to know the meer common sins which everie one may read in great letters running and through eas seek no further becaus indeed knowledg in not their aim but their policie to avoid the shame of gross ignorance 6. Self-love by which hee is loath to bee informed in truths his partialitie and subtiltie which suffer's him not to bear such truths as are like to oppose his personal pretious and beloved evils whereby hee is loath to hear of any sins save other mens not his own 7. Errors of our own conceit of sound righteousness to wit that wee have served God well both in shunning of sin or doing dutie when wee have been drawn to it onely by forrein compulsion or outward occasions The Law enlighten's us in the discerning actual sins both in themselvs and in their Penalties 1. In themselvs sundry waies 1. By her authoritie in commanding setting up herself in the conscience the most privie chamber of the Soul this no law of man can do 2. By her harmonie consent and coherence this no man can see except enlightned Jam. 2. 10. bee that break 's one is culpable of all As hee that break 's one Link of a golden chain breake 's the coherence As hee that break 's his neighbors fence trespasse's him as well as if hee ranged over all his ground because the bond is broken 3. By her royaltie That as a King is not prescribed against by the qualitie of any Subject offending why hee may not hold him guiltie So in this no person is accepted of God in this kinde This royal law is impartial it will shew a Queen her sports as well as a poor woman 4. By her integritie and soundness that is it open's sin to the soul in one kinde as well as the other Such is the corruption of Adam that it will suffer much of the bodie of sin to vanish in the survey But where God enlighten's hee discover's sin in all her sexes male and female strong and weak remembred and forgotten ignorance and knowledg in a word one and other for want of which many a Soul never com's to the bar of God's conviction This rule shew's the difference of these First sins of Omission are passings by and balking of som dutie behooving to bee don whether against or without knowledg Secondly sins of Commission are actual doings of som evill in thought word and deed against the revealed will of God whether wee bee convinced or not convinced convinced thereof to bee sin as to work upon the Sabbath to speak vainly to nourish base thoughes Thirdly sins of Knowledg are transgressions of the Law of God against a mans conscience and the check of it whether greater or smaller as when Shimei paised Jordan against his own covenant or when a man goeth against his own light Sins of Ignorance are when a man transgresseth but yet not knowing his sin to bee sin as Abimelech coveting of Sarah Paul's persecuteing the Church 4. Sins of weakness or Presumption differ onely from sins of knowledg in the intention of him that sinneth Not each sin of knowledg amounteth to a sin of presumption though all presumption must need 's bee a sin against knowledg Sin of presumption then is a sin of knowledg committed with an high hand Sin of weakness is a sinning against such knowledg as yet is prevented in her work through accident as either inabilitie of grace to stick to knowledg or through timerousness and fear although dalliance and wantonness bee absent and though conscience bee present to accuse 5ly Sins of presumption it self are not all one for som are onely presumptuous in act as David's adulterie and murther others are total when a man is totally and finally carried in a presumptuous stream of habited sinning This trencheth most horribly against the patience and long-suffering of Grace it self and commonly drawe's impenitencie of spirit upon it self which cannot repent when it would 6ly A just fruit of this dalliance with grace habitually is that total and final Desertion of God's spirit giveing over the presumptuous heart to such a sinning against grace as at last despiteth that grace which it hath so long slighted as the Gnat which burneth it self in the candle and this is called sinning against the holy Ghost differing from habited Presumption in this That in that a man sinneth against the grace of the Spirit but in this a man despiteth the Spirit of Grace it self 5. By her extent it is a great piece of the light of the law to extend it self in the soul to all parts and degrees of sin 1. in her Spiritualness teaching us not to rest onely in open gross moral offences but to go to spiritual wickedness 2. In her inquisition and search it dare and can go to any part of the whole man and fetch out any poyson out of any corner 3. in her aggravateing power whereby shee inlarge's sin by her circumstances causing it thereby to seem the more odious and setting the wors colors upon it as becaus such a person committed it a publick man against such light when hee needed not from meer malignitie of Spirit in the mid'st of