of sinne As concerning those notions which were left in them and were in stead of a law they were onely enough to condemne them not otherwise The most ignorant and vicious among them easily blew out that dimme sparke they had by the blast of their strong lusts and were giuen vp to a reprobate sence and horrible lusts Their most morall Philosophers although to the shame of Christians it may bee spoken hatcht vp their sparkles of dimme light to some measure yet as touching the true knowledge of sinne they had it not they thought some sins no sins some sins vertues and some vertues vices and the sinnes they saw they neuer saw them by a word or in the curse due to them they saw a dimme twilight of an vnknowne GOD vertue vice punishment or reward and therefore were farre from any true enlighting Q. But what doth the Law worke in particular A. Two distinct things Knowledge and conviction For the first reade Rom. 7. I had not knowne sinne if the Law had net said Thou shalt not lust In which respect sinne is said to raigne from Adam to Moses yea and vnder the old Law in respect of any conuincement But since the Ministery of the Word of reconciliation came the Lord hath enlarged the power of the Ministery of the Law as a preparatiue thereto in the hearts of men As Paul saith 1 Cor. 10. Those that heare the word plainly preached and by name the Law in the true spiritâ—all sence and sauor of it they fall downe and say that God is in you of a truth Not that the Ministery of Christ is properly Legall for we are Ministers of reconciliation but not excluding it Christ came not to destroy the Law in the doctrine of it for it leades to Christ saue in the rigour and dominion of it The Law then first searches the soule it s the candle of the Lord and pierces the bowels of the spirit those secret windings corners shifts and euasions of it bee they neuer so colourable and subtill It is as a great torch-light in the dead time of night in the hand of an Inquisitour which searches an house for Papists and Iesuites and finds them in their Masse and takes them with all their bookes and trinkets As the persecutors of the Saints searched all vaults and priuy doores barnes and mowes of hay and corne with speares sharp spits and swords so is the Law acted by that spirit of conuincement and search Ioh. 9. the discouerer of the thoughts and Heb. 4.12 pierceth between the ioynts and marrow The Lord hath giuen it authority ouer the conscience as his owne Bayliff to hunt out and discerne sinne in the colours in the kinds of it open secret thoughts affectioÌ„s yea concupiscence not the bare letter of the Law but the spirit for Paul notwithstanding al Gamaliels teaching knew it not And the conscience of the vnregenerate being once thus stirred is as the light of the Law to bring God into ech priuy part Not a dimme twilight but a Sunne at noonetide which shines froÌ„ East to West all ouer the spheare of Heauen and makes euery soule come out as Adam from the bushes by the voyce of God so cleerly bewraying a man to himselfe that for the time hee thinkes all other men see him pointed at by the finger of GOD. Q. How is it that the Law of GOD is the reuealer of sinne A. That most Holy and wise God who first contriued and vttered it put the light of his owne pure Maiesty into it and enabled it to discouer sinne to the soule not as other Lawes to speake to the eare but to the conscience and although there is no commandement in the whole booke of God Psal 19 Psal 119. Heb. 4.12 Eph. 5.10 11. Ioh. 3.20 which comes not from the same Author and spirit of light and truth yet the Lord hath more peculiarly put this power of Enlightening into this his morall Law as conteyning a more full exact and cleer view of all sinne both in the Nature and penalties of the same and according to his ordinance so it worketh not by the bare ten words syllables but the effectuall Ministery thereof accompanyed with the Spirit And looke what I say of light the same I adde of coâ—uiction also and her worke both are put into the Law by the same GOD whose fingers wrote it Q. Is vnbeleefe of the Gospell discouered by it A. No The Law is a modell of the righteousnes of Creation in which there was no need of fayth therefore it onely reueales those sinnes which make vs guilty without a remedy that it might dryue vs to seeke a remedy Yet we must not thinke it an imperfect light for this cause For as no man calles the Rules of Grammar imperfect because the Rules of Rhetorique are not in it so none can call the discouery of the Law insufficient because it reueales not the sinnes against the Gospell Q What sinnes doth the Law discouer A. All sorts by name Actuall and originall Q. What need any more be sayd of thiâ— haue we not heard enough of the nature of Misery in the third Aâ—ticle both in Sinne and death A. Euen that we spake there flowes from no other spring then the Law of God onely heere we adde this Article to that for this cause In that we onely bounded misery within her Compasse shewing wherein it lyes simply considered But when wee adde The Law reueales sinne wee meane as sinne and the curse lyes vpon vs as we are guilty of it and cursed by it the Law doth set the saddle vpon the right horse and so shewes sinne in her colours to the soule that it might apply the knowledge of it to thee and me in particular and this is a further worke Q. Well proceed to the enlightning worke of the Law about Actuall sinne what is it A. First the Law in the spirituall Ministery thereof doâ—h disperse those mysts and skales of the blindeye that suffer not light to enter Secondly It opens and giues light to the eyes to see sinne in her true colors For the first According to the sorts of sinners so doth the Law take away their lets of knowledge Take three or fore Instances Put case CHRIST had purpozed to enlighten a Pharise in the knowledge of sinne he would haue remmooued all the corruptions of the Law and darknes of the text They had establisht a Corban which might free a child from the fifth Commandement as their heires the Papists at this day dispence with any murthers or villanies if for their Catholique cause and ends They had curtolled the law in point of her extent confining her to some grosse crimes and taken away the key of light from the people about particulars They had set vp an exposition of their owne inuention they had made what they listed to bee sinne and what they pleased to be none they had soothed the people vp in this course and sowed pillows vnder
