MILK FOR BABES OR A. MOTHERS CATECHISM for Her CHILDREN Wherein chief saving Principles of Christian Religion through the body of it fit first to inform Children in are 1 Propounded 2 Expounded 3 Applied The sum of which is set down in the following Pages Together with the Questions and Answers which are the grounds of the Catechism Whereunto also annexed THREE SERMONS Preached at Andrews Holborn at a publike Fast and at Covent-Garden upon severall occasions By ROBERT ABBOT Preacher of Gods Word at Southwick in Hantshire PSA 34.11 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. LONDON Printed by John Legate for Philemon Stephens dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the gilded Lyon 1646. I Have perused this Catechism intituled Milk for Babes and these three Sermons on severall Texts And approving them as pious and profitable I license them to be printed and published IOHN DOWNAME The Sum of the following Catechism may be conceived thus IT speaks to a threefold state of ours Our estate 1 Of Creation Of which you may finde two points 1 Our Creatour who is 1 Confessed Q. 1. 2 Distinguished from the Sonne Q. 2. Holy Gh. Q. 3. 3 Described 1 By his unity in Trinity Q. 4. 2 By his Sufficiency Efficiency Q. 5. 2 His end in making us which is 1 Propounded Q. 6. 2 Amplified by the 1 Manner Q. 7. 2 Meanes teaching Q. 8. 1 Commandement 1. Q. 9. 2 Commandement 2. Q. 10. 3 Commandement 3. Q. 11. 4 Commandement 4. Q. 12. 5 Commandement 5. Q. 13. 6 Commandement 6. Q. 14. 7 Commandement 7. Q. 15. 8 Commandement 8. Q. 16. 9 Commandement 9. Q. 17. 10 Commandement 10. Q. 18. 2 Of Corruption of which it sets down our misery 1 By sinne Q. 19. 2 By punishment Q. 20. 3 Of Renovation Of which it teacheth us 1 The means working it Christ Jesus Q. 20. Who is further described by his 1 Natures Q. 22. 2 Work for use Set down two wayes 1 By the greatest manifestation of it at the latter end where two 1 His Passion Q. 13. 2 His possibility to undergo it 2 By the efficacy of it both in respect 1 Of the end Q. 24. 2 Of the persons for whom Q. 25. 2 The means applying it Faith described 1 By the nature of it Q. 26. 2 By the working of it in respect of 1 The beginning of it Q. 27. 2 The growth of it by means 1 Without us which are two 1 The Word of Christ 2 The Sacraments of Christ Q. 28. which are described 1 By their Nature Q. 29. 2 By their Number Q. 30. 3 By their use both of 1 Baptism Q. 31. 2 Supper of the Lord about which 1 What use of it Q. 32. 2 To whom Q. 33. 2 Within us and by us Prayer Q. 34. Which is further described 1 By the nature of it Q. 35. 2 By the matter The Lords Prayer Q. 36. Expounded by the 1 Preface Q. 37. 2 Petition 1. Q. 38. 3 Petition 2. Q. 39. 4 Petition 3. Q. 40. 5 Petition 4. Q. 41. 6 Petition 5. Q. 42. 7 Petition 6. Q. 43. 8 Conclusion Q. 44. A CATECHISM FOR Children thorough the chief points of the Body of Divinity to prepare them for the Lords Supper 1 Question WHo made thee A. God the Father 2 Q. Who redeemed thee A. Jesus Christ 3 Q. Who sanctified thee A. The Holy Ghost 4 Q. How many Gods are there A. There are three persons and to us Christians but one God 5 Q. What is God A. He is that Almighty one who made and governeth all things 6 Q. Wherefore did God make thee A. To do him service 7 Q. How oughtest thou to serve him A. As he hath commanded in his lawes 8 Q. Which are these lawes A. Those tenne words which God wrote in two Tables of stone and are set down in Exodus and Deuteronomy 9 Q. What is the first Commandement A. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me 10 Q. What is the second A. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor any likenesse of things that are in heaven above nor in the earth beneath nor in the waters under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements 11 Q. What is the third Commandement A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain 12 Q. What is the fourth Commandement A. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it 13 Q. What is the fift Commandement A. Honour thy Father and Mother that thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 14 Q. What is the sixt A. Thou shalt not kill 15 Q. What is the seventh A. Thou shalt not commit adultery 16 Q. What is the eight A. Thou shalt not steal 17 Q. What is the ninth A. Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour 18 Q. What is the tenth Commandement A. Thou shalt not covet thy neighhours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours 19 Q. Art thou able to keep these commandements A. No let me do what I can yet I break them every day more then I can expresse 20 Q. What punishment is appointed for the breakers of Gods commandements A. Gods curse which is the everlasting destruction of body and soul 21 Q. How shalt thou escape this curse A. Onely by Jesus Christ our Lord. 22 Q. What is Jesus Christ A. He is the eternall sonne of God made man 23 Q. What hath Christ Jesus done for thee A. He suffered the pains of death for me 24 Q. Seeing Christ was God how could he dye A. He was God and man as he was God he died not but as man he died for my sinnes and rose again for my justification 25 Q. Are all men saved by Christs death A. No onely they are saved who have a true faith 26 Q. What is this true faith A. It is the resting of the soul upon Christ for salvation 27 Q. How must this faith be wrought in thee A. The Holy Ghost must work it in my heart
the husband hath his wife Prov. 2. and the wife hath her husband by vertue of the Covenant of God by which they are made one flesh So mayst thou have God by Covenant when thou cleavest unto him by knowledge faith feare love confidence worship and the like Use Be thou sure my good child to have the true God onely to be thy God thus When thou knowest not God and doest not beleeve love and feare him nor put thy trust and confidence in him that thou mayst enjoy him and use him as thine thou hast him not no nor thou doest not give him these graces alone Thou hast there articles of the Covenant for him alone and for other things and persons under him and for his honour onely 10. Q. What is the second Commandement A. Exod. 20.4 5 6. