heart chews the cud and ruminates upon its own actions Try thy graces by a Scripture Sun-beame Compel thy thoughts to come in that they may drink sweetnesse out of their own fountaine and that they may be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse Assurance consists in a reflex act and by such workings it is maintained Secondly be diligent in prayer Assurance comes not with weak wishes and vellieties that are so frequent in the mouths of many O that I were sure of heaven and happinesse c. But this great blessing deserves a fervent prayer The white stone is given to none but conquerours As assurance doth mightily enliven prayer so prayer cherishes and maintaines assurance Go then to God Be importunate with him beg a smile a beame of his face Desire him to take all thy worldly things again unlesse he will sweeten them with his love Tell him thou canst live no longer on husks and therfore desire him to give thee something that its fit for a soul to live on Thirdly be diligent and fervent in communion with thy God sweet and familiar entercourse with God puts thee into the number of his friends and friendship brings assurance surely he would not kiss thee with the kisses of his mouth if he did not love thee He would not tell thee so much of his mind if his heart were not with thee He would not accept of thy prayers thy spiritual sacrifices if he meant to destroy thee Communion with God is that which gives an heavenly and eternal Plerophory Quest. Why doth assurance deserve our best diligence Answ. First hereby the soul is provided for eternity Thou mayest then say Thy lot is fallen unto thee in â— good ground thou hast a pleasant heritage Thou canst desire no more then to be assured that thou shalt be for ever happy What would the damned in Hell give for a possibility of happiness What would some wounded spirits give but for hopes and probabilities of it Secondly it will sweeten all present conditions to us We may eat our bread with joy and drink our wine with a merry heart when we know God accepts our person and smells a sweet odour in our sacrifice We may lay claim to all the pearles in the Gospel and to all its priviledges If God bestow temporals upon us we may know that he first dips them in love yea thou hast a happy protection in all thy ways For 1. Thou art secure against the frowns of the world for heaven smiles upon thee Thou mayest laugh at the slanders and reproaches of men For when the world brands thee the Spirit seals thee c. 2. Thou art secure in times of judgement For judgements are intended for the sweeping away of Spiders webs not for the sweeping away of Gods own jewels Or if thou beest involved in the common calamity yet how is this pill rowled up in sweetnesse to thee when others can tast nothing but gall and wormwood Thy body may be tossed in the world but thy soul lies safe at Anchor 3. Thou art secure in the houre of death Thou knowest that providence onely means to break the shell that it may have the kernel Let such tremble at the approaches of death that know not what shall become of their precious souls but thou mayest safely trample upon the Adder c. This made the Martyrs embrace the flames c. Assurance of the love of God in Christ and nothing else pulls out the sting of death Indeed death hath lost its sting in respect of all that are in Christ but yet such as know not that they are in Christ fear death still as if it had a sting Only an assured Christian triumphs over it and saith with Saint Paul O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15.55 4. Assurance fills the soul with praise and thankfulness The real presence of a mercy is not enough there must be the appearance of a mercy and the sense of it before it fill thy heart with joy and thy mouth with praise A doubting Christian is like a bird in a snare the soul hath not its comfort nor God his praise An assured Christian is like a bird at liberty that flies aloft and sings chearfully c. See Mr. Culverwels White-stone and Dr. Taylor Quest. How may it be proved by Scripture that a man may be assured of his salvation Answ. First By Rom. 8.16 The Spirit of God testifies with our spirits that we are the sons of God Quest. But how can Gods Spirit give witnesse seeing now there are no revelations Answ. First indeed extraordinary revelations are ceased yet Gods Spirit may and doth in and by the Word reveal some things to men whence he is called the spirit of revelation Eph. 3.5 Secondly Gods Spirit gives testimony by applying the promises for the remission of sins and life everlasting by Christ particularly to the hearts of man when it s generally propounded in the Ministry of the Word and this witness of the Spirit may be discerned from presumption by 1. The means For it 's ordinarily wrought by hearing reading meditation prayer c. but presumption ariseth in the brain either without such means or if by them yet with want of Gods blessing concurring with them 2. The effects and fruits of the Spirit For it stirs up the heart to prayer Zach. 12.10 and that with sighs and groans Rom. 8.26 arising from the sense of our miserable condition The second testimony is our spirit i. e. our conscience sanctified and renewed by the Holy Ghost and this is known 1. By a grief of heart for offending God called godly sorrow 1 Cor. 7.10 2. By a resolution and full purpose and endeavour to obey God in all things 3. By savouring the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5 i. e. by doing the works of the Spirit with joy and chearfulnesse of heart as in the presence of God Quest. But what if both these testimonies are wanting what must we do then Answ. Have recourse to the first beginnings of sanctification which are these 1. To feel our inward corruptions 2. To be displeased with our selves for them 3. To begin to hate sin 4. To grieve so oft as by sin we offend God 5. To avoid the occasions of sin 6. To endeavour to do our duty and to use good means diligently 7. To desire to sin no more 8. To pray to God for his grace Secondly by Psal. 15.1 c. where the question is propounded who of the members of the Church shall have his habitation in heaven and the answer is He that walks uprightly before God deals justly with men speaks the truth from his heart c. Thirdly by 1 Joh. 5.13 where three things are evinced 1. That he that hath communion and fellowship with God in Christ may be undoubtedly assured of his salvation which the apostle tells was the end of preaching the Gospel to them chap. 1.3 4. where also he gives foure infallible notes of salvation 1. By
remission of sins through the blood of Christ v. 7. Object But how may this pardon of sin be known Answ. He answers First by our humble and hearty confession of them to God v. 9. Secondly if our consciences are pacified by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.1 1 Joh. 3.21 2. By the sanctifying spirit whereby we are renewed in holiness and righteousnesse 1 Joh. 3.24 3. By holiness and uprightnesse of heart and life 1 John 1.6 7. 4. By perseverance in the knowledge and obedience to the Gospel 1 John 2.24 2. He that is the adopted Son of God shall be undoubtedly saved 1 John 3.2 Rom. 8.17 Object But how shall we know our Adoption Answ. By these signs 1. If thou truly beleevest in the Sonne of God Gal. 3.26 1 John 3.23 2. By a hearty desire and earnest endeavour to be cleansed from thy corruptions 1 Joh. 3.3 3. By the love of a Christian because he is a Christian 1 John 3.10 11 12 c. 3. They that are assured of the love of God to them in particular may also be assured of their salvation 1 John 4.9 and Gods love to us may be known 1. By our love to the brethren 1 Joh. 4.20 21. 2. By our love to God 1 Joh. 4.19 which is also known by two signes 1. By our conformity to him in holinesse A child that loves his father will tread in his steps 1 Joh. 4.17 not in equality and perfection but in similitude and conformity 2. By the weanedness of our affections from the things of the world 1 John 2.15 Fourthly by 2 Tim. 2.19 the foundation of God remains sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his c. i. e. the decree of Gods election stands firm and sure So that they which are elected shall never totally and finally fall away Quest. But how shall I know that I am elected Answ. Paul answereth By the spirit of prayer and invocation and by a care to forsake all sin Let every one that cals upon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity Fifthly by 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure c. and this he tells may be done by getting and exercising those graces mentioned v. 5 6 7. Mr. Perkins 2. Vol. p. 18 c. Is there any good to be gotten by departing from Christ by leaving our first love by quenching the spirit and making Apostasie from former degrees of grace and holinesse can any son of Iesse do for us as Christ can Or do we think to mend our selves by running out of Gods blessing into the worlds warm Sun as Dâ—mas did O call me not Naomi may such say but call me Marah for I went out full but come home empty For indeed so do revolted Christians when they come from the act of sinning when they have been seeking after their sweet-hearts they went with their hearts full of peace and hands full of plenty and meeting with a bargain of sinning they thought to seek out their happinesse and make it fuller as Solomon did but they come home empty empty of comforts but laden with crosses they have lost their evidences are excommunicated from the power of Ordinances are under the terrour of wounded spirits are buffetted by Satan are out of hope of ever recovering the radiancy of their graces have their back-burden of their afflictions so that they are enforced to confess it to be the greatest madnesse in the world to buy the sweetest and profitablest sin at so dear a rate So David found it and the Sulamite Cant. 5.1 2. Quest. Wherein stands the difference betweene assurance and presumption Answ. First assurance is built upon the righteousness of Christ the grace of God the Word of God and the true knowledge of sin and of our selves what we are by nature and what by grace This was one principle of Pauls assurance 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am But presumption is built 1. Upon self-ignorance men know not what themselves are not what sin is Hence they think themselves righteous when they are great sinners Rom. 7.9 Luke 18.9 c. so Rev 3.17 2. Upon self-love which is that false glass that most look themselves in which makes all seeme good that they are have or do Hence Prov. 16.2 and 30.12 3. Upon self-righteousness which flows from the two former 4. Upon ignorance and mistakes about the nature of grace or upon false principles such as these 1. That shews are substance or that to seem religious is to be so So Mat. 23.28 2. That common gifts are special grace that Parts are Piety or that a civil and moral conversation is a regenerate condition This will be discovered to be the presumption of many at the last day Mat. 7.22 23. 3. That profession is practice that trimming of Lamps is having of oyle So Matth. 25.6 7. and that the forme of godliness is the power thereof and outwards performances the substance of Piety whereas 2 Tim. 3.5 4. That restraint of sinne is mortification or putting off the old man or that cutting off the branches of sinne is plucking it up by the root That outward cleansing is inward purifying So Math. 23.25 5. That mens hearts may be good though their tongues hands and lives be bad 5. It 's sometimes built upon outward prosperity They hope God loves them and will save them because he hath given them so many good things all these bottomes are like the house built upon the sands Mat. 7.27 Secondly they differ in the means by which they are obtained and maintained For assurance is obtained by 1. Godly sorrow for sin For Christ gives rest to such Matth. 11.28 so Luke 7.38 48. 2. Soul-searching and self-examination or by a frequent comparing our hearts with Gods Word and communing with them about the proper effects of grace and fruits of the Spirit in us 3. By the illumination and testimony of Adoption 4. By the Ordinances of the Word Sacraments prayer and a holy and constant use of them 1 Job 5.13 5. By conflicts with doubts and by resistance of unbelief as Mark 9.24 so that assurance is not ordinarily obtained without much paines Hence 2 Pet. 1.10 But presumption is gotten without means or paines without sorrow for sin self-examination c. sponte nascitur It grows up of its own accord which is a signe that its a weed and not an herb of grace Again as assurance is bred so it 's fed and maintained by meanes viz. the constant exercise and discovery of grace the careful performance of duties avoiding sin maintaining communion with God c. whereas presumption as it s gotten so it 's maintained without care or cost Thirdly they differ in their effects which are seven 1. Assurance endears God to the soul to love him delight in him long after him and fear to offend him and to be careful to serve and please him Eph. 4.29 30.31 but presumption stirs up no affections
