23. For deliverance out of trouble c. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of them all Joh. 5. 19. Psal 19. 17 Psal 50. 15. For speedy deliverance My salvation shall not tarry Isa 46. 13. 9. Every day to live the life of faith concerning the time past Which is to consider and call to remembrance and to see God in his dealings to us ours and others both for soule and body I have considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time Psal 77. 5. This is to injoy time past as present David made this a part of his meditation oh how sweet is it to muse of Gods mercies unto us from our birth that I should be borne of such as feared God and so injoy better education then others or else that I should be borne of haters of God and instead of good education had bad and was brought up in ignorance and prophanenesse and how I have been tempted to desperate sinnes or healed those breaches how strangely God brought us to better places unexpected or undeserved and how neere and often we have been to be cut off by death by sicknesse casualties desperate practices by others and by our selves and how great bondage we have been in by sinne being filled with despaire terror and wrath without hope of ever being pardoned Ephes 2. 12 13. and yet for God to fill my soule with joy peace in beleeving Rom. 5. 1. and in how great bondage I was unto sinne not able to restraine my selfe and out of hope of ever having strength against such strong lusts and yet God hath subdued them Oh great change and also how we were convinced of our state of death we are in by nature and by what meanes But if we had been borne in India or Turkey or Rome we should either have never heard of a Jesus or seene no light or to no purpose Also how God hath preserved us in Babylon and brought us out of it if thou beest so and preserved us from the errors of the wicked rotten tenets as Pelagianisme his free will and power by nature Arminianisme with his free will so by grace as he may choose whether he will be saved or no and so under pretence of inlarging Gods grace robs him of all to grace himselfe in his indeavours and sets the crowne upon his own head So some deny the Morall Law and word of God to be a Rule to them to walk by and so are lawlesse and where there is no Law there can be no transgression and now are the last times in which iniquitie and abominable errors doe abound and shall more abound that which God hath said shall be must be no man nor men can hinder it some denies Election and originall sinne c. the Lord in mercy open their eyes I was once wrapped up and sunke in Arminianisme and had so continued but the Lord in mercy pulled me out Oh how sweet should that love be to us which keepes us from these errors or brings us out of them and the Lord will in his time be full Redemption to all his Also consider how we have been freed from many sorrows and sicknesses which others indure having little or no rest day or night and what meanes we injoy for our soules which others want and it may be never heard of and blesseth them unto us Also in what straits wee have been in how the Lord hath helped us in them and delivered us from them and how God hath provided and doth provide for us meanes of living friends and comforts strangely and unexpected and how strangely God hath given us good wives or husbands or so orders it that bad ones sends us to God or weanes us from the world c. These mercies with a thousand more to us and ours requires our meditation to strengthen our faith and to endeare our hearts to God exceedingly and to be more inlarged in thankfulnesse and to sucke sweetnesse in the remembrance of such experiences Mercies forgot are as nothing to us and wee cannot be thankfull to God for them though they were never so many or great Who so is wise and will observe these things shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Psal 107. 43. 10. Every day to live the life of faith in Glorification Which is to behold the rest peace glory and happinesse c. in heaven which is provided for us and also to beleeve that God will give us after this life all these things with himselfe which he hath promised us in his word see Acts 20. 23. Acts 26. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 4. For the resurrection of my body He that beleeves in me I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 40. To have a spirituall body It is sowen a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body 1 Cor. 15. 44. Our bodies shall be more glorious then the Sun in the firmament because that is but a naturall body To have a powerfull body It is raised in power 1 Cor. 15. 43. To have a glorified body and like Christs It is raised in glory 1 Cor. 15 43 44. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. To have fulnesse of knowledge And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and be filled with the fulnesse of God Ephes 3. 19. And know even as I am known 1 Cor. 13. 12. To have fulnesse of joy and pleasures In thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Ps 16. 11. Joy inward pure spirituall full in heaven wee shall have no misery no hunger cold nakednesse paine griefe wearinesse but rest 2 Thes 1. 7. To have Rest I shall have rest 2 Thes 1. 7. without labour In this Rest tranquillity in this tranquillity contentment in this contentment joy in this joy varietie in this varietie securitie in this securitie eternitie To have life We shall also live with him 2 Tim. 2. 11. Your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. When Christ who is our life shall appeare Col. 3. 4. To have everlasting life Who shall receive life everlasting in the world to come Luk. 18. 30. Mat. 19. 29. Joh. 4. 40. Then shall I never die nor end being for continuance eternall To injoy the presence of God with Saints and Angels When Christ our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am Joh. 17. 24. To see the Lord as he is Beloved now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what we shall be but we know when we shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3. 2. Then shall we see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. To behold his glory That they may behold my glory Joh. 17.
