It is many times an exercise to Faith to be commanded to believe what we see not but to see what we belive not is a great strengthning to a weak Faith Again a greater measure of knowledge is a notable means of a greater measure of Faith And if you object against this Heb. 11.2 I answer That the meaning of the place is this that though things be not seen yet Faith maketh them evident not that whatsoever we believe by Faith is not seen Stephan saw and believed the same Acts 7.55 There is a threefold light of Sense of Reason of Faith when a thing is obscure to both the former Faith will make it evident Thirdly Their Peace of Conscience also hereby was more setled and established Luke 2.29 30. for he saw now Christ was come to accomplish that work of reconciliation which before was promised and to make up our Peace with God In these regards the glory of the second Temple was greater than that of the former Hag. 2.10 the second Temple wanted five things of the former Aarons Rod the Pot of Manna Vrim and Thummim fire from Heaven and yet it was greater than the former because these three Knowledge Faith and Peace of Conscience were so much increased not to a few as it was before but generally even to the simple Vse 1. Hence we have just occasion to meditate of our blessednesse also above that of the old Church for all those grounds of the Apostles blessednesse by seeing and hearing Christ remaine to us as 1 Means of Knowledge clearer to us than to the old Church by the Apostles preachings and writings we even see Christ crucified Gal. 3. 2 Means of stronger Faith 1. Because of greater means of Knowledge 2. Because that is already accomplished to us which they hoped for 3. Means of setling greater Peace seeing Christ is not onely come to make our Peace as he was to Simeon but hath already done it And therefore a shame it were for us to be more Ignorant Faithlesse perplexed in conscience than they were and therefore for 1. Knowledge let us be no longer babes 1 Cor 14.20 the times require it Heb. 5.12 Isa 11.9 2 Faith let us strengthen it First For Promises past we have not now received them Secondly For Promises to come of the resurrection he so long foretold was at last seen and then belongs to us that 1. Blessings John 20.29 2 Joy 1 Pet. 1.8 3 Peace let that possesse and rule us Col. 3.15 in life and death as it did Simeon Vse 2. To Stir us up to pity the Estates of such poor people as sit still in darknesse and in the shadow of death having no means of Knowledge of Faith of Peace John 7.49 Vse 3. How great then is that blessednesse prepared for us in Heaven where we shall see Christ as he is and then 1. Our Knowledge shall be perfect 1 Cor. 13.12 2. Our Faith shall be joyned with Fruition yea we shall see what we believe 1 Cor. 12.12 3. Our Peace shall be passing understanding Phil. 4.7 unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 á fortiori It is good to feed on these spirituall joyes and then these carnall delights will soon grow out of tast and relish Doct. Christ in himselfe and to us is the word of life Here is to be shewed in what respects he is called 1 A word 2 A word of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here is a metaphor and every metaphor is a short similitude and it must not be expected that any similitude should agree in all poynts But Christ is called the word of God in four respects as he is the wisdome image interpreter and promise of the Father First The wisedome of the Father as reason floweth from the soul or minde of man and is not any accident to it but of the same nature with it though there is an accidentall wisdome in us which is habituall yet there is also an essentiall wisdome in us namely our Reason which is naturall so Christ who is the reason and wisdome of the Father flowed from the Father was begotten of him and is of the same nature with him hence he is called the wisdome that dwelleth with God Prov. 8.1 22 24 25. 1 Cor. 1.24 and the Holy Ghost may seem to have reference to this place John 1.1 2 3 4 5. because the description which he maketh of the world it seemeth he took from that description of wisdome if you compare these places Prov. 8.1 with John 1.1 Prov. 8.3 with John 1.2 Prov. 24. to 30. with John 1.3 Pro. 8.34 with John 1.4 Prov. 8.35 with John 1.5 and chap. 1.22 24 c. Secondly As the words or speech of the man is a character of his minde for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh a rotten heart begetteth and streameth forth unsavoury speeches an holy heart breatheth out gracious words so is Christ the character or engraven forme of the Fathers person Heb. 1.3 Thirdly As the speech or word of a man doth declare the will and meaning and Counsell of the speaker so doth Christ of the Father John 1.18 Mat. 11.27 Fourthly Christ may very well be called the word of God or the speech of God because he it was of whom the Lord spake from the beginning that is the word of promise which he made to Adam to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to David c. hence Christ is called the Promise Heb. 11. hence he who is called a Servant 1 Chron. 17.19 is called the word 2 Sam. 7.21 that is a servant spoken of or promised Secondly Christ is called a word of life 1. Because he hath especiall life in himselfe John 1.4 John 5.6 2. Because he communicateth life and he communicates 1 Naturall life which to us men is the light of Reason Joh. 1.4 this former we have from him as an author these following as an head or root 2 He communicates spirituall life and that he doth 1. By dying for us for his death is our life as by his wounds we are healed Isa 53.5 so by his life we live now the life we live by Christs death is 1 Justification that is forgivenesse of sins Col. 1.14 Ephes 1.7 therefore he is called the justification of life Rom. 5.18 we without his death were dead meer Children of death as condemned persons and Christs death procuring us pardon procured us life 2 Mortification it is the first part of spirituall life inherent in us to die to sin and that was procured by Christs death Rom. 6.6 Gal. 2.19 2. He communicates spirituall life to us by rising for us for as we have been like him in dying to sin by his death so doe we live to God by his life Rom. 6.5 10 11. now the life we live by his Resurrection is 1 Vivification or newnesse of life Christ now living in us by his Spirit Gal. 2.20 1 Cor. 6.17 Hence as living trees of Righteousnesse we bring forth fruit unto God
us so we should cleanse our selves from all sin because it is a remnant of filthinesse Vse 6. It may shew us the wonderfull preciousnesse of the bloud of Christ and the no lesse wonderfull favour and love of God towards us were not Christs bloud of wonderfull efficacy it could not cleanse such base filthy sinfull lusts so Gods favour were it not wonderfull he would not take upon him such an homely office Women if they were not Mothers would not take such homely offices up as to cleanse their Children from their filth why if God were not of the like affection to us he would not cleanse us from our filthinesse we count it an homely office to sweep sincks and scum pots c this is Gods office if he did not sweep the Sinck and scum off the scum of our hearts it would never be done and therefore it shews the tender affection of God towards us in that he is willing to take such an office upon him to cleanse us from our filthinesse he poures clean water upon us all other means will doe no good without him it is with us as it is with young Infants that would lie in their defilements if their Mothers did not make them clean and so would we even wallow in the defilements of sin if God did not cleanse us therefore admire Gods love and mercy towards us Vse 7. It is a good help to mortification if we consider what a loathsome thing sin is and what pure eyes God is of it would be an antidote against sin shall we commit such filthinesse in Gods sight to make our selves so base and loathsome before him Doct. All sin is unrighteousnesse and cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse that is from all sin Sin and unrighteousnesse the one explains the other Rom. 6.13 yeild not your Members weapons of Unrighteousnesse that is weapons of sin sometimes Unrightnesse is properly confined to the sins of the second Table as unholinesse to the first but sometimes righteousnesse comprehends the whole course of a Christian and Unrighteousness comprehends all sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reas Because every sin doth either God wrong or others or our selves Righteousnesse gives every one his due if we sin in temperance we debase and defile our selves if we sin in theft or slander we wrong others in their goods or good names if we worship not God as God if we keep not his Sabbaths or prophane his name we wrong God Vse 1. Shews the Error of those who think if they pay every man his own they are righteous men why doe you no wrong are you not sinners yes they will say why then you are not righteous for every sin doth wrong to God our selves or others Others say if they wrong any it is themselves why it is unrighteousnesse to wrong your selves 2. As you love innocency live righteously doe God no wrong others no wrong your selves no wrong otherwise you are unrighteous 3. For Comfort to any that have their souls cleansed by the bloud of Christ from all filthinesse we are holy set at liberty from all filthinesse and all unrighteousnesse Doct. Sin pardoned is ever cleansed sin pardoned is sin cleansed what sin God pardons the same sin he cleanseth Heb. 9.14 The same bloud that pardons cleanseth us from sin Reas From the power of the death of Christ which serves not onely to procure pardon of sin but likewise healing of sin for his bloud is offered up as a ransome for sin well then it is pardoned but it is not onely so but it is a means to kill and mortifie sin Rom. 6.6 there is a destructive power to kill sin as well as meritorious power to pardon sin now his death is said to mortifie sin in us 1. Exemplariter For if Christ be dead we also shall die with him to sin Rom. 6.9 11. 2. It hath a natural Efficacy as it is an object for us to look at as fearful and formidable when sin presents it selfe we look at it as crucifying Christ and shall we look on it without mourning Zech. 12.10 shall we wrong him so much as to crucifie him again 3. His bloud cleanseth sin in obtaining at Gods hand a Spirit of Sanctification which makes the death of the Head reach to the lowest Members of the body as when the head dies all the Members die so the death of Christ having obtained the Spirit of God from him if he our head die then we shall die to sin as the resurrection of Christ procures vivification so the death of Christ mortification Gal. 4.4 5. Obj If sin be always mortified where it is pardoned how comes it to passe that godly men fall so often into the same sin Doth not David confesse that there was a way of lying in him Psal 119.29 Remove from me the way of lying which implies it was not one act but a way a course that he walked in sometimes so Isaac Gen. 26. told the same Lye both to the Philistims and Abimelech so it was with Jonah he was froward before he went to Niniveh and froward afterward how is it then that sin may be cleansed and yet renewed and if renewed how cleansed Ans It is with Sin in this respect as with Sampsons Hair it may be cut but it will grow again Sin may be mortified in some kinde and yet renewed again because Sin in this Life is mortified but in part Pride Wantonnesse Coveteousnesse in part are mortified but in part alive and if we neglect the practise of mortification that sin we had got some mastery of we shall fall into again if Sin break out again it is because we neglect those means we should mortifie Sin by he doth not say the bloud of Christ hath cleansed us but cleanseth Doth cleanse implying that cleansing is a continued Act the bloud of Christ is a notable Medicine to heal Sin and purge from filthinesse but if a man neglect to apply this Plaister to his Soul it may not be so effectuall as it would Vse 1. For tryall whether our Sins be pardoned or no would you know whether your Sin be pardoned why then it is also cleansed if your Sin be not cleansed in some measure it is not pardoned at all therefore look at your Sins if they be healed then they are certainly pardoned for it is the same bloud of Christ that both heals and pardons Sin Hos 14.4 God doth not onely love freely and pardon graciously but he heals them also therefore consider doe you finde your Sins healed that is that they have not that power they had before doe they seem loathsome to you whereas before you delighted in them now in heart you hate them and in practise avoyd them then those Sins are pardoned and if he pardons one Sin he pardons all his pardons are universall but if a man live in Sin still and love it as well and is no more ashamed than formerly he had been but goes on in the same
restrained it from any fellowship with them 2 As Chirurgions apply Corrosives so Christians to mortifie their lusts apply such Corrosives may subdue their lusts Rom. 8.13 If ye walk after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live either kill your lusts or else you will kill your souls therefore mortifie your lusts through the Spirit that you may live which is a notable Corrosive to mortifie them by the Spirit of God so another Corrosive is when a man applies the threatnings of God to his soul and against his Lusts if you shall lay to heart all the dangers of your lusts it will eat out the corruption of the flesh Another special Corrosive is the Death of Christ when we consider Christ dyed for us and we are dead in him how then should we live any longer to sin Rom. 6.1 to 6. 3 As Chirurgions cut off that Member that is thus mortified so Christians that they may not love their lusts must cut off those lusts and cast them away Matth. 18.8 9. were our lusts as near and precious to us as our right eye were they never so convenient or necessary even as our right hand though we should dis-inable our selves in our Callings yet cut them off it is better you should be lame in your businesse better you should goe with reproach and shame in the world than at length be cast body and soul into Hell fire cut off the members of sin which are as near and dear and necessary unto you as right eyes and hands in regard of your worldly employments yet away with them mortifie them Like to this phrase of Mortifying is the Crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts they have crucified the whole body of sin partly in the affections which are not sinful in themselves but as they are inordinate but they keep in their affections and passions in such order that they sinne not in anger or joy or love c. and partly their lusts of the flesh also covetousnesse pride vanity wantonnesse they are crucified they look at all their lusts as Crucifying Christ and they look up to Christ for the pardon of sin and so also for the healing of sin for pardoning and healing goes together Hos 14.3 4. 