declared to be the Son of God with Power Rom. 1.4 And this Resurrection of Christ must of necessity follow his Satisfaction he had taken upon him our Sin and therefore must undergo the Wages due unto it viz. Death in the very instant of his Death he had compleated his Sacrifice and Satisfaction when he said upon the Cross It is finished John 19.30 Yet as it was necessary for him to lie under Death so long as might convince the Reality of it so it was impossible for him to lie longer the Debt was paid and he could be no longer detained Prisoner Acts 2.24 Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible he should be holden of it And this Resurrection of Christ as it was by the Power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 He liveth by the Power of God Ephes 1.19 The working of his mighty Power or by the Eternal Spirit Rom. 8.11 The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead so it was the effect of his Justice the Price of Man's Redemption being paid he was now by the Eternal Covenant of God to prolong his days And hence he is said to be justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 Even that Spirit that raised him up from the dead did at the same time proclaim the compleatness of his Satisfaction and justifie the fulfilling of his Undertaking If Christ had not risen there had of necessity followed these two Consequences either of which had left us in as bad case as he found us 1. It had been then impossible that his Death had been a sufficient Sacrifice If he had been detained under Death the Guilt had still continued undischarged And hence 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins As if he should have said If there be no Satisfaction made for your Sins ye are still in them If Christ be detained under Death it is evident the Satisfaction is not made for the Curse of the Law continues undischarged and consequently the Guilt continues unacquitted and hence Christ's Sacrifice was justified by his Resurrection so are we Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification And this Resurrection of Christ was his Victory over Guilt and Death and Hell. 1 Cor. 15.57 The Victory given through Christ Colos 2.15 Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he then made a shew of them openly 2. It had been impossible that the Members of Christ could have the benefit either of the first or second Resurrection for by reason of that Union with their Head they partake of all those conditions whereof their head participates Crucified with him Gal. 2.20 Dead to sin and buried with him Rom. 6.3 6 8. Live with him Galat. 2.20 Rise together with him to newness of Life Rom. 6.4 Rom. 8.11 12. Planted unto the likeness of his Resurrection Rom. 6.5 Ascended with him Ephes 2.6 and shall rise again to eternal Happiness by virtue only of his Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4.14 9. That Christ after his Resurrection did Ascend up into Heaven where his humane Nature is cloathed with Power and Glory and Immortality The Death of our Saviour was attested by his three days keeping his Grave and the Resurrection was attested by all the Evidences that incredulity it self could require for satisfaction because the matter of the greatest difficulty to believe and which being admitted made the whole truth concerning him easily credible Therefore for the clearing of this truth as he spent forty days to conquer the Temptations of the Devil in the Wilderness so he spent forty days after his Resurrection to subdue the infidelity of mankind to the belief thereof And during that time used all the sensible Convictions that might be for the confirming of their belief that the very Body of Christ re-assumed his Soul and Life 1. The Body removed out of the Sepulchre Luke 24.5 Why seek ye the Living among the Dead 2. He appeared unto them and because those appearances were accompanied with some Circumstances that might breed jealousie that it was a finer substance than a Body as his sudden vanishing out of their sight Luke 24 3â— His sudden presenting of himself among them when the Doors were shut Luke 24.36 John 20.19 Yet to convince that suspicion he exhibits his hands and his side eats with them converses with them about forty days Acts. 1.3 The Body of Christ being by the power of God made of an Angelical though not spiritual substance is taken up into Heaven Mark 16.19 Luke 24.57 Acts 16.9 where he sits at the right hand of Glory Acts 3.21 Heb. 10.12 Heb. 12.2 This was that which was figured by the High Priest's entring into the Holy of Holies Heb. 9.24 and extended to the very whole humane Nature of Christ the same that ascended is he that descended Ephes 4.9 This was the saying of Christ himself John 20.17 I am not yet ascended to my Father but go tell my Brethren I ascend unto my Father and your Father c. And this is that that our Saviour so often inculcates That the Son of Man shall come in his Glory c. Matth. 25.31 Matth. 26.64 To insinuate that that very humane Nature by which he is denominated Man should continue in immortality and appear the last day for the judgment of the World. And as by the power of God Man in his purity had been perpetuated to immortality and so he shall be in his Resurrection so by the power of God the Life of Christ's humane Nature shall be perpetuated to everlasting 2 Cor. 13.4 He liveth by the power of God. And this Body of Christ as it is filled with immortality so it is filled with Glory we shall be made like unto his glorious Body Phil. 3.21 10. That Christ having perfected the work of Man's redemption and ascended into Heaven exerciseth a threefold Office for the benefit of his Church and People 1. Of Power of Dominion This was that Inauguration of Christ in his Kingdom Psal 110.1 Sit thou at my right Hand Isaiah 53.10 Therefore will I divide him a Portion with the great c. because he hath poured out his Soul unto Death And therefore after his Resurrection he tells his Disciples Matth. 28.18 That all power is given him both in Heaven and in Earth and is that which is so often called his sitting at the right hand of his Father Ephs 1.20 and his making both Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 And this Kingdom Dominion and Power of Christ shall continue until the end when he shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.24 27. 2. The Communication of his Spirit The Power of the Spirit of God is in all his Creatures and especially in Men and all Creatures in their actings are but instrumental to the Spirit of God But by Christ the Power of that Spirit is communicated in a more
known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them 2. The Law pronounced given to the Jews upon Sinai 3. The Gospel of Christ shewing us what is to be believed and what to be done When the great God comes to Judge the World he will judge it according to the several Dispensations of Light Rom. 2.12 For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law There is light enough or neglect enough in the most ignorant Soul in the World to charge with Guilt enough for Condemnation though he never knew of the Law promulgated to the Jew or were bound by it As we there find the division of condemned persons unto such as sin without the Law and under the Law so we find another division 2 Thes 1.8 Taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ This seems to contain these two Rules whereby the Gentiles should be judged 1. Ignorance and want of Fear of God for such to whom the Gospel was not preached this was unexcusable ignorance and disobedience Rom. 1.20 2. Unbelief and Disobedience of the Gospel of Christ And though this be a high Truth that is not discovered by the Light of Nature yet being discovered it is an offence even against the Law of Nature not to believe it because a most high and absolute Truth 3. Not to love it and consequently obey it because the means to attain the most high and absolute Good. And as every Sin is an aversion from the chief Good either to that which is a lesser or no Good so it is impossible but the aversion from the greatest Good must needs be the greatest Sin even by the Rules of sound Reason Both these we find plainly set down John 3.36 He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light came into the world and men loved darkness rather than light as if he should have said that it is the most reasonable and natural Principle for reasonable Creatures to entertain and obey that Rule which will conduct them to the highest Good and therefore the condemnation of such as neglect is most reasonable and the rather for that this proceeds not originally from Ignorance but from the Perverseness of the Heart in preferring Darkness before Light. So that as Infidelity is the cause of Condemnation John 3.18 So this want of Love of the Light is the great cause of Infidelity And though Man hath put himself in that Condition that he cannot come to Christ or entertain this chiefest Good except the Father draw him John 6.44 Yet this doth neither excuse him from sin or guilt because as in the first Man he willingly contracted this disability so he doth most freely and voluntarily affect it though he sins necessarily in rejecting the Light yet he sins voluntarily Now concerning those several places in holy Scripture that seem to infer the Vniversality of an intended Redemption John 3.17 John 12.47 1 John 2.2 1 Tim. 2.6 1 Tim. 2.4 1 Cor. 15.21 It may be considerable whether the intention of those places be that the Price was sufficient for all the World so that whosoever shall reject the offered Mercy shall never have this excuse that there was not a sufficiency left for him Or whether it be meant that Christ by his Death did fully expiate for all that Original Guilt which was contracted by the Fall of Adam upon all Mankind but for the Actual Offences only of such as believed that so as the voluntary sin of Adam had without the actual consent of his Posterity made them liable to Guilt so the Satisfaction of Christ without any actual application of him should discharge all Mankind from that originally contracted Guilt These disquisitions though fit yet are not necessary to be known it is enough for me to know that if I believe on him I shall not perish but have everlasting Life John 3.16 And that all are invited and none excluded but such as first exclude themselves CHAP. IX Of the Means which God hath appointed to make this Sacrifice of Christ effectual viz. Vnion with Christ and how the same is wrought on God's part 4. WE come to that Means which the Will of God hath appointed to make this Sacrifice Effectual for us God in his Eternal Counsel foreseeing the Fall of Man did from all Eternity covenant that the Eterval Word should take upon him Flesh and should be an all-sufficient Mediator between God and Man and to that End did furnish this Mediator with all things necessary for so great a Work Colos 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell Fulness of the Godhead Colos 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily Fulness of Grace John 1.16 For of his Fulness we receive Grace for Grace Fulness of Wisdom and Knowledge Colos 2.3 In whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Fulness of Perfection Ephes 4.13 The measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ A Fulness of Life John 1.4 In him was life and the life was the light of men John 5.27 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself A Fulness of Love Ephes 3.19 And to know the love of Christ passing knowledge All the Promises of God are in him and put into him as into a Treasury and bottomed upon him 2 Cor. 1.20 In whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen And this Plenitude of Christ was therefore in him that from him it might be communicated according to the Exigence of those for whom he was a Mediator for although the Plenitude of the Divine Nature was absolute and no way in reference to the Business of the Mediatorship yet the communication of that Plenitude to Christ as one Mediator was in order to his Office. And this Fulness of Christ was necessary to supply that Emptiness which was in Man by sin He stood in need of a sea of Love to redeem him and Christ was not without riches of Love and Compassion he had lost his Life The day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death and there was as well a Quickning as a Living Life in Christ to revive him Ephes 2.1 Those who were formerly dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickned Colos 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear Man had lost the whole Image of his Creator Christ who was the express Image of his Father re-imprints it again by forming himself in us Colos 3.10 Renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Ephes 4.24 Put ye on the New Man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness The nature of Man is corrupted and Christ hath a
Uncertainties in the midst of any external Trouble without a Refuge and so full of Despair As we cannot have Confidence to go to our offended God by our Prayers so it makes him withdraw and hide himself from them a continual disquietness and heaviness of Spirit mingles and winds it self into all our thoughts even in our pursuits of diversions from it the same aspect that is between God and us is between our own Conscience and us The Light of his Countenance is able to give Life and Comfort and Serenity to the Soul in the midst of all the Losses and Pains and Deaths in the World and the want of that Light makes the most happy external Condition to be dark and disconsolate And all this Good I lose by a transient unprofitable Sin a Sin that I might have avoided and therefore a Loss that I might have avoided a Loss that comes not to me by my necessity but by my foolish choice I will therefore sit down and mourn in secret for that Comfort and Light that I have thus foolishly sinned away and measure out my sorrows and tears proportionable in some degree to that Loss I have sustained The time was when it pleased the great God to let his Presence and the Light of his Countenance to shine into my Soul and when I could with Comfort and Confidence upon any occasion go to him and present my wants my desires my acknowledgements unto him and he that sits in Heaven was pleased to accept and entertain them at the hands of his Creature But now that Influence of his hath met with a filthy and backsliding Heart and is weary of it and hath withdrawn it self as justly it may and my Prayers are laden with my Guilt and cannot get up to him and he hides himself I have regarded Iniquity in my Heart and as he hath said so I find he will not hear my Prayers But though he will not hear my Prayers yet he will not neglect my Tears A broken and contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise O Lord though I have thus trifled away my Peace and my Comfort and have destroyed my self yet in thee is my help As I will not rest in my Sin so neither will I rest in my Grief but will never give my self nor thee rest till thou hast been pleased in the Blood of thy Son to wash away my Guilt and restore unto me thy Presence and Peace again And when I have recovered this Loss I will by the assistance of that good Spirit of thine learn by this my sin to revenge my self upon my sin to value the Mercy and Goodness of my Creator that hath yet once more intrusted into my hands the Life and Comfort which