Joh. 3. 9. 10. Those that beleeve are the seed of the righteous and of the promise Isai 43. 5. with Rev. 12. 17. Gal. 4. 26. 31. 4. Because the matter of the Church of Christ ought to be Saints living stones as 1 Pet. 2. 5. 9. Eph. 2. 19. to 23. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. 25 26 27. Eph. 5. 25 26 27. Joh. 4. 23. Act. 20. 28. Rev. 17. 14. 5. Because God in his word denies fellowship and communion with such as do not beleeve Joh. 3. 5 6. 36. Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 9. 8 9. They which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed If yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seed and heires according to promise Gal. 3. 29. For yee are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus vers 26. Those God owns for his in his word are purchased by his bloud who are called chosen and faithfull 1 Pet. 2. 5. 9. Jam. 4. 23. Eph. 2. 19. to 23. 4. 16. Rom. 8. 29 30. Rev. 11. 7. Eph. 1. 4 5 6. 2 Thes 2. 13 14. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Act. 2. 47. 13. 48. The naturall posteritie of beleevers are not so much as in appearance such But because this Controversie is handled largely in severall Treatises such as desire further satisfaction may have recourse to them Some affirme that the children of beleevers in Church-fellowship are to be baptized which is now practised in New-England and else-where There are three doubts to be answered 1. What if neither of my parents nor their parents can be proved beleevers 2. Nor any members of a true visiable Church 3. If I were baptized with god-fathers god-mothers Common-prayer-book Crosse and Surplice and by a Minister made by the Bishops all which are now found out to be Antichristian and the manner of Baptisme was also by springling water upon my face concerning which the Scripture is silent how may I be assured God will own such a baptizing for his Ordinance seeing also themselves confesse that no man may lawfully baptize but a true Minister that hath a lawfull calling And although wee conceive men able to preach the Gospel may baptize yet we doe not beleeve God sends such to baptize whom he hath not informed of the manner how to doe it which is not by sprinkling water on the face but by dipping in the River as Mat. 3. 16. Acts 8. 38. That the gift of miracles is not essentiall in him that dispenseth Baptisme THat some of those that did baptize did miracles we grant and that all that baptized did so cannot be proved John baptized yet he did no miracle Joh. 10. 41. nor Apollo c. And seeing that the Scriptures doe not declare that the gifts of tongues or miracles or laying on of hands is to be in those that dispense Baptisme we have no word to warrant such a restriction men are to administer baptisme by vertue of gifts 1. Then that gift and ministery which God in his word owns is to be acknowledged sufficient for his Ordinance but some one or more of those gifts in 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10 11. 28 29. c. still continue as they confesse Ergo. 2. All the gifts of the Spirit are of the same nature viz. spirituall though divers in operation and are of equall authoritie and so to be esteemed by us 1 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. 24. 3. As in the naturall body wee honour and put comelinesse upon those parts which we think least honoured for our comely parts have no need so ought we to doe the same in spirituall gifts as 1 Cor. 12. 23 24. Doe they so who tie the administration to one of the gifts of the Spirit and not to another and doe not they who seeke to honour one gift to the dishonour of another dishonour all the gifts of the Spirit For as it is in the body 1 Cor. 12. 26. so it is in this case and this was the Corinths sin as appeares 1 Cor. 12. 4. Wee are all baptized by one Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. He saith not by the gift of miracles c. and he that is baptized by any gift of the Spirit is baptized by the same Spirit vers 28 29 30. 5. If the administration of Baptisme be not annexed to the operation of one gift of the Spirit more then to another of the same Spirit then wee may not so annex them but to the operation of any one gift of the Spirit Baptisme is not annexed Ergo for proofe see 1 Cor. 12. 7. to 14. 6. If God workes in all the operations of the Spirit then to be baptized by any of the operations of the same Spirit it must be acknowledged to be the Baptisme of the same God but the first is true 1 Cor. 12. 6. Ergo the latter is true also 7. If the Apostles might baptize because they were Apostles then might they baptize in case they had not the gift of miracles and tongues c. For it is one thing to be an Apostle and another to have the gift of tongues or miracles as appeares 1 Cor. 12. 28 29 30. They were severall gifts though they might have the gift of miracles it 's not because they were Apostles for they were given according to the good pleasure of his will he divides to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12. 11. 8. If any affirme Baptisme was to be administred by those who had such gifts of miracles c. because those gifts were greater in operation and so the greater gifts I answer the gift of faith is greater then the gift of miracles for a man may perish with the latter They confesse some of these gifts still continue if the rest are not then these are the greatest now and so Baptisme may be dispensed by him that hath any of them and if they be ceased might it not be because they were Idolized above the rest of the same Spirit 9. It is said that Apollo conferred the gifts of the holy Spirit by laying on of hands because he baptized not untill he had learned the principles of Religion and so understood the ministery of the Spirit I answer it follows not because it is one thing to understand the ministery of the Spirit and another to worke miracles and conferre the gifts of the holy Spirit and speake with tongues c. As it is one thing to learne the doctrine of Baptisme and laying on of hands and the resurrection of the dead as Heb. 6. 2. and another thing to have the gifts and to conferre them by laying on of hands it is one thing to learne and beleeve the resurrection of the dead and another to raise the dead 10. They affirme that those that beleeve in truth are of the body of which Christ is the head and that they are of the Church and that many now beleeve Whence I also inferre those who are of