hearts Joh. 15.10 1 Cor. 2.10 Rom. 12.2 Psal. 4.3 Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 2.9 Illi terrena sapiant qui promissa coelestia non habent Cyprian 2. They are sinful in regard of their causes which are principally two 1. Inordinate lust or coveting the running of the heart after covetousness 2. Distrust of Gods providence for those desires which spring from lust can never have faith to secure the heart in the expectation of them Jam. 4.3 3. They are sinful 〈◊〉 their effects For 1. They are murthering cares 2 Cor. 7.10 they work sadnesse suspicions uncomfortablenesse and at last death 2. They are choaking cares Mat. 13.22 they take off the heart from the Word and thereby make it unfruitful 3. They are adulterous cares Jam. 4.4 they steal away the heart from God and set us at enmity against him Quest. How may we arm our selves against them Answ. First make the creature no vexing creature For which end 1. Pray for conveniency for that which is sutable to thy minde not to thy lusts but to the abilities of thy mind Labour ever to sute thy occasions to thy parts and thy supplies to thy occasions A ship out of greedinesse overladen with gold will be in danger of sinking though the capacity of the sides be not a quarter filled on the other side fill it to the brim with feathers and it will still tosse up and down for want of ballasting so is it in the lives of men some have such greedy desires that they think they can run through all sort◠of businesses and so never leave loading themselves till their hearts sink and be swallowed up of worldly sorrow and security in sin Others set their affections on such trivial things that though they should have the fill of their desires their minds would still be as floating and unsettled as before therefore if thou livest in the calmest times 1. Fill not thy self only with light things and such are all things in this world of themselves but get thy heart ballasted with faith in Gods promises love and fear of his name a foundation of good works and then whatever becomes of thy other loading thy ship it self shall be safe at last thou shalt be sure in the greatest tempest to have thy life for a prey 2. Consider the burden of thy vessel as all ships are not of equal capacity so all men have not the same abilities some have such a measure of grace as enables them with much wisdom and improvement to manage such an estate as would puff up another with pride sensuality superciliousnesse and forgetfulnesse of God Some again are fitted to some kind of imployments not so to others and in these varieties of state every man should pray for that which is most sutable to his disposition and abilities which may expose him to fewest tentations or at least make him most serviceable in the body of Christ and bring most glory to his Master Hence Prov. 30.8 9. Mat. 6.11 Give us our daily bread 2. Labour to get Christ into thy ship he will check every tempest and calme every vexation that grows upon thee When thou considerest that his truth and person and honour is imbarked in the same vessel with thee thou mayest assure thy self that either he will be thy Pilot in the ship or thy plank in the sea to carry thee safe to land Say if I suffer in his company and as his member he suffers with me and then I may triumph that I am any way made conformable to Christ my head If I am weak in body Christ my head was wounded If weak in minde Christ my Head was heavie unto death if I suffer in my estate Christ my head was poor If in my name he was called Beelzebub 2 Cor. 8.9 Mat. 12.24 Again have I a great estate this takes away all the vexation that I haue Christ with me his promise to sanctifie it his wisdom to manage it his Glory by it to be advanced his Word by it to be maintained his Anointed ones by it to be supplied his Church to be by it repaired in one word his poverty to be by it relieved 3. Cast out thy Jonah every sleeping and secure sin that brings a tempest on thy ship and vexation to thy spirit Examine thy self impartially and when thou hast found it out though thy choicest pleasure or chiefest profit yet cast it out in an humble confession unto God in an hearty and willing restitution to men in opening thy close and contracted bowels to those that never yet enjoyed comfort from them then shall quietnesse arise to thy soul c. 4. To remove the vexation of the creature keep it from thy spirit suffer it not to take up thy thoughts and inward man These things are not thy business but thy accessories and a mans heart should be on the first not on the latter Psal. 62.10 when the creature hath raised a tempest of vexation in your souls poure out your corruptions by confession abate your lusts and the provisions of them live by faith and say It 's the Lord let him do what seems good to him The Lord giveth the Lord taketh Blessed be his Name Thirdly use the creatures as vexing things For which end 1. Let not earthly things bear rule over thy affections least they emasculate all the powers of thy soul Let grace sit in the Throne and all earthly things be subordinate to the wisdom and government of Gods Spirit in thy heart They are excellent servants but pernicious masters 2. Be armed when thou touchest or medlest with them Armed against the lusts and against the tentations that arise from them Get faith to place thy heart upon better promises enter not upon them without prayer to God that since thou art going amongst snares he would carry thee through with wisdom and faithfulnesse and teach thee how to use them as his blessings and as instruments of his glory Make a Covenant with thy heart be jealous of it least it be surprized or bewitched with sinful affections 3. Touch them gently Do not hug them love and dote upon them nor grasp them with adulterous embraces The love of money is the root of mischief and is enmity against God 1 Tim. 6.10 Jam. 4.4 1 Joh. 2.15 3. Use them for hedges and fences to relieve the Saints to make friends of unrighteous Mammon and to defend the Church of Christ. By no means have them in thy field but only about it mingle it not with thy corn lest it choke all 5. Use them as Gideon for weapons of just revenge against the enemies of Gods Church to vindicate his truth and glory and then by being wise and faithful in a little thou shalt be ruler over much c. See Dr. Reynolds Object But I should not take so much care were it not for my children Answ. Paul saith 1 Cor. 7.29 Let those that are married be as though they were not meaning in regard of this scraping of wealth
and fulness of joy which is as Gods right hand for ever more For when the flesh is pamperd with these carnall delights the spirit is pined when it s made fat with gluttony the spirit grows lean fulness of wine and the Spirit will not stand together as we see Ephes. 5.18 Secondly We must not provide for the Spirit poison instead of wholesome food nor carnall weapons instead of spirituall As instead of the pure Word of God and heavenly Manna the sincere milk of the Gospel and Sacraments we must not feed our souls with humane inventions and traditions will-worship and superstitious devotions not warranted by Scripture of which the more liberally that we feed the more lean we wax in our spiritual strength and stature yea the more feeble we grow in all spirituall graces 2. We must not provide for this spirituall warfare carnall weapons For 2 Cor. 10.4 the weapons of our warfare are not carnal c. As for example we must not fight against the flesh with fleshly anger and carnal revenge For Jam. 1.20 the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God we must not seek to subdue the flesh with popish fasting called the Doctrine of Divels 1 Tim. 4.1 3. But with our fasting when we have just occasion we must joyn Prayer the one being the end the other the means enabling us thereunto Thirdly We must not remit any thing of our zeal in holy duties and give way to coldness and formality therein For we may the more easily preserve the strength of the Spirit whilst its in the best plight then recover it when it s diminished again the more resolutely we stand in the strength of grace received the more willing the Lord is to assist us in fighting his battels the more carefull we are to encrease his spirituall Talents the more willing he is to redouble them 4. Lastly we must avoid fleshly sloth and negligence and must use Gods gifts and graces in the exercise of Christian duties to the glory of him that gave them Our knowledge must be exercised in the practice of what we know Our Faith in good works our love to God and our neighbours in performing all holy duties we owe them For if we could abound in all graces yet if we did not use them for our own defence and the discomforting our enemies we should be never the neerer in obtaining the victory Quest. How may wee cheare up and comfort the Spirit to this Conflict Answ. First We must earnestly desire to have the Spirit more strengthened and the gifts and graces of it more enlarged and multiplied in us God hath promised that if we want the Spirit and ask it of him he will give it us Luke 11.13 So if we have it and desire and beg an increase of the gifts of it he will satisfie our desires and carry it on to perfection Psal. 145.19 Phil. 1.6 For therefore doth the Lord give us these longings that we may satisfie them we must not therefore rest content with any measure of grace received but go on from grace to grace till we come to perfection and this is an infallible sign of the regenerate who are therefore said to be trees of righteousness of Gods own planting Psal. 92.14 which are most fruitfull in their old age they are like the morning light which shines more and more to the perfect day Prov. 4.18 they are Gods bildings which is still setting up till it be fully finished Ephes. 