up and professe in the World that he intends to live and die in to venture his eternal Salvation upon CHAP. II. Shewing wherein this wise Chusing our Religion stands what acts concur thereunto HAving laid down the proposition which is the ground of our Discourse in the former chapter we come now to inquire concerning the nature of that choice wherein it stands and what things necessarly must concurre to make a wise choice of that Religion we intend to profess in the World Election or chusing in a generall sense is an act of the will proceeding from the previous knowledge and judgement of the understanding whereby amongst diverse wayes or means propounded for the attainment of some End it doth resolve upon some one above the rest that it will ad here unto and make use of for that purpose In particular Chusing ones Religion is also an act of the will arising from the previous knowledge and judgement of the understanding discerning the nature of the thing whereby amongst the many different Religions or wayes of serving and pleasing God and of attaining unto happinesse with him that are found in the World a man doth pitch and resolve upon one above all the rest and with rejection of all others with full purpose to adhere unto it to live and die in it and even venture a mans salvation and happiness on it Here are 3 Acts wherein this right chusing ones Religion doth stand to be explained in order 1. An act of the understanding judging and discerning the nature of the thing that the will chuseth and its excellencie above al things that come in competition with it for to a right choice of the will the understanding and judgement must proceed it must know the nature of it and discern it good or else it s but a blind choice not becoming a reasonable creature and a man may else imbrace evil as well as good The will when is acts regularly follows the Dictate of the understanding this tells what is good and then what chuses as the Palat judgeth of what it tasts and then the stomach or appetite craves it so must the understanding go before her discern the nature verity and goodnesse of that Religion as also the falsnesse vanity and dangerousnesse of other Religions before the will can make a right choice of it Man being a religious creature by the common instinct of his naturall conscience is moved strongly to worship and serve a Deity as we see in all Nations of the Earth much more when he is further stirred up by a divine instinct Now we should consider as men as the prophets phrase is and not exert actions of highest importance without understanding and reason worshiping we know not what as Christ taxes the Samaritans John 4. but give God a reasonable service knowing what God we serve and what Religion we take up and not taking up the next at hand at adventure as most men do that Religion professed where they live commended to them by Education example c. but understanding what we do therein And therefore men that act according to reason will look into the Religions in the World and judge which is best among them or rather into the Word and Oracles of God himself for they best discover what God is and how he will be worshipped Therefore if there be any such thing as Divine Oracles in the world wherein God hath revealed his will concerning matters of Faith and worship we should have special recourse unto them Now that the holy Scriptures commonly called the Bible are such that is the Oracles of the God of Heaven wherein he directs us in the knowledge and worship of himself and in the way of Religion This may appear even to those that have not yet taken upon them any profession of Religion by such Infallible demonstrations as reason cannot contradict viz. From these characters imprinted on them which shew them to be of God from the miracles wrought to confirm them from that spirit of holinesse seen in such as seriously believe them from the accomplishment of a great part of those things revealed therein even such things as were utterly invisible and improbable to created understandings c. And therefore there should be an exact consideration in the judgement and understanding of a man of that Religion revealed in the Scriptures He should 1. Take a particular view of the principal Doctrines the great mysteries of faith and duties of godliness taught therein not taking all in the lump together but having a distinct knowledge of them He whose Religion is in the gross only and hath no distinct apprehensions of the particular doctrines of faith and duties of godlinesse which that Religion teaches he hath no Religion at all for how can these Doctrines influence his heart and life to make him fear and love God truly and lead him to the power and practice of godlinesse if not distinctly known and discerned by him Then 2. Hee must discern the verity and certainty of these Doctrines that he may venture his soul upon them knowing him in whom he hath believed for which and it 's exceeding necessary to be conversant in those Treatises which prove the verity of the Christian Religion and of the Scriptures wherein it is set down of which many be extant in our own Language Without this a man shal never hold fast his Religion especially in trying times 3. He should know the excellency thereof that its such a Religion as tends most to the magnifying of God and giving glory unto him to the advancement of man to true happiness in the love and favor of his God and nearest communion with him and fullest conformity unto him He should often look upon the sublimity of the mysteries the purity of the precepts excellency of the rewards and dreadfulness of the