for if the surâ—ty faile in any point his vndertaking is vneffectuall Greatmen must haue their Peeres to acquit them no common persons Sâ—e Rom. 1.3 Eph. 1. vlt. Q What is the vse of it A. Briefly this to stay and comfort an heauy heart in the view oâ— the hainous circumstances of her sinne making it out of measure sinfull as depth of continuance odious greatnesse against knowledge meanes of grace with an high hand Bee not dismaid Hee that is thy surety made not thy peace for small and some but all and the greatest so that thy thought must be how to receaue this fulnesse Heb 9 14. not for the greatnesse of the sinne The Lord Iesus offred himselfe vp by his eternall Spirit that an eternall Maiesty might bee appeased for sin of an eternall guilt and curse and such is all sin but especially crying sin his merit is more out of measure deseruing then sinne is sinnefull and hath merited far more happinesse then Adams sinne forfeited Get humblenesse and faith and then thy great sins shall be as deaw to the sunne and as a spoonefull of water cast into the Ocean Q What is the third thing considerable A. Vnion of both natures into one person by the vnconceauable work of this Spirit of God It s much that a soule and a body but much more that flesh and the Word should be really one person I doe not say that the Diuinity of Christ was a nature as the humanity for Christ was so a nature that yet a distinct subsisting person of himselfe But the meaning is that this person of the Word tooke the nature of his flesh into his person therein to subsist The flesh of Christ was no person as Abraham or Dauid but a nature onely hauing no subsisting of it selfe at all but as it dwelt in the Godhead As Misleto is no plant of it selfe otherwise then it fastens and subsists in the appletree So that Iesus Emanuel God and man vnited was the third qualification of the surety Assistance could not haue caused identity or samenesse onely hypostaticall vnion could do that By vertue whereby not onely properties are communicated to ech other in forme oâ— speech as The Lord of life was slayne GOD dyed c. but in reall manner the efficacy of the one nature was imparted to the other Yet this vnion doth no more admit confuzion then separation no not in the lowest degree of eclipsing in death or the graue See text Ioh. 1.1 â—say 1.4 Call him Emanuel Mat. 1.23 Q. What is the vse heereof A. Most sweet lo all broken soules in their approch to the throne of grace What is so bottomles and vnsubsisting a thing in it selfe as a soule in the anguish of conscience Yet euen then looke vp to Emanuel and he will vnite thy poore empty bottomlesse spirit to his owne person that in him thou mayst haue a reall beeing and subsistence Oh poore soule who thinkest thy selfe meerely lost in this thy estate In time thou shalt see it was mercy brought thee to be out of hope in thy selfe that the hope of thy wel beeing might be in him for euen the flesh of Iesus himselfe had the like vnablenesse of subsisting except the second person had taken it to himselfe Q. What is the vnction of Christ A. It is a consequent vpon his personall vnion whereby the Godhead made the man-hood full of himselfe and of all gifts and graces of the Spirit meet to enable him to his worke of mediation and by name separated him from men to be excellent as to be the Prophet Priest and King of his Church That this was from the wombe appeares by sundrie glorious effects exceeding man as that in Luk. 2. at twelue yeeres old Yet especially his Baptisme was the anoynting of him to the entire and immediate execution of these Offices for therein hee did more fully receiue the anoynting with the Oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes as was prophecied Psal 2. Esay 42.1 and Esay 61.1.2 He was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliuer his people And these offices do mutually serue each other The vse is that wee his members might acknowledge him an eminent Mediator as hauing a calling from GOD as those three sorts of Men had vnder the old Testament And that we might be out of doubt that the acts and suffrings he performed were allowed according to that voice This is my well beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And that wee knowing into what treasure the Lord hath put all his graces euen the flesh of Christ might there seeke and finde them all Therefore 1. Cor. 1.30 Paul sayth Of him are we who is made vnto vs of the Father wisedome as a Prophet righteousnes as a Priest sanctification and Redemption as a King Ioh. 1.17 Reuel 1.6 The Lord hath made him whatsoeuer his Church needes that of his fulnes we might receyue grace for feare And that we also in our measure together with vnion to him might receyue his vnction and become Prophets Kings and Priests to God and be conformed to our head in all his excellencies not in the poynt of his meritig but of his Graces Q. Proceed to the fourth the former part to wit the merit