The difference Secondly The nature the effects and end of it Thirdly The extremitiâ—s or abuse of it Q What is the difference of it from the former legall workes A. The worke of enlightning casts out ignorance the worke of conuincing resists deadnesse and insensiblenesse But this third of consternation or terror resists that pride and iollity of a sinner ouerbearing himselfe and lifting vp himselfe in his sinne without checke or remorse And this latter is of all other the most proper worke of the Law to tame and beate downe the lofty heart of man setting vp a Law to it selfe to walke as it listeth without law or feare Q. What is the nature of it A. It is a presenting more or lesse of the wrath and penaâ—ties due â—o sin vnto the whole man by the conscience for the casting of it downe at the feete of God Marke these heads First It s a presenting for the dead bare letter of the ten Commandements cannot doe this by any magicall power No it s the worke of the Powerfull Ministery of the Law which can doe it The Lord who put the former gift or conuiction into it puts this also of subduing and casting downe into â—his Law Ministery Although in appearance it be weake yet God setting it on worke with the authority of his Spirit with power to carry his errand into the soule it shall be able without feare or flattery to doe it and to doe that which no Law of Princes can effect euen to flait and gaster the conscience Lawes of men are absent but this law is pâ—esented by God to the soule From him it first came and by him it was giuen in terror and earth quakes by strong Angels to master the proud heart of man and is still pronounced and presented to the same vpon the mount Ebal of the legall Ministery in the open assembly as it came therefore from God so it is supported in her power by God and serues for his vse in all places to arrest and cast downe all sinners and carry them to prison vnder sentence at the Iudges pleasure Secondly It doth present the wrath and penalties of sinne especially Till these come sinne is at peace Euen as while the Iudge is reading his Commission or giuing his charge or calling a Iury or hearing the crime debated but when the thiefe sees more that hee hath power to giue oath take euidence and verdict and pronounce sentence of death presenting the messengers of it to the eare the knife the hatchet the fire the halter then his courage comes downe The law in her Ministery is this voice of God and Iudge of a sinner Rom. 4.15 therefore called the Ministery of the letter the messenger of wrath the Law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2 Not of the wrath of a man against a man but of God against a sinner not able to kill the body but to cast body and soule into hell This law curseth from Gods mouth euery stale sinner soked in his lees Cursed be euery one that abides not in all things to doe them cursed from God be euery lyer swearer adulterer hypocrite worldling Desolation and destruction tribulation and anguish be vpon euery soule that sinnes high and low without baile or main prise and if God curse cursed they are and who shall blesse them It is no curse of a sinne vpon a sinner no Popes curse with booke bell and candle which yet made Kings to tremble and made them as blacke as soote in the opinion of fooles no not the curse of a father which may turne to a blessing as Iacobs did to Simeon and Leui but the curse of the eternall God whose wrath is the messenger of death and blasteth indeed wheresoeuer it lighteth and whatsoeuer resists it This wrath I say marke well in the penalties of it temporall spirituall and eternall the law presents to a sinfull soule Temporall in this life Leu. 26.24 2 Cor. 15.6 read Deut. 29. setting God against the soule in all hâ—r course walking contrary to her because she hath walked so to him vexing her withall aduersity and suffering nothing to goe currant either in one kinde or other marriage crosse children cursed state vntoward successe naught God against me in all Spirituall and farre worse penalties in the soule deserting it and leauing it to her owne impenitency security hardnesse obstinacy which is Gods curse vnder seale Lam. 3.65 as a Baylif holding vnder arrest euen till hell eternall at death euen a separation from the presence of God and a tormenting of it for euer in hell in the fulnesse of this wrath which indeed is the dying the death and yet neuer dead without hope ease or remedy Thirdly Ceazing vpon the whole man by the Conscience for as the law is the worker so the conscience is the immediate obiect of this wrath God hath made it the lawes obiect created it with a marueilous power of sensiblenesse aboue all parts to record and to apprehend all sin and wrath for it if God had not so ordeined it could neuer receiue into it selfe so infinite wrath of Gods Iustice as now it can It exceedes the apprehension of any the tendrest part when it s stung with an Adder scalt with water or boyling oyle burnt with fire cut with a sword the sence of conscience ceazed with this wrath of God is vnspeakeable and cannot be vttered by man it cannot enter into man that feeles it not to conceaue the sting and vexation of conscience being thus wounded for sinne in which it s differenced from all other consciences eitheâ— first Ignorant erroneous and superstitious conscience not fearing or fearing amisse Secondly defiled conscience dallying with God halfe conuinced and halfe whole hypocritically feeling God in some of his Law but preuailing by subtilty against the rest that so it might shunne the dint â—hereof Thirdly Seared and hardned conscience which by long rebellion and resistance of the Law hath got the mastry of the Law and is waxen senslesse and vselesse forgetting her office I say these are cursed neither shall they auoid the dint of this law at the length earlier or later their dog shall awake one day and howeuer they sleep yet 2 Pet. 2.6 Their damnation sleepes not Onely this conscience of which Salomon speakes Who can beare the load of it this wounded conscience differs from all these and is the obiect of the Law thus presenting wrath to it that by how much the more it seemes in worse case then the other three yet by this feeling of God she might in due time prooue better then the best of them And I say conscience is so the next obiect that yet the whole man thereby partakes of this wrath As Iob speakes of himselfe Thy feares are vpon mee day and night The arrowes of the Almighty stick fast in me Thou scarest mee with dreames and visions no rest in my flesh for thee And chap. 33. My bones clatter and stick out all dainty meat is
his deity alway in a manner restrained so that hee appeared not to bee that hee was to his dearest friends And therefore hee concealed his glory further then it made for the discharge of his Office of Mediator as a Prophet or a King for then hee stept out of his basenesse See Matth. 11.12 Luke 1â— 3â— Q. And what may bee said touching the Passion it selfe A. Somewhat touching the parcels of it and yet somewhat also touching the necessity of moderation For the parts first he endured the forsaking of his dearest Disciples to be taken by his owne seruant Iudas by his own special Officers at the hands of his own Deputies to suffer most intolerable indignities to be accused arraygned endited and sentenced as the vilest malefactor and that at the Gaole deliuery of felons and murtherers After that besides their barbarous spitting vpon buffeting mocking with a Robe Crowne of thornes and reeden Scepter to be put to that shamefull accursed death of the Crosse a death for such as not onely men compted villains but God himselfe in a sort held accursed To which adde the greatest of all both in the Garden and vpon the Crosse that most bitter Cup of wrath which hee dranke from the hand of his Father which made him in an agony of Spirit to sweat drops of blood to pray That the cup might passe from him from feare of drinking it and to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And so in that deep anguish of his Spirit to giue vp the Ghost all the Diuels in Hel banding themselues in that houre of darknesse to pull him from his stedfast confidence Q. What meane you by the moderation of it A. That in all this abasement yet that measure was impozed and no more which suted to the dignity of the person suffring and to such a one as in suffring merited and could not be ouer come by suffring Hence was it that hee had intermissions of his agony and feares so that he could goe to and fro to his Disciples to admonish them was vpholden in his sences vnderstanding memory affections in the midst of his dolours shewed his power and God-head euen then in the consternation of his enemies conuersion of the theef his loue and prouidence for his Mother and Disciple receâ—ved comfort by the Angels in the want of self-support was dispenced with as touching the measure of torments not being capable of those which reprobates in Hell suffer because they can neuer satisfie the Duration the Disorder and disguisement of these Hellish terrors being accidentall to his Passion and to dying the death onely infinite displeasure of GOD and true separation of Soule and Body which were essentials he endured So also it was impossible the graue should hold him Act. 2.24 Yea and the period of three daies nights of 72. houres were abridged to 40. Q. What did he effect heereby A. Hee being our surety in all this did for vs purchase a full satisfaction of which in the question after and withall first all those benefits Article fourth Then the ratification of his Legacies and Testament Heb. 9.16 17. Col. 2.14 Ephe. 2.16 Heb. 10 2â— abolishing of enmity by Law Sinne Satan VVrath Hell and Death As wee know if a Court bee quite put downe all the Officers belonging to it are downe also So also liberty to enter Heauen by a liuing way not the blood of a beast with sundry others Q. Why doth the Scripture so much dwell vpon the Passiue and so little vpon the Actiue obedience in point of our satisfaction A. As I intimated before the Holy Ghost doth more vsually not alwaies See Phil. 2.7 8. Esa 53.11 Mat. 20.28 Rom. 5. ver 18 expresse it this way First because in this curse taken away all the whole satisfaction began to take effect as wee say that the effect of a Prisoners release is deliuery from prison not as if that were all his release yet thence it s denominâ—ted because though the debt bee paid before yet this must follow Secondly because the end of a thing is better then the beginning and the consummation of a thing is from the end Perseuerance hath wee know the preeminence of all obedience not as if it were any more then a part of it but itâ— the finishing and making all out of question Each moment of a Glasses course is part of the houre though the last dust of it be the houâ—es end Bâ—t Thirdly and especially becaâ—se the P ssiâ—n waâ— the greatest hardest and fullest part of the whole satisfaction As fortitude carrieth the name of vertue not â—xâ—â—uding any Q. Well I am satisfied Proceed to the fifth branch and so to the vse of both ioyntly A. The fiâ—th â—s the Passiue obedience of the LORD Iesus not in other passions and penal ies of his whoâ—e life onely but especially that one vpon the câ—osse the most immediate obâ—ation and sacrifice of himselfe â—or sinne and it consists in the free yeelding vp himselfe to the wrath of his Father in his soule and body in the one bearing the incomprehensible anger of GOD though according to the limitations requâ—site for a person that was GOD and merited and in the other the exhaustion of his life-â—lood and separation of body and soule by that accursed death that heereby sinne with all the penalties inward outward and eternall with all the power which the Law and enemies had against vs thereby death and Hell not excepted might perfectly be abolished aâ—d the iustice of God infiniâ—ly satisfied Râ—ad Rom. 3.25 Heb. 9. â—3 14 1. Pet. 1.19.1 Ioh. 17. Heb. 12.24 Q What are the vses of the Actiue and Passiue obedience A. Fâ—rst the doctrine heereof may affoord vs a swerâ— meditation which as there are few aâ—cient or godly writers â—uch aue obserued so it is pitty we should neglect viz. Tâ—e excellency of the grace of the Gospell purchased by â—his Satisfaction which will appeare by a comparison of â—he woâ—ke of Creation with this of Redemption The formâ—r I graâ—t was a solemne worke when the Eternall Word made of Earth the body of Adam inspiring it with the the breath of GOD not onely to be a liuing Creature buâ— to beare the Image of God in holinesse And the truth is Moses describes euen this worke more solemnely then the Creation of any of the other to shew the emiâ—ency thereof â—boue them But when the same eternall Word creates man the â—econd time Lo not a breath not a fâ—w words will serue himselfe rather must be made a worme and no man God himselfe must empty himselfe of his fâ—lues and gloâ—y his loue his teares his miraclâ—s his prayers the basenesse of his condition will not all serue the turne no other price will bee accpted for this saue both the actuâ—ll fulfilling of all righteousnes and the shedding not of drops or ounces of other blood but thâ— last heare and life blood that was in his Holy Body the blood of the