blessings against mercie gospel vowes covenant c. 4 in her puritie the law doth not go tell the Soul of each sin but set's the mirror of God's pureness before her that shee may according thereto discern and judg of sin good and bad true and evil These are helps to serv the work of the law in convinceing not to forestall the work of the Spirit she more sound light the soul hath the better Howbeit God is free to work in what way and measure hâ—e pleas II. The law discover's sin by the Penalties The Lord take's away all distinction of venial and mortal sin from a man present's himself to him in his full justice of revenging all sin without exception tell 's the Soul deferring of punishment is no remoovall of it that all sins deserv all punishments that the least cost the Lord Jesus his blood and hee that beleev's it not shall pay for it in hell there is no lying hid from God's eye no shift or evasion besides faith and repentance The Lord discover's Original sin to the soul many waies 1. By the special terms of his Word the Lord is in no one thing so emphatical as in the names hee give 's to this poyson Hee call's it the old man the flesh lust concupiscence the law of the members the law of sin reigning in the members the bodie of death and the like 2. By comparison For when the Soul hath had the view of actual sins before as most irksom and now com's to see greater abominations then these as the Lord tell 's Ezek. Chap. 8. 15. Oh! how out of meature sinful seem's it to the soul how doth shee crie out miserable man for mark thus shee speak's although actual sins were enough to sink mee into miserie yet I see they were but evil in respect of their part
the soul they so consent that to bee parted from their filthie fellowship is even death to them both sin incorporateing herself into the soul that shee is as one with them that it is as easie for Sampson to part with Dalilah as these to bee sundred here therefore as both band in evill so do they conspire against all the lawes of God it is as eastie to rob a Bear of her whelps as these of her sinfull pleasures The Minister is to such as the Marshall in London is to Harlots an ey-sore a reproach a common wonderment This is the first rebellion in the unconvinced This is not here mean't 2. The second is Penal a fruit of this onely encreased by the just wrath of God upon the rebells whose chaines the Lord make's stronger Esay 28. 22. by how much the more they kick against the pricks I say when the Lord penally smite's them and suffer's them to encreas and fulfil the measure of their lusts to grow frozen in these dregs desperate in their lusts so that they finde no place of repenting See these texts Mat 23 32. 34. Act. 14 19. Act. 28. 27. Neither is this meant here 3. The third is mixt When rebellion is allayed with terror of conscience and not permitted to her self as wee know a thief in hold is one thing and at libertie is another This mixt terror is the accidental work of the Law working corruption to a rebellion and resistance that sin might bee odious and the soul more humbled To apply then the distinction I answer This objection hinder's not this truth That the proper work of the law is to cast down and embondage the guiltie soul Qu. How a troubled Conscience privie to much reviveing of corruption may discern that it cometh not from herself but from sin Ans This may bee discerned easily by many marks First from the work of the law that hath separated her from sin and that amitie which was between her and it This is no hard matter to prove if once the soul can say her old lusts and shee are divided by the law's terror How can shee then think that shee should rebell against the good law for working that which shee is glad of 2. It will will appear by this that whereas true rebellion must com from a free will and principle of the agent but that cannot bee conscience nor herself becaus shee is convinced by an over-ruleing law which hath killed her freedon therefore this rebellion is from sin 3. By this that rebellion where it is unconvinced doth not onely fret in respect of somwhat shee is denied but also at that which crosseth her for it self But in this legal rebellion when the soul is in chaines the scope of this is as much in respect of that which is denied as at the law simply 4. Trie it by this when rebellion com's from the soul it encrease's ordinarily but when from sin it decrease's becaus the Lord more and more weaken's her by terror of conscience Vse I. Let us from hence conceiv the woful estate of a wretch ere the law com's in terror to him hee and his sin are in a cursed league and commit hideous villanie together As Simeon and Levi sworn brethren My soul com no more into her counsel and consent how much better is the Law 's little-eas then such Libertie of hell Vse II. Let this teach God's Ministers of the law to plie their tools God hath put a weapon into their