A. This is yet more essentiall then the former three The fourth then I say is Actiue obedience of Christ I do not separate the actiue from the passiue as if eyther alone could satisfie or as if I ascribed the effects of eyther to the one without the other but yet distinctly I speake of both for the vse of each of them to the soule Marke then what I haue noted The Lord Iesus became piacular for vs not onely by bearing our punishment but by translating vpon himselfe the reall imputation of our guilt with out the least measure of inherent guilt This latter would haue disabled his person for he must be separated from sinners Heb. 7.26 yet the want of the former would haue made his merit none of ours and his death vniustly inflicted Therefore he was made Sinne originall and actuall all the sins of the elect were charged vpon him that he by his perfect obedience might disanull them and bring in and settle vpon vs perfect righteousnes And as the miâ—ery of a man stands in both sinne and guilt and staine aswell as in curse so must our Surety performe righteousnes aswell as beare the curse Now this righteousnes of Christ is both his Naturall and his actuall opposite to this naturall and actual vnrighteousnes of Adam I say both the purity of his humane nature infused by Vnion aâ—d also the obedience to the whole Morall Law to the vttermost extent thereof And this is as true a part of the material cause of our iustification as the other of the Passiue though not to be disioyned Q Whereof doth this Article obedience consists A. Of the whole conuersation of our Lord Iesus his
Church Commonwealth What obnoxiousnesse to Satan to his instruments temptations mischiefe bondage to the vngodly suites seruices dependances with hard conditions crosses streights pursuites losses forfeits death of friends imprisonment accidents and shrewd turnes bad tydings confusion in the state famine warre pestilence and a 1000. waies for him to goe wofully out who came but one way into the world Besides griefe of minde melancholy passions and distempers of the spirit bad conscience ill marriage lewd children ill successe Ruine of estate and at last a miserable death And yet the vpshot of all is worst after viz. A finall separation â—rom God and losse of his eternall presence with the sence of vnutterable intolerable vnauoidable wrath of God in Hell vpon the whole man for euer without the least hope of helpe or redresse Q I partly conceaue this view and mappe of the misery of the fall now conclude the Article with some vse of it A. First heere is confutation of all Papists who flatly deny this Article and tell vs that our Nature is indeed shrewdly Vse 1 may med and wounded much like him who fell among theeues betweene Ierusalem and Iericho Luke 10.30 and left halfe dead But as for vs that maintaine this dying the death this quite and cleane deadnesse in sins and trespasses they cannot abide No say they there be left euen in the vnregenerate such abilities and devotions as may congruously dispose God to pardon them And by some helpe of grace merit also full fâ—rgiuenesse Yea they boast themselues of their performances and dâ—ties whereas Paul tels vs that all boasting is cut off And tels vs Rom. 3.27 Baptisme washeth away all originall sinne which yet Paul grones vnder the burden of beiâ—g regenerate Also all P lâ—gians or their adherents who affiâ—me that old Adam is as one in a darke dungeon who by reason of darknesse cannot see but if he haue a light put in hath his eyes very quicke and can see any thing and so wee want but light and then wee are able to discerne and apprehend any truth put into vs of our selues Also such as blanch the matter with the color of Grace added to our nature for by that say they nature being holpen can put on the cordes as Ieremy in the dungeon and addresse himselfe to come forth What hath a dead man with all the light and helpe in the World to addresse himselfe to liue Vse 2 This also reprooues all Naturall Papists that dote upon their ciuill morall or religious duties and deuotions and cannot abide to heare that those who so duly pay all debts all dues who giue so many almes to the poore heare so many sermons keep so many Sabbaths read so many good books keep so much good company commend the Ministers and welcome them and maintaine them should yet bee as the Publicanes and sinners I doe not say yee are but I say this Except ye also deny your selues and behold this misery of your Natures yee will fate woâ—se in time euen by your righteousnesse then if yee had nonâ— for â—hy doe ye not graffe upon a rotten stock and guild a rotten post So also such as commend mens natures in the point of religion saying Oh such are so sweetly natured courteous loâ—ing mild and harmelesse that there is but little betweene them and Heauen Alas how many of these sweet creatures are as bitter enemies to Gods grace as friends to ciuility and faire carriage Also such as aime at religion onely thus far to colour their wings and tip their tongues or their outward dealings with some outside but as for that heart within and nature they suspect not And to conclude such as being told of their passions defend theÌ„ by their nature It 's my nature to be so hot I haue soone done why poore foole thinkst thou thy nature is more excusable then thy passion and yet what is so common with men to say then this If I were an adulterer or drunkard I were willing the Minister should thus sharply rebuke mee but to be so bitter for mens infirmities and against that which we cannot doe with nor heale and auoide and against vnbeleefe or the like me thinkes he might be wiser Oh God would faine draw thee from the open to the secret sins of thy heart lest thy freedome from the