my knowledge he hath carried himself soberly modestly piously and indeed every way commendably In my Testimonials for Holy Orders a little while after Utpote qui ex ante-actâ vitâ magnam nobis spem praebuerit Ecclesiae Reipublicae utilem fore imo pene necessarium The two last Ministers of Sussex whom I served when a Curate Mr. J Dn. of Ch. and Mr. Bor. of Tw gave me this Testimony under their hands May 10. 1689. That Mr. R. C. whom we have been acquainted with these three Years is a Person exemplary and unblamable in his Life and Convâ—rsation Orthodox in his Faith c. My Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9. 1. which is as Mille Testes a thousand Witnesses that as God's Grace hath ever preserved me from Whoredom and Adultery Nor do I know that my Will was ever corrupted to have once designed or intended any such thing and if I were to dye the next hour I could not accuse my self of any thing worse which I speak without any Equivocation so have I served God in my Ministry with a pure Heart a good Conscience and a Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. Do but judge according to Charity which thinketh no evil and is not forward to suspect the worst Speak with Charity which casteth a Mantle over others Infirmities even as Christ terms the Church his Spouse the fairest among Women Cant. ch 1. v. 8. although she hath many imperfections in her as Mr. Ager's Paraphrase on it This says he is contrary to the practice of the World who if they see a Man that professeth Religion to be filled with many excellent Virtues that be worthy of praise yet if they can with thejr curious eyes but see any imperfection in him they quickly set him upon the Stage c. They are willing to behold his stains and blemishes and to cover him with infamy and reproach but they bury all things that are comely in him in the grave of Oblivion I begg of the Reader so much candour and ingenuity as to receive this Discourse chiefly rational and argumentative with the same honest mind with which it was intended that God would bless it to the great end of doing good and make it effectual for turning many souls unto righteousness that now lye wallowing in the mire of all Filth and Uncleanness and that those who have been more lately washed clean in Baptism and through their tender years yet are undefiled may flee youthful Lusts and escape the pollutions which are in the World and be preserved pure and blameless for that inheritance which is incorruptible undefiled reserved in Heaven for them is the hearty Prayer of Theirs Thine and the Churches Servant R. C. A Discourse of Uncleanness COL III. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the earth Fornication Uncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry THIS Chapter begins with an Exhortation to heavenly-mindedness that the generous spirit of a Christian may be elevated beyond those terrene and sublunary enjoyments and objects of sense to the invisible things of Faith v. 1. Seek those things which are above prosecute them with might and main use all diligence by the most earnest and serious endeavours for the attainment of those things as St. Paul hath it Phil. 3. 12. following after if that I may apprehend c. or lay hold on eternal Life and pressing forward for the prize of our Calling in Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our calling from above or our heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus v. 13. In the 2d v. positively Set your Affections on the things above the things of the other World those better things that you look for hereafter according to the exceeding great and precious Promises that God hath made you in his Son Negatively and not on the things on Earth the base and mean Objects the poor pittiful things here below as not worthy of your affections of your cares and your thoughts according to the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies primarily the application of our minds our reason and understanding sursum sapere as in the Latine to be wise for the things above and not the things on earth The Reasons enforcing this Exhortation are drawn First From their spiritual Resurrection in conformity with Christ If ye be risen with Christ v. 1. or have felt the power of his Resurrection as Phil. 3. 10. or as Eph. 1. 19 20. the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead if this power hath quickned you raised you from sin if this heavenly life and disposition be in you then let the same appear by your heavenly-mindedness 2d Argument From Christ's residence in Heaven in his state of Exaltation where Christ also sitteth on the right hand of God v. 1. in the lat part Is Christ our Head in Heaven and shall we the Members be groveling here on earth should we not rather by our heavenly minds and affections ascend up thither whither Christ is gone before to prepare a place and sitteth to keep possession for us 3d. Arg. Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye are dead from these things below in the 3d. v. by a death unto sin as in our Baptism renouncing and disowning the World the Flesh â—nd the Devil to live no longer according to the course of this World the Lusts of â—he Flesh or the Works of the Devil inâ—onfistent with the Christian Profession and Practice 4th Arg. From their expectation of a glorious life hereafter at Christ's second â—oming v. 4. For when Christ who is our â—ife shall appear then shall ye also appear â—ith him in glory that therefore we should â—ave our Conversation in Heaven from whence we look for that blessed Hope and he glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. 13. The Apostle having enforced the positivâ— part or his Exhortation to heavenly-mindedness with these Arguments falls upoâ— a farther prosecution of the Negative Sâ— not your Affections on things on earth giâ—ing the Colossians and us with them a dâ—rection how to carry our selves towardâ— them even in a Mortification of our Members which are upon earth Fornication â— that is of our earthly and sensual Affection Mortificare or to Mortifie in English as much as mortuum facere to make deaâ— cause to dye or put to death when applied to sin it is a figurative Speech takeâ— from things which have life and probablâ— enough from the Sacrifices under the Law which were kill'd and slain by the Priest bâ—fore they were offered upon the Altar aâ—swerably to which we must kill the old maâ— of sin before we can become a Sacrifice aâ—ceptable to God by Jesus Christ Killing the Old man or the first Adaâ— as 1 Cor. 15. 45. Not in respect of tâ— Substance but the Quality the evil Dispâ—sitions the corrupt Nature descended aâ— conveighed to
us from Adams sin and â— from God and the Holiness of his firâ— estate Crucifying the flesh we read of and Crâ—cified to the World an Allusion to Christs death upon the Cross a painfull and tormenting death and so is Death commonly attended with pain the pains of Death at the last hour and the preceding hours and sometimes days which makes Nature look upon Death with a great deal of horrour and reluctancy And thus corrupt Nature looks upon mortifying the fleshly lusts as a sore evil it puts the flesh to a great deal of pain and misery it afflicts the Body in denying it satisfaction crossing it in its sinful desires its evil lustings and therefore it is compared in Scripture to the plucking out a right Eye to the cutting off a right Hand or a right Foot and casting it from one so difficult is it for a man to deny himself herein in the Mortification of his darling Lust This to mortifie your members c. saith one of the Fathers is the hardest Text in the whole Bible and the hardest Duty in Christianity that we can go about Mortification of sin is the giving a deadly wound to sin to the reigning and commanding power of sin which is the Life of sin subduing the Corruption and wickedness of our Natures the evil Inclinations and dispositions of man in his saln sinful state so that the heart is cleansed and purged from the love of sin sin disabled from lording it and having the dominion over us every unruly Lust overmastered and brought under This is Mortification or the giving a deadly wound to sin even as a man is said to be a dead man when he is mortally wounded or when he is inwardly decayed as to his vital parts or the breaking some principal Vein in the Body albeit in some such cases they have some remainder of life and that may continue sometimes years after or as when the main Body of an Army is routed and beaten out of field or dead upon the place though there may be some striving and strugling or faint resistance from the remainder yet it doth not hinder them from the Victory Even so it is here when the main Body of sin is subdued and beaten out of the Heart of a Christian though there be some Reliquiae or remainders of corruption yet sin is mortified for this mortifying work iâ— not perfect here it doth not root out sin and dispossess it wholly that we should have no sin at all left in us or sin no more and be pure from sin after Mortification For the most righteous man upon the â—acâ— of the Earth hath the seed of sin the rooâ— of evil in him Flesh as well as Spirit aâ— Heart deceitfull and desperately wicked considered naturally in and of it self as well as a new heart and a new spirit formed in Christ Jesus And therefore the unregenerate part hath need to be still mortified lest otherwise it break out into those evils and abominations which we read of in Lot's Drunkenness and Incest Jacob's deceitful dealing with Laban Davia's Murther and Adultery Solomon's Idolatry and Carnality Jonah's great Impatience and Murmuring against God and self-justifying in his so doing Peter's denyal of his Master with Cursing and Swearing too St. Mark 14. 