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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46526	Compunction or pricking of heart with the time, meanes, nature, necessity, and order of it, and of conversion; with motives, directions, signes, and means of cure of the wounded in heart, with other consequent or concomitant duties, especially self-deniall, all of them gathered from the text, Acts 2.37. and fitted, preached, and applied to his hearers at Dantzick in Pruse-land, in ann. 1641. and partly 1642. Being the sum of 80. sermons. With a post-script concerning these times, and the sutableness of this text and argument to the same, and to the calling of the Jews. By R.J. doctor of divinity.	R. J.	1648 (1648)	Wing J27; ESTC R213600	381,196	433

Gen. 3.15 and that both on the behalf of the Jews to whom he was made known by promises sacrifices and types as we know and also of us Gentiles Isa 42.1 4 His Exhibiting of Christ to the world in the fulnesse of time 4 The Exhibition of Christ in person by incarnation Gal. 4.4 Joh. 3.16 when the two natures divine and humane were in the womb of the Virgin united into one Person the humane assumed into the unity of the person of the Son of God 5 As our surety by imputing our sin to him 5 Gods imputation of our sinnes to him as our surety who was therefore made under the Law Gal. 4.4 and our Champion to maintain our quarrel against Satan that braving Goliah and all other enemies as well as to discharge our debt with God which Imputation was yet of force to them who before his Incarnation believed on him the Messias to come as well as to us as those other effects of his love which follow 6 His making him a Sin offering also for us and a curse 6 As a Sacrifice for us Gal. 3.13 2 Cor. 5.21 whose death was an expiatory sacrifice he carrying as our sinnes so our griefs and sorrows Isa 53.3 and 12. Heb. 9.26 28. Herewithal we may consider the sufficiency of this his sacrifice yea the efficiency of it seeing he offered it by the eternal spirit Heb. 9.14 and his blood was the blood of God Acts 20.28 All sufficient 7 Gods acceptation of it 8 with his invitation of us to partake of it 7 Gods Acceptation of it as sufficient for all and efficient and effectuall for the elect Matth. 3.17 and 12.18 Ephes 5.2 the Kingdome of heaven being thus opened 8 His Invitation of us hereupon and Calling us by the preaching of the Gospell to faith and to Conversion which Gospell he freely according to his eternall love and purpose sends so to one place as at the same time not to another Act. 16.6 7. c. See for this his invitation 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. Isa 55.1 2 3 c. 9 His acceptation of us by vertue of it 9 His Acceptation of us the elect who do believe by vertue of Christs Sacrifice and for his Sonnes sake in whom he hath made us accepted Eph. 1.6 or which is all one in effect his imputation of it to us and of all his benefits 1 Cor. 1.30 31. 2 Cor. 5.21 This implies Remission or the not imputing of our sins to us 2 Cor. 5.19 and then the imputation of his satisfaction righteousnesse and obedience All these are meere acts of Gods Love most free and depend on no condition in us unlesse you will say the last named which requires faith as a condition before the Love of his good pleasure become also the Love of his Complacency concerning which I list not contend 10 His reall Communication of saving grace to us 10 Lastly as depending on all the former there is Gods Communication of all grace unto us the grace of effectuall calling Conversion faith and other saving graces which is done by the power of his spirit Christ being a Saviour both by the merit of his death and efficacy of his grace and spirit whereby Christ comes to be formed in us Gal. 4.19 and we are made to partake of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3.4 But this belongs to his power Vse To shew us 1. the freenesse of his grace The Vse of what is said shall be briefly to take notice hence of the 1 freenesse 2 firmnesse 3 fountain of all grace in us call it Conversion Faith habituall and actuall holinesse or if you will of the whole work of our salvation 1 These are free gifts and benefits grace in us depends originally on Gods Grace that is his free love and favour to us being all of them effects of his Fatherly Love which in him is an act of his goodnesse not of Justice as if deserved or procured by any thing done or foreseen to be done by us 1 To humble us Which teacheth us 1 humility not to ascribe any grace to our selves any worthinesse any thing which might move God to elect us before others or in his eternal Predestination to prepare grace for us or to bestow it upon us in the temporall dispensation of it 2 To make us thankfull 2 Thankfulnesse in the acknowledgement of his free grace in our free love of him who first loved us and in a free consecration of our selves wholly to his honour and service But of these more fully * In notes on 1 Cor. 1.30.31 pag. 255. c. pag. 85. c. 2 The firmnesse of his grace to assure us of our perseverance else where 2 These benefits are firm also as depending on God and on his love not as yet to say power and not on us or on anything in us and so as the freenesse of his love prevents our pride so the firmnesse of it or fears of falling away assuring us of our finall perseverance in grace once truly received which flows to us from such a spring as never drieth up And so the Originall of all grace in us well considered prevents