hand able if well urged to separate even sin and the soul do not suffer this law to perish for lack of execution Vse III. It confut'es the world's aspersion upon the powerfull ministerie of the Law they call it debate and raising up strife as I said but oh yee lyars wee do not envie your neighborly peace nor lawful consent but your close league in your lusts wee would divide you and your concupiscence that God might rule by that division whom yee barred out by your consent Vse IV. Beware of all such as nourish rebellion against the Law in the point of her holy pureness if this rebellion here bee odious under terror what is rebellion of sin and conscience jointly I mean wilful and wicked Beseech the Lord to use any means rather then such rebellion should be nourished in thee oh beg of God rather hee would divide thy sin and thee by the hardest courses then thou shouldest rebel against the Word for doing her office Cleer the Law and say it is holie I am the slave that is sold under sin Vse V. Let it bee exhortation to all such as God hath thus humbled to bless him that hee hath chosen to tame the soul by terror and stirring up of rebellion rather then to leav it to it self And let such bee comforted in all their fears of their own rebellious hearts against the Law of GOD that the rebellions committed under terror are none of hers but sin's work within her which shee abhor's Vse VI. Mean while let all such comfort themselvs in their rebellions of sin they are marks of Good signs of the battering of Satan's and sin's kingdom Sin would never so rage if shee were at as good peace as formerly Beware of closeing the second time with this harlot Beseech the Lord to nourish terro though it bee not grace yet it is a seed of it pray him for a time rather to quash rebellion then to suffer rebellion to destroy it And bee of good chear the Lord doth all this for good When hee hath cooled and rooted out rebellion hee will after a while root out terror also and in due time bring thy soul out of all her adversitie turning both into a sight of the promise and hope of the remedie And thus much for the use of this point and objection from rebellion The general use of the former point of Terror Vse I. It may teach us to esteem duly of sin according to her foul nature For must it not bee a foul odious thing which should bring in such confusion as to turn the law of God which was given for comfort of conscience and rule of life to becom the greatest terror and matter of vexation Vse II. To discover what sin is in her kinde when shee may act herself upon her own stage of ignorance Shee is an hideous monster Vse III. To all who would bee truly moulded by the truth thereof in the fear of God to look to themselvs and take in kindely and readily this point of the sword into the bosom of their soul that this spear may let out the water and blood of it I mean that quiet jollie and secure heart in sin which hold's it as with cords to bee content to bee slain and to go into captivitie Abhor then first to stand out in rebellion put up thy weapons and fight not against God whose naked arm is against thee Abhor secondly a dead blockish and sensual heart not affected nor moved with this voice
of Christ as flesh reckoned to his Divinitie made an equal satisfaction to God's offended Majestie The influence and valor of the divine nature assisting the humane for the fulfilling of the merit for if the Suretie fail in any point his undertakeing is uneffectual The Mediator then beeing to mediate between God and Man must needs bee God 1. In respect of those evils hee was to expiate as sin and uncleanness 2. those enemies hee was to vanquish as Satan death and wrath 3. Those good things hee was too purchase eternal righteousness the image of God and glorie hereafter in the presence of God Vsn I. Let this teach us to adore the Mysterie of the Godhead of Christ that wee rest in no inferior object whatsoever the world can affoard us But remember hee is God blessed above all and hath merited by his glorious power a glorious deliverance for his Church from death to eternal life Vse II. This affoard's us a notable ground of understanding a real difference of the persons in Trinitie God the Father send 's God the Son into the world to save it by the power of God the holie Ghost conveying and sealeing his merit to the Soul of the Elect. Now except there bee admitted a real distinction of the persons in Trinitie how shall one and the same God for beeing bee the partie satisfying and satisfied Vse III. Of Exhortation to all that are loaden with their sin desireing eas to com to this second well-spring of salvation and to drink water of life freely from it that is believ it for themselvs Especially let this beat down self in us in the matter of our conversion What should wee bring to God for our Redemption can wee bring any light to the Sun or drop to the Ocean all fulness