71. Which are sad evidences of the frailty of our Nature and the abiding of sin alter sanctification as Rom. 7. largely proves our indwelling sin to be soliciting and tempting and stirring to evil and we have need of continued Influences of the Spirit to carry on this work of Mortification continually it is not to be only for a time by fits and starts but when we have masterâ—d sin and conquered its temptation at present it will renew its strength and return upon you again like that Monster Hydra's â—ead it will repullulate and find you work or repeating your assaults and reiterating â—our mortifying blows like a conquered Nation which will be labouring still to recover its former power and soveraignty and must be continually kept under with standing Garrisons so sin will be restless and striving still for the mastery taking all occasions to soil us if we do not hold up a constant work killing sin when it is reviving nipping it when in the bud least it sprouâ— and grow up again and bring forth its corrupt fruit But more of this in the Use for Trial of our Mortification Having shown what Mortification is we come next to shew what is meant by Members Piscator says of the Apostle Cupidi tates vocat membra and Mr. Leigh in hiâ— Annotations much the same Lusts some oâ— which he nameth afterwards Dr. Hammond understands it of our inordinate Affections Dr. Preston says by Members iâ— meant Sin or any foul Affection or desirâ— of the Heart when our Affections fix oâ— settle upon an unlawful Object as anotheâ— Man's Possessions another Man's Wife oâ— any acts of Uncleanness as those out of married estate are all unclean any Heathenish or Popish Antichristian Honour and Preferments Or when the Heart is set upon lawfâ— things in an undue measure an immoderatâ— distrustful care of his worldly concernâ— which otherwise were lawful and must bâ— cared for with Faith and Sobriety A Man may take some kind of Pleasure and use some sports Hunting Fishing Hawking Bowling for his Recreation while he hath the command over his Affections but if he be captivated and his heart brought under the power of any as 1 Cor. 6. 12. to love the World to love his lawful Comforts or his Child excessively if his love to any Creature eclipse his Love to God and draw away his Heart from Religion and deaden his joys and delights in God and Duty or be so predominant that a man cannot resign up that Creature that Comfort to God to bear the loss of it it becomes sin and defiles the Man Our Lusts and corrupt Affections are called Members because 1. The whole Corruption of Man's Nature is compared to a Mans Body and called the body of Sin Rom. 6. 6. and the body of Death the latter not only because it was so grievous to the Apostle as that lamentable Exclamation noteth O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. that it was as death is to a natural Man or worse than death to him but a body of death in that sense as we are dead in trespasses and sins being the cursed fruit and effect of spiritual death the remainder of that death and called a body because of its quantity there being a mass an heap of Corruption even in the Saints though it be overpowred by God's Grace and hindered from breaking forth in their Lives in that measure as it doth in the Unregenerate Now every soul Affection is as a Member of this Body every unmortified Lust a limb in this old man of sin 2. Lusts are called Members because they do work in our Members Iam. 4. 1. Whence come wars
your selves from the sins of Sodom according to those words Ye Rulers of Sodom Ye people of Gomorrha and verse 21 How is the faithful City become an Harlot may be compared with that before be literally understood and argue their guilt even in this kind Further the 2 Tim. â— 22. Flee also youthful Lusts but follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart the words import as if none did follow after Righteousness but such as call on the Lord out of a pure heart others are not mentioned in the number nor their Services of any account not accepted as the works of Righteousness If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayers saith David David was an Holy man God himself gave him that Testimony yet while his Lusts remained unmortified after his Adultery with Bathsheba and like enough some time before it his Prayers were not heard it is plain enough by that instance of his Murther of Vriah