1 Joh. 1.7 8. they that are Christs looking up to the vertue of Christs Death they find their lusts not only pardoned but healed crucifying of our lusts hath some resemblance with Christs Death as 1 They attach Christ seek him out and are content to give money rather than to find him so will a Christian doe in regard of his lusts 2 He layes them open as enemies to Caesar to the great God and desires vengeance on them 3 He considers that Christ is dead for him and he is crucified with Christ therefore what hath he to doe to live to the world or the lusts thereof Reas 1. Why all should be weaned from lusts from the enmity which these lusts have against God which is a sufficient motive to weane us from the world Gal. 5.17 if they be enemies to God then a Christian hath reason to hate them as enemies to his best friend and indeed he cannot love God and those lusts too He that loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him he is not fit for any duty he that loves the world cannot accomplish the will of the Father every lust hinders spiritual duties hearing of the Word Prayer receiving of the Sacrament any one lust tolerated or lived in hinders all Spirituall duties Reas 2. From the enmity they have against our souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved as strangers and pilgrimes abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against your souls they fight against your souls and so fight that either you must kill them or they will kill your souls either mortifie them or they will mortifie your souls either captivate them or they will captivate your souls Therefore seeing they are so contrary to God and any Spiritual life and our own souls as we would not have our lusts hinder our peace with God and eat out our grace as we would maintain our communion with God and the life of our souls Love not the world nor the lusts of the world Vse 1. To teach us it is not enough for us to abstaine from outward gross sins but love not your lusts thou mayest refrain from the outward acts of sin but yet thy heart may be strongly affected towards sin and thou mayest delight therein if thou dost thou lovest the world and the things of the world therefore labour to cleanse your selves from secret lusts Circumcision was the cutting off the fore-skin of a secret member and yet God would have another Circumcision more secret and that is of the heart we must not content our selves with outward reformation but circumcise our hearts Levit. 3.3 4. God took speciall care that he might have all the Kidnies and Fat the Kidnies and Fat are our strongest desires and lusts why when we come to offer Sacrifice we must bring them before the Lord and burn them there is no savour so sweet in Gods nostrils as the burning of our strongest lusts the more our lusts stink in our nostrils the more sweet smelling savour it is to God so long as our lusts smel sweet in our nostrils so long we are loathsome to God Vse 2. It must teach us it is not enough to cut off some lusts but those that we love most a good husband that hates prodigality you shall not need to exhort him to frugality so prodigality cannot endure covetousnesse it hates basenesse and pinching he cannot abide it it is not his own lust so another he cares not for this pride and bravery so he may ly close at the pot or an Harlot why this is no great matter to cry out against those lusts that are not ours but it is a Christian duty not to love our own lusts covetousnesse is not thy lust but if prodigality be thy lust doe not thou cry out against covetousnesse and thou which art covetous doe not thou stand out against another mans prodigality but strive against thy own covetousnesse there are lusts which are to us as Eves apple fair to the eye such lusts as our souls lust after Rev. 18.14 look thou to these lusts which thy soul lusts after let them depart from thee Vse 3. This reproves our aptnesse to cherish and nourish our own lusts when we are commanded not to love them to mortifie them not to make provision for them if we then provide for them we are justly to be reproved Job 24.15 Prov. 7. Woe be to them that draw iniquity with the cords of vanity and sin as it were with Cart-roaps Isa 15.18 that take occasion to fulfill their sins that draw them on with Cart-roaps that give way to such
extreame and deadly 3. It is new and rare because they have been wonted to no such thing Vse Let the world know that Gods people have more cause to think strange of the world then the world of them they give the world no cause to hate them Acts 17.6 Doct Gods children are not to marvell at the worlds hatred 1 Thess 3.3 Reas 1. God hath appointed you to it you must take notice of it God hath done it for many ends How else should you shew forth your patience how should you be kept off from bad company God will lay bitter pills to the breasts of the world that so you may be weaned from it Psalm 119.115 2. The world many times doth it out of ignorance The world knows it not therefore we may take it the better that we are ill dealt withall A King takes it not ill to be badly dealt withall at strangers hands 3. The world hated Christ therefore no marvell if it hate us 4. It is no new thing it hath continued from Cain 5 From the inclination of your own hearts if you were in the worlds case you would doe the like Therefore marvell not Tit. 3.2 3. Vse 1. Of instruction to such as live in places of Religion If we be hated wonder we not at it We shall condemne the generation of Gods people The cause is partly from the tempter partly from the wickednesse of the world Vse 2. Do not lay down Religion for fear of the worlds hatred This is not the way fear not the hatred of the world Some Subjects will not feare the body of a State so they may have the Kings favour Much lesse should Gods servants fear though the whole body of a Countrey should fall foule upon them 3. This should teach Gods servants to walk so much the more circumspectly humbly lovingly If a man were to walk amongst his friends he would care the lesse but if he live among his enemies he will looke to every step so soon as you trip you shall have mouthes enough open against you Therefore Daniels course was notable he so walked that they could not taxe him Daniel 6.1 to 7. 1 JOHN 3.14 We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death THe Apostle layes down this as a second reason why they should not marvell implying that they that know they have passed from death to life need not marvell though the world hate them Doct. Gods people have passed from death to life Gods people are opposed to the world they are translated out of the world John 5.24 They are redeemed out of the world by death he means a contrary state to life Death and Condemnation are Synonymaes By death is meant death for sin and death in sin the naturall estate in which a man lives whilest he is in this world which is called a state of death in a fivefold respect 1. All death presupposeth life to go before We do not say that a stone is dead Death is a privation of life A man that hath no life but what the world gives he is dead because he had a life at least in possibility in the loyns of Adam Ephesians 2.3 2. Death in the proper notion of it is a separation of the soul from the body We are said to be dead Gal. 2.20 because our souls and bodies which are capable of life are separated from the Lord Jesus the fountain of life Eph. 4.17 18 19. 2.12 3. From the definition of life which is a power to move it selfe in it's owne place When we see a thing to move it selfe in it's owne place we say it is quick and hath life A man may do many things yet not from an inward principle as Judas and Jehu Matth. 27.18 19. 2 Kings 10.15 16. is this life There are some motions from common grace but it is not spirituall life unlesse it aim at spirituall ends and upon spirituall grounds As if a man be humbled for sin because it is displeasing to God Judas was troubled in his conscience not for sinning against God for then he would not have grieved God by hanging himselfe It was not an inward motion and voluntary so Jehu he did it to establish his owne Kingdome he regarded not the commandements of the Lord 1 Kings 10.30 31. 4. In regard of the binding over to eternall death as a condemned man is counted a dead man John 3. ult 5. From the power required to make such a man alive 2 Cor. 5.17 There must be a new a breathing power The state of grace is called life 1. Because we have received fellowship with Christ he lives in us and we in him Gal. 2.20 John 15.1 2. We have an inbred power in our selves to move upon spiritual grounds and for spiritual ends Rom. 8.2 Mat. 5.3 to 10. Passed from death to life from the hatred of our Brethren to the love of them There are these steps of it from one to another 1. A man is a poor man and that 1. In debt 2. Hath nothing 3. An hard creditor 4. No surety 2. He begins to mourn bitterly for this his estate 3. He becomes meek 4. He hungers and thirsts and prayes for grace and cannot be satisfied without it 5. He begins to be mercifull he pities every soul that is in a state of nature and under a spirit of bondage 6. He is pure in heart abstains from sin doth Gods commandements 7. He is a peace-maker he is at peace with God and with his own conscience and now he labours to make others at peace 8. He will now suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Vse 1. This convinceth all the works of the Heathens as dead works Some are famous for courage justice c. But all these are but dead works Gods pure Martyrs have suffered not for any glory of theirs but Gods glory 2. It refutes a main ground of Popery the doctrine of Free-will which gives a man power to be converted when he will If a dead man can rise from death to life then may a dead man in sin come to the life of grace 3. Gather hence how our estate stands We come to Church it may be repeat Sermons and do many good duties Would we know whether our life be a dead life or no Consider we upon what principles we do good duties if we do good duties because they are pleasing to God if we have respect to all Gods commandements if there be a change in our hearts which makes us willing this is a signe we are passed from death to life 4. To teach us not to rest in our naturall condition for then thou art but a dead man although thou hast all morall grace 1 Cor. 13.2 3. 5. This may be a comfort to every soul that hath passed from death to life God is his God and he shall never come into condemnation Math. 22.23 John 5.24 Doct. The love of our
John 15.5 2 Resurrection to glory Rom. 8.11 hence he is called a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Vse 1. If Christ be a word of life then men out of Christ have no life in them they have neither the life of justification nor mortification nor vivification nor resurrection to glory but are stark dead men to grace and glory 2. If Christ be a word of life then we who professe our selves to be Christians to be Members of Christ are to live no life but this now for the better conceiving of this know that we live a threefold life 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall 3. Carnall whereby we live the life 1 Of Reason 2 Grace 3 Sin The two former we may live and are so to doe because we receive both these lives from Christ the word of life the last we are not to live for the Members can live no life but the life of their head the branches live no life but the life of the root Hence Paul lived not but Christ in him Gal. 2.20 Now that we may doe this we must esteem and carry our selves as dead men to all things else that we may wholly live and move and have our being to him and from hence arise three duties First We are not to live to our old sins at all but to be as dead men to them Rom. 6.11 and therefore to have no Member to stir at their command Rom. 6.13 old lusts when they now call upon us we are to lend the deaf Ear to them when we were dead to Righteousnesse we did not one living action but sinfull so now being dead to sin let us doe no liâ—ing action but righteous Secondly We are no longer to live unto friends to riches honours or pleasures but to the Lord we once were wedded to such things but now being dead we are free from them Rom. 7.1 2. if these call for any motion or action of a living man at our hands not agreeable to the Will of Christ we are dead hence Wives are to obey their Husbands in the Lord Col. 3.18 and Children their Parents Ephes 6.1 and Servants their Masters Ephes 6. so Psal 45.10 11. 3. We are to be as dead men to our own reason and will and all the affections of our hearts and to yeeld to them onely in the Lord Luke 9.23 He that would live to God when he is dead must die to himselfe while he is alive Vse 3. If Christ be a Word of Life a living and a quickning word then when we finde our hearts dead and dull and indisposed to good duties run we and seek unto him for life and quickning Psal 119.37 40. If we be afflicted in Conscience and esteem our selves as dead men in regard of the apprehension of Gods Wrath and the want of the life of Justification then let us seek to him Psal 119.107 28. If we fear that though we finde some life of grace yet we shall be unfruitfull and dead unto God except we be strengthened and quickned more then ordinary here againe let us seek unto this Word of Life Luke 17.5 Mark 9.24 In the midst of our entertainment of many of our acquaintance as Hezekiah did 2 Kings 20.13 who might have taken an excellent opportunity of sanctifying Gods name considering the occasion of their coming 2 Chron. 32.31 he might have wrought on them to have embraced the true worship of such a God Deut. 32.31 And so indeed did Moses upon Jethro Exod. 18.8 9 10 11 12. and in the liberall use of Gods Creatures an easie matter it is to forget God and to be dead and unfruitfull unto him here then seek to this Word of Life but alwayes seek we in humility and consciousnesse of our own weaknesse and then God will delight to quicken us 1 JOHN 1.2 For the life appeared and we have seen it and bear witnesse and shew unto you that eternall life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us THis Verse containeth nothing in a manner in it but what you have mentioned either in the verse before or else in the next after it In it consider 1. The dependance of it with the former the words come in by way of answer to an objection Obj. If Christ was from the beginning eternal God how then could he be seen and heard John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time Answ Yes for that eternall Word of Life was in fulnesse of time made manifest in the flesh c. 2. The order of the words in themselves and in plain placing they stand thus For that Life that Eternall Life which was with the Father and which we have seen and thereof we bear witnesse and which we shew or declare unto you appeared appeared I say unto us 3. The meaning of the words which is best opened by handling distinctly five Propositions which are expresse in the Text Three concerning Christ Two concerning the Apostles First Three concerning Christ 1. Christ is Life Life eternall 2. This Eternall Life Christ was with the Father 3. This Eternall Life which was with the Father appeared to the Apostles Secondly Two concerning the Apostles 1. The Apostles and Disciples saw this eternall life 2. Thâ—â—postles and Disciples bare witnesse unto and declared this eternall life to the Church of God Proposit 1. Christ is life eternall Life Therefore called the word of Life v. 1. hence also John 14.6 though life there is not taken so largely as here There the meaning is I am the true and right way to eternall life as appeareth by that which goeth before from verse 2. to 6. and the reason following verse 6. Here it is taken for him who liveth in himselfe and is the Fountain and Author of all life to us whether of Nature or Grace or Glory Eternall life 1 John 5.20 and he is so called because 1. Himselfe liveth for ever Rev. 1.17 18. Prov. 8.23 2. To us he is the Author of eternall life Heb. 5.9 John 18.28 Vse 1. From hence the God head of Christ is argued and that 1. From his Simplicity comparing this place with John 5.26 see the like 1 Joh. 1.5 7. He is therefore free from all composition not onely of matter and form universall and particular but even of subject and adjunct Ergo He is God for these speeches are are no Hyperbolies 2. Fâ—om his Eternity for no Creature is eternal but all had their beginning in time Vse 2. Hence we see a reason 1. Of that speech in Prov. 8. ult All that hate me love death such are all they that will not be governed by him Luke 19.14 2. Of that speech Eph. 2.1 5. men out of Christ are dead 3. Why ungodly and wicked men die eternally they are out of Christ John 15.6 where is to be translated not Men but Angels Mat. 13.49 50. the Angels whomsoever they finde out of Christ they cast into Eternall death not so much because they have deserved it for so have the godly but