theâ—e oâ—e all these to some few heads A. I will in this Article lay downe the order of the point and leaue the further enlargement of it to his dâ—eplâ—ce in the fift Article following Conceaue then the point by the Apostles speech Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and â—eatâ— by sinne c. Where we see that the actuall sinne of Adam determined not the bound of misery but brought a second misery with it euen the misery of our whole nature While we stood in Adam his obedience kept his whole estate and nature entire but when he fell though the sinne were a limited thing in act of eating yet it was an unlimited excesse in respect of the committer and the frame of his reuolting heart And therefore it was iust wi h God to plague his whole nature for this sinfull act And the plague thereof was to inflict such a penalty vpon Adams nature of the Propagation I shall speake in Article 4. as made it truly miserable in stead of being before truly happy Note then Adam hauing actually disobeied the Iustice of God offended hâ—ghâ— by it doth punish whole nature for it As if hee had said thus Hast thou indeed freely chozen to leaue mee in plaine ground To embrace lust and Satan and pleasure of appetite before me To cast dirt vpon my pure Image Be it then so with thee as thou desirest Bee that in nature which thou chozest in thy free will to doe That Image of mine which thou caredst not to preserve bee stripped off that image of thine owne inuention which thou preferredst be satisfied with fill thy selfe with enioy and delight thy selfe with to the vttermost I will not suffer mine to harbour with thine light and darkenesse corruption and purenesse therefore depart my image from this sty of vncleannesse and let him who needes would bee filthy lye downe in his filth and hee that would forsake a reall fire of heat to compasse himselfe in his owne sparkes let him lye downe in sorrow As I threatned so I sentence thee In dying dye dye the death of thy sinne and find thy owne inuentions to thy selfe I vtterly cut thee off and excommunicate thee from my presence and in token of it from Paradise the place of thy former happinesse in one word Be miserable Note then whatsoeuer Adam brought himselfe vnto by his act of sinning was Penall because it was a stroke of iustice Not onely death and all other punishments before and after it but euen Originall sinne it selfe is a penalty it is a sln indeed but it s a penall one God iustly punishing actuall with originall and so wee must conceaue that although in vs it be truly sinne yet God inflicting it did not infuse it as sin into vs but onely as a iust penalty of that which Adam himselfe in the freedome of his wicked will had first forged in his owne heart against God Q. How many branches doe yee diuide this Misery into A. Into two The misery of sin and the misery of punishment eyther of which had beene misery alone but iustice would not suffer misery to bee within narrower bounds then these that he who by doing made himselfe might by suffring be made miserable The former viz. misery of sinne is either of the Roote originall or the branches Actuall sin both making the soule truly though not equally miserable Q. What is the former of these Shew in what the misery of Originall sin standeth A. In two things 1. Originall guilt 2. Originall staine or Pollution both being the fountaines of all Actuall guilt of conscience and pollution of conscience Originall guilt is that priuity and reflexion of conscience in Adam fallen whereby he told himselfe continually that he had fallen and therefore must dye the death in each kinde of it body and soule This perpetuall alarum of coâ—science in his nature was the first part of his sinfull misery Aâ—d the Holy Ghost expresses it in those words They saw they were naked Gen. 3â— and Adam when God called him hid himselfe in the bushes and gaue the reason because bee was naked The Lord askes him how hee knew it The meaning was his conscience in presenting to him his fault did gugge him also wâ—th feare and expectation of reuenge So that as in his innâ—cency one excellent part of his welfare was that hee knew himselfe so so now one especiall part of his woe is that the conscience did ring his sin alway in his eares and made him obnoxious that is to feare God in point of that punishment which he looked for from his Iustice for his sinne And to say the truth what misery is like to this to be euer on the racke of a mans owne spirit suggesting and boâ—ding to him sad things to come for his sin dogging him as the Taylor who will not suffer his prisoner to goe one inch from his custody how bitter doth it make all hâ—â—gs when as a sword hanging by a twined threed over a mans head it doth threaten him perpetuall ruine and tye him ouer as a band and recognisance of great forfeit to the great assize of wrath and iudgement there to answer for himselfe yea and there without all bayle or mainprize vnescapeably to suffer eternall death of body and soule This the Author to the Heb. 2.15 toucheth saying who all their life time by the feare of death were subiect to bondage q. d. walked under the chayne of this guilt alway afrayd lest by death of body their soule should slide into hell to abide there till the body came thither True it is Adam dyed not at the first committing of the sinne but had he found no more fauour then Caine did lo all those 900. yeeres he had bin tossed and terrified with this guilt till it had seazed vpon him And whereas ye will say that those that liued without the law were better then wee because they were miserable and knew it not I answere they had law enough in them to hold them vnder a guilt of horror for such euils as they committed against the naturall light although ignorance had worne out the true dint of this conscience Besides although to know a mans misery onely increaseth it yet so to know it as we may preuent it is better then by not knowing it to escape the sent and bondage of that which yet lyeth vpon vs. Q. Wherein the misery of Originall staine of sinne consisteth A. We may eyther conceiue it in the whole or in the parts Touching the whole the best way will be to take the word which the holy Ghost vseth which is Death For death is the resolution of nature and so is this death of the soule a totall abolishment and corruption of that blessed frame of creation I meane in the point of her Purenesse in minde by light in will and heart by holinesse Now then looke how contrary a carcasse is to a liuely body so is this to the
life of creation as in these few things may appeare in the well framed constitution of body appeare First Vnion of parts Secondly Order Thirdly Sweetnesse and beauty Fourthly Strength and actiuity Aptnes at the end it serues for But in a dead carcasse together with the absence of the life and soule of reason what appeares saue contrary effects Impotency to all former Operations Genes 6.5 disorder stinch and putrifaction confusion and yerksomenesse The generall then is Destruction of the frame of Nature Rom. 3.23 corruption of the Image of God Touching the parts both faculties and powers of the soule and body it were endlesse to mention all In the minde there is a death of all pure light and knowledge Ephes 5.8 a nakednesse of Gods image in poynt of that ruling and ouerruling power by which shee conueyed direction to all the inferiour faculties will first and then affections and operations now she is both darknesse in her selfe and losse of her birthright to rule other parts vnto darkenesse adde death of iudgement easily receiued in matter of discerning of the natures and truths of things and so also impotency and languor of appreheâ—sion dulnesse and inability to conceiue good things Esay 44. â—0 Rom. 7.14 21. and besides this priuatiue indispositioâ— also a positiue pronenâ—s and propensity to all euiâ—l of the mindâ— I conceits false hereticall erroneous opinions vaine prophane idolatrous vnsauoury imaginations discourses thoughts and iudgements Rom. 8.5 keeping in memory noysome and â—uâ—tfull obiects So secondly Deâ—th of the will especially Rom. 7.14 in the matter of her subiection to the lore and leauing of the vnderstandâ—ng then also in her faculty of wâ—lâ—ing and nillinâ— or suspending corruptnesse in the freedome thereoâ— by meere bondage both vnto sin and by sin a deprauednesse of the chusing facul y and so of â—he rest yea a disposednesse to will onely and continuâ—lly euill to nill good to suspend onely from good and not euill Iames 4.1 Ecles 7.27 to clâ—use euill before good So truely doth the Lord complaine That the whole frame of the soule is onely euill continually To these adde the death of afflictions in poynt of their due direction to the obiects and whole inclination of them to a prepostrous and disordered liking of â—uill dislike of good Ephe. 4.29 Iere. 2.25 a disposition thereof to extremities on either hand either to loue hope sorrow feare pity shame zeale and the rest more then ought to bee or vnder that should be and thereby to ouerthrow the course and order of the whole of the whole conuersation Esa 57. vlt. Ioyne to these the death of the conscience both in respect of her staruing death that she wants matter of excusing peace and conten hauing lost all welfare and the death of her purenessâ— â—o represent obiects to the soule aright eyther with comfort oâ— accusatioâ— not to speake of her pronenesse to be defiled diâ—abled feared senselessâ— and slauish according to the corruption of â—he mind both which goe together Tit. 1.15 Rom. 6.8 As toâ—ching the spirits and the sences and the members there is a deâ—tâ— in them of that hability soundnesse vigor and serâ—iceablenesse to the soule in good things and a pronenesse and tickling to be vainely and frothily imployed except worse bee offred euen prophanely and vnholily And to conclude there is a death of the person in respect of that right and soueraignety ouer the