adding Sin unto Sin If his Prayers had been heard as no doubt but he did pray in the Interim between the Adultery committed and the Prophet Nathans reproof of him by the Parable God would never have left him to fall further not into so crying a Sin as the Murther of the Husband This seems too to have been the case of Solomon while his lusts remained unmortified as during his many Wives all his religious performances availed little or nothing as 1 Kings 11. where you find him drawn away by his Women to Idolatry in the 4th verse it is said his Wives turned away his heart after other Gods building high places for their Idols Even thus it is with Good men while their lusts remain unmortified their Services remain unaccepted In Malachi 2. 13. ye read of those that covered the Altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and with crying out but the Lord regarded not their offering nor received it with good will at their hands yet they said Wherefore Answered because they dealt treacherously with the Wife of your youth vers 1â— explaineth it the Lord saith that he hateth putting away This I urge in no wise as anâ— argument against prayer and other duties as if people should cease to pray and leave serving God because of the naughtiness of their hearts for that were running farther and farther from God and that grace which should reform and better them But only for this end that people should pray more and even turn the chief force of their prayers against their Lusts and labour more to bring their Lusts in subjection that so nothing remain to hinder their prayers from being heard or to defile and pollute their Services Third Argument for Mortification Unmortified lusts argue a man to be dead in Grace such as remain unsubdued when constant and permanent and not only temporary as in good men Titus 3. 3. For we our selves also were sometime foolish disobedient serving divers Lusts and pleasures sometime that is in their unregenerate Estate 1 Tim. 5. 6. She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth even as those 2 Tim. 3. 4. Who were lovers of pleasures more than lovers of â—od And those Eph. 2. 1 2 3. before they were quickned or received the spirit of Life from God were â—ead in trespasses and sins dead as to the â—piritual Life the life of Gaace which â—â— the most sad and deplorable kind of death they are said to have had theâ— Conversation in the lusts of their Flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the mind and were by nature or their corruption of nature since sin and the fall children of wrath even as others all others are while they walk in the lusts of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye stand Condemned by the word of God and adjudged to eternal death But if ye through the spirit do mortisie the deeds of the body ye shall live When any of Pythagoras his Scholars had degenerated in their Morals from the sober modest and vertuous precepts of their Master and let themselves loose to all kind of Vice and brutish sensuality there was set a Bier as for dead mens Corps in his Room to signifie that the man was dead though the Beast was alive Among those that were invited to the Gospel Feast Luke 14. 20. you find one made his excuse he had Married a Wife and could not come not come and serve God in his Ordinances or at least not heartily his heart was after his Lusts Not to be so taken as if a Married State were inconsistent with Religion or that they did ill in Marrying which is an Ordinance of God but the laying Religion aside then as if it were not a time for Religion and indulging their Lusts and giving themselves up to their Marriage pleasure without any regard to God for to serve him which must be our main business in every estate of Life Fourth Argument for Mortification of our Lusts Because we vowed to God and Covenanted in our Baptism to renounce the sinful lusts of the Flesh The Devil the World and the Flesh are the enemies of our Salvation mentioned in our Church Catechism and in holy Scripture as Eph. 2. 2 3. St. James ch 1. 4. Lusts are said to War in our Members and in 1 Epist of Peter c. 2. 