3. Bloud is most mentioned because it is an evident Testimony of death because in bloud is life 2 because it accomplished all the legall types Heb. 9.22 Quest 2. Why is it called the blood of Jesus Christ his Son Ans Because that Christ that shed his bloud was the Son of God and that added efficacy to it Heb. 10.4 not the bloud of sinfull man Heb. 2.26 27. it must be therefore the bloud of an infinite power Acts 20.28 Quest 3. How is this blovd said to cleanse Ans 1 As it Justifies 2 As it Sanctifies 1. As it Justifies us by his bloud are we cleansed Rom. 5.9 Ephes 1.7 we are justified by it because it frees us from the guilt and punishment of sin 1 From the guilt of Sinne guilt is that whereby we are liable to the Curse 2 It frees us from the punishment of sin so that now there is no condemnation to us Rom. 8.1 Rom. 4. ult 1 Pet. 2.24 2. We are cleansed from Sin by a sactifying power in the death of Christ that is it whereby our Consciences being sprinkled we are freed from the stain and lust of sin Heb. 10.29 and are endued with supernaturall grace so that we are afraid to commit any sin Q. What is meant by all Sin A. That is from original and actual sins from sins of Omission and Commission it cleanseth us from the sins of our Birth and of our Life of Youth and of riper years Rom. 5.9 now we could not be justified if any sin were unpardoned Heb. 9.14 if it be a dead work or sin of Omission our Conscience is purged from it for if the bloud of Bulls and Goats cleansed from all sins of the flesh much more the bloud of Christ from all sin no sin but we are cleansed from by Christs bloud except the sin against the Holy Ghost Heb. 10.26 because v. 29. they tread under foot the bloud of the Covenant For the proof of this point see Rom. 8.1 2. Rom. 6.6 Reas 1. From the wonderfull efficacy of Christs bloud in respect of the Divinity of his Person the reason why it is so effectuall is because it is the bloud of the Son of God Heb. 9.14 Reas 2. Because he stood in our Persons on the Crosse through the acceptation of God God accepted him as a Surety for us Heb. 7.22 Isa 5. ult 1 Pet. 2.24 therefore it is as much as if we had done it in our own persons John 10.11 He had no need to shed his Blood for himselfe for he had never sinned Vse 1. To reprove the Papists who teach that the Masse being celebrated for the dead and living justifies from sin but if the bloud of Christ cleanse us from all sin there is no need of the Masse to cleanse us from any sin and they teach that the Masse is an unbloudy Sacrifice now it must be a bloudy Sacrifice that must cleanse Heb. 10.10 14. but if it be often offered it doth not exceed the Sacrifices of the Law Heb. 10.1 to 5. Vse 2. To refute the Popish Purgatory if Christs bloud cleanse us from all sin what need a Purgatory to expiate any sin This is a Blasphemy against Christs bloud Q. Do not Temptation and Affliction and Word and Sacraments and Faith and other Graces purge us from sin and purifie us It is said of Afflictions Heb. 12.11 A. It is true there are many means to purge us from sin but no efficacy in any of them except by virtue of Christs Blood therefore those in Hell have no benefit because Christs bloud reacheth not thither so that if any be bettered by Afflictions or Word or Sacraments it is from the virtue of Christs bloud and if Christs bloud be sprinkled on Purgatory we will not reject it Vse 3. Of refutation of the opinion of many godly Divines that hold we are purified from the sinne of our Birth by the purity of Christs Birth from Sinnes of Omission by his active obedience from Sinnes of Commission by his passive obedience but we must know there is thus much in the purity of his Birth in his Obedience in his Passion that it makes us fit to be cleansed but yet we must hold the Bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sin that brings this fitnesse to perfection A Lamb defiled in the old Law was never accepted though it were slain for a Sacrifice and if it had been without spot and blemish yet if it had not been slain it would not have been accepted neither so had not Christ been a Lambe spotlesse and undefiled his death would not have cleansed us from our sins and though he were spotlesse and undefiled yet he must be slain or else we could not be cleansed neither the purity of Christs Nature doth not cleanse us from sin but we must take all joyntly together all his active obedience was passive and all his passive obedience was active Gal. 4.4 5. that he was obedient to the Law was part of his Passion and by the obedience of Christ to the death we are cleansed from all sin Vse 4. To refute some that say we are justified by faith as it is a work in us they say we are justified not by the works of the Law but by faith Rom. 11.5 6. but if we be justified by faith as it is a work in us how doth the bloud of Christ cleanse us from sin but it is faith as it lays hold on the bloud of Christ Vse 5. For comfort to all such as walk in the light let them not be discomforted you will say your hearts are full of impatience and coveteousness and uncleannesse these are great sins indeed but the bloud of Christ cleanseth from all sin there is no number nor measure limited Object He cleanseth not all men how shall I know whether my sinnes be cleansed A. Why do you walk in the light as God is in the light if you do then his Bloud cleanseth you from all sin therefore if a man would have comfort he must consider whether he live in any sin voluntarily and walk in darknesse if he doe he hath no part in Christs Bloud but if there be no sin but he is willing to avoyd it no duty but he desires to perform it and amend all it is a signe he walks in light if you see what is amisse and labour to mend it then you walk in the light and then assure your selves the bloud of Christ will cleanse you from all your sins Vse 6. For instruction if Christs bloud cleanseth from all sin then no sin is venial is that sin venial that cannot be cleansed but by Christs bloud Vse 7. To shew us the reason why the bloud of Christ is called precious 1 Pet. 1.19 it is more precious than the bloud of Bulls and Goats c. so all silver and gold in the world cannot remit one sin or save one soul from Hell Psal 49.6 7 8. Heb. 12.24 Vse 8. To teach Christians notwithstanding all
former sins to walk boldly in a Christian course we are much troubled in our spirits by reason of our sins the multitude and greatnesse of them why in consideration of this let us be bold Heb. 10.19 to 23. we may be bold to approach to Gods Throne bold to enter into Heaven let no sin discourage us for his bloud cleanseth from all sin Vse 9. If his bloud cleanse from all sin let us make use of his bloud Zech. 13.1 it is even this Fountain of Christs bloud let us therefore bath our selves often in this Bloud that we may be thorowly purged from all sin from the stain and guilt of sin Vse 10. All Ordinances Word Prayer Sacrament Communion of Saints all holy duties will doe no good without his bloud therefore desire God that every Ordinance may be sprinkled by his bloud as Water alone cleanseth not without Sope so it is not all the waters of Jordan that can cleanse us from dead works without the bloud of Christ strike in with it let us not rest in any Ordinance or performance in any Prayer or Fast or in all of them if you would spend your bloud to cleanse your Souls from sin all will be in vain except it be mixt with Christs bloud therefore pray that the Word and Sacrament and every Ordinance may be sprinkled with Christs bloud to justifie and sanctifie the bloud of Christ hath procured sentence of absolution from God and vertue from the Spirit of Grace to wash away all our sins therefore lay hold on it this is to lay hold on the Horns of the Altar therefore in all Christian consideration and duties look chiefly and principally to him or else all will be in vain 1 JOHN 1.8 9. If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us c. FRom the former Verse S. John gathers a two-fold mark of our estate First in this verse If the bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sin then they are lyars that say they have no sin If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves c. The second mark is verse 9. If we acknowledge our sins c. The first in this Verse It is a dangerous signe of an evill estate if we say we have no sin for we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Doct. Opinion and Profession of perfect Holinesse is an error wilfull pernicious and dangerous If we say 1. In heart Psal 14.1 where such a thought is 2. To speak such a thing to say is to professe so to carry our selves so as may manifest our opinion Rom. 1.22 That we have no sin that is that we are perfectly holy and righteous 1 It is an errour And 2 Wilfull errour for he saith so himselfe 3 It is a pernicious and dangerous errour it roots out all grace First It is an errour and delusion for it is contrary to Gods expresse Word Prov. 20.9 Who can say he is clean Eccl. 7.22 1 Kings 8.46 James 3.2 In many things we sin all both in matter and manner Secondly It is a wilfull errour a man doth not learn it from others but he perswades himselfe so 1. Because if any read the Scriptures he shall find it contrary Psal 130.3 Psal 143.2 2. Though a man never read the Scriptures he shall meet with daily crosses now a mans own heart will tell him it is for his sin Job 14.1 3. None but findes he hath need of craving pardon for sin Zech. 11.4 John 16.9 he shall convince the world of sin not a man in the world but he is convinced to be a sinner therefore none can say he hath no sin but it must be wilfull Errour Thirdly It is a dangerous Errour 1. Because it evacuates all truth of Grace where this conceit is there can be no truth of grace because all truth of grace expresseth it selfe in Three things 1 In something about sin every godly man first renounceth all his own righteousnesse Phil. 3.7 8. 2 He complains bitterly of sin Rom. 7.24 3 He fights against sin to the death Heb. 12.4 Now if every godly man doe thus how can any truth of grace be where a man either thinks or professeth he hath no sin 2. Where there is truth of Grace it expresseth it selfe in some things that respect the bloud of Christ 1 He prizes it above all blessings in the World Gal. 6.14 1 Cor. 2.2 now what need he prize it so much if he have no sin 2 Every godly man desires to bath himselfe daily in that bloud Zech. 13.1 now what need that if he had not sin 3 Take a Christian mans carriage towards perfection of holiness He strives after perfection earnestly every day Phil. 3.12 13 14. what need Mortification if there were no sin or vivification Vse 1. It convinceth many sorts of people to be in a dangerous estate devoyd of grace 1 Such were the Pharisees that counted themselves just and holy Such were the Essaeans that counted themselves strict observers of the Law of Moses Such a one was that young man that came to Christ Mat. 19.20 but Christ convinces him that he was not perfect Such were the Catharists of old a sect in the Church that thought themselves pure from all sin It reproves likewise the Libertines that counted themselves perfect keepers of the Law Such are the Papists that say the Virgin Mary was without sin she doth not say it her selfe she acknowledgeth a Saviour and therefore had sin And so all they are deceivers of themselves that so live as if they were free from sin that conceive well of themselves in a carnall Estate and such is the body of the World they will it may be say they are sinners but why then doe they not repent and mourn for sin why they see no need of that I have lived honestly all my life and I hope my Estate is good and so deceive themselves Vse 2. Hence we see a necessity laid on Ministers to peeach the Law or else how shall people see their sins by the the Law comes sin to be revived Rom. 7.7 Vse 3. If it be so wilfull and dangerous an Errour then it behoves contrary judgements to carry themselves as those that are of another opinion doe you believe you are guilty indeed of many sins why then professe it and carry your selves so and that by an inward renouncing of all your sins mourn for them strive against them otherwise you do not professe your selves to be sinners unlesse your hearts prize the bloud of Christ desire to be bathed in it and if you doe think your selves to be sinners daily get more hold of Grace you are yet sinfull and miscrable therefore need more Grace Vse 4. If we be all sinners then let us learn to bear Gods hand patiently Micah 7.9 is any froward and impatient in affliction he professeth he is no sinner he that practiseth Impatience professeth Innocency for if a man be Innocent
he will be ready to storm if a man takes crosses impatienly he thinks they fall on him undeservedly Vse 5. Learn not to be censorius reject not others for sin we ought not to do so but for wallowing and walking in sin but despise them not for sin for in many things we sin all and truly if we be over censorius we profess our selves to be no sinners for if we were we would pitty them and look most to our selves Mat. 7.5 6. If we say we have no sin we have no truth in us Now on the contrary Verse 9. we have a note of a good estate If we acknowledge our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Doct. Vnfaigned confession of our sins to God is the ready way to the pardon and healing of them Confession is the ready way to Justification and Sanctification pardoning of sin and cleansing from sin This place is stood upon by Bellarmine for auricular confession he saith it is meant of confession not to God but to the Priest and what is his ground but this to the confession here spoken of is a promise made of pardon but no word of promise in Scripture to confession to God but to confession to the Apostles and Ministers of Christ John 20.23 But 1. It is a notorious Falshood to say that no promise is made to him that confesseth to God Prov. 28.13 we understand it of confession to God he denies it because he speaks it of confession to him from whom sin may be hid which cannot be from God But yet many a man hides his sin from himselfe and will not search into his own heart and labours to hide it from God Isa 29.15 Ps 32.3 4 5. And that that place in the Proverbs is meant of confession to God appears in that he speaks it of confessing to him of whom he might finde mercy but confession to man often brings ruine I would yet further ask them if there be no place that expresseth pardon to him that confesseth his sins towards the Temple see Psal 32.5 6. Job 33.27 and that whole prayer of Solomon 1 Kings 8. runs on promise of Pardon to him that confesseth to God and God answers to that Petition Chap. 9.3 and now that Solomons Temple is destroyed we have a greater than the Temple whereof that was but a type if we confesse our Sins and put up our Prayers in the name of Christ our Sins shall be pardoned and healed and for that place John 20.23 we say there is no mention of Confession but they have a power to remit them without confession according to Acts 9.17 Ananias comes to him without hearing a word from him Acts 22.16 his Sins were not remitted by confessing them to Ananias but by calling on the Name of the Lord indeed if a man be burthened in Conscience it is meet he should confesse his faults to the faithfull Ministers of God and request their help and prayers James 5.16 which is meant of Ministers as well as Lay-men of Christians in general Mal. 2.7 Q. But what difference will you make between Ministers and Lay-men if you say we may confesse our faults to Lay-men in private A. When Christ saith those sins you remit are remitted it is not meâ—â—t that they have judicial power to absolve them and say Ego absolvo te in nemine Patris filii spiritus sancti but he hath given them a Ministerial power to declare remission of sins to them that are penitent if they see them penitent and humble they may declare some promise whereto pardon is annexed Obj. But common Christians may doe thus and is there no difference between Ministers and them Ans God is wont more usually to blesse a Ministers discerning of the estate of a man and applying comfort than other common Christians Rom. 10.14.15 the ordinary way of faith and to get comfort by faith is by the Ministry of the Gospel If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins faithfull and just expressing the truth and righteousnesse of God in making good his promise to those that confesse their sins To forgive Sin is to free a man from Sin and Punishment and to remit it Jer. 31.33 To cleanse from Sin is to mortifie Sin and quicken Grace Reas 1. In respect of God 1. From the great Honour confession of Sin doth to Gods Justice no man confesseth his Sin to God but he glorifies Gods Justice though he should deal never so hardly with him yet his Justice should be magnified Psal 51. Neh. 9.33 Dan. 9.7 2. It sanctifies the name of Gods grace why doth the Apostle so set out the sinfulnes of all in Cap. 2. 