I had so lately lost to value the necessity as well as the Love of my Saviour that hath been pleased by a reapplication of his own Blood to wash me again after my late Relapse to value the kindness of the Pure and Blessed Spirit that though by my sin I made him weary and forsake that polluted chamber of my Heart yet is pleased to return and cleanse and take up again that Room from which I had so unworthily excluded him I will learn to prise that Peace and Comfort which once I had and valued not but lost it for an unprofitable perishing Sin I will strive to sence my Heart with renewed Covenants and Resolutions of more watchfulness over my self that I return not again to Folly I will sit down and bless the Mercy Goodness Patience Bounty of God that hath not left me in that Condition which I could neither endure nor remove and study to return a Heart and Life in some measure answerable to so great Love and Goodness And when I have done all O Lord Jesus let that Eternal Covenant between thee and the Father that thou shouldest give Eternal Life to as many as he hath given thee John 17.2 that Power and Promise of thine that none shall pluck me out of thy hands John 10.28 that Union with thee that thou art pleased to give to as many as believe on thee John 15.4 5. that Spirit of thine which by that Union with thee conveys Life and Influence to the smallest branch in thee preserve and support me in all my Purposes and Resolutions in all my Frailties and Temptations For without thee I can do nothing 2. In reference to outward Objects and occasions of Sorrow as loss of Friends Wealth Reputation Health Life it self have a guard upon this Passion 1. Look upon them as the Fruits and Effects of thy Sin and so let them carry thy Grief beyond the immediate object to the meritorious cause of them This is the sting of all Affliction the Plague in thy Heart is the Core and Fountain of the Plague of thy Externals And when thou hast humbled thy Soul before thy Creator and gotten the Blood of thy Saviour to wash thy Conscience thy Affliction shall be removed or thy Soul enabled with chearfulness and comfort to bear it 2. Labour to find out the Voice of the Rod the Mind of thy Creator for if thou diligently observe it there is not a dispensation of Divine Providence but it brings a message with it to thy Soul. Look into thy Heart it may be there is an accursed thing in the midst of thee Joshua 7.13 and this Affliction bids thee be up and removing it It may be thy Heart was leaning too much upon that very Blessing wherein thou findest thy Cross or Affliction which robbed thy Maker of some of the Love and Duty thou owest to him It may be thy Heart was grown dead and careless in thy applications to thy Creator secure and resting in thy temporal Enjoyment and he hath sent his Messenger to awake thee It may be thou hast had a dull and heavy Ear that would not listen or could not perceive God speaking once yea twice unto thee in a still voice Job 33.14 and now he hath sent an instruction with a louder voice It may be thou begannest too much to set up thy rest here to place thy Confidence in the things of this World to be overtaken with the delight in them to overâ—expect them and he hath sent a disappointment into thy Counsels a Worm into thy Gourd a Moth into thy Store a Canker into thy Bag a Distemper into thy Body to shew thee the vanity of thy Dependances to make thee let go thy hold of that which may fall upon and hurt thee but cannot secure thee to make the look upward to quicken thy Life of Faith by shaking thy Life of Sense It may be thou wert growing presumptuous in the Goodness of God Saucy in thy Carriage towards him insolent towards him opinionative of thy self And he hath sent this searching Medicine to fallow and purge these disorderly and dangerous Humours But gâ—ant that upon all thy search thou findest that for a long time thou hast kept a Watch over thy Heart that thou
ariseth Murmuring and Discontent because that which befalls him crosseth him in his self opinion of his own Merit or Desert And from hence proceeds the rejection of God and of his directions from an opinion of a self-sufficiency and fulness To cure this Distemper and the products of it labour for Poverty and Humility of Spirit upon these Considerations 1. That whatsoever thou hast of worth or good in thee it is not thy own it is a derived good the good that is most thy own even thy essential good is not thy own thou owest thy Being to somewhat without thee But grant it were thine own yet the Comfort and Life and Beauty of thy Being were nothing without a farther good that is not thy own thy Power thy Wealth thy Strength thy Knowledge these are not in thy Essence they are derived Goods and such as are not from thy self the most exact faculty of thy Soul is but empty till it be filled by an Object without thee In thy highest Fruition thou hast a just occasion to magnifie God from whom thou hast it not to magnifie thy self that dost only receive it Learn therefore the Original of that good whatever it be that thou enjoyest it will make thee thankful and keep thee humble 2. That in thy self thou hast nothing but emptiness and vanity Thou hadst a good it is true which was sent thee by the Lord of thy Being and that we have shewn was no occasion to exalt thy self because it was not thine own but even that thou hast lost now and thy Nature hath nothing left thee whereof to be Proud. 3. That it is impossible for thee to come to enjoy that which must make thee happy till thou art deeply sensible of thy own emptiness and nothingness and thy Spirit thereby brought down and laid in the dust As long as thy Soul is full of thy Honour or of thy Wealth or of the World or of thy own Righteousness or Worth there is no room for thy Saviour or his fulness thou wilt not receive him because thou findest not any want and thou canst not receive him because thou hast no room And as it indisposeth thee to receive good from God so it indisposeth as I may say God to give it for thy Pride assumeth that both from God which is his and applies it to thy self even that acknowledgment and Honour which is a Tribute wholly and only due to God and hence it is that he resists the Proud because they rob him of the Duty that by all the Laws and Reasons immaginable thou owest to him 4. That the Grace of God the Knowledge and Sense of his Love the Spirit of Christ is an humbling Spirit the more thou hast of it the more it will humble thee and it is a sign that either thou hast it not or that it is yet over-mastered by thy corruption if thy Heart be still haughty it shews thee thy self in thy true Dress and makes thee abhor thy self it shews thee the Purity and Majesty of the great God with whom thou hast to deal and teacheth thee Fear and Honour towards him it teacheth thee to live by thy Saviour's Life to be righteous by his Purity to be saved by his Sufferings to walk by his Rule and to aim at his Glory it shews thee that thou hast all from him and frames thy Heart to return all to him It restores thee to that Position and Constitution in which thou wast made and takes off that distemper of Spirit which at once hath put thee below what thou wast and yet exalteth thy foolish Spirit above it There was a third Object of our Watch proposed viz. Temptations which are either 1. For Tryal 2. To Sin of which see the Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer Afflictions c. CHAP. XXIV Of the new Life or Sanctification and the necessity of it HITHERTO we have considered the Duty and Means of Mortification the putting off of the Old Man those Distempers and Disorders of our Souls by which they become unconformable to the Image and Mind of God the Principle whereof is the Spirit and Grace of God given us in Christ and the Means of this work those which we have before mentioned Now we come to consider of that New Life which follows hereupon most necessarily 1. Because it proceeds most necessarily from the same Principle As in a natural Man fallen into some Distemper it is the same strength of Nature that conquers the Disease and it being conquered maintains the Body in its natural Operations which is Health so the same vital power of the Spirit of God is that which overmatched those Distempers in our Soul which are contrary to our spiritual Life and Motion and conserves that Constitution of Health in the Soul by which it moves regularly and according to the Will of God which is our New Life 2. Because the Motion of those Distempers which fit in our Soul doth necessarily conform our Souls to that condition in which we were created God at first created us in a Conformity unto himself our sin brought an impotency upon our Nature by which we contracted all those Corruptions and Distempers that have disordered our Souls and diverted us from God when God is pleased by the power of his own Spirit purchased for us by the Blood of Christ to put into us a Principle of life and strength to work out those Corruptions and Disorders of our Souls there must necessarily follow a life conformable to the Will of God and as there is no Medium between Life and Death so when this Death of our Souls is removed by that Principle of Life there necessarily follows a New Life and new Operations answerable to it 3. The End of the Motion of those disorders of the Soul is in order to our New Life 1 Pet. 2.24 That we being dead to sin should live to Righteousness Ephes 2.10 Created in Christ Jesus unto good works It was the end of the Death of Christ Tit. 2.14 the Tree that bore wild Figs and that which bore none were equally cursed John 15.2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away So then the work of Mortification and Sanctification differ only in their Relations not in themselves they are both effects of that same Life which by the Spirit of Christ and our Union to him is wrought in us they both drive to the same End even to our Conformity to our Head Christ Jesus which is our Conformity to the Will of God wherein consists the Perfection of every Creature For this is the Will of God even your Sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 The Honour and Glory of God is and ought to be the supream End of all actions and things in the World. And this is that which every Creature in his right station and condition doth drive at according to the measure and degree of its natural perfection for as the great End of God in all his actions is his own
operations and whose Gifts and Callings are without Repentance hath promised to be with us to the end of the World He cannot sin because his sâ—â—d abideth in him 1 John 3.9 It is true there may be intermissions of the acting of Grace in the Heart and there may be falls in the Life but to be given over to a course of sin without repentance to be brought under the power and dominion of Sin as a King or a Ruler the Honour and Truth of God is engaged in it it shall not be 2 Thes 3.3 The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you John â—0 28 Nâ—er shall any man pluck them out of my hand Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for 〈…〉 under the Law but under Grace And these Promises of God cannot make the Heart of any one to whom they truly belong any whit the more careless or loose in his watch over himself for that very Spirit whereby those Promises are sealed to us is an active vigilant pure Spirit and puts the Heart and Life upon those Practices that do naturally and properly conduce to this very Perseverance viz. Assiduity in Duties Humble and Watchful walking before God Examination and search of the state of our Souls and Lives Jealousie over the Treachery of our own Hearts and the snares that are within us and without us a Guard upon our Affections and Senses a frequent Consideration of the Will of God of his Goodness to us in Christ of the Price wherewith we are bought of the Hope whereunto we are redeemed and all those other helps that conduce to the settling and stablishing of our Hearts and Lives in a Conformity to the Will of God and in avoiding of all those things which are contrary thereunto and consequently as contraries do would impair corrupt and destroy that Life of Grace which he hath begun in us And from hence ariseth 3. An Increase and Growth in a more exact Conformity to the Will of God than formerly This is that which is so often commended unto us by the Spirit of God Colos 2.7 Rooted and built up in him Colos 4.12 Compleat in all the will of God Phil. 1.9 that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment 1 Cor. 15.58 abounding in the work of the Lord Heb. 13.21 make you perfect in good works to do his will Phil. 3.13 forgetting what is past and reaching forth to the things that are before Ephes 4.13 growing to a perfect man 2.16 increase of the body 2 Pet. 3.17 beware lest ye fall from your own stedfastness but grow in grace Jude 20. building up your selves in your most holy faith Prov. 4.18 Increasing more and more unto the perfect day John 15.2 Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit And as this is the Will of God so it is as naturally the effect of this Life that is wrought in the Heart as it is the effect of natural Life in the Body for it is an active and operative Life If any quality have got the mastery in a mixt Body it doth ever more and more by degrees waste and consume the contrary qualities and assimulates the whole unto it self And although as long as our Flesh hangs about us it is impossible that a compleat and absolute conquest can be wrought of all that Sin that is in us because it is a spring of Corruption yet it is wasted weakned and decayed By this work of Grace Saul's House waxeth weaker and weaker Every habit though it be moral or natural only receiveth an augmentation and degrees by its continual actings And the Grace of God which is more operative and active in the Heart than any habit can be for it is accompanied with the immediate Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit never stands still but like the little Leven that was hid in the great quantity of Meal it never gives over till the whole be leavened 4. Renewed Repentance Thy corrupt Nature is a Body of Sin and Death a spring of Corruption that will ever cast up mire and dirt and Grace in thy Heart is a spring of living Waters that as often as that corrupts will be washing it again When thou hast made the chamber of thy Heart as clean as thou canst yet there will be leaks in it that will let in Corruptions enough quickly to make it as foul as ever Grace by the continual examination of thy self humbling of thy Heart before God renewing thy Covenant with him doth not only pump out the filth that would poyson and drown and dam thee but stops the decays and leaks of this thy infirm Vessel When the Grace of God at first found thee thou wast dead in trespasses and sins and it came into thee and by Repentance did exercise its own act of Life to quicken thee And that same Body of Death that did at first inclose thee is still about thee and takes all opportunities to get its old mastery of thee and by this means thou catchest many a fall and bruise but that same Life by which thou livest re-acts against those inroads of sin and death and doth conquer them so that though thy renewed sins are not thy ruine yet they ought to be thy burden though they must not make thee despair yet they cannot chuse but make thee mourn though thy Saviour hath born their Guilt yet it is but equal thou shouldest bear thy shame When thou hadst no Life in thee thou couldest not feel thy self dead But now thou hast Life in thee thou canst not chuse but be sensible of thy sickness and thy hurts which thy own folly have occasioned and judge and condemn and avoid that Folly of thine that occasioned it Though thou canst not be rid of thy sins that fight against thy Life yet thou wilt not entertain them with better Entertainment than Bread of Affliction and Water of Affliction Though thou canst not expiate for any of them yet thou canst not look upon them without indignation as Traytors against thy Life and thy Peace thou canst not look upon thy self without loathing and detestation thou canst not look unto Christ without shame and confusion that one that he hath redeemed from so great a Misery with so great a Price to so great a nearness as to be a member of himself a partaker of his Spirit a Co-heir of his Glory should so unworthily so unthankfully in his sight dishonour his Head and pollute himself Thou canst not look upon what is past without Repentance nor upon what is to come without a Resolution of more Vigilance and keeping a better Guard upon thy self And yet in the midst of all these thy perplexed thoughts thou canst not chuse but admire and bless that Mercy of Christ that when thou deniest him looks back upon thee as once on Peter and with that look sends in a Messenger that makes thee go by thy self and bewail thy Relapse that leaves