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image nor any likenesse of things that are in heaven above nor in the earth beneath nor in the waters under the earth thou shalt not bowe down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my commandements Here God requires the worshipping of God with his own outward worship What God requires in the second commandement God sees the vaine wickednesses of Idolaters Because they are carnall they must have carnall helps of their own inventions Hence is it because they have not bodily communion with their gods they ordinarily see them not heare them not feele them not therefore they set up their Images likenesses and similitudes they doe honour and worship to them in the place of their gods they adorn them they cense to them they kneele bowe courtesie and pray to them they think that there is a religious and divine power and presence in them to be a chariot of their devotions and to convey the Influences of their hearts and words to their patrons their great gods But God will not be worshipped in this carnall way Deut. 4.15 16 17 18. He manifested no similitude on the day that the Lord spake out of the midst of the fire lest we should corrupt our selves and make a graven Image the similitude of any figure the likenesse of male or female God is a consuming fire Deut. 4.24 and a Jealous God and will have none of his worship conveyed to any devises of man or by them to him but he will have his own worship by an acknowledgement of such divine excellencies as are in him in the way and by the means that he hath appointed that is by the Word Sacraments and Prayer Vse Therefore my child look upon all Idolaters so as to hate their abominable course Doe not thinke to please God by devices of thine owne or others Imagine not that Images or Idols either graven or carved or painted can carry thy worship to those Gods or divine things or Persons whom they represent Bestow not thy divine respects upon any thing or person but God alone Frame not any will-worship thy selfe for the true and good God But as thou learnest out of the word the worship to give him all manner of prayers and prayses to heare his word to receive his Sacraments and to offer up any spirituall sacrifices so doe that thou provoke not God to jealousie and so to hate thee and to plague thine before thy face to thy confounding discomfort 11. Q. What is the third Commandement A. Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Here God requires the worshipping of him in his owne manner What God requires in the third Commandement so as it may not be in vaine If it be not done as he would have it as good never a whit as not done as he would have it The name of God is God himselfe any wayes made knowne unto thee Thou art knowne by thy name and God hath a name whereby he is or may be made known to all mankind to wit his works his word his titles his attributes his religion his worship this is his name To take it signifies to take it up or to challenge it from contempt and blasphemy so as God may not be dishonoured by thine or others use of it To take it in vaine is to use it to no end to a fruitlesse end or to a wicked end as when thou usest the names titles and attributes of God to tosse them like Tennice balls to no use but as fruitlesse imbellishments of thy speech when thou usest them in asseverations and oathes to belch out the passions and bitternesse of thy heart to or against others and when thou usest them in word or actions to vent the malice or hypocrisie in thy heart Vse Take heed of doing thus my child Thou art a Christian and wouldest be accounted godly and so thou takest up Gods name Do it so as God and his people may not be ashamed to acknowledge thee for such Thou sometimes takest up the name of God in thy mouth doe it with all reverence When thou swearest doe it when thou art justly called unto it Joh. 7. Heb. 6. Jer. 4.2 to cleare the innocency or to end strife among men in truth in righteousnesse and in judgement When thou prayest hearest vowest or receivest the Sacraments doe them as sincerely desiring to draw thy self into communion with God in Christ If thou doe not though men are found to be carefull for preserving of their owne names more then Gods yet God tenderly respects his owne name and will account thee guilty and bind thee over to be plagued in this world and for ever 12. Q. What is the fourth Commandement A. Exod. 20.8 9 10 11. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy work But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattell nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Here God requires the worshipping of God by his owne meanes upon that time which is appointed It is said What God requires in the fourth Commandement That the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it which thou must not conceive to be an idle repetition of words of the same value in so short a summe and therefore compare other Scriptures and the sense will be cleare and distinct unto Esau cries out to Jacob Gen. 27. Blesse me even me also my father and then Jacob gave him a
propheticall blessing the fatnesse of the earth and the dew of heaven Judg. 1. Achsah Caleb's daughter ask'd him a blessing and what did she mean Springs above and springs below that is a convenient situation for dwelling So when God blesseth he gives a blessing to things or persons Thus the Lord blessed that is gave a blessing to the Sabbath day Before the giving of the Law the blessing of Patriarchs who were Priests Prophets and Kings of their Families to regulate under and from God the private and publique worship After the Law the blessing of Levites Priests and Prophets So in these times of grace he gives the blessing of Apostles Evangelists Ephes 4. and Prophets by their writings and Pastors and Doctors by their teachings from the word to be as blessings to the Lords day Now because we are so worldly and wicked that we would not make use of this blessing of the means of worship by the Ministery of the Word if we were left unto our selves therefore God hath hallowed the seventh part of time and set it apart to holy uses and enjoyned us to apply it to such uses that we making use of this blessing may learn to know God and serve him with his owne worship and in his owne manner Marke then that the meanes for the advancement of the worship of God is the blessing of the Ministery of the word of God which is set apart for interpretation and instruction of us in Gods will by the Scriptures The time that God hath set apart for this end is the seventh part of time at the least For if he required of a Jew thus much whose mercies were not so great much more of us Christians whose mercies are greater Vse Therefore my good child think this Commandement to be as Joseph to provide for all the rest and when thou seest that all men are not Prophets 1 Cor. 1.10 nor all Teachers but God hath gifted out of all now some to be apt to teach by taking more speciall heed to themselves to the word of God to reading and to doctrine 1 Tim. 4.23 and when thou considerest that God challengeth the seventh part of time that thou mayst make use of the gifts of these men gifted for thy edification and lastly when thou weighest that that seventh part of time which was allotted to the Jews as a type of Christs resting in the grave is now vanished and another seventh part of time consecrated by the acts of Christ and his Apostles and the practise of the Church in all Ages which is particularly called the Lords day the like grounds for observing any other seventh part being impossible for us now to have therefore with all care and conscience doe thou remember the time and apply it unto holy uses both in preparation and practise that by the publique Ministery of the Word and private meditation of it and conference about it and prayer to make it profitable to thee thou maist make it a market day to thy soule to provide for the knowledge and service of thy God according