2.20 they are Gods Children who grow from strength to strength till they come to a perfect stature therefore we must desire to grow in grace Ephes. 4.12 13. Joh. 15.2 2 Pet. 3.18 Secondly We must use all good means for the strengthening of the spirit for which end 1. We must be diligent in hearing reading and meditating on the word of God which is the ministry of grace and salvation not only the seed whereby we are begotten again but the food also whereby we are nourished till we come to a full age in Christ 1 Pet. 2.2 and because a time of scarcity may come we must with Joseph lay up aforehand that we may have provision in such times as those For if food be withdrawn from the spirit it will languish and not be able to stand against the assaults of the flesh in the day of battell 2. To the Ministery of the Word we must joyn the frequent use of the Lords Supper which is a spirituall feast purposely ordained by our Saviour Christ for the strengthening our communion with him by the Spirit and for the replenishing of us with all those sanctifying graces whereby we may be enabled to resist the flesh 3. We must use the help of holy conference instructing exhorting admonishing counselling and comforting one another that we may be further edified in our holy Faith Jude 20. Thirdly If we will strengthen the Spirit we must nourish the good motions thereof neither utterly quenching them nor delaying to put them in practice but presently obeying them taking the first and best opportunity of performing those duties which it requires as when a fit opportunitie being offered it moves us to prayer either to beg the graces which we want or to give thanks for benefits received we are not to neglect this motion utterly nor to cool it by delayes but presently to put it in execution So in other duties either of piety to God or of mercy and charity to men we must not put them off to another time but presently set upon them making hay while the Sun shines c. which will much chear and comfort the Spirit being thus readily obeyed Fourthly We must be careful of maintaining our peace with God and our assurance of his love and favour which is best done by preserving peace in our own Consciences keeping them clear from known and voluntary sins whereby our Father may be angered and we exposed to his judgments For if God be offended his Spirit cannot be well pleased with us neither will he renew our strength nor send us fresh supplies of grace to strengthen us against our spirituall Enemies neither can our regenerate spirit with courage fight against the Divell the World and the Fesh when it wants the light of Gods countenance and its peace is interrupted with him Yea we must endeavour to have not only Gods graces habitually but to feel their severall actions and operations working our hearts to all good duties And these feelings of faith and comforts of the Spirit are best obtained and kept when as we preserve our communion and familiar acquaintance with God in the constant and conscionable use of his holy Ordinances of Hearing Prayer receiving the Sacraments and frequenting the publick Assemblies where God is present by his spirit as Psal. 42.1 2. and 84.1 c. when we labour daily in the mortification of our sins which separate between God and us and exercise our selves in all holy duties of his service thereby glorifying his Name
conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath and choosing the things which will please God c. Isa. 56.4 5 6. Quest. What are the marks whereby we may know our selves to be the adopted children of God Answ. Such are made like unto God their father in holinesse in some truth of resemblance 1 Pet. 1.15 and this they shew two wayes 1. By purifying themselves and sound humiliation for their sins that defaced Gods Image in them 1 John 3.2 3. 2. By employing themselves constantly in doing righteousnesse Hereby they are known from the children of the devil 1 John 3.10 Such love the brethren as their fellow-heires 1 John 3.14 Such have the spirit of prayer Rom. 8.15 16. Such serve God not out of a slavish fear but with a filial affection Isa. 56.6 Such wil love them that hate them and blesse them that curse them Luk. 6.35 Mat. 5.44 Quest. How must the adopted sons of God carry themselves in this life Answ. They must be Peace-makers Mat. 5.9 their Father is the God of peace They must not revile such as revile them but rather blesse them seeing they are heires of the blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 They must live without carefulnesse knowing that they have a heavenly Father to care for them Mat. 6.32 and being heires of a better they must not set their hearts upon this world 1 John 2.15 They must willingly submit to their Fathers corrections Heb. 12.9 Mr. Byfield on Peter Quest. VVhat may we do that we may attain the spirit of Adoption and keep the lively sense and feeling of it in our soules Answ. We must diligently attend upon the Ministry of the Word 2 Cor. 3.6 8. for its the Ministry of the Spirit because by it God offers and communicates his Spirit Gal. 3.2 We must beg this spirit of Adoption of God Luke 11.13 We must open the doores of our hearts that the Spirit may enter Psal. 24.7 Rev. 3 20. that is we must call off our mindes from earthly things and we must raise them up to attend to the motions of the Spirit Quest. VVhat are the Signes that we have the Spirit of Adoption Answ. If we have the Spirit of Prayer whereby we can call God Father Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.15 26. Gal. 4.6 If we have an high esteem of that dignity which is in Adoption John 1.12 1 John 3.1 If we reverence and honour God as our Father Mal. 1.6 1 Pet. 1.17 If we yield child-like obedience to him 1 Pet. 1.14 Rom. 8.14 If we are made conformable to the Image of God our Father and Christ our elder brother Mat. 5.48 Rom. 8.29 1 John 3.9 If we have a lively hope of our future inheritance Rom. 8.17 Quest. How may we preserve the witnesse of the Spirit of Adoption in us Answ. If we do not extinguish it by contempt of the means of grace 1 Thes. 5.19 20. If we do not grieve the Spirit by the filthinesse of sin Eph. 4.30 If we stir it up by our honest endeavours Ames Cas. Consc. CHAP. IV. Questions and Cases about Adoration or Worship Quest. WHat is Adoration Answ. It s the part of Gods Worship whereby a man upon a vile and base esteem of himself as being but dust and ashes submits and subjects his soul to the Majesty and Glory of God Quest. What are the principal Grounds in the heart Answ. Two 1. Abnegation or denial of our selves when we esteem our selves to be meerly nothing Exaltation or advancement of Gods Majesty above all things in the world So Gen. 18.27 Isa. 6.2 Dan. 9.7 Maâ— 15.27 Quest. How manifold is Adoration Answ. Twofold Religious or Civil Quest. What is religious Adoration Answ. It s the Worship of God in which Religion and Godlinesse is exercised expressed and signified Quest. What is to be considered herein Answ. The inward intention of the minde wherein God is conceived as an absolute and omnipotent Lord knowing all things yea the heart of man hearing all our prayers at all times in all places and being the Author Preserver and Giver of all good The outward prostrating of the body as bowing the knee lifting up the hands c. to testifie our subjection unto God as our absolute Lord. Quest. What is Civil Adoration Answ. It belongs to the Second Table and is termed Sociall because its the Adoration or Worship that fellow-creatures give one to another Quest. What is to be considered herein Answ. The inward intention of the minde which must be this that the creature worshipped is endued with excellent gifts by God or that he hath Power and Government over us The Action or outward gesture of the body in token that the creature worshipped is endued with excellent gifts and graced with authority over us So that the bodily gesture both in religious Worship and this is and may be the same and the difference stands only in the intention of the minde Quest. To what things is Adoration due and in what manner Answ. The things are of three sorts 1. God the Creator 2. The creatures 3. The works of the creatures Quest. VVhat Adoration is due to God Answ. It must not be Sociall for we are not Gods companions but Religious which is due to him and to him alone Mat. 4.10 Quest. VVhat Caveats are to be remembred herein Answ. If Adoration be given to god with a false and erroneous intention it makes him an Idol As if our bodies be bowed to worship God out of the Trinity as the Turks do or if he be worshipped out of the Son as the Jews do we worship not the true God but an Idol For God must be so conceived of us as he hath manifested himself in his Word and not otherwise To worship God in at or before a creature is superstition and idolatry and God so worshipped is made an Idol Quest. VVhy so Answ. Because he that so worships him binds his presence operation and grace to those places to which God never bound himself nor his Presence c. God hath not appointed Images to be Pledges of these things eithet by Promise or Precept He therefore that worships God otherwise then he requires or looks to be heard where God will not hear is an Idolater God expresly forbids the VVorship of his Majesty in at or before any creature in heaven or earth Deut. 4.16 17 18 19. Objâ—ct But I intend not to worship the Image but God in the Image Answ. It matters not what thy meaning is seeing God detests that manner of Worship the Israelites worshipped not the Calfe but God in the Calfe Exod 32.8 yet they are said to worship an Idol Obj. God was worshipped before the Ark and there he promised to hear the prayers of his people Answ. They had an expresse Command from God to worship before the Ark and a Promise that they should be accepted and heard which the Idolater hath not Obj. Subjects kneel before the Chaire of State though the King be absent in token of their subjection due to him
