reverence hee tie's himself graciously to such as do seek him not themselvs for els should hee contradict his own ends which is blasphemous Vse III. To instruct us how wee may so go to work io the use of means as our own conscience may not accuse us for takeing God's office of freedom and sovereigntie out of his hands The honest soul sets up God in his own way of Christ in his own ends shee seek's the glorie of his wisdom power mercie and freedom who sought out such a deliverance and work 's it in her and all that concern her faith and conditions of it All seeking grace for a man 's own happiness is poor seeking for the present till God wod work better and all seeking for self must bee from self and by self But when the boat is tied to the ship of God's glorie shee need 's no more rowing of herself then the boat doth it 's enough for her that shee is set upon such a stream and tiâ—d to such a ship as can carrie her of it self and drown all her own welfare in the Lord. ARTIC II. The onely instrument of working out this deliverance is the Lord JESUS NO other name under heaven is given to save us by way of mediation or instrument but hee Act. 4. 12. God set him forth as a propitiation that all might see the salvation of God The father of our Lord Jesus Christ was content to part with his own Son and to make him the worker of this deliverance rather then it should fail in the execution thereof For in him the Lord purposed as in a mirror to declare the infinire grace of his election the freedom of the offer the efficacie of calling faith sanctification and eternal life all beeing established in him and nothing toward salvation subsisting without him therefore at the end of each gift Christ is mentioned as the gift of that gift Rom. 7. 24 25. 1 Tim. 1. 10. all the whole frame of grace and godliness is founded and sustained by him The whole work of his Mediation may bee referred to two heads 1. The qualification of his person to bee in case to satisfie 2. The actual performance of the satisfaction it self 1. The qualification of his person hath two parts Vnion and Vnction Vnion comprehend's three distinct things First The incarnation and flesh of Christ 2ly The Divinitie of Christ 3ly The joining of these two natures into one person or the assumeing of the nature of flesh unto the second person of the son of God not to swallow it up but to retain still his own distinct nature yet within union 2. By Vnion is mean't the calling or separation of the Lord Jesus beeing thus united in his natures to bee a meet Mediator which was the sanctification of him in time actually to the work of a Mediator to which God before all time had deputed him The Performance it self stand's of two parts 1. Either Meriting this price for all the Elect 2. Or actual applying it to them The Meriting part consist's of a double performance both of actual obedience to the Law and suffering the curs required thereby and due to sin And hee performed these two by way of real suretiship and no otherwise for takeing upon him the Person of a
Mediator to stand between wrath and us not by arbitrement as in humane sequesterships but by paiment for us Lo therefore hee take's our person upon him becom's piacular that is first seazed with our sin by imputation that by his righteousness hee might deface it and fulfil the Law broken by us and secondly seazed with our curs that by his suffring death hee might quit us of the fear and punishment thereof His Suffering or Passion hath two parts the Sacrifice it self or Passion and the Conquest or Victorie ensuing it whereby hee gave the Passion a full power to becom or rather to bee declared satisfactory The Applying part is the act of his intercedeing Mediation here on earth and especially in heaven serveth to settle the merit of Redemption upon all the Elect in the due season thereof These are called well-springs of salvation Esay 12. 3. becaus they are so many grounds of justifying faith Their number is seaven 1. Incarnation 2. Divinitie 3. Personal union with anointing attending it 4. Actual obedience 5. Passive 6. Conquest 7. Applying all to the Elect. I Branch Incarnation By the power of the holy Ghost sanctifying the flesh of the Virgin the Lord Jesus beeing conceived in and born of the poor Virgin did submit himself to such unspeakable abasement as to take upon him the nature of man that in and by it hee might obey and suffer those things which the divine nature could not beee capable off Touching this point observ further three things 1. The realness of the flesh of the Lord Jesus hee took verie flesh of verie flesh and not as som Hereticks thought a similitude and shadow of it 2. The differences of his incarnnation I. In respect of his father hee was not ordinarily begotten by man but by the holie Ghost who fulfilled the work of a father 2. In regard of his mother a Virgin before and in and after his Incarnation Divines make the Four differences of Generation I. When man is made man without father or mother as Adam in his creätion 2. When man is made without a woman as Eve was 3. When man is made both by man and woman and so are all her posteritie made 4. The last when man is made without either man or woman and so was the flesh of Christ made Thirdly hee took our nature the seed of Adam and caused it to subsist in the second person of Godhead 3. Resolution of som doubts about it as I. Why was it necessarie that our Saviour Jesus should bee flesh That hee might thereby bee fitted and accommodated for the work of suffering The Godhead could not suffer the manhood could not merit infinitely the Godhead therefore must merit by a flesh that could suffer 2. Why must the flesh of a man and his nature bee taken to satisfie The flesh of a person could have reached onely to a personal satisfaction but the flesh of our nature might satisfie for natue it self and all persons contained under it 3. Why must the second person in Trinitie take flesh 1. becaus the word of creätion and first subsisting in creäted goodness must also bee the instrument of the uncreäted 2. It behooved that as Christ is the engraven form of his fathe'rs likeness and the brightness of his person therefore so hee should bee the instument to bring us to partake the same image after wee had lost it 3 It was fit that the righteous servant and naturural son of God should make us his servants and obedient children Vse 1. To confute Hereticks and Papists who destroy the realness and truth of the bodie of our satisfier by their Ubiquitie which destroye's the properties of the true bodie and so the bodie it self Vse 11. Of instruction teaching us to magnifie this mysterie of Godliness Jesus incarnate It 's a modell of the unspeakable justice love wisedom of God in one a far greater excellencie is in it then in the creation It was and is the song and wonderment of Angels it was then and still is that which bring 's glorie to God peace to the earth good will to men It caused Mary to exult and to magnifie God the Shepheards to report it the Wise-men to travail after it Herod and Jerusalem to tremble Simeon and Anna to rejoice and all the Church of God to triumph and and shall wee hold our peace and want affections and admirations Again it should teach us to cast off all base carnal reasons and distrusts either touching our salvation or protection Hereafter judg not God by outward apparences in the fulness of 4000 yeers flesh came If the bodie of all promises bee com how shall the branches bee performed Hee that hath given us this deliverance what can hee denie us Vse 111. Let us learn whither to go when wee want any preferment in priveledges or any grace to to furnish our hearts or lives or to fill us for our places duties and callings or for use of odinances especially when wee are under streights and bitter enemies Let us bee perswaded that our flesh glorified in heaven bear 's such stroak with the Father that hee will hear him in all his requests yea let us remember that hee therefore took flesh and felt all our ailes and infirmities that hee might pitie us and bee afflicted with us in all our affictions and temptations as Esay 63. 9. and will not let us lie under any streights which hee can rid us off For hee count's ours his and our selvs his and will do for us in this as in all other things as for his own flesh Vse IV. To exhort us to sundrie duties 1 In the difficultie which wee finde in the life of our faith let us draw neer to the flesh of our Mediator for influence and succor oh how far off do promises seem to bee unto us Christ is our peace in guilt of conscience strength to sustein us with patience in our crosses libertie from all bondage sufficiencie to enable us to walk with God to crucifie corruption to persevere to attain the resurrection of the dead 2. Again it should encourage our faint timorous hearts so many as are loden with our burden to com to the flesh of this Mediator for eas For first in this flesh of Christ there is a general fitness in him to receiv every one whose nature hee beareth for in that nature each person is enclosed Secondly it should help our weakness in coming to God the father by coming by this flesh of the Lord Jesus Thirdly let us com and plead our part in the Lord Jesus for our portion of forgiveness and mercie Fourthly by faith com and draw waters from this well-spring of salvation II Branch the Divinitie of Christ The Lord Jesus our Mediator was true God also It was not onely the second Person and no other who took flesh but a Divinitie which enabled an Humanitie to obey and suffer that God's justtce might except against neither as insufficient The Acts and sufferings
of Christ as flesh reckoned to his Divinitie made an equal satisfaction to God's offended Majestie The influence and valor of the divine nature assisting the humane for the fulfilling of the merit for if the Suretie fail in any point his undertakeing is uneffectual The Mediator then beeing to mediate between God and Man must needs bee God 1. In respect of those evils hee was to expiate as sin and uncleanness 2. those enemies hee was to vanquish as Satan death and wrath 3. Those good things hee was too purchase eternal righteousness the image of God and glorie hereafter in the presence of God Vsn I. Let this teach us to adore the Mysterie of the Godhead of Christ that wee rest in no inferior object whatsoever the world can affoard us But remember hee is God blessed above all and hath merited by his glorious power a glorious deliverance for his Church from death to eternal life Vse II. This affoard's us a notable ground of understanding a real difference of the persons in Trinitie God the Father send 's God the Son into the world to save it by the power of God the holie Ghost conveying and sealeing his merit to the Soul of the Elect. Now except there bee admitted a real distinction of the persons in Trinitie how shall one and the same God for beeing bee the partie satisfying and satisfied Vse III. Of Exhortation to all that are loaden with their sin desireing eas to com to this second well-spring of salvation and to drink water of life freely from it that is believ it for themselvs Especially let this beat down self in us in the matter of our conversion What should wee bring to God for our Redemption can wee bring any light to the Sun or drop to the Ocean all fulness is his hee must do all for and in us before and in conversion Again let us lay hold on Jesus Christ who hath satisfied God and taken away wrath Let this give a beeing and bottom of truth to all the promises of God in our soul And let us draw neer with confidence to the God of promises and comfort our heavie heart in the view of the hainous circumstances of her sin makeing it out of measure sinful Bee not dismaid hee that is thy Suretie made not thy peace for small and som but all and the greatest so that thy thought must bee how to receiv this fulness not for the greatness of this sin III Branch The Personal Vnion Union of both Natures into one Person by the unconceiveable work of the Spirit it 's much that Soul and Bodie but much more that Flesh and the Word should bee really in one Person The person of the Word took the nature of flesh therein to subsist It is called Personal Union to distinguish it from other Unions in Christ and all other Unions whatsoever In Christ there is a well-spring of Unions but no personal Union in them The Union of Christs Godhead with the Father and the Spirit is Essential with his invisible Church Spiritual and Mystical with Water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper Sacramental In other Unions the things united are One either by bare notional apprehensions as things understood by the fancie or els One by compounding as when of three or four drugs is made one med'cine or els by mixture and confusion as when Water and Wine are made one substance or els by Divine institution as when man and wife are made one flesh none of these are personal Unions But Personal Vnion is such an one as whereby both natures so retain their distinct properties unconfounded that yet they remain indissolubly united in the person without the least seqaration no not at death in the grave Vse I. This teache's us to conceiv aright of the person of Christ wee must com to God in and by the flesh of the Son the second person The equal tearm and object must bee the personal Union i e. the Manhood must as truly bee praied unto and adored as the Godhead Vse II. It teache's us a difference between the subsisting of Christs flesh and all other subsistings wee subsist in the union of bodie and soul which two make one and the same person but the manhood of Christ is no person or subsistence by union of soul and bodie but by assumeing the nature of man into the person of the Son of God so that the flesh hath no subsisting at all save in the upholding power of the Godhead as the plant Misselto hath no root of its own to subsist in but subsist's in another tree Vse III. To encourage the soul that is afraid to draw neer to God for reconciliation and mercie in Christ becaus of the estrangement of it self from God by loss of image Lo the Lord is willing to unite himself unto thee poor soul in his Son by vertue of his union with thy fearful frail nature For by this union he hath purchased a spiritual union between himself and the sinful soul How singular an encouragemement then should this be to a poor soul to fasten on the promise when hee see 's it assisted by this all-sufficient merit issuing from the union of both natures both suffering and meriting Quest What is the Vnction of Christ Answ It is a consequent upon this personal union whereby the Godhead made the Manhood full of himself and of all gifts and graces of the spirit meet to enable him to his work of mediation and by name separated him from men to bee excellent as to bee the Prophet Priest and King of his Church Hee was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliver his people I. Vnction of Priesthood The Uuction of Priesthood is the chief part of the Unction of Christ becaus by vertue of that office hee performed the great work of satisfaction Two things are to bee considered in this Annointing of Christ our Priest 1. The peculiarness 2. The furniture of gifts For the first although there were many things in the ordinarie Priesthood of Aaron which resembled Christ for the general yet becaus there were many things verie different therefore the holie Ghost set's him forth by the type of Melchisedeck's Priesthood For as hee was without beginning and end in his storie so was Christ not as Aaron mortal mutable sinful Secondly the Furniture which this Unction filled the Lord JESUS our high-Priest withall and that without measure For as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so all the communicable gifts and excellencies thereof dwelt in him Eminent wisdom rightousness humilitie unblameablenes holiness separation from sinners and all other graces but as I take it one fruit of his Unction was his peculiar fitness to satisfie That holie free consent of his to the will of his Father to do and suffer and fulfil all righteousness I say this absolute and unstained Obedience to go thorow all difficulties meekly long-sufferingly cheerfully