grosser should destroy thee He would euen weary and tyre thee by thy cursed nature when thou seest all thy other defences are but dawbings with vntempered morter Thirdly This should cause thee to look vpward and to gage the greatnesse of Christs loue which could finde in his heart to Vse 3 satisfie for such a misery and to fetch happinesse out of the depth of it Euen in this Article is layd the foundation of thy esteeme of Christ in the next pâ—rt of the Catechisme Christ will be little set by the height and depth of mercy cannot bee sounded till thou take measure of it by a Reede of thy misery Little sinne to forgiue will make Christ little loued As we see at the Assyses that base theefe that thinkes to conceale some of his robberies and is loth to haue all come out at once fearing the mercy of the Iudge when his inditements come to bee read the second time loses his life Let vs beware lest it bee so with vs. Let not vs lessen and minse our sinnes in hope of more easie pardon but if we would magnifie the grace of Christ let vs first magnifie and enlarge our sin to the vttermost if Christ see that we rather hope in our small sin then his great grace we are dead men The way to get pardon is to equall his price to all our misery Say thus If Lord my sin had beene onely a share in Adams eating and no more or in some actuall few euils or if in the meere priuation of some good things or in sin only and not in penalties or if in bodily only and not spirituall or if spirituall onely and not eternall somewhat might seeme to lessen thy loue but surely that loue that would satisfie for all rather then any should condemne me is of vnspeakeable dimensions Oh! learne by this how to esteeme the price of grace If each step of this first part if each of these Articles make thee not miserableâ— then other no Article of the second part shall be able to comfort thee Be confounded vnder the ruine of thy misery and vow with that good Iabez If the Lord will indeed rid me of all this great euill that it may not grieue me If he will enlarge my coast and bring me out of this heape of woe then he shall be my God and I will make songs of his mercy Oh! let all that haue beene sayd of this misery make thee goe as she Luke 13.11 bowed together vnder an intolerable burden Lay all together to make vp such a loade as may pinch thy shoulders and cry out Who shall deliuer me who could't thinke such
expiatory for our Redemption his obedience to parents walking in calling keeping company temptings fastings preachings and the like Q. Tell me what especiall heads may this whole worke of his meditation be referred to A. It s a maine point to consider of for the stay of a poore soule for seeing the scope of God and Christ was to giue and receiue so full a price of reconciliation that Iustice accepting it the sinne and curse of the elect might as fully bee pardoned and remoued as if they had neuer sinned or could themselues haue sufficiently satisfied it imports vs to be well seene in the contents hereof For looke how many heads there are thereof so many welheads or springs the soule hath to reuiue and encourage it selfe by in the approaching to the Father I answer then this whole price of Christ stood partly in a qualification of his person to be in case to satisfie Partly in the actuall performance of the satisfaction it selfe Q. Touching the qualification of person what doth it containe A. Two parts Vnion and Vnction Q. What meane you by vnion A. Three distinct things First the incarnation or flesh of Christ Secondly the diuinity of Christ Thirdly the ioyning of these two natures into one person or more truely the assuming of the nature of flesh into the second person of the Sonne of God not to swallow it vp but to retaine still each his owne distinct nature yet within Vnion Q. Proceed on and name the rest that they may be vnder our view all together and then we will touch them briefly in seuerall What meane you by vnction A. The calling or separation of the Lord Iesus being thus vnited in his natures to bee a meete Mediator which was the Sanctification of him in time actually to the worke of a Mediator to which before all time GOD had deputed him Q. Being thus qualified what is the performance it selfe A. It stands of two parts eyther meriting this price for all the elect or actuall applying it vnto them Q. What is the meriting part A It is a double performance both of Actuall obedience to the Law and suffering the curse required thereby and due to sinne Q. And how performed he these two A. By way of reall suretiship and no otherwise for taking vpon him the person of a Mediator to stand betweene wrath and vs not by Arbitrement as in humane Sequesterships but by payment for vs lo he takes therefore our person vpon him becomes piacular that is first seazed with our sinne by imputation that by his righteousnesse hee might deface it and fulfill the Law broken by vs and secondly seazed with our curse that by his suffring death hee might quit vs of the feare and punishment thereof This ground is to bee specially noted Q. Touching the latter of these his suffering or Passion because it hath the honour of a more immediatly essentiall obedience and merit tell me how many parts hath it A. Two the Sacrifice it selfe or Passion and the Conquest or victory ensuing it whereby hee gaue the Passion a full power to become or rather to bee declared satisfactory Q. To conclude what is the applying part A. The act of his interceding Mediation heere â—n Earth and especially in Heauen seruing to settle the merit of Redemption vpon all the elect in the due season thereof Q. You hauing giuen a brief view of this maine article tell mâ— why you call them wilsprings of saluation shew me the