disfitted for those duties which God hath prescribed and requires of us Sixthly in regard of the duration of it when it continues longer then it ought to do Eph. 4.26 Ames Cas. Consci CHAP. X. Questions and Cases of Conscience about Anger in God Quest. WHat is anger in God Answ. It 's the inward displeasure which he hath against sin and his purpose to punish it accompanied with threatnings upon his purpose and execution upon his threatnings Quest. How may it be proved that there is anger in God Answ. First by his judgements executed upon sinners as upon the lapsed Angels the old world Sodom and Gomorrah the ten Tribes the two Tribes c. Secondly by his threatenings against sinne Isaiah 63.6 Job 42.7 Thirdly by the Saints complaining of it and praying against it as Psal. 6.1 and 38.1 3. and 74.1 and 90.11 Quest. Why is there anger in God Answ. First because of that antipathy which is in him against sin as it 's contrary to his pure nature opposed God and would turne him out of his Sovereignty For by sin we cast out God and admit the devil into our hearts and prefer our lusts before Gods will and our carnal reason in contriving sinne before Gods wisdom in his Word Secondly Sin is the onely object of Gods anger though foolish persons make a sport and trifle of it For it Adam was cast out of Paradise Gen. 3.23 the old woâ—ld destroyed Gen. 6.13 2 Pet. 3.12 yea it made God in a sort angry with his own dear son so that he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 and if God shewed anger against sin by punishing it in our Surety Christ who was made sin for us and yet had no sin in himself what will become of wicked and ungodly sinners Quest Why are judgements called Gods anger Answ. Because they issue from his anger For it s not the judgements but the anger in them which lies heavy upon the soul whereas when we suffer ill knowing that it is not from anger but for trial of our graces or for exercise of them we take it patiently Hence Deut. 28.27 The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt and with the Emrods and with the scab and with the itch whereof thou canst not be healed What is a scab or the itch which now are so light set by such a terrible judgement O yes when it comes with Gods displeasure what is it that blows the coals of hell and makes that fire so hot but Gods anger Isa. 30.33 Quest. How will it appear that Gods anger is so terrible Answ. First we may see it in the earnestnesse of Davids suit to have Gods wrathful countenance turned away from his sins and from him because of his sins Psal. 51.9 As also in that of the Church Psal. 85.4 5. Turne us O God of our salvation and cause thine anger towards us to cease Wilt thou be angry with us for evâ—r wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations c. Secondly in the expressions whereby the Scripture sets it forth as Psal. 76.7 Thou even thou art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry Psal. 18.7 The earth shook and trembled the foundations of the hills also moved and were shaken because he was wroth Psal. 2.12 and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled yea but a litle It was time for Moses to call upon Aaron to make haste and go quickly to make an attonement when there was wrath gone out from the Lord Numb 16.46 It 's called Gods fierce wrath Jer. 3.9 his sore displeasure Psal. 2.5 Oh! rebuke me not in thine anger saith David Psalm 6.1 He cared not what God laid upon him so it were not in anger Thirdly the greatnesse of Gods anger may be estimated by the greatnesse of his mercy Patience abused turns into fury What is blunter then iron then steele in it self But let it once be sharpened and nothing is keener Nothing so calm naturally as the Sea but when once flirred nothing is more tempestuous The best wine makes the sharpest vineger So nothing being so merciful as God is in himself if he be once provoked nothing is more terrible Heb. 12.29 Our God is a consuming fire Heb. 10.31 It 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Fourthly the bitternesse of Gods wrath may be concluded out of our Saviours agony It was no small thing that made even him standing in our roome To offer up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares to be saved from that which he feared Heb. 5.7 See Mr. Hieron on Psal. 51. Quest. What means then may we use to divert this fierce anger of God Answ. Repentance is the best means we can use to pacifie Gods displeasure When the Lord hath threatned many grievous judgements and plagues for sinne one upon the neck of another denounced with variety of expressions in the most terrible manner yet after all that terrible thundring See Deut. 30.1 c. It follows It shall come to passe when all these things are come upon thee the blessings and the curses which I have set before thee and thou shalt call them to minde amongst all the Nations whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee and shalt return unto the Lord thy God c. that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity and have compassion upon thee c. Not that repentance is the meritorious cause of pardon but God will have an order in things where there is no sense of sin and humiliation with prayer for pardon and reformation trusting in God for mercy there the anger of God abides still Again 2 Chro. 7.14 If my people that are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land and no marvel for he is gracious and a sin-pardoning God Exod. 34.6 7. so Ezek. 18. and ch 33. Manasses was a very great sinner being enabled by his authority to do the greater mischief yet upon his humiliation and prayer he found mercy 2 Chron. 33.12 13. so in the Prodigal Luk. 15.20 David Psal. 32.3 4. confesseth that whilest he neglected repentance Gods hand was heavy upon him so that his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer c. But when he confessed God forgave the iniquity of his sin Quest. Why is repentance such an effectual means to divert anger Answ. Because it's Gods nature so to do His nature is more inclined to mercy then to anger For God to be angry it s upon the supposition of our sins but to be merciful it always proceeds from his own bowels Micah 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in
end of our lives a rich reward for doing him therein faithful service Thirdly our mindes and hearts must be setled in our callings so as not to shift and change them unlesse it be upon weighty and necessary causes nor to intrude and busie our selves in the callings of others which would overthrow all order and bring confusion both in Church and State and crosse Gods wise providence in the government of the world who gives variety of gifts to be exercised in variety of callings therefore we must follow the Apostles rule 1 Cor. 7.20 24. Fourthly We must so behave our selves in our callings as may be for Gods glory the good of others and our own welfare for which end 1. For our persons we must be regenerate and sanctified for our persons must be accepted before our works can please God Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure c. All that a wicked man doth is abominable Prov. 21.27.4 neither can such expect a blessing upon their labours Ps. 1.3 and 112.1 2 c. and 128.1 Gods promise belongs only to the righteous as appears in those Texts 2. The duties of our callings must be performed in faith as was shewed before Heb. 11.6 Joh. 15.5 Rom. 14.23 2. They must proceed out of unfeigned love to God and our neighbours which is the fountain of all true obedience and not principally from self-love and love of the world the love of God will move us to consecrate our lives and labours wholly unto him and love unto our neighbours will make us to seek their good as well as our own 1 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 5.13 3. They must be directed to right ends As 1. Principally to Gods glory which we should advance in every thing 1 Cor. 10.31 2. The good of the Church and Common-wealth which we should prefer before our private good 3. So to aime at our own profit as that we joyn there with the welfare and benefit of our neighbours and not raise our gaine out of their losses 4. Our care must be to performe the duties of our callings after a right manner For which end we must first follow our earthly businesses with heavenly mindes and affections as Citizens of Heaven and pilgrims on earth longing after the joyes of our own countrey Phil. 3.20 Coll. 3.1 2. especially in the midst of our ordinary businesses we should oft lift up our hearts to God craving his blessing in and giving him praise at the end of our work not forgetting Christs Counsel Mat. 6.33 Secondly we must sanctifie them by the Word and prayer The first is done when we labour to see our warrant out of Scripture for all we do doing all things both for substance and manner as Gods Word requireth and directeth The second is done when by prayer we desire Gods blessing upon all our labours and returne him thanks when we have obtained it Col. 3.17 For its Gods blessing only that makes rich Prov. 10.22 Deut. 8.13.18 He gives and he takes away Job 1.21 1 Sam. 2.8 Psal. 113.7 Abraham and Lot by Gods blessing waxed rich Gen. 13.5 6. and Isaac Gen. 26.3.12 and Jacob Gen. 32.10 without which all our labour is in vain Psal. 127.1 2. God will blow upon it Hag. 1.6 9. 5. There are sundry virtues to be exercised in the right and religious performance of the duties of our callings As 1 Knowledge and judgement whereby we are enabled to discerne between good and evil right and wrong without which we walk in darknesse and shall be apt to commit many errors 2 Affiance in God whereby we cast our selves upon his promise and providence in the use of lawful means as Psal. 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and he shall bring it to passe For which end remember that God takes care of the fowles cloaths the lilies Mat. 6.25 28. 3 Get and use a good conscience both towards God and man as Paul Act. 24.16 Heb. 13.18 this willl keep us from all secret sins and crafty conveyances whereby we are naturally apt to wrong our neighbours for our private advantage 4 We must get contentation being in all things contented with Gods good pleasure judging that condition best wherein he hath placed us indifferently welcoming poverty or riches prosperity or adversity gain or losse because they are sent of God Phil. 4.12 If we get this we shall not be discontented with the basenesse of our callings nor envy others their great preferments their lesse labour and more gains c. It will also keep us from base covetousness knowing that godlinesse is the greatest gain 1 Tim. 6.6 Hence Heb. 13.5 5 We must possess our souls with patience which we have need to do considering that we are daily subject to many crosses and miscarriages which would otherwise discourage us from going on 6 We must have our hearts replenished with thankfulness to God being always ready when we observe his love in blessing our labours to render him the praise of all Gen 32.10 Not sacrificing to our own nets as Hab. 1.16 But seeing all comes from God to returne all praise to God 1 Cor. 4.7 7 We must perform the duties of our calling with alacrity and cheerfulnesse doing it heartily as to the Lord Col. 3.23 24. who will reward our labours with an heavenly inheritance and this will make all our labours more easie and to be more acceptable to God 8 We must observe justice in all the duties of our callings doing nothing in them but what may advance our neighbours good as well as our own 1 Thes. 4.6 dealing with others as we would that they should deal with us Mr. Downams Guide to Godlinesse CHAP. XXIV Questions and Cases of Conscience about our holy Calling or Vocation Quest. OF how many sorts is the Calling of God Answ. First the particular calling which is to serve God in some particular Vocation so the Word is used Heb. 5.4 Rom. 1.11 Secondly the general calling which is to serve God in all parts of holinesse with promise of eternal reward through the merits of Christ. Quest. Of how many sorts is this general Calling Aâ—sw 1. External 2. Internal 3. Both external and internal Quest. What is the external Calling Answ. It s the work of Gods grace in his Word offering Christ and calling upon all sorts of men to reform their wayes and to receive Christ and to yeeld obedience to the Will of God with promise of salvation if they obey Quest. What is the inward calling Answ. It s the action of God both by his Word and Spirit calling out his Elect by name particularly and perswading them to separate from the world and receive the Covenant of Gods grace in Christ and to devote themselves to holinesse of life Quest. Why is our conversion termed our calling Answ. First because the meanes whereby God works upon us ordinarily is his Word or the voice of his servants calling upon us for amendment of life Secondly because through the