3. ad Rom. but that he might magnifie the riches of Gods grace it shews that if they have any mercy it is from Free Grace Reas 2. In respect of our selves 1. It exceedingly humbles us and makes us willing to accept any hand of God Lev. 26.41 42. how doe these men come to be humbled if they confesse their sins and the sins of their Fathers this will humble them 2. Confession of sin to God doth restrain us from Commission of sin for a man considers he must come before God and break his heart for it and an ingenuous heart is more ashamed of his sin before God than before men Ps 51. Against thee against thee onely have I sinned that most affected him 3. Confession of Sin makes us examine our selves and that is very profitable when a man comes and considers the frame of his heart and life it afflicts him much as the searching of a Wound doth anguish the Body so examination of our selves doth much afflict our souls Now for the properties of this Confession it must be serious and sincere and with a resolution to doe so no more when a man confesseth his sins with griefe of heart that he hath offended God and resolves never to doe the like again this is very effectuall Vse 1. It serves to teach us that in Scripture phrase the repentance of an humble Sinner goes before Justification and Sanctification many a man comes to be humbled and yet is confident his sinne is neither forgiven nor his heart sanctified if Confession be the way to Pardon what need a man confesse his Sins if he be truly perswaded they be forgiven we grant therefore that Repentance is the way to Pardon to the sence of it at least It is a question whether Repentance go before Faith or Faith before Repentance I answer if you take it practically there is no man that either believes his sin pardonned or healed till he brought to Humiliation contrition and sorrow Vse 2. To teach all that stand either in need of pardon of Sin or cleansing from Sin what course to take the best have need to increase it but didst thou not finde pardon at all or cleansing here is a plaine Promise If we
Religion that they may not say none but young heâ—ds take up this course doe you this remember that Religion is no poynt of indiscretion no an hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in a way of righteousnesse would you not think it a great misery if it should befall a Mariner after all Tempests to suffer Shipwrack in the very havens mouth so is it with old men when you have run on through all the difficulties of this Life in your last days when you should arrive at the Haven of Peace and Hope and eternall Happinesse if you should sink and faile what a misery were it Tit. 2.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul did consider that old age was an old crazy time their heâ—ds unhealthfull their stomacks unhealthfull their hearts unhealthful how should old age get healthful hearts again why get an healthfull spirit a sound heart an upright spirit what a staffe would this be to weake age to have sound faith to be sound in love sound in meeknesse and patience what a support will it be to them to uphold all diseases and distempers how will they be able to bear alâ— the Sicknesses of this age when their spirits are lively and their hearts comfortable and Gods Spirit upholding them that will be the staffe and crown of old age as therefore you desire to honour God to support your old age as you desire to goe to the Grave with a Crown give up your selves to God that so the Apostles and Elders may acknowledge you as Fathers in Christ Vse 2. For young men think it not too soon for you to enter on a Christian course and if you have begun grow up in grace what an honour will it be As you have been strong in outward strength so now to be strong in Grace strong in the Spirit what an honour will it be to see you strong to subdue your corruptions what an honour will it be to see your zeale and courage stirring up old mens discretion so that what is wanting in them may be supplied by you how many strong temptations are incident to young men from evill company from beauty from pleasure c. what an honour will it be to Gods grace to see your strength turned against sin and lust to see you sober and temperate and chast to see you zealous and quickned in Grace I write unto you young men because you have overcome the wicked one Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Eccle. 12.1 God takes pleasure then in thy service if you remember him then he will be most ready to remember you in your old age Vse 3. And for little children if God have his number amongst Babes then you that are Parents say not it is too soon to learn them any thing they are too young they cannot understand why cannot you learn them to know their Father you learn them nothing till you learn them to know you and express joy in you but teach them to know what an happy thing it is to have God for their father tell them that he is able to doe more for them and give them better things than you can do Levit. 23.10 to 15. take no comfort in them till they take comfort in God train them up to know God to know his ways that they may be able to rejoyce and solace themselves in God and good things that the first fruits of their age may be consecrated to God and if you do so you consecrate the whole lumpe if the first fruits be holy so will the whole Vintage be if the root be holy so will the branches consider these Babes are flexible and easily bowed it is far more easie to train them up to good things now than in their youth and riper years therefore labour now to incline them unto God and good things take speciall care to train them up to know God their Father train them up to come to the ordinances with reverence and diligence and this will be their honour God will make them instruments to confound elder stronger men Thus we see God hath among all sorts and ages of men some that belong unto him whose sins are remitted whose spirits are sanctified 2 Now in that St. John applies himself to all their conditions and ages observe Doct. That Ministers of Jesus Christ are to apply themselves and their Doctrine to several sorts and ages of men that they have to deale with So St. John here carves out several portions for Fathers for young men and for Babes so Paul Tit. 2.1 to 10. so when John the Baptist had prest a necessity of Repentance first came the people and askt Master what shall we do and then the Publicans and Souldiers what shall we doe and he answered them according to their several conditions Luk. 3.10 to 14. Reas From those offices God hath put Ministers in he looks that they should be as Stewards to give every one his own portion Luk. 12.42 they are to be Physicians Jer. 8.22 now they must not dispence one salve to several sores so sometimes he calls them Shepheards now they are to dispence themselves according to the Estate of the sheep Vse 1. To teach Ministers in all their studies to provide a several portion for the several conditions of mens souls one thing may be fit for Fathers which will not be fit for young men and Babes they should therefore labour to provide every one a portion Ministers should look at their people not as if they were all of one mould and frame people come to the Congregation as men to a market they come not to buy all things that are good but what may be most for their use so Ministers may set down many good things before people but if they do not seem to belong to them they regard them not but in a special wise will retain that which particularly belongs to them therefore let Ministers be exhorted to cast such Precepts Exhortations Admonitions Reproofs before the people as may suit with their severall conditions Vse 2 To teach all hearers as to listen to all so especially to listen and attend to those things which more especially concern them and belong unto them old men to what belongs to them young men to what is their portion it is true no Doctrin but may fit every one present as a young man may become an old man and so have use of what belongs now to old men but especially attend to those things which for the present belong unto you and you must not think it too much if Ministers come to particularize it is your Crowne to be particularized you take it kindly when you are bidden to a Feast and the master of the Feast not only sets on the whole lumpe before you but carves out a particular piece for you so you ought to take it kindly and as a careful part in the Minister if he dispence a particular portion to you yea you ought to
Spirit moves us Labour we to carry our selves not as idle hearers but as faithfull doers labour we to see our spots and deformities and strive to purge them labour we to practise new duties as they are renewed to us 1 JOHN 3.4 Whoso committeth sin transgresseth the Law IN the words and in the following to verse 7. he useth four motives to stir up to self-cleansing The 1. is from the danger of committing sin proved from the proper definition of sin Sin is the transgression of the Law 2. From the end of Christs coming and that was to take away sin 3. From the pattern of Christ who was without sin 4. From the practice of such as have any fellowship by union with Christ Whosoever abideth in Christ sinneth not Set out by the contrary He that committeth sin he hath neither seen Christ nor known him Doct. It is and ought to be a sufficient motive to every hopeful christian to abstain from sin because it is the transgression of the Law Numb 14.41 Why will ye goe up why will ye transgresse the Law The Rechabites were commended because they kept their fathers commandement And he hereby convinceth the Jewes of rebellion that the Sons of mortall men should make more conscience of obeying their dead fathers then his people of his Laws Dan. 9.11 Neh. 9.34 35. Rom. 2.22 23 24. Jam. 2.9 Reas 1 From the Law-giver he looks at every sin as an abrogation of his ordinances Deut. 27. ult He that walks in his Law confirmeth it sets his seal to it They who breake it would make it of no force This is one act of high rebellion against God 2 Sam. 12.7 8. 2 From the wrath and displeasure God pronounceth against every transgressor Jer. 7.19 44.4 3. God takes it as a dishonour to the power and efficacy of his word Jer. 5.22 23. God looks at it as a more boysterous and unruly passage in a man to break the bounds of his Law then for the Sea to breake its bounds 4. From the delight God takes in the keeping and keepers of his Law 1 Sam. 15.22 He more delights in obedience then in the cattle of an hundred hills Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thy heart That is more acceptable then all the Sacrifices Transgression is as rebellion and the sin of witchcraft Reas 2. Feom the Law it self 1 It 's holy just and good and therefore it is abominable to transgresse it For this is a sin against Holinessc Justice and Goodnesse 2. From the vigour and efficacy of this Law offering life to the obedient Psal 19.11 1 Tim. 4.8 Psal 119.16 death to the disobedient Gal. 3.10 Isa 59.1 2. 2 Chron. 16.11 Vse 1. To reprove such as are afraid to breake mens Laws for feare of penalty and are sensible of such dangers but are not afraid to violate and breake the holy and righteous Lawes of God This argues a most rebellious and revolting heart Such are not hopefull christians 2. To teach and exhort us to make conscience of all our wayes and to take heed to our paths lest we transgresse the Law and sin against God Prov. 28.9 If we turn away our ears from hearing Gods Law even our prayers are abominable The consideration of this should keep us from secret petty sins For though man seeth not yet God seeth and will punish 2 Sam. 12.11 12. If we think to get honour profit or pleasure by sin we deceive our selves Is it not as grievous a thing to have our soule wounded by our darling childe as our mortall enemy It is all one to be stabbed to the heart with a pen knife and with a sword Every sin wounds and rents our hearts Abstain we from all sin even the least sin is the transgression of the Law 3. This refutes such as think the Law is not given to the regenerate The Apostle here encourageth hopefull christians not to transgresse the Law Obj. But we are not under the Law but under grace Answ He means we are not under the covenant of works but of Grace Psal 119.105 Obj. As Christs passive obedience freeth from the curse so his active obedience freeth from the commanding power of the Law Answ 1. Christ hath done this and therefore those that are in Christ fear not death by their disobedience nor look for life by their obedience but we look at the Law as a rule of obedience that we may walke according to God and shew that we live by endeavouring to keep his commandements Take heed of Satans slights that would make the Gospel a Supersedeas to the Law in certain things pray not preach not but when the Spirit moveth Thus you shall set up a Spirit of delusion For sin is a transgression of the Law This is a perfect definition of sin transgression is the genus the Law the difference By Law in Scripture without addition is meant the Law of the ten commandements Jam. 4 11 12. 2.10 11. Obj. 1. What if a man sin against the Law of nature is not that a sin Answ Ir is in effect and substance the same Rom. 2.15 Though the Law of nature was more dimly and darkly known Moses law was but a new draught of the Law of nature in innocency Heathen Law-givers Philosophers and Poets have expressed the effect of all the commandements save the tenth Rom. 2 14.15 Obj. 2. Was it not a sin to transgresse the Ceremoniall and Judiciall Law Answ To the Jewes it was The ceremoniall Law was but an examplification of the second Commandement and the Judiciall Law doth but explain the second Table The Judiciall in regard of the equity is included in the morall Law the Ceremoniall stood in force till Christ dyed Obj. 3 Is it not a sin to transgresse the Gospel and is not unbeliefe a sin Joh. 16.9 Is not new obedience required in the Gospel Joh. 14.21 Ezek. 36.27 What say you to the commandements of the Gospel that we should walke as Christ walked Answ The commandements of the Gospel are all of them reduceable under the commandements of the Law God commanding perfect conformity and obedience to his whole will not only revealed but to be revealed If God command David to bring in musick into the Temple 2 Chron. 29.25 though Moses speake nothing of it yet this was expressed to heare and obey God in all things Deut. 18.18 God commanded to hearken to Christ Moses improperly and hiddenly delivered the substance of the Gospel partly in the ceremonial Law partly in the Sacrament of circumcision and the passover Christ was veyled under them Rom. 10.5.6 7 8. with Deut. 30.12 The word of faith spoken of by Moses Gal. 3.24 Transgression is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 want of Law and absence of it when a man speaks and doth without Law what we doe against it or beside the Law it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reas Taken from the end for which God gives the Law to be the means of perfection 2 Tim. 3.16 17.