universally and constantly emptying himself to the death of the Cross was the main effect of this Unction and the bottom of that infinite complacencie which his Father had in him saying This is my well-beloven Son in whom I am well pleased All the three Offices of Christ do conspire most sweetly together The Priesthood before the other two becaus els wee can have no right to them But then the Prophecie and the Kingdom do return their aide to the Priesthood First the Prophecie teache's what the Priesthood is and by what order and degrees the Lord settle's reconciliation and peace upon a poor sinner open's the doctrine of Faith and mysterie of Salvation Then it teache's how to put on the Lord Jesus daily to apply him continually for forgiveness as our daily sacrifice and how to live by faith and to bee guided in our particular cours and conversation according to knowledg Secondly the Kingdom convey's the power of the Priesthood into the Soul and effect's that which the prophecie teache's and then haveing so don it set's up a perpetual rule in the soul giveing it power to obey both in doing and suffering according to the truth revealed II. Vnction of Prophecie The unction of Prophesie is that insusion of divine light into the manhood of Christ by virtue of which hee did all at once habitually receiv all that knowledge and wisdom of God whereof hee was possibly capable far above all that nature art experience or education could attain unto yea far above all that which Angels could comprehend Onely those mysteries excepted which finite flesh could not conceiv as the day of Judgment c. our gain hereby is this that hee is made unto us by vertue hereof true wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 30. both in the purging our corrupt mindes from all blindeness and our judgments of all rashness error headlong conceit and our spirits from all misleading and misguiding of us in our conversations so that neither the delusion of Satan nor dice-play of men nor other error can carrie us from the truth as it is in Jesus III. Vnction of Christ's Ringdom The uuction of Christ's Kingdom is that influence of the Godhead into the Manhood by virtue whereof Christ our Mediator is the Vice-roy of God the Father deputed under him to govern the whole world but especially is Church Briefly the end of it is to support the Priesthood Prophefie in their vigor and efficacie that hee may bee a Prince and Captain of Salvation to the Elect to bring them to God This Kingdom of Christ assist's his Prophesie by susteining and strengthing the means of salvation that his Gospel Sacraments Sabbaths and all his ordinances together with the ministerie thereof not onely in beeing but also in their full effectualness of working in the hearts of his people with conviction and authoritie It is no small Power to preserv these pillars of his Throne from ruin For how many enemies are risen up since his asscention openly or secretly to persecute or undermine the truth how hath Satan bestirred himself by those lion-like Emperors in the first 300 yeers and since by those wolvish Popes and by Hereticks and other instruments of the Devill to raze the Scriâ—â—â—res to deface the chief truth of God the Divinitie the Humanitie the Union the Puritie of spiritual Worship the Integritie of Sacraments the justification of a Sinner by Faith alone the Works of the Spirit the Resurrection of the Bodie and the whole power of Godliness To this very hour he worketh against all these but in vain for this our King looketh down from his throne and laugheth them to scorn and destroyeth their policies no deluge or flood of his malice could ever prevail against these but still they continue as a brazen pillar and shall survive them all till his second coming And not onely so but still hee support's these in their authoritie to over-rule the consciences of men to pierce perswade convince convert or condemn whether they believ or despise them and to settle on the Elect all the liberties of Redemption Adoption Holiness and Glorie This Kingdom of Christ's assist's his Priesthood by sustaining and upholding his beleeving servants in that estate of grace both faith and sanctification in which hee hath set them For it is the Kingdom of Christ which giveth efficacie both to his satisfaction and intercession for the keeping of all such as are given him by the Father in his truth and name Hee enable's his sacrifice to forgive them and reconcile their persons his holiness to sanctifie them to change their natures to subdue their iniquities to set up his Kingdom in their hearts to make them spiritual Kings and Priests to God in the mortifying of their lusts and their liveing to God in the power of Faith and Godliness Moreover Christ as a King subject's all his people to himself by the lawes of his kingdom For hee rule 's not by tyrannie but by law and command These lawes hee settle's upon his Church both in respect of conversation and administration As a King likewise hee protect's his people shelter's them against all enemies ghostly and bodily for hee hath fought for his kingdom valiantly and got it as well by conquest as inheritance haveing overcom Satan Death and Hell triumphing over them all Vse I. What an happie estate is it for all true beleevers to bee Kings Priests and Prophets to God tbrough this Unction of Christ the Beard of Aaron and the skirt of his cloathing were not more fragrant with the overflow of his oyl of consecration then the persons and souls of the Elect are precious and savorie and accepted of God in the Unction of Christ Whither then shall wee go when wee want wisdom righteousnes sanctification and redemption save to this fountain which is made to us of the Father to convey them unto us IV Branch Actual Obedience The Lord JESUS became piacular for us not onely by bearing our punishent but by translation upon himself the real imputation of our guilt Hee was made Sin Original and Actual all the sins of the Elect were charged upon him that hee by his perfect obedience might disannul them and bring in and settle upon us perfect righteousness And as the miserie of man stand's in both sin and guilt and stain as well as in curs so must our suretie perform righteousness as well as bear the curs Now this righteousness of Christ is both his natural and his actual opposite to this natural and actual unrighteousness af Adam His obedience doth consist in his whole conversation but more specially from his baptism to his death in which hee fulfilled all both general and personal righteousness His whole conversation toward God and man was holy But especially for the manner measure end and ground of all hee did most sincere and entire adding thereto perfection both of parts and degrees so that there was nothing amiss Hee was a righteous servant no guile found in him V Branch
God and they Scriptures what enemies have they to darken and dull them their sences understandings and heart what enemies of the wicked have they without them III Husbands Wives to dismay them telling them that they cannot bee assured in this life of their salvation How do enemies affright them with malice threats big-looks disclain and scorn putting them in fear they shall never escape out of their claws In this varietie of affliction what is there to sustain them What is it which teacheth to kiss the rod take up their cross and bear the indignation of the Lord till hee plead their caus and bring forth their light Surely the strength of their Captain and Conqueror the Lord JESUS who hath told them In the world they shall have affliction but bee of good comfort I have overcom the world It 's hee that tell 's them till God's season of their suffering bee com so much so long and that very cross God hath ordeined for them no enemie shall do them hurt And when they do hee will make it tolerable and easie unto them do them good for their sakes that hurt them But above all they are made Conquerors and their chin is kept above water they fight under hope of victorie and say with the Church Micah 7. 8. Rejoice not over mee Oh mine enemie for when I am down I shall rise and when thou art fallen thy wound shall bee incurable Lastly it comfort 's them by faith in the conquest of our Lord Jesus against the power of death and the grave For as it was with their head hee could not bee held in it so with them their flesh rest's in hope of that triumph This conquest make's us happie in all our miserie For why Even by that verie death which is the last enemie and the gate of utter miserie to the wicked the Lord open's a door of full and final redemption to the faithful Their lowest ebb is the next step to the highest tide of their soul's happiness and final freedom from all sin sorrow and enemies Wee shall bee as much out of Gun-shot of them as the Lord Jesus himself was after his Conquest VII Branch Applying of Christ's Merit The Applying work of Christ's merit is that solemn part of his Mediation for the sake whereof hee forsook the earth and was exalted above all principalities and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father that by his intercession alwaies made for his Church hee might applie to all the members the power of this satsfaction that it might work faith in those that want it and confirm it in those that have it Therefore hee is called Advocate that the Church may enjoy the fruit of his death continually And as the ends hereof are many to wit to present the prayers of his people unto God to hold them close to his Father and keep them in his love to cover their dailie offences and continue their justification and acceptance to unite them one to another and to protect them from enemies so especially to bless the Ministerie of the Gospel for the breeding Faith in the souls of the Elect by the preaching of this his Blood and Death So that when wee see the prevailing power of the Word and Sacraments in the weak ministerie of flesh what shall wee asscribe unto it but the power of this applying work of our Advocate who convey's favor of life of brokenness of heart faith and regeneration thereby into the souls of his and in this respect hee is the key of his Fathers bosom and fountain to unlock and set it open beeing sealed before for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in Vse I. As it is singular for all uses to the Church in general and all the lively members thereof in all concernments of it whatsoever as acceptance of their praiers beeing perfumed with the sweet incens thereof protection of their persons safeguard against enemies sustentation of their souls in grace perseverance and the like so especially seeing by the blood of Jesus wee have a liveing way made unto us by his flesh let us draw neer with a pure heart in assurance of faith Oh! it should bee as a wel-spring of salvation for everie drie soul to com unto even in the greatest barrenness deadness and fear of heart that the merit of Christ should not belong unto it Therefore go not to the Word and Sacraments any more with a dead and sad heart as if there were nothing in them save an out-side of man's voice and efficacie to perswade behold Christ in them who by his applying power convey's into them strength savor persuasion and grace that his poor people may not hear his Word as a dead letter or receiv the Seals as dumb elements but as divine ordinances assisted with the Spirit of Christ and therefore able to breed faith in the soul and truly to carrie it into the stream of his satiafaction Deceiv not thy self in the condition of faith and assure thy self the Lord Jesus will give thee both meat and appetite the object of his righteousness and faith to believ it also Vse II. Let us bee exhorted to denie our own strength conceits hopes or fears and and as oft as wee go to the Word remember it is a word of reconciliation Vse III. Let all the faithful Ministers of God comfort themselvs in their weakness and defects of preaching in the little success of their labors of woful hardness of heart in their people The Lord Jesus by his spirit of intercession hold's them as his candle-sticks in his right hand hand and hee will uphold gospel ministerie and the power of both in the mid'st of their enemies and although they bee never so furious yet Mic. 2. 7. his spirit shall not bee streightned but his word shall still bee good to such as walk uprightly ARTIC III. GOD'S imputation of the merits of CHRIST'S righteousness to a sinful Soul is the formal caus of our justification IMputation doth import such an act of GOD the Father satisfied as doth take this righteousness and reckon it to the needing Soul as her own although it bee inherent in another to cast upon it an estate of as full and perfect freedom and acceptance as if it had never sinned or had fully satisfied for look how he dealt with our Suretie hee made him sin for us that is imputed it to him as his so doth hee take his righteousness and count it ours that it might bee really ours indeed This doctine of imputation is expressed by divers phrases in the Scripture By the tearm of not-imputeing sin and imputeing righteousness hee intimate's in how many respects Christ hath holpen us to wit both to forgiveness in the one beeing made sin for us and to acceptation in the other by cloatheing us with his righteousness yet so as by both Active and Passive righteousness jointly not severally considered By imputeing righteousness and imputeing faith for righneousness is mean't one thing Not that faith in