come c. Mr. Shepherds Sound Believer Quest. What are the parts of inward Calling Answ. First the enlightning the minde to understand the principles of Religion which though alone it be not sufficient nor more then may be in a Reprobate yet it s the foundation of the rest without which there is no effectual Calling Secondly the opening of the heart to believe as Lydia's was when we believe every thing particularly to belong to us and so the Promise of salvation amongst the rest Thirdly a change of the whole man This is essentially necessary to salvation for by nature we are slaves of sin and as long as we continue in our natural condition we are far from salvation Quest. VVhat are the fruits of this effectual Calling Answ. First when a man goes about the works of the same and labours to walk worthy of it in an holy life Secondly when a man highly esteems his calling and the hope of glory that he is called to as Paul accounted all but dung in comparison of the knowledge of Christ crucified and the things which he highly esteemed before his Calling afterwards he made no reckoning of them Thirdly when he will suffer any thing for the same rather then be drawn from the hope thereof Quest. What are the marks of effectual Calling Answ. They are either Negative or Affirmative First Negative As 1. Not to hear the Word and that diligently 2. Nor to hear joyfully 3. Nor to reform many things as Herod 4. Nor to do some choice duties as Ananias and Saphira Secondly Affirmative 1. To seek above all to be at peace with God and to have his Spirit to assure us of everlasting salvation not to serve the times but above all to be assured of Gods favour 2. That we hate unfeignedly all evil but especially the evils of the times and of our natures 3. To affect heartily all good but especially those good things which the world and times disregard and that our selves are most untoward unto Mr. Rogers on Pet. Quest. VVhat other signes are there of our effectual Calling Answ. First if we be effectually called it supposes that we are chosen and singled out from others in the world and whom God calls he qualifies when he called Saul to be King he gave him a Kingly heart so if God call us to his heavenly Kingdome he will give us holy Kingly and heavenly hearts and mindes Secondly mens tongues will shew what calling they are of in their discourse A Christian will remember that he is a Christian and will walk worthy of his Calling and will say with Nehemiah Shall such a man as I do thus speak thus think thus Thirdly this Calling is to glory and therefore he that is called will oft think of Heaven and magnifie and admire Gods goodnesse to him saying with David What is man that thou shouldest be mindful of him Fourthly if a man be thus called by God he will finde a spiritual answering within himself to Gods Call If God say Thou art my son the heart answers Thou art my God Behold I come quickly saith Christ Even so come Lord Jesus saith thy heart Fifthly this Calling is an high Calling It s from Heaven to Heaven It s from an heavenly Spirit by spiritual meanes to Christ in Heaven to Saints to spiritual employments and priviledges Dr. Sibbs on Phil. CHAP. XXV Questions and Cases of Conscience about Cares of the World Quest. HOw many-fold are the Cares of the World Answ. Twofold 1. Regular 2. Irregular First Care is then regular 1. When it hath a right end such as is both sutable with and subordinate to our main end the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Secondly when the meanes of procuring that end are right For we may not do evil to effect good Rom. 3.8 Contrary in Ahaziah 2 Kings 1.2 Yea Saint Austine is peremptory that if it were possible by an officious lie to compass the redemption of the whole world yet so weighty and universal a good must rather be let fall then brought about by the smallest evil Thirdly when the manner of doing it is good and that is 1. When the care is moderate Phil. 4.5 6. 2. When it 's with submission to the will and wisdome of God when with David we can resolve not to torment our hearts with needlesse and endless projects but to rowle our selves upon Gods protection 2 Sam. 15.25 26. So 1 Sam. 3.18 Act. 21.12 14. Contrary 2 King 6.33 and in this respect care is not a vexation but a duty 1 Thes. 5.8 Prov. 6.8 Care irregular is a cutting dividing distracting care against which we should strive for these reasons First irregular cares are superfluous and improper to the ends which we direct them upon and that not to our main end only Happinesse which men labouring to find in the creature where it is not do instead there of finde nothing but trouble and vexation But even to those lower ends which the creatures are proper and sutable to For to us properly belongs the industry and to God the care unto us the labour and use of the means but to God the blessing and successe of all 1 Cor. 3.6 Luk. 12.25 1 Pet. 5.7 Psalme 55.22 Matth. 6.32 we should therefore learne to cast our selves upon God and that 1. In faith depending upon the truth of his promises Heb. 13.5 as Dan. 3.17 2 Sam. 30.6 2 Chron. 14.11 12. and 16.9 the contrary grieves God Numb 14.11 Ps. 78.19 20. 106.24 and it proceeds from this that we measure God by our selves that we conceive of his power onely by those issues and wayes of escape which we are by our own wisdomes able to forecast and when we are so straitned that we can see no way to turn there we give over trusting God as if our sinnes were greater then could be forgiven oâ— our afflictions then could be removed the best way therefore to establish our hearts in all estates is to have the eye of Faith fixed upon Gods power and to consider what he saith Isa. 55.8 12. So Hab. 3.3 18. Zach. 4.6 10. Hos. 11.9 2 Chron. 20.6 1â— Ezek. 37.3 2. By prayer which is a maine remedy against careful thoughts Phil. 4.5 6 7. so we see in Hannah 1 Sam. 1.7 10 18. So 1 Chron. 29.9 Deut. 12 1â— and 28.47 Mal. 2.13 Isa. 38.14 20. Hab. 3.2 16 18 19. Secondly as irregular cares are needlesse and superfluous so they are sinful also 1. In regard of their object they are worldly cares the cares of the men of this world therein we declare our selves to walk as the Gentiles as if we had no better a foundation of Contentment then the Heathen which know not God Hence Eph. 4.17 Mat. 6.32 whereas we are taken out of the world and therefore must not be conformable to the world nor bring forth the fruits of a wordly spirit but walk as a peculiar people that have heavenly promises and the grace of God to establish our
our sins was a bitter cup to drink off hence Matth. 26.39 6. This work Christ finished and compleated Quest. In what particulars did his finishing this work consist Answ. First in that he did it wholly and universally there was not one tittle of the Law which he did not fulfill Secondly He finished it universally for parts and not only so but fully for degrees He did not only love God but loved him as much as the Law requires All that he did was so fully done that there wanted not the least degree of grace in any duty Thirdly Because he had not only an objective perfection in parts and degrees but also a subjective perfection all within him was throughly and perfectly holy So that as we are originally and actually polluted he was originally and actually holy so that the Law had no fault to finde with him Luk. 1.35 Heb. 7.26 and 4.15 Fourthly He finished it in respect of duration the Law requiring continuance though there were perfection of parts and degrees and subjective perfection also yet Cursed is he that continues not therein Gal. 3.10 Fifthly He so finished it that he left nothing to be done either by Angels or men in that way and kind as he did it Object Then what needs diligence and zeal in the wayes of God Sin or not sin all is one Christ hath done all c Answ. Our duties are not required to that end which Christs was but yet they are necessarily commanded for other ends because God hath commanded them as the way to walk in if we will be saved as also to glorifie God and to restifie our thankfulness and love to him yea there is an inseparable connexion btween a man interessed in Christ and a holy life as there is in the fire with heat and light Quest. What are the properties of the work which Christ finished Answ. Firâ— it was a work of infinite value because he was God as well as man Secondly Mediatory all that he did and suffered tended to a propitiation and reconciliation with God so that as the nature of them was infinite so the end of them was pretious and admirable Thirdly It was not only his work but our work He did them not for his own sake but for ours Fourthly It was of necessity and that 1. From the Justice of God which being infinite could not be satisfied but by that which is of infinite value 2. From the holinesse of the Law that admits of no work but what is perfect pure and holy 3. From our own impotency which proclaims the necessity of Christs perfection For take us as we are in our selves and so we are nothing but sin and a curse instead of doing Gods work wee doe the Divels and take us as regenerate and then though we be partakers of Gods Grace yet the remnants of corruption within us doe staine and infect all we doe Fifthly Here is the glorious visibility of Christs perfect working in his Resurrection Ascention and now sitting at Gods right hand in glory which could not have been had not Christ perfected his work Quest. What are wee further bound to believe concerning Christ Answ. First That whatsoever Christ had or was was not for himself but for us His fulness for our emptiness His attonement for our sins as the full breasts are for suck to the child the vertue of the head for the members of the body the fulnesse of the Fountaine for the streams Isa. 9. â— 1 Cor. 1.30 Quest. In what particulars will this appear Answ. First His Incarnation was for us not for Angels nor for any other end If there had been but one man of all mankind to be saved Christ would have dyed as Paul said Gal. 2.20 who gave himself for me It was not the multitude of Believers which made Christ to become man for comparatively there are but a small remnant but it was because such are given to him as Mediatour and so he would be faithfull for one as well as for many Secondly All that Christ did was not for himself but for us All his miracles Joh. 11.15 His miracles tending to the confirmation of their faith So was his obedience to the Law and fulfilling the righteousnesse thereof for our sakes Thirdly His sufferings and rendring himself an Attonement and Sacrifice on the Cross was for us Isa. 53.5 He died for us gave himself for us c Heb. 12.24 Abels blood cried for vengeance but Christs for mercy Fourthly The fruits and benefits of his mediation redound to us Justification pardon of sin sanctification victory over lusts assurance of Gods favour all these come by Christ but to those only for whom he was appointed a Saviour Secondly that all this was of God the Father It s his will and gracious appointment that Christ should do all these things for his Col. 1.14 Thirdly it s the duty of all Gods children to know and believe this fulnesse of Christ for them and to look upon Christ and all his benefits as for them Quest. Why is it their dutie to do so Answ. First because otherwise Christ would be in vaine and not of that use