our errour c. 3 The fountain of all grace 3 We are hence taught and directed whither to go for true and saving grace for conversion faith and all other grace The Fountain of all is in heaven in Gods free love so that though we may and must use the meanes of grace the word preached and other ordinances of God yet we must not rest in them These are but streams leading to the fountain for our direction that we take not up with the means and being separate from the free grace of God in Christ they are but empty cisterns The word ministers sacraments may all say faith the grace of conversion perseverance c. are not in us One main reason why many misse of grace of faith other benefits is because they seek them from the meanes only from the minister his person or from themselves and their own indeavours in which they rest and with which they take up But we are hence directed to begin at Gods love to look first to God in Christ then to the meanes First to Gods love then to his power so to use the meanes as from Gods power in and by the means to expect a blessing yet first and withall to pray earnestly and to beg the blessing from God and from his free grace And thus of this work of Conversion as it is an effect of his love CHAP. X. SECT 1. Of the Order of Conversion as it is a work of Gods power and that in regard both of the persons and means working it as also of the work it self 2 Conversion is also an effect of Gods power BUt we are chiefly to consider this grace of conversion and so of faith as an effect and work of Gods power and effectuall grace in us

Vse 1. This condemns all such doctrines whether Popish or Lutheran as make either Christ but half a Saviour To condemn such Doctrine as makes or us so much 1. Christ but half a Saviour 1. The Popish sort make Christ but in part a Saviour first in part only a Prophet adding doctrines of men of the pretended Church and Traditions to his written word by which as by a rule he teacheth us and our teachers too yea by ascribing to their Popes a power of judging and determining of Controversies Secondly in part a Priest setting up a sacrificing Priesthood now in the New Testament whereby they really and effectually pretend to offer up Christ for the sins of the quick and dead which was his work alone who was once offered to bear the sins of many Heb. 9.28 and 10.14 and who by one offering of himself hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified which his work they make common to every Masse-priest yea by ascribing merit and satisfaction to the works and sufferings of men laid up in the supposed treasury of their Church and by dividing the work of Intercession between him and the Angels and Saints Thirdly in part a King making the Pope to have a plenitude of power and Soveraignty both spiritual over mens consciences and temporal over their persons also and over all the Kingdoms of the earth 2. Which makes us so much 2. Both Popish and Lutheran and Arminian doctrine make us Men half Saviours with Christ if not more whilst they teach that mans nature is not so sinful and disabled by sin as it is ascribing much to nature and to the power of mans will giving him the casting voice or the casting of the balance in this work of grace saying Christ gives us grace indeed and power but so none is yet converted it is a common grace given to all so the grace and power is onely grace to believe if we will to repent and convert if we will to be saved and persevere if we will and so ascribe merit indeed to him and to his death but efficacie and application to themselves derogating from Christ to give to man whereas it is God onely that works and gives both power and will Phil. 2.13 1 Cor. 4.7 and that effectually worketh in us both to will and to do and that onely of his good pleasure his grace onely makes the difference Where such doctrine as this is taught 2. Hence a Trial of Doctrines and of Religions That Religion truest which gives most glory to God and teacheth and practiseth self-denail there is little hope of any good to be done to mens souls That which hath been taught may also be a Rule of discerning of true Religion or Doctrine and the false It is a sure and infallible Rule That Religion which takes away from our selves not onely teaching but working self-denial making men go out of themselves and truely humbling them and which gives all glory to God is the true Religion But such is our Religion and such is not the Popish Religion no nor Lutheran so far Do they not teach beside what is said of them already that they have no original sin in them after they are washed by Baptism VVhich 1. Popery doth not That men are able to fulfil and keep the Law fully in this life yea more do more then God commands even such things as they call works of supererogation whereby they merit heaven for themselves and others Whereas we teach that even after Baptism men have cause to cry out not onely of actual but original sin and to say with Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death or from this body of death and to say as Christ saith to us When we have done all that we can do we are but unprofitable servants An Objection answered I know false Religions seem to teach self-denial but it is in word onely not in deed The Papists will humble the body by afflicting it many ways punishing and not sparing it Here is a shew of humility unlesse onely in shew and of self-denial yet it is but a shew being Will-worship and a voluntary humility arguing indeed much more