any sens can bee our righteousness but becaus Christ apprehended by faith is the same thing which faith it self in the Scripture Beesides faith must needs concur with imputation in the act of it and therefore the holie Ghost honor's it with the name of beeing imputed to righteousness For first God enable's the soul to believ on the Lord Jesus by the promise and the spirit thereof Secondly the soul yeeldeth and consenteth Thirdly God casteth hereby this righteousness thus believed on the soul and impute's it to pardon and life So in the point of justification faith is said to justifie becaus of her necessarie concurrence which phrase is tropical the instrument beeing put for the principal agent The issue of this imputation of God is the Act of God justifying us really and freely from all our sin and guilt and all the curs due thereunto quitting us by proclamation as I may say from heaven by the voice of his spirit through faith so that haveing disabled all enemies from giveing in evidence lo hee absolveth us as haveing nothing com in against us Vse I. Let this bee consolation to all faint and weak children of God in the sight of their little grace and mean gifts and in the fear of persevereing to the end If one should com and tell thee thou art as holy as Job as Upright as David Believing as Abraham Zealous as Phinehas would it not make thy heart leap within thee Surely though I dare not say these of thee yet I say this If all these had not the robe of Christ's imputed rightousness cast over the holiest of all their Graces their unhallowedness had defiled them and the greatest of their holiness had not profited them And lo this robe thou hast as fully largely and deeply as the best of all these ever had Thy righteousness of imputation is as large as the largest of theirs Again touching thy fear of holding out proov to thy self thy faith in this act of imputation and that thou hast received that from God and then I assure thee that eternal Spirit by which the Lord Jesus offred up himself for his Elect the weakest as well as the strongest shall sustain thee it is the stock which thou art by imputation implanted into which hold's thee not thou it Vse II. Teacheth us the excellencie of faith first in respect of the nature of it other Graces of inherence dwel in the soul and are active within the soul more or less as patience sobrietie c. But the nature of faith although it bee a gift put into the soul yet standeth rather in a passive receptiveness then an activeness Secondly in respect of the constancie of it other graces while they last stand us in great stead as patience under a cross thanks for blessings but faith alwaies receiv's his imputation of Christ from the father as well to cover and beautifie us all our life as at our first conversion and carrie's her influence into each grace both to strengthen and keep the life of it as also to cover the wants of it yea the defects of the whole cours No grace can supply faith properly but faith suppleth all them Thirdly in respect of the prerogative of it that it 's admitted to bee all in all with God for the soul for it's Faith onely that maintain's Union and thereby communion with God Vse III. Let it provoke all that partake this imputation to bee thankful to God for his most wise and gracious providence that hath cast their portion so in this life that if there bee any defect it should bee in things of less necessitie but for those that are most essential hee is most large and full in his provision for them Vse IV. Let it bee a ground of self-denial to us As wee would obtain this righteousness of another so let us bee naked of our selvs It is witten of Mr Rollock that beeing on his death bed and much encouraged by them that visited him by his worthie labors I abhor saith hee my Rectorship of the Universitie Readership of Divinitie and Pastorship of Edenborow all which with great profit to all hee under-went that I may bee found in Christ cloathed with his righteousness all mine own is dung in comparison of this Com as Mephibosheth a limping cripple to David when I was a dead dog my Lord accepted mee I Sam. 19. As poor Abigail sent for to bee a Queen said Let mee bee an handmaid to wash the feet of thy servants 2 Sam. 25. Shee knew meer marriage to a King would make a Queen without bringing any thing And thus doing thy unworthiness shall not hurt thee but help on this robe upon thy bare shoulders Com thus to the Lord and say here Lord is a naked wretch put on the Lord Jesus upon mee I have no cloathing to hinder thee thou bid'st mee put him on Rom. 13. vlt. But Lord do thou fit him for mee in particular for my soul for my sin against my curs and then take him Lord put him on mee also reckon him to mee account with mee in him and make mee his righteousness as thou madest him my sin and I shall count it as real as if I had it of mine own Vse V. Let it stablish and comfort every beleever against all his fears Oh! it cannot sink into a poor soul privie to all her defilements that the Lord should ever pardon or accept her Remember imputation is not takeing all sin out of thee at once that must abase thy heart as it abased thy Suretie but a not-imputeing it unto thee Our blessedness stand's not in the want of sin but in the Lord not imputeing it The bush burn't but the wonder was that it was not consumed The Lord imput'es not thy sin cover's it take's away the condemning power impute's not the actual offences thereof to thee Hee look's at his own image in thee In all thy duties praiers there is thy dunghill and his pearl hee behold's that which is his cover's that which is thine not to make thee bold but thankful and humble Vse VI. Let this excellencie of faith as comfort us in one respect so humble us in another For imputation is onely for this life and argueth a defect of that which shall bee in another the thing imputed is perfect but the person to whom is corrupt and faith herself shall ceas and bee abolish't Wee will perhaps confess that wee should bee blank for our corruptions of pride and covetousness but the truth is our grace and virtues should humble us yea faith it self becaus still our life of inherence and perfect holiness is wanting ARTIC VI. The Gospel and the offer of Grace in it is the Revealer of this deliverance THe Soul in her distress hath to do with God to his tribunal shee stand's as her Judg. Now it is not the hearing of his giveing of Christ nor of a satisfaction which can quiet her but this that shee may know it 's given
and performed for her The offended Father hath accepted this satisfaction is well pleased with it his heart is made placable by it and now his heart is opened and his bosom of love bared towards a poor wretch and this hee utter's by a proclamation and by an offer of grace to them if they will believ him to mean as he speak's See 2 Cor. 5. 20. 21. Him that knew no sin hee made sin ctc. And what of this Therefore hee saith bee reconciled to God Now when the soul hear's of this ground and building shee feel's herself to have somwhat to say for herself in this her dealing with God I thank thee O Lord for thy granting it and for the price paid but now seeing thou hast don it that in thy being satisfied I might have my part in it as offred and pinn'd on my sleev when I see a thing more precious than the world laid in my lap by thy hand I tremble to think I should refuse my own salvation The Gospel in the Ministerie of reconciliation is the instrument of this Revelation and that both fully and onely Paul tell 's us that when the love of God appeared then hee saved us This appearance is the light of the Gospel and the arising of the day-star thereby in the heart Now yet this Gospel is not the mean in respect of the bare letters and syllables of it but in the Ministerie of reconciliation Paul speaking of this great gift of Christ twice joine's this with it and hee hath made us Ministers of reconciliaton as if this were a material point Wee the Ministers of God beeseech you bee reconciled receiv not the grace of God in vain It were a great help to our faith to consider God hath seal'd Ministers to engage their truth for God that if God do not mean as hee speak's they are liers Wee had never known sin but by the law so neither Grace but by the Gospel And surely who so will profit by this Article must get this lesson by heart That the Lord who freely purposed and faithfully sent his Son into world still continue's his freedom and doth offer the Lord Jesus with his excellencie most freely A bottom of most unspeakable comfort to all poor bruised reeds and broken souls For if hee bee freely offred what poor soul should doubt to accept him What is freeer than gift Hee that gave him freely cannot withdraw him again nor keep back his satisfaction from a needing soul as if hee repented It behoov'd us then much to understand the truth of this freedom which in a few particulars I willname First God offer 's Christ of his own accord therefore freely Secondly hee offer 's us better then that Adam lost The burning down of our hous was the occasion of our greater repairing As hee said I had perished if I had not been taken prisoner Thirdly hee offer 's to the undeserving Wee were Theevs Traitors and enemies when wee did all wee could to pull him out of his throne yea slew the Lord of life then died hee for us Fourthly hee offereth freely who offer 's instantly upon our need No sooner did Adam fall but the offer followed the seed of the woman c. No sooner doth a poor wretch need mercie but it prevent's him Ho every one com c. Hee that offer 's leasurely is but a cold giver but speedie offring is double grace Fifthly when hee hath offered and given hee repent's not Of all works of which God is said to repent him it is neverr said hee repented to offer mercie Nay hee is so far from it that hee hath sworn and will not repent God never repent's of mercie that hee might repent us of our unthankfulness and unbelief Sixthly the Lord is exceeding glad when his offer is taken and no way so displeased as when it s in vain 2 Cor. 6. 2 Heb 2. 3 4. No disobedience is so odious to him as unbelief Joh. 3. 19. Nor for which hee will so severely punish 2 Cor. 4. 4. Hee is master of his richest gift count's it his honor to give the best most freely Joh. 6. 27. Hee hath a royal heart and can beteam to the basest worm the priveledg of pardon adoption and glorie and hee giv's an heart capable of his offer also els how could an oyster-shell contain this fountain all to teach the soul to recover it self out of her cursed distust and measureing the Lord and his gift by her self and her capableness whereas all his are inlarged by him with his offer to bee comprehensive of it the Lord makeing a poor shallow heart meet to receiv his fulness Eph. 3. 17. Seventhly hee offer 's without expecting again as wee say hee lend's freely who expects no requital the Lord indeed look's for honor at the hands of his servants but first hee giv's the gift and secoudly the heart and thirdly accept's it as honor beeing no addition to perfection The Lord offer 's grace to none whom rather hee might not bee ashamed to own Such is man's baseness that even in his greatest freedom hee seek's himself A father will give his childe his Land but when after death when it cannot pleasure him Till then hee will have rent And wee have a secret end in our gifts I give that hee may requite But the Lord offer 's to such as can no way content him or bee pleasing Hee giv's first to make them so but finde's them odious that hee may shew what hee can finde in his heart to do and make all men astonish't at his meer gracious grace and to boast of the Lord. Eightly hee require's nothing in us toward the accepting his offer All our own make's our accepting frustrate Rev. 1. 22. Com and drink freely of the waters Joh. 7. If any man thirst let him drink freely God giv's and upbraid's not our nothing Nay our emptiness is our best plea. Esay 55. 1. Com and buy for nothing self denial is our best price and hee that com's and offer 's to God any thing and bring 's cost to God loose's his gift This offer will appear so much the freer if also wee mark the circumstances in which the Scripture expresseth the offer called the cords of love by Hosea by which hee draw's the soul to see his meaning somtimes by his long patience and waiting upon her notwithstanding all her deafness of ear and deadness of heart and dallying with his offer Oh! his locks are bedewed with the drops of the night His long suffering and patience is a bottomless depth beyond all the expectation of man It is long ere thy unbelief could wearie him hee hath lengthened out the season of grace according to the length of grace it self forborn thee long kept off judgment a long while which might have swept thee away from hope many years since Hee hath recovered the lives of many of us twice or thrice that wee might renue our covenants and keep them And hee hath
spared us when wee have broke them pressing in upon us with renuing of good motions and affections which wee had quenched as being loth to lose us giveing us helps and means even out of season after long contempt confessing himself to mean as hee speak's Why lay you out your money and not for bread and your silver for that which profit's not Hearken unto mee eat good things So somtimes by his protestations of his loathness that any poor soul should perish Why will yee die oh yee hous of Israel Anger is not in mee why should flame consume the stubble What should I do to my vine that I have not don Somtimes by his passions and lamentations Luke 19. 42. Oh! that thou hadst seen even in that day the things that concern thy peace but now they are hidden Those tears and mournings over Jerusalem for her hard heart and contempt have been and are still over thee If there bee any dampings and streightnings of spirit thou hast caused them by thy dalliance and heart that would not repent But the Lord for his part still crie's How oft would I have gathered thee as the Hen doth her chickens Somtimes by his writeings to this feast of his Son somtimes by his contestation somtimes by his entreaties and earnest exhorting somtimes by his allurements to perswade and toll on the heart that hang's off by the promise of all the good things which hee offereth somtimes by his severe threats to all that refuse his offers all these shew how willing and cordial hee is to part with his grace and lastly somtimes by the universalitie of it that hee dispenceth it without all respect of persons age sexes states and conditions who exempt not themselvs But the special properties of this offer are three 1. Libertie 2. Simplicitie 3. Fidelitie First hee offer 's to whom hee pleaseth passing by millions of people in the world so that it is meerly unconditional and free as when Paul came to Athens or Ephesus who had never heard of the Gospel before Secondly the Lord beeing truly pacified in Christ offer 's it simply hithout grudging with an open heart meaning as hee speak's Thirdly Fidelitie whereby hee doth most readily and fully perform whatsoever hee offer 's to all who put him to the triall and accept it This is the main hinge whereupon the door of Hope and Faith turneth For an Offer is no otherwise differing from a promise then as a general out of which a particular issueth the promise is included in an offer but yet in special expressing the covenant of God to all that express the offer that hee will receiv them bee their God both in pardon and all-sufficiencie Into these the soul doth wholy powr out herself which that wee may understand consider this that wee have to do with the Father immediately but with our Lord Jesus onely mediately as a mean to lead us with confidence to him The Father properly look's at the Son as our Suretie and us for his sake but wee look at him directly and to our Lord Jesus as our Mediator So that look what wee can shew for our reconciliation must com from the Father and that is his offer and promise oath and covenant of mercie Into that therefore the poor soul is to resolv it self all her doubts fears temptations and distempers whatsoever Vse 1. This teache's us to adore the depth of God's justice against sin that hath still left so many Nations in their utter darkness and brutish ignorance of the Gospel How should this woful desertion provoke us to prize the revelation of this Mysterie to us as for them how should we pittie them Vse II. Secondly this is terror to all Papists that maliciously hide and darken this precious offer of God in the Gospel from the eies of the blinde people terror to all profane scorners who reject the Gospel and prize their swine their pottage their pleasures eas and pomp more then the Gospel reproof of all Non-discerners of this Grace of the Gospel the feet of a Minister shoul bee beautiful in this main respect though others also beecaus hee bring 's glad tidings of peace Vse III. Reproof to all that sleight the Gospel in the offer thereof prefer their oxen and farms their self-love ends and liberties before it Vse IV. Advertisement to God's Ministers to magnifie their Ministerie in deed and practice by beseeching the people to bee reconciled to God Vse V. This should scare all from infidelitie and contempt of God's offer Oh! it 's free and from meer good will the Lord is tied to none Hee hath rejected millions of Jewes and Turks and Baptized ones and chosen to offer grace to thee And shall the contempt of the free offer of that which thousands would have been glad of upon the price of going from sea to sea for it bee pardonable Do but consider what woful punishment will lie upon thee who refusest such an offer laid in this lap When as many poor souls would rejoice if the spending of dayes and nights might procure them a tender and believing heart to receiv it and yet complain that they cannot com by it Oh tremble at the freedom of this offer Bee humble and base in thy self to consider but this I am a poor wretch standing to the mercie of a free God who hath it to give where hee will and to denie it at his pleasure If hee give it to a prodigal son and denie it to a moral civilian if hee give it to one that came into the vineyard at the eleventh hour and denie it to him that came in at the seventh if hee denie it to the willer and runner and bee found of such as sought him not who shall alledg against freedom May hee not do with his own as him please's Oh! despise none least the Lord make the despiser seek to the despised and bee glad of their portion Oh! turn all emulation and scorn into humilitie and deep adoring of this freedom Vse VI. Dallie not with this offer of grace There is a while of it a season annexed to the offer The same breath which urgeth to receiv the grace of God add's a charge For hee hath said In an accepted time I have heard thee and in the day of salvation have I succored thee Oh that in that thy day thou hadst seen Now when is this day Surely it is not the day of possible mercie but of seasonable mercie Then when as besides health means and the offer of grace the Lord putt's a special spirit into the Ministerie of the Word so that it pierce's into the heart with perswasion when the terrors of it are weightie and serious the promise it is as the early fruit in Summer welcom and savorie when sin is bitter to the soul and when it is irksom to it to bee out of God's favor When the heart break 's and mourn's after God and can spend nights after dayes in seeking and it cannot bee