to his good will both for matter and manner Thus have I shewed the summe of the foure first Commandements The sum of the first Table as thou art able to receive it now and that thou conceive them clearly I le thus represent it unto thee Thou art born into this world and when thou comest to yeers of discretion then bethinkest thy selfe how thou mayst live in after time First therefore thou puttest thy selfe to a Master to bring thee up in some good Imployment When thou hast a Master thou knowest that thou must doe his work If thou doe his work thou knowest thou must doe it in his manner He had rather thou should'st let it alone then not doe it according to his mind and in case he be not bodily present but hath left his Stewards to give directions at set time how he would have all his businesse dispatched according to his will thou must wait upon them in their seasons that thou mayst be punctuall and exact in all his affaires Just thus must it be with thee in this businesse for thy souls good Thou desirest to know how it may be well with thee in after-time Therefore first thou must choose God to be thy onely Lord and Master there is the first Commandement Next thou must doe his worke and worship not according to the fancies of Idolaters but according to his will there is the second Commandment Next thou must doe it in his manner so as it be not in vaine Esa 1. for otherwise he will say Who required this at thy hand there is the third Commandement And lastly because he is not visibly present but hath left his Stewards and Ambassadours to direct thee in his will at times by him appointed therefore must thou especially at those times hang upon their lips to be satisfied in thy Masters will that thou mayst serve him with his own service and in his own manner Now proceed and tell me 13. Q. What is the fifth Commandement A. Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Here God establisheth Superiours What God requires in the fifth Commandement and Ineferiours and their severall duties When he hath ordered every thing concerning himselfe and his worship then thy good God comes to order the world And because it can never be put in order by a parity and equality he doth establish first the throne of excellency He would not have Haile fellow well met in the world but he would have some high some low some rich some poore some Governours some governed and some Superiours some inferiours for the better marshalling and ordering the world There shall be fathers and mothers this he speaketh to superiours Ye shall honour your fathers and mothers this he speakes to inferiours Fathers and Mothers are all those that are in state of excellency above thee If they be more excellent in Age as old men and women who beare an Image of Gods eternitie or more excellent in Grace who are fuller of Gods Spirit and beare an Image of Gods goodnesse Or more excellent in Nature who have priority in time of us and are instruments of our derivation into the world and so beare an Image of Gods Paternity Or more excellent in Place who have power and government over us and so beare an Image of Gods Soveraignty all these are thy Fathers and Mothers These are commanded to be Fathers and Mothers that is so to carry themselves in nature in grace in age and in place that they doe not lay their honours in the dust and make their inferiours to despise them By honouring of father and mother thou must understand those respects which are due to severall excellencies To naturall excellency Reverence obedience and all thankfulnesse under God To gracious excellency acknowledgement and submission To
Thus thou hast heard what God is that he made thee to serve him that thou must serve him according to his Lawes and what these lawes are Now tell me 19. Q. Art thou able to keepe these Commandements A. No let me doe what I can yet I break them every day more then I can expresse Here thou makest a strange accusation against thy selfe Indeed Christ saith that out of the heart come evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses Mat. 15.19 blasphemies They are not sent into the heart but sent out of it and such an heart surely breaks the Commandements And Paul saith when he spake experimentally of his naturall heart I know that in me that is Rom. 7.18 19. in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I know not for the good that I would I doe not but the evill which I would not that doe I and certainly he that stands in this state cannot keepe the Commandements Yet marke that thou puttest in an heavy indictment against thy selfe I say marke this and marke it seriously Hast thou a strange God to be thy God Doest thou follow Idolatrous worship Doest thou dishonour the name of God in thought word action Doest thou neglect the Ministery of the word and profane the Lords day Doest thou rebell against Gods Ordinances for the orderly government of the world Art thou a murderer an whore or whore-master and a thiefe Art thou a lyer slanderer or backbiter Hast thou a wicked lustfull heart which boyles with discontents because it is better with thy neighbor then with thy selfe If another body should charge thee with all these things thou wouldst defie him and be ready to spit in his face yet thou sai'st openly that thou doest breake the Commandements every day I confesse it to be a truth How we do break all the Commandements every day yet must thou understand it according to the word of God or else shame and confusion will lye upon thee more then upon other men women and children know then that thou breakest all the Commandements every day three wayes First in Adam we were all in Adam when he sinned Rom. 5. and in his fall sinne went over all mankind and so over thee as well as any body else If a Carp eat of a baite and be taken and killed not onely she dies but thousands of spaunes that are in her belly so when Adam sinned in eating the forbidden fruit and died to God we that were in his loynes eate it and died in him He sinned against a Sacrament By eating the forbidden fruit he made himselfe unfit and unworthy to eat of the Tree of life In sinning against this Sacrament he sinned against the whole Covenant of Nature For thou know'st that he that tears off the labels and seales of a Bond sinneth against the vertue of the Bond and makes it of none effect so Adam sinning against that Sacrament the seale of the Covenant he made it uselesse He was neither bound to God now by vertue of that Covenant because he had made himself unable nor God to him because he had made himsefe unworthy We therefore being in Adam and sinning in Adam doe break all the Commandements in him as we are in the first Adam Secondly we breake all the Commandements in the pronenesse of our nature to breake them A Fox is chained up in the yard If he doe not kill all the Poultry about the house no thanks to him but to his wary Master who hath tied him up So no thanks to thee if thou doe not break all the Commandements but to God who hath an hook in thy nosthrils and restraines thee by his providence before he renues thee