laid down for the Sins of the World namely the precious Life of his own Son Jesus Christ that published this Doctrine to the World And this Sacrifice and Satisfaction the glorious God would accept in a way of Justice and yet in a way of Mercy that his Justice might be satisfied his Mercy magnified and his Creature saved 8. And that because it would be neither agreeable to the Honour nor the Wisdom of Almighty God that any Man that had the use of his Reason and Understanding should have the fruit and benefit of this Mercy and Sacrifice without returning to his Duty to God by true Repentance for what he had done amiss and by better Obedience to God neither was there any fitness or suitableness between a Pure and Holy God or that Blessedness which Mankind might expect with him and a People that should yet continue desperately sinful and impure and it was also reasonable and fit that if Mankind would expect the Restitution to that everlasting Happiness that they lost by their own sins and the sin of their first Parents then they should also return to their Duty and Obedience to God and perform in some measure that End for which Mankind was at first created namely actively to glorifie that God that had made them especially after so great an addition of Mercy as the Redemption of the World by the Death of his own Son therefore he appointed and intended and published to the World that all that would have the fruit and benefit of this great Redemption should repent of their Sins and endeavour sincerely to obey the Precepts of Piety Sobriety and Righteousness commanded by Almighty God by the Message of his Son. 9. And because that if those to whom this Message of the Gospel of Christ should be published should yet not believe the same nor believe that Jesus was the true Messias or that his Doctrine was the true and real Message of Almighty God to the World it could never be expected that they would obey this Heavenly Command nor return to God or the Duty they owed him he did therefore require of all Persons that were of Understanding to whom the Gospel should be published that they should Believe it to be True and believe that Christ was the True Messias the great Sacrifice for the Sin of the World and the Doctrine which he preached was the Will of God concerning Man. 10. And thus there are these Conditions to be performed on the part of those that will expect the Benefit of the Redemption purchased by the Blood of Christ 1. That all that are of Understanding to whom the Gospel is preached should Believe it to be the Truth and rest upon it as the Truth of God 2. That they should be heartily sorry for their former Sins and Repent of them and turn from them This is Repentance 3. That they should in all Sincerity endeavour to conform their Hearts and Wills and Lives to the Precepts and Commandments of Christ and his Gospel which is called Sanctification and new Obedience 11. And because when we have done all we can yet we are in this Life compassed about with many Infirmities and Temptations and subject to fail in our Duty to God and to these Holy Precepts of the Gospel yet the merciful God hath assured us by his Son Christ Jesus that if we sincerely endeavour to obey the Precepts of the Gospel and repent for our Failings herein and so renew our Peace with God by unfeigned Repentance the same Sacrifice of his Son shall be accepted to expiate for our Sins and Failings and the blessed God will accept of our sincere though imperfect Obedience as a Performance of that part of the Covenant of the Gospel that concerns our Obedience to God and the Commands of the Gospel And this is called Evangelical Obedience which though it be not perfect yet being sincere and accompanied with real and sincere Endeavours to obey and Repentance for our daily Failings is accepted of God through the Sacrifice of Christ who is not only our Sacrifice and Propitiation but also our Intercessor and Mediator at the right hand of God. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ who sitteth at the right hand of the Father 1 John 2.1 Heb. 8.1 10.12 12. And because many times Example gives a great Light and Life to Precepts our blessed Saviour in his Life gave us an excellent Example of the Practice of those Precepts which he hath given to us as namely Obedience and Submission to the Will of God Invocation upon him Holiness Purity Sobriety Patience Righteousness Justice Charity Compassion Bounty Truth Sincerity Uprightness Heavenly mindedness low esteem of Worldly Glory Condescension and all those Graces and Vertues that he requires and expects from us 18. And as thus our Lord Jesus came to instruct us in all things necessary for us to believe and practise and to give us an admirable Pattern and Example of a Holy and Vertuous Life so 2. He came to die for us and to die such a Death as had in it all the Circumstances of Bitterness and yet accompanied with unspotted Innocence and incomparable Patience and he thus died for these Ends. 1. To lay down a Ransom for the Sins of Mankind and a Price for the Purchace of Everlasting Life and Happiness for all those that receive him believe in him and obey the Gospel 2. To satisfie the Justice of God to make good his Truth to vindicate the Honour of his Government and to proclaim his Justice his Indignation against Sin and yet to magnifie his Love and Mercy to Mankind in giving his Son to be a Price of their Redemption 3. To give a just indication unto all the World of the vileness of Sin the abhorrence of it that cost the Son of God his Life when he was but under the imputed guilt of it that so Mankind might detest and avoid Sin as the vilest of Evils 4. To give a most unparallel'd Instance of his Love to the World that did chuse to die for the Children of Men to redeem them from Everlasting Death 5. And thereby to oblige Mankind with the most obliging and indearing Instance to love and obey that Jesus that thus died for them and out of the common Principles of Humanity and Gratitude to love and obey him that thus loved them and laid down his Life for them 6. To give a most convincing Evidence of the Truth of his Doctrine and the Sincereness of his Professions of Love to Mankind by sealing the same with his own Blood. FINIS Considerations Seasonable at all Times for the Cleansing OF THE HEART AND LIFE Considerations Seasonable at all Times for the Cleansing OF THE HEART and LIFE 1. OF God and therein 1. Of his Purity and Holiness one that cannot endure to behold iniquity The Stars are not pure in his sight Job 25.5 Job 15.15 and his Angels he chargeth with folly Job 4.18
an actual exercise of right Reason they have in all successions of times and places taken up those Laws of Nature which we call the Moral Law or the most parts of them 2. Touching the-Obligation of these Laws it was twofold 1. From the Injunction and Command of God who had an Universal Infinite and Unlimited Power over his Creature and might most justly require his Obedience And into this Power of God together with his actual Command or Prohibition is all the Obligation of all Laws whether Natural or Positive and of all inferiour Laws Compacts or Agreements to be resolved And without the due consideration of this Mankind is loose Though the natural Congruity of the Moral Law to the Nature of Man might be the means of its Publication it is the Command of God that is and ever was the cause of its Obligation 2. From the Compact and Stipulation of Man. God put into Man's hands a stock both of Blessedness and Liberty and though he might have commanded his Creature and it had bound eternally yet to add the greater engagement upon him he enters into Contract with him concerning his Obedience Hence it is called the Covenant of Works And in all ensuing times when it pleased God to reinforce the Law of Nature or Obedience he doth it by way of Compact or Covenant as well as Command to add another Obligation as well of Contract as Duty And from this grew the Universality of the Guilt that was contracted by Disobedience Adam covenanted for him and his Posterity Rom. 5.19 As the Obedience of Christ is effectual for his Seed by way of Contract and Stipulation with God the Father so was the Disobedience of Adam binding upon his Seed partly by reason of his Contract and Stipulation and so they are made there parallel Sed de hoc infra 3. The Sanction of the Law given to Adam The Violation of any Law given by him that hath Power contracts Guilt that is Obligation to Punishment the measure of this Punishment is that Sanction which God did put upon the Violation of this Law Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die Herein are four Particulars 1. The Offence eating the forbidden Fruit 2. The Punishment Death 3. The Time of the inflicting of it in the day 4. The Extent of it thou shalt die c. Touching the first The thing specially prohibited was eating the forbidden Fruit but that which was in the Mind of God to enjoyn was Obedience to his Command and although this particular was by God made the Experiment of Man's Obedience yet questionless the same Injunction and under the same Penalty was given to Men touching those other Moral Dictates which were received Exod. 20. which lost not their Obligation by the Fall of Man no more than if he had continued in his Integrity Gen. 4.7 If thou dost not well Sin lieth at the door and Verse 14. Cain acknowledgeth Death to be the consequent of that Guilt which he contracted by his Murder Every one that findeth me shall slay me The like of Lamech Verse 23. For the Formality of any Sin as hath been before observed consisteth in the disobedience of the Will to the Command of God By one Mans disobedience sin entred into the World. And as the object of Mans obedience was whatsoever God had injoyned so the disobedience to any one Command had contracted the like Guilt and were under the like Penalty as this though this being purely a positive Command wherein only the Obedience or Disobedience of Man could be seen was that which is here mentioned because that wherein he offended 2. Thou shalt die God made not Death saith the wise Man Wisd 1.14 but Death entred into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 It imports three things 1. A loss or loosning of that strictness of Union which was between the Body and Soul or temporal immortality This is the Argument that the Apostle makes that from the time of Adam's transgression till Moses sin was in the World because Death reigned all that while and in the place before mentioned till sin the Kingdom of Death was not upon the Earth This immortality was not essential to the Nature of man but was freely super-added to it by the Divine Will upon those terms of Obedience and he that gave it might with all imaginable Justice give it upon what terms he pleaseth and he doth it upon terms of Obedience Obedience to himself which but even now gave Man his Being and might justly exact the utmost of his Being Obedience to a Law most possible easie and quadrate to the Powers and Aids given to man Obedience ingaged by a world of Blessedness attending it and an inevitable loss ensuing the breach of it This was his Vegetable loss 2. A loss of that Happiness which accompanied this immortal Being in respect of his Senses viz. an uninterrupted stream of Pleasure and Contentment and instead thereof Shame Gen. 3.7 Pain and Slavery Verse 26. Sorrow Verse 17. anxious and painful Labour Verse 19. a Curse upon the Earth Verse 17. A loss of Eden Verse 23. 3. The withdrawing and stopping of that stream of Light and Love that passed between God and the Soul of man which filled his reasonable faculties brimful of Happiness and Contentment and instead thereof in the understanding darkness distractedness a continued motion to know and yet for want of Light not knowing what to pursue and therefore pursuing trifles and follies In the Will loss of the Good that it before injoyed yet a craving Appetite after somewhat but it knows not what and to satisfie this unsatiable desire takeâ— in whatsoever the Suggestions of the World Flesh and the Devil offers fills it self with Vanity and then with Vexation In the Affections especially our Love it hath lost what did take up the whole Vigour and Comprehension of it and what it loved it injoyed but now raves and boils like the Sea after Follies and changeable and unsatisfying pursuits The Conscience that Chamber of the Soul wherein the beams of the Light and Favour of the Creator and of the Love and Duty of the Creature met as it were in the point or angle of reflection and carried those comfortable Messages of Sincerity and Obedience of the Soul to God and delight and acceptance from God to the Soul is now become the Chamber of Death and like the Spleen to the Body the receptacle of the Melancholy and sad Convictions of a guilty and ungrateful Soul and of an injured and revenging God and pre-apprehensions of farther Misery But if in the midst of Millions of Miseries he could see his Creator inviting him to dependance and recumbance upon him the Miseries were nothing they are born by his strength upon whom he leans But when the Lord of Heaven shall give him a trembling Heart and failing of Eyes and Sorrow of mind as in that most lively Expression he threatens the Jews Deut. 28.65 66 c. and when he