punishments And thus the understanding preceeding in discerning and judging the Religion which is to be chosen is one Act in this Election 2. Act After the understanding doth thus present the true Religion before us in the certainty glory and excellency of it Then the next Act is for the Will to elect chuse and imbrace it solemnly to espouse this Religion and say It shal be mine It 's that I am resolved to professe and to venture my eternal salvation upon what ever inconveniences I may meet with in the profession thereof what ever disgraces reproaches losses Persecutions c. yet this Religion I will be of and this God I will serve We must sit down and consider what it will cost us to be Christians and then espouse the Christian Religion and take it for better for worse embrace the crosse it threatens as well as the Crown it promises For so our Lord warned his Disciples telling them He that will come after me and will be my Disciple must deny himself in his dearest lusts sins nay in his estate and life sometime and take up his Cross of
venture their souls on a sure bottom Consider as men and make a wise choice of that Religion you venture your Salvation upon It s not sufficient that it be delivered to you by Tradition from your Ancestors that you yave learned it by education from Godly Parents that it is commanded by the Laws of the Land wherein you live and commended by the practice of wise and pious persons whom you reverence but make a wise choice for your selves Labour to understand distinctly the several Doctrines and mysteries of Faith and duties of Godlinesse contained therein and to know the verity and excellency of it and so take it up upon deliberation weighing both the conveniences and inconveniences so it Comparing the sufferings losses reproaches persecutions you meet withall with the reward and Crown promised and so make a wise choice of your Religion resolving to live and dye therein to adhere to it to the end and be faithful even to Death This is a duty necessary and seasonable to be pressed some have not yet chosen their Religion It 's to be feared ther 's too many not only of the younger sort but of the more antient who according to the proverb have their Religion to chuse Some have made some kind of choice but need to be confirmed and established therein upon good grounds and to be stirred up to be true to the true Religion they professe even to be serious thorough and constant Christians Make this choice then speedily for this is the businesse you come into the World about to know and acknowledge to worship and glorifie God and your Salvation depends upon it Live not without God any longer but acknowledge him that made and redeemed you that feeds and preserves you and learn how to serve him acceptably Do it wisely lest you be deluded there being such diversities of Religions and so many false wayes in the World you had need to have your eyes about you erring herein will not stand with the safety of your souls your external hapinesse or misery depends upon it And then be True to that Religion you chuse play not fast and loose with it It 's a businesse of highest concernment to be serious in Religion what ever you trifle in be not false herein what ever you be faulty in Let the Doctrines and mysteries of Faith you receive influence your hearts and lives sanctify and change them rest not in the form of godlinesse without the power of it Men may as well miscary in the true Religion as in a false if they be false unto it Quest But here a question must be resolved in order to the practice of this duty which is this Some may say Seing there are such diversities of Religion in the World How shal we be able to make a right choice amongst so many of the true Religion especially such of us as be weak and ignorant when great and learned men differ so much about it amongst themselves Answer This is a question of very great importance and indeed deserves a serious Answer I shal speak to it in two particulars 1. It is a mistake to think because of the differences of opinions amongst men that there is such a multitude of Religions in the World for every different opinion is not a different Religion There are to speak properly but four Religions in the World although there be different Sects parties amongst each of these viz. Heathenism Mahometanism Judaism and Christianity Indeed these four disagree much amongst themselves In Heathenism some worship one God some another some multitudes joyntly as may beseen in Scripture and in all Histories In Mahometanism all follow that Impostor Mahomet but yet there are great differences amongst themselves so that they are at deadly Feud often one with another for their Religion sake as is storied of the Turkish and Persian Mahometans In Judaism all worship the true God the maker of Heaven and Earth and receive the Law from Moses serving God according to the Ordinances thereof yet have they different Sects amongst themselves as the Pharisees Sadducees Essens c. In Christianity all worship God in Christ although there be diversities of Sects and Heresies amongst them So that indeed there are but four Religions in the world 2. There 's a great difficulty to discern which of these four we should chuse for our Religion even the weakest understanding that indifferently weighs them may be convinced 1. For Heathenism It s evident to reason their Religion is not true to worship so many Gods and them also creatures as the Sun and Moon yea mortal men that are dead such as Jupiter Juno Saturn c. Yea the worst of Men Their own Poets have branded them with black notes of infamy for Adultery Theft