is his hee must do all for and in us before and in conversion Again let us lay hold on Jesus Christ who hath satisfied God and taken away wrath Let this give a beeing and bottom of truth to all the promises of God in our soul And let us draw neer with confidence to the God of promises and comfort our heavie heart in the view of the hainous circumstances of her sin makeing it out of measure sinful Bee not dismaid hee that is thy Suretie made not thy peace for small and som but all and the greatest so that thy thought must bee how to receiv this fulness not for the greatness of this sin III Branch The Personal Vnion Union of both Natures into one Person by the unconceiveable work of the Spirit it 's much that Soul and Bodie but much more that Flesh and the Word should bee really in one Person The person of the Word took the nature of flesh therein to subsist It is called Personal Union to distinguish it from other Unions in Christ and all other Unions whatsoever In Christ there is a well-spring of Unions but no personal Union in them The Union of Christs Godhead with the Father and the Spirit is Essential with his invisible Church Spiritual and Mystical with Water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper Sacramental In other Unions the things united are One either by bare notional apprehensions as things understood by the fancie or els One by compounding as when of three or four drugs is made one med'cine or els by mixture and confusion as when Water and Wine are made one substance or els by Divine institution as when man and wife are made one flesh none of these are personal Unions But Personal Vnion is such an one as whereby both natures so retain their distinct properties unconfounded that yet they remain indissolubly united in the person without the least seqaration no not at death in the grave Vse I. This teache's us to conceiv aright of the person of Christ wee must com to God in and by the flesh of the Son the second person The equal tearm and object must bee the personal Union i e. the Manhood must as truly bee praied unto and adored as the Godhead Vse II. It teache's us a difference between the subsisting of Christs flesh and all other subsistings wee subsist in the union of bodie and soul which two make one and the same person but the manhood of Christ is no person or subsistence by union of soul and bodie but by assumeing the nature of man into the person of the Son of God so that the flesh hath no subsisting at all save in the upholding power of the Godhead as the plant Misselto hath no root of its own to subsist in but subsist's in another tree Vse III. To encourage the soul that is afraid to draw neer to God for reconciliation and mercie in Christ becaus of the estrangement of it self from God by loss of image Lo the Lord is willing to unite himself unto thee poor soul in his Son by vertue of his union with thy fearful frail nature For by this union he hath purchased a spiritual union between himself and the sinful soul How singular an encouragemement then should this be to a poor soul to fasten on the promise when hee see 's it assisted by this all-sufficient merit issuing from the union of both natures both suffering and meriting Quest What is the Vnction of Christ Answ It is a consequent upon this personal union whereby the Godhead made the Manhood full of himself and of all gifts and graces of the spirit meet to enable him to his work of mediation and by name separated him from men to bee excellent as to bee the Prophet Priest and King of his Church Hee was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliver his people I. Vnction of Priesthood The Uuction of Priesthood is the chief part of the Unction of Christ becaus by vertue of that office hee performed the great work of satisfaction Two things are to bee considered in this Annointing of Christ our Priest 1. The peculiarness 2. The furniture of gifts For the first although there were many things in the ordinarie Priesthood of Aaron which resembled Christ for the general yet becaus there were many things verie different therefore the holie Ghost set's him forth by the type of Melchisedeck's Priesthood For as hee was without beginning and end in his storie so was Christ not as Aaron mortal mutable sinful Secondly the Furniture which this Unction filled the Lord JESUS our high-Priest withall and that without measure For as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so all the communicable gifts and excellencies thereof dwelt in him Eminent wisdom rightousness humilitie unblameablenes holiness separation from sinners and all other graces but as I take it one fruit of his Unction was his peculiar fitness to satisfie That holie free consent of his to the will of his Father to do and suffer and fulfil all righteousness I say this absolute and unstained Obedience to go thorow all difficulties meekly long-sufferingly cheerfully