our necessity to have such a Saviour Heb. 7.26 27. If he had offered sacrifice for himselfe he had needed a Saviour to have redeemed him If he had not been without sin he had been swallowed up of death Obj. How could he be clean that was born of a woman Job 25.4 Ans He was not born by carnal generation after the manner of men Vse 1 To shew a difference between the first and second Adam The first Adam was a sinner and propagated sins The second Adam was without sin and propagated righteousnesse Rom. 5.19 We must not rest in a carnal generation for our natural birth is polluted untill we be born of him in whom is no sin we cannot be blessed 2. It is a ground of consolation to such as feel themselves burthened and pressed down with sin though we be sinfull and laden and compassed about with it yet in Christ is no sin or spot in nature heart or life He came to fulfill all righteousnesse and paid all to God to the utmost farthing Righteous is Christ both in life and death what is wanting in us is supplyed in him 3. Hence we must learn all not to judge our selves more sinfull and miserable then others because we are evill intreated in the world and afflicted of God Thus it was with Christ it is our happinesse to doe well though we suffer evill 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Doct. The spotlesse innocency of Christ is and ought to be an effectual motive to every hopefull Christian to purge himselfe as Christ is pure 1 Pet. 1.16 Mat. 5. ult Reas 1. From the ends of Gods predestinating us Rom. 8.28 29. and God worketh all things according to the counsell of his will Ephes 1.11 2 From the end of Christs spotlesse life and death leaving us an example to follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 22. To justifie us from the guilt and to purge us from the blot and staine of sin If we sin we sin against Gods predestination and the end of Christs coming 3 From the neer fellowship between Christ and us he is our head and husband we must labour therefore to be suitable and conformable unto him Eph. 5.26 4. Christ taketh paines to cleanse and heale us that so he might present us without blemish to God This is the scope of all his holy ordinances and of Christs shedding his blood Vse 1. To reprove such as take pleasure in sin and being reproved justifie themselves in saying all are sinners we must purge our selves as Christ is pure in whom is no sin 2. To stirre up all the children of God to conforme themselves to Christ in life and death 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us not sin against Gods predestination and Christs blood Let us not be a dishonour and griefe to our head and take Gods ordinances in vain How shall we doe this 1. Beleeve stedfastly in the Lord Christ for justification and get his blood sprinkled upon us to cleanse us for sanctification 1. Set the pattern of Christ before thee and wisely behold it and view it This will be effectuall to mould and fashion thee according thereunto 1 Joh. 1.16 There is a supernaturall power in Christ lookt upon by the eye of faith to transfigure us into his likenesse 2 Cor. 3.18 There is a power in the sight of Christ to convey his Spirit to transforme us 2. Deale effectually with thine own heart and pray to God for grace that thy soule may abhor and disallow and condemn all sin in thee Rom. 7.12 13. Let thy judgment disallow it and thy will abhor and hate it and then it is not we that do it but sin that dwels in us God looketh at sin as thy enemy and pityeth thee 1 JOHN 3.6 Whoso abideth in him sinneth not THe fourth reason why every hopefull christian purifieth himselfe is taken from the constant practise of every hopefull christian that he abideth in Christ amplified by the continuance Doct. Every hopefull Christian that hath constant fellowship with Christ doth constantly avoyd sin To abide in Christ implyeth communion with Christ Continuance in it First we have fellowship with Christ by the free donation of God we are by Gods counsel and purpose by imputation members of Christ our sins are imputed to Christ his righteousnesse imputed to us Joh. 16.16 Secondly by a communication of his Spirit causing us to receive him and cleave unto him by faith and love 1 Cor. 6.17 2. And thus this communion with Christ is indissolvable and everlasting Joh. 8.31 32. Such as continue not had never fellowship with Christ as his Disciples Jer. 31.40 Such doe not sin Psal 119.2 Psal 1.1 2 3. Mat. 12.35 Isa 61.3 Whoso is born of God sins not 1. He never sins to death 1 Joh. 5.18 He commits not the sin against the Holy Ghost 2. He liveth not in sin he makes not that his course and imploymenâ— he may slip and goe astray but he turneth into the way again Rom. 6.2 Living in sin is made all one with continuing in sin 3. Because his judgment and conscience alloweth not sin but abhorreth it It is not his sin but the sin of his rebellious and carnal part Rom. 7.14 15. He judgeth and condemneth himselfe and grieveth for and hateth what he doth and therefore is said not to sin 1. In a regenerate christian there is the flesh and the Spirit his will and conscience is more sanctified then corrupt In the state of innocency the will was the weakest but in regeneration God hath made it the firmest and best God hath provided that the hedge should be stronger where it was broken 2 The will and judgment being the most predominant faculties doe lead and rule the whole man A cleer fountaine will purge it selfe to a clean stream so will the will and judgment being the fountaine of all our actions 3. If these faculties be for God God accepts the whole man according to these If there be a league between two Kings though there be offences committed by some Subjects yet if the Rulers doe punish such the league is not broken So is it with the godly 1. The godly resolve against all sin 2. They labour to mortifie all sin and quicken all grace in them and use all good means to that purpose In the commission they are unwilling and after the commission they are grieved and ashamed and take an holy revenge on themselves 2 Cor. 7.10 11. Thus they shew themselves to be clean from the sin committed denomination is taken from the best and greatest part Obj. Who doth God bitterly and sharply reprove his people for sin Ans God doth this to bring them to better sight of sin and judgement and sense of it in their hearts to shake us out of a lethargy and benummednesse But when he hath awaked us and caused us to judge and loath our selves for our sins God looks at us as righteous Thus the diseases and distempers of judgment and heart are pityed and healed As rhe stone in
in the throne of a mans heart Conscience is our companion God much more Psal 139. Reas 2. God is our witnesse therefore when we speak soberly we call God to witnesse He is a Judge Heb. 10.3 an Executioner and therefore if Conscience sees cause to condemn us God much more if Conscience see cause to acquit us God much more Psal 139.2 3. Vse 1. A signe of our present estate and what God will doe concerning us if we live and die thus What saith thy Conscience if thy heart assure thee thou lovest thy Brother 2 Cor. 1.12 That thou savourest not sin that thete is no good duty but thou wouldst doe thou hast been humbled for thy sins Conscience hath been an Executioner and yet hath come with pardon sealed to thee with the broad seal of Heaven If thou seest one spark of sincerity in thee God sees more Obj. May not a mans conscience be deceived Rom. 3.17 Luke 18.9 to 14 May not a man say I have no guilty conscience Answ Conscience sometimes bears false witnesse Tit. 1.15 16. If a man have a defiled conscience it will deal falsly A mans conscience through ignorance and partiality doth bring a false verdict As it is many times with a Jury ignorance of law and false evidence makes them bring a false verdict but then send them back again and shew them better evidence and the law c. So Conscience doth oft-times bring a false verdict but its thorough ignorance of the Law of God or partiality Doth thy conscience speak bitter things Consider what the grounds are If such as doe argue thee dead in trespasses and sins then know that God doth call thee from heaven to repentance If it tell thee thou art an hypocrite consider what grounds it hath Conscience may be muzled by ignorance and partiality the Devill puts false glasses before our eyes 2. A ground of serious humiliation to every mans heart whose conscience upon due examination doth accuse him 3. To teach every Christian which hath found that he hath passed from death to life to be afraid to commit any sin And comfort thy soul if Conscience do acquit thee then will God much more 4. Labour we always to be doing some good for we have a companion that hears and sees all and a register that notes every good word or work The Apostle in stead of telling us If our hearts condemn us God will condemn us much more He gives a reason of it describing God 1 From his greatnesse 2 Knowledge Doct. God is better acquainted with our hearts and wayes then our selves Psal 19.12 He means sins not onely secret and hidden from others but from our selves Psal 139.12 Thou Lord knowest my thoughts afar off they are ever before thee 2 Kings 8.11 12 13. Reas 1. From Gods omnisciency his all-sufficient knowledge Heb. 4.13 They are anatomized before him as if every vein and sinew were laid open he divides between the marrow and the bone John 21.12 Rom. 15.11 Job 26.6 Though hell and destruction be both covered yet before the Lord they be both open Whether Hell be in the waters or on the earth they cover not from God Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the children of men 2. From the creation God made our hearts gave us power to affect think purpose He knoweth what is in us Job 38.36 If God give understanding to the heart he knows much more what is in the heart Psal 33.13 God hath fashioned our hearts therefore he knows them Psal 99 10. 3. From the providence of God We have our motion in God A Mill moves from the Miller because he hath caused it so to doe but the motion of the Mill is not in the Miller it can move without him We move in God as a supportant conservant cause as a Mill moved by the breath of the winde so we by the breath of the Lord as there is not a turning in the Mill but from the winde so not a turning of our hearts without him Our hearts are in the hands of the Lord Prov. 21.1 4. From the unsearchable depth of the deceitfulnesse of mans heart Jer. 17.9 10. Prov. 3.17 Our hearts make us believe we are rich and have need of nothing when indeed we are wretched and miserable poor blinde and naked Prov. 30.2 3. Sometimes that we are more foolish than any man and have not the understanding of a man while we walk in a sinfull way they make us believe we are in Gods favour Luke 18.9 When we are in a good estate and God would have us walk chearfully in him our hearts will cast a thousand discouragements upon us we cannot pray or profit by the Word of God or doe any good duty our hearts will few pillows under our elbowes that so we may sleep quietly but when we go to try our hearts by the Word of God then they will fall out with us indeed 2 Sam. 15. the beginning Vse 1. Take heed of all secret sins Not onely such as may be hid from men but of such roots of sin as are hid from thy selfe yet cannot be hid from God Take heed of such sins as are so subtle that thou knowest not whether they be sins or no sins which our own soules know not of If a man would be kept from presumptuous sins he must cleanse the inward and hidden frame of his heart Q. How shall we cleanse our hearts A. 1. Pray to God with David Psal 19. to cleanse us from such sins which we know not We have confessed such sins as we know by our selves and those which the world knows by us but we must make a new reckoning for such sins as we know not 2. Not to trust our own hearts but the Word of God Psal 119.9 The Word of God saith there are such sins in every age therefore we must pray to God to help us against them 3. Keep our hearts with all diligence observe every winding and turning and take heed of occasions that provoke our hearts any way to sin Prov. 4.23 2. This shews the impossibility of their good estates that look to be justified by habits and works It is the happinesse of Gods servants in that they look not to be justified by the perfection of their hearts 3. Ground of tryall If we finde that our hearts doe not condemn us let us trust our hearts no farther then we prove them by the rule of Gods Word If God hath helped you to look up to Christ for the pardon of your sins and you now sit loose from sin it is an argument that your sins are pardoned because we could not else hate sin Psal 119.6 But on the contrary if we finde our hearts condemning us our hearts are full of selfe-love Parents are full of partiality as that they can scarce see any evill in their children If they see cause of death in them much more God the righteous Judge If they see cause of
to send Christ Rom. 5.8 John 3.16 Christ saith God so loved the world that he gave hu only begotten Son into the world c. Reas He dyed for us to make an atonement for us Christ did not come unsent he was sent before he went Heb. 5.45 Quest How can this be seeing the death and blood of Christ is the Originall of our reconciliation Rom. 5.10 Rom 3.24 25. Answ 1. Christ by his blood wrought reconciliation because God loved us before yet we loved not him before for there must be a mutuall fellowship in reconciling us to God 2 Cor. 5.16 not so much in reconciling himselfe to the world in the 20. verse he saith we pray you in Christs stead which shewes you that Christs blood did not so much reconcile God to us as us unto God that we seeing the blood of Christ shed for us we might be stirred up to love God who out of the abundance of his compassion takes a course that we may be brought unto him 2 Because though he did bear love to us before yet his love was secret and he did not breake forth into a manifestation of his love to us untill he sent his Son into the world though God did love us with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 yet God did not manifest it to our conscience neither could it stand with his Justice so to doe untill he had given his Son the Lord Jesus Christ to dye for us Quest What kind of love was it that God bare to the world in that he sent his Son Tit. 3.5 was it his love towards mankinde by which he did love the whole world or a peculiar love which he bare to the people of the Election of grace Joh. 3.16 The Arminians say that he bare a love to the World and this love was generall to all before the sending of Christ and therefore all may be saved The truth is that God bare a love to the world a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reaching to all but he bare an antient love to his owne people had he onely bore a generall love as they say all men might have perished for if God sent his Son that whosoever believed should be saved was it in the will to believe or not yes say they he gave them means but they might will or not if this was a generall love then there was a greater love then the sending of Christ which is contrary to Scripture Greater love then this hath no man Vse 1. Let us magnifie the love of God to us in Christ we esteeme much of ancient love it like wine is the best God loved us before he did send Christ before the foundation of the world was laid Jer. 31.3 This love was without reason on our parts for we were enemies to him 2 This exhorts us to accept this love shall God send his Embassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 and shall we still stand out with God 3 If God so loved the world we ought to love one another Doct. God sending his only begotten Son into the world is a manifest token of Gods love to us John 3.16 God so loved the world this love is manifest 1 If we consider that God doth not only send us bodily bread every day but the bread of eternall life not so much the gift as the giver himself 2 Consider upon what tearmes we stood with God when he sent us his on Even then when we provoked him to his face and were enemies to his Majesty Rom. 5.8 3 Consider we that God looked not at the Angels but the seed of man God passed over Angels left them in chains of darknesse Heb. 2.16 but of man he said shall he fall and not rise again Consider we were strangers and enemies to God dead in sins and trespasses and so we did neither desire nor deserve love yet us he hath reconciled Col. 1.21 Ephes 2.4 5. 