number of them and then in order shew what ech of them is with the vse thereof A. I first call them so because the Holy Ghost Esay 12.3 termes them so and because they are so many grounds of iustifying faith at least meanes of warranting the soule to apply a promise if duly preached and heard Their number is seuen First Incarnation Secondly Diuinity Thirdly Personall Vnion with Anointing attending it Fourthly Actuall obedience Fifthly Passiue Sixthly Conquest Seuenthly Applying of all to the elect Some of which although some doe feuer from the matter of Merit yet wee will heerein take liberty to differ from them by the warrant of the Word Q. What is the first and what meane you by Incarnation A. That by the power of the holy Ghost sanctifying the flesh of the virgin without any actiue principle of conueying sinne by man the Lord Iesus being conceaued in and borne of the poore Virgin did submit himselfe to such vnspeakable abasement as to take vpon him the nature of man Not of Abraham or Peter but of mankind the selfesame nature which sinned in the generality thereof That in and by it he might obey suffer those things which the Diuine Nature could not be capable of and that being seene dwelling and conuersing among men he might put it out of question that not for Angels but for our nature euen man fallen and cursed he became a satisfaction to God And that so he might bring this nature into an happy condition again and euery one that needs it might enioy it without any doubt or distrust See these texts Mat. 1.18 Luk. 35. Iohn 1.2 Gal. 4.4 Q. What vse is there of it A. Very great that the soule thirsty after mercy and yet priuy to her owne basenesse might by this flesh of Christ come the more boldly to plead for pardon as her owne purchased in her owne nature for her selfe whatsoeuâ—r Satan or vnbeleefe might obiect to the contrary What a comfort is it to thinke that our owne nature in CHRIST who is neere vs flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone being seazed with all our imputed sinne should yet in the same holy flesh of his woâ—ke out all righteousnesse and appease all iustice and that not for himselfe who had no sinne cleauing to him of his owne but for vs Esay 53. verse 4. 11. Oh it should cause great consolation and hope in a distressed fearefull soule But I onely point at the vses of these branches for shortnesse sake as a view of that which the larger handling hath more fully taught Q. What is the second branch A. That thâ— Lord Iesus our Mediator was true God also Not onely that it was the second person who tooke flesh but that God enabled man to doe and suffer that Gods iustice might except against neither as insufficient Eli hath a speech 1 Sam. 2.25 If man sinne against man man may bee a mediator of accord but if against God who shall be his surety I answer man if assisted with the power of God Alas although the flesh of Christ was holy yet finite and mortall no more able to equall Gods offence then a Dwarfe the talnesse of a Giant But as a Dwarfe set vpon a Giants shoulders equals a Giant so the acts and suffrings of the flesh of Christ as flesh set vpon his Diuinity made an equall satisfaction to Gods offended Maiesty The influence and valour of the Diuine nature assisting the humane for the fulfil ing of â—he merit
told them of a sonne for how could this and that stand together Nay wait vpon God and presse vpon him by prayer to performe his promise vpon this condition Elisha being to forgo his Master asked him that his spirit might be doubled vpon him Elia told him it was hard to grant howbeit if he saw him at their parting he should Now what did Elisha did he start from him Could any thing deuide him No he would be sure to keep the condition of the grant and so did For seeing Elia to ascend he cryed My father my father the Horsemen of Israel and the Chariots thereof and so in taking vp the cloake of his Master hee receaued his Spirit doubled Oh that this wisedome were in vs Rather the sinne of our hearers is after they haue spent a great part of their life in getting the condition they are so farre from heartening themselues to beleeue that God will perfect the worke of faith with power that they are ready to float betweene these two the Condition and the Performance If they be vrged to beleeue they fly to the condition saying yea if I had the condition but I am farre from mourning c. If they be vrged to the condition then they answer yea if I could beleeue as if these were works of our owne not the Lords rather the one contrary to the other then agreeable I end therefore with this caueat Let not the Deuill deceaue thee about thy condition and then hold what thou hast and let nothing so beguile thee as to deny Gods grace and so doing plead with the Lord humbly that he would not frustrate thy hope of which hee hath giuen thee such a pledge and in his best seasoÌ„ he wil assuredly answer thee Q. Now come to the latter branch What is it to cast the soule vpon a promise or to beleeue A. It is the last worke of the Calling Spirit of GOD wherby an humbled sinner doth cast himselfe vpon this Word of God Be reconciled come and drinke come and I will ease you or the like offer will charge or promise of God for pardon and life This point is of all others the chiefe and therefore I choze to refer it to this place as the vse of all that hath beene spoken ioyntly considered for wee know a fiuefold cord is not easily broken and yet no one twist thereof might well bee spared Fiue diuers grounds haue beene handled in this second part First God the Father our enemy hath cut off his plea and found out our deliuerance Secondly The Lord Iesus accordingly hath satisfied the iustice of God that mercy might haue