Murther c. It was Gods just judgment as the Apostle observes Rom. 1. To give them up to such delusions to worship such gods because when they knew the true God they did not glorifie him as God Many of their own Religion were convinced they were not in the right and therefore Cicero in his Book De naturâ Deorum saith I would I could as well finde out the true Religion as convince others to be false 2. For Mahometanism though it hath spread far over the World yea further then Christianity is spread at this day yet it s most easie to prove that to be a false Religion Their Prophet was a deceiver and a very flagitious person and wrought no miracles their Alcaron is most barbarous and without sense their Doctrine impure as wel as their Lives their Religion promises a carnal Paradise in the world to come full of sensual pleasures not spiritual and suitable to rational immortal souls It was propagated in the World by the Sword and maintained by ignorance and suppressing all humane learning 3. For Judaism the third Religion in the World That was indeed of God confirmed in the Old Testament But it was to continue for a time till Christ came of whom Moses and the Prophets witnesse abundantly then at the time of Reformation it was to be abolished Heb 9.10 Their whole worship Ceremonies had respect to him on whom because they would not believe but rejâ—cted and crucified him the wrath of God is come upon them to the uttermost They and their Temple was destroyed and the worship of it abrogated and to this day so continues 4 It remains therefore that the Christian Religion is the true Religion or else there 's none in the World And it indeed is witnessed to both in Mahomets Alcoran and in the Jewish Old Testament which speaks fully of Jesus Christ his birth and parentage with the circumstances of time and place his death resurrection c. This was confirmed by many signes and wonders and real miracles wroght by the first planters of this Religion Heb. 2.4 By the means and wayes of propagation of it by weak and unlearned men by whose preaching it soon overspread the World and
duties and Ordinances of it are prescribed and those things wherein the Essence of them stands are more fully and clearly expressed but their circumstances and manner of performance are only couched under general Rules This may be shewed abundantly by instances in the several parts of Worship as Prayer Preaching Sacraments c but it is done by others sully and must be omitted here because of the brevity of these Rules Nor doth this derogate from the sufficiency of the Scriptures nor argue want of wisdome and faithfulnesse in Christ as some plead if he should not prescribe every Particular as Moses did even to the Pinns of the Tabernacle for the Scriptures are sufficient for that end God gave them to make wise to Salvation and in order thereunto to instruct us in all necessarie points of Faith and Practice and for Church-government and Worship there 's enough in these Essentials laid down in Scripture for the preserving the welfare of the Church in the World and securing of the true and pure Worship of God among men those being duly observed And wherein then are the Scriptures to be argued of insufficiencie if they leave some particular circumstances undetermined And for the charge of unfaithfulnesse in Jesus Christ if he should not particularize those things it 's strangely presumptuous Such should rather shew where Christ hath particularly determined all those circumstances then impute unfaithfulnesse unto him if he do not what they wold have to be done There is not the like Reason to determine all circumstances in the Christian Churches as was in the Jewish Church the one being in its Minority the other grown up to a state of greater libertie and perfection Gal. 4 1 2 3 4 5 10. A Boy that goeth to School hath his Lesson set him and in every particular he is stinted to his work but when he goes to the Universitie he only hears Lectures hath general Rules for his study and is left to his own disposition for order and manner of his studies Besides the Jewish Church was confined to one Nation that had its civil government and Laws from God as wel as its Church instiutions but the Christian Church being to spread throughout the World under different civil governments different circumstances might best sute with the state and condition of different People IX Take heed of Resisting the ordinances of God whilst you profess to oppose the institutions of Men. My meaning is whilst you withstand humane inventions as you suppose them in the Worship of God beware you oppose not lawfull Authority which is the Ordinance of God in what they injoin in and about the Worship of God according to the power given them of the Lord. That Magistrates have the care of the Churches in their Dominions committed to them should see to the due administration of the Worship and Ordinances of God therein as well as to the outward peace and prosperitie of the civil State may be manifest to all that are willing to see it by the laudable examples of godly Kings in former times such as David Solomon Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah c. Whose chiefest care was about Religion and the Worship of God in their Dominions Indeed they are not to make any new institutions of Worship nor alter any thing that is particularlie injoyned in the Word of God But they are to see that all things be administred according to the same And in the particular circumstances undetermined by God they have a power to order and settle things according to the generall Rules laid down in the Word and however you