by his Spirit for thy nature is prone unto it God looks upon the pronenesse of nature and according to that doth passe censure upon men women and children Heb. 11. Abraham is said to offer up his sonne Isaac by faith though he did it not because from that principle of grace within him his nature was now prone to doe it and would have done it Gen. 22. if God had not held his hands Christ saith That he that looks upon a woman lustfully hath already committed adultery with her in his heart Matt. 5. yet the woman is very chaste and untouched because Christ looks to the pronenesse of the heart So though thou have not broken any of the Commandements but art as unrebukable concerning the letter of the Law Phil. 3. as Paul was yet so long as God sees the pronenesse of thy nature that thou hast a principle of wickednesse in thee which makes thee as ready to break the Commandements as Cain Achitophel Peter yea Judas he will adjudge thee a breaker of all the Commandements Thirdly in breaking one of the Commandements Jam. 2.10 we doe breake them all Holy James saith Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all and surely thou breakest some one of them every day or else thou couldst not be a sinner 1 Joh. 1. and he that saith he hath no sinne is a lyer The whole Law is one body of righteousnesse Now thou know'st that if I sinne against the least member of thy body I sin against the whole Let me cut off the least joynt of thy little finger or of thy little toe I offend thy whole body Thy eye weeps thy mouth complains thy whole body shrinks because touching is shot through thy whole body So if thou breakest the least part of Gods Commandements all will feele and call for wrath upon thee because thou sinnest against the whole body of righteousnesse There is such a linking of all the Commandements together as is betwixt ten sworn friends abuse one and all will fall upon thee Therefore Paul saith Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3. Thou must have the Law thou must know it thou must doe it thou must doe all things in it thou must continue in doing it thou must continue in doing all things that are in it or else thou art accursed Yet one thing may seeme strange unto thee that thou confessest thy selfe a breaker of all the Commandements every day when one Commandement concerns the Sabbath of old the Lords day now which comes but once a week how then canst thou break this every day I tell thee sadly that thou mayst break it before it comes and when it is gone Before it comes by doing that upon the weeke day which makes thee unfit to keep it when it comes If I command a servant to doe some businesse for me afarre off put case he doe make himselfe drunke by the way and so be unfit to doe my businesse he sins against my command So if thou doe that upon the weeke day which makes thee unfit
to keep the Lords day when it comes thou breakest that Commandement Thou seest many worldly men they bury themselves under the earth all the weeke and they have neither life nor leasure to come to the Congregation of Gods people on the Lords day or if they doe they sit like blocks upon benches and have more mind of the world then of the word of their pence then of their prayers So thou seest many a wanton boy and girle who would nothing but play all the weeke and when the Lords day comes they mind nothing else and so are disgraces to the Assemblies where they are These sinne against the Lords day before it comes and so mayst thou and heed it not Thou mayst also break it when it is gone by not answering the end of it The Prophet Esay Esa 2. speaking of these dayes saith That we shall encourage one another to goe up to the house of the Lord that he may teach us his wayes and we walke in his pathes This should be thy end now of keeping the Lords dayes But when God doth not teach thee his wayes and then thou dost not walke in his pathes notwithstanding all the teaching which shines about thee then thou breakest the Lords day when it is gone And thus thou now seest how thou breakest all the Commandements every day And never wonder at it seeing the Law exacts perfect obedience to justification but is weake to give it Rom. 8.3 because of the flesh Indeed the Gospel gives more strength so as by grace thou mayst keep it in desires purposes endevours with all sincerity and willingnesse for thy sanctification though not perfectly for thy justification but I enquire yet of thy naturall state and of that thy answer is given and opened by me Vse Therefore my child seriously think upon it that it may wound thy heart with the spirit of bondage so farre as to bring thee over to Jesus Christ Rom. 8. Most men are like Saul who when he saw Samuel after the destruction of Amalek said 1 Sam. 15. Blessed be thou of the Lord I have kept the commandements of God so they have kept them also they are neither whore nor thiefe they keep their Church and are good neighbours and some men say as Shadrach Dan. 3. Meshech and Abednego to Nebuchadnezzar in another case We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter or to keep thy commandement so they care not to enquire into it or know whether they keep or breake them But as thou lovest thy soul let it not be so with thee As I have asked thee carefully so feele conscionably thy answer that thou breakest them that thou mayst lye down in shame and confusion in thy selfe that thou mayst be prepared for Jesus Christ Think that thou wert in Adam when he brake the whole Law of nature Thinke how prone thy nature is to all sinnes even the worst that ever were committed Thinke how thou sinnest daily against the whole body of Justice in many petty sinnes which makes thee groane and cry daily forgive us our trespasses Thinke that though there be but one Market day in seven for provision for thy soule yet thou sinnest against it before it comes and when it is gone as well as when it is and so barrest the blessing of it from thy soule And when thou seriously thinkest of these things between God and thy own soule thinke again what will become of thee if thou die in thy sinnes and come to answer before a just God who cannot endure to behold iniquitie It may be that if God blesse thy conscience may be rowzed to hearken further concerning thy estate and never give over hearkening and enquiring till thou have found a way into Jesus Christ If thou wilt know more tell me 20. Q. What punishment is appointed for them that breake Gods commandements A. Gods curse which is the everlasting destruction both of body and soule Remember how farre thou hast gone Of Gods curse upon sinners Thou wert made to serve God thou shouldst serve him according to his laws thou breakest all these laws and for this by nature thou doest lye under this curse of God of which thou here speakest Deut. 27.26 Deut. 28. Levit. 