the Church of Christ they have the power of Christ because Christ is theirs and Christ and his power are never separated Mat. 28. 20. Ergo they have the power of Christ as 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. Therefore they have authoritie to administer the Ordinance of Christ They grant many have right to Baptisme by the free gift of God and the bloud of Christ Ans Be it so I cannot beleeve that God gives his a right to any thing that would doe them no good and if the injoying the Ordinance be good how can we thinke that God so orders it that they cannot come by it Psal 34. Christ purchased no priviledge for his which they may be as well without is not Gods power as great as his love and as the Communion of Saints Baptisme and the Supper are the priviledges of the Saints given them in love so God hath appointed a way for them to injoy them and so to affirme holds forth as much wisdome and love in God to them as to say God hath given them a right to such priviledges but hath not afforded them any way or meanes for them to come by them that they might injoy them But this subject is handled at large in John Spilsberies Booke intituled Gods Ordinance It is foretold that Antichrist shall come with signes and wonders as Mat. 24. 23 24. and 2 Thes 2. 9 10. We are not to looke for Christ to come in this way yet it may be said of some Except yee see signes and wonders to sense yee will not beleeve Joh. 4. 48. OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES Of the attributes of God THey are fountaines of comfort and rocks of strength to his and those that eye them live comfortably upon them Of affections The affections doe oft perswade the judgement Our affections oft deceive our selves and others and goe for spirituall when they are naturall In our greatest earnestnesse wee have most cause to examine our hearts and affections All the disquietnesse and distempers within us and by us is occasioned by the want of bounding and well ordering our affections Our affections of joy and sorrow will exceed their bounds unlesse they be forced When the object is spirituall and the motive is spirituall the affection is spirituall If our affections anger griefe joy c. doe fit us to pray they are spirituall else not Our affections come farre short of that which we thinke we have in our judgements Our affections declare to us what we love Wee have many occasions of doing good but we often want hearts and affections to improve them The quicknesse of our affections depends much upon the spirits of our bodies If our affections were answerable to our apprehensions of God c. they would destroy our bodies because they could not beare it Of actions That which is the ground cause and end of a mans action in that he lives whether it be God or selfe in those actions that concerne our selves we often exceed in but such actions as are for God chiefly we are hardly drawne unto but easily drawne from If Satan cannot corrupt the action he will indeavour to corrupt the judgement and affection Many conceive that some of those things God commands are needlesse but it is a great error Of afflictions Afflictions are little light short and seasonable though they oft seeme to be many great and long Affliction breeds patience humbleth and mortifieth selfe teacheth a Saint experience and sends him the oftener to God God is alwayes present with his yet in afflictiō they least see him by reason they looke so much to the affliction if oppressed with it but some see God best in afflictions God is as sweet and may be as much injoyed in adversitie c. as in prosperitie not any affliction could trouble a childe of God if he knew wherefore God did send it Of assurance of the love of God He that hath assurance of Gods love can trust himselfe with God in any estate and strait He that hath assurance of the love of God can part with any thing for God Of Christ Christ is sweet in meditation more sweet in contemplation most sweet in fruition Union with Christ is equall alike to all who have union with him and union with Christ is the greatest happinesse and honour a beleever can injoy Such as have union with Christ should spare no cost for him although no cost of ours can procure him Christs servants are for the most part poore and they appeare to the world very silly and contemptible Of corruption Corruption cannot be reformed Corruption neither will nor can subdue corruption Of Counsell There is much safetie in many counsellors who are wise and faithfull Such as follow their own counsell doe often prove burthens to themselves and others Of Creatures The creatures are full of emptinesse The reason why we are so subject to be drawne away with the creatures is because we see not the emptinesse of them We oft love creatures more before we had them then when we had them because we expected more from them then was in them All things below are fading part wee must with them and with life also ere long So much as the creature takes away in parting so much our life was in it He is not troubled at the coming and going of the creatures when the heart is fixed on God The love of creatures hinders us in good things but the wise use of them doe much further us A childe of God useth many things spiritually which others use carnally God often bestows abundance of outward things upon some not for themselves for they need them not but that they might supply the wants of others and many of them keepe them for themselves Concupiscence Concupiscence is strong and raging and hardly tamed yet it is to be attained with difficultie Comfort Wee oft seeke comfort in creatures which have no power to comfort all my comfort is in Christ if I live he will provide for me if I dye he will receive me Custome Forme and custome are deadly enemies to spiritualnesse Custome without truth is but an old error Custome so shuts mens eyes that they cannot see the true visage of things Custome makes hard things easie and bondage no burden and addes delusion to blindnesse The rich observe customes but the poore pay deare for them for they are starved by them if that which is spent at burials were wisely bestowed upon the poore it were farre better and so in other needlesse customes Of Conscience Sinning against conscience exceedingly hardens the heart Conscience can see best in darknesse and speake most lowdly in silence Conscience is a very tender thing a small thing will trouble it but a blind conscience will swallow up any thing The naturall conscience will be satisfied with the outside of a dutie Crosses Crosses are not pleasing to the flesh but profitable to the Spirit The more crosses a Saint hath the more they doe him good and is the more