creaturâ—s wiâ—h a sl uâ—sh pronenesse rather to Idolize them both in the worship of some and the loue or vse of others a declension from Goâ— and a reuolt to the base creature as Eue did to the forbidden fruit Q Now what is the misery of Actuall sinne A. The deprauednesse and death of all the operations flowing from the soule within or the body without for whereas these resembled the purenesse of the principle at the first lo now they bewray the contrary all confusion disorder ignorance and vnrighteousnesse being broken into them As appeares in this that in the first table the soule departing from God sets vp to her selfe other gods profit pleasure ease worldly lusts worships him after her owne deuices liues as seemeth best to herselfe in her conuersation abhorres his Sabbaths and the like In the second that forsaking the law of righteousnes and sobriety the soule defiles her selfe with disobedience and rebellion to man to vnnatu all cruâ—ll and vnmercifull carriage to vncleannesse Mat. 15.19 Gala. 5 19 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. Psal 14.2 1 Kin. 8.46 Rom. 3 9 to reuenge to wrath to vniust oppressing defrauding wayes to lyes tricks and slanderous aspertions to a continuall lusting after vnrighteousnes And all these not onely in open acts which are not so vsuall but in the actuall thoughts desires proiects counsels of the heart yeelding consenting thereto and delighting to thinke of talke of to loue and commend sinfull practizes as swearing drunkennesse bebate wrong intemperancy and the like For these are but one of a thousand of those actuâ—ll sinnes which as sparkles flye vp from the former fornace Not all these in euery mâ—n but some in one and some in another See 1 Cor. 6.7 Such were yee some of yee c. Q And wherein stands the second generall part of misery to wit of punishment A. In the manifold penalties both of soule and body and those properly expresse that threat of God When thou eatest thou shalt dye the death In the soule first for of all other these are fearefullest because they are sinfull penalties of sinne first an auersenesse from God or from returning to God any more but going from him further and further infinitely Ephe. 4.14 15. Rom. 8.7 Rom. 7.23 2 Cor. 2.14 Cannot c. As a stone cannot melt an insensiblenesse of soule in this double misery a dedolency of heart vtterly and impenitently hardned in it an vncapeablenesse of admitting of any meanes to draw the soule out of misery to any better estate a spirit of resisting and opposition of any such an infinite peaceablenesse and content of heart in the present condition thinking this bondage and hell another liberty and heauen and if berest of it raging as the Beare robbed of her whelpes and so a pronenesse to bee riueted more and more deepely into this woe with lesse and lesse feeling or beleeuing it Now these we must know are of a deeper dye then the former as being cursed of God vpon and against a sinfull Rebell giuing him ouer to himselfe and sealing him to wrath and perdition which though the Lord doth not alwaies enlarge but rather suspend till the due season thereof yet they are all inherent in our corrupt nature Touching the body where shall I beginne or end What languors and diseases are there incident to the body what pouerty basenesse beggery and want to the estate Gene. 2.17 Esay 53.4 what reproch to the name and credit aspersions slaunders dishonour What misery in family in
in our hearts that we do truly and sauingly see whatsoeuer the former fiue Articles said of sin consenting to all That they are true Chap. 1.24 Saint Iames saith A foole seeing his face goeth and forgetteth him Beware wee doe not so but if euer wee would come to the mirror of the Gospell in which we behold the face of God plainly let vs make way to it by S. Iames his Glasse Diuide not the things which GOD hath put together Although the Law haue no Christ in it yet the Maker of it vses it as a Schoole-dame to him Let her then point at euery lâ—tter in the Crosse-row and rip vp euery error and distemper Gal. 3 2â— do not abuse the rule nor crooke it wilfully as Pharises to mistake the sence to hide to descant vpon and to diminish or excuse any euill but let it be the Lords light set vp for the ends that follow Detaine not this part of the Word in vnrighteousnesse lest thou neuer come to the next step but perish in a twilight for want of a cleere discouery Wee are loth to bee informed of that which when we know wee are loth to renounce Grace begins at the roote of enlightening Examine thy selfe in thy vprightnesse heerein Secondly it layeth open the vnspeakeable iustice of God in suffering such darkenesse to spread ouer the world for so many ages and still in many nations who sit in the valley of darknesse Wee haue many trauellers into those Indian parts who in the beholding of the faces of sauages should tremble to thinke that the Lord for so long should not regard their ignorance when yet hee suffred a great part of the other Asia Affrike and all Europe to see light Oh poore wretches what can the dimme light of common conscience helpe to discouer darknesse how merry are they in assured destruction and how should it yerne the hearts of Christians to behold them As for the state of thousands vnder the gouernement of Protestant Kings who hauing Baptisme end the Bible in English yet neuer had the blessing of a searching Ordinance what shall wee ascribe it to saue the wrath of GOD vpon a woefull Nation kept and content to bee kept in darknesse because their workes are euill Both the leaders and the ledde must fall into the ditch The last vse thereof may bee instruction to teach vs how deepe a blindenesse is cast vpon the soule in poynt of discerning her owne sin and danger Nothing is further off then the reflex of our owne corruption vpon conscience nothing more teadious then to bee it formed of sin in the kinde Hee that comes to tell vs what we are is our deadly enemy and many professors haue gone many miles to get them a Preacher whom they haue persecuted when hee hath taught them the mystery of iniquity in themselues their priuy pride hypocrisie spirituall wickednesse of vnbeliefe ignorance and loue of the world but especially their old Adam placking their mufflerâ— from them and laying them naked and awake to their owne conscience Oh! it is the ioy of the vnregenerate man when hee can make himselfe beleeue hee is not the man hee yet knowes or may that hee is Ier. 1â— Alas sinne lyes deepe and Who can gage the deceit of the heart sâ—ue onely the Lord and the spirit of the Law which diuides betweene the spirit and the soule Therefore how should this teach vs both Ministers and people to loath all generalities and to learne the Law in the true sence and the through-enlightning of it It is a foolish speech of some who desire that they might fall into some grosse sinne to humble them by But howsoeuer the Lord awaken some by the lowd cry of their foule sins as drunkennesse blasphemy or the like surely that which is likest to preuaile with the ciuill and morall sort is the enlightening of the tenth CoÌ„mandement For they can wash off actuall sinne which colours as fast as they offend laying good against euill but when the spring of their cursed nature appeares which runnes vpon them continually I say then this body of death will doe it Rom. 7.24 Q What is the second worke of the Law A. This conuiction which I call the second worke of the Law is twofold partly concerning the iudgement and partly the soule or whole man the former I call simple conuiction the latter conuiction with terror Touching the difference whereof note well When once the soule is throughly enlightened if the Law proceed in her worke she comes to apply her light to this conuincing of the soule and first by causing the conscience to ioyne against it selfe and to say Thou art the man this differs from light be it neuer so particular because it is light with application to the soules selfe in speciall Againe hauing been thus conuinced in conscience I am this sinner if the Law still worke it proceedes to the second degree of conuincing Which is not onely an application of sinne to her selfe but a due yeelding of the soule to lye vnder the bondage and feare of punishment belonging to such a sinners wofull estate A man may heare and not so much as bee enlightned Hee may haue great light and yet neuer bee conuinced in conscience Hee may bee conuinced and yet neuer bee duly held vnder any true bondage as wee see in Saul and others But the Law workes all Q. What then is this worke of Conuiction by the Law A. It is the second worke of the Ministery of the Law by the efficacy whereof the soule beleeues her selfe to bee that which she knowes to wit this sinfull and cursed one A most powerfuâ—l worke yet no other then the poore Minister of GOD enabled by the auâ—hority of the Law may and doth performe For why when the poore soule sees that the LORD hath reacht her out the Key of light to see the wonders of his Law to â—o idle endes but that hereby she might go further and apply it to her selfe confessing her selfe to be â—he party what hath she to do saue to let all other guilty ones passe and to passe sentence vpon her selfe confessing She is this miserable sinner Neyther can any thing hâ—nder this proceeding except it be a lewd heart that is vnwilling to put her necke in the coller and so detaines the truth â—ight of the Law in vnrighteousnes But if the Law can preuaile this light shall prooue beleeuing and conuiction See Ephe. 5.13 where the Apostle sayth The light doth argue or conuince For that disputes thus That soule which is thus sinfull and cursed is truly miâ—erable and so abydes of her selfe But I am thus sinfull and cursed Therefore c. The assumption is conuiction The conclusioÌ„ is terror ConuictioÌ„ argues so strongly against her selfe that she reflects the light of the Law vpon her conscience making it her accuser and Iudge and stopping the mouth of the heart from gaynsaying or kicking against the pricks Thus was it with Paul