free course by the procuring of a righteousnes Thirdly God the Father accepts this for a poore sinner as if hee in person had satisfied and therefore offers it to the soule most vnfeignedly without hooke or crooke Fourthly He offers him not nakedly but with all his rich furniture to draw the soule to fasten vpon him Fifthly He offers him to each poore member of his Church there to dwell for euer both in grace and Glory Now conclude I demand what one linke of all this chaine were not strong enough to draw the heart to settle it selfe vpon it And yet I must say this That the Word promise of God is the immediate thing which faith relyes vpon although strengthened with all the rest A little therefore of the nature of this promise Q. How many things are required to this consideration A. Two in generall The one to gage the promise and offer of God as a mariner would sound the depth of the Sea lest his ship should be on ground to see whether it be able to beare the weight of the soule or no and answer all her distempers and feares fully The second if it appeare that it is able to susteine it then to rely and cast it selfe vpon it confidently for her owne pardon and saluation Q. How shall the soule rightly gage the depth and strength of the offer and promise which it cannot reach A. Although the mariner cannot himselfe by his owne fadom touch the bottome of the Sea yet by his line and plummet hee can sound it as well as if hee could reach it with his hand and so fasten his Anchor vpon it so heere the plummet and cable of the Word wherein this strength and depth lyes will helpe vs to find it out so farre as may serue our turne The hand of fayth touches the depth of mercy conteined in the offer by the direction of the Spirit in the Word which tells vs what is contained therein Q How many things are conteyned in it A. Many things of which by the way I gaue a touch in Article three but heere I will open further Looke thither and see what I sayd of the freedome and Simplicity of the offer Now adde more touching the nature of the Word of promise which is Gods expression of the offer at the full Three things then the soule must looke at to bottome it selfe vpon the promise of Reconciliation and deliuerance First The wisedome of the Lord. Secondly The strength Thirdly The faythfulnes all which as sure grounds the Lord hath hidden in the promise of mercy to a poore sinner that is vnder the condition Q. What is the first the wisedome of GOD in the promise A. I may say of it as the Holy Ghost sayd of Salomon when hee called for a Sword to cut the Child All Israel sawe that God hath put the spirit of wisedome into him to doe iustice So God hath shewed all wisedome in the promise to settle the soule And that in two respects first of himselfe secondly of vs In respect of himselfe because in reuealing his heart of loue to the soule onely heerby and no other way he teacheth vs that he who is God onely wise 1 Tim. 1.17 could in the depth of his counsell find out no other way so wise and sufficient as this to ground the soule in sure peace towards him Christ and the promise in him was that which seemed the wisest of all wayes in the thought of God especially to vs vnder the Gospell See Heb. 1.1 After sundry wayes the Lord spake to our Fathers in darke times as dreames Vrim visions but now by his Sonne and Word the engrauen forme c. Note how this course is called the best and wisest and holdingest of all as hauing more in it then all the rest Oh! we would thinke in our shallownes that one from the dead Angels or reuelations were better But wisedome it selfe hath pitcht vpon this way all things considred as the wisest of 〈◊〉 Secondly in respect of vs For it is suche way as callâ—â— vs to fayth a promise hauing relation to beleeuing it without wch it cannot profit vs. Now if it bee without vs how wâ—â—e a way is it to quash and dampe our base spirit of Selfe-conceit and selfe endeauor and to abase our pride that he who boasteth might boast in the
stored and enriched by him This is that which the Apostle in Ephes 1.3 vrgeth Blessed bee God who hath blessed vs with all blessings in Heauenly places And Saint Peter Epist 2. chap. 1.3 His Heauenly power hauing supplyed vs with all things tending to life and godlinesse Q. But yet say somewhat in particular aboue these and first are all those benefits of one sort A. No. For though all are the water that floweth from this welspring yet for order sake wee shall doe well to helpe our conceit thereof with a distinction to avoide confuzion Some of these Benefits of Christ are concurrent with our first ingrafting with him and accompany our first conuersion and these I call benefits concerning a beleeuer in respect of that condition and estate of Grace whereto hee is called and in which hee is settled And these concerne this Article to handle Other are consequent vpon this condition as royalties and priuiledges following vpon it and stand not so much in the generall calling of a Beleeuer as in speciall belonging to it whether inward graces or outward blessings according to the seuerall promises in and by which God conueies them And I may well say The former sort doe conteine the full Right and Title of a Beleeuer to Christ himselfe the latter the possession of those good things which issue from him through the whole life and the diuers occasions thereof of which in three Parts Q. Name then those of the former sort that belong to the being or estate of a beleeuer A. The Holy Ghost in Scripture doth mention them according to the seuerall circumstances of our misery as that brought vs into an estate of guilt bondage and enmity with God so this brings vs by iustification to a contrary estate of peace by Redemption to