26. Moses speaks of this Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of the Law to doe them and He shews the particulars of this curse upon body soule and state Gal. 3.10 Paul expounds it more clearly Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And Christ speaks of the height of it Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels It is most miserable to be in such a case yet thou art in it by nature Eph. 2. as thou art born a child of wrath an heire of hell God curseth when he doth inflict punishment Men curse when they wish ill one to another as poxe plague gallows vengeance and confusion or hurt any way to body or soule These are kinds and formes of speech savouring of the belched-up froth of carnall and devillish hearts But God curseth when he inflicteth punishments Thou wouldst thinke it a great curse to have a father mother master or mistresse who should doe nothing but beat bruise and wound thee day and night In stead of feeding thee beat thee in stead of cloathing thee beat thee in stead of refreshing thee beat thee in stead of giving thee rest and sleep beat thee so is it a farre more miserable estate to lye day and night under Gods flayles of punishments The punishment which God inflicts is eternall destruction of body and soule To be destroyed in body is a fearefull punishment to be destroyed in soule is more fearefull to be destroyed in body and soule is more fearefull yet but to be destroyed in body and soule everlastingly is most fearfull it cannot be expressed it is endlesse easelesse and remedilesse What the destruction of body and soule is This destruction is double the destruction of sin and the destruction of misery By this thou mayst know that thou hast the destruction of sinne when thou art not used to that end which God made thee for God made thee to serve him thou shouldst serve him by keeping the law thou breakest the law and hast this part of the curse the destruction of sinne If I had a piece of timber squared fawed and framed if I use it not to this end but let it lye and rot in the durt it is destroyed If thou hadst good apparell and shouldst not weare it but let it lye in the high way for horse and carriages to go over for swine to rent it is destroyed so it is with thee when the world flesh and devill abuseth thee and thou art not used to Gods end By this thou mayst know that thou hast the destruction of misery when
the word by the preaching of his faithfull servants for if conscience be imperfectly sighted there will lurke many a secret sin which will wound at the latter end Secondly by Art when the devill useth all his skill his methods and depths to make a sinne secret to us Ordinarily he useth foure Commendation of others thus pride is commended for cleanlinesse drunkennesse for good fellowship duelling for gallantnesse of spirit and then conscience sleeps and there lies a secret sinne Custome is a second when men have long traded in it the guilt lies hid Certe quum fuit mos nec fuit culpa Thus came in the Polygamy of the Patriarchs and thus bribery extortion and common-swearing by God or faith or troth come to be hid from conscience Yea have not we done many things of custome about the Lords day the Lords worship beside in our ordinary course which upon better Information we rejoyce now to be rid of Profit is a third When a course brings in gain lulls the conscience in the glorious sight of it awhile and it falls asleep Then you may bring in profit enough and conscience takes no notice of it and thus lurks a secret sinne This makes covetousnesse to many counting gaine godlinesse to some and many lying and cousening tricks in trading to be secret sinnes seldome or never noticed to Conscience Pleasure is a fourth When thoughts words or deeds have pleasure in them conscience is soone charmed to take no notice of them and so growes a secret sinne Thus pride wantonnesses drinkings and a thousand dalliances are hid from the eyes of this worlds wantons to be sins thorough the pleasures of them and this is Satans art to make many sins secret sinnes Thirdly sinnes may be secret by the Just Judgement of God When God justly blinds the eyes of sinners that will not come to Christ that they might be saved Joh. 5. and gives them to blindnes of mind that seeing they may see Rom. 1. not perceive Of this we have three fearful examples in Scriptures The Gentiles whom God gave over to vile affections to which they Indulged without sense because they basely dishonoured God in their heathenish Idolatry The Jews who because they shut their eyes against the beames of Christs Majestie in his preaching and miracles were given up to call for his bloud upon them and upon their children This was a secret sinne to them 1 Cor. 3. for if they had known they would not have crucified the Lord of life Antichristian Christians who because they receive not the love of the truth 2 Thess 2. that they might be saved God gives them over to believe lyes that they might be without repentance damned and so all their foolish abominations and wicked Idolatries are secret sinnes to them And thus have I demonstrated this object that the best in some kind or other have secret sinnes Use Therefore this must stirre up your care to set your watches to finde out these secret ones as well as you can If you knew there were a thiefe lurking secretly in your house you would feare the danger set watches and search every corner much more must you doe it for your souls which are in danger every minute by your secret sinnes Nature is blind flye to the light of Gods word The course of the world is deceitfull walke in the path of the righteous Gods Judgement is grievous provoke him not with the love of any sinne The very thought of a secret sinne me thinks should make you watch and watch again and again Ob. You will say that you have enough sinne which you know to look unto Sol. That is true and more then enough For sinne is worse then hell and to be in sinnes hand is worse then to be in Satans for sinne onely makes him hold fast Ob. But if sinnes are secret you will say surely they are of little value Sol. But I tell thee sinnes are not valued by their secresie but by their nature and object against whom c. The smallest sinnes doe no small hurt Drops of raine are very small yet may they make great flouds A bird may be caught by one claw as well as by the whole body A boy may creep in at a window better then a man and let in the strongest thiefe that is to come in so may the smallest sinne let in the greatest Therefore I say to all watch against secret sins If you will close with me now ask Q. How you may find out a secret sin How secret sinnes may be discovered Prov. 28. I shal give you the best light I can First you may find thē out by fear Blessed is he that feareth always for such a man wil not harden his heart Fear will make a man suspect every thing that hath not sound warrant and thoroughly to examine all thoughts words deeds A man finds by the daily losse of things that a secret thiefe doth hant his house He is loth to suspect those that are approvedly known to be honest people but he will have a strict eye upon every man else and examine his busines his calling Jon. 1. his living and his expenses and so at last he wil discover him So you loose every day some strength in grace some comfort some