11. Abstain from fleshly Lusts which War against the Soul and the Soul must War against them for ever renouncing all the sinful lusts of the Flesh that is disowning rejecting them their motions and temptations with an hatred and abhorrence of them in our hearts or at least such a dislike of them as may prevail against them Now if Covenants made in worldly matters as Bonds and Leases bind their Heirs and Successours even the Children yet unborn so in Spirituals when Parents Covenant for their Children in Baptism desiring it for their Children and procuring others as Sureties to be bound with them for the greater assurance of the Childrens Religious Education and performance of the Covenant Duties and Conditions no doubt but it binds them as much in Spirituals to stand to and perform the Religious as well as the Civil Contracts and Covenants And he is Perjur'd who breaks this solemn Vow and Covenant that lives at peace and at friendship with the World or the Flesh loving his Lusts without that hatred and enmity which he is bound to by Baptism to strive and struggle with them for the Mastery to Watch and Pray and use all good and holy means for their Mortification and so long as ye hold out this good fight of Faith resisting this Spiritual Enemy and praying against your Lusts so long you keep your ground and quit your selves like men and are Conquerours if you are not Conquered though you may not have that full Victory that triumphant satisfaction in your Spirit and that inward peace which some others have But if once they
O rest not be not satisfied without it ply it hard at the Thronâ— of Grace continuing instant in Prayerâ— and take no denial from God and thoâ— wilt speed in great likelihood 3. The Remedy of Gods appointmenâ— is to Marry and live honestly It is not to be denyed but that several have been reclaimed by this means and never returned again unto folly And herein let them be sure to make choice of such a Wife oâ— such an Husband as they can heartily love above any other that so the passionate oâ— at least real and most unfeigned love which they bear to their own Wives and â—usbands may engage them the more â—werfully against their former Courses â—d forsaking all others as in the Office â— Matrimony the Man to keep only to â— Wife and the Wife only to her Husâ—nd so long as they both shall live We â—nnot find in our hearts to wrong the â—rsons that we dearly love And if a â—ife be beloved according to that nearâ—s and Relation which she hath by Marâ—ge her love will so rule and overrule â— others that the Heart of her Husband â—ll not depart from her As King Charles â— 1st in his last words sent from him to â— Queen bid them tell her That his â—ughts had never strayed from her And â—s could proceed from no other princiâ— but that conjugal love which he bear â—er in the fear of God The Ancient Church was too inclinaâ— to offend against Marriage by binding â—ple over-much from it tying them up â— strictly to a single Life which inâ—d in those times of the Heathenish and â—ian Persecution was highly convenient â— all had not the Gift of Continency â—ur Church sets forth very excellently â— Causes for which Matrimony was Orâ—ed First It was Ordained for the Procreaâ— on of Children to be brought up in the feâ— and nurture of the Lord and to the praâ— of his holy Name And this is the grâ— end of Marriage that which both Gâ— and Nature designed in it the propoâ—tion of Mankind that human Sociâ— might not fail as Justin Martyr Apol. 2â— 71. and Athenagoras Apolog. pro Christiâ— p. 37. Either saith he we Marry not at â— but keep our selves always continent or if do Marry it is for no other end but the briâ—ing forth and the bringing up of Childâ— Whoever among us takes a Wife accordinâ— the Laws prescribed us he reckons he doâ— only for the begetting of Children within tâ— his desires are bound and limited as the Hâ—bandman concerns himself no further in Tiâ— his Ground and Sowing of his Corn thaâ— bring forth the Crop at Harvest Hencâ— was that they seldom Marryed more tâ— once as Minutius Foelix speaks p. 26. that merely out of a desire of Childâ— The Second end of Marriage was fâ— Remedy against Sin and to avoid Fornicaâ— that such persons as have not the Gifâ— Continency might Marry and keep thâ— selves undefiled Members of Christs Bâ— marry even to a Second Marriage saith mens Alexandrinus as more moderate Orthodox in his Judgment Stromat lib. 3. 428. And indeed not only to a second â—arriage for it may so happen that a â—an or Woman may be left young or of â—iddle Age after the death of the second â— third Husband or Wife and may have â—ed to Marry and therefore Marriage â—ust not be confined for number to the seâ—nd or the third but repeated as often â— there is occasion for it for this world or â— the other There may be an abundance of Lasciviâ—sness in a marryed Estate and dalliance â—th their Lusts to such a Degree that Saâ— may Tempt them for their Incontinency in 1 Cor. 7. 