comes to his Creator the last and supreme refuge of Man God himself shall write bitter things against him and eternally reject him Here is the Death of Deaths This and much more than this is included in that Sanction Thou shalt surely die And this appears to be a most just and righteous Sanction 3. Thou But we are taught Rom. 5.12 By one Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin so Death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned Here it is inquirable 1. Whether the Guilt of Adam 's sin did extend farther than Adam's Person and by what means or Rule of Justice that came to pass We must conclude in Adam all sinned Rom. 5.19 By one Mans disobedience many were made Sinners and as Sin passed over all so Death passed over all And this the Apostle useth as the Argument of the Universality of sin in the same place and 1 Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all died so in Christ all shall be made alive The sin of Adam was the sin of his Posterity by a double Means 1. For that he contracted with God for him and his Posterity and as in Nature including so in Law personating them all And in this respect Rom. 5.14 he is stiled the Figure of him that was to come As Christ contracted for his Seed by Faith so Adam contracted for his Seed by Nature It is true regularly the personal sin of the Father or of any Person is not charged upon his Posterity Ezek. 18.20 The Soul that sinneth it shall die the Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father conform to that Law of God Deut. 24.16 The Children shall not be put to Death for the Father But yet by way of Covenant or Contract the Child as it may be interessed in the benefit of Obedience may contractively be sharer in the Guilt and Punishment of the Father's disobedience 2. For that by this his offence he contracted a Loss of that natural Disorder and Deformity which he propagated to his Posterity and the Constitution of Adam's posterity after his fall was of the very same Distemper and Corruption that Adam himself had contracted by his Fall. And herein the Case of Adam differed from all Mankind besides The best of men born of Adam hath the very same natural obliquity that the worst of Adam's Children hath and if he traduce his Nature to his Child he traduceth as good as he hath or ever had But that Nature which Adam had and was traducible to his Posterity before his fall though the same essentially which it was after in specie rationali yet by the Will and Dispensation of God had been accompanied with those Qualifications that had put them in the same Degree of Blessedness and Power of conserving it that Adam had So then the Sin of Adam ingaged his Posterity in the Guilt 1. By his personating of them 2. By his traducing Corruption to them hence Gen. 6.5 every imagination of the Heart of Man was only evil continually And as we by this see how Adams sin was the sin of his Posterity so upon the same ground we see the Justice of traducing the Punishment to his Posterity By the Law of Nature and Reason the power of the Father over his Child especially unborn is the most absolute and natural power under God in the World so that even by the Universal Rule among men especially where another Government is not sub-induced he had the power over his Life his Liberty and his Subsistence Man contracts for him and his Posterity in a part of loss and benefit his Posterity had a share in the latter in case of Mans Obedience and it is reason he should bear a part in the former in Case of Disobedience the sin of a publick Person draws a Punishment upon those whom he represents politically as David's sin in numbring the people much more when to the political Representation is added a natural inclusion And thus he visits the iniquity of the Fathers upon the the Children viz. when the Father contracts for him and his Children in a Covenant of benefit and loss as he shews Mercy unto thousands in them that love him the Children of Abraham notwithstanding their own personal Sins had the benefit of that Promise which was made to Abraham because by way of Covenant Gen. 17.2 Further the ingagement of the Creator to his Creature could not be farther than he himself pleased neither could Man or his Posterity challenge any farther degree or perfection of Being than God gave and upon those terms only upon which he gave it If he had resumed it of his own Will from Man or his Posterity after a day or a month Man had had that for which to be thankful in the enjoyment not to murmur in the loss But it was not so here the stock of Blessedness for Man and his Posterity is put into the hands of the Father while he had his Posterity within himself and not only so but put into his hands with a power to keep it for him and his Posterity the Father proves prodigal and spends his stock and if the Child was so he hath none to blame but the immediate Author of his Being This is enough most clearly to interest the Posterity of Adam at least in the Punishment of Loss of Happiness and Immortality and those outward Curses which followed upon Adam's Nature and the Creatures by Adam's Sin. 4. The time In the day thou eatest And this was put in Execution the same day as well as Sentenced the same day Shame and Guilt and Fear fell upon him Gen. 3.10 I heard thy Voice and was afraid because I was naked The same day shut out from the Vision of God and the place of his Happiness Verse 24. the same day set to his work to Till a cursed Ground with Labour and Sorrow Verse 23. So now we have seen Man what he was and what he lost The next thing considerable is How it could come to pass that Man having such a portion of Perfection both in his Faculties and Fruitions could be drawn to commit this Sin upon terms of so great and visible disadvantage to himself and his Posterity Negatively we say it was not any inherent Corruption or Malignancy in the Nature of Man or any defect of what was necessary to his perseverance in his Original righteousness for he was very created good Neither was it any Predetermination that did necessitate him to fall for God as he gave him a Power to obey his Will and a Law wherein to exercise that power did leave him in the hands of his own Will As to suppose him necessitated to obey what God commanded could not stand with Mans Liberty nor with the true Nature of Obedience which doth necessarily suppose an intrinsecal power not to obey so to suppose him constrained to disobey could neither consist with that Liberty nor the Purity or Justice of God God did foresee the fall of
that the very consideration of this Counsel of God is a means to effect its Execution in putting the Heart into such a frame as is fit to receive the impressions of God's Grace 2. In respect of those that are omitted The freedom of the Choice doth not in the least degree reflect upon the Justice of God He had no engagement to chuse any but might most justly have let all lie under that sin and misery into which we had cast our selves If God be pleased to chuse any it is the meer act of his Grace if he leaves any he leaves them but in that condition not in which he made them but in which they made themselves The act of his Bounty to the Elect is without any Injury to those he leaves for neither could challenge any thing but Misery as their Right 2. The Object of this Choice 1. Some are chosen from all Eternity The Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father 1 Pet. 1.2 The foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 These are those for whom a Kingdom was prepared from the Foundation of the World Matth 25.34 These are they which by an eternal Contract between God the Father and his Son were given unto Christ I pray for them which thou hast given me for they are thine John 17.9 24. 2. But some and not all Many there are that are not so much as called and of those that are called yet few are chosen Matth. 22.14 And this preterition of God putteth them not in any worse Condition than it finds them And indeed this Counsel of God is not so much as the Potter's making some Vessels to honour some to dishonour he made all Vessels of honour and Men made themselves all Vessels of dishonour God in his mercy to restore some to become again Vessels of honour and this is without any injury to those that are omitted because they are continued to be but what they made themselves and what they most freely desire still to be Thy destruction is from thy self O Jerusalem 3. To what this Election or Choice is or what is the End of this Counsel of God There is a twofold End in the Counsel of God. 1. The End of Intention subordinate the good of his Creature adequate the good pleasure of his own Will or his own Glory as to shew his wrath and make his power known towards the Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction so to make known the riches of his Glory in the Vessels of Mercy which he had before prepared unto Glory Rom. 9.23 2. The End in Execution or rather the subject matter of this Counsel of God it is the whole Series and all the Conjunctures of all things conducing thereunto wherein the Counsel of God doth not per saltum step from the Fall to Glory but doth take in all those intermediate passages which he hath by the same Counsel appointed to be the Means of effecting it 1. The great Mystery of the Incarnation which is the Cardo negotii 1 Pet. 1.20 Who was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times 2. Effectual calling by the Word and Spirit of God Rom. 8.28 Who are called according to his purpose 3. The effectual Assistance of the Spirit of God without which it were impossible these dry Bones should live Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law into their mind and write them in their hearts 3. Holiness and Sanctification John. 15.16 I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should bring forth fruit Ephes 14. Chosen to be holy Epes 2.10 Created in Christ unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Rom. 8.29 30. Conformity unto Christ and all linked together Glory to Justification Justification to Calling Calling to Election 4. In whom or by whom he hath elected us Christ In this Consists the greatest Mystery that ever was and of most concernment to Mankind And because it is impossible to attain to the knowledge of it but by Revelation from God himself we must in this keep precisely to the Word of God where alone this Mystery is by God ordinarily discovered which is briefly thus much Almighty God in the Creation of Man did primarily intend the Glory of his own Goodness and the Happiness of his Creature and to that End furnished him with such Faculties and Rules as might conduct him to that Happiness Man being seduced abused his Liberty and by his Disobedience violated that Rule and consequently in himself lost the acquisition of that Happiness to which he was created Yet this could not disappoint the Purpose of God who with an eternal and indivisible act did foresee all Mankind in this miserable and lost Condition and appoint a way for his Recovery The way of Man's Recovery was by the Eternal Purpose Consultation or Contract as I may call it between the Father Son and Eternal Spirit resolved to be that the Son of God should assume the Nature of Man into one Person by an ineffable Generation and that he should Satisfie for the Guilt of Man's Sin by his Death And because that the bare Satisfaction for Sin could only exempt Man from the deserved Punishment of his Sin but could not restore him to that Happiness which he lost by the same Eternal Covenant the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ was to be accepted by God as the Righteousness of Man that as in his Sufferings he did bear the Sin of Man to make Satisfaction for the Curse deserved so by his Obedience imputed unto Man Man might acquire that Happiness that he lost To the end that this Satisfaction and Righteousness might be effectually applied for the Purposes above-mentioned Christ must after this Righteousness fulfilled and this Satisfaction made by his Death rise from Death ascend into Heaven and so continue as well the Mediator of Intercession as he was before of Satisfaction Though this Righteousness and Satisfaction were sufficient for the Sins of all Mankind and accordingly freely propounded yet it was effectual only for such as should according to those immediate Means that God had fore-appointed to be useful for that Purpose sue forth the benefit of it This is the sum of that great work of Man's Redemption which the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 and is discovered to Principalities and Powers by the Church Ephes 3.10 and therefore called The manifold Wisdom of God The Mystery of Christ Ephes 3.4 Ephes 6.19 The Mystery hid in God from the beginning of the world Ephes 3.9 The Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Colos 2.2 Colos 1.27 The Mystery hid from ages and generations but now made manifest to his Saints Colos 1.26 The Wisdom of God in a Mystery The Mystery of his Will 1 Cor. 2.7 The Revelation of the Mystery kept secret since the world began Rom. 16.25 The great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in
And the suffering of Christ without the Gate was not without some Allusion to the placing of this Altar without the Tabernacle Vide Heb. 13.12 And as the situation of the Altar so the Sacrifice upon this Altar not without a Mystery for besides those many Sacrifices which were diversified according to the several natures of the Occasion here was one Sacrifice appropriate to this Altar the continual Burnt-Offering a Lamb of the first year in the Morning a Lamb of the first year at Even Exod. 29.38 Numb 28.3 And the Spirit of Truth takes up this description of Christ more frequently than any John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 1 Pet. 1.19 Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish or spot Revel 5.6 The Lamb that was slain c. Revel 13.8 The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And between this Altar and the Sanctuary stood the Laver of Brass not only typifying the Sacramental Initiation by Baptism but that Purity and Cleansing that is required of all those that partake of this Altar before they enter into the Sanctuary John 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God As the Blood of Christ cleanseth from the Guilt of our Sin so it cleanseth us from the Power of our Sin before we are to expect an admission into the Sanctuary It was as well Water to cleanse as Bloud to expiate 6. The typifying of Christ in the Priesthood of Aaron and his Successors High Priests Divers of the Ceremonies especially in the Consecration of them were meerly relative to their natural pollutions and the cleansing of them Heb. 7 27. Offering Sacrifices first for their own Sins such was the Sin-offering Levit. 9.7 Levit. 8. â—4 Others in reference to their service and designation thereunto and exercise thereof as their washing with Water Levit. 8.6 Their anointing with the holy Oyl Ibid. Verse 12. The Ram of Consecration Ibid. Verse 22. Their residence at the door of the Tabernacle seven days Ibid. Verse 33. And some parts of his Garments But there were some things that in a special manner were typical of Christ 1. The Breast-plate of Aaron bearing the Names of the Children of Israel called the Breast-plate of Judgement Exod. 28.29 And Aaron shall bear the Names of the Children of Israel in the Breast-plate of Judgment when he goeth into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually importing not only the nearness of the Church and redeemed of Christ unto him but also his continual presenting of their Names their Persons in his Righteousness before his Father 2. The Plate of Gold upon the Mitre engraven with Holiness to the Lord Exod. 28.38 And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of their holy things that they may be accepted before the Lord. As our Persons are accepted by God in the Righteousness of Christ presented for them to his Father so our Services are accepted in the strength of the same Mediation Christ presenting our Prayers and Services to his Father discharged of those Sins and Defects with which they are mingled as they come from us 3. His Solemn Atonement when he entred into the Holy of Holies Levit. 