peace some good or other You will not suspect known inclinations thoughts words or deeds which are approved by the plaine words of Scriptures But if they be other grounded upon ignorance custome profit pleasure honour suspect and try them and out will the secret sins come which must be abandoned Secondly thou maist finde them out by drawing things from trade to truth To make a trade of any sinne doth at last make a sinne secret Commit it once and it is grievous Commit it a second time and it is light Commit it a third time and it is desireable Commit it a fourth time and it is delightfull Commit it a fift time and it is defensible Commit it a sixt time and it is insensible and so it becomes a secret sinne But now draw it before the truth of Gods word and the light of it will shew the foulnesse of it and the foulnesse of it will make it questionable the questioning of it will open the guilt the guilt bindes the conscience and then except conscience be out-faced by impudency it will be secret no longer Thirdly thou maist finde them out by Repentance Let the terrours of the Almighty the love of God the bloud of Jesus Christ and the ghastly sight of death and judgement work thy guilty soul but to repent or to repent of one sinne and thou wilt finde out many secret sinnes A penny is but a little piece of silver in it self but put it into a Payle of fair water and it seems as big as a shilling So put thy least sinne into a watery and penitent soul and it will be of a vast bignesse Thou shalt see that in due
unclean soul The property of sin is to make a blot which is so running an infection that it makes you prone to fall into the same sinne a second time And the effects of sin are such staines and pollutions such blots and spots which stick to our persons goods and all utensils even to heaven it self and therefore all creatures groan under the burthen of vanity that they must be purged by fire Rom. 8. 2 Pet. 3. If you say though it be a pollution yet it is easily washable I would not have you deceived for then Christ should never have been sent Who by himself purged our sinnes Heb. 1.3 Psal 51.2 nor David would have prayed wash me thoroughly from my sinnes nor would Peter have wept so bitterly nor would Mary Magdalen have taken such paines with her teares and locks at Christs feet If Abanah and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus would have deeded it for Naamans Leprosie he would not have been sent to Jordan nor should high meanes and such strong pains have been used for the cleansing of sinne if a lesser matter would have fetched it off Ob. But be it so you will say of other sins yet what is that to secret sins Sol. Much everv way They have all the same nature A man is a man though he be hid among the bushes as Adam A man is a man though he lye secretly among the stuffe as Saul Yea a childe is a man in kinde though in stature he be not so So is it with sinne and therefore secret sinnes are pollutions as well as others Use Therefore as you love your souls forget not Davids sinnes Oh cleanse me from my secret sinnes The very thought of it may make you tremble when you finde your souls under greater guilt and the very thought must make you carefull to brush off the least rubbish What ugly creatures are we by sinne Job was so full of scabs and sores that he was scarce known to his friends and odious to his wife So is every sinner in the sight of God who is a God of pure eyes and cannot endure to behold iniquitie Therefore say you as Peter to Christ Joh. 13. Lord not onely my feet but my head and hands But alas you will say my sins open and secret have been of so long continuance that they will not out Be not deceived it is God that must do the work not with sope and niter but with Christs bloud Christs bloud must do it by way of expiation the holy spirit by way of immediate application faith by way of instrumentall application and holinesse and righteousnesse by way of infusion repression and mortification God can make our garments white by the bloud of the Lamb. He that could create all things of nothing can create clean hearts and hands against all the world Only be sure that you cast your selves upon God for the purity of your souls against all sinnes whatsoever open and secret God will not cleanse one except you be weary of are willing to cleanse all One favoured sinne is like a dead flye which corrupts the whole boxe of ointment Have you souls to cleanse Have you a Saviour to cleanse them by his bloud spirit and word Engage your Saviour to this work and put the whole work to this Saviour in his way or else you shew but little care of your souls Remember what one said well of old thou hast two eyes if one be out the other will help thee to see two ears if one be stopt the other will help thee to hear two hands if one be cut off the other will help thee to work two feet if one be lame the other will help thee to walk but thou hast but one Soul lose that and lose all let that lye rotting in sinne thou lettest all thou hast lye rotting Take heed be not so desperately prodigal Let this day be the last day of thy presumptuous sinning put thy soul upon God both against open and secret sinnes and for these last go in his way of righteousnesse and holinesse and cry out unto him Lord cleanse me from my secret Faults Amen CHRIST EXALTED amongst men OR A Sermon preached in Covent Garden upon MATTH 13.45 46. 45. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls 46. Who when he had found a pearl of great prize he went and sold all that he had and bought it THis is a Parable and it lies in a goodly bed of many others The whole Scripture is like a garden particular places are like a quarter in which are many choice beds for rarest flowers and this Text is one among the rest This Chapter speaks under fimilitudes many excellent things concerning the Gospel of Christ Jesus The intertainment of the Gospel in the parable of the seed sowne in four sorts of ground whereof there is but one good The opposition of the Gospel in the parable of the tares sowed among the good corne The power of the Gospel in the parables of the Musterd-seed and leaven And the prize of the Gospel in the treasure hid and this of the Merchant man You therefore now good Christians are to attend from hence unto the prize of the Gospel about which I le commend but two considerables 1. The worth of the Gospel 2. What a good man will bid for it The worth of the Gospel is here valued four wayes 1. By the place where it is In the kingdome of heaven not of the world 2. By the person that trades for it A Merchant man no base begger 3. By the commodities of it Pearles of great prize no rattles nor babies 4. By his Invinceable diligence about it He seeks it till he finds it no slothfull sluggishnesse It being thus valued the good man will bid highly for it for he sells all he hath to buy it Thus you have it in summe I will not crumble out this bread of life and trouble you with intricate particulars but winde up all in the two propounded heads First That the Gospel is of great worth and to make good this The Gospel is of a great worth let us look to the four valuations of it and first by the place where it is in the kingdom of heaven This represents unto us the Church of Christ The place of the Gospel Dan. 4.39 God hath a three-fold kingdome of Power of which it is said his kingdom is from generation to generation that is the power and soveraignty which he exerciseth over all of Glory of which it is said Matth. 19.33 A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven that is into that estate over which God ruleth by unmoveable Glory and of Grace wherein Christ doth rule graciously by his word and spirit that is his Church and of this he speaketh here This is the place in which this Merchant trades And in truth this is called the kingdom of heaven in six respects In respect of