who had the power of it and all his instruments made his Crosse his Trophee and his Chariot of Triumph ouer them all like Samson who more hurt his enemies at death then all his life So thirdly after death when they had got his dead body into the graue thinking that the sealing of the stone could haue made him theirs neuer to rise any more Lo by his power hee kept his vnion still and after his fourty houres sleepe was ouer hee resumed his body and soule againe and gaue them another blow worse then all roze againe conquered their malice neuer more to be conquered to dye no more All the enemies in Hell and vpon Earth could not any further assault him his triumph being begun he was out of their reach Q. What vse make you hereof A. First the maine vse which is also the scope of this sixth Branch is the assurance which the poore soule vnder a condition of grace may take to it selfe in pleading her part in this satisfaction For what gaue a being and life to this suffering of Christ Surely his conquest If any enemy could haue held him vnder chaynes from his victorious Resurrection all his satisfaction had beene frustrate But that could not bee It was vnpossible as wee see Act. 2.24 that death should hold him Now then by his conquest how liuely renowmed powerfull a merit gaue hee to all his suffrings He sent his Church into assured possession of all his merits Oh as the autor to Heb. 10.22 saiâ—h Let vs come with this Assurance of Faith to the throne of Grace saying Lord giue thy poore needing seruant the fruit of my Lord Iesus his obebience the power of his conquest the full efficacy of his redemption That as hee Rom 1.1 Eph. 1.21 by his Godhead declared himselfe a Coâ—queror and asâ—uâ—ed the truâ—h of his merit and death yea consummated it alâ—hough he laid vpon the Crosse All was finished so my soule may take hold of this strength and claime the life and power of this satisfaction with fuller assurance Oh let vs not want the strength of this perswasion but presse it and say Lord I come to thee in the merit of a Christ not dead but aliue a Conqueror that made good to me all his sufferings by his victory and gaue all his enemies a deadly blow when they looked to haue ouerthrowne him Let this bee the first Vse learne this as the maine to drinke at this cisterne this well of Saluation as the former and then the other comfortale Vses will follow of themselues Q What other follow heereupon A. Sundry consolations to a beleeuing soule touching the Assurance of Faith and Perseuerance Victory in Combats Afflictions Death it selfe and against the power of the graue The Lord Iesus hath the key of death in his hand and will make his more then Conquerours in all nothing shall separate Rom. 8. vlt. any of his from him Tâ—uching Faith how many are the feares that a poore soule hath she shall neuer bee able to beleeue Within her selfe what weakenesse forgetfulnesse melancholy guilt of Conscience through corruption a dead heart slauish and fearefull presumptuous hardned by the deceit of sinne vnworthinesse neglect of the season of grace this body of death oppozing all savor of goodnesse and so euen death of body makes them afraid they may dye ere they beleeue So without them what temptations against God the Scriptures what enemies haue they to darken and dull them their sences vnderstandings and heart what enemies of the wicked haue they without them Ill husbands Wyues to dismay them telling them that they cannot bee assured in this life of their saluation How doe enemies affright them with malice threats big lookes disdaine and scorne putting them in feare they shall neuer escape out of their clawes In this variety of affliction what is there to sustaine them what is it which teacheth them to kisse the rod Mic. 7.9 take vp their crosse and heare the indignation of the Lord till hee pleade their cause and bring forth their light Surely the strength of this their Captaine and Conqueror the Lord Iesus who hath told them In the world they shall haue affliction Iohn 16. vlt. but be of good Comfort I haue ouercome the world It s he that tels them till Gods season of their suffring be come so much so long and that very crosse God hath ordeined for them no enemy shall doe them hurt And when they doe hee will make it tolerable and easie vnto them doe them good for their sakes that hurt them Rom. 8. But aboue all they are made Conquerors and their chin is kept aboue water they fight vnder hope of victory and say with the Church Mica 7.8 Reioyce not ouer me Oh my enemy for when I am downe I shall rise and when thou art fallen thy wound shall be incurable There is a fable that when the Goat cropped the Vine-branches shee bids the Goate Bite and spare not but shee should beare so much Wine as should serue to sacrifice her This Vine is the militant body of Christ so that as he feared not his enemies because he subdued them in suffring so should they Q What else A. Lastly it comforts them by Faith in the Conquest of our Lord Iesus against the power of the graue For as it was with their Head hee could not bee held in it Act. 2.24 so with them their flesh rests in hope of that triumph Oh Hell where is thy sting oh Graue where is thy victory The full Redemption of their bodies causes them to feare no death nor graue Nay their hope makes them say If wee hoped onely in Christ heere we were of all others most miserable but this conquest makes vs happy in all our misery Not onely that without but within themselues their poore Knowledge Faith Patience is sustained with this Spirit of the Lord Iesus that one day it shall bee better when all imperfect things shal be done away the body shake off corruption and they see him in whom now they beleeue Their life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 1 Iohn 3.2 and although it appeare not now what they are yet when their Captaine comes they shall bee conquerors as hee therefore in the meane time though they bee basely esteemed of and set at nought yet their spirit of victory and hope props them vp and makes them merry because a day is comming will pay for all But I am loth to dwell at large vpon any vses saue the scope of the Article Q. Hauing ended the Merit proceed to the seuenth and last Branch of this second Article What is the Applying Worke of Christ and wherein doth it stand A. It is that solemne part of His Mediation for the sake whereof he forsooke the earth and was exalted aboue all principalities and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father that by his intercession alwaâ—es made for his Church he might apply to
God and it follows our forgiuenesse and absolution for then we returne to our former esteeme and beauty in the eyes of God our flesh returning as the flesh of a child and we stand before the Lord as fauourits finding accesse to him going in and out before him all former treachery being forgotten And this addeth to the other Princes oft pardon their Subiects as Dauid did Absalom and grant them their liues but because they suspect them they suffer them no more to see their face but the Lord hauing as great power to purge the heart as to pardon the offendor admits euery iustified one to bee his friend and to finde fauour in his sight clothing him with the robe of righteousnesse Hos 14.2 and calling her beloued which was not beloued Q. What is the fift Benefit A. Adoption which is a worke of the Spirit Eph. 1. following the former and is contrary to that taint of our blood and bastardy which sinne brought upon vs. Adam was the Sonne of God Luke 3 vlt. by fall hee lost it and became a bastard stript himselfe of his birthright of his royalties of the dignity of a Sonne of the Lordship ouer the Creation and of the inheritance of immortall life and so brought all his seed into the same Premunire or rather Outlawry Now Adoption is the enfranchisment of the soule into her former estate of Sonneship againe being deliuered from the spirit of bondage Gal. 4.6 for as a man takes one not his owne child to be his child changing the name into his owne and so setling vpon him the dignity and liuelihood of one descended from his loynes so doth the Lord heere hee restores a sinner to his blood and to his former right of Sonship his dominion ouer the creatures and coheireship with Christ the Sonne and Lord of all It is the fruit of the former For hauing receiued vs to fauour he doth as a Prince reconciled to a trayterous Son he restores him to the right and inheritance of his crowne and so the Lord not restores onely to an old but settles the inheritance of a Saint vpon him Ephe. 1.5 See also Gal. 4.5 Rom. 8.15 a farre better then Adam lost Eph. 1.20 Rom. 5.15 Q What is the sixt Benefit A. Redemption and its a worke of the Spirit opposite to the estate of thraldome and seruitude vnto sinne and by it to feare of conscience wrath death and iudgement Satan and his infernall crue for it buyes out and sets the soule in a new and sure state of libertie free to righteousnes and to serue him all our dayes without bondage beeing delyuered from the feare of all enemies Ghostly and bodily From hence issues an heart enlarged to God and so fearing and seruing him Rom. 7.6 Col. 3.14 as fearing nothing else nor yet seruing in the old letter deliuered from the ordinances of Moses the traditions of men the bonds imposed vpon conscience vniustly Hence issues also a right to the Protection of God and his Holy Hand ouer vs and ours against the treachery and violence of open or secret enemies begun in this life and ending at the resurrection the day of our full redemption when we shall fully enoy the fruit of that conquest of Christ who ouercame all enemies Deuill men sinne death and the graue neuer any more to be assaulted Hence also much more issueth the dutie of Seruice to God and renouncing of our owne abhorring our owne selues not speaking doing thinking our owne words 1. Cor. 6.20 worke thoughts but the Lords because wee are not our owne but bought with a price that all should bee at the Lordes command So that in two things viz. Deliuerance from enemies and Restoring vs to the place of seruants this Redemption consists See texts Eph. 1.7 Eph. 4.30 1. Cor. 1.30 Rom. 7.25 Q. What is the seuenth benefit A. Regeneration as it concernes the purging of our corrupt nature from the Image of old Adam and a renuing of it according to the Image of him who created vs in all light of mind and holines of heart And this is opposite to the former priuiledges which consist in the imputation of fayth and are wholy without vs Bâ—t this is the worke of the Spirit of Christ 2. Pet. 1.3 wrought in all whom he hath begotten to God whereby also he puts into them the nature and properties of God 2 Pet. 1.2 and changes them from bad to good This is called in Scripture the new man Colos 3.10 the new creature 1. Cor. 5.17 the Renouation of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 6. the workmanship of God made to good workes Eph. 2.10 the Râ—nuing of the Mynd and the spirit of it Eph. 4.24 Rom. 12.2 of the which in the third part of the Catechisme wee shall entreat Heere onely we point at the benefits in their distinct natures Q. What is the eighth benefit A. Sanctification not much differing from the other saue onely as the replenishing of a vessell with new precious liquor differs from the clensing of it from the old lust and vnsauorinesse and sweetening of it that it may be capable of better See textâ— 1 Thess 4.4 Rom. 8.30 Ezek. 36.26 27. 1. Cor. 3.30 Ezech. 37.28 In which we see it to be the worke of the Holy Ghost in all beleeuers making them partakers in each part mind soule and body of his holines It consisteth in 2 things the first the killing power of the Crosse of Christ The second the quickening power of his resurrection both sealed vp in the baptisme of the Spirit whereby we are ingrafted and implanted into the similitude of them both The former is vsually called Mortification which is the worke of the Spirit 1. Iob. 1.7 applying the second effect of the death of Christ to the soule For hauing in IustificatioÌ„ applyed the condemning power of this death and thereby taken away the guilt and accusation of sin now it addeth the second which is the disabling power thereof and the vanquishing thereof both these are the effects of his crosse vpoÌ„ which he both tooke away the guilt dominion of sin We know that if the Law haue once passed sentence vpon a malefactor it will easily send him to execution This killing power therefore is not onely a turning of the heart from sinne but a making sure worke with it that it returne no more than hee whose head is cut off can do any more hurt The latter is called Vâ—uification or that power of CHRIST that quicking spirit 1. Cor. 15.45 whereby the Holy Gospell applyes the power of the Resurrection to the soule not onely giuing it a bare life of Grace but a liuely life thereof quickning vp the edge the spirit of the inner man to the power of godlines and to the life of GOD in all the powers of the soule in sincerity according to her measure See texts for these For the former See Rom. 6.7 8. Gal. 5.24 Gal. 6.14 Col. 3 5. For the latter Rom.