16. Wherein we shall observe 1. A most special Reconsecration almost of all the things incident to that Service before it was performed the Priest was to make an Atonement for himself by the Blood of the Bullock Verse 11. and for the Altar Verse 18. which signifie that Purification of the Humane Nature of Christ from all Sin Original and Actual from all Sin even in his Conception that so he might be a fit High Priest Heb. 7.26 For such a high priest became us who is Holy Harmless Vndefiled Separate from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens The difference was this Aaron notwithstanding his first Consecration to his Office needed a new Atonement when he entred into the Holy of Holies and exercised that high Type of Christ's Ascension and Intercession But Christ being once Consecrate needed no new Consecration Heb. 7.28 For the Law maketh men High Priests which have infirmities but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is Consecrated for evermore 2. This was to be done but once in the year Some services had frequent iterations but those special Services that were but once in the Year were Types of those things that were to be done but once though remembred yearly such was the killing of the Passover Christ by one Offering hath perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 3. This great Atonement not made but by Blood Heb. 9.7 The high Priest entred not without Blood Livit. 26. And this Atonement was to be made upon the Horns of the Altar Levit. 16.18 viz. The Golden Altar of Incense Exod. 30.10 Hence Christ called the Blood of sprinkling Hebr. 12.24 The Offering that was to be used in this solemn Atonement for so much as concerned the Sins of the People were two Goats which were to be presented before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle Levit. 16.7 And Lots to be cast one for the Lord the other for the Scape-Goat the former was to be the Sin-offering for the People and his Blood to be brought within the Veil Verse 23. And the other was to bear the Iniquity of the Children of Israel but to be sent into the Wilderness Ibid. Vers 21. Although in the Sacrifice of Christ his Body only died and his Soul escaped yet both were but one Sacrifice he did bear our sins in both his Soul was heavy unto death as well as his Body crucified and as God had prepared him a Body in order to this Sacrifice Heb. 10.5 So he made his Soul an Offering for Sin Isa 53.10 4. As after all this the Priest entred into the most Holy and presented this Blood of Reconciliation before the Mercy Seat and no Man was to be in the Tabernacle when he goeth in Levit. 16.17 So Christ having trodden alone the Wine press of his Father's Wrath Isaiah 63.3 Is entred into the Holy Place not made with Hands now to appear in the presence of God for us Hebr. 9.24 And as the People did representatively by their Mediatour Aaron pass into the Holiest so our High Priest hath consecrated for us Access into the Holiest by a new and living way through the Veil of his Flesh Hebr. 10.20 Who as he is our Advocate with the Father John 2.1 To bear our Names before him as the High Priest did the Names of Israel to present his own Blood before the Father of Mercy as the High Priest did the Blood of the Sin-Offering before the Mercy Seat to bear the Iniquity of our holy things as the High Priest did upon his Forehead so likewise to present our Prayers to the Father Ephes 2.18 Through him we have access
by one Spirit unto the Father CHAP. VII Of the Efficacy of the Satisfaction of Christ and the Congruity of it to right Reason THUS for the settling of our Minds in the Truth of Christ we have considered of those clear Prophecies and Types of Christ in the Old Testament We now come to consider some Particulars concerning this great work of our Redemption 1. Wherein consists the Efficacy and Virtue of Christ's Mediation and Sacrifice 2. How it was effected Wherein we shall consider 1. His Satisfaction 2. The Application of this Satisfaction in reference to the Father his Intercession in reference to us his Word and Spirit 3. The Effects and Consequents of it 1. The Efficacy of this Satisfaction consists in that free Acceptance by God of this Sacrifice of Christ as a Satisfaction for the Sins of his Elect and to be the price of the Inheritance thereby purchased for them by an eternal Contract between the Father and the Son for otherwise it were impossible of its own nature that the Sacrifice of one could expiate for the sin of another The tenor of this great Covenant between God and Christ was that the Son should take upon him Flesh should fullfil the Law of our Creation should suffer death and rise again and that Almighty God would accept this as the satisfaction for the sins of the righteous and as the price of Eternal Life for as many as should believe in him This is effectually set forth by the Word of Truth it self John 6.37 38 39 40. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out for I came down from heaven not to do my own Will but the will of him that sent me and this is the Father's will that hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day It is the Will of God which is nothing but the Acceptaton of God 1 John 4.10 He sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins his sending was his Acceptation Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin there was the Acceptation of the Father Again on the Son's part Psal 40.6 â— Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not reâ—uired then said I Lo I come And the same Word of Truth that tells us John 3.16 That God gave his only begotten Son tells us again John 10.17 18. I lay dâ—wn my life that I may take it up again And this susception of Christ and acceptation of God though we represent it to our selves under several Notions yet it was one indivisible and eternal Counsel of the Divine Majesty Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore knowledge of God And this Purpose and Counsel of his only the proceed of his eternal and free Love So God loved the world John 3.16 In this was manifested the love of God towards us because he sent c. But could the Pardon of Man's Sin and his attaining of Happiness be had at no lower a rate could not God have freely forgiven the one and given the other without this great mixing of Heaven and Earth in this wonderful Mystery of the Sacrifice of the Son of God As the original Resolution of all the Works and Counsels of God must be into his own good pleasure so especially of this Ephes 1.5 He hath predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will. Yet we do find some Congruity of Right Reason in this course of Man's Redemption 1. To magnifie to all the World the Glory of his free Grace Ephes 1.6 and to take away all possibility of boasting in the subject of this Redemption Ephes 2.8 By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his presence The Dependence that all Creatures especially Man have upon the Creator both in their Being and Perfection doth most justly and reasonably challenge from the reasonable Creature a free Retribution of Acknowledgment of his Dependence upon the Goodness of God and it is an affection of the greatest Congruity that is imaginable yet we see how soon Man forgot that duty and would be independent upon his Lord. Now when Man had concluded all his Posterity under sin then for God freely to give such a Price of Redemption as it magnifies the Freeness and Bounty of his Goodness so it doth ingage lapsed Man to the everlasting Acknowledgment of the Free Grace of God in restoring him that so God may be all in all 2. To magnifie the Exquisiteness of his Justice In that dreadful Proclamation of the Name of God Exod. 34.6 7. we find a strange mixture of his Mercy and Justice Forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin and that will by no means clear the guilty and both parts essential to his Name Such a way then must be for Man's Restoration that may evidence his Mercy in pardoning as well as his Justice in punishing Sin Christ was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 And being made Sin for us was likewise made a Curse for us Galat. 3.13 Here we have him pardoning Iniquity Transgression and sin of Men and yet not sparing his own Son when he bore the imputed guilt of our sins 3. To magnifie the glory of his Wisdom The admirable Fabrick of the World speaks abundantly the Wisdom of our Creator but all this was inferiour and subservient unto this great Business 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Pet. 1.22 A Business for the inquiry and speculation of Angels Ephes 3.10 The manifold Wisdom of God the end of the Creation Colos 1.16 All things created by him and for him Colos 1.20 to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in Heaven or things in Earth Ephes 1.10 That he might gather together in one all things in Christ The sum of this Mystery we have 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached to the Gentiles believed on in the world received into glory In this great frame of Man's Redemption we see the Counsel of God strangely executed his ancient Promises fulfilled the Shadows and Types of the Law unveiled the breach of the righteous Law of God punished the Righteousness thereof fulfilled the Justice of God satisfied his Mercy glorified his Creature pardoned justified glorified all those difficulties intricacies and confusions which came into the world by the sin of Man extricated ordered and salved the
As well our Victory 1 Cor. 15.57 as our Deliverer from the Wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 As well our Life Colos 3.4 as our Deliverance from Death as well our Purifier as our Redemption from Iniquity Tit. 2.14 as well our Peace Ephes 2.14 as our Price as well the Price of our purchased Inheritance as the Price of our Ransom 1 Cor. 6.20 As well our Translator into his own Kingdom as the Deliverer from the power of Darkness Colos 1.13 And this as the former we owe likewise in the original and foundation of it to the free Love and Acceptation of God 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ of God is made Righteousness and therefore called the Righteousness of God by Faith Phil. 3.19 Without this free Love of God as it is impossible to imagine a Mediator between God and Man so much more is it impossible to imagine how the Righteousness of that Mediator should be the Righteousness of a guilty sinful Man Our Redemption and Salvation by Christ hath its original and strength from the free Love and Acceptation of God. 2. How this Redemption and Salvation was immediately effected which was thus The Eternal Word took upon him the Nature of Man in the unity of one Person and in our Nature did fulfil that Righteousness which we were bound to fulfil and did undertake take our Guilt and underwent the Punishment due to that Guilt which was accepted of God as the Satisfaction for the sins of the Elect for the Remission of their sins and his Righteousness accepted as the Righteousness of those for whom he so satisfied whereby he did not only abolish Death the Curse due to our sins but brought Life and Immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 This Truth we shall set down in these several Positions 1 That Christ the Mediator was perfect God the Eternal begotten Son of God one Eternal Essence with the Father His Name Isa 9.6 The mighty God the Everlasting Father Matth. 1.23 Emmanuel Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the living God that great Confession of Peter asserted by Christ himself John 1.14 The Word was God and the Word was made Flesh John 10.30 I and the Father are one John 17.5 Glorifie me with thy own self with that glory which I had with thee before the world was John 14.9 â—e that hath seen me hath seen the Father 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 6.15 King of kings and Lord of lords Heb. 1.3 The brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person Colos 1. â—5 16. The image of the invisible God by whom all things were created and consist Colos 2.9 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Phil. 2.6 Being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Acts 20.28 Ye are redeemed with the Blood of God John 8.59 Before Abraham was I am And those speeches of our Saviour which seem to import an inequality between the Father and the Son are not to be understood in reference to this Nature of Christ but in reference to his Office of Mediator or to his Person in reference to the Humane Nature John 14.28 Ye would rejoyce because I say I go to my Father for my Father is greater than I For as the Divine Nature of Christ was never disjoyned from the Father so it went not to him consequently my Father is greater than I must be spoken in reference to him under that Nature which was To go to the Father 2. That Christ was perfect Man consisting of a reasonable Soul Matth. 26.38 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death and of a humane Body even after his Resurrection Luke 24.39 A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have and this Humane Nature subject to natural Passions he was sorrowful hungry sensible of pain and Heb. 4.15 tempted in all things as we are yet without sin he was subject to the Infirmities of our Nature not to the Distempers of our Nature This Humane Nature he took of the Virgin Mary and so was truly the Seed of Abraham But this by a miraculous Procreation by the immediate Power of God Matth. 1.20 and that without the contagion or guilt of any sin As he did no sin nor guile was found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 so he knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 And if he had had any Guilt of his own then he could not have been a fit Sacrifice or Priest for us 1 Pet. 1.19 A Lamb without spot or blemish Heb. 7.26 For such a high-priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled c. 3. That both these Natures were united in the Person of Christ our Mediator yet without any confusion of Natures and the conjunction so strict that in both Natures he was but one Mediator And hence it is that many of those things that were properly to be attributed to one Nature and not to the other are affirmed of the Person of Christ under the Notion proper to the other Nature of Christ Acts 20.28 Ye are redeemed with the blood of God there the act of the Humane Nature is attributed to the Person of Christ in the Notion of the Divine Nature Again John 3.13 No man hath ascended into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven yet that Nature of the Son of man was not then in Heaven But so strict is this personal Union that whatsoever is affirmed concerning one Nature may be affirmed of the whole Person of the Mediator but yet so distinct are the Natures that nothing that is affirmed concerning one Nature can be affirmed of the other Nature the eternal Son of God dyed for us but the Deity of the Son of God dyed not Herein we therefore conclude 1. That both Natures were united into one Person 2. That both Natures thus united made up but one Mediatour and so both Natures united into one Office as well as into one Person 3. That notwithstanding the uniting of both Natures into one Person and Office yet are there acts or things that properly belong to one Nature which do not belong to the other thus the Father is said to be greater than the Son John 14.28 in reference to his humane Nature Mark 13.32 But of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father For although the Natures were united in one Person yet it is not imaginable that the fullness of the Divine Nature was communicated to the humane for that were to make the humane Nature of Christ infinite and not so much assumed unto as converted into the Divine Nature and then it had been impossible he could have suffered or have had any Eclipse of the light of his Fathers Countenance as he did in his bitter cry upon the Cross at which time without all question there was not nor could be any intermission of Communion between the