an estate of liberty by reconciliation to amity with God and so of the rest All in substance are one recouery of an happy estate onely they differ in these respects Now for the naming of them the Holy Ghost doth it sometimes more briefly sometimes more fully briefly in 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made vnto vs wisedom righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Morefully in the 1. of the Eph. from the 3. to the 17. verse reade it ouer and we shall be informed of them Q How many things consider we in this Article of the benefits of Christ A. Three First the Difference Sâ—condly the Order Thirdly the Nature and vse of them to our selues As touching the first there is a fourefold difference to bee noted of them First that some of them are beforetime others in time And in this respect Election differs from all the rest For iustification reconciliation and the rest presuppose Christ already theirs and issue immediatly from him but Election is before Christ himselfe and presupposeth nothing but the first cause of Gods good pleasure and will And yet its true that in Christ we enioy all onely with difference becauâ—â— we are not elected for Christ but we are adopted and reconciled for him Election being that act of God from all eternity whereby foreseeing the ruine of man hee purposed out of his free will to chuse some of those fallen ones to mercy and saluation So that we see its one of the benefits of the beleeuer in Christ yet not for Christs sake but the Fathers who gaue Christ himselfe to this end that he might be a foundation of that whereof himselfe was a first cause The second difference is in respect of the benefits that follow Christ In which respect Vocation differs from all the rest For vocation is no fruit of faith as the rest are but of election seeing whom God elected hee calleth to know it Calling then is a benefit whereby God brings the soule to be capable of all the rest through faith in the Gospel and therefore concernes the elect as they are so in God not to themselues as yet and serues to this end to make them to know it by faith But none of the rest can be wrought in the soule without faith being the fruits of calling to faith as to be instified adopted c. The third difference is betweene those benefits of Christ which concerne vs in this life and those that reach to a better And the difference is great The former being such as releeue the necessity of our present condition in which wee are imperfectly conformed to Christ in his estate of Humility and beset with sinne Satan and enemies of this nature are our Iustification reconcialiation adopption and the like which all shall cease as faith hope and patience shall in respect of the euils they do heere conflict with although out of these relations the good of them shall abide as Sonship liberty amity and the like But faith in these benefits shall cease because all conflict with euill shall cease euill I say both of sinne and punishment Now for those that concerne the life to come in a perfect conformity to our Head they are of another nature and belong to that image of GOD renued in vs in righteousnes and holines which abide for euer begun heere in grace and perfected in glory These are in themselues the principall and faith howeuer heere it s all in all yet serues onely to settle this image vpon vs and hauing brought vs thereto shall cease The fourth and last difference is betweene the benefit it selfe which shall abide for euer and that will appeare if wee consider the difference betweene the state of an equall image of God to that which Adam lost and that which Christ hath purchased aboue it as an ouerplus If hee had onely purchased vnto vs the Image of God together with immortality hee had made vs as good as wee were created though wee had liued on Earth But because he being no creature but GOD tooke our flesh into himselfe that wee might bee as hee is and where he is therefore he hath cast in this ouerplus vnto vs that in stead of an Earthly Paradise with old Adam we shall enioy Heauenly mansions with CHRIST in the presence of God and there haue his Image and our immortality perfected But this note whatsoeuer difference there be in this all agree that they are the worke of the spirit of Christ settling all his benefits vpon the beleeuer Q. You haue spoken of the first Proceed to the second A. The second is the order of them Wherein although I see men to differ yet I will auoyd quarrels and for the good of the Reader speake my opinion Thus then I conceiue the first in order is vocation or regeneration as it concerneth the way and meane of begetting a soule to God the second is Vnion The third is Iustification the fourth is Reconciliation the fift is Adoption the sixt is Redemption the seuenth is Regeneration as it concernes the creation of Gods Image in a soule already borne and brought home to God the eyghth â—s â—anctificatâ—â—n immâ—â—â—â—â—ely issuing from it containing the mortifying and