5. and that which is intended â— God and Nature as a Remedy of Forâ—ation and other Sins forbidden in the â— Commandment by this means doth â—her heighten the Disease and becomes â—re like Oyl to encrease than Water to â—ench the flame And therefore our â—urch had great need to give that Cauâ—n concerning Marriage That it is to be â—ertaken Reverently in the Fear of God â— lightly wantonly to satisfie Mens Carnal â—sts like brute Beasts that have no underâ—ding And St. Paul tells us just before â—s 5th of Fasting i.e. for Mortification their Lusts and Prayer withal as useful if not needful sometimes in the Mâ—ryed Estate If persons find themselâ— notwithstanding Marriage tempted toâ— dultery and unlawful pleasure the Dâ—ease encreased and themselves to be haâ—ted with their evil Lusts more than fâ—merly it is a sign that they have not uâ— the remedy aright not in the fear of Gâ— with that due Modesty Sobriety Chastiâ— which Morality and Religion requireâ— them as reasonable Creatures and as Câ—stians And here I find Mr. Steel in the Sâ—plement to the Morning Lectures speâ—ing excellently to this purpose p. 2â— second Edit A Man may be a wicked Drâ—kard with his own drink and a wretched Bâ— in his own Marriage-Bed and that an intâ—perate Man in Wedlock differs little from Adulterer And to this purpose the â— man Oratour Cicero de Senect That in Predominancy of sensual Pleasure â— can have no Commerce with Vertue Voluptas Regno nullum omnino cum Virâ— Commercium Directions also must be â—ven or some helps to them who have Sâ—ned after Marriage that they may comâ— Repentance Consider That some of those Penitâ—mentioned before for your Encouraâ—ment to Repent were such as had sinâ— â—er Marriage and against Marriage Aâ—ham with Hagar Jacob with his two â—ives and their Handmaids David in his â—ultery and Solomon with his many Wives â— Strangers forbidden Nations and â—se in the Corinthians not only Fornicaâ—rs but Adulterers that were washed â— cleansed from their Sin Sanctified and â—stified and for ought we know to the â—ntrary some of those mentioned Ephes â—1 You hath he quickned with a Spirit of â—e from God or Sanctified who were dead Trespasses and Sins Wherein in time past ye â—lked according to the course of this World â— Vers 3. In the Lust of the Flesh fulâ—ng the desires of the Flesh The Lusts of â—sh in general here spoken of whether â—rnication Adultery or any other Acts â— Naughtiness And in Titus 3. 3. For â— our selves also were sometimes Disobedient â—ving divers Lusts and Pleasures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— the Greek the Lusts of Concupiscence as â—l 8. 4. and so may comprehend Sinners â— this sort among the rest Second Direction for the Marryed Let â— Guilty offending pa 〈…〉 Acknowledge â—e Wrong done be it the Husband or the â—ife and ask Forgiveness according to â—at Luke 〈◊〉 If thy Brother Trespass â— and turn again unto thee saying I repent forgive him though it be seven times in day upon serious profession of Repeâ—tance he is to be forgiven and this is â—quired in order to obtain forgiveness froâ— God This to be done only in geneâ— words if the Husband or Wife â— doubtful in point of Secrecy whether â— or she will publish your shame a particulâ— Confession of the wrong
been ensnared and captivated and ruined Soul and Body for ever This hath been the undoing of thousands and hath made them a grief to their Father and a shame to her that bore them Christians are out of Gods way and consequently out of Gods Protection while they are in such bad Company fall they may and that foully too And many a Young Maiden or Young Woman more innocently minded by the temptations and continued solicitations of lewd Persons whose Company they delighted in have been robbed of Modesty and Chastity at once And when once they have transgress'd they have thought there was no other way of saving their Credit but by multiplying their Whoredoms in a promiscuous Concubitus whereby they think to hide their shame from the World as if they had not sinned after the way of an Adulterous Woman that wipeth her mouth and saith I have done none ill And thus it comes to pass that those who at first had some modesty in sinning and sense of shame in so doing and were fain as it were to offer Violence to their bashfulness yet in time come to grow bold in sin and from being tempted fall to tempting and soliciting others and make a trade of sin sinning their souls into desparation or an utter hardness and impenitency of Heart Improve all the Ordinances of God to this end to the Mortification of your Lusts I shall begin with Baptism You know we are all born in sin polluted and unclean as Job 25 4. How can he be clean that is born of a Woman Ch. 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean But Baptism is an Ordinance for washing and cleansing us Souls and Bodies from this natural pollution and defilement by sin Christ is said Eph. 5. 