pride then humility whilst they are as without command from God so puffed up thereby with an opinion of merit and of satisfaction whereby they derogate from Christ and arrogate to themselves whom therefore we justly charge as Paul did such Volunteers in humility as they imitate See Coloss 2 18-23 to be under such shews of humility vainly puft up by their fleshly mindes i. e. falsly humble truely proud humbled in body proud in minde and hearts which may call to them whilst they are whipping the body or macerating it in the words of King David when God sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy thousand of his people Lo I have sinned I have done wickedly 2 Sam. 24.17 but these sheep what have they done Let thine hand be against me and against my fathers house so we are still proud hearts wicked hearts c. what hath the body done without us Let thine hand be against us to humble us I say the like of Popish penance where in their confession to the Priest is a shew of humility and self-denial in shaming themselves yet in that their other work of penance or satisfaction is pride with a witnesse And though some other urge self-denial and humility and meeknesse in receiving the Word and in word seem to ascribe much to Gods grace 2. nor Arminianism yet what pride is this and errour to make this humility if not a cause yet a condition even of the grace of Gods election as it concerns particular persons at least a respect a point or term from which election flows and so no fruit or effect of it as yet true humily and all other graces are 3Vse to shew why so few are savingly pricked 3 Vse Here we see the true cause why few are savingly pricked in heart and truely humbled namely ignorance of the worth office excellency and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and of our own vilenesse sinfulnesse and damned condition whereof we are not nay will not be convinced as yet these here now were The truth is The reason is their ignoronce till we see and acknowledge Christ not onely in his natures and offices but in his exaltation and glory and as Lord over all and Judge of quick and dead as also our own basenesse sinfulnesse guiltinesse impotency desperate and damned condition we shall never be truely humbled in our selves or have nay not so much as seek interest in him or salvation by him 1. Of Christ and his glory 1. Ignorance of Christ and his glory against whom we daily sin is one main cause why men reject him and why he rejects them We see it in the Jews who 1 Cor. 2.8 if they had known him to be

it a curse when especially through your own defaults you are deprived of it yea a leaving of you and a giving up to hardness of heart if not a sealing altogether of your destruction 2 By our calling the word heard to minde 2 Having such teaching you must remember call to minde ruminate and meditate on what you have heard the word heard must ever be in your ears as here the word used in my Text implyeth a continuall act and hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or when they had heard they were pricked The word left a sting behinde it they could not forget it the voice of Christs blood was ever in their ears after once they were by the word charged with it and convinced and so it came to work such a stinging effect in their hearts Thus Peter himself had formerly come to see his sin and judge himself for it It s said Hee remembred the words of Jesus and hee went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26.57 By such remembrance and meditation on the word and continuance in the things we have heard yea and seen 2 Tim. 3.14 whilest we look our selves in the glass of the word and continue therein Jam. 1.24 25. these nails at first entred by the masters of the Assemblies come to be fastened and struck further home to the pricking nay piercing and wounding of the conscience In a word remember often such truths as first or at any time wounded or touched thee wound and prick thy heart therewith in the often remembrance of them 3 By our applying the word to our selves 3. To which end Apply also to thy self what is applied to thee by thy teachers or what more generally is taught concerning such sins as thy conscience tels thee thou art guilty of Help them who have fitted the plaister to thy sore to binde and fasten the same unto thee by thine own application that by lying and continuing close to it may have its wished and saving effect Repell not what the Minister applyeth Apply to thy self especially the terrours of the Law for so is this pricking wrought especially the terrors of the Law Suffer the Preacher to do it but especially do it thy self till this be done there will be no pricking This is the way to be stung by the word in soul yea such cannot but be stung as thus apply which rightly applyed will sting As in like cases as when in body a man is stung with an adder or pricked with the point of a sword or heareth heavie news which concern himself If one of Job's messengers should come and tell thee all thou hast thy cattell thy goods are taken away violently by enemies or robbers the fire hath burnt up thy store thy sons and daughters are slain crush'd drowned or dead would not this move thee and cause thee to rend not onely thy mantle Job 1.15 16 17 18 19 20. as it did Job but thine heart When David came to Ziklag with his men and found it burnt with fire and their wives and their sons and daughters to be taken captives it is said he and the people that were with him lift up