plead you are not to be the Servants of Men you must be therein subject to them in the Lord. It hath been a Notion taken up by some That as in former times the Saints have suffered in giving Testimony to the priestly Office of Jesus Christ so they must bear witness to his Kingly Office what ever they suffer and not yield to any Commandments of men in and about the Worship of God But let such take heed that they oppose not his Kingly Office when they seem to stand up for it For if Magistrates and Rulers be his Vice-gerents as certainly they are and there is a care of his Worship delegated unto them and some power for ordering affairs in his Church in matters of outward conveniency and order where he hath not expresly determined in withstanding them in such things they may resist Jesus Christ himself Indeed it may be a further Scruple in case Magistrates injoyning things inexpedient and inconvenient and so swerve from those general Rules that they are to go by whether they are to yeeld to them in such things or no But if the judgement of Non-Conformists may be taken herein Baxt. five Disp p. 460 c. they determine in such cases it's better to obey then to withstand they may sin in commanding such things and yet subjects not sin in obeying them when commanded they are Judges in such particular cases to determine what is expedient as the Word of God determines what is necessary and herein they follow the judgment of Calvin Ep. 379 which have been ever approved by them who speaking of things of this Nature Saith some things neither right nor profitable but scandalous and drawing evil Consequences with them yet not being repugnant to the word in any express determination of it must be borne of the godly Brethren when they cannot help it and the Churches of Christ not forsaken And indeed if this should not be admitted but so often as any shall judge such or such matters inexpedient they might withstand the Axe seems to be laid at the roots of all government and there wold be little order in the Churches of Christ There is no society in the World but a yielding in some things is necessary for the peace and welfare of that Society X. Let not any principles or practices that you have inconsideratly taken up so far ingage you as to make you loath to teturn to wayes of Truth and soberness Some have it may be unwillingly and with reluctancy only through the violence of some of their own party been led into the wayes of rigid separation to condemn all other Churches but their own however sound in all the main Fundamental and necessary Doctrines and duties of Christianity and to refuse any Communion with them though this hath been condemned by the most wise and knowing â—o their own profession T. G. Mr. Cotton stiled by some the bitter root of separation the way God nere blest with peace and holiness c. And now to return to wayes of sobriety and own such as they have formerly so hotly contended against they know not how to do it There is naturally in man a tenaciousnesse of those wayes and opinions they have once professed that they are loath to recede from them especially if they have contended for them this is a great piece of denyal Men would rather yeeld
rejected The Christian Religion is evidenced to be the only true Religion Page 23. CHAP. 5. Further directions how to chuse the right and safe way amongst such diversities of Sects and Opinions as be amongst Christians A Discovery of the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith and practical duties of Godliness generally embraced by all Christians in all times and places with advice in reference unto them Page 30 CHAP. 6. Other directions in Points of a Secundary Nature that are not so clearly laid down in Scripture nor unanimously received by all Christians but are Problemaical and yet there is a necessity to be of the one or other Perswasion how to make a right choise in such a Case 4. Rules about this Page 41 CHAP. 7. A closer application of the foregoing discourse to the present State of the Church in England with particular advice in reference to the different Wayes and Professions found amongst us Pag. 50. CHAP. 8. Wherein the great controversie of Communion with or Separation from the Church of England is discussed A view of what is therein Praise-worthy and of what is disallowable in the Judgement of those that scruple Communion with her Directions suited thereunto Page 81 CHAP 9. Wherein are laid down some general Rules of Caution to preserve Christians from rash and unjust Separation The Conclusion of the Discourse Page 89. CHAP. 1. Religion the grand concernment of Man in this World great differences about the necessity of a wise and deliberate Chusing ones Religion The counsel of Joshua to the Israelites applyed to us A proposition laid down which is the Subject matter of the following Discourse THE business of Religion is the grand concernment that all of us are sent into the World to mind and therefore God hath in the very framing of mans nature laid so deep an impression thereof in us that there 's no Nation so barbarous and inhumane but doth place this amongst the greatest matters that they judge themselves to be interressed in insomuch as some observe Religion is more proper to man then reason All men and only men have a smatch of Religion whereas some shew of reason is found in many Beasts Lactant. de ira Dei Solus home sapientia instructus est ut Religionem solus intelligat hac est hominis atque bruterum vel pracipua vel sola distantia But as it is a thing all do profess themselves interessed in so there 's nothing in all the world men are at greater