his Elect and under that Condition it was necessary that he should suffer for them It was the Love of the Father to accept of Christ to bear the sins of the People and it was his Justice that disclosed his Anger against Sin although his Son did but represent the sinner and yet the merit of this Suffering hath its strength from the free acceptation of his Father according to his Eternal Covenant with his Son. 3. From hence it follows that it is a Full and Perfect Satisfaction The reason is because the measure of the Satisfaction is the Acceptation of the offended God for it appears before that there can be no other Measure or Rule to him but his own Will though that be a most Just Will. Now that God was fully satisfied and pleased in Christ we have the Testimony of Angels Luke 2.14 On earth peace good will to men Of Christ John 17.4 when by way of Anticipation he saith I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do which he fully perfected when John 19.30 he said It is finished By the eternal Father by a voice from Heaven Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased By the Spirit of Truth Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that be sanctified And from the sufficiency of this satisfaction doth arise that assurance in which the Apostle glories Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect c. it is Christ that died And hence called the Author and Finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 4. It was an Vniversal Suffering The sin of Man had an universal Contagion both upon his Body and Soul and an universal Guilt and consequently an universal Curse went over both his Soul and Body In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death This death extended to his Body and Soul and the whole Compositum his very Life was mingled with Death both in Sense and Expectation And answerable to the extent of this Contagion Guilt and Curse was the extent of Christ's Satisfaction who was figured by the first Adam Rom. 5.14 His Life was mingled with Pain Isa 53. A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief in his Body he suffered a cursed and a painful Death and though the nailing to the Cross was not sufficient naturally to have made a separation of the Body and Soul no more than of the two Thieves yet he had those other Concurrences to his dissolution that they had not viz. the bearing of his Cross John 19.17 His scourging and Crown of Thorns Matt. 27.26 29. But especially the suffering of his Soul the very anticipation of this suffering made him even to shrink at it John 12.27 Now is my soul troubled what shall I say Father save me from this hour And this like the Trumpet upon Sinai waxed louder and louder till his very dissolution witness his affirmation In the Garden of Gethsemane Matth. 26.28 My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death and that astonishing Cry of the Son of God upon the Cross Matth. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me His sorrow and the suffering of his Soul in the Garden that was so strange as to cause a sweat of Blood had been enough without the interposition of any outward force to have caused his dissolution for it was a sorrow unto death had not God supported his Humane Nature with a supernatural aid Luk. 22.43 An angel from heaven strengthened him and when the Divine Dispensation withdrew that extraordinary supply he died Matth. 27.50 He cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost If it be asked What was the cause of this extremity of suffering in the Soul of Christ we say as he willingly took upon him to stand in our room to bear our sins and to become Sin for us so he felt the wrath of God against that sin which he by way of imputation did bear as he bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 and God laid on him the iniquity of us all and as he was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 so he trode the wine-press of his Fathers wrath for that time Isa 63.3 and was made a Curse for that Sin. The Guilt that he had was not inherent but imputed but the sense of that wrath of God against Sin was not imputed but real and inherent If it be inquired How could such a sense of the wrath of God be consistent with that union that was between his Natures in one Person such Knowledge is too wonderful for me Nevertheless thus far we may say that as in the highest extremity of the suffering of his Soul there was no interruption of that strict Union between the Humane and Divine Nature yet so it pleased God to order this great Work that the actual communication of the presence of the Divine Nature was to the sense of the Humane Nature eclipsed the Sun still remained in the Firmament yet the Light thereof Eclipsed at the time of the death of Christ Matth. 27.45 to shadow to us that interruption of Vision which was in our Redeemer that so his Soul might be made an Offering for Sin as well as his Body If it be inquired How it came to pass that a perpetual Punishment due to Man was expiated by a temporary suffering of Christ we answer Man's suffering must needs be perpetual because it could never be satisfactory Matth. 5.26 Thou shalt not come out till thou payest the uttermost farthing But Christ's suffering was satisfactory and the satisfaction being made the suffering could not continue 1. It was a Voluntary Suffering 2. An Innocent Suffering 3. A Suffering of the Son of God. 4. An Accepted Satisfaction by the offended God. 8. That Christ having suffered death did arise again from death the third day This was that which the Prophet David foretold of Christ Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave by Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin c. He shall prolong his days he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul unto death prefigured by Jonah and so expounded by Christ himself Matth. 12.40 and predicted by himself Matth. 20.13 And the third day shall rise again attested by an Angel Matth. 28.6 He is risen as he said And this Truth was that which was the great Means of Conversion and therefore received the greatest opposition of Devils and Men Acts 2.24 Acts 4.10.33 Acts 5.30 And as it was the greatest Caution of the High Priest if it had been possible to falsifie the Prediction of Christ concerning his Resurrection Matth. 27.63 64. So this was the Truth that they most persecuted Acts 25.19 And being a Truth of that great concernment was most evidenced by the Evangelists and Apostles whose Business it was to be Witnesses of the Resurrection Acts 1.22 1 Cor. 15. per totum for by this he was
and consequently the Life to the Will of God the Mind of Christ for the same Spirit of Christ which dwells in Christ our Head dwells likewise in those that are the Members of the same Body and as the oneness of the Soul in Man makes that oneness of motion in all the Body and that Conformity that is in all its motions to the mind of the Soul so that oneness of the Spirit in Christ and his Members makes that Conformity of the Members of Christ unto the Mind and Will of Christ which is the uncreated Image of God This is Regeneration the birth of the Spirit the forming of Christ in us the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 2. That whereof before is spoken Love unto God which is always the Soul of all true Obedience The Soul finds the Goodness and Rectitude and Beauty of God and of all his Commands and therefore out of a Judicial Love it is sensible of the ingagement that it ows to God and therefore out of Gratitude it will as far as the strength of the Soul can reach obey the Commands which are so Righteous of her God that is so Gracious It finds that it was the Purpose of God he created us unto good Works Ephes 2.10 that as many as are in Christ ought to walk as he walked 1 John 2.5 That the Son of God died to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 to purifie unto himself a People zealous of Good Works Tit. 2.14 That Christ hath ordained that his Disciples should bring forth Fruit John 15.16 That for this cause Christ died c. that from thenceforth they that live should not live unto themselves c. 2 Cor. 5.15 Now the true Love of God makes the Will of God to be his Will and the Glory of God his End if there were no Beauty in the thing commanded yet shall I dispute his Will that hath redeemed me shall I go about to disappoint him in the End of his Death for me ordinary Reason teacheth me to subscribe and yield Obedience to the Commands of God for they are all most Wise and most Just Commands and though I see not the Wisdom Usefulness and Justice of them yet the same Truth that tells me his ways are unsearchable and past finding out teacheth me to obey when I discern the Authority though not the Reason of the Command But if it were not so suppose I could be a loser by my Obedience I cannot lose so much as I have freely received from him that commands me When Abraham received a Son from the Goodness of God and God required him again Abraham obeys though his Obedience had left him as Childless as the Promise found him But the greatest Command that I can receive from my Saviour cannot return me to so bad a Condition as his Pity and Mercy found me in If he require my Riches my Liberty my Life yet he leaves me somewhat which without his Goodness I had lost and doth more than countervail all my other Losses even my Everlasting Soul When he requires these of me he pays me interest for them Matth. 19.29 But if he did not yet the Price of my Soul in ordinary Gratitude may deserve the life of my Body for what can a Man give in Exchange for his Soul Matth. 16 26. CHAP. XIII Concerning the putting off the Old Man and 1. What it is NOW concerning the putting off the Old Man two things are considerable 1. What this Old Man is 2. How we must put him off For the former it is nothing but that Ataxy Disorder and Corruption which by sin did fall upon our Nature It is not our Nature in its essentials for that is still good but the absence of the Goodness and Perfection of the reasonable Soul which consisted in the Conformity to the Will of God which is the Beauty and Perfection of every thing And from this disorder in the Soul proceeds the disorder in the Life and Actions And this Old Man hath a double strength and advantage uâ—on us 1. In it self the Corruption and Disorder is so universal that the whole Soul is bound under it it hath no supplies of its own to rescue it self for they are all corrupted it is therefore called a Dominion of Sin Rom. 6.12 a body of death Rom. 7.24 a Law of Sin bringing the Soul into captivity Rom. 7.23 2. Accidentally the Prince of the Power of the Air taking advantage of this confusion and disorder of the Soul gets as it were into it and so worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 inhabits it as his Castle and useth the Faculties of the Soul as the Weapons wherein he trusteth became a Ruler of Darkness in the Soul Eph. 6.12 Is Judas covetous the Devil gets into that covetousness and acts it even unto the betraying of the Lord of Life Luke 22.3 Is Peter lifted up upon his Master's atâ—estation of his Confession the Devil gets into that Pride and he becomes a tempter of our Redeemer Matth. 6.23 Is a Man immoderately angry the Devil gets into that Anger and will turn it into Malice Ephes 4.27 The Prince of the World could get no advantage upon our Redeemer he had nothing in him John 14.30 but so much of the Old Man as remains in us such a party hath the Devil in us to entertain nourish and actuate his temptations We shall therefore consider wherein this Corruptition or Deficiency in our Soul consists It is in every part and faculty of the whole Man as may evidently appear by tne enumeration of particulars 1. In the Vnderstanding there wants Light Rom. 1.21 Their foolish heart was darkened Ephes 4.18 And from hence the imaginations become vain Rom. 1.21 and not only vain but evil and continually evil Gen. 6.5 pursues unprofitable Curiosities Acts 19.19 Lusts of the Mind Ephes 2.3 Fables and impertinent Questions Tit. 3.9 1 Tim. 1.4 vain deceit Colos 2.8 It wants a capacity to discern things of greatest concernment 1 Cor. 2.14 the best habits of the Understanding are corrupt The Wisdom of the World is not only Foolishness 1 Cor. 3.19 but Enmity to God is earthly sensual devilish James 3.15 These and the like are the Old Man in the Understanding for the Light being either out or dim the actings of the Understanding are irregular and it is one of the great works of Christ in our renovation to give us the Spirit of a sound Mind 2 Tim. 1.17 2. In the Conscience This is the tenderest part of the Soul the receptacle of that Light and Authority of God which he hath left in us to be our Monitor and his Vicegerent Rom. 2.15 And yet the Old Man hath mastered and corrupted this also puts it awry or out 1 Tim. 1.19 defiles the Mind and Conscience Tit. 1.15 sears the Conscience so that it is insensible and past feeling Ephes 4.19 And if the Conscience be so vigorous as not to be stifled by means of this