their voyce and wept 1 Sam. 30.3 4. until they had no more power to weep this was when he and they apprehended the loss as their own men weep not so commonly in other mens losses Now certainly such as shall be saved are secretly drawn Such as God wil save are secretly drawn to apply threatnings to themselves they know not wel how to be perswaded that the doctrine taught doth concern them and so to be touched with it as to judge themselves most miserable and to loath themselves for all their filthy abominations to beleeve their own misery and without any exception or self-flattery or posting it off to others to cast away all deluding conceits which may hinder the work of the word so that when it presseth them they do not repel it or cast off the burthen from them but say O wretch that I am this is my case I am the man the Scripture means 1 Cor. 6.9 10. I am that swearer whom God will hold guilty I am that adulterer whom God wil judge I am that fornicator that effeminate person that idolater that thief that covetous person that drunkard that reviler that extortioner that shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Wo is my soul I shall die in the guilt of this or these my sins unlesse I speedily repent Ah Beloved without such faith and application by faith of the threatnings of the word and so they come to be pricked and vengeance due to our sins and to us for our sins we shall never be savingly touched onely such apprehension and application will by Gods mercy do it as the condemned malefactor is as what makes the malefactor tremble at the bar but fear of the sentence of death when he seeth so many and evident proofs against him which sentence when once it is spoken of and pronounced how doth it strike him as a dagger to the heart how is hee wounded with it in the certain looking for and expectation of execution and death which now looks him in the face SECT 2. Of the consideration of our sin c. 4 By our consideration according to his word of our sins 4 AS a further help to the aforesaid duty to humiliation of the soul and to sensiblenesse learn aright to be affected with thy sins to which end follow these Directions 1. Consider and seriously think of thy birth-sin 1 Originall In which we may see what creatures wee are 1 how loathsom of the pollution of thy nature by it now loathsome thou art to God in that regard both in thy person yea in thy prayers and all thy performances yea in thy very righteousness which all of them are defiled with the contagion and hatefull plague and leprosie of natures pollution 2 how miserable Think also how thereby thou art become mortall miserable deprived of all good depraved by sin forward and prone onely to evill froward and backward to all goodnesse not favouring either goodnesse or truth in a word an enemy to God and under the displeasure of the Almighty Meditate hereon and on the vilenesse of thy nature lest otherwise thou think thy self something when thou art nothing Gal. 6.3 Thou wilt never be out of love with or loath thy self till thus thou dost thou mayst and wilt remain like a filthy dunghill which unstirred sends forth no noysom savour till it be raked into or the sun shine hot upon it 2 Actuall Which wee must finde out and remember 2. Ca●● to remembrance thy actuall sins to which end examine and sift thy self well and unpartially use the reason God hath given thee and be not bruitish in letting thy sins passe and escape thee without examination Here I may say to thee as God to the idolater Remember this

long inwardly groane under the burthen of it till they feel it as fire hid and smothered within them or their consciences as a close-stopt burning oven whereby at length they are forced through Gods goodness to them to give vent to the fire to seek ease to their consciences by acknowledgement of their sin to God and also to men as the case may require which they might much sooner have attained unto if they had sooner sought to or made use of the remedy This was Davids case Psal 32.3 4.5 This may teach such when with these converts here they are inwardly smitten and pricked in their heart to take heed of bleeding inwardly which is ever dangerous It s dangerous to keep the divels counsel let them rather without denying or concealing any longer their sins seek after the meanes of helpe and cure And if they have any doubts or temptations within themselves let them be sure not long to conceal or smother the same or to bleed inwardly This were to keep the Divels counsel which hath had in some very fearfull and dismall effects whereas the making known of such doubts and inward close temptations upon suggestions of Satan hath both defeated him and freed them of their anguish and many desperate feares The longer such things are concealed the longer at the best are the patients held in torture and the more doubtfull if not desperate the cure will prove 2. Hearers once made to tremble and troubled by the word must take and make use of the season 2. A more generall Use is for hearers whose consciences doubtless are often touched so that whilest with Felix they hear discourses of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come their guilty consciences make them to tremble and do inwardly prick smite wound and sting them Now what should they do in this case Shall they with Felix shuffle off the businesse this great and weighty work till they have a convenient season God forbid so did Felix indeed but that season never came yet so that his trembling