these two things 1. First it receiv's the way of this life into the soul which is the putting away of guilt and curs which Adam's sin contracted and that is pardon forgiveness Secondly it receiv's therewith and at once the actual and reall properties and nature of God to inhere and dwell in the soul Now the spirit of Regeneration by this promise work 's three distinct Acts and steps in the soul First Conception Secondly Quickning Thirdly Birth By conception I mean the least step to this life by which the soul retain's and keep 's this seed of life suffer's it not to pass away and bee spilt as in hypocrites but digest's and hold's the promise to it self till it have bred its longings after this life Conceptions provoke longings of the appetite lusting after a kinde of alteration of spiritual appetite and a desire after this life This is that Esay meane's Cap. 55. 4. Incline your hearts and hearken unto mee That is Bee so affected with this promise of life that yee do incline toward it and make to it that yee walk in God's way appointed to bring you to it Bee affected seriously with the excellencie of this life and the happie change which God offer 's you that your souls do diligently ensue it in the means That it stirr's the soul to mourn for so long liveing a dead life and resisting the offer 's of life and resting in a shew of a fals conception It doth long after this exceeding great priveledg to bee partaker of the nature and life of God It use's all means which God hath appaointed with all earnestness of soul restless till it obtain it The second work is the quickning power of the Spirit of promise whereby the Lord infuseth this life of God into the Soul which is nothing els save the soul 's breaking through the manifold struglings and strifes which self and unbelief do work within her self doth obey the voice and command of the promise that so it may live The third work of the Spirit is the birth of this speritual life When the Soul com's out of the womb into the light that is discover's her self to be alive and apprehend's as I may say her own life and that God hath begotten her to himself which is the highest step and decree of life which is bred in her The poor soul haveing received the life of God into her by her weak and poor faith scarce felt and perceived yet by the secret power of the Spirit growe's from degree to degree That although shee hath no other life at the birth than in the quickning Yet this life is more apparent and sensible every day then other till at last the Spirit fall in travel and bring forth Christ formed in the Soul so that the soul appear's to herself and to others to live and to believ becaus now shee is in the light perfected and brought forth So that appear's in the operations and works of the new Creature Vse I. Let it bee a terror to all such as being void of this life of God as unregenerate ones are Eph. 4 yet walk as alive merrie and jollie in the death of their corruption Thus was Paul Rom. 7. alive to sin ere the Law came and who but hee till the killing letter came and slew him and made him pull in his horns To all Counterfeits who adorn their dead carcasses with the ornaments of religion Duties of life and worship of God they will bee full of but the life of duties faith to apprehend the Lord Jesus for restoring of themselvs to the life of duties and of obedience they care not for Oh! rest not in any iuferior base life when the Lord offer 's thee true spiritual life Abhor all fals colors of life duties and performances when there is no substance Vse II. Learn here the price of faith It 's that whereby the soul live's here the life of God a life better then a Princes without it Vse III. Pray for the Spirit of the Lord Jesus his Resurrection by which the soul is regenerated to his new birth 1 Pet. 1. 5. and never lin till by the Word and Baptism hee hath inspired thy soul with this life of Regeneration Vse IV. Trie thy self about this birth and bee not cozened by Satan Bee content to resign up the best hopes thou hast of life heer so that the Lord would give thee sound marks of true life True life is a life of hope of Eternal life yea lively hope it rejoiceth under the hope of it It is a clensing life and purifie's the soul It is a noble precious life and will not pollute it self with dead carrion It is a waitting patient life under crosses because the upshot of it is hid with Christ in God IV. Is Justification which is contrarie to the state of guilt and curs by sin And by this benefit the soul obtain's an estate of quietness and peace towards God And that by a cleering and acquitting her at his Tribunal as if shee had never offended fully and perfectly Which I add for a difference between justificaton and sanctification the former is an whole purging us from all our sins as Saint John Ep. 1. Cap. 1. 7. speak's The other a purging us in part of which read Heb. 9. 14. For purging is from guilt and curs and that must bee perfect by imputation for els how should sinful flesh stand before a perfect God The latter is from the Dominion and Rule of it which in this life is imperfect The issue and effect of justification is peace and quiet of soul a most peculiar blessing contrarie to those garboils and horrors which the conscience felt being under wrath as also to that rotten peace which the unconvinced conscience walked with through error Either one or other of these is the estate of all injustified ones Hence the holie Ghost never cease's to magnifie this benefit as Esay 57. I create the fruit of the lips peace to him that is neer and afar off It 's a work onely belonging to God and above the first Creation for heer peace is made of a contrarie even war The Lord is the onely former of the conscience and therefore it 's a work equal to God's power to create peace in it and to restore it being lost is far greater hee was anointed Esay 61. to that purpose to preach glad tideiugs of peace Rom. 10. 15. to the meek For look how one sufficient witness in a Court may by his verdict settle a man's whole estate upon him and recover his right So the Lord Jesus by his blood bear's witness that our sin and curs is gone settleing Pardon and Salvation upon us decideing the question and making peace And in this sens wee read Heb. 12. That the blood of the Covenant speak's better things then the blood of Abel That cried in Cain's conscience nothing save revenge and horror but this crieth peace The like is that which I Pet. 3. 20.
the Apostle saith of Baptism the seal of this Covenant in the blood of Christ viz. That it saveth us not by washing away the filth of the flesh but by the answer of a good conscience to God by the Resurrection of Christ What is that Surely this that when the Lord ask's the soul in what plight it is the conscience step 's out and answer's Lord it 's well with mee It was as ill as could bee but now it 's as well as can bee Thou hast changed all in a moment for in stead of war I have peace Vse I. This first teache's us the woful state of all unregenerate ones in point of guilt and curs of sin There is no peace saith my God to the wicked The waies of peace they have not known Rom. 3. and they have not seen the things which concern their peace Vse II. Secondly let all that hear this behold the wonderful priveledg of a believer and admire it yea seek to have it their portion This is the first step to all other benefits Doest thou look upon a beleever Thou seest a precious object a son of Peace Hee carrie's that within his bosom which cost the Son of God his heart blood which far exceed's all Gold and pearls For why Hee hath peace within hee is at league with all fears and in the suburbs of all prosperitie Vse III. Let all such as have got this prais God and keep it Pray yee with the Apostles The peace of God rule our hearts and mindes Lord establish our feet with this preparation of the Gospel and let it bee as the Soldiers shooes of brass enabling us to walk upon the pikes safely Oh! buy this jewel but sell it not Nourish it in your souls first by abhorring all sins that waste the Conscience Ensue peace if wee desire holiness Take heed of any secret closeing with sin upon any fals colors dispensations and distinctions in a nibbleing kinde and dallying with som degrees when wee dare not attempt greater preserv it from the dailie soil of appearances of lawful liberties from the encroaching of eas worldliness slightness formalitie and the like V. Benefit Reconciliation The fift Benefit is Reconciliation contrarie to the blemish of Enmitie with God and God with us bringing us into amitie and favor with him again Eph. 1. 5. Paul call's it our acceptation and belovedness with God The substance of this doctrine is opened in three points 1. Wherein the nature of this benefit stand's 2. How God confer's it on the Soul 3. What use may bee made of it For the first The benefit of Reconciliation offered by Christ is the firm solid agreement and friendship of the soul with the Lord of heaven who before was our deadly adversarie For the opening whereof survey a little these few branches First from hence issueth a Covenant of God made with the soul and of the soul with him Deut. 26 17 18 19. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to bee his peculiar people as hee hath promised thee c. A sweet text As the Lord disclaimed and disavowed us in Adam so by the reconcilation of the second Adam hee vouchsafeth and acknowledgeth us to bee his Secondly hence our behavior and cours becom's acceptable as Abel's sacrifice for his persons sake was accepted so that in all our service allegïance we are wel-pleasing though in him whom first God was wel-pleased Thirdly hence also flow the most excellent favors and graces of his Spirit conferred upon us that hee might the more take pleasure in us as a Bridegtoom doth in his Bride and spous whom hee hath and adorned Fourthly the All-sufficiencie of God as as a fauntain is set open by this sluce of Reconciliation For hereby the Lord can beteam the soul all support and all that is needful for this and a better life And this All-sufficiencie reacheth to soul and bodie All things are yours as you are Christs and Christ God's Fifthly the Emnitie of the whole frame is reduced to an Amitie with them there is a league made with heaven earth and hell that nothing shall hurt them Heaven shall not bee as brass nor the earth as iron The beasts of the field shall bee at league enemies shall turn friends becaus their waies pleas God Sixthly it restore's us to our blood not onely to our dignitie in person but in our posteritie Seventhly hence issueth the gift of perseverance to bee endued with a loyal spirit and with faithfulness never to depart from the fear of God Eighthly hence issueth a sweet Reflex of this Amitie of the Lord with the soul a very pledg of that felicitie in heaven which shall fill the glorified soul in the sight of God Faith I say present's a privitie and consciousness of this holie agreement with God with unspeakable securitie of heart and soul which none can utter save they that feel it Secondly the way how the Lord confer's it and that is by the spirit of Reconciliation in the Word working by the embassadors of it 2 Cor. 5. 20. whereof there are four steps 1. By this spirit the Lord discover's and present's a light to the Soul in the right colors and in the glass of the Law of her in-bred and naturall contrarietie to God and trecherous enmitie of spirit such and so deep as doth perpetually fight against him yea reject the covenant of amitie offered by him Thirdly hee discover's himself to such a soul that hee hath afforded to her a price of reconciliation even the blood of the Covenant not onely to compound and mitigate som extremities of Enmitie but even to abolish it all and nail it to his Cross Fourthly if this prevail to break and shew to the soul the bottomless love which lay hid in the bosom of God who was in Christ and is in the Spirit and Word of Christ reconciling the world to himself Fifthly the Spirit of Reconciliation fasten's the offer of being reconciled to God upon this poor soul by the instrument of faith the best make-peace that ever was which faith over-power's the enmitie of the soul by the excess of amitie and mercie in God and as it were compell's it to bee reconciled Shee apprehend's so much compassion in the bosom of God as to drown all enmitie therein as in the bottom of the sea And so to kiss the Son swear allegiance and com in The third thing is the Use of this Doctrine Vse I. Terror to all unreconciled ones Oh! yee are out of favor with God Is there not enough in this to scare you Tell a favorite whose life rest's in the Princes favor that his Prince is out with him and his breath is stop't yee choak him What a plight was Haman in when his face was covered Tell mee if God's favor bee as life What is his enmitie Vse II. This is instruction to teach all sorts the excellencie of this priveledg No other amitie is like it onely in this and by it other