Christ because the Church is the royal seat of Christ he is in it as in his kingdom Apoc. 1. Matth. 28. and walks in the midst of the seven candlesticks is with thē always to the end of the world In respect of lawes because the Church hath heavenly laws given by the King of heaven and earth even the everlasting laws of Charitie to God in Christ 1 Cor. 13. and all the Saints In respect of the plants which are planted in it All Gods people in the Church are like trees planted by the rivers of waters Psal 1.3 but to be transplanted in Gods due season to heaven The Church is the nurcery depending upon the great orchard or garden of heaven where onely no weed grows and therefore is it called the kingdom of heaven In respect of the Inhabitants of the Church They are in their better parts Citizens with the Saints Eph. 3. Gal. 6. Col. 3. Eph. 2. and of the houshold of faith who have their conversation in heaven and sit in Christ in heavenly places In respect of the order and reference that God hath made between heaven and the Church As Jacob said of Bethel so may we of the Church Gen. 28.17 This is none other but the house of God and the gate of heaven As a great house which hath an hall for the family to meet in and chambers to rest in for them who properly belong unto it so is the Church and heaven The Church is the place of repast Joh. 14. and heaven of many mansions for rest Lastly in respect of the use that is made of it As heaven doth help these inferiour bodies three wayes by motion and light and influence So the Church doth help to all that she can reach unto moving up and down Man like a company of pilgrims 1 Pet. 2. and strangers for the gathering together of the body of Christ out of all mankinde It carryed the law out of Sion Esa 2. and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem to bring us poore heathens to be of the inheritance of Christ Psal 2. and to make the uttermost parts of the earth to be his possession It is like the heavens and firmament Psal 19. which declares the Glory of God amongst every speech and language that Christ may rule there It carries light to them that sit in darknesse Lumine Matth. 4. and in the region of the shadow of death giving the light of knowledge as from the face of Jesus Christ and the light of life that others seeing their good works 1 Pet. 2. may glorifie God in the day of their visitation It gives the Influences of grace from their faith hope and charitie Influentia 1 Cor. 1◠to warme the hearts of those that belong to Christ and to help forward their new birth and their growing in grace by the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ Jam. 1. 2 Pet. 3. Seeing therefore that the Church is the royal seat of Christ hath the laws of Christ is a nursery for heaven is Jerusalem which is from above full of heavenly Citizens Gal. 4. is the place of repast for Gods servants before their rest and hath such an heavenly use by her motion light and influence it is no wonder that it should be called the kingdom of heaven Use 1 Let every one of us think of it to our comfort and to our exhortation Be comforted I beseech you to see the glorious priviledges of Gods people that even in this world they dwell in the kingdom of heaven yet in heaven on earth not in heaven Travellers tell us that they that are on the top of the Alpes may see showers under them which they overlooke but they come not at them and if you make use of this priviledge to live in the kingdom of heaven ye may overlook your troubles and not be disjoynted by them The very Philosopher could say out of all well pleasance with his morall and naturall fansies unto the tyrant that beat him in sunder piece-meale Beat Beat Tunde tunde Anaxarchum non tundes thou shalt not beat out Anaxarchus He would keep his heart in the ruines of his body Much more may a Christian keep his life of faith when the outer man and all things belonging unto it doth utterly perish and come to this worlds nothing Use 2 Be exhorted also all you Christians who professe your selves to be members of the Church to live like those that are in the kingdom of heaven Some live in a region of darknesse and some live as in the confines of hell God forbid it should be said so of you Heare that fearfull speech the fearfull who dare not shew themselves for Christ but fear man more then him the unbeleeving who Apoc. 21.8 Apo. 22.15 notwithstanding the offers of grace doe stand out against Christ and not rest upon him for salvation the abominable who thinke and doe abhorred things the murtherers who are cruell against Gods peoples bodies and soules and whoremongers who give themselves to the uncleannesses of body and soule and sorcerers who give themselves to spels enchantments delusions conjurations and witchcrafts to dishonour Christ and Idolaters who thinke to convey Gods worship to him by Saints and Angels or Images or any other superstitious way and therefore doe fall down or do other respects before them with reference to God and all lyers who forge and faine devises in hypocrisie to bring in false wayes in hypocrisie or otherwise are enemies to that truth which belongs to their neighbours shall have their part in the lake which burnes with fire and brimstone which is the second death Take heed and be none of these if you would live in the kingdome of heaven Otherwise the kingdom shall be taken from you notwithstanding your strength and confidence and given to a nation which will bring forth amendment of life answerable to this good kingdome of heaven Secondly the Gospel is valued by the person that trades for it A Merchant man The person that trades for the Gospel This doth represent a true Christian in the Church who is more honoured by the Gospel then the Gospel can be honoured by him Yet the honour of the Gospel upon them seemes to reflect upon it self For as the Merchants of Tyrus are called by Ezechiel the companions of Princes so Christians are Christs fellowes who trade for the Gospel Psal 45.7 which surely shews the worth of it Mark then Christians are Meachants That Christians are Merchants and truely this may easily be demonstrated by comparing what we finde to be proper to Merchants with that which answereth in a Christian state First a Merchant hath his sea his ship his Merchandise and his losses and so hath a Christian His Sea that is the world This tosseth him up and down and he sees the wonders of God in this deep As John saith in another case I saw before