that God hath appointed him for the fountaine runs in vaine if none will drink of it Secondly because in and through him God doth magnifie his glory his attributes of grace mercy and unspeakable bounty so that if we do not thus receive Christ we deprive God of all his intended glory Thirdly because of the insufficiency of all other things to satisfie the troubled and broken heart which may make us to flie to this and to say Whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life Fouâ—thly our necessity may enforce us to it Consider when our own hearts disquiet us when the perfect Law troubles us and when the Devil accuses us we should then flie to Christ which will answer all Quest. Whether did not Christ die for all men Answ. Christs Mediatory prayer John 17. and Death is not for all the world but onely for some certaine persons who are given by the Father to him Quest. How can this be made out and proved Answ. First Consider that there is a necessary connexion between Christs prayer or intercession and his death they are of equal latitude whom he prayed for he died for and whom he died for he prayed for So Rom. 8.34 and this must needs be so because Christs prayer is one part of his Priestly office and the oblation of himself a sacrifice for sin was the other Secondly though Christ in his prayer and death had special love and regard to some of mankinde and not to all yet there is no man that is damned that can lay the blame any where but upon himself So Hos. 13.9 Death and hell are the wages of sin Thirdly we must distinguish of the sufficiency and worth of Christs death in it self and the effectual application of it Christs death is of value enough to redeeme ten thousand worlds because its the
natures by grace and as Christ was sanctified so also doth he sanctifie us he sanctified himself for this end and of his fulnesse we all receive Joh. 1.16 So 2 Cor. 3.18 and 4.6 For he made himself a sacrifice not onely to remove the guilt of sin but to subdue it to make us holy as well as happy Quest. How came Christ being God to pray to the Father For by this the Arians and Socinians would prove him not to be God For say they why should he pray that could do what he pleased Answ. Christ though God yet as man he did pray to the Father and that for these Reasons 1. Because as man he was not omnipotent and so his humane will was not able to accomplish what he desired in which respect it was that as man he prayed 2. Christ as man was subject to the Law of God and so was bound to give that service and religious worship to God which the Law required and therefore his praying was the fulfilling of a duty which he had voluntarily submitted to So was his baptisme Mat. 3.15 3. Though all things were due to him yet by the ordination of God he could not partake of them but by prayer Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance c. Psal. 2.8 Prayer is appointed both to Christ and us as the medium whereby Gods purpose is brought to passe 4. Christ prayed upon the same ground as he gave thanks He praised God as the Father of such mercies as his soule was affected with and so he prayed to God for such things as he had not yet the full accomplishment of 5. Christ prayed for our example that we should imitate him Quest. What then is the difference between Christs prayer and ours Answ. First if we speak absolutely of Christ as a person so he needed not to pray For so being God as well as man he could have done all things the humane nature desired without any humble supplication to the Father but it s otherwise with us Secondly neither did Christ pray for any spiritual gracious mercies which are the chiefest matter of our prayers because such things imply a sinful imperfection in the subject Thirdly neither did Christ use prayer as a meanes to quicken and excite his heart to make it more heavenly and zealous as we doe Fourthly all that he could pray for was in reference to his body and the further glorification of that he having taken our infirmities upon him It s not so with us Quest. Isa. 53.3 It s said that Christ had no form or comlinesse Is this so Answ. First To God he was altogether desirable the only beloved and comely in his sight and without whose grace none is beauteous in Gods eye Psal. 11.7 Secondly He had forme and comeliness to the admiration of the good Angels which made them cry Holy holy holy when they beheld the Majesty of his beauty Thirdly The Divels spied a beauty in him when they acknowledged him to be the Son of the high God Luke 8.28 Fourthly Believers who are the most clear-sighted in the world acknowledge that he is altogether the faire and the chiefest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 16. and 7.6 Fifthly The eyes of unbelievers will one day be opened to see his beauty either in their conversion when their carnal eye is made spiritual as we see in Pâ—ul Nichodemus c. or in the day of judgement 2 Thes. 1.10 when he shall appear in glory Quest. Whether was Christ in his face and outward feature beautiful as Psal. 45.2 thou art fairer then the children of men Answ. That Text speaks not of his outward beauty but of his inward and spiritual beauty by reason of his wisdom holiness righteousnesse meeknesse c. yet it s very probable that in his body he had much comlinesse For these reasons 1. The Jews never twitted him with any corporal deformity which they would out of malice have done if he had had any deformity 2. He was not subject to any miscarriages in his conception or birth whence weaknesse and deformities ensue 3. He was not subject to diseases which come by sin and often deface the beauty of the body nor to any intemperance in life which spoiles the comlinesse and colour Indeed Christ took some universal infirmities of man as hunger thirst mortality c. but he took no particular infirmities of blindnesse lamenesse c He that was perfect God was made also perfect man Some think and that very probably that the first and second Adam were as comly and well featured in body as ever any in the world being both formed without sin and without man and being more immediately compleated and perfected by God Quest. How and why should God hide his face from his Son seeing he loved him alwayes and when he cryed out that he was forsaken did he cease to be God or to be in God Answ. God did not hide his face from him as he was his Son but as he was our surety in the room of sinners He hid not his face from Christ as man but as a Mediatour Again it was not the Godheads forsaking Christ according to Essence but according to sence It was not a totall absolute and final forsaking but only partial and for a short time Calverts mel Caeli Quest. What are the parts of Christs Office Answ. That he is a Prophet a Priest and a King Christ revealed and revealeth to the Elect the whole counsel of God as a Prophet He procured and procureth for them all the good therein revealed as a Priest what he revealed as a Prophet and procured as a Priest but as yet is unaplyed he applyed and applyeth as a King Quest. Why are the parts of his Office mentioned in this order Answ. First in respect of man whose ignorance is healed by him as a Prophet his alienation as a Priest his impotencie to subjection as a King Secondly In respect of the manner of the actuall dispensation of salvation made known by him as a Prophet procured by him as a Priest applyed by him as a King Thirdly In respect of the manner of the execution of his Office He taught as a Prophet He suffered as a Priest He entered into Heaven as a King Quest. How is Christ a Mediatour Answ. He is a Mediatour of our Salvation but not of our Election Quest. Doth it not imply inferiority to be a Mediatour Answ. Christ in respect of the Divine Nature is equal with God Phil. 2.6 but in respect of his Office and the humane nature both which the word Christ precisely taken holdeth out to us he is inferiour to the Father Joh. 14.28 Object Christ being both God and Mediatour which is an Office implying inferiority it follows from hence that Christ is inferiour to himself Answ. Christ as Mediatour is inferiour to himself as God inequality in respect of Office consisteth with equality in respect of Nature and Persons Object Christ being both
relation betwixt his sacred person and God the Father Christ is the Sonne of God and that not as Angels and men by Creation or regeneration but by eternal generation and the Father and the Sonne have the same individual substance The Father begets the Son without change or motion after a most glorious and wonderful manner within himself and essentially one with himself Yea this relation is coaeval with the essence as he is always God so he is alwayes Sonne Psal. 27. This day have I begotten thee this day is the day of Eternity Micah 5.2 the goings forth of him have been of old from everlasting For this reason he is said to be the proper Sonne of God Rom. 8.32 and God his proper Father John 5.18 He is called the only begotten Sonne of God John 1.18 and 3.16 1 John 4.9 then he is not created Hence he is called the first born of every creature Col. 1.15 As man he was a creature but as God he was before every creature He is called the image of his Fathers person Heb. 1.5 For as when we look our selves in a glasse our image like our selves is naturally produced So when God with the eye of his understanding beholds if we may so speak the glass of the divine nature from everlasting to everlasting there results the Son an essential image of himself So then he is the natural Son of God and by that divine way of the Fathers communicating of his divine essence by eternal generation as may be further proved by the titles that God the Father gives him by calling him his Son which is a title that advanceth Christ above all creatures and Christ calls himself the Son of God John 5.18 For which the Jewes charged him with blasphemy John 10.33 34. 5. Arg. We are enjoyned in Scripture to worship Christ with that religious adoration which is properly and solely due to the everliving God therefore he is God nor will the Lord give this his glory to any other Isa. 42.8 and 48.11 Hence John 5.23 He that honours not his Son which is sent honoureth not the Father which sent him There are divers honours which are Gods peculiars and they all belong to Christ as 1. Religious worship in Spirit which is the exhibiting of that reverence and worship which is due to the great God in all places at all times and in all things But this spiritual worship is to be exhibited to our Lord Christ Psal. 97.7 Worship him all ye gods and Rev. 1.6 Saint John ascribes to him Glory and Dominion for ever and ever So Rev. 5.13 and 14.7 and Rom. 9.5 He is over all God blessed for ever Again the high God alone is the object of Religious invocation Psal. 50.15 and they are idolaters which call on them that are not true gods Gal. 4.8 Yea religious invocation is Gods glory which he will give to none other Isa. 42.8 But it is to be given to Christ Acts 7.59 and 9.14 21. 