4 Consider Christ who was sent had it been a morsell of dayly bread it had been a great mercy but in Christ he sent an horn of salvation Psal 89.19 Luke 1.69 Consider Christ not as a servant but a Son and a well-beloved Son in whom he was well pleased and such a Son as thought it no blasphemy to think and say he was equall with God Phil. 2.5 6. 5 Consider whither God sent his Son into the world our salvation could not be wrought in heaven it was no place for suffering no place for a man to be born in therefore needfull that Christ should come down Consider the world did not put on Christ that honour which was due unto him but rather dishonour a Crown of thorns Consider the more the world knew him the more they hated him in heaven they adore and honour him but you have known me and hated me saith he John 15.18 This is the heir come let us kill him Vse 1 Learn hence to acknowledge the Divinity of the nature of Christ he is called the only begotten Son of God therefore of the same nature with God Phil. 2.5 6. 2 This shewes you the love of the Father to us in that he sends his Son to be a ransom for us when all other signes fail you if God give you his only Son that is a true token of Gods love Eccles 9 1. 3 This shewes us the woeful misery that we naturally ly in when as Christ must come down from heaven or else we could not have heen saved no man nor Angel could doe it 4 This should stir us all up to accept of this love of God that God sends forth such a manifest token of his love to us and shall not we accept of it We should accept a small gift from a Prince 5 To perswade us all that if God gives Christ he will deny us nothing Rom. 8.32 we may goe boldly to the throne of grace and he will fill our mouthes 6 This should cause us to returne back again to God manifest pledges of our love to him let us give body and soul to God since he hath not been wanting in his love to us doth not love require love Psal 116.12 Train we up our children to know God and draw we as many as we can to know God there is no greater dishonour to God then to refuse this manifest love of God The end for which God sent his Son into the world was that we might live through him Doct. That our life was the end why God sent Christ Or thus God therefore sent Christ that we might live by him Joh. 1.10 11. Quest What is the life that Christ came to procure for us Answ 1. A life of Gods favour in poynts of Justification sanctification and consolation that is the chiefest life for the soul of a christian the manifestation of Gods love to his conscience though God loved us before he sent Christ yet we knew not so much there is a life of Justification Rom. 5.18 that is the pardon of our sins In his favour is life Psal 30.5
the bonds of these Commandements or breake but one willingly we have no truth in us Jehu had no respect to walke in all the Commandements of God and therefore was an hypocrite if a man take not heed to all the Commandements he takes heed to none at all When the two Harlots came before Solâ—mon his judgment was that the childe should be divided betwixt them the Harlot was willing but the true Mother would by no means endure it so if thou give God undivided obedience thy heart is sound but if you divide with God and some part you will give to God and some part keep for your lusts why you have the heart of an Harlot and all your works are dead works Object Doe we not all sin in many things Jam. 3.2 Answ Yes we all faile in performing but we may have respect to all Gods Commandements and it grieves us that we have failed in those we doe respect and we are sorry for it if we be thus affected our hearts are right before God Vse 2. Of consolation to all such as find this frame of heart to yeeld universall obedience to God God himselfe testifies your profession is sincere and so you shall find you shall never be confounded when you have respect to all Gods Commandements Vse 3. Of exhortation to all that would have a testimony of the sincerity of their profession Why make we conscience of every Commandement of God and so we may have a sure ground of our sincerity 1 JOHN 4.21 And this Commandement have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also WE come now to observe one poynt out of the words themselves Doct. 1. The same commandement that requires love to God requires love to our brethren also God requires no man to love him but he requires him also to love his brethren it 's one of the great Commandements of the Law neglect love to your brethren and you neglect love to God likewiâ—â— and this direction Christ himselfe gives Matth. 5.23 24. Which implyâ—â— aâ— God would not accept a service to himselfe without reconcilement to 〈◊〉 Brother so God will not accept any Office of love to himselfe if we come not in love to our brethren God loveth a cheerful giver that doth it in hearty love and affection God would stay for his service and he would have us stay till we be at peace with our brother not but that our love to God ought to be greater and in case of competition God will be loved even with the hatred of our brother but when there may be a suburdination of their loves he requires the one as well as the other 1 Tim. 2.8 Let us lift up pure hands without wrath and doubting and he means wrath to our Brethren as when a man comes with doubtings he is not accepted Jam. 1 7. so neither is he accepted when he comes in â—â—ath nay if he comes in wrath he either wants faith or his faith is full of doubtings or else it 's a false faith The wrath of man accomplisheth not the righteousnesse of God Jam. 1.20 a man can doe no righteous service to God if he come in wrath Reas 1. From the near relation that lyes between God and our brethren God looks at his people as his children as his Spouse as his Members and therefore oft times he will longer bear with injuries done to himselfe then to his members Pharoah was an heathen Prince but yet God past by that he doth not charge him for his horrible idolatry and filthy abominations God winked at these things but when Gods people came amongst them and were evill intreated by them then Moses his message is Exod. 4.22 23. Israel is my Son even my first born and if thou refuse to let him goe I will slay thy son even thy first born this was that which made God fall so heavily upon him for opposing of his people so though Babylon abounded with many Idolatries yet God makes little mention of it but he punisheth them for the insolency against his people Psal 137.8.9 Zach. 1.15 I am very sore displeased with the Heathens that are at ease for I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction They are his members like us and therefore the injury done to them redounds to God himselfe Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and they are such members as art as dear to him as the apple of his eye Zach. 2.8 Now he will endure touching any where else rather then on the apple of his eye God knows that mens goodnesse extends not to him so neither doth their hatred if we be wicked and injurious what harm can we doe to him Why God will bear much longer Idolatry swearing and other grosse sins then injuries put upon his people how long did God endure the heathen Monarchs till they fell sore upon the Church the Roman state flourished exceedingly above seven hundred years though their Capital was filled with all manner of Gods but the times of this ignorance God regarded not but followed them with great Victories and designes and there were many worthy men among them for valour and prudence but when the Emperours grew hot against the Christians and persecuted them God would endure them no longer but tumbled their Monarchy into the dust Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harm Some man will endure much more injury against himselfe then against his children so while the world trespasseth against God himself by Idolatry Superstition or prophanenesse he sits silent as if he regarded them not but when they wax fierce against the Church then he ariseth like a mighty Gyant and raiseth his forces even such plagues as the world rings of as those ten plagues of Egypt witnesse and all this ariseth from his tenderness over them because their afflictions may doe them more harm then they can doe him as long as the Church keeps any good termes with him no man is more tender of his Spouse no father of his child then God is of his Church Reas 2. From the delight God takes in the sincerity of his service 1 Cor. 16.14 Let all things be done in love what is done in love is an hearty sincere service and if love be wanting a man either performes no service or else it 's not done in truth God that is a God of truth is most impatient of such overly and haâ—ting performances Psal 51.12 God requires truth in the inward parts whether in dutyes of service to himselfe or man 1 Pet. 1.21 Reas 3. From the care God takes of the preservation of love unfeigned to himselfe why that it may be preserved spotlesse God will still keep in us a diligent care of love to our brethren for next after hypocrisie nothing more odious to God then Apostacy and more dangerous to us as being the way to the sin against the holy ghost Now so long as a man walks in love and keeps a constant fellowship
Why do you think this a safe condition Would you not think him an infidel that would not believe that Jesus is the Son of God If a man be overcome of the world truly he believes it not that Jesus is the Son of God and can such a man be a Christian Obj. What say you Were there never any good men overcome of the world What say you to those that recanted in Q. Mary's dayes for fear and after repented and were burnt for their profession What say you to Peter Answ A godly man in a combate may be overthrown yet not overcome as it is in wrestling a man may get the foyl and yet afterwards rise up and get the victory so oft-times a foyled Souldier gets the day So Peter though he were foyled at that day and yet when he got up again and afterward was charged not to preach in the Name of Jesus he overcame all Whether it be meet to obey God or man judge ye Acts 4.19 Indeed if a man be thrown down and there he lyes and takes no care to get up again look at him as no true believer therefore look not at these as things that may stand together to serve God and man and the world too So respect the world as that you ever look at Christ to have incomparably more worth then all the world and let your chiefest love and endeavour be towards him Vse 3. Of consolation to them that maintain this principle that Jesus is the Son of God Why you may assure your selves that the world shall never overcome you Look up to him as your Saviour for your salvation Look so on him as to mourn for your sins and obey him as the eternal Son of God Keep this faith in exercise and you shall not be overthrowne or if you be it will so raise you up and recover you that you shall overcome at the last 1 JOHN 5.6 This is he that came by water and blood even Jesus Christ not by water onely but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witnesse because the Spirit is truth IN the former vers he had shewed that faith overcoming the world is faith in the divinity and Sonship of Christ Now in these words he describes Christ the object of our faith 1 By his manner of coming This is he that came by water and blood 2 By the witnesse that is born of him 1 In generall the Spirit v. 6. Then 2 In heaven and 3 On earth v. 7 8. 1 For the furniture of his coming He came fully addressed for the works of our redemption he came by water and blood By water is not meant their legal oblations for he speaks of such a water as bears witnesse that Christ is the Son of God to this day which they do not By this water therefore is meant the clear water of sanctification spoken of Ezek. 36.25 26. wherewith our Saviour Christ came abundantly furnished fit to be our redeemer By blood is meant the blood of his sufferings Doct. That Jesus Christ came to execute his office by the water of sanctification and by the blood of redemption It is he that came to overcome the world to redeem us How By water and blood Why by water and blood both 1 From the end of his coming that he might fulfill the types of the Law In the old Law no Priest might enter upon his office upon pain of death but he must first wash his hands and feet Exod. 30.19 20. Which shews how carefull we should be to come with clean hearts and hands to Gods service and it typed out that when the Lord Christ should take upon him his Priestly office he should come free and spotlesse from all sin and he did so so that â— guile was found in his mouth Pilate himselfe testified of him I finde no evill in him 2 As they came by water so they might dot enter into the holyest place except they were first sprinkled with blood Which signified that it was needfull that Christ should come by his own blood to expâ—ate our sins Heb. 9.7 to 12. More particularly Q. 2. Why shoald he come by water that is throughly watred from all sin Answ 1. It was fit he should be such a one that he might not expiate for his own sins Heb. 2.25 to 29. Had there been found the least sin in Christ all the blood he spilt would have been little enough for himselfe 2 That his sacrifice might be available for us Had he been unjust himself he could not have redeemed us 1 Pet. 3.18 But being just himselfe there was no need he should dye for himselfe but for us Q Why was it needfull he should come by blood Answ Had he come never so purely sanctified yet this would never have made attonement for without shedding of blood is no remission Heb. 9.22 He came by blood therefore 1 That by his blood and sufferings he might purchase out of his Fathers wrath a Church unto himself Acts 20 28. And by that blood not onely the elect but all the creatures are purchased at least to be serviceable to the Church Christ bath bought all things quick and dead either for his Churches comfort or affliction 2 Cor. 3.22 23. All power in heaven and earth is given into his hand Psal 2.8 2 That he might make at onement for our souls It was impossible that the blood of Buls and Goats should expiate for our sins but as they look at Christ his blood is given to be an atonement for our sins Heb. 9.12 13. And it makes an atonement not only between God and us but also between Jews and Gentiles Eph. 2.17 18 19. Whereas before the Gentiles would not become Jews by reason of their hard ordinances now Christ took away that wall of separation 3 That he might procure not only Gods favour but this fruit of it the remission of our sins Mat. 26.28 4 That by the price of his blood he might purchase the inhabitation of his Spirit to us that he might procure it for us that our consciences might be purified Heb. 9.14 This blood purifieth our consciences The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.9 And that is done by putting in us a a Spirit of grace which purgeth us from all uncleannesse and sin and adorning us with the contrary graces of piety humility patience Christ by his cursed death for us hath procured a Spirit of â—race for us which purifies our consciences from the guilt and from the stain of sin Heb. 9.14 5 That he might confirm his new covenant the New Testament to us Mat. 26.28 This is the blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Now without the death of the Testator no Testament is in force Heb. 9 1â— to 21. It 's accounted a sacrilegious thing to violate the Testament of the dead So it is with Christ for a man to call any of his promises into