quckening worke of the spirit of which more in the third part and the last is Glorification Q Let vs proceed to the opening of their seuerall natures and vses breefly so farre as serueth for our purpose A. It were endlesse to wade into all onely to shew the realnesse of them and the vse of them to the soule that it may see how richly Christ is offred to the soule I will touch euery one of them The first of them is Vocation See texts Esay 55.5 Rom. 8 30.1 Cor. 1.2 Now this calling is a worke of the Spirit issuing from election whereby whom the Lord hath chozen to be his he brings to know it And that by the voyce and call of the outward word and inward spirit cryâ—ng to their soules thus Come out of her my people and returne to me Come out from thy former corrupt estate of sinne subiection to Satan curse misery lewd customes error of the wicked hell and returre to that blessednes which thou hast lost So then calling is that whole workmanship of GOD whereby he pulles the soule from a bad estate to a good be it longer in working or shorter darker or cleerer easier or harder it s the drawing of it from darknes to light Act. 16.18 That from whence it s drawne is an vnregenerate estate That whereto is faith Between these thee whole work of God is calling Q. Can you not breefly summe vp the parts of it A. Yes it may bee conceaued to stand in these two parts Eyther the preparing worke of calling or the finishing The former is that by which the Lord finding the heart vncapable of a promise brings it and prepares it to be such an one as may see it selfe capable and vnder condition of beleeuing such an one as may beleeue For as for the opinion of such as imagne that GOD breeds faith all at once without preparing the heart they ouerthrow that grace in respect of a soules triall of her selfe and in respect of Gods Glory which they would seeme to magnify And they strengthen the hand of sinful men in their error thinking there is no difference betweene men al may beleeue in Christ This by the way The latter is that by which the Lord doth finish the worke of faith and power which is the Condition of the Gospell without which no man can partake any of the priuiledges following Note For it succeeds the condition of the Law and in stead of Do this fayth Beleeue this and liue Note well these termes Preparation is the condition of faith and faith the condition of the couenant Q. What are those preparatiues A. Partly legall partly Euangelicall in a word when the Spirit of God by both leaues such an impression in a troubled soule vnder the spirit of bondage of which in part that it comes by the sight of the Gospell to so much hope as workes the heart to mourning and brokennes to desire of mercy to esteeme it and to bee nothing in its owne eyes in comparison of it together with diligent vnweariednes till it haue obteyned it All which are the preuentions and assistance of the spirit of calling drawing the soule home to God by the steps and degrees that the soule is capable of Q. And what is the finishing worke A. That wherein Calling is perfected and wherein true conuersion of the soule begetting of it and bringing of it home to God for all these are the same doth consist For when the soule thus prepared sees that the promise belongs to her and she may and must beleeue it then the spirit stampes this gift of faith vpon the soule to receaue and tak it to her selfe from the promise Q. Passe by the vse of this now because wee shall come to it in the last Article and proceed to the second A. The second is Vnion Which is the first benefit in order I meane for else all are together in respect of the soules title and right to Christ and this oppozeth the cutting off of the sinner from GOD and all influence and Communion with his grace and by faith so bringeth the soule vnto God that its vnited made one and incorporated againe into him by the flesh of Christ vnited to his Godhead as Article 2. And it s the worke of the Spirit of Christ making the Lord and the soule one spirit and causing the soule to partake by vertue thereof all that power of this both in priuiledges and graces which follow And therefore I set it in the forefront of the rest for its sure the soule can no more receaue ought from God till it bee one with him by Christ then Christ could merit any thing for vs till the Deity and flesh were really vnited no more then the body and soule can impart or receaue to or fro till they be one See texts Eph. 5.31 32. Ioh. 17. often In all which its euident that till wee bee one with God in Christ wee are without him in the world the Lord abhorring all relations that want vnion But if once vnited then he is in vs wee in him Eph. 2.2 Iohn 1â— vlt. hee dwels in vs we in him as an inhabitant in his house and the soule in the body he is one with vs he is marryed to vs Hosc 2. Eph. 5. and we are his spouse and therefore hence issâ—â—th â—ll vertue vigor anâ— power into vs that is meete for our support eyther earthly or spirituall till our vnion bee perfected in glory To this that belongeth that is sayd we are ingrafted into him as a scien into a stocke which fetcheth all her nourishment thence As the two Seales of Baptisme and the Supper doe tipifie there being no possibility of the Communion of the latter without the vnion of the first Q. Proceede to the third Benefit A. The third is Iustification which is the second benefit of the poore beleeuer opposite to the estate of her guilt and punishment by sinne by which the soule stands in a full and perfect pardon of sin quietnesse and peace toward God through his discharging her from all guilt and punishment and esteeming her as fully cleared and acquitted therefrom as if she had neuer offended See texts Rom. 8.30 Rom. 5.18 Q. Why say you fully and perfectly can wee be perfect in this life A. No but for speciall cause to difference the benefit of Iustification from Sanctification the one being Christ made ours wholy for we cannot else stand before God except perfect by our selues or another the other in part our Sanctification being in this life imperfect But of this in second Article see more Q Seeing wee ayme onely at a view of the Article and cannot discourse about euery thing goe to the fourth and so wee will conclude all with the vses afterward together A. The fourth is Reconciliation which is oppozed to our estate of enmity and brings vs into amity and fauour with God as Eph. 1.5 Paul calls it our acceptation and belouednesse with