now to great ones whom this point much touche's let the promise of receiving you soke into your hearts If God justifie who shall condemn if hee reconcile and restore you to your blood your Sonship if hee vouchsafe your restitution to the inheritance of such as are sanctified by faith in him Who shall defeat you of it therefore com in receiv this Offer and God will bee your God yea your father yee shall walk in and out before him as his own with the confidence of sons hee shall guide you here till glorie Vse IV. This should exhort all God's people that they deceiv not themselvs in this great priveledg for fear that they forfeit the comforts of it Trie it first and then improov it a true son and danghter of God partake's of the sonship of Christ â—heir head The Angels worship't Christ the Son when hee was brought into the world and for his sake the Angels are Ministring Spirits for the good of us and of ours The Father acknowledg'd Christ saying This day have I hegotten thee So doth God in him acknowledg thee for his childe and himself thy father The Father made Christ the Heir of all things and all things which thy father hath are thine as thou art Christ's Christ was pittied and heard by the Father in that hee feared and thy father will bee afflicted with thee in all thy afflictions Christ was faithful in all God's hous as a Son fulfilling all rightegusness If thou bee a son what save thy faithful fear and obedience should proov it The Lord Jesus beeing the Lord of all yet denied all even to a Pillow to lean his head on and an Hole to hide himself in And thou if a son shalt and wilt denie thy self and take up thy Cross and learn obedience by his suffering despise the world and count all dung to win his acceptance Briefly if a son thou art an heir of God and co-heir of Christ Whatever is wanting here shall bee supplied in heaven and yet here thou shalt partake all the good things of God For why Whom doth a father provide for but for his children whose is all that hee hath save theirs Again if a son then thou knowest the way to the throne of grace even to the Father in the Mediation of Christ and there canst with the spirit of a son groan at least un-utterable desires to the Lord that thou maiest bee once free from bondage to this bodie of death from unbelief from an unsavorie heart from worldliness from the error of the wicked and this sinful world and the like Oh! with humble confidence thou wilt make kown thy request to God and that in secret such as none but thy self can bee privie to and will improov this libertie when strangers and slaves shall not dare to com neer These few trie and if thou finde the Spirit of Adoption to bee a stranger lin not till the Lord have created it if hee have don it stand fast in this priveledg and maintain it by thy awe and fear of thy Father not least hee should cast thee off again but becaus beeing once a Son thou shalt never bee dispossessed either of thy right here or thine inheritance hereafter VII Benefit Redemption Redemption is opposite to two things First Thraldom and slaverie to sin and so to all enemies who by sin strove to hold the Soul under fear and bondage Secondly to the sting and dint of all such crosses as sin hath brought into the world as the tokens of God's displeasure for it The first Redemption set's the soul at libertie from all that servitude and tyrannie it buy'es out and restore's the soul to the libertie of released and ransomed ones maketh it free onely to righteousnes and that for ever From hence issues's an heart enlarged to God so fearing him as fearing nothing els Hence secondly floweth a right to the Protection and Providence of God And lastly to these two may bee added freedom to God's service to finde it an easie yoke and a light burden yea to count it our happiness to denie our own wills becaus bodies and souls are bought with a price that wee should not bee at our own but at his will that dearly bought us 1 Cor. 5. 15. Christ hath bought and redeemed us I. From Sin 2. From all our Enemies Satan the Law bondage under Cerimonies Death Wrath and Hell unto freedom of Righteousness The conclusion of the Doctrine is That Redemption is a peculiar benefit wherewith Christ is offered to the Soul Vse I. Terror to all that lie yet in their state of Unregeneracie in what degree soever it bee more or less who either count this slaverie to bee freedom or els live in it as if they were free men and fear nothing Know yee that till the Law hath left you under the Spirit of this Bondage to count your selvs as yee are and lie under this estate as sensible of it and in your selvs past hope Cain's and Judase's case is not more wosul then yours Vse II. It 's Instruction to all sorts to make them behold their natural condition as in a glass Sin is no such tame and harmless beast as you imagin Nothing but this blood of Christ is able to ransom you For sin hath set the door open to all to Satan and all enemies wrath hell law conscience and death to have their wills on us So that an infinite strength it needed to deliver us Vse III. This should teach all who would not bee slaves to proov their redemption by the marks of it First all truly redeemed ones of the Lord see sigh under and are wearie of this their bondage desirous to bee freed from it Secondly the offer of this Redemption in Christ is precious to them both the purchaser the offer of it and the purchase it self Thirdly they cleav to the promise that seeing the Lord will have it so they embrace and chuse it and believ if the Son make them free they shall bee free indeed Vse IV. This should exhort us all that are redeemed to true libertie to understand wherein it consists and apply our selves duly therto True it is that wee are adopted sons to the frrdom of children but we are redeemed also to the libertie of service wee are not made free from the law in point of obedience but serv in holiness and fear to delight in the law in the inner man Temporal Redemption stand's in three things 1. Either in God's saveing his from afflictions 2. Or his susteining them in and under them 4. Or his delivering them out of them and that either in part or finally They are all three expressed in the 63. of Esay vers 9. by name The First The Angel of his presence Christ as vers 1. saved them and bare them on his wings continually The second In all their afflictions hee was afflicted that is succoured and upheld them The third In his pittie and mercie hee redeemed them that is delivered
men together to have had one father to have lyen in one womb to have dwelt in one town to have fed at one board to have been brought up in one familie or nurserie are bands of fellowship how much more all these spiritual ties in one 2. As begetters and nourishers of Communion First as for the Word preached how many thousands did one Sermon of Peter gain to this Communion And it no less preserveth and holdeth the faithful therein For eieher it finde's them staggering in this Communion and then it restore's them or sad and heavie and then it encourage's and comfort 's them or ignorant and then it enlighten's them or unruly and then it admonishe's them or standing and then it establishe's them So that it doth all offices of communion Secondly so the censures duly administred and the like Thirdly so the sacrament of the Supper how active an instrument it is to reconcile them that bee at odds and unite them more who are brethren Fourthly Prayer what office is there which it hath not don the Church what was the means of converting Paul what delivered Peter out of Herod's prison c. Fifthly Fasting joined with it what good thing hath it not don a key to open the treasure of heaven and to bring upon the bodies and souls of the faithful plentie in famin victorie in war protection in dangers eas in distress III. In duties and service These are of two sorts Som concern the bodie viz. Charitie Som the soul viz. Holie example savorie instruction admonition reproof correction of errors exhortation and quickning to holiness comfort in heaviness sickness and distress and in each spiritual respect wherein member may bee usefull to member Vse I. Warp from the Communion of all Popish prophane and excommunicate ones from this fellowship complie not with them turn from all inordinate malitious scandalous revolting and prophane ones true communion abhor's such Vse II. It 's Admonition to all of God's houshold to beware least any bitter root rise up in them to defile this communion When there were not above four or five in the Church how did Satan pollute them as Cain against Abel Ismael against Isaac Esau against Jacob to overthrow communion so doth hee still Again Let it admonish God's people also that if by any occasion Satan hath cast in any bone to divide them and to provoke them to wrath heart-burning distemper that they presently cast it out and repent least the breach grow greater And let the falling out of such bee the renewing of love Let them so much the more narrowly look to themselvs after to prevent the like that so they may nourish the communion of Saints in the bands of peace Vse III. Exhortation to couch in this building of communion to practice it to impart to each one his gift to the use of edifying the bodie let not this dead world cool grace in us ARTIC VII That every Soul make this deliverance his own in special Whosoever by the former part hath been convinced by that of his sin and been kindely pinched and prick't thereby by each of those Articles so let everie such soul be now also convinced of righteousness and believ himself to bee the partie to whom this deliverance of Christ belong's by each of these five Articles promised Quest What is it to believ this Answ To believ this is the Work of the Spirit of GOD by vertue of which a Soul under the condition of Faith doth cast it self and relie upon the offer of God for pardon of sin and for Eternal life The condition of Faith is such a qualification as God require's of one who may believ the promise of reconciliation to belong to him That which God aim'es at in offering mercie is the magnifying of his Attributes of Mercie Justice Wisdom and the rest which hee will have more to appear in man's Redemption then they could in Adam's Integritie Hee will have the eternall doors open themselvs as hee saith Psal 24. ult not that our own ends forgiveness and happiness but the King of glorie might enter in even as hee ordained our Lord JESUS not to obey and suffer for any ends of his own but meerly the Fathers to whom hee was subject as wee see in Rom. 15. 3. and therefore he would have him lose all glorie and emptie himself that hee might fulfill the ends of him that sent him The Lord usually proceed's by these step 's 1. Where the Lord will work kindely hee will so present the glorie of his grace to the soul in distress that whereas before it was under confused despair First it shall see a crevis of light and an hope a far off of a possible deliverance which hope shall melt and dissolv the heart into a spirit of mourning and breaking not so much for fear of hell as for the Lord himself See it in Jona 3. compare ver 9. with ver 6 7 8. when once hope began to spring up secretly who can tell whether God will repent him of his fierce anger that wee perish not Lo they melt into tears they fast put on sack-cloth on themselvs and their beasts and make a rufull spectacle So doth the soul here leav takeing thought for it self and take thought for the Lord saying O wofull man that I am whom the Lord should bee found of when I sought him not who had care of my happiness when I cared neither for him nor for my self 2. The Soul rest's not here but break 's out into desire that it might live to glorifie his grace and partake of it that it might magnifie it before all the world and give witness to it against all despisers of it 3. The Soul set's an high price upon this salvation and recount's the severals of it that it may see the unvaluableness of this pearl Matth. 12. 44. haveing spied the pearl withdrawe's it self hide 's it ponder's the worth of it viewe's the particulars of it as one would do of a purchase and by so museing of it set's the whole man a fire with it in the esteem and value thereof 4. It lastly emptie's the soul of herself Even as the Queen of Sheba beholding the glorie and wisdom of Solomon had no spirit left in her but was ashamed of her own silliness and as Peter Luk. 5. beholding the glorious power of Christ in bringing so many fishes into the net when hee could catch nothing was amazed so doth the Lord in this case Hee cause 's that loathness and resistance of that proud heart that savor's no grace or faith to quail and fail utterly take's away the corrupt self and self-love which is offended at his grace Especially it turn's away the soul from her own ends in seeking salvation shee dare's not now ascribe to her own duties hearings praiers affections preparations but cast's them into the sea that life may bee preserved Shee feel's the great ends of God's glorie to work all these in her but no way as
works commending her to God but as sparkles of the Spirit of Grace which by these steps drawe's her home to God becaus hee will save her Vse I. Terror to all that dream of their estate to bee good when yet they lie in their sins as whole men they think Christ is offered them barely Bee reconciled to God bee they what they will bee And in this they are the more strengthened by the opinion of such Divines as dislike these preparations The which opinion as it take's away the benefit of triall and comfort from many poor souls who would fain finde the least seed of faith to bee begun in them and keep 's them long at a dead point with themselvs for lack of faith it self so it nuzzle's many hypocrites in a conceit of themselvs that bee they what they will yet they may be reconcil'd at their pleasure Again all such as remain blinde and dead-hearted blocks in the midst of this grace of the Gospel they see no light nor feel any warmth therefrom but still are cold Snakes and are neither affected with good nor evil Where is the hope of your faith where no dram of the condition of it is wrought Thirdly to all dalliers with the season of this grace and putting off this rich offer of God pinn'd on their sleev thinking they might have God tied to them and becaus they have tasted of his grace with the tip of their tongue therefore they may have it at their command wheras haveing once despised it they grow further and further from it daily They should have learned that the condition of faith is the preparation to faith Dallie with the one and forego the other Fourthly to all hypocrites that rest in som appeareance of these preparations not wrought in them by the spirit of Grace but from their own principles which appear's in this that if they bee reprooved they cannot endure it dare not enter into the triall of their mournings desires and proov them to com from the spirit of Grace but love their own eas better then the rules of God and while their own pangs last who but they but when their own sparkles bee out then full of sorrow No constancy plainness self-denial can bee found in them grace is nothing worth of it self except som mixture of their own concur with it A sign they have felt little sweetness in it and therefore are far from beleeving it Vse II. Let this doctrine remove those fears objections which arise in weak consciences as touching the greatness measure of preparations But let them know first that in these stand not their happiness but in Christ beleeved in Secondly if they had these in the measure they would they would bee readie to rest too much in them as Peter in his tabernacles Thirdly that the truth of these not the greatness hath the promise even the smoaking flax and the bruised reed Yea commonly such honor God soonest by beleeving And with these cautions let them go on and prosper Vse III. Exhortation to poor souls whom God hath truly brought under the condition of faith to bless him for that handsel I say first to acknowledg it great mercie although they have many doubts and fears and distempers to hinder them and the divel to com between cup and lip that they might not drink of that cup of salvation Oh remember it 's mercie to bee brought within these suburbs of heaven Bee thankfull for any thing especially a pledg of faith nay bee humble and say Lord what ever is not hell is from mercie I will rather comfort my self that the Lord meane's mee the fulness of this earnest rather then grudg that presently I have not my will and so wax wearie of waiting And secondly this should expell slavish fear from them becaus the Lord hath given them a condition of faith Beware yee do not abuse it Pledges are well kept by honest men not spoiled Do not tempt God by your distrust nor suffer the good preparations of the Spirit to die or wane through boldness loosness worldliness pleasures least God make them as bitter to you as Samsons dallying with his harlot Vse IV. It discover's the ignorance and vanitie of such Ministers and people who though they bee not leavened with Poperie yet partly from confounding mourning and sorrow with repentance and partly from blindeness and error of the common sort teach and think that repentance must goe before faith and here they flourish exceedingly for say they What doth not Peter say Repent and believ Think you that Christ will dwel where corruption is Must wee not repent becaus the kingdom of heaven is near Will God meddle with such as live in their sins Hence they mightily urge mortification of Lusts before wee dare apply Christ c. But Oh yee blinde guides of the blinde See you not how under colour of your devotion you overthrow Christ What use is there of Christ if our sins before wee believ must first bee mortified shall Christ die for sin alreadie mortified can wee dispose our selvs to grace when as all that is in us is graceless No Christ must bee not onely before our mortification but also before our believing yea before our preparation to beleiv Oh! but John the Baptist bid's the people to repent becaus the Kingdom was at hand I answer This objection com's from meer ignorance of the text For that Repentance there signifieth onely a penitencie of heart irking the soul for sin And yet Christ onely is the worker of it And it is a preparing grace of the Kingdom raised in the hearts of all that God will save It confound's the order of sanctification w th the order of Regeneration For although Mortification go before Vivification yet repentance never goe's before faith Now to cast the soul upon a promise or to believ is the last work of the calling spirit of God whereby an humbled sinner doth cast himself upon this word of God Bee reconciled com and drink com and I will eas you or the like offer will charge or promise of God for pardon and life This point is of all others the chief and therefore I chuse to refer it to this place as the use of all that hath been spoken jointly considered for wee know a five-fold cord is not easily broken and yet no one twist thereof might well bee spared Five divers grounds have been handled in this second part 1. God the Father our enemie hath cut off his plea and found out our deliverance 2. The Lord Jesus accordingly hath satisfied the justice of God that mercie might have free cours by the procuring of a righteousness 3. God the Father accept's this for a poor sinner as if hee in person had satisfied and therefore offer 's it to the soul most unfeignedly without hook or crook 4. Hee offer 's him not nakedly but with all his rich furniture to draw the soul to fasten upon him 5. Hee offer 's