see in us either to pride on covetousnesse or wrath if we would lye smooth and sure in the building we must pare off all these out-running and swellings of our hearts and so bring 〈◊〉 smooth and even we shall lye sure upon the foundation 1 JOHN 5.11 And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life c. VErs 7 8. having declared the three witnesses in heaven and three on earth that bear witnesse of the divinity of Christ vers 9.10 he exhorts us to receive their testimony in these 10 11. vers he tels us what this divine record is which he presseth us to believe and this record is threefold 1 Of an heavenly gift eternal life 2 That this life is given us by Christ 3 That this life is given only to believers Doct. Eternal life is the gift of God Here two things are to be opened 1 That the life given us by God in Christ is eternal life 2 That this eternal life is the gift of God 1 It 's eternal life 1 John 3.16 Eternal ab ante because it was given us before the foundation of the world it 's more ancient then the world or mans fall and this was not only purposed in Gods Councel but this was manifestly promised before the world began Tit. 1.2 And The Trinity then concluded that the Lord Christ should be made head of all 2 That all that did believe on him should have eternal life therefore it 's said He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.4 and therefore God choosing us as members of Christ he promised to Christ that he would give them all eternal life 2 Tim. 1.9 There was not only a purpose of God but a declaration of the same to Christ of this gift our Saviour speaks John 17 6. Revel 13.8 and this gift is more ancient then our actual vocation for a man is said to be given to Christ when he gives up his heart and service to him but this is given in fulnesse of time but we were given to Christ before we were called to the fellowship of his Spirit and adoption of sons John 6.39 2 It 's called eternal life because the fountain and principles of this life are eternal the Word of God was revealed from eternity and of this Word were we begotten 1 Pet. 1.23 And as in seed there is something more material something more spiritual so in the Word there is both the matter of the word and there is the Spirit of the Word John 3.5 Now we are born of the Spirit and this Spirit in us is a fountain of living water springing up to everlasting life John 4.14 3 The continuance of this life is to everlasting He that believes on Christ shall never dye but have everlasting life John 3.36 John 5.24 and this eternal life is a record which God hath given us of his Son because the gift was given to Christ and througst him as by our Head is the life conveyed to all the members 2 This life is a gift of God Rom. â— 23 All the life we have is Gods gift There is a fourfold life and all given us by God First The life as justification is a free gift Rom. 5.15 we lay all dead in sin now the pardon of all these is the very life of our souls Col. 2.13 Secondly There is a life of holinesse whereby we live to God are for his â—nds and walk by this rule and this life is the free gift of God Ephes 2.4 â— Thirdly There is a life of consolation which is called a mans life 1 Thes 3.7 8. We live if you stand fast he means a life of comfort and this life is given by free grace 2 Cor. 1.4 5. When God so comforts a poor soul he is to be looked at as the Father of mercies and God of all consolation Fourthly There is a life of glory which God hath given us by Christ Rom. 6.23 Reas 1. A minori If our naturall life be Gods gift how much more this spirituall and eternall life Job 10.12 Thou hast granted me life and favour and he speaks of naturall life that is thou in thy favour hast granted me life and preservest it Now if that be a gift of God as it is for it was neither Father nor Mother that could give us life how much more is eternall life the gift of God It was Mephibosheths speech to David 2 Sam. 19.28 What was all my Fathers house but dead men before my Lord the King so take us without Gods gift we were but all dead men before him Now if this naturall life be a gift of God and that of his favour too how much more is this spirituall and eternall life a free gift from God 2. All our life must needs be Gods free gift by removing all that might concur to the making up of our merit of this life Four things must concur to merit which are all wanting in this gift 1. If you would merit you must prevent the other in giving but who hath given to God first Rom. 11.35 and if we give God but his own how then doe we merit 1 Chron. 29.13 14 15. 2. In the nature of merit is required that what we give we should give â—eely not of due debt nor due recompence Luke 17.9 10. If we doe but ouâ— duties what doe we merit When we have done what we can we have done but our duty and how then doe we merit 3. What merits at Gods hands should be perfect and parâ— without spot else it deserves nothing Now our best righteousnesse is defiled Isa 46.6 Exod. 28.38 Our best offerings if God did not accept of them in Christs holinesse he might justly reject them 4. In all merit it is requisite that there should be something proportionable betwixt the work and the reward now what proportion is there between naturall life and spirituall and betwixt our life of grace and the life of glory Our sufferings which are the highest part of our obedience they are not worthy to be compared to the eternall weight of glory indeed they work for 〈◊〉 a plentifull recompence of reward 2 Cor. 4.17 But this is through the free gift of God Vse 1. For reproof of Popish merit if eternall life be the free gift of God then the life of grace is not given us of merit ex congruâ— not this life of glory ex condigno if it be gift then sure we pay no answerable price for it there is no purchase on our part but a gift on Gods part I would know whither this naturall life was given us of merit who dâ—re say â—e hath merited to be a man rather then a Beast of a Serpent or a Toad and how then can we say our eternall life is of merit Doth not every Christian freely confesse at his first conversion that if God should utterly cast him off and never shew him mercy just and righteous should his proceedings be
And how dare any appear that dare claime grace and glory of merit In the continuance of his faithfull obedience who dare claim the least mercy ex condigno how much lesse eternall life Whereas è contra Gods servants doe not think God beholding to them for their service but they never think themselves more engaged and beholding to God then when he inables them to most service they say with David Who are we that we should be able to offer thus willingly 1 Chron. 29.14 they know every jo◠of mercy is free grace every sin pardoned is free grace No Malefactor on earth but if the King send him a pardon he acknowledgeth it to be of the Kings free grace and Royall compassion but yet the Synagogue of Rome will not acknowledge Gods pardon to be of free grace but Gods people acknowledge they are 〈◊〉 but as dead dogs before God and were at not for the free grace of God they had never seen life Vse 2. Of exhortation to all the sons of men that never look after Christ why as ever you desire to see me and that life for ever look up to God for it to derive it from him it is his free gift Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts Prov. 19.6 Shall we respect Princes so that have but earthly honours and profits to giue that we think it our happinesse to doe them any service and shall we neglect God that hath such great gifts to give even eternall life and a Kingdome of glory it is God that gives us these naturall lives and that gives us power to get wealth Deut. 8.18 nay it s he that gives life of comfort and the life of justification and holinesse and also the life of glory and shall we neglect this great gift and more respect the poor comforts of the world then him in whose hands is our breath and life Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life he means for his naturall life and shall eternall life lie by like a refuse thing that no man looks after Vse 3. Of tryall whether God hath given us this life or no and this we may discern for the eternity of the gift consider whether there be any eternall life shed abroad in thy heart or not hast thou found any pardon of sins that whereas thou sawest thy soul as a dead dog for want of this life now God hath justified thee from thy sins Why the life of justification is eternall life if he hath once pardoned thy sins he will remember them no more Jer. 31.33 Secondly Hast thou found a spirit of life in thee to obey and serve the Lord Rom. 8.2 Why this is eternall life that will never decay John 17.3 hath God shed abroad the comfort of his Spirit and the joy of the holy Ghost into thy heart which is better then life Psal 63.3 this is eternall life which though it may be sometimes overwhelmed yet it shall spring up again as trees after winter if thou finde none of these works in thee then thou hast no life Vse 4. Of consolation to all those that have received this life if we have found the life of justification in the pardon of our sins the life of holinesse in our Christian obedience if we have found the lively comforts of Gods Spirit Why know this is a life that will never decay this is the record of God himself that the life which he hath given us is eternall life it was given us before we were born and will he take it away when we are born that which he gave us before there was a world he will not take away when the world shall be no more it comes from everlasting principles 3rd therefore it cannot decay if therefore we finde this life in us we may be assured that God hath given us this life will preserve it to eternity if it be eternall how can it decay Therefore let us walk worthy of this eternall life and pray with David Consider me Lord if there be any way of wickednesse in me and lead me in the way everlasting Psal 139. ult Sinfull lusts are dead lusts and what hath eternall life to doe with dead lusts keep your hands off from a sinfull carnall life but lay fast hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6.12 get sure possession of it and let neither Satan not the world wrest it out of your hands 1 JOHN 5 11. the latter part And this life is in his Son Doct. THe Eternall life that God hath given us is laid up for us in Jesus Christ John 11.25 26. Col. 3.3 John 14.6 This life is fourfold of Justification Sanctification Consolation and Glorification All these are laid up in Christ Jer. 23.6 He is the Lord our righteousnesse Psal 4.1 2. For them altogether see 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made our Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Our Redemption not onely from the guilt eternall and punishment of sin but from all the afflictions both inward and outward that Gods servants he exposed unto as for inward temptation in sicknesse and griefs c. Col. 3.3 Your life is hid with Christ in God It s sometimes under a veil of corruptions sometimes of affliction but yet laid up in Christ Quest How is our life said to be laid up in him Answ 1. Because he hath received it for us from God the Father to give unto us John 5.21 26. 1 Thes 5.9 10. He hath appointed us to salvation through Jesus Christ that so whether we remain alive or die yet we may live in Christ 2. Christ hath purchased this life for us 1 Thes 5.9 10. the Father hath not onely appointed us life but he hath appointed it through the death of Christ John 10.10 I am come that my sheep may have life and that they may have it in abundance and this is by giving his life for us 3. It s laid up in Christ as one that prepares it for us and us for it Col. 1.12 it s he that makes us meet to be made partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light that whereas before we were unfit now he hath adorned us and made us fit Spouses for himselfe which he doth by turning us from darknesse to light by giving us of his Spirit by dispensing himselfe to us in his Sacraments and Christian communion wherein all the members receive nourishment from the head Eph. 4.16 and as he thus prepares us for eternall life so likewise he prepares a place for us John 14.2 3. 4. It s reserved for us principally in himselfe notwithstanding the communication of it dayly to us Jude 1. we are said to be preserved in Jesus Christ to life all our life of grace here and of glory hereafter is preserved in Christ First Because all the claim of eternall life is laid up onely in him we neither desire nor beg any pardon of sin or any grace or comfort or glory but through Jesus Christ
the claim of eternall life is wholly in him for though God hath promised all those kindes of life its onely in Christ Secondly As he reserves the claim of it in his own hands so he reserves the security of it in his own hand even as a Father doubting how his son will spend his estate he puts not into his hands the writings or evidences but he keeps them in his own hands so God saw the life he communicated to our first parents they prodigally wasted it away and therefore never since would he put it into our own hands but reserved it in the hands of Christ Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is faith that the promise might be sure If our salvation had stood upon our own works the promise had been sure onely so long as we kept our obedience but we are unsetled sometimes inlarged and sometimes straightned so that we should have been at a stand oftentimes not knowing whether we had life or no therefore he hath laid it up in Christ that it might be sure Thirdly The possession of this life is reserved for us in Christ our justification is complete in Christ here never increased though the sence of it may the first day we are regenerate we are fully justified the justification of all Christians is equall though their sanctification be not alike our life of justification is compleat but yet our life of holinesse is but imperfect We know but in part and believe but in part but it s fully laid up in Christ so for the life of consolation we have some beginnings of it here Phil. 4.7 1 Pet. 1.8 But sometimes all our comforts are lost and where then lies it but in Christ as the sap doth in the root in winter time so that in him we rejoyce alwayes Phil. 4.4 and so our eternall life is reserved in him John 14.2 3. Eph. 2.5 Fourthly In regard of the glorious manifestation of this life at the last day 2 Thes 1.10 when he shall come to be admired of all his Saints this life is now laid up for his Saints which at that day he will dispense to his servants to the admiration of all men Quest Why hath God laid up this life in his Son Reas From the impossibility of laying up life for us in the law or in the first Adam Gal. 3.21 If the Law could have given us life verily righteousnesse had been given us by the law No the law that Adam had given him in Paradise could not have secured our life but that we might forfeit it by our own fall nor could Adam himselfe give us this life for in Adam all dyed 1 Cor. 15.22 and therefore its Christ alone that hath restored as to life and glory Vse 1. Hence learn the order of all that life and grace and salvation that is derived to us God did not first give us life and then provide Christ to maintain it in us but he first appointed Christ that in him we might have life Eph. 1.3 4. He hath chosen us in Christ Christ is the first fruites of all that life that we enjoy he loved Christ and in him loved us he first gave him eternall life that he might give it to whom he would John 5.26 he poured this life first on his head and from him this life runs down to the lowest skirt of his garment to the meanest member that belongs to him he poured on him the oyl of grace and from him it drops down upon us he first crowned him with glory that he might