Corruption and the concurrence of the Prince of the Air it becomes our Misleader being filled with Errors and mistakings or our Tormentor being filled with horror and desperation and it is the great work of God in our renovation to restore the Conscience to his primitive office and place by taking away the guilt of sin which kept the Conscience in a continual storm Heb. 10.2.22 and by purging the Conscience from the pollutions and corruptions of sin Heb. 9.14 purging the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 3 In the Will there is irregularity upon a double ground 1. By reason of that Corruption that is in the Understanding for the prosecution or aversation of the Will are much qualified and ruled according to the Light that is in the Understanding and if that Light be Darkness and Error then there must necessarily follow a miscarriage in the Will. 2. By reason of that Captivity that is in the Will unto the Law of Sin and of the Flesh God gave unto Man a righteous Law which was to be the Law and Rule of his Mind and Will and while it was conformable to this it was conformable to the Will of God and so beautiful and regular But in stead thereof there is a Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 Rom. 7.21 and this Law subdues the Law of the Mind and brings the Soul into captivity to the Law of Sin Rom. 7.23 And the Will being thus captivated is made carnal and filled with enmity against God and that Law which he once planted in us to be the Rule of our Will so that it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 nay the Will is so much mastered and possessed by this Old Man and his Law that when it meets with the Law of God coming into the Soul it takes occasion thereby to work in the Soul all manner of Concupiscence Rom. 7.6 out of malice and policy to make that Law which comes to rescue the Soul more odious to the Soul and the Soul to it as Conquerours use to introduce Laws Customs and Languages of their own the more to estrange the conquered from any memory of their former duty or freedoms And when Christ comes into the Soul he rescues the Will from this Captivity and from the Dominion of Sin though not from the Inherence and Residence of it and doth by degrees waste and diminish that very inherence of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have Dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace and plants and supports another Law in us even the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ which maketh us free from the Law of Sin and of Death Rom. 8.2 4. In the Affections The great and master Affection of our Soul is our Love and all other Affections are derived from it and in order to it Our Hatred of any thing is because it is contrary and destructive to what we love our Fear of any thing is because it would rob us of what we love our Grief for any thing is because it hath deprived us of what we love And according to the measure of our Love is the measure of our other Affections an intense Love unto any thing makes our Hatred of its contrary equally intense and so for the other Affections In our original Creation our Love was rightly placed upon God the only deserver of our Love and our Love was rightly qualified it was a most intense Love The Law and Command of God Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy might was but the Copy of that Law that was written in our Nature And our Love thus rightly placed and rightly qualified did tutor all the rest of our Passions and Affections both in their objects and degrees It taught us to hate Sin and that with a perfect hatred because contrary to the Mind of that God whom we did perfectly love and it taught us to hate nothing else but Sin because nothing but that had a contrariety unto God. But when we fell our Love lost its object and all the Affections thereby became misplaced and disordered And though we lost the object of this Affection yet we lost not the Affection it self our Love therefore having lost his guide wanders after something else and takes up our selves and makes that the object of our Love. But as our Love is misplaced in respect of its object so it mistakes in its pursuit of that object no Man can truly love himself that doth not truly love God because the true effect of Love is to do all the Good it can to the thing it loves Now the chiefest Good to our selves is only our Conformity unto God's Will and consequently our Love to him wherein consists our Happiness But it is no marvel that having forsaken the true object of our Love and chosen our selves to be that object we are likewise mistaken in the seeking of our own Good Rom. 1.26 Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator For this cause God gave them up to vile affections Now every man that terminates his Love upon himself serves and worships himself And now that order which God planted being broken it is no wonder that all confusion and disorder falls among our Affections And now our Love being misplaced all the rest of our Affections are likewise misplaced and out of order Now the right frame of our Love and consequently the corruption of it consists in three things 1. In the ultimate Object of our Love it ought to be settled upon God and upon him only 2. In the Order of our Love it ought to be set upon God and upon him first and all other things may be loved but yet in him and after him 3. In the Degree of our Love our chiefest and most intense Love must be set upon God and upon him only And these are most rational and natural Conclusions as appears before Now the Old Man in our Affections consists in the absence and deprivation of this Order that God hath set 1. The deprivation of the first when either we love not God at all or which is all one when we make him not the Ultimate Object of our Love but love him meerly in reference to our selves the consequence whereof is that if God be not in all things subservient to those things we conceive most conducible to our own good we disobey him we murmure against him we blaspheme him we hate him If the basest Lust Pleasure Content come in competition with his Command it shall conquer it because we have made our selves our Ultimate and Chief End and therefore shall certainly prefer any thing that we think most conducible to this End. And certainly he that makes himself his Ultimate End and the chief object of his Love cannot chuse but fail in
the love of God in Christ continuing towards us notwithstanding our many Injuries This fills the Heart with Sorrow and Wonder and puts the Soul upon a flat Resolution never to sin against so great Love. This was that sorrow that pricked the Jews to the heart and brought in Repentance for remission of sins Acts 2.37 38. Acts 3.19 that Sorrow that worketh Repentance unto Salvation 2 Cor. 2.10 And though sometimes Christ appear unto the Soul without a Baptist and the light of the Love of God discovers the irregularity and filthiness of our former ways and tempers yet the usual method of his Grace and Providence is to baptize with the Baptism of John and after with the Baptism of Christ Acts 19.5 The love of God being most naturally welcome and operative when the Soul hath before taken a just survey of his Condition without the sight of that love But his ways are unsearchable and past finding out And this Evangelical Repentance viz. our sorrow for our past Offences and our purpose of better Obedience is not only the Act of our first Conversion unto God but is to be our continual Exercise there is a continual adherence of our flesh and sin unto us and notwithstanding the bent and frame of the Soul be changed yet there are continual Renewed Offences which though God is pleased not to impute yet as they are contrary to that Life in the Soul and therefore will be opposed by that Life so they are still naturally our own and therefore must and will be repented of and sorrowed for For a Soul once truly affected with the Love of God would willingly have his whole Man and Life and Thoughts and World conformable to the Will of God and therefore every strugling cannot chuse but cause sorrow and gather up the strength of the Soul for the future against it For the sins of the very Members of Christ though by his Righteousness and Satisfaction they have lost their power to condemn being his by imputation yet they are sins still and therefore objects of our opposition and ours in reality and therefore objects of our Sorrow and Repentance and by how much the more they have our consent by so much the more they are sins and ours And as it is the Power and Grace of Christ that subdues the Dominion and prevailing of Sin so this Grace doth work by setting the operations and affections of the Soul against it especially in our Sorrow and Repentance Our Repentance after Conversion is nothing else but the strugling of the Life of Christ to work out that poyson of sin which is contrary unto it and doth weaken it and would destroy it 1 John 3.9 For his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God. CHAP. XV. Of Mortification and the Means thereof and 1. Of Meditation 2. WHERE Repentance ends viz. in the purpose of forsaking the ways of Death there Mortification begins and is nothing else but the Execution of those Purposes of the Soul which are wrought by Repentance by the use of all such Means as may for the future weaken the power of sin in the Soul. This is that which our Saviour calls putting out the right Eye and cutting off the right Hand crucifying the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Galat. 5.24 Mortifying the earthly Members Colos 3.5 Denying a Man's self taking up the Cross Matt. 16.24 Dying daily 1 Cor. 15.31 The World crucified to a Man and a Man to the World Galat. 6.14 Putting off the body of the sins of the Flesh Colos 2.11 The body of sin destroyed Rom. 6.6 Mortification therefore is nothing else but the daily practice of opposition against Sin especially such as we are most inclined to and that by such Means as are reasonably conducing to it These Means according to the several tempers both spiritual and natural are more or less effectual I shall divide them into these degrees 1. Supernatural Helps 2. Moral or Rational Helps 3. Natural Helps 1. Supernatural They are rational Means but fixt upon supernatural objects and discovered by supernatural Light for it will most clearly appear that these very Helps which we call Supernatural are most rationally effectual against it Meditation and Prayer 1. Meditation and serious and deep Consideration of the Word of God and the Truths therein revealed but especially of these ensuing 1. A deep Meditation of the Love of God whom I must needs offend in every sin And this is the most powerful Consideration in the World to mortifie any sin and that is the reason why where there is the truest and highest manifestation of the Love of God to the Soul there is the highest Purity because there is the highest Preservative against Sin for it must needs be clear that where there is the highest manifestation of the Love of God to the Soul there is the highest Love again to God and consequently the most absolute dominion over sin for as the Love of God is the cause of our Love to him 1 John 4.19 so according to the measure of the manifestation of the Love of God to the Soul is the measure of the Love of the Soul to God again and consequently of the hatred of sin And he that often and deeply considers of the Love of God must even rationally improve the sense of it to his Soul and consequently his Love to God again and his abhorrence of Sin. When a Man shall take such Considerations as these into him God hath commanded me to abstain from this or that sin whereunto it may be my Nature my Custom my Temptation inclines me The competition is between my Pleasure my Pride my Profit and my Lord he that gave me a Being he that hath given me all the Comforts of my Being he that might justly have taken me away to judgment in the midst of my sin but he hath spared me and waited upon me that he might though I were righteous make me a vessel of misery he that hath invited perswaded intreated me to return unto him for my own good that when I would not I could not return unto him hath sent his Son to fetch me to redeem me with the greatest Price that ever the World heard of Behold what manner of love 1 John 3.1 And shall I can I make so ill a return to entertain his Enemy the only object of his displeasure that will ruine me before my Lord that hath infinitely out-done my highest speculations for me Certainly the sense of the Love of God is either not at all or not awake when any Man considerately commits any the least sin against his Conscience It were no less than for a Man to return despight against the Love of God and as much as in us lies to disappoint his very End and Purpose in sending of Christ who therefore gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works 2. A serious
Consideratiun of the great and high Hope to which we are restored by the purchace of Christ and the great Incongruity that there is between continuing in Sin and that Hope We expect to be brought to an innumerable company of Angels to the Assembly of the first born to the Spirits of just Men made perfect to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant to God the Judge of all Heb. 12.22 c. to be make like unto the Son of God and to be partakers of his Sonship and Inheritance 1 John 3.2 To partake of his Spirit to see the brightness of the glory of God in Christ now all these are holy how unsuitable a thing is it for a Man that hath his Hope not to purifie himself even as he is pure 1 John 3.3 This will teach a Man to bespeak his Heart thus Is the Presence of God thy Hope he is the Holy Holy Holy Lord that is of purer Eyes than to behold or to be beholden by any unclean thing If therefore thou commit Sin thou livest below thy Hope either therefore let thy Hope be answerable to thy Life or thy Life to thy Hope 3. A serious Consideration of the Presence of the Great and Just and Powerful God his Eyes run to and fro through the Earth to behold the Evil and the Good 2 Chron. 16.9 He is acquainted with all my ways Psal 139.3 His Eyes are upon all the ways of the Children of Men Jer. 32.19 The Hearts of Men Prov. 15.11 and all things are naked and manifest before him with whom we have to do And darest thou sin before the face of thy Judge who sees thee and whose Power or Justice thou canst not escape this is so great a Controll that were it soundly and deeply considered it would stifle even the first motions of sin and therefore it is the great work of our own wicked Heart either to gull themselves into a perswasion that God sees not Job 22.13 or else in plain English to forbid him their Hearts they say to God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 22.14 4. A deep Consideration of the Nature and Consequences of Sin It is a Violation of a Righteous and Just Law the Law of a Just and Righteous God a Law the conformity whereunto is the Perfection and Blessedness of the Creature By this sin I lose my Communion with my Creator and consequently Peace within my self whiles I commit it my fruition is but short and mingled with Fear because the end of it Death is in some degree present with my Soul and sowers that transitory Content which I enjoy in it and when it is finished it brings forth Sorrow and Shame and Death and if that Sorrow end in Repentance yet the bitterness of that Sorrow overweighs the Pleasure that I had in its commission and according to the measure of the delight I had in my sin so and much more is the measure of my sorrow in repenting and yet for all this that Peace which I had formerly with my God and my Conscience very hardly recovered and God though he pardons my sin yet either not at all or not suddenly trusting me with that measure of Communion with him which I formerly enjoyed and abused But if the sorrow of Repentance wait not upon my sin a worse sorrow attends it the sin is past and so is the contentment but the storm that attends it is Everlasting the loss of the light of God's love the loss of an Eternal weight of Glory the terrible appearance of an angry God cloathed with as much Terror as Justice provoked Patience abused and Mercy contemned by a most indebted Creature can assume And this Terror shaken into the most tender and sensible parts of the Soul by the hand of Omnipotence it self and that unto all Eternity when my Life shall be full of nothing but the preapprehensions of my future misery my death the terrible inexorable and inevitable passage to it Shall I then so madly prize the satisfying of a base a perishing Lust for a season thus throw away my God my Happiness my self when the thing it self is so base and transitory and the wages so sad and dismal It shall be my care to avoid to subdue to crucifie that which as it cannot satisfie so it will certainly torment and ruine me And since I find my Lusts to be so easily actuated into Sin by every Temptation I shall by the Grace of God as avoid the latter so keep a strict hand over the former and it shall be my hourly care to ransack and examine and search my Heart what is moulding there and to cleanse and wash it from its pollutions or at least to mingle my Tears and Sorrows with them that so they may be weary of my Heart or my Heart of them But Lord Who understandeth the errors of his life Cleanse thou me from my secret sins and keep thy servant from presumptuous sins Psal 19.12 5. Frequent Considerations of the Shortness of Life the Lord hath given me a great Work to do to work out my salvation with fear and trembling and the Time wherein I have to do it is in this Life and that but a short and an uncertain Life the great Enemies to my Soul are the Lusts of my Flesh and of my Mind which fight against my Soul If the work be not done in my Life-time the Door is shut and who knows whether this or that Sin which I am now about to commit may not be concluded with my Life and then in what a case am I how shall I appear before the Holy and Eternal God with the stain of that sin upon me or if he prolong my days yet who knows whether he will not seal up my Soul with impenitency If my Lust prevail upon me now it gathers strength and vexeth that Spirit which must only enable me for the future to repent and resist it and if I get the Victory over the contestations of the Spirit of God my Conquest ends in my own Misery and Slavery It may be I have over-matched and stifled the Perswasions of the Spirit of God of that Lighit which he hath set up in my Conscience that did sting me in the midst of my Cariere after my Lusts and mingled them with bitterness to my discontent and now I pursue my Desires without interruption yet when I remember that Death is at my heels and will overtake me before I can overtake my Contentment in the things I pursue that if I over-live a sudden unexpected Death yet the Harbingers of Death Sickness or Age cannot be far off and either of these as they will take off the edge of my Pursuit and fruitions of my Lusts and render them insipid so they will thereby give leisure and opportunity to me to cast up the Accounts of my past Life and find therein nothing but Vanity and Unprofitableness Time that might have been improved to Eternity irrecoverably