faith with cleaving to it for salvation is a doctrine of presumption But wee answer that as their doctrine of Justification is the true doctrine of presumption of their own works so their doctrine of Faith is a meer idol and fancie Vse II. Instruction to all that have beleeved the promise of Grace once and seem caus to cleav to it nakedly to use the same method in recoverie out of their particular falls Vse III. Admonition to avoid all lets such are these 1. Resting in devout complaints of the want of Faith Good complaints made in season to such as can eas us from the depth of a broken heart are good friends to faith but counterfeit complaints are the greatest lets thereof Therefore instead of complaints do as Ester did shee complained of her weakness but rested not in that but went to the King saying If I perish I perish and so found the golden scepter held out to her 2. Sloath and eas dallying is dangerous It is the Divel's may-game to see men shipwrack't in the haven Our nature is to seek grace most when it is most out of season But that is God's season to denie 3. Worldliness Overmuch filling our hands with the delights of this earth as lawful liberties pleasures wealth credit farmes oxen wife posteritie These are the seaeatings of the banks down and destroying all It is as if a man a drowing should hold his gold so fast that hee cannot take hold of a pole to save his life or as if ones hand could not receiv a pearl being full of nut-shels 4. A root of bitternes Go not to the doctrine of Reconciliation with a surfeit of any privie lust which thou wouldest not gladly know and forego for the promise for this will so defile thee that whatsoever cometh in the way thereof will bee defiled Nothing mar's God's bargain so much at the presage that it will cut off our lusts This bitter Root is discovered two waies First it is naturallest of all vices Secondly the oft return of the same sin after the seeming departure of it 5. Carnal reason or els rooted cavils ariseing from an unbelieving heart disputeing against the promise 6. Vnwillingness to submit to God's way of believing Men look God should wait upon us and fill us with goodness while wee are idle But learn to know God's way and yeeld humbly to it in the use of means and bee not your own carvers Submit with an innocent heart to bee led as the Lord will have thee coveting the best measure but resting in God's measure Peter was readie at Christ's command to let down his net against his own experience The Lord deal's out to the poor soul as once a wise friend deal't with an acquaintance of his hee sent her three tokens a brass farthing a mill-sixpence and a piece of gold bidding the messenger first to give her the farthing if shee took it thankfully then the other Vse IV. Exhortation 1. To self-deniall and renouncing all other waies of cleaving to a deliverance save this of faith counting them all even self and self-love as dung and dross unto it No relique in our nature can comprehend a way of recoverie it must bee onely naked faith given for the nonce to embrace the Lord Jesus by a promise Wee have no preparation of our selvs neither preventing nor assisting nor perfecting Wee cannot co-operate with any grace of God and although wee could yet the common grace of the spirit is not able to reach the work of conversion It com's infinitely short of it There must bee a special spirit infused to apprehend it not onely by supernatural but by spiritual and peculiar grace Grace exclude's all els viz. 1. Common gifts 2. Natural or artificial endowments of learning wit reading memorie judgment strength of parts c. 3. Education and moral virtues 4. Religious performances 5. No self in any kinde 6. Priviledges Onely the Lord Jesus in the merit of his satisfacton of his offer and promise assisted by his Advocateship for the breeding of faith can bring this work to pass Christ by his spirit take's upon him the effecting and perfecting of this work as well as the meriting of it by his death Oh! that this could caus to rest in God offering Christ meriting the Spirit persuadeing by a promise which hath all the fulness of God in it Let us cast our bread upon the waters and forsake our own abilities believing that God can creäte in us of nothing or wors then nothing the grace of faith the priviledg of sonship and adoption that all our happiness may stand in believing as the sea is made all of water 2. To receiv this Offer to esteem and embrace Christ as this all-sufficient store-hous of mercie in grace Remember the issue of Christ's inquirie will bee for faith Luk. 18. 8. Those that have it the Lord will bee admired in them that day 2 These 1. 7. And wo bee to them that want it Better to bee a drunkard a thief though verie damnable then to want faith to give God the lie and to sin against the remedie 3. To bee earnest with God never to lin persuadeing the soul by the promise and the good things of Christ till his persuasion becom forcible and unresistable by an holie necessitie with us There is no power in thy soul to fasten upon this promise except God draw it and make the persuasive of it irresistably and by over-powering it Beseech the Lord not to bee offended with thy long dalliances half-persuasions as not to strive with thee any longer but to draw thee still with uncontrouled power makeing a way in thy spirit and as Jeremie speak's Jer-31 31. causing thee by an inward motive to bee unable to resist When thou findest this work then faith must follow for it is the work which the compelling spirt leav's behinde it causing it in the mid'st of all her contrarieties of dissuasion yet upon due consultation to obey and yeeld I see here I perish but there I may bee happie I will venture therefore if I perish I perish Now for the better drawing of us to so difficult and main a dutie let mee use one motive which I am persuaded will prevail with the most if God vouchsafe to bee with it to set it home that is That our free naked cleaving to a promise will carrie down all thy distempers at once and drown them in as in a sea For whereas thou fearest perhaps thou shalt die or ever thou believ the promise will tell thee if the Lord may bee trusted for the grace it self much more may hee bee so for a time a thousand yeers with him being as one day Thou alleadgest there is nothing at all wrought in thee towards believing But why then darest thou not turn thy back upon God and return to follie Becaus thou hast not what thou wouldst all is nothing unto thee But from what save from free mercie is this that I say not thou
still mai'st hear the word which is a favor for an Angel but that thou breathest in the aire or treadest upon the earth Thou objectest If thy hard heart were not so hideous upon thee thou couldst hope But I answer What hath caused it save thy self that wofull hardner which would get out of her fears by her own way and so hath dallied out the time and hardned thee But the promise tell 's thee if thou would'st trade with it thou should'st finde a contrarie effect Thou wilt say True if I were elected I might but I feel that I am not The promise will shew thee God's cords in thy dungeon and the robes which hee offer 's thee and will ask thee Dost thou not see mercie at the bottom At which end of the ladder would'st thou go up What hast thou to do with Election when the cords are so near thee or why would'st thou to heaven when the word is thy heart Thou wilt say Thou art most unworthie sinful and cursed and thy sin is ever before thee Yea it is so But why elsâ— should mercie offer it self save to the miserable Yea but then thou hast long continued a wretch and saped thy self in sin The promise will tell thee This objection from self-deceit as if thou might'st plead mercie if thy sins were smaller or thy self better whereas thy plea must bee the greatness of grace not the smalness of sin But my heart hath been hardned against mercie it self and dallied with it The promise will tell thee The Lord JESUS died for them that slew the Lord of life and for sins against the Gospel also Yea but thou saiest many have been converted since I began The Word will replie God hath all the hours in the day to work in if thou wilt attend him the eleventh as well as the seventh Thou wilt object If God had mean't mee good I should have felt it long since The Lord will tell thee so thou hast if thou wert not unthankful for it and rather delightest in descanting than believing Bee encouraged to hearken to the promise if thou would'st see all distempers drowned in the sea A second motive to believ may bee the heavie doom of unbelievers Their condemnation is of all others deservedly the fearfullest wors then the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar heat thrice hotter They had the Son of God in the mid'st of it with them therefore felt it not these contemn the Son of God they tread the blood of the Covenant under foot and count it a vain thing and count eternal life unworthy of them Therefore it shall consume them without consumption for ever If our Gospel bee hid it is so to them that perish The condemnation of the world is That they hated light that is not the light of the Law but of the Gospel the promise Hee that hath surfeited his bodie by intemperancie may die but hee that throw's the potion sent him the onely one which can cure him against the walls must needs die If they who despised Moses Law died how far greater judgment are those worthie of who sin and that finally against this Remedie can they resist the force of this Rock falling upon them and grindeing them to powder I deny not but even moral sins standing in relation to infidelitie either as causes Joh. 3. 19. or as effects 1 Tim 1. 13. are in themselvs damnable How much more unbelieving it self which make's them so Do not think this still stream is safe it 's the most deep and deadly gulf It oppose's the wisdom the counsel of God the depth of his riches of love the second love of mercie above the first creätion the providence of God's dispensation appointing this as the best way for redemption the direct way for the magnifyiug of his bottomless grace who could finde in his heart to love enmitie it felf and hate holiness in a sort that hee might love sinful enemies it resist's the omnipotent power of God in creäting man The second time of wors then nothing it disannul's his attributes his offer truth and faithfulness make 's God a lier chuse's a wors choice then Eve and Adam did hell before heaven and therefore deserv's to die that death which it hath chosen Oh! therefore judg of this sin by the spiritualness of it and prevent a treble hell by humble accepting and believing promise Lastly to conclude this doctrine should teach all God's people to keep their eies upon this Mirror of the Promise so closely till it transform them from glorie to glorie The least glimpse of mercie in the promise is glorious yet the Lord is not idle in his peoples hearts but that hee can reveal himself more clearly and gloriously to them day by day if they bee not in fault and lay barrs in his way For as the day from the dawning to noon-tide so the promise encreaseth in light where once the day-Star is risen The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith there is a spirit of the promise whereby God sealeth his people after they have once believed so that as Rom. 8. The Spirit fellow-witnesseth with us about our adoption our redemption our reconciliation all are ours wee are the Lord 's Many haveing got som flashes of hope by the Woâ—d rest there go no further wax waily wanton frothie thinking any of their own humors may well complie with the glad tidings of Heaven and so shake off their fears and turn grace into wantonness But if the true Spirit of the Promise were in them their Covenant would draw them to seek more assurance evidence and hold then before Therefore let us look to this work of the Spirit And to this end trie it by these few marks First such an heart growe's lower and lower in it self daily by how much grace growe's higher and the reproach of God in his fulness cause 's the soul to crie Depart from mee a sinful wretch It work 's not lightness Secondly such an heart hath much busied it self in and about the faithfulness of the promises that so the Lord may as by an earnest 2 Cor. 1. 22. give her his seal to assure her Thirdly shee feel's the priviledges accompanying pardon to bee hers and out-grow's her fears bondage doubts assaults temptations by the spirit of libertie peace joy thanks admiration c. Fourthly shee grow's in the seal of holiness as well as of assurance beeing more zealous fruitful upright hereby Fifthly shee covet's the use of Baptism appointed to seal her Sixthly shee grow's more real savorie setled more confident in praier and more lively in hope more readie to die more mortified in lusts more cheerfull and fruitful in communion of Saints THE THIRD PART ARTIC I. That hee who is in CHRIST is a new Creature THe Scripture expresseth this sundrie waies all tending to the same end all may bee reserred to these heads for either they look at the main principle of the Spirit of sanctification as when the tearms of renovation