26. to cleanse his Church by the washing of Water c. that is by Baptism and the Blood of Jesus Christ which cleanseth from all sin St. John 1 Ep. 7 vers latter part of the Verse As Water applyed to the Body is of a cleanâ—sing nature to wash away Spots and Stains so the Blood of Christ signified by the Water in Baptism this Blood of Christ in its spiritual and gracious Effects is of great power and efficacy for cleansing the Soul â—rom Sin And if Naamans washing in Jorâ—dan because it was Gods own Command was blessed to the curing and cleansing him from his Leprosie how much more â—hall the Blood of Christ the eternal Son of God and as Zech. 13. 1. the Fountain openâ—d for sin and uncleanness who through the â—ternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God I say this Blood of Christ through the Power of God working with it in his Ordinance purge our Hearts and Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. and that Service out of a pure Heart Then there is as hath been shewed a power in Baptism towards the washing away of sin and cleansing the Soul from sin 1. To washing away the Guilt or Stain that Sin leaves behind it upon the Soul even for a long time after the Commission of it Acts 2. 38. Repent and be Baptizeâ— every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins Now whensoever any true Penitent labours under the sensâ— of his sins past and finds the guilt lyâ— heavy upon his Conscience or his paâ— sins returning upon him though he be dilâ—gent in the use of the means of Grace anâ— walk with God rather better than before let him know it is a sign that his past siâ— of this kind remain unpardoned anâ— that there yet lacks that particular Râ—pentance and humiliation for those sinâ— though they were committed a lonâ—time ago and sueing out Pardon througâ— the Blood of Christ and the Improvement of our Baptism to that â—ffect whicâ— is Gods Ordinance for washing away of siâ— as Acts 22. 16. said to Paul Arise aâ— be baptized and wash away thy sins Baptism signifying and sealing the Pardon of their sins to those that truly repent Every Ordinance of God hath a greater blessing working along with it than every thing that is not an Ordinance Mr. Calvin excellently improves this Notion in his Institutions in the Part de Baptismo S. 3. Quocunque Baptizemur tempore nos semel in omnem vitam ablui purgari Itaque quoties lapsi fuerimus repetenda erit Baptismi memoria Puritas enim Christi meo oblata est jis tantam qui sub peccatis suis fatigati desolati gemunt ne in desperationem ruant To remember the washing away our sins Now the efficacy of Baptism is not to be tied only to Baptism to keep us from despair for sin in troubles of Conscience in the very instant of Baptism but may be of force afterwards At what time soever a Sinner repenteth of his sins in general and after of any sin in particular that he should find his sins done away through the Blood of Christ and the comfortable sense of Gods Mercy pardoning him sealed unto him in Baptism conditionally upon his Repentance Pardon being conjoyned with Repentance as Acts 3. 19. Repent that your sins may be bloted out with Luke 24. 47. So that the Blood of Christ with Peacâ— and Pardon by it is never applyed to anâ— in their sin but upon their Repentancâ— and Purification from Sin And so as to the power in Baptism tâ— cleanse from the filth of Sin This may bâ— of some force and use afterwards noâ— only monitory to us that as we were washed in Baptism which we know is an Ordinance for cleansing from sin so wâ— should keep our selves Souls and Bodies pure and clean and not return again witâ— the Dog to his Vomit or the Sow that iâ— washed to the wallowing in the mire but thaâ— also afterwards when we come to yearâ— of Discretion by Faith to lay hold oâ— the inward and spiritual Grace of Baptism that we may then find our Soulâ— sanctified and cleansed by the washing oâ— Water or the mystical washing away oâ— Sin of unclean to be made clean and purâ— from the spots and filth of the Flesh This Improvement of Baptism is to be made especially in the Interim between Baptism and that Age that is fit for admission to the Lords Supper Those thaâ— are troubled with youthful lusts thaâ— they may find some Power from this Ordinance for certainly there is a power in every Ordinance and help against this sin a great Power and effectual that cleanseth from natural pollution and this is done in those lusts that shall die after Baptism in a state of Salvation and so clean and holy who are born unclean Because that our natural inclinations are so strong to this Sin therefore it is that our lives are so much stained with it And if Baptism doth cleanse our Natures as when the inward Grace accompanies the outward Sign it certainly doth the efficacy of Baptism must needs be great and the benefit of it being great we must in