thou shalt glorifie me When Man begins to forget his Dependance upon God he leaves him to himself and being out of his way some trouble or other meets him and then he sees he was out of his way and returns to his Dependance again prays to God. Our Prayers are not of themselves effectual but it was the bounty and good pleasure of God to give unto his Creature all suitable good whiles he is in such a Station and Condition as he requires of him That Station for a Man is a continual actual Dependance upon God which can never be without a suitable Conformity of the whole Soul to his Will. Now when the Heart is in such a frame of Dependency it actually exerciseth it in Prayer he strengthens as well as evidenceth his Dependance and draweth himself nearer to God thereby and so nearer to Blessing Now in reference to this particular viz. How Prayer becomes a means of our Mortification of those irregularities in our Soul and Affections it is upon a double ground 1. Because thereby the Soul draws near unto God and so is lifted in some degree into that frame and temper and place and station which is proper for it and so gets above those Lusts and Distempers which hang about him The very vicinity to that pure fire and light cannot consist with the fellowship of those impure Angels of darkness and impurity and so either dissolves them or at least scatters and affrights them Hence Prayer is expressed by lifting up the Soul unto God Psal 25.1 by coming into his presence Psal 95.2 by drawing near unto God James 4.8 an access to the throne of Grace As when Adam had first departed from God by sin he after hid himself from the presence of God Gen. 3.8 and thereby as much as in him was put himself out of a possibility of recovery so when a Man again brings his Soul into the presence of God as an access and power is now given by Christ by that very approaching unto God he gets mastery of those Lusts that did formerly drive him and as much as they could keep him from God. And this was the very way of Perfection that God himself taught Abraham Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou perfect And though the whole Conversation of a Christian Man ought to be in the presence of God and to measure all his thoughts and actions by their comeliness or uncomeliness in his sight yet Prayer is a more special purposed concentring of the Soul to that Business And though God knows when we come down from the Mount again oftentimes those Lusts meet with us and renew acquaintance with us which we left behind when we went about this serious Business so that though we have ended the Solemnity we have yet a continual use of the Duty yet a frequent a solemn and serious use of this Duty interrupts a custom of sin by degrees weakens the Old Man and will in time make a strangeness between our Lusts and our Souls And let a Man be sure of these two truths That as he that comes upon his Knees with a secret Purpose to hold confederacy with any sin he shall be the worse the more hardned the more neglected by that God which searcheth the Heart If I regard iniquity in my Heart thou wilt not hear my Prayer so whosoever he be that comes to his Maker in the integrity of his Heart though sin adhere as close to that Heart of his as his Skin doth to his Flesh shall find that imployment will make those Lusts that were most dear unto him by degrees to become strange and loose unto his Soul. 2. But there is not only an active and natural efficacy in the Duty it self but which is more when a Man draws near to God God draws near to him James 4.8 As the Grace and Spirit of God that sets thy Heart to Prayer gives out more of his strength and Grace unto thee when thou hast prayed Thus the Goodness of the infinite and eternal God moves in a Circle to the Soul 2 Cor. 12.9 My Grace is sufficient for thee There is not only a strength gotten against our Corruptions by our Approximation to him but an Emanation of Virtue Power and Spirit from him whereby to master and consume them How much more will your heavenly Father give your Spirit to them that ask it Luke 11.13 Vphold me with thy free Spirit Psal 51.12 This is that Spirit by which the deeds of the Flesh are mortified Rom. 8.13 the Spirit of Life that gives freedom from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 It is the Scepter of the Kingdom of God in the Soul whereby he rules in the midst of his Enemies Psal 110.2 And where this Spirit is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 CHAP. XVIII Of Watchfulness and first in respect of God. 3. WATCHFVLNESS And the Object of our Watchfulness is 1. God. 2. Our own selves 3. Temptations 1. For the first our watching concerning God 1. Watch for the Coming of thy Saviour either in the general or thy own particular Judgement for ye know not when the master of the house comes lest coming suddenly he find thee sleeping Mark 13.35 Consider what a terrible thing it will be if Death or Judgement should find thee in a practice of any purposed Sin and thou knowest not whether thy time of Death shall be in the Evening Midnight or at Cock-crow or in the Morning for it comes like a Thief in the Night 2. Watch the Word of God It is that Lanthorn to our Feet that Pillar of Fire which is to go before us in our Voyage through this Wilderness Take heed thou lose not this Light or leave it for then thou shalt wander in darkness 2 Pet. 1.19 This Light will shew thee the mind of thy Creator it will instruct thee what to do in points of difficulty and danger it will shew thee thy self and the constitution and temper of thy Soul and how the greatest matter of concernment to thee in the World stands even the condition of thy own Soul with God it will interpret and unriddle unto thee those various Dispensations and Administrations of things in the World it hath Principles of so high and powerful a Conviction that it will master the disorders of thy Soul beyond the most rigid Dictates Contemplations and Disciplines of the most sublimated Philosophy 2 Tim. 3.17 A Doctrine of Perfection 3. Watch the Presence of God and see that thy Thoughts Words and Actions are beseeming his Presence for all things are naked and manifest before him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 and remember we cannot flie or hide our selves from his Presence Psal 139.7 that the Hearts of the Children of Men are before him Prov. 15.11 that he weighs the Spirits Prov. 16.2 That his Eyes are in every place beholding the Evil and the Good Prov. 15.3 that he pondereth Man's goings Prov. 5.21 Job 34.21 Jer. 32.19 Jer. 16.17 that
thee not to a course in sin or to a death in sin but gives thee a Cordial which though it puts thee to pain preserves thy Life that though thou like a foolish misguided Sheep art stragling thou knowest not whither yet seeks thee and finds thee and reduceth thee that though thou canst so easily forget him yet he doth not forget thee and when all is done is contented to accept of that Repentance and that Sorrow which he himself gives thee and washes away thy Spot by his own Blood and looks upon thee with no less Tenderness and Love and Compassion and Goodness than if thou hadst never gone aside Ever blessed be thy Name O merciful Lord God that hast redeemed us from everlasting Death and yet when we daily endanger our selves dost rescue us by thy Grace that when we sin thou art pleased not to cast us off but fetchest us in by Repentance and when we repent art pleased not to reject us nor upbraid us with our former Falls but accept us to Pardon and Favour and blottest out our iniquities for thy great Names sake But let not thy Servants return any more to folly Amen CHAP. XXVIII Of the Parts of Sanctification and 1. In reference to our selves Sobriety THE fourth thing considerable are the Parts of that Sanctification which is required of us Sanctification is the Conformity of the whole Man to the Will of God concerning Man concerning his Life and Conversation And that Will of God respecteth three Objects Himself our Neighbour and our Selves And accordingly the Duties which lie upon us in reference to these three are shortly summed up by the Apostle Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodless and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world We have there the Old Man that we are to put off Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts cast by S. John into these three Ranks the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eyes and Pride of Life 1 John 2.16 whereof before And we have that New Man Ephes 4.24 distributed into two parts Righteousness and true Holiness and here into three parts viz. Sobriety towards our selves Righteousness towards others and Godliness towards God the two latter come distinctly under the Commands of the first and second Table of the Decalogue as those Commands receive their true and spiritual interpretation by Christ the former though virtually it be therein included yet it is not expresly and directly 1. In reference to our selves Sobriety This refers either to our Judgment or Estimation of our selves or to the motions and inclinations of our sensual Appetites 1. Sobriety in our Judgments which is nothing else but a just and true Estimate of our selves Rom. 12.3 Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly c. Man doth naturally inordinately love himself and that love to himself doth mislead and inhance a Man's opinion of himself even by those things that are meerly extrinsecal to him he thinks the better of himself by reason of his Wealth though that be a thing distinct from him by Nature and easily by any casualty severed from him or by reason of Esteem or Honour though that is such an accession as depends meerly upon the Will of another for if I withdraw that honour or respect which I give to a Man he is no longer honourable to me and as I may do it so may any and so may all and then he wholly ceaseth to be what he thought he was And much more Men are apt to have a high opinion of themselves in respect of that which seems most their own as Strength Beauty Elocution Wit Knowledge and the more intimate the Perfection is unto him that hath it the harder it is for that Man to be brought to that due estimation that he should have of himself that very Knowledge which must be the ground of bringing him to a right estimation of himself is ready to puff him up and that concretion that ariseth from the over-estimation of a Man's self and from his reflection upon that over-estimation is Pride and from this Pride arise those other distempers of the inward and outward Man a proud look despising the weaker or inferiour Arrogance lofty and haughty Speech Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babylon c. Psal 73.9 They set their mouth against Heaven and their tongue walketh through the earth Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord c. a placing of a Man's self in God's room and deifying himself implacableness with any thing that checketh the full Fruition of his own Glory though it seems never so inconsiderable the want of a Bowe from Mordecai makes Haman sick of anger and discontent Esther 3.7.5.13 and thus Pride is the foundation of Contention Prov. 13.10 because it cannot endure the competition of any thing that may allay the tumor the foundation of envy delight in flattery to feed and stroak that foolish Humour excess in Stateliness Distance Apparel singularity and the like All which are the Children of this Vanity Now as this proceeds much from the mistake of our Judgment or the want of the Exercise of it so on the other side when the judgment concerning a Mans self is rectified it produceth a clean contrary effect in the Soul the Man was mad before out of his Wits and his Carriage and Deportment was answerable thereunto but now by this right understanding himself he is sober in his right Senses and a sutable Deportment riseth thereupon he looks upon his Wealth as a thing that is lent him deposited with him only as a Steward not as an Owner as that which is uncertain vanishing subject to be easily translated from him to another as that which is external to him which he may have and be a Fool or a Man under a Curse as that which will one day inhance his Account not ease his Conscience as that which he may not it may be keep whilst he lives and is sure to lose when he dies as that which may be his snare his Temptation cannot be his Felicity as that which though never so excessive gives no greater a Priviledge than it gives his Servant that eats of it but only the bare Name of being his own He looks upon his Esteem Reputation and Honour in the World as that which meerly depends upon his inferiors Benevolence which thy may withdraw when they please as that which is external also to him may make him an Object of more Envy Danger and insecurity that ingageth to a great deal of vigilance to preserve it and is often lost without desert and yet the Man is the same He looks upon his Power and Authority as a thing that is not in himself but meerly in the Contribution of the strength of others or their voluntary denying it to themselves by a resolution of Non-resistance as that which makes no real Accession