new man new creature regeneration new birth are used or at the operation of this principle as when the tearms of repenting casting off the old man putting on the new purgeing forsakeing denying unrighteousness or lusts are used c. or els at som actual inward virtues as love fear obedience subjection and the like or at som outward performances as walking with God in all his commandements or departing from iniquitie or abhorring evil or cleaving to good ceasing to sin learning to do well or the like these all although in phrase differing yet in sens are all one and they import this That the Lord require's of all believers in Christ that their hearts bee renewed that they purge themselvs finish their sanctification fear him for his mercie walk with God order their conversaton aright all is one thing get one and get all but the holy Ghost doth include all in that golden sentence Hee that is in Christ is a new creature Four points here considerable 1. The Author of this regeneration or new creature the holy Ghost 2. The inward instrument of this author Faith 3. The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 4. The parts These four will proov the chief For as for the other which are taken for granted wee need not dwell much upon them to wit the seed whereof wee are begotten which is the Lord Jesus the immediate instrument used to beget the Word of God the seal by which the spirit assure's and convey's his Regeneration Baptism I. General The spirit of God is the Author of the new creature 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3 5 6. In this new creätion of nature and infusion of qualities the Spirit doth three works 1. By Perswadeing Hee draweth the soul to bee willing to take all Christ as hee is offered and to reject no part of him and succoreth the poor soul in her application of the offer and covenant of Peace 2. By Working The Spirit effect's that in the soul which the promise import's infuseing into her an habit of cleanliness and takeing away all her filthy rags 3. By Sealing The Spirit sealeth these to the Soul Matth. 3. 11. The Lord shall baptize with the holie Ghost and with fire What is that The verie divine gifts of Christ which as fire do purge and cleans our dross and bring forth our metal as pure and clean II. General The Inward instrument of this author Faith Faith saveing and effectual Act. 26. 8. Act. 13. 38. Rom. 5. 1. and 3. 25. Act. 15. both in regard of justification and sanctification Christ is not onely offered to the to bee for them in pardon but to bee in them to dwel to rule to command to exercise power over corruption and for government to bee as a soul in the bodie to act guide and bear sway in them as the branches in the Vine out of which they wither so that the promise offer 's Christ both for union of reconciliation and also communion and influence of grace Faith doth two things in the renewing of the soul First it work 's the heart to bee renewed by an argumentation See 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us becaus wee thus judg c. Mark faith judge's the matter aright and passeth a sound verdict upon it If Christ hath so loved us how should our souls earn towards him in all conformitie to his blessed nature Secondly by infusion shee is the tunnell of the Spirit to convey the renewing of the holy Ghost into the Soul III. General The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 1 Thes 5. 23. viz. 1. Minde the renuing whereof is partly a pugeing of it from the corruption and penalties of it and chiefly a restitution of it to her integritie of light and soveraigntie 2. Will purgeing it from the sin and penalties of it and restoreing it to her integritie and subjection 3. Conscience clensing it from contagion and a restoreing of her to her integritie of faithfull record accuseing for evil and excuseing for good 4. The Bodie and members restoreing them to such integritie as that the senses do duly offer to the soul the objects of sens and the members becom faithful weapons of righteousness Howsoever the holy Ghost doth renew all yet the immediate and chief subject of his residence is the spirit of man IV. General The Parts which bee negative and affirmative the former a destroying of the old frame the later a setting up of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renovation Mortification and Vivification I. Concerning Mortification In general wee must conceiv that there is no principle nor yet seed of any in us to oppose corruption flesh lov's it self Satan doth not oppose himself It is the Lord Jesus who is this new man in the soul and who expelleth the old and his dominion In Particular This spirit of Christ mortifying worketh by steps in the soul and that 1. By knowledg of sin The soul conclude's it to bee a fearful thing which could rob the Lord Jesus of his life-blood 2. By power against it 3. By Subduing the remainder of corruption Sin shall not reign Yee are no more servants of sin Rom. 6. 6. 4. By the seal of Baptism Rom. 6. 3. Know yee not that as many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death 5. By other ordinances viz. hearing praier watchfulness renewing of covenant c. 6. By the sweetness of Christ viz. liveing by faith and walking in uprightness It causeth that former base pleasure and sweet of sin to becom irksom Since the soul tasted Christ all other sinful pleasures becom like the book in the Prophet's bellie as wormwood 7. By applying Christ and his power against all sin in both parts both root and branches 8. By intercepting sins provision thereof Paul Rom. 13. ult oppose's these two putting on of Christ and takeing thought to make provision for our lusts 9. By remooving the strength of the Law The Law is called the strength of sin becaus of that itching and coveting propertie in sin to do that which is forbidden but the law in this point is made to a believer sweet and easie 10. By combat against sin Concerning Vivification As the death of Christ is the death of corruption so the life of Christ is a wel-spring of grace unto eternal life Vse I. If all believers bee new creatures what are those that are still old creatures and will take no other die such as boast they are no changelings are still the same men Secondly it is terror to revolters and returners to their old vomit and mire the later end of such is wors then the beginning Thirdly to hypocrites who still mask over the old man with a new cover of Christ but put not off the old Fourthly to prophane ones who think themselvs in verie good case if they can carrie their beloved lusts and corruptions closel and blear the eie of the
the example of the Lord Jesus in all the whole conversation of his affections 3. Learn to take a right mark of the right objects of our affections and that will shame us when by loosing or mistakeing our right mark wee do fasten them bafely and indirectly Our anger is too good to bee set on carnal revenge our love too good for base lusts c. 4. Get the soul setled in peace and this will rule our spirits that neither fear nor hope shall much unsettle us but wee shall possess our souls with patience in the mid'st of all distempers III. Actions Touching which observ four rules 1 Rule They must bee warranted by the Word either in doing not doing or suspending Without knowledg the heart is not good Pro. 19. 3. 2 Rule They must bee don in a right manner or els wee sin And this manner of doing require's two things First that they bee don in the state of wel-pleasing Secondly welpleasingly The former is an assurance that the person please's God The later is a cleaving to the qualitie of performance that it bee pure 3 Rule They must bee don in a right measure The Lord must bee served with the best of us Within by the best of our souls Without by the best extent of our abilities And that wee keep no fals measure within us 4 Rule They must bee don to a right end viz. The glorie of God good of his brethren and peace of his own heart â— 3. The Object of our conversation which is two-fold 1. Spiritual with God himself 2. With man in common life 1. With God himself Godly conversation is that communion which a renued soul hath with God And it is twofold Inward Outward Inward stand's in two things 1. Either the life of faith 2. The exercise of the graces of the spirit within the soul I. In the life of faith which is soul's enjoying of God Christ our sanctification by all his promises concerning life and godliness The particular objects of the life of faith are reduced to four heads 1. Estates viz. 1. Prosperitie The soul cleav's to God in the promise of his All-sufficiencie Gen. 17. 1. and 1 Cor. 3. end All things are yours c. 2. Adversitie The soul cleav's to God in the promise of his protection redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2. Means-useing The soul cleav's unto God by the promise for the power and blessing of and upon all his ordinances 3. Duties The soul cleav's to God by a promise for strength to give us the grace to do what hee commandeth 4. Graces The soul cleav's to God in the promise and the grace of the Lord Jesus for a supplie of grace convenient for it self both for number and measure Joh. 1. 17. From his fountain wee receiv grace for grace like for like so many for so many II. In the exercise of the graces of his spirit For as Merchants and chapmen have the policie and traffique for wares and money so the godly have their commerce with the Lord for Grace Phil. 3. 19. And this stand's in these three things 1. In the increas of their Graces 2. In the rejoicing in the growth and increas they have had 3. And especialiy their tradeing is in heaven by that precious hope which is an earnest-pennie of their inheritance and therefore they never think of it but it glad's their hearts So much of the inward convers with God Outward convers of the soul with God is that holie correspondencie which it hold's with God in outward services These are of two sorts 1. Ordinarie 2. Occasional 1. Ordinarie viz. 1. First a satisfying of the soul with the Lord's image at our awakeing with a saluteing of his promise for renewed pardon and grace 2. A seeking of his face as oft in the day as may bee for renewed humiliation for pardon of renewed â—ins grace to purge and season the soul thanks for renewed compassions 3. A reviveing of covenant with him for closer purpose and bent of heart towards him 4. A daily recording of God's peculiar administrations and providence to us in patience c. 5. A finishing of each day so as wee viewing it over may bee humbled or comforted and so lie down in peace 2. Occasional is the service of the time Act. 13. 36. by which wee rest not onely in our ordinarie service of God but reach our souls to the condition of the times wee live in accordingly carrying ourselvs either in affliction or thanksgiveing as occasion require's II. Branch viz. our conversation with men in common life This the Psalmist call's the ordering of conversation aright and it is the wise accommodation of a Christian to the several passages that befall us unavoidably in this our common cours of life as marriage companie or solitariness liberties earthlie business calling familie-government common talk c. Generul rules for all Generally touching all note this That God abhorr's all common prophane usages of the world in these things and will have his people carrie about them the cognizance of new creatures and holy ones that they may not make religion odious by their corrupt behavior and makeing use of each other therein for their own ends but that the graces of God may break out and shine in the order of their conversation to the glorie of our profession Special rules for Marriage Beeing married first in the Lord they loath to make it a common thing for the use of each other but first improoving it chiefly for God and the mutual good of their souls worshipping God together makeing him umpire of all their differences nourishing matrimonial love as a sacred knot and to that end observing each others graces for the strengthening thereof Cutting off all jars in the begining and yet not agreeing together for base ends but for holy If these rules and the like were observed how might the order of this one part set in order all other parts of our cours Whereas the disorder of this wheel cause 's all other to bee distempered children unrulie servants ungoverned and all out of frame Rules for mens Callings First beware of an unlawful Calling Then of picking quarrels with your callings Change not your Calling at your pleasure but cling to thy Calling to keep thee from noisom lusts eas sloath and lewd companie which nothing but a Calling will prevent As that Martyr blessed God for holy wedlock so do thou for an honest Calling Secondly use it not for base ends of gain money and the like but to serv providence mortifie thy lust and prepare thee for duties of worship Thirdly let an order bee set in thy Calling that it hinder not Religion in thy Familie neither let Religion hinder thy Calling but both know and keep their bounds Fourthly Neglect not thy Calling suddenly to attend upon needless pleasure travels companies drinkings to leav thy familie in a distemper without either provision or government but instead of these abide diligently in the Calling in which
don are to bee preferred to duties of pietie at that season as the Physician doth attend the Patient wee help the Ox out of the ditch rathen worship God first and suffer these to despair the whilest obedience in such cases is better then sacrifice and the omission of a duty is no contempt with God Vse I. This Doctine teacheth us to abhor the audaciousness of Popish and Heretical and Scismatical ones as forgetting this scope of God in establishing one eternal immutable and pure Rule of righteousness dare take upon them to controll this Law of God and to diminish it cutting off the Second and Tenth Commandements so that if they may prevail not the Moral Law but their Commands must bee our rules It is no wonder if theevs might have their will they would suffer no watches to bee kept or that deformed women lothe or break al true Glasses Let us so much the rather abhor them as odious enemies to God and under pretence of the Law of Libertie walk as lawless libertines and overthrow the Law of Conversation Vse II. Let us consider how dangerous a thing it is to worship God according to our own fancies and inventions It was a good speech of old They are the best Laws which give least power to the Judg. God will have no Judg to bee his Chancellor to make or interpret or change Laws hee know's our boldness and sacriledg in this kinde Vse III. If the Law bee the director of our Conversation Let it bee use of exhortation to all God's people to embrace it and to submit to this Scepter of Christ to establish his Law in our souls and to lift up him in the honor of our hearts who hath honored us w th his royal Law to bee our direction It is reported by Mr. Fox of one Crow a Seaman that beeing in Shipwrack and haveing cast all his tacklings and wares and five pounds of money into the Sea hee kept his New Testament about his neck so swimming upon his broken Mast and after four daies all his company being drowned yet hee was at length by passengers discovered and taken up all frozen numb'd and sterv'd but yet his Book hee held close to him If wee in the shipwracks of this World would keep our souls from wrack what cours should wee take Surely keep this Law to us close and not suffer it to depart from us lose money wares ship and all ere wee forego that least wee lose our conscience and disorder our conversation And in all our doubtful cases whether vows oaths marriages dealings with men entercours with God or any difficultie go to the Law and testimonie Esay 8. 20. for a resolution Vse VI. Let all that finde themselvs to com short of this platform I say let them live the life of faith in duties They that know a Command shall fear it Fear not him who when hee hath kill'd the bodie can go no surther But him fear whose will is righteousness and whose power is revenge yea who can cast both bodie and soul into hell God's people are taught Obedience from their youth up both to do and suffer without cavils distinctions or exceptions The first lesson they learned in the school of Christ was self-deniall and naked obeying the Promise That obedience to Christ hath taught them obedience to God the Father Christ hath made their yoke easie and burden light so that now they delight in the Law being made Christ's Law Vse V. This convince's all hypocrites obedience to the Law Alas It 's no direction for their lives they look at the Law still as a whip and bondage They dare not suffer themselvs to bee informed of the Law When they cannot resist it yet they are not convinced in conscience they think it bootless to obey Esa 58. Mal. 3. They wish the Law were according to their own scantling or els were not at all Hence all their life is nothing but a study to interpret the Laws of God with favor to their own corruption Vse VI. Let this teach us to live by faith for abilitie in Christ to all performances trust wee God upon a promise for each part of his cours to God men our selvs in solitariness company calling in Sabbaths subjection to superiors and common life Say thus Lord these duties are above mee I can do nothing to purpose enable mee to do what thou biddest and bid what thou wilt els the number and weight of them will tire and clog mee Thou hast eased me O Lord of the burden of Moses but still even in my libertie from Christ I carrie old Adam's burden about mee Therefore write these laws in my heart I beseech thee that I may delight in the Law in my inner man and that I may run thy commandements with cheerfulness ARTIC IV. The LORD hath given helps to his Church to uphold her in Obedience REad 2 Pet. 1. 