1 Cor. 1.2 Rev. 22.20 Hence I argue That person that knows the hearts of all and hears the prayers of all in the world is the true God But Christ doth so therefore he is true God Again it s an honour peculiar to the true God to be the object of religious trust and confidence but Jesus Christ is the object of religious trust and confidence therefore he is the true God 6. Arg. To swear is a part of religious service when performed in truth in righteousnesse and in judgement which analogically is ascribed to Christ himself Hence the argument is That person that is the object of a religious Oath is God Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt swear by his name who is a most infallible witnesse judge and avenger of all perjured persons and such as use his name either rashly or falsly But Christ is the object of a religious oath because he hath no greater to swear by he sweareth by himself Isa. 45.23 I have sworn by my self that to me every knee shall bow Here Christ swears by himself and the words immediately foregoing v. 22. I am God and besides me there is none other Saint Paul expounds those words of Christ Rom. 14.10 Before whose tribunal every knee must bow and by bowing of every knee he proves that we must all stand before the tribunal of Christ therefore Christ is God 7. Arg. Divine service is only due to God Deut. 6.13 repeated by Christ Mat. 4.10 Inward and outward service which is absolute illimited and universal is to be performed only unto God But this honour is due to Christ as he is the great Lord whom even the greatest Kings are bound to serve Dan. 7.14 Psal. 2.10 11 12. and this was foretold Psal. 72.11 All Kings shall fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him Hence also Luke 19.27 and John 12.29 Yea the holy Angels are bound to serve him Dan. 7.10 Heb. 1.6 therefore he is God 8. Arg. The maker of heaven and earth and all things in them is the true God But Jesus Christ is the maker of heaven and earth c. therefore he is the true God Gen. 1.1 Isa. 48.12 Exod. 20.11 Jer. 10.11 12. Now that Christ is the maker of heaven and earth is proved Joh. 1.13 All things were made by him and ver 10. there was nothing that was not made by him Col. 1.16 All things were made by Christ things visible and invisible c. 9. Arg. He that is the preserver of all things is God But Christ is the preserver of all things therefore he is God For preservation is a work equivalent to the creation Neh. 9.5 without him all things would fall back to nothing Rom. 11.36 Of him and for him and to him are all things Now that this conservation is the work of our Lord Christ appears Heb. 1.2 3. and 6.5 and 2.5 Col. 1.17 with v. 15 16. Joh. 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work 10. Arg. Infallible knowledge and prediction of future events which are meerly contingent and which in nature have no reason at all of their futurition is an argument of the Deity What is more contingent then to know our thoughts afar off but so doth God Ps. 139.2 Act. 15.18 Now that this is peculiar to God only appears Isa. 41.23 Hence he is called a God of Knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 and infinite in understanding Psal. 147.5 But our Saviour Christ foreknew and foretold things to come Luk. 22.8 Mar. 2.8 Joh. 24.25 therefore he is God 11. Arg. He that works miracles by his own power is God But Christ wrought miracles by his own power therefore he is God Now that miracles are Gods royal prerogative appears Psal. 78.17 the Lord above doth wondrous works This is implied 2 Kin. 5.7 am I a God to kill and make alive That Christ wrought miracles when and where he pleased appears in very many instances the Apostles could not do so as appears Act. 8.28 2 Tim. 4.20 they could not raise their
refine and purifie those that stand For the propagation of it that God will stretch the bounâ—s and enlarge the borders of it that he will bring more subjects under the Kingdom of Christ. Secondly In particular we must pray for a three fold Peace of the Church 1. A peace with God in causing the Churches to keep their peace with him in walking in purity and power of his Ordinance without which though they were in peace with all the world it will come to nothing all other blessings will be soon gone except we have something to soder us with God which can be nothing but our exact walking with him in his Ordinances 2. Peace amongst the Members of the Church that they may be free from dissentions divisions that they may think the same thing go the same way and unanimously minde the glory of God 3. A Forreign peace also from all opposition without that there may be no invasion by forraign Enemies upon the Church of God Quest. What is further included in our praying for the Church Answ. First one thing is implyed inwardly that our hearts should work towards the Church our desires and wishes should be for the welfare of it Secondly another outwardly that we should endeavour to attain what we pray for our counsels should be for the welfare of the Church Our examples should be patterns to others to provoke them to good works such as are in authority should exercise it for the setling and furthering the peace of the Church yea we should not onely pray our selves but should stir up others to doe the like Quest. But how must all this be done Answ. First Sincerely not out of by-respects Secondly Earnestly and frequently putting all our strength to it Thirdly Constantly not by fits only Quest. Who are bound to do all this Answ. Every Christian in what station soever he is as 1. Magistrates in their places whom it pâ—incipally concerns to pray for and promote it 2. Ministers in their places must be leading persons in these duties and provoke others to it 3. Yea all in every condition learned and unlearned men and women c. Examples and Scriptures for all these are that of Moses Exod. 32.32 So Judg. 5.23 1 Sam. 4.19 2 Sam. 11.11 Psal. 20.5 and 51.18 and 53.6 and 102.13 Isa. 62.1 Rom. 9.3 2 Cor. 11.28 Phil. 1.18 Col. 2.5 Quest. But why must we thus pray for the peace of the Church Answ. First consider what the Church is and that 1. In relation to God it s his house the Spouse of Christ and there cannot be a dearer relation to put a deeper ingagement upon us then this 2. In that relation that she hath to us She is the Mother of us all and therefore we should sympathize in her weale and woe Secondly Consider that peace is the summe of all blessings Hence the Ancients painted peace with a horne of plenty For 1. Peace nourisheth all Arts Sciences Trades c. 2. It s a very careful and useful nurce to cherish Religion Acts 9.31 there is no hearing of the Law of God nor the Law of Justice when men have their swords in their hands Arma silent Lâ—ges Thirdly consider the nature of prayer both in the efficacy and necessity of it 1. It s a most efficacious Engine the summe of all Policies for a Christan to work by for Peace Its God that rules all the world hath all hearts in his hands can make a mans enemies yea the very stones to be at peace with him and prayer rules God he suffers himself to be overcome by it Leâ— me alone saith God Exod. 32.10 2. It s of great necessity also For God will not bestow blessings till we seek and sue to him for them and the reason is because otherwise he shall have liâ—tle honour by it If it come without seeking to God for it we should ascribe it to other means and things Fourthly consider the nature of a Christian and we shall see that its the most proper work for him For 1. He is the Son of the Church and it becomes him at least to pray hard for his Mother as Craesus his dumb son did for his Father 2. He is a Son of Peace a Son of the God of Peace a Sonne of the Gospel of peace and the Spirit given him is a spirit of Peace 3. He is a Son of prayer It should be the element in which he draws his breath to run towards God and towards Heaven in a way of peace besides he is enabled to pray when others cannot he is sensible of the condition of the Church which others are not Quest. But how may we so pray for the peace of the Church as to be sure to prevail Answ. First we must pray in Faith believing Gods Word and his promises made to his Church Secondly In sincere charity in a true genuine love to the Church Thirdly In repentance lifting up pure hands to God God will not hear our prayers if we will not hear his commands Fourthly Pray with servency and earnestness of spirit A fearfull begger teaches how to give a denial God loves a kind of violence to dash our prayers against Heaven and the throne of grace with an holy zeal of spirit which prevailes much with God we must make our prayers fat with fasting saith Tertullian which are ordinarily starved with formality Fifthly Pray constantly though God seem not to regard our Prayers yet we must not give over but hold out and wait upon him Quest. What meanes may we use to help us in the serious performance of this duty Answ. We must lay aside all our carnal security and lay things to heart observe the state of the Church and lay it to heart Let not the world as the Ivy deals with the Oake twist about thy heart which will make Christianity dye within thee Be not too busie with worldly affairs least they choke all thoughts about bettr matters Dr. Stoughton Quest. Why is the Church called a mother Gal. 4.26 Answ. Because the word of God is committed to the keeping of the Church which word is seed 1 Pet. 1.23 Milk 1 Cor. 3.2 strong meat Heb. 5.14 and the Church is a mother which by the Ministry of the word brings forth children unto God and when they are born feeds them with milk out of the two breasts of the Old and New Testaments Quest. Where are we to seek for our mother the Church Answ. She is to be sought for and found in the true visible Churches the certain marks whereof are three 1. The preaching of the word out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles with obedience Joh. 10.28 Eph. 2.20 2. True invocation of God the Father in the only name of Christ by the assistance of the Spirit Act. 9.14 1 Cor. 1.2 3. The right use of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Matth. 28.18 and by these we shall finde the true Church of God in England c. Quest. Are all Christians