6.6 7. Ephes 2.1 1 Cor. 5.6 7. Q. What is the last benefit A. Glorification of the whole man after the Resurrection in Heauen Which is that ouerplus of Christs purchase and exceeds Adams happines Ephes 1.14 consisting in the partaking of that purchased possession of Glory and Immortality not of Paradise vpon earth but in the presence of GOD. This is that benefit which answers the perfection of Adam though farre aboue it for it shall bee a filling vp of the soule with the perfect Image of God in light and Holines and that by sight of the Glorified sence beholding God as he is and wholy transformed by the Mirror of his Maiesty to Glory so farre as our soule and body are capable of to the vttermost And this Benefit is the fulnes of the former It is the execution of the election of God for wee were chozen to Glory It s the perfection of our imperfect vnion in this life It s the end of our calling for wee are called to honor and immortality It s the fulnes of our Adoption for we haue onely heere the right but there the inheritance of sons It s also our finall Redemption and Sanctification because there all teares shall be wiped away and death shall be no more and we shall do the will of God as the Angels and be sanctified throughout in body 1. Cor. 2.9 1. Ioh. 3.2 soule and spirit without spot or blemish and so liue eternally See Scripture for it Rom. 8.30 Rom. 6. vlt. 2. Thess 1.7 8. Mat. 25. vlt. Col. 3 3 4. Q. You haue somewhat resolued mee about the Doctrine of this Article now conclude with the vse A. The vse is eyther particular touching euery of these or generall of them all together For the former I must be short for I am in a sea of matter Let it be vse of Examination whether Christ be ours or no. And first try it thus whether this rich treasure of Christ offred vs in the Gospell did euer affect our hearts and rauish them with his louelinesse The LORD wee see offers him not bare but with all his furniture which way so euer we looke we shall discerne his excellency He is one â—f ten thousand Can we make a song of our Beloued of his Head Cant. his Eyes Lockes Necke Body Feet and is hee more beautifull to vs then all beloueds else Surely else we were neuer truly married to him except for his sake euen our fathers house was despised When Eliezer came to Rebecca Gen. 24.53 to fetch her to be Isaacs wife he discoursed of his wealth cattell Siluer and Iewels â—nd for the purpose brought out his Gold bracelets and ornaments which Isaac sent her But what came of it did shee slight the offer No but went with thee messenger immediately If Gods Spokes-men in the bringing forth these benefits of Christ haue wonne vs thereby to go with them it is well Secondly seeing there is no man but will be ready to say yea try therefore againe thus No man is marryed to Christ except he haue his dowry to shew Our marriage to Christ is as the old marriages were wont to bee in which the husband brought the dowry 1. Sam. 18.25 A CHRIST without â— dowry is no husband All men say Christ is theirs but they remember not how God hath made him ours 1. Cor. 1.30 our wisedome righteousnes and the rest If wee can shew our marriage Ring beset with all these Iewels we may be beleeued Surely if euer God turned our face from Egypt to Canaan called vs by his voyce out of the world to himselfe if euer be made vs one with himselfe and our soules the Temples for himselfe to dwell and delight in the fruits of our vocation and vnion will discouer it Try them then in the feare of God If we be in Christ we are iustified Where is then that change of our feare and bondage into peace where is that deciding witnesse of his blood Heb. 12.13 14. Rom. 8.34 crying better thinge then that of Abel where is that courage that sayd If God iustify who shall condemne that boldnes of a debtor discharged by his Surety that can say I know the hardest I shall not perish I dare looke my creditor in the face Againe if we be in Christ we are reconciled Where is ioy and welfare then of heart Can a fauorite go in and out before his Prince without gladnes of heart Is it not well with him that he liues vnder the fauor of the King How shouldst thou be accepted and beloued of God and be so sad and as a stranger to this ioy why then are thy garments so darke And why are thy goings in and out thy duties thy prayers so few thy beholding of his face so seldome thy fayth so little set on worke for dayly pardon thy hand so shrunk vp in taking this golden Scepter by the end wheÌ„ yet thou knowst the fauor thou hast will beare thee out Moreouer thou sayst Thou art an adopted Son of God in Christ Why Tit. Are al things thine as thou art Christs Christ Gods Canst thou say All things are pure to thee Is the wife in thy bosome thy children cattel seruants moouables house and land thine Hath the Lord of all giuen them in loue to thee as his Son or daughter Iob. Canst thou visit thine habitation with ioy Darest thou hope for Heauen as thine inheritance Canst thou pray with the spirit of a son that lookes to be supplied saying I am thine saue me hath the Spirit of Christ made thee to cal Abba to cry with grones not to be vttred Then thy boasting is not in vaine Try thy selfe both in these the rest Thou sayst thou art redeemed but prooue it also for if it be so then that bondage of thine to sinne and the lust thereof and that bondage by sin that keeps thee froÌ„ beleeuing is taken away in some measure Thy tongue is none of thy owne thy eyes eares feet members are bought with a price and the Lords yoke is sweet to thee And as thou aâ—t this redeemed one so is he thy Redeemer thy protector thy defence so that the floods of waters shall not come neere thy soule he will deliuer thee in sixe troubles and in seuen and his loue shall be thy banner and his buckler thy Couert so that neyther Sinne deuill nor gates of Hell shall preuaile against thee The like I might say of tâ—e rest But I shall haue occasion to touch them in their due place Onely I say Except Christ with his benefits be thine deceaue not thy selfe for he is not thine he and the spirit of these benefits go together and he who hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Q. What is the other vse of this which you call Generall A. Manifold â—nd fiâ—st Inst ction to all Chrâ—◠〈◊〉 to ponder wisely this Article of the difference order and nature of these
Paul ascribes mortification to the death viuification to the resurrection of Christ Not that they are to be sundred for both serue for each and each for both but as both cannot stand together but one in the destruction of the other so he would teach vs that the death and rising of Christ are no fables nor stories but things of exceeding merit Both for satisfaction and for efficacie or power When the Lord Iesus suffered his precious soule to part with his body hee gaue that death a power to diuide sin and the life thereof and when by his God-head hee resumed his body he gaue it also a power to put life of grace into the soule The death and life of Christ are a mystery of godlinesse as Paul in the 1. Tim. 3. end tels vs when Christ layd downe his life for the expiation of sinne withall hee entred into a most deadly fiend with sinne whch would haue robbed him of his life for euer and when hee tooke his life againe by his Godhead hee also conveyed an efficacy of a quickning spirit to raise vp all beleeuers to a renued life of holinesse and by his spirit bestowes both vpon them So that he who can bring sinne to the Crosse and graue of Christ by faith shall kill the life of it and he that can apply his soule to the Lord Iesus risen shall finde it no empty but an effectuall meane to quicken him to holinesse And these both all true beleeuers doe as they haue borne the image of the first so must they doe of the second Adam the first was a liuing soule but the second a quickning spirit Q. Now at length proceede to the vse and because the opening of the Artâ—cle is practicall of it selfe be the briefer A. First if all beleeuers bee new creatures such as neuer Vse 1 were seene to be so before new men what are they who are still old creatures and will take no other die Such as boast they are no changelings are the same men I say they are vnbeleeuers vpon whom as yet the wrath of God abides and besides such as shall be damned Dogs who shall bee without See 2. Cor. 4.4 Mark 16.16 Reu. 21.8 therefore small cause haue yee to boast If all that be happy by beleeuing must be holy by renuing how vnhappy ones are all vnholy ones Therefore let it be terror to al such as carry the old man written in their foreheads with great letters so that all that runne may reade it they proclaime the sinne of Sodom in open profannesse or in secret vnreformednesse they haue beene drunken breakers of Sabboths Athiests in their families and so they will be still Oh wofull wretch wilt thou bee as thou hast beene thou hast beene an old wretch an old fornicator wrathfull wretch subtill contentious worldly made the Gospella couer of thy rotten heart wilt thou bee so still Then I know thou art cursed for thou wert cursed and thou wilt be as thou hast beene Therefore heare what the truth saith if thou be no other then euer thou wert thou wert neuer good and if thou wilt be so still bee so thy penalty shall bee as thou chusest let him that is filthy be so still he that is profane let him be so still and he that will not come out of hell let him keepe there still No wrong is done to him that is willing to bee so But know this that if God haue concealed the vp to an hard heart it is one step further off from God then before it will be hard for an heart that cannot repent to be better then it wil be Ere God create the new man in thee thou shalt not onely not nill but both will and couet it and yet thou maiest will it to late when it shall be denyed Secondly All reuolters to the old man and returners to their owne vomit and myre when they seemed to haue the vncleane spirit cast out and to escape the pollution of the world through lust but still they carry about them the olde man still that lyes downe and rises vp and walkes with them although song hidden and at length as a crusted sore