ever He is not the best Archer that drawes the strongest Bowe and shoots the longest length but he that gives the best lose so he is the best Christian who hath so lived that he doth dye well Therefore be sure to have care of your souls in prosperitie adversitie and when death comes If you will ask me Reasons why you must havâ— such a care of your souls There is good cause why Because it is more to make soul good now then to create it at first Then there was onely Gods consultation 2 Cor. 5.19 A participle of the present time signifies a continuall terme of time without intermission Let us make man and his resolution and fiat let it be done and it was so but now God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself He was about it and is doing of it still and will never end till the world ends By how much harder it is to make a soul good by so much more you must care for your souls Secondly Matth. 16. nothing can make up the losse of a soul Christ saith What will it profit if a man gain the whole world and lose his own soul All that cannot make it up to us By how much greater the losse of a soul is by so much greater care must you have of your souls 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Thirdly the soul is not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ By how much more precious the soul is by so much more must you care for it Fourthly there is no proportion betwixt the whole world and the soul Satan will give all â—â— r that Matth. 4. and think himself to have a â—â— od bargain as you see in his offer to â— rist That which is more worth then â—â— e world you must have a speciall care â—â— f and such are your souls Lastly if you â— ose your souls the losse must be made â— p not onely to you Mic. 6.6 7. but to God whose â— hey are and I pray tell me wherewith â— ill you come before God and bow your â—â— lves to the most high God Will you come â— efore him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl Will you give your first born for your transgression and the fruit of your body for the sinne of your soul All will be found too little to make up the losse of your soul to God and surely that which is not in the power of man to make up if he lose it must be kept with all care Use 1 Weigh therefore the truth of which I have convinced you and try your cares for your souls and be provoked to be more carefull Hos 4.15 Though Israel play the Harlot saith Hosea yet let not Judah sinne and though all the world be carelesse yet be you carefull of your souls Josh 24.15 When Joshuah saw the wickednesse of Israel he said Choose you this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord so say you let others suffer their souls like Lambs-grease to melt away in sinne yet I will have a care yea I will have care to keep my soul by Gods hands Ob. It may be you will say you have thiâ— care of your souls what ever men may think Sol. Then try and see impartially whaâ— you most pitch upon If a man could seâ— the whole care of men what could he finde One cares for the back another for the belly a third for worse but who cares for the soul That lies rotting in a thousand lusts though thou knowest not how soon thou shalt say to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my brother and sister Indeed you come to the Congregations pray devoutly hear reverently note diligently But will ye be all ear All for carrying in nothing for carrying out from the strength of prayer and preaching To eat much and have no evacuation will soon stifle and suffocate nature so the poor soul will be choaked if from the strength of what it feeds upon it do not work for the Grace of Christ and against the sinnes of nature and life Therefore try as you love your souls try your care Use 2 Secondly be provoked to be more carefull for your souls and as Solomon saith Prov. 4. Guard thy heart with all diligence so say I of thy soul which is all one Say as one when he was tempted to do fearfull things against himself Had it not been for this soul I had not been here now Charles the fift when he was sollicited by a great Counsellour Antonius de Lena to cut off all the petty Princes of Germany and then he should rule alone Anima anima cried out My soul my soul Nay saith that Tyger if your Majesty have a soul give over your Empire The Emperour had a care of his soul this bloud-sucker had none God keep our King and all Christian Princes from such Counsellers in these distracted dayes and ever Let men prize souls at never so low a value have you a care of yours The soul is for Christ to live in by faith The soul is the Master-wheel of all our acts The soul is the chief seat of the image of God The soul is the maker of all our actions good if it be good it self So much good soul as is in every act so much goodnesse is in it Therefore care for your souls Remember that Christ died for souls He emptied himself of glory for souls He swet drops of bloud for souls He cried out I thirst for souls What He that endured so much could not he endure a little thirst at the last Yes yes He thirsted that all the prophesies might be fulfilled for the good of souls Esa 53. How we must care for cur souls He made his soul a sacrifice for sin for souls Shall he do so much to shew so great care and will not you care a little for your souls Q. It may be you will ask me how shall I care for my soul A. I answer do what thou canst to get it out of natures clawes a kinde mother is turned into a cursed mother-in-law Oh put off concerning your conversation in times past the old man and put on the new yea be changed in the spirit of your mindes Let Christ dwell in your souls by faith for this work This hath a preserving power to keep thy soul from rotting Joh. 3.16 he that believeth shall not rot and perish Keep thy soul from the lusts of sinne Put it to a daily task by meditation and prayer for an idle soul will be a sinning soul 2 Sam. 11. Let thy soul work all her works before God think that he stands by with a Pen of Iron Jer. 9. and point of a Diamond to engrave all thy sins and vertues for memory Acquaint thy soul with death Job 18.14 This is the King of terrours which will rouze thee from the dead sleep of security And lastly 2 Cor. 8.5 Give thy soul to God in Christ O Lord when thou committedst my soul to me in Adam I lost it Oh trust me no more As thou wilt not trust me with my life for thou hast hid my life in Christ so trust me not with my soul Thou hast bought it with a price 1 Cor. 6. therfore I humbly and heartily and trustingly commit it it into thy hands oh keep the soul of thy servant Now the God of Peace trample Satan under your feet shortly for the good of your souls and he sanctifie you in body soul and spirit that ye way be found blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Amen Glory be to God on high and in earth Peace and good will towards men FINIS