differences about some taking up one Religion and some another as pleases themselves best yea each Nation almost have chosen a peculiar Deity as we find in Scripture one serving Baal another Dagon others Moloch or Ashtaroth c Some worshipping the Sun others the Moon or Starrs and almost every Creature whence they received any benefite and some have not been wanting that have adored the Devil himself How greatly then doth it behove every one to make a wise choise of that God he intends to serve and of that Religion he means to profess in the World and to live and die in That he may first chuse the true Religion and true God and then cleave to him with full purpose of heart as Barnabas exhorts Acts 11.23 And the rather because of the great importance thereof Mans eternall happinesse or misery depends on the right knowing and acknowledging God and serving him or his mistake about it according to the witnesse of Christ himself Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall to know so as to acknowledge unto godliness Thee the only true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent We read in the story of the Israelites the vanity of mans nature in matters of Religion though no Nation under the whole Heavens had greater discoveries of the true God then they had both by his Word and Oracles instructing them from Heaven and giving them his Law on Mount Sinai and teaching them by his Prophets the infallible interpreters of that Law as also by his mighty works bringing them out of Egypt by his out-stretched Arm working signes and wonders dividing the Red-Sea giving them water out of the Rock and bread and Flesh from Heaven in a Wildernesse and guiding them by a Cloud of smoake and a Pillar of Fire yet how apt were they to turn away from God and to worship other Gods even of the Egyptians and Canaanites whom God cast out before them A pregnant instance whereof we have in the business of the Golden Calf though but forty dayes before they heard the Law proclaimed in the greatest solemnity that ever was even by the Ministry of Angels with Thunder Lightning and Earthquake which wrought such plyableness in their Spirit that they professed whatever the Lord should speak to them That that they would doe Deut. 5.27 Yet when Moses was but a while withdrawn from them upon the Mount they quickly turned and made them a Calf to worship after the manner of Egypt This being observed by Joshua his Successour he became jealous over them with a godly jealousie and being fearfull that when he was gone from them they should do the like He indeavours to establish them in the true Religion and to bind them to the Lord in the strongest bonds Josh 24. He bids them verse 15. Chuse deliberatly what God they would serve directing them by his own example and then when they had deliberately chosen Jehovah for their God he binds them unto him by a solemn covenant verse 25. And sets up a lasting remembrance of it These things are written for our instruction and do shew what a Spirit there is in us even an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God as well as in them formerly as the Apostle shews Heb. 3.12 Though we have as full discoveries of God as they had and greater means of knowledge by Gospel-light to know God and Jesus Christ Yet our hearts are equally fickle and ready to forsake God and the true Religion and as the Apostle taxeth the Galathians to turn to another Gospel and another Christ then we have received yea to another God the World our Lusts or Satan to serve them more then the true God Therefore this counsel of Joshua may be as seasonable to us now as to them formerly viz. To chuse deliberately and seriously what God we will serve and then to resolve to cleave unto him for ever or wisely to chuse that Religion we will professe in the World and venture our salvation upon and then to labour to be established and fixed therein so as by no storms of temptation we be removed The urging of this Counsel upon unsettled and wavering Souls being the intendment and design of this discourse suited to these fluctuating and shaking times It may be contracted into this insuing proposition which shall be more fully dilated on in the following Chapters viz That it is a great point of wisedom for a Man to make a right Choice of that Religion he means to take
took such rooting that the power craft and malice of men and Devils cannot root it out It s evidenced by the purity and spirituality of its Doctrine By the sublimity of the Mysteries revealed in it wherein the highest wisedom of God shines forth By the greatnesse and excellency of the rewards punishments By the holy Spirit appearing in the serious professors of it such a Spirit of holinesse as is no where else to be found in the world And by the design it hath to glorifie God and to humble Man c. By these and the like evidences the weakest may easily be convinced That the Christian Religion is the only true Religion of all others in the World and so be directed to make choice thereof CHAP. V. Further Directions how to chuse the right and safe way amongst such diversities of Sects and opinions as be amongst Christians A discovery of the fundamental Doctrines of Faith and practical duties of Godliness generally imbraced by al Christians in al times and places with advice in reference unto them HAving inquired into the several Religions this day professed in the world and found upon good evidence the Christian Religion to be the only true Religion men may venture their Salvation upon Wee meet next with no small difficulty whereby weak and ignorant persons are perplexed occasioned