3. Eph. 4. 11. Mat. ult Joh. 14. 26 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6 7. in which Scriptures wee have the order of this provision of God and that in four degrees 1. In our outward Ordinances themselvs as Preaching receiving the Sacraments c. 2. The Instrumens and lively organs serving to minister therein as Pastors Teachers Ministers of the Gospel 3. Gifts and Administrations vouchsafed unto them for the be better dispensing and officiciateing those services 4. The Spirit of God to assist and enable them to all these performances These helps are of 2 sorts Private or Publick both are Extraordinarie 1. Fasting 2. Thanksgiveing Ordinarie 3. The Word preached 4. Baptism 5. The Supper 6. Praier 7. Meditation 8. Conference 1. Fasting is a solemn ordinance of God attended with rest and abstinence wherein the Church lawfully assembled powre's out her self in affliction and supplication with importunitie for turning away of som great present or imminent sin danger 2. Thanksgiveing is a solemn ordinance of God wherein the Church lawfully assembled powre's out herself in praises and thanks for som rare blessings and deliverances And let this also bee understood of private in both extraordinarie kindes terms beeing observed 3. The Word preached is a publick eminent ordinance wherein the Minister lawfully deputed doth distinctly and soundly read the Word give the sens ground the doctrine and convinceingly applie it by instruction reproof confutation exhortation and admonition 4. Baptism is the former sacrament of the New Tastament wherein by due application of Water to the infant all Christ is sealed up to the soul for regeneration 5. The Sacrament of the Supper is the second in order in which by due giveing and receiving of bread and wine the Lord Jesus is wholy given and taken by the believing soul to bee nourished to eternal life 6. Praier is a lifting up of the heart to God in the name of Jesus Christ in confession and supplication for pardon of sin the granting of all good things and acknowledging of mercies already received with thankfulness 7 Meditation is a serious
them duties will give them strength to perform them and make them easie Matth. 11. 30. Priviledges of conversation either concern common life or conditions of men therein Common life as marriage liberties companie solitariness or the like manifold entercourses Conditions of men as their callings wherein God hath set them their places of government or subjection Magistracie or Ministrie their relations in familie or otherwise Parents Masters c. to all which God's people have peculiar promises that God will furnish them with gifts whom hee call's to any function Hee will caus a voice behinde to say This is the Way walk in it Esa 30. And according to the changes and conditions of life which hereafter shall befall the Lord will pick out meet grace and bee the same God to them in all 5. Priviledges of the saints in death they are pretious in death to the Lord Psal 116. Rom. 8. vlt. Nothing shall separate them from God's love That a good life shall bring a good death That they shall die in peace Psal 37. 37. That the day of death is better then the day of life Eccl. 7. 1. 6. Priviledg after death is the greatest of all that eternal fruition of God and all that hee hath prepared for his elect in his own presence things which neither eie hath seen ear heard nor entred into the heart of man to conceiv Vse I. It convinceth and reprooveth all such prophane ones as cannot endure to hear there should bee any admitting of difference between professors of the Gospel one or other What place is there for priviledges if all bee alike Indeed faith purifying the heart taketh away all difference Act. 15. but till then what difference is greater then to have hope and none to swear and to fear an oath Again this convinceth all hypocrites who mutter that God put 's no difference between good and bad in matter of rewards Esay 58. Mal. 3. Matth. 25. they are brought in takeing God for an hard master they fasted but God regarded not they were zealous but it was bootless But O yee hypocrites where is the fault Are God's waies unequal or yours Beware when God make's up his jewels it shall appear whether hee have a discerning eie and to your cost yee shall then know it Vse II. In due time get into this Corporation of God and buy your freedom of heaven Rest not in your outward priviledges of hearing of common faith of the sacraments know it herein God put 's not the chief difference Get the priviledg of these priviledges the marrow of this bone the understanding of the mysterie of Christ and your part in that which the world know's not nor shall it ever bee taken from you Vse III. Of Instruction to the Ministers of God that they preach God's Word with wisdom and putting difference God exclude's none I grant yet hee receiveth none to such priviledges without the condition of faith and the new creature Open not the door of God's priviledges for dogs to enter in at Remember that sweet promise If thou shalt separate to mee the pretious from the vile then thou shalt bee as my mouth Jer. 15. 19. Ezek. 22. 6. Vse IV. Of Exhortation to a double dutie First Consider seriously of these bequests and legacies of Christ unto thee whereof any one might make thee faithful How should that hope of glorie after your toil and travel ended encourage you But especially let not death bee unwelcom as that old man said Thus long have I served God and it irketh mee not to die for I have had a good Master Secondly Let it hearten us to our work to see what good vails wee have better then all the wages of an hireling Priviledges are commonly held by Service Honors are best maintained by loyaltie by labor and diligence Therefore hold our selvs close to our holie conversation and walking with God by such priviledges Vse V. Let all free of God's Companie bee well seen in the enfranchisements and honors contained in this charter of promises and priviledges Bee well versed in this argument When the vilest ride on hors-back and Princes go on foot as lackeys those that swear and prophane the sabbath and maintain mis-rule rule the rost and seem to bee the onely men when enemies to power and sinceritie in all places bear sway wee had need to bee well resolved of it that our Priviledges are peculiar to our selvs and wee would not change portions with them Use of all ARTIC VII The Truth as it is in JESUS require's all Beleevers to bee holy EPh. 4. 23. If yee have learned the Truth as it is in JESVS put off the Old man and put on the New As wee have felt JESUS in the truth of his Reconcilation so let us put on the same Lord JESUS in the truth of Renovation for the one intimate's the other Then wee put on the Lord Jesus when his love is put into and upon our souls to enlarge and widen them to go thorow our conversation with holie resolution Weigh well the scope of the whole Treatise Surely by the way of sin and of the Law to carrie thee to faith in the Lord Jesus that the truth of Jesus may lead thee to an holy conversation This is Christ Jesus the mysterie of Godliness to feel such perswasion of undecaying sweetness such presence of this persuasion of love as might tell thy dearest lusts Rom. 6. 21. What fruit have I had of thee yea make thee stink before them as he said of David that thou might'st bee Christ's servant for ever and that hee might do all thy works pray read meditate hear do suffer obey in thee in his strength walk in all holy conversation Esa 26. 12. Vse II. To this end bee admonished not to rest onely in this that thou hast faith except thou hast also learned the truth of faith as it is in Jesus As thou hast received from the Lord Jesus so walk Remember to stir up the spirit of Christ in thee Vse III. Watch to thy self duly and daily and to this work of Conversation and way that God hath chalked out for thee Do as those Numb 9. 19. who attended the watch of the Lord day and night readie from the least warning of the cloud or the fire from the Tabernacle to remoov and upon the first rest hereof to stand still If God hath once purged thy foul heart and seasoned it for thee keep it so hee did it not without much ado that thou should'st undoo it all at once by thy eas and sloth world pleasure weariness and the like Let the wise Virgins take heed of nodding in this night of the age wee live in let them watch to their work let them see how they grow downward in rooting and setlednes upward in fruitfulness skill eas and experience resolution and full purpose of heart to cleav to God And by so doing wee shall watch to the coming also of our Lord Jesus to
translate us from this our poor walking with him to bee with him and to bee rid of all our clogs which hinder us from so doing and go from this our doing God's will as it is in heaven to do it in Heaven Give GOD the prais FINIS A TABLE Containing the Method and Principal Heads of the whole book Part I. Article I. pag. 1. II. pag. 7. III. pag. 12. IV. pag. 18. V. pag. 20. VI. pag. 22. VII pag. 58. II. Article I. pag. 64. II. pag. 72. III. pag. 107. IV. pag. 113. V. pag. 129. VI. pag. 172. VII pag. 185. III. Article I. pag 216. II. pag. 224. III. pag. 242. IV. pag. 253. V. pag. 272. VI. pag. 291. VII pag. 302 PART I. Artic. I. In Adam mankinde was creäted in perfection of light and holiness pag. 1. According to God's image pag. 1. 1. For matter p. 1. 2. For manner p. 2. 3. In respect of endowments p. 2. 4. In his bodie p. 2. This image of God is more distinctly considered in three things I. In the bodie 1. In the Production of it p. 2. 2. In the Frame of it beeing made p. 3. II. In the soul 1. In the nature of it p. 3 2. In the functions p. 3. III. In the whole person 1. In his reverend and awfull behavior p. 4. 2. In his honorable entertainment p. 4. Uses pag. 4. c. Artic. II. Adam fell from his Integritie by wilful transgression p. 7. This sin is set forth by two things 1. By the description of the holie Ghost p. 7. 2. By the parcels of the sin p. 8. In the fall consider the causes 1. Remote 1 Changeableness of their will 2. Unarmedness 3. Aptness of the temptation p. 9. 2. More neer and proper 1. Inward tickling of their affection p. 9. 2. Snareing p. 9. Secret assent to the tentation p. 10. Corruptions of heart flowing from this fall are of two sorts Special 1. Pride 2. Securitie 3. Vanitie 4. Sensualitie 5. Discontent 6. Sacriledg 7. Crueltie and injustice c. p. 10. General 1. Distrust of God p. 10. 2. Rebellion against God 3. Unthankfulness 4. Apostasie p. 10. Uses pag. 10. c. Artic. III. Adam's sin made him miserable pag. 12. This miserie hath two branches Miserie of sin Original p. 13. Actual p. 14. Miserie of punishment Of Soul Of Bolie p. 15. Vses pag. 16. c. Artic. IV. The whole race of mankinde is guiltie of Adam's sin p. 16. Vse pag. 19. c. Artic. V. There is no possibilitie for man of himof himself to escape this miserie p. 20. Vses pag. 20 c. Artic. VI. The convinceing Ministerie of the Moral law reveal's our miserie p. 22. c. The works of the Law are of two sorts 1. To the godlie it is a pattern and direction of righteousness p. 22. 2. In the Wicked it work 's two things 1. Knowledg 2. Conviction p. 22. The Law discover's sin 1. By dispelling ignorance p. 23. 2. By remooving the barrs against it viz. 1. Prejudice 2. Custom in darkness p. 23. 3. Hardness of heart p. 23. 4. Dulness 5. Slightness 6. Self-love p. 24. 7. Errors ibid. The Law enlighten's to discern actual sins both 1. In themselvs sundrie waies by her 1. Autoritie p. 24. 2. Harmonie p. 24. 3. Royaltie p. 25. 4. Intâ—gritie ibid. 5. Extent p. 27. II. In the penalties p. 28. The Lord discover's original sin to the soul 1. By the Special tearms of his Word 2. By Comparison 3. By the properties of Original sin 1. It is eminently sinful p. 29. 2. Predominantly ibid. 3. Perpetually p. 30. 4. It is an over-flowing sin p. 30. 5. It is an enslaveing sin ibid. 6. Unlimited p. 30. Vses pag. 30. c. Conviction is twofold 1. Of the judgment which the Law effect's by remooving three Letts 2. Of the whole soul called Terror and Bondage p. 37. 1. Deadness of spirit p. 33. 2. Loos incogitancie and carelesness ibid. 3. Subtiltie and slieness ibid. This Legal Terror is explained by the the consideration of three things 1. The difference p. 30. 2 The nature effects and end of it ibid. 3. The extremities and abuses of it which are two 1. Legal presumption p. 45. 2. Final despair p. 46. Vses pag. 53. c. Artic. VII The LORD leav's not the souls of his Children in this miserie but uphold's them by the hope of the Gospel p. 58. Reasons of the point p. 59. c. PART II. Artic. I. That there is a deliverance ordained and granted to miserable man out of this thraldom Note 1. There is a Deliverance p. 65. 2. Appointed by the Lord. p. ibid. Uses pag. 67. c. Artic II. The onely instrument of working out this deliverance is the Lord Jesus p. 72. The whole work of his Mediation may bee referred to two heads 1. The Qualification of his Person p. 73. 2. The Actual performance of the satisfaction it self p. 74. The Qualification of his person hath two parts 1. Union p. 73. and Unction p. 74. The Performance it self stand's of two parts 1. Meriting this price for all the Flect p. 74. 2. Applying it to them p. 75. These are called wâ—â—l-springs of salvation becaus they are so many grounds of justifying faith whereof there are seven heads I. InCarnation p. 78. II. Divinitie of Christ p. 80. III. The personal Union p. 82. Hence the Unction of 1. Priesthoad p. 84. 2. Prophecie p. 86. 3. Kingdom p. 87. IV. Actual Obedience p. 91. V. Passive Obedience p. 91. VI. Conquesi of Christ p. 100. VII Applying of Christ's merit p. 104. Artic. III GOD'S imputation of the merits of CHRIST'S righteousness to a sinful soul is the formal caus of our justification Expressed by divers phrases p. 108. Vses pag. 109. c. Artic. IV The Gospel and the offer of Grace in it is the Revealer of this deliverance The special properties of this offer are three p. 120. 1. Libertie 2. Simplicitie 3. Fidelitie Uses pag. 121. c. Artic. V. The Lord offer 's Christ to the soul furnish't with all his benefits Concerning these benefits of Christ consider three things I. The Difference p. 140. II. The Order p. 131. III. The Nature and Use of them p. 131. 1. Vocation p. 132. 2. Union p. 134. 3. Regeneration p. 138. 4. Justification p. 145. 5. Reconciliatian p. 148. 6. Adoption p. 153. 7. Redemption p. 160. 8. Sanctificatiin p. 167. 9. Glorification p. 167. Artic. VI. The Church of GOD is the true and onely Object of all the former good things Two things here considerable I. The subject of it the Church it self distinguished into 1. Visible p. 172. 2. Invisible p. 173. 3. Militant p. ibid. 4. Triumphant ibid. 5. Malignant p. 174. II. The Adjunct of the Church the Communion of Saints in which consider 1. Qualification p. 176. 2. Due exercise of Communion p. 180. The Spirit of Communion may bee discovered in two particulars 1. In Preserving Communion and this it doth 1. By Separation of fals