breakes out odiousely Oh bee scared by this If olde men neuer so much as in shew renewed are cursed what are they who hauing taken the liuery of the new man are now the second time waxen worse then euer and the old man hath watcht his time to recouer his possession and waxes seuen times stronger then before Oh the latter end of sueh is farre worse then the beginning Thirdly terror to all hypocrites who still maske ouer the old man with a new couer of Christ but put not off the olde The Apostle speakes of men 1. Cor. 15.19 whose hope in Christ is heere not hope onely here in their wealth and lusts but in Christ and he tels them of all other they are most miserable They are willing to haue Christ to saue them and to varnish ouer their rotten post to keepe them from the note of base and prophane ones but if they be pinched with this that beleeuers must bee new men the old cheating and cunning deceite wrath reuenge worldlinesse must also be cast off oh then then they winch as a galled iade and it seemes as an vncouth thought Lately I knew a man who vpon the change of his estate by marriage was so pensiue that no man could heale his melaÌ„choly so it is with these to heare of such a new creature and change as should turne all inside outward and ridde them of their old Adam all at once they are sullen and sicke vpon it it is as the going of a Cammell through the eye of a needle Iesus they know and the Doctrine of Iesus but not as the truth is in Iesus they will take no notice of such an instinct as to be new ones because beleeuing ones But oh yee wretches euen this truth of Iesus which your hollow hearts cannot brooke shall iudge ye and sentence ye such new Creatures such Iesus your Iesus is an Idoll because hee is no truth in Iesus no new creature in Iesus to put off the old man and put on the new Lastly all prophane ones who thinke themselues in very good case if they can carry their lusts and beloued corruptions closely and bleare the eye of the world thinking they haue forsaken them Sleidan reports of a Duke in Germany who liued in an vncleane eourse with one of his wiâ—es Gentle-women which the Dutchesse perceiuing and oppozing he deuises this shift to send her to a Castle and there to giue it out after a while that shee was sicke hiring some to visit her and at length that she was dead a painted Image is laid forth entombed carried to Church the bel rung funerall Sermon made dole giuen to the poore the Image buried but the harlot stil liuing and the lust of the Duke vnmortified brake out worse then euer This is the new creature of the prophane
discerning and practice Read therefore and consider Pray for blessing also that this Treatise may returne into your bosomes with double fruit If you profit not how shall strangers In hope whereof I commend your Reading to the Lord and my selfe to your prayers Farewell A necessary Table of direction how to finde any poynt contained in the Treatise The Table of the first part ARtic 1. Touching the integrity of Adams estate p. 1. The Explication of it generally to p. 2. particularly in his body to p. 3. In his soule to p. 4. In his person ibi The vses to p. 7. Artic. 2. Adams fall from his integrity p. 7. The explication of it 1. By the description of it p. 8. 2. The parcels of it ibid. partly circumstances p. 9. partly the causes eyther remote p. 9. or neere p. 10. The vses p. 12. Artic. 3. The misery of Adam fallen both by sinne and punishment p. 15. The explication of it in generall p. 15 16. In particular eyther first sinne and that Originall both guilt p. 17. and staine p. 18. So Actuall p. 20. Or secondly Punishment p. 21. The vses p. 22. Artic. 4. This misery is vniuersally ouerspredde the race of Adam p. 26. The explication of it generall p. 27. particular p. 29. the vses p. 30. Artic. 5. No possibility to manward out of himselfe to escape p. 33. The explication of it ibid. p. 34 The vses ibid. Artic. 6. The Morall Law preached soundly reueales this misery p. 37. The generall explication ibid. The particular First by knowledge of sinne p. 38. and that Actuall p. 40. First by dispersing mists of error p. 41. Secondly by giuing light p. 43. and that in tw particulars First Theâ—selues Secondly Penalties Themselues in fiue respects First Her authority p. 43. Secondly Her Coherence p. 44. Thirdly Her Royalty p. 45. Fourthly Her integrity p. 46. Fiftly Her extent p. 47. Then two Penalties p. 50. Secondly Originall sinne three waies First by termes of Scripture ibid Secondly by Comparison with Actuall p. 51. Thirdly by her properties First Eminency p. 52. Secondly Predominancy p. 53. Thirdly Perpetuity ibid. Fourthly Generality ibid. Fiftly Bondage p. 54. The vses ibid. Secondly by Conuiction of sin and that twofold eyther of iudgement p. 60. that eyther by remoouall of lets p. 61 Or effecting the worke and that many waies p. 63. The vses p. 66. Or else of the whole man p. 68 The explication of it in generall ibid. or specially in three things First the difference p. 70. Secondly the Nature of it the effects and end First Nature ibid. Secondly the effects three First stopping of bad course p. 75. Secondly vnsettling rotten peace p. 76. Thirdly Spirit of Bondage p. 78. The vses p. 79. Then the end p. 81. The vses p. 82. Or the extremities desperation and presumption p. 83. 84. and abuses p. 85. Heere of legall Rebellion The Nature of it vnfolded at large p. 87. The vses p. 92. Then the vse of the whole Doctrine of terror p. 96. Addition The Lord vpholds such as he will saue in this extremity and that by a secret hope p. 98. Explication of it p. 99. 100. The markes of it p. 101. The vses 102. to the end The Contents of the second part ARtic 1. That there is a deliuerance ordained for miserable man out of this thraldome p. 112. The explication of it ibid. the vses p. 113. A further opening p. 114. A further vse p. 116. Artic. 2. The onely meane and meritorious instrument to procure this is Iesus Emanuel p. 120. the Explication p. 120 121. Whereby this is done to wit by a satisfaction where two things First the Qualification of his person First by vnion and vnction Secondly satisfaction it selfe p. 122. the seuen welsprings of Saluation named p. 123. prosecuted after the first Incarnation with the vse p. 123. the second the Godhead with the vse of it 124. the third vnion of flesh with Word and the vse p. 126. the vnction and the vse 226. the fourth the merit and first of Actiue obedience p. 127 the explication of it fully to 130. The fift the Passiue obedience p. 130. the vses of both p. 134. the sixt the conquest with the vse p. 149. the seuenth the application of his merit and by what with the vse p. 153. Artic. 3. The act of God the father not imputing sin c. is the forme of our iustification in it selfe p. 157. the explication of it ibid. the vses p. 162. Artic. 4. The meane of externall dispensing this deliuerance is the offer of grace in the Gospell p. 176. the explication p. 177. the vses p 180. till 187. Artic. 5. That the Lord offring Christ to the soule doth not offer him barely but furnisht with al the benefits of his satisfaction p. 207. the explication and sorts of these benefits p 208. the things to bee considered herein are three First the difference p. 209. Secondly their order p. 211 Thirdly their nature in speciall where of vocation ibid. vnion p. 213. Iustification p. 214. Reconciliation ibid. Adoption p. 215. Redemption ibid. Regeneration p. 216. Sanctification p. 217. Glorification p. 218. The vses p. 219. Article 6. That the Subiect vpon which the Lord bestowes all these good things is his Church p. 223. Explication of sundry Names of the Church p. 224. The vse p. 228. The Adiunct of the Church Communion p. 234. though fouly mis-placed in p. 187. the Explication of it in the qualification and markes of it ibid. and p. 188. the exercise of it First In graces p. 561. Secondly In Ordinances p. 200. Thirdly In Seruices both to bodies p. 203. And soules p. 205 the vse p. 206. Artic. 7. The vse of this whole part viz. that wee beleeue this deliuerance to be our owne p. 234. The Explication of it ibid. whereof two things First the condition of fayth wherein it stands p. 235. Explication of it p. 237. the vses p. 246. Concerning sayth it selfe p. 250. What particulars fayth includes p. 251. the vse of the whole part p. 262. The Contents of the third part ARtic 1. That whoso is in Christ is a new Creature p. 6. the Explication ibid. Foure things considered First the Author p. 8. How he worketh p. 9. Secondly the Instrument p. 10. A question decyded about it viz. How fayth both reconciles and renues p. 11. what acts it performes p. 12. Thirdly the Subiect of it both in particular and generall p. 15. Fourthly the parts p. 16. the vses of the Article at large p. 17. Artic. 2. That the Lord requires that this new Creature thus framed in the soule breake forth into the whole course and conuersation p. 25 The explication ibid. things heerein considerable First the circumstances concerning the persons p. 26. or the conuersation it selfe p. 26. 27. Secondly the substance of conuersation and that in three things First the Graces qualifying it p. 28. Secondly the subiect of it and that in three