by the diversity of Sects and opinions which are found amongst Christians viz. Quest To know after they once be resolved to be Christians how to chuse the right and safe way amongst such various Sects and different perswasions of those called Christians unless a man might be saved in any of these Sects and wayes What directions are there for the safe conduct of such as are at a losse herein Answer Because this is a grand case wherein very many in these sad times of Division greatly need Direction I shall guide them to a safe way wherein they may securely walk and venture their Souls without fear of miscarrying And it is this Let them labour to understand clearly and to imbrace heartily those Fundamental Catholick verities of the Christian Religion which are more clearly laid down in the holy Scriptures and have been owned by the Churches of Christ generally in all ages places ever since the Apostles times to our dayes and transmitted to us in their Creeds and Confessions of Faith and are now owned by all worthy the name of the Christians without dispute through all the Christian World let them so believe them that they influence their Hearts and Lives throughly And also all those Confessed duties of godliness that all Christians are agreed in and walk up to the practice of them and their Souls shall certainly be secured Know that notwithstanding these diversities of Sects and varieties of opinions which are found amongst Christians from which they are not privileged as neither are those other three Religions Heathenisme Mahometanism and Judaism as before was shewed nor shall be fully whilst we be imperfect and know but in part and are in part carnall as well as Spiritual whilst the envious one shall fow Tares in the field of the Church and it shall be the pleasure of God to suffer these things to be that they which are approved may be made manifest Yet know That there are some fundamentall and Catholick verities of the Christian Religion which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 points generally believed of all having antiquity universality and consent concurring with them which the Scriptures call the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 11. The principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6.1 The form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6.17 The proportion or Analogy of Faith Rom. 〈◊〉 6. Which have been conveyed down from the Apostles even to us in this last age of the World nor could the gates of Hel ever prevail so far as to extirpate them And these are such Confessed duties of godlinesse as none that have pretended to be Christians have dared openly and directly to gainsay Now these are the points that have greatest influence on our hearts and lives to sanctifie and change them and to promote the life and power of godlinesse and rarely those questions and matters of dispute that are so hotly contested about and these avail to the saving our Souls upon our hearty imbracing and receiving these or our renouncing of them either in heart or life depends our Salvation or Damnation We had need therefore to set our hearts on these things that we cordially believe these Doctrines and practise those Duties and so doing we shall secure our eternal Salvation Now for further improvement of this advice we shal more particularly inquire into these great and necessary Doctrines of faith and duties of godliness and lay down some brief account of them in order to our belief and practice and so consequently to Salvation 1. For the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion Not that I undertake to give an exact account hereof for to determine this saith a learned man is the master-piece of all the Divines in Christendom but only do declare those truths which being more clearly laid down in Scripture have been generally imbraced by all Churches worthy the Name of Christians setting aside controverted points wherein so much truth is contained as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man to everlasting Salvation This being premised they may be reduced to these four Articles 1 Concerning God That there is one God of an infinite perfect and spirituall nature Subsisting in three most glorious persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost who is the maker preserver Governor of all things and intends his own glory in all his Works That the greatest concernment of reasonable creatures is to know acknowledge this God to fear love adore and glorify him and their chief felicity stands in his love and favour in fullest conformity to his Image and nearest communion with him and in no earthly good separate from him This is one Article of Religion necessary unto Salvation to be known and believed and not controverted amongst Christians Believe this throughly and let it influence your hearts and lives so as you study to know this God and to get acquaintance with him to fear love and serve him to own him for your Soveraign Lord chief good 2 Concerning man That God made man at the first in a very holy happy estate from which he soon fel through Satans Temptation and all mankinde became plunged into sin and misery That we are all hainous offenders against the God of Heaven under his dreadful wrath and the curse of the Law barred out of Heaven and happiness and lyable to eternal torments if not speedily reconciled to God and pardoned and by renewing grace sanctified and converted which neither we nor any meere creature is able to do for us This is another Fundamentall Article of Faith so clearly laid down in Scripture as it 's beyond all controversie