out of the right way These are good Servants but bad Masters They must not run till Reason bid them goe They are the feet of the soul now the eye must guide the foot or else it will goe it knows not whither Hereby affections are directed to right Objects to love what should be loved and to hate what should be hated as Christ directs Luke 12.3 4 5. and so Col. 3.2 1. Pet. 2.2 1. John 2.15 Affections misplaced are like members out of joynt which will one day cause paine Moderate affections and keep them with in due bounds Proportion them to their objects in measure more or less according to the kinde and degree of good or evill wherein they are to be ruled by judgement Grieve for the greatest evils most wherein God is dishonored grieve for afflictions less which are less-evills So for joy Luk 10.20 Psa. 41. 16.3 Quest. Why should the affections be thus kept within their bounds Answ. Because whilst affections are kept within bounds they are kept in order every affection keeps his place like soldiers in their ranks but when they break their bounds they break their bancks like a swelling water Whilest they are kept within bounds they are kept in vse ate helpful one to another and obedient to reason otherwise they hurt and devoure one another as excessive grief devoures joy c when they exceed they make themselves unuseful and the man in whom they are unfit either for the service of God or man yea they captivate reason and draw us to doe things both contrary to judgment and conscience Whilest they are kept within bounds they are kept in credit and esteem but it is their shame to fall into extreams To be much affected with small and triviall matters is great levity to be little affected with great matters is stupidity To have our affections deffective in spirituall things and excessive in temporall argues an ill goverment of the soul we see the contrary Cant. 5.8.2 Cor. 5.13.14 Exod 32.19 Quest. How may these immoderate affections be prevented or cured Answ. Forsee by prudence such things before they come which may prove great Provocations to our selves of joy Grief Anger Fear c. and set bounds to them in our resolutions before hand how much we will be affected with them when they com to pass and noe more Set up a Master affection in your hearts to rule all the rest and keep them in awe in order and in measure and let that be the holy fear of God that your hearts may not dare to love any Creature overmuch nor to grieve for any worldly loss too much c. and that because you fear God who will reward and punish your affections as well as actions When affections grow exorbitant turne the streams of them into other Chanels wherein they may flow without prejudice to your souls as Phisicians open a vein to divert the course of blood As when you are angry overmuch at persons or things turne it against sin c. When one Affection is predominate set an other to Check it and tame it as immoderate love by hatred of sin excess in anger by shame and grief for it Oâ— grief for temporalls by joy for spiritualls c. Command affections so as to have them at your beck to make them come and goe when you bid them For Prov 16.32 He is better than he that takes a City Contrarily Pro. 25.18 Hence 1 Cor 7 30.31 Psa. 131.2 To this end pray to God for strenâ—th For to command our affections requires power as well as Skill Eph. 3.10 Psa 38.2 The weaker the person is in his understanding and parts the stronger are his passions and as Persons grow weak their passions grow strong the minde may out-reason affections but strength must over-master them Purg affections from all sinfull mixtures that rhey may be full of themselves empty of all things that are heterogeniall to them as 1 From mixtures of the flesh as of spirituall and carnall together Hence 1 Pet. 1.22 see that yee love one another with a pure heart c. 2 Purge them from mixtures of self as the people followed Christ not for himself but for the loaves 3 From mixtures of deceit as of abundance of shew of affections when there is little reality as those hearers Ezek. 33.31 Hence Rom. 12.9 Let love be without â—ssimulation 4 From all mixtures of corruption As your zeale from passions and bitterness your anger from revenge your joyes from levity c. 4 Suit your affections to Gods Ordinances and Providences to Gods words works to your conditions and occasions when the word threatens tremble when it speaks comfort rejoyce For this end God gives us variety of affections to answer the diversity of his dealings Contrary Luke 7.32 c. The administrations of Gods providence call for suitable affections as Jsa 22.12 In that day did the Lord God call to mourning c. yea we should suit our affections to the conditions of others Rom. 12.15 To weep with them that weep c. So Psa 17.1.6 Neh. 1.4 Psa. 119 136. we should mourne for the sins of the times Ezek. 94. Jsa 57.1 Yea they should be suitable in degree Great sins or calamities call for great sorrow great salvations for great joy c. For which end 1 We must sanctifie God in our hearts and make him our feare joy hope c. 2 To be affected contrary to our condition or Gods dispensations makes a discord in Gods ears and pulls downe judgement Isa. 22.12.13.14 Amos 6.4 c. 3. To be affected with things as God would haue us is a means to make that good use of them God intends us by them Mingle affections not onely to allay and moderate them but to corroborate and make them mutually helpfull one to another So with joy for your own Prosperity mingle grief for others adversity joy not allayed with sorrow is madness with grief for afflictions mingle joy for comforts with fear of evil mingle hope in God with love to the persons of others mingle hatred of their vices and that 1 Because this will keep the heart whole and entire and prevent heart divisions when the affections goe hand in hand and flow together in one chanell 2. It will the better vnite their forces and make them more strong what is spoken of persons is true of affections Eccles. 4.9 c. Two are better then one c. Seventhly Spiritualize affections as 1. Sorrow for affliction into sorrow for sin turn worldly sorow into godly sorrow So your delight in the creatures to promote your joy in the Lord and in communion with Christ and in holy duties your hopes of favours from men to raise expectation of spiritual blessing from God your fear of man into an awfull dread of God Isa. 51.12 Eighthly Root and encrease good affections in you as Eph. 3.17 and that 1. Because when they are rooted in the heart they will be
durable and mould us into their likenesse else they will be but flashes and bear no fruit as Râ—v 2.4 Gal. 4.15 John 5.35 2. Cherish holy affections and blow them up from a smoke to a flame by the bellowes of prayer and fewel of the Word 1 Thes. 4.9 10. Ninthly Distinguish affections and act them 1. Distinguish them by the Objects about which they converse and by the Roots from whence they grow and by the heads to which they rise 1. The Objects about which affections are conversant are either good or evil as apprehended so by the understanding As when the understanding apprehends a thing to be good the affections embrace it with love Cant. 5.2 5 6. and this good is either present and then we rejoyce in it or absent and then we desire it If it be improbable to be attained then we fear If impossible then we despair If obstructed it stirres up anger If the evil be future we fear it c. 2. The Roots from whence the affections grow are love or hatred All the affections which arise from the apprehension of good grow from love As desire is love in motion the continual sallies of love Delight is love acquiescing in the possession of it Fear is love in awe of the beloved Hope is love in expectation Zeal is love in a flame All the affections which arise from the apprehension of evil grow from hatred 3. The heads to which they arise and are referred Thus all the affections which are conversant about good have some delight in them as Love Desire Hope All that are conversant about evil have some grief mingled with them as Hatred Fear Repentance Anger 2. Act them according to the nature of them For Affections are the first principles or movers of actions and action is the end or proper work of affections To act affections consider why God hath placed them in the soul and act them accordingly Concerning which see each particular affection under their proper heads Tenthly try affections whether they be true or false real or counterfeit and that 1. By their properties 1. Are they set upon right objects as to love desire delight in and hope for God and good only To hate feare flie and mourn for and be angry with that which is evil 1. Are they sincere for their acts and ends Are their acts real or feigned as Mar. 12.30 1 John 3.18 Do you hate and mourn for sin really Do ye prefer God and his glory before self Do ye prefer publick good before private 2. Are they sincere for their ends Do we affect goodnesse for goodnesse-sake and God his Word Servants c. for the goodnesse that is in them Do we hate evil for evils sake Do we affect spiritual things for spiritual ends Do we desire gifts and graces to glorifie God subdue corruptions c 3. Are they moderate Do you keep them within bounds Are you fearful of exceeding in them 4. Are they seasonable for time and occasion then they are good fruit Psal. 1.3 unseasonable affections are like Snow in Summer or Raine in Harvest 5. Are they constant in their course not sudden flashes or fleeting motions stirred up by fits or upon extraordinary occasions but the constant pulls of our soul. 6. Are they unchangeable and invincible in their bent Can nothing take of our affections for God and goodnesse our hatred and mourning for sin our delight in Gods Ordinances and Duties c. Unchangeable love is true love Such is Gods to us and invincible hatred against sin is right hatred John 13.1 Jer. 31.3 2. Try them by their effects First do they draw us nearer to God Christ Heaven to walk with him and wait on him for grace and strength Do they further our Communion with God and conformity to him Secondly do your affections prepare you to holy duties put you forward to them in them and further your obedience as the wheeles and sailes of your soul Thirdly do they help you in eschewing and overcoming evil as well as in the obtaining good Do they turne you from and set you against evil so that you dare not sin because you hate it and feare God But on the contrary if your affections 1. Disturb Reason and hinder it or cause you to call good evil or evil good or to stand in defence of evil as Jonah did of his passion Jonah 4.9 I do well to be angry c. 2. Draw you away from God to go a whoring after vanity 3. If they indispose you to duties take off your edge to them or put you out of frame for them as Exod. 6.9 1 Pet. 3.7 4. If they disquiet your souls trouble and unsettle them and cause a tempest in them as grief did in David Psal. 42.11 So Act. 16.27 Gen. 30.1 5. If they put the body into a languishing condition as Amons love or lust rather did him 2 Sam. 13.4 6. If your affections misguide tongue or hand as passion did Moses tongue Psal. 106.33 Jeroboams hand 1 Kings 13.4 they are not right Quest. Why should we try our affections Answ. First Because they are the pulse of the soul and by the temper of them the state of the soul may be discerned Secondly Because there is much deceit in them For a great part of the hearts deceitfulnesse lies in the cheats of the affections Quest. Why should we so diligently govern our affections Answ. First Because such as the affections are such is the man Good affections are good treasure hid in the heart which makes the Owner a good man God accounts a man according to his affections and describes him by them as he did Job ch 1.1 And so Ps. 112.1 Deut. 5.29 Secondly God accepts our persons and services according to our affections As Abrahams willingnesse to sacrifice Isaac Gen. 22.16 17. and Davids to build him an house 1 King 8.18 2 Sam. 7.11 For 2 Cor. 8.12 It is accepted if there be a willing minde c. 2 Cor. 9.7 So Eph. 6.7 8. Col. 3 2â— 24. Yea God is much taken with his peoples affections 1 Cor. 8.3 Cant. 4.9 Thirdly Affections are the root of spiritual Worship in us and of our Communion with God therein they make Ordinances profitable and comfortable to us Luke 8.15 Mal. 2.2 Deut. 6.6 Act. 2.41 Isa. 66.2 Jam. 5.16 Eph. 5.19 Mal. 3.16 4thly Affections make the life either comfortable or miserable What comfort and solace of life lies in love joy desire hope c. and how much discomfort in feare grief anger hatred envie c The greatest troubles that ever befel many were procured by their own disordered passions So 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 2 Tim. 3.1 to 5. John 12.43 The best men are subject to discover humane infirmities in their affections as Moses Psal. 106.33 Iob ch 40.5 David 2 Sam. 1â— 33 Abraham Gen. 12.18 19. Peter Mat. 14.30 31. Paul and Barnabas Act. 14.15 Elias 1 Kings 19.4 Affections make us convertible to God marriageable to Christ