proved to him but a summoner to hell and a harbinger to Gods judgement as the like trembling neglected will prove now to others who make no better use of it then he did Oh no the only season is now when God by his word faithfully taught and brought home to the soul doth begin to trouble the conscience For as when the Angel Joh. 5.4 went down at a certain season into the pool of Bethesda and troubled the water whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had So the season would be watched and presently taken when the Angel or messenger and minister of God by the word smites wounds and troubles the conscience to procrastinate or put all off to another season till sickness dispatch of other business old age or time of death is desperately to neglect a mans self and soul If then thou wilt follow wholsome advice Wholsome advice which is presently to get the sting and thorn removed so soon as thou findest thy conscience struck by the word and thy heart pierced so soon after hearing retire thy self into thy closet withdraw thy self from vain company examine wel thy conscience help to drive and strike home these nails to the head defer not to step in presently for cure into these waters which are healing look up forthwith being thus stung to Christ figured by the brazen Serpent put it not off till some other time least thou die of the wound and stinging Be here in this case as the shot or wounded Hart which presently seeks to dittanie as his only remedie to cause the dart fall out If you have received into your bosome any such dart seek presently to get it pulled out least otherwise it be your death Learn of Paul who not only at his first conversion being struck and charged in conscience with his sin of persecuting of Christ in his members Acts 9.6 sought to Christ for direction but afterward having some sting prick and thorn left sticking in him 2 Cor. 12.7.8.9 deferred not but early and late sought to Christ by earnest prayer to have it plucked out and he received a gracious Answer of which he had comfort Yea learn of these here who when upon heating they were pricked in heart presently seek for direction and remedy and not so only but wisely also they seek to the true meanes of cure of their consciences and betake themselves to Peter and to the other Apostles seeking help ease and direction from them which is the third point to be considered CHAP. XXV SECT 1. Where and of whom to seek comfort to our troubled Consciences only of Gods faithfull Ministers And said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Third Point The parties of whom they sought cure and direction Considered according to a threefold relation 3. THis is the third circumstance concerning the parties to whom they spake and of whom they sought help and cure Now these here are to be considered in a threefold relation 1. To God as his messengers or as the Apostles of Christ 2. To these converts and as the same that wounded them 3. To some of these again as being the same who formerly had beene neglected yea mocked and derided by them 1. To God and as his Apostles and Ministers Who are considered 3. wayes 1. These here sought unto are the Apostles of Christ Peter and the rest whom according to the Text we will consider First and chiefly according to the quality of their persons or nature of their office Secondly according to their Order here mentioned Thirdly Number 1. These Apostles here were properly the eleven with Matthias added unto them by lot in the room of Judas 1. According to their office who were Apostles Acts 1.16 who were immediatly chosen and called by Christ whilst he remained on earth Matth. 10.2 3 4 c. First specially to preach to the Jewes only or to the lost sheep of the house of Israel vers 5 6 7. to prepare them to receive Christ himselfe and his doctrine What is that Mat. 28.17 20 then after his resurrection and ascension to preach to the whole world and to plant Churches among the Gentiles being first commanded to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father untill they should be endued with power from on High Acts 1.4 and Luke 24.49 Which accordingly the tenth day after his Ascension on this day of Pentecost they received whilest the Holy Ghost was in visible manner poured out upon them and they thus solemnly inaugurated ordained and declared to be the Apostles of Christ as it were then given from heaven by Christ unto the Church These were to be speciall witnesses of Christs Resurrection Ephes 4.7 11 Acts 1.22 and Ambassadors sent of him into the whole world there to plant Churches being immediatly inspired by the Holy Ghost both to

God or against his People Or 3. by security Acts 5.38 39. Or by security not fearing his wrath who will not rather take hold on his strength both by meditation and faith that he may make peace with him Isai 27.4 5. as did Jacob with Esau Rahab with Joshua Josh 2.10 12 13. 18. and so the Gibeonites Josh 9.3 4 c. with 11.19 20. 3. In his holiness that we do not justifie our selves 3. Admire only the holiness and righteousnesse of God whose name is holy Isai 57.11 and who is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his works Psal 145.17 and thence learn upon no conceit of thine own righteousness or innocency either to swell against thy brethren Isai 65.5 Or to plead it with God Jer. 2.35 or otherwise either to justifie thy self Job 9.15 20 21. Or to condemn God Job 40.2 and 8. saying as v. 4 5. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee c. For how should man be just with God If he contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9.2 3. 4. In his will 4. Acknowledge his will only soveraign Psal 115.3 that thou mayest have no will of thine own 5. In his goodness and grace 5. His grace and goodness in the freeness power and plenty of it that thou mayst not stand on any worthiness gift or ability of thine own 1 Cor. 4.7 and that nothing may content thee but mercy ever acknowledging thy self lesse then the least of his mercies 6. In his blessednesse 6. His blessedness in himself and him the fountain of all happiness that thou mayest not admire any thing here below or place thy felicity in the same or yet measure and judge of thy self by it but mayest make God thy portion accounting his favour better then life 7. In his glory Lastly Learn to prefer in thy thoughts prayers and desires and in all thy doings and sufferings the glory of God above all things else desired injoyed done and performed by thee that thou mayest judge thy selfe worthy of nothing but shame and not seek thyself in any thing accounting it thy honour when in any thing even by thine own shame for his name and other sufferings thou canst glorifie him though by thine own death as Joh. 21.19 In a word that as hath been lately shewed before his Glory may be dearer to thee then thine own soul and if need were then the salvation of it SECT 12. Shewing we are to deny our selves secondly for Christ in his excellencies and all sufficiency by making him All and in All things to us 2. All must be subordinated to Christ 2. BUt God the Father chiefly seeks his own glory by honouring Christ his Son in our nature John 8.54 in whom all the attributes of glory which immediatly looked upon would overwhelm us do so shine out as that with safety and to our comfort we may behold the same these especially his goodness and mercy his justice and his wisedome in whom the Father will be glorified reconciling infinite justice with infinite mercy Thou art my servant saith God to Christ under the name of Israel in whom I will be glorified Isai 49.1 2 3 -5 Therefore Christ now near his death prayeth saying Father the hour is come glorifie thy son that thy son also may glorifie thee And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I as God had with thee before the world was Joh. 17.1 5. Learn we hence then to seek Gods glory by seeking Christs glory and that with good reason seeing God seeks his own glory by seeking Christs and so by admiring only Christ and God in Christ learn to deny thy self in thine own name and glory And here be ravished in the admiration 1. of the excellency of Christ Christ should be admired by us Secondly of his fulness and all sufficiency and so deny thy self in all things yea wholly empty thy self that Christ only may fill thee and be all and in all things yea every way all sufficient to thee that so by such deniall of thy self thou mayest savingly and everlastingly find thy self again in Christ 1. In his excellencies 1. Conceive of the person of Christ in our nature as one preferred for person office and gifts far above all Angels Hebr. 1.4 5 c. being for his person otherwise the brightness of the Fathers glory and as he stands in relation to us and the expresse image of his person v. 3. And then down with all humane excellencies and with all high conceits that any man can have of himself in respect of birth gifts parts indowments or any prerogative whatsoever look upon him as he stands in relation to us and then see if we have ought of our own to stand upon or to own for ours 1. As our Head who must acknowledge 1. Our inferiority 1. He is our head the head of the body the Church that in all things he might have the preheminence Col. 1.18 In regard of this his eminencie and high dignity and headship learn we to acknowledge 1. our own inferiority in regard of any worth or excellency in us and that we are not worthy to unloose the lachet of his shooes as the Baptist said of him Joh. 1 15.-17 and 3.30 He that cometh after me is preferred before me And He must increase but I must decrease 2. Our Subjection So as Christ increaseth in our estimation we will decrease and be more vile and low in our own eyes 2. Our Subjection under him our mysticall head Hebr. 2.8 whom we ought to obey and to deny our own wills knowing our selves to be only at his disposall 3. Our dependance on him 3. Our dependance on him as the cause of all our spirituall being life sence and motion which by way of influence are derived from him our Head to us his members that so without him we may acknowledge our selves even the best of us but as dead and liveless stocks as of our selves and not able to do any thing of which more in the next branch of his fulness 2. As our Surety 2. He is also our Surety and wee the debtors who have nothing of our own to pay hee is one that by his obedience active and passive pleased God and appeased him towards us who must thence see our own weakness and the worthlessness of all we can either do or suffer for him He is one who to work our reconciliation with his father stepped in between his fathers wrath and us and paid our ransome by the price of his blood to teach us to acknowledge the enmity we lay under the greatness of our debt and desert yea that most certain and inevitable damnation under which we are whilest we are in our naturall condition and shall for ever be if not denying our selves in our conceited innocency righteousness and goodness and not relying