glorifie us Vse 2. It teacheth us the dead estate of all men by nature if all our life be laid up in Christ then such as want this life they want pardon of sins and want holinesse and want comfort and want eternall life Eph. 2.11 12. Eph. 4.19 We by nature are aliens from the life of God strangers from the Covenant that as strangers neither meddle nor make with that which is none of theirs so we have nothing to doe with the promises of life till we be in Christ let naturall men goe look at themselves as dead men all their best comforts are but as the crackling of thorns they may warm themselves a while with the sparkles of their own fire but this they shall have at length They shall lie down in sorrow Isa 50.11 Nay by nature we have no hopes of eternall life we must be regenerate to this hope 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Vse 3. May teach all such as live in a dead estate to look out where they may have life look into your own hearts there you shall not find life look into the world that is not able to give you life but get Christ and then you get life as Jacob said to his sons Why stand ye gazing one upon another have ye not heard there is corn in Egypt why go up go and buy it that we may live Gen. 42.2 3. So the Spirit saith to us when we find our hearts ready to starve for want of this life for want of pardon of sin of grace of comfort why stand ye gazing upon the profits and pleasures and contents of this world none whereof can give you life doe you not hear that there is life laid up in Christ goe and buy of him it s the speech of Wisdome even of Christ the wisdome of his Father Prov. 3.85 Who so findeth me findeth life and all that hate me love death Vse 4. Of consolation to all those that have found their parts in the Lord Christ if you have found him you have found life pardon of sin peace of conscience and life eternall Rom. 5.1 If you have found him your sins are done away and no Saint under heaven is justified more then you 2. Having found him thou hast a life of holinesse said up in him so that though we want zeal wisdome patience we may fetch it from him and though we find our hearts sometimes drooping under heavy discouragements and afflictions yet in him thou mayst rejoyce alwayes and what though our life here be poor and base yet there is an eternall life said up for us in him and when he appears we shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.3 4. And the more we may comfort our selves in that our life is not laid up in Satans hands for then we should never finger any of it nor in our own hands for we should lose it at every hand but this is our comfort that our life is laid up in Christ and reserved safely for us in him and therefore it may teach Gods people that if our life be laid up in Christ we must be dayly spinning out life from him what ever we doe let us doe all in the Name and power of Christ 1 Thes 5.9 10. all the peace and comfort we find in our selves or families let us derive it from him live not upon the stock of your own graces but fetch your dayly supply from him Gal. 1.20 I live yet not I but
their heat as when a man means to put out the fire he layes one brand from another a signe he means to goe to bed and sleep so when Satan would put out the life and heat of grace in a Family or Town he disjoynts Christians and so they fall into security and grow dead in sins and trespasses all their heat is quite extinguished Therefore the Apostle exhorts us not to forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Heb. 10.25 2 Pet. 1.21 See that ye love one another with pure hearts fervently Obj. If this heat be alwayes found where life is how comes it to passe that the hearts of Christians are so cold and dead How comes a Christian to be so unprofitable if he digest the Word Doe not Christians meet and afford little warmth and help one to another Luke 24.32 The two disciples hearts burned when Christ talked with them a signe before he came and chafed them up they were cold and dead-hearted Answ True Christians oft-times finde a marvellous coldnesse and benummednesse of heart that they finde little warmth in their breathing in their prayers or conferences and this comes partly from want of supply of new fuell when they walk in their own strength without looking up to Christ for new supply and partly by pouring cold water upon it that is some noysome lusts that put out the grace of God or else the use of outward comforts with wordly hearts these cast cold water on the fire as the fire is put out either by withdrawing the fuell or by casting water on it But yet though this be their fault yet even then when they want chafing and heat there is some striving in them which argues life so much life as in them so much heat As for those two Disciples that went to Emaus though their hearts burned whilest Christ spake yet before Christ came they were talking of Christ and of his sufferings which made them sad then Christ comes and puts life O fools and slow of heart to believe This blew up the sparks in them So much as a Christian hath lost of his heat so much of his life if his warmth be smothered his life is smothered Now this warmth is sometimes exprest in sad looks and pantings and deep sighs and groanings and mourning for his forlorn estate and surely there is life in that for in griefe the heat runs to the heart But worse then this a Christian sometimes vanisheth away in much frothy emptynesse outwardly rejoycing in worldly comforts when there is no life within Peter when he denyed his Master his heart was fill'd with griefe and sorrow and he went out and wept bitterly But what say you to David when he had committed adultery how did he go on from one sin to another He can make Vriah drunk and then kill him and then make no matter of it he is carelesse in all this as if he had quite lost all life and affection to God there was not the least beating of the pulse of a Christian such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a man that knew him not before might have written in his forehead a man forsaken of God without any life of grace in him Where now was Davids life None so far gone as he 't is a question whether he prayed or no all this while as some Christians have so lost themselves as for three years together they have not prayed at all as doubting of any acceptance because they were so sinfull yet there is some habit of grace but hardly one act of life yet still this holds true so much warmth so much life as by the Almighty power of God there may be fire and yet no heat as the fiery furnace though made seven times hotter then ordinary yet God so restrained the act that it did not so much as singe the garments of the three children that were cast into it Dan. 3. So è contra there is a marvellous hellish power in sin so as it will suspend all the acts of grace so as a Christian may expresse no acts of grace but lye as a man in a deep swound without life and motion that can be discerned and yet this you shall finde in a Christian at such times a listlesnesse of his heart to sin that he cannot break out into sin with all his strength and power as he did in his naturall condition and the ground is this because there is still flesh and spirit in him so that as the spirit cannot doe what good it would so the flesh cannot doe that evill it would Gal. 5.17 And when a Christian is most lively yet there is still some faintnesse and weaknesse in him so è contra when grace is most weak and corruption most strong yet he cannot commit sin with all his strength as formerly he hath done but he goes about sin unwillingly not with the full sway that he was wont to doe he goes listlesly about it Try your selves therefore by these signes if thou hast Christ thou hast life if life thou hast warmth and heat look to thy knowledge doth it puffe thee up and not edifie Dost thou magnifie thy selfe by it If it be lively knowledge it is joyned with zeal as Christ revealed himselfe to the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2.18 Thus saith the Son of God whose eyes are like flames of fire writing to the Church of Thyatira that was warm in love and growing up therein he revealed himselfe according to the state of the Church as having eyes like flames of fire as that Church had zeal with her light so that if thou hast a true knowledge thy eyes are like flames of fire what thou knowest thou dost with zeal and fervency of spirit as Peter and John said We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard that is which we have certain knowledge of Acts 4.20 See Jer. 20.9 1. Consider therefore whether thy knowledge be joyned with zeal How dost thou breath dost thou smell a sweet savour in the Word Then there is breath in thy nostrills 2. Dost thou breath warmth in prayer pant and sigh after God In thy conference dost thou expresse life and heat Then thou art a living Christian 3. How dost thou finde thy stomach to the Word dost thou relish it or else art thou ashamed of thy unprofitablenesse Then there is life 4. Dost thou love to be disjoynted from thy Brethren like brands cast one from another Then there is no life Life loves to preserve it selfe if you sit loose one from another all heat and life goes out religion ceaseth there is a bidding farewell to all Christian duties but if you see bone joyn to bone one gather to another then you shall see flesh and sinews will cover them and life will come in Ezek. 37.7 Put brands together and there will be some fire and heat propagated 2. A second property of life Where life is there is some plyablenesse and
flexiblenesse a dead carkase is always stiffe So consider whether you be stiffe or no why if there be life of grace in you That wisdome that is from above is gentle and easie to be entreated James 3.17 There are four things in this plyablenesse First He is easily pleased with any indifferent indevours 1 Pet. 3.8 A gracious man is easily pleased if a man be froward and hard to please it s a signe such a soul is stiffe and dead Secondly If he be offended he is easie to be entreated James 3.17 It s a signâ— of a reprobate sence to be implacable Rom. 3.1 Thirdly If he have offended another he is willing to yeeld to that man whom he hath offended so much stiffnesse so much deadnesse Fourthly There is this gentlenesse in every living Christian he is willing to deny himselfe upon unequall terms when he might stand upon his right yet he yeelds his right rather then any offence should grow so Abraham did to Lot Gen. 13.8 9. If we finde it thus we are loving Christians but if men be hardly pleased like Nabal churlish hardly recall'd will not yeeld but stand upon their right to the utmost then they are in a deep swound or dead 3. Whilest the body is alive its savoury a dead carkase is very unsavoury mark your spirits every living Christian is a sweet savour to God his words are savoury Col. 4.5 6. Ephes 4.29 His works savour well in the nostrills of God and man Ephes 5.10 But if your speeches and carriages be unsavoury uncomely and profane are ye not then carnall 1 Cor. 3.3 But a good Christian so carryes himselfe that the bowells of the Saints are refreshed by him Unsavoury speeches and carriages argue the deadnesse of such a soul Vse 2. May shew us the dangerous and uncomfortable condition of every such soul that hath not Christ He that hath not the Son hath not life If we be without Christ we are dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 5. We may say of men by nature as was said of Senacheribs host Behold ye are all dead carkases 2 Kings 19.35 We by nature have not this act of life Five acts of life we heard of before by Nature we are wanting in them all 1. By Nature we have no spirituall motion all our works are but dead works Hebrewes 9.14 And so dead are we by Nature that we doe no good nay we can doe no good and which is worst of all we will doe no good Rom. 3.12 There is none that doth good no not one All the imaginations of our hearts by nature are wholly evill and that continually Gen. 6.5 And as all his thoughts are evill so are all his words Mat. 12.33 And so are all his works Mat. 7.18 We are as rotten trees we cannot bring forth one good fruit There is not so much in a naturall man as one good thought or word or action that proceeds from faith or is regulated by Gods Word or aymes at Gods glory nay if God should raise us up and inable us to doe good yet we would not Jer. 13. ult Oh Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be The man that had a bodily disease on him when Christ askt him Wilt thou be made whole He said Yea Lord. But if God ask us the question Wilt thou be made clean we refuse it We finde shifts to put off Christ never could we finde that day wherein we could say This day I would be a Christian but we are either almost perswaded to be Christians or else it must not be this day as bad debtors they would not have the creditors set them a day lest they should break it so wee would be spared from setting God a day for surely we would break it indeed when we are pressed with some fore sicknesse indangering death what say we O! If God would but once restore me to health againe all the world should see I would become a new man and yet when he was in health he said I will seek God and turne to him in sicknesse and thus we put God off from Winter to Summer from Spring to Harvest when we are sick we promise amendment if God will send us health but why not now Doe you know whether ever you shall have health or no And will you hazard your soules And therefore God expects that in afflictions we should seek him 2. They feed not on Christ which was a signe of life but as God said of his superstitious people Isa 44.20 the same may be said of every naturall man He feedeth upon ashes a deceitfull heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soule nor say Is there not a lye in my right hand Every naturall man hath an idoll that he sets up in his heart and whoever he be that feeds not on the living God feeds upon ashes It is taken from children that for some evill humour delight to be â—â—â—bling upon ashes and coals So every naturall man he feeds upon ashes that is upon dry and unsavoury meat that will not profit the soule for the soul is spirituall and fed upon spirituall food profits and pleasures and honours are no more fit meat for the soul then ashes for the body Solomon complaines of the vanity of mankinde Eccl. 3.21 Who knoweth the spirit of a man that goeth upward or the spirit of a beast that goeth downward Who knows Who considers or takes it to heart that his soule goes to a better place then the beast Who provides better for his soul then the beasts Doe not they all feed on worldly comfort who should feed on immortall food We by nature all of us feed on ashes so that we cannot deliver our soules and say Is there not a lye in my hand Is not this a false course a lying vanity Will not profits and honours deceive me A seduced heart hath deceived him 3. A third act of spirituall life is growth Now a carnall man is far from growing in grace apt is he to grow in sin to proceed on in evill to increase in ungodlinesse 2 Tim. 3.17 Jerem. 9.3 From coveteousnesse to ambition from ambition to voluptuousnesse this is his best growth 4. A fourth act of life was expulsion of noysome lusts Now by nature we are loath to part with our lusts Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse how long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee We by nature will never cleanse out our lusts but if we doe cast out any thing it s the motions of Gods Spirit we think them superfluous and burdensome and hinderers of our credit and pleasures so that all good motions and good counsells that have been put in us we cast them out Ahab is struck with fear and humiliation but he casts out all by calling a Councell for War Let Cain have a good motion he puts it off by building a City and so takes off his thoughts from once seeking to God to heal