the Actuall Sinnes of the mind The second is Seruing lusts which implyes a Slauery to the Deuill world and lusts lusts of the heart lusts of the eye and pride of life as a beast led to the Shambles The third is Trading and Conuersing in actuall sinnes such as accord with the particular nature of each sinner some of which distempers are noted a few of the cōmonest for all the rest Pleasures riot enuy hating being hated c. all which are added to giue a bitter rellish to this misery Q Why sayth he nothing of the other part of misery standing in the curse A. Not because he excludes any essentiall part of it but because one text will not conteine all but that which the drift of it lyes vnto Some texts include all three parts in one Verse as Eph. 5.8 Some expresse one generall part some another and in that part some one Branch some another Therefore what is heere lacking must bee supplyed by some other This for a ground of Scripture may same and its good that such draughts of Scriptures bee before our eyes when we handle these grounds that as corner stones they may hold in the building The which God willing shal be framed more distinctly in the Article following A PRACTICALL Catechisme The Articles of the first part are these sixe following Question WHAT is the generall scope of these Articles A. All tend more or lesse to lay forth the substance of the first part which is sinne in her colors and what vse the soule is to make thereof Q. What is the first of these A. Touching the integrity of Adams first Art 1 estate Q. Why was not man thus miserable from the beginning A. No in no sort For God created man male and female in his owne image Eccles 7.31 Gen. 1.26 1 Cor. 11.7 Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.24 Read the places First for the matter in respect of his better part he was made a spirituall immortall inuisible intellegible being as God A little sparke of diuinity Secondly For the maner as the one Gods essence is subsistng in three persons so one soule in three powers as naturall sensible reasonable Thirdly For endowments and qualities pure lightsome orderly righteous holy and perfect in act though not in power and stability righteous but not righteousnes for that 's the Gospels worke not immutable but left to his freedom of will Fourthly In his body although of Earth yet by the breath of God putting life into the earthy frame thereof hee was made a creature of great authority and maiesty a modell of the creation as in Psalm 8. Read it ouer A Lord and Souereigne vnder the Creator of all his creatures vnder himselfe A strange Masterpiece for all to stoop to euen as he onely to stoop to his Creator Heb. 1. A little lower then the Angels a petty Vice-roy vnder the Lord himselfe The very ruines of him are admirable as when wee behold the rubbish of some Palace wee may guesse at the first magnificence of it a far off so when we see the admirable reliques hereof in Philosophers Moralists Politicians Artists and naturall effects of men we may guesse at the originall Q. May there be any thing more distinctly spoken hereof A. Yes for order sake wee may consider this Image of God in respect of these three First Body Secondly Soule 3. Person Q. Touching the body first how was Adam therein created A. We may consider therein two things First The production or making thereof Secondly The frame of it beeing made For the former the Lord addresses himselfe to it more solemnly then other Creatures for this concernes his body as well as his soule Let vs make man not thus Let man be As to the other creatures The Trinity is called to this worke noting it should be Diuine and excellent Gen. 1.26 Secondly The frame of it being made it was so as God intended it a speciall resemblance of the Creator He made not the soule but man consisting of body and soule according to the Image of GOD. So that whatsoeuer resemblance the other creatures had Verse 26. twice repeated remotely Adam had an immediate neere and engrauen character of Gods Image as might be in a materiall thing Consider it in these 3 things First The organicalnes that it should bee a materiall instrument created with peculiar aptnes and fitnes for the seruice and execution of an immateriall Diuine soule yea euery way in all points most instrumentall Secondly that out of so base and earthly a substance the Lord should rayse vp a mixture and constitution of elementary and yet immortall and durable nature neuer to dye with a consequent freedome from all alterations or impressions by Diseases or Infirmityes tending to dissolution of the same al paines distempers weaknes or the like remoued actually I meane Thirdly A difference of habit of proportion and gesture from all other creatures For such reuerend markes there were in the colour temper guise awfulnes erectnes and gate of man as caused all creatures to stoope and do obeysance The heathens obserued it in the vpward looke of man and the prone downeward looke of other Q. But the Holy Ghost especially ayming at the soule proceed to speake of that A. The soule of man resembled the Creator much more and that in three things First The nature of it like Gods as hath bin sayd incorporeall intelligible immortall free to will or nill nothing in it grosse carnall or base the purpose counsell vnderstanding deliberating resoluing discoursing and iudging faculties being Diuine sparks Secondly for the manner I spake in the former question Thirdly The seuerall functions and powers thereof resembling the communicable Attributes of GOD in their perfection his knowledge his purenesse his freedome his righteousnes These may be referred to 2 sorts inward and outward The inward standing in vnderstanding will and conscience The vnderstanding hauing perfect knowledge of God his nature attributes will and worship of himselfe of all other things yea the formes and very natures thereof whence he gaue them Names in all respects his vnderstanding was an Vrim of distinct pure and perfect light so was his will as I may say a Thummim of Holines perfect righteousnes originall rectitude and was thorowly subiect to the edict and charge of the mind and so the operations and actions sutable to both GOD then sate in the throne of the mynde as supreme the will was subiect to the mynd the actions to both In the conscience he enioyed a pure and true reflexe of himselfe in all these perfectly gladding and comforting himselfe in the priuity to this excellency a Musicall harmony without all iarre remorse or anxiety The outward acts of the Sences members naturall ciuill oeconomicall or religious ordered by knowledge There was positiue power and free will to good and not euill in his nature and to euill onely negatiue as now in the vnregenerate there is a freedome to euill and not good
mans body especially his soule to communicate himselfe so farre to a piece of clay what meditation can equall it Fourthly it should teach vs much more to beleeue how Vse 4 admired he can make himselfe in all his Siants by his second creation especially at his second comming and the whilest in repayring of his Image more perfectly in those that beleeue faith beeing a greater excellency and tending to a neerer vnion then euer any perfection of Adam Oh! it should conuince vs of the goodnes of mercy and cast out that enmity of ours which cannot beteame God one good thought Fifthly it should teach vs the equity of Gods commands Vse 5 and iustice of his threats euen against our corrupt nature For the Lord lookes not at our inability but his owne goodnes in the enabling of vs once to obey And whereas some cauillers alledge that Adam had not faith giuen him therefore GOD cannot iustly require the punishment of vnbeleefe I answer yes for although Adam had not the grace he needed not yet he had such grace as enabled him to obey aswell in those charges which God should put vpon him which he losing by sinne is iustly punisht for it Lastly it should stop the mouth of all cauillers against God Vse 6 for not creating Adam with a confirmed nature to perseuere Rather let vs turne our selues to condemne Adam and confesse his iudgement was most iust that for so needlesse and so friuolous an addition of content to his appetite he would lose so vnspeakable a Iewell as he forfeited Q. But did Adam continue in this integrity Art 2 A. No. He fell from it by wilfull transgression Gen. 3.7 Rom. 5.12 Eccl. 7.29 Rom. 5.19 And this disobedience was the violation of the charge of God not to meddle with the Tree of Good and euill This sin was not a bare eating of the forbidden fruit but a compound and fardell of all sinnes in one A proud disloyall needlesse distrustfull reuolting discontented vnthankfull rebellious departing from the blessed God to a base creature euen when he was set in the midst of all perfection aboue all base obiects Q. But how could this be he beeing Gods Image A. He was actually so but not vnchangeably Therefore hauing his will left in her-freedome vnestablisht by gracious determining thereof to good Lo when a sensible obiect is presented by the Deuill first she as the weaker then he by her meanes freely chose to leaue God and to embrace the creature And hereby when hee was made able if hee would to stand although so as hee might fall he turned this voluntary might into a necessity of falling and an impossiblenes of returne by himselfe Q. How lay ye forth this sinne more fully A. By two things First The descriptioÌ„ of the Holy Ghost Secondly By the parcels of the sin For the first The Scripture calles Gen. 3.6 Rom. 5. 1. Tim. 2.13 14. it That disobedience That offence That transgressioÌ„ noting it to be the compound of all in one yea the roote of all most odious of all as beeing the first of all which durst enterfeer with the righteous nature and will of GOD. But especially Salomon Eccles 7. vlt. calls it a Finding out of inuentions No man can fynde out any thing that good is beyond God God had found out and bestowed vpon Adam and Eue all goodnes in perfection yet cut of a wearynes of welfare they would finde out beyond him be wiser then he supposing to better their estate but they found out nothing but their own findings sinne and sorrow as it was iust they should do who would go beyond GOD They found out indeed new occasion and worke which God neuer set them and theâ—â— deuised lyes and shifts but they found out misery to be their portion when all the rest vanished Q. How by the parcels of the sinne A. First by the circumstances Secondly by the fall it selfe The circuÌ„stances are as the persons belonging to it First The Serpent Secondly Satan Thirdly Eue Adam Touching the first The Serpent being the wisest subtillest creature fittest for Satan to worke by of least suspition both readiest to take fire froÌ„ hell to set Eue on fyer therewith is vsed Satan comes not we see without his tew and tackling but strong and well prepared heer was the mayne fight vpon which all his kingdome hung eyther now or neuer therefore now he vnites al his feates and forces strength cruelty subtilty diligence malice in one Is there any one wiser and apter creature to conuey temptation by a voice then other That he chuseth Is eyther of the two parties siâ—lier weaker to bee gulled then other Her he lights upon Is this woman at any odde time lesse her selfe weaker then weaknes it selfe Then hee comes Is there any way to eyther lay out the excellency of the obiect or to extenuate the attâ—mpt vrged to alay the charge or to traduce the Commander That hee lights on The second person is Satan who had bin an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11 â—uâ— as other Scriptures doe prooue beeing left iustly by GOD to the tempâ—tation of Ambition and aspiring to be as GOD fell to be discontent with their estate and to puffe vp themselues with pride Iude. 6. and to withdraw themselues from their place and forsooke their seruice for how should pride stand before a God of holines Oh! this clipt their wings of readines Psal 146. Then all cheerfull loyall seruiceablenes was gone By this meanes God cast them downe to Hell and there reserued them in chaynes they hauing lost that they had and that they desired turne their rage against God who had plagued them and their eâ—uâ— against man his fauorite neuer lâ—nning till they had also cast him out of Paradise The Third is Eue and Adam who did most immediately concurre to this their owne transgression Q. What things obserue you in their fall A. Things of two soâ—s First The remote causes Secondly The more neere and proper The former were these First changeablenesse of their will Secondly Vnarmednesse against the temptation Thirdly the peculiarity of the same For first Let vs not blame GOD but looke at man whose habituall holines wanting a confirmation of grace determining the will against the obiect then and thus offered was corrupted to a passiue capablenes of euill Beware heere of murmuring against God saying What was it to make them tâ—uâ— perfect wanting an Holy necessity of nature to stand Oh man whoart thou The Second was their vnarmednesse They meant indeed no euill but they vsed not that power to stand which God had put into them they watched not to keepe pure beeing made so it s not enough for a seruant not to purpose to go out of his Masters worke except he resolue also faythfully to dwell vpon it without vnsettling They knew good from euill in the speculation for they had heard the charge and threat of God both of not eating and of
so wee in Adam hee to GOD wee to Satan And that by the iustice of GOD who as hee would most iustly haue imputed the integrity of Adam to vs if hee had stood therein so might impute his sinne Wee were all in Adams loynes for better or for worse And as it was in the second Adam the Lord did impute our sins to him who yet neuer sinned after the similitude of ours against a law because hee looked at him in the nature hee sustained so hee doth impute Adams sinne to vs although wee in person sinned not because wee sinned in his nature And as our Lord Iesus had beene wronged if he had suffred for that sinne which was none of his and wee also were farre from Redemption if righteousnesse could not bee really settled vpon vs by imputation so except Adams sin were first made ours by imputation wee should bee wronged in sustayning the penalties thereof Imputation I grant differs in the manner and forme of it being in Christ onely by Gods account in vs inherent but still reall in both respects duely obserued And thus by partaking with him in the act wee also partake with him in all the consequents of sinne and penalties following If it be demanded as Paul doth there whether Heathens and Infidels that liued from Adam to Moses and so since were thus 〈◊〉 Theâ—â— sâ— cre is Yea Sin raigned both in the guilt and punishmentâ— â—lâ— that time among millions of sinners wasting and deâ—troying generation after generation onely the difference is Bâ—â—ore Moses there was little sence of it they were vnder the raigne of it the guilt the plâ—gues of it but still thâ— neuer saw the face of their King lust and coâ—â— pâ—â—cence old Adam the law of the membâ—â—s the sin and curse of Adam who hurt them they knew not onely felt the smart of a blind stroke neuer the further off from the misery but much further from cause or Remedy As for the Relique of that law they carried within them alas it was easily dazeled by forgetfulnesse or damped by strong lusts being dim in it selfe but as for the root of the disease that they neuer saw by that law as after in Art 5. shall be spoken Q. Is there any thing else to be said to open this A. Yea The Lord would resemble this contagion of sin from Adam to his posterity by that speech Gen. 5.3 that Adam hauing sinned begat a sonne in his owne Image who else should haue beene begotten in Gods Noting that with the generation the sin also was deriued And although this be a dead notion in the generall yet when we see how the Lord inflicts a sensible marke hereof euen still in our propagation as namely when some notorious vices of vncleannesse malice hollownesse intemperancy trechery cruelty choler and fury doe euen goe in a blood as in a streame ouerflowing not onely some families but euen some Countreis which are as by-words and reproches for their drunkennesse vanity pride and luxury surely by the actuall infection that appeares the other of originall may be discouered unto us Q That it is thus it appeares plainly but I desire to know by what meanes this conueighance is made for the difference of men iâ— this makes some doubt of it A. That shall not need All grant it And all must confessâ— that generally it is by Gods iust imputation which reâ—lâ—zâ—s the infection into the whole race of Adam But as touchâ—ng the way some thinking it to be by bodily generation others by Gods infusion of the soule stained with her bioâ— both being vnsafe this I would briefly say Man begets man not a piece of him and therefore in begetting man hee must needs beget sinfull man also How that is I may expresse thus Beside the bodily Traduction man begets man in his Receptiuenesse of the soule and in these bands and tyes which knit body and soule to wit those Spirits of Reasonable nature and by the infection of these spirits the soule is also corrupted For my selfe I confesse it decides all the doubt when I thinke of the realnesses of Gods imputing though I should know no more Q. What vse floweth from hence A. Still a good reade would be glad to apply each Article practically to himselfe for the better insight into the nature of his corruption Each Article shoâ—ld adde to the view of sinne And so doth this For what a depth of dye how festred a canker or leprosie how deadly a poison in this sin of Adam which could not be washt out in so many waters as it hath passed through in many hundred generations Nay the iron-moll and the staine of it is as fresh aâ—d will be to the worlds end as at the first and the fruits much fouler It s a true speech old Adam is not as other old men crazy with age his age is renued in euery new generation as the father in the son It must needs bee strong poizon which hath so present a dispersion of it selfe through the body into each veine and artery of the whole to make it like it selfe What then is it which God would teach vs by this leauen surely when we see how it hath leauened such a lump of mortality It should make vs lye downe with horror vnder the hugenesse of it and feele it to crush our Soules yet more sensibly It should take away all life and spirit in vs In stead of our priding our selues in our brats and their features It should make some of vs to tremble to thinke what we haue put into them euen a leauen which grace it selfe will neuer throughly purge them of in this world What ioy should be in our spirits while this thought abides in vs Especialâ—y how should we endure to thinke that some of vs doe suffâ—r our children thus already poizoned to ranne vp and downe the world to gather more and more actuall scurff to their naturall and we neuer restrein them from this riot I speake to such as haue great posterities of all others for although thou hast but one it concernes thee too for some one may haue as much poizon in him as some fiue or sixe let these looke to themselues thou hast dispersed old Adam and sowâ—e his seed at large take heed thou be as carefull to roote it out and plant the second Adam in the roome of it else thy posterity shall be thy greatest hell But to all this I say slâ—ght not this sin of Adam say not If I had not this sin imputed to me against my will I should neuer haue deserued it Nay rather except thou hadst deserued it it had neuer beene imputed taxe thy selfe say thus I was deceaved by the serpent ate and was cursed had I beene there I had done no lesse Oh so great and wide an infection should breed as large and deep a dâ—iection of spirit in euery one that beleeues it The common speech is Fornication is but a trick of youth If a man should
behold this sin in the cloake which God once put vpon it Numb 25.9 died in the blood of 24000. men and women durst he thinke it a trick of youth So originall sin is thought but our nature and that which cannot be auoyded we may pity it but we cannot blame it No but you must repent of it and get Christ to couer and pardon it else it wiâ—l blame and damne you But to returne if wee would behold this cloake dyed in the blood not of so many thousands but millions both of Heathens and Christians durst we make a But of it Take heed of such boldnesse If any aske how I answer As a man begets a man so hee begets a bad one If any question it how the generation of the body can taint the soule I answer By the taint of the spirits flowing from the power of generation man not onely begetting a body of man but a man in respect of that habitude of or unto the soule which habitude being poizoned the soule is also poizoned therewith If this bee too darke for any to conceaue let this be enough that whatsoeuer the manner of conueiance bee the curse of God is ineuitably settled vpon both the generall and particular nature of man I deny not but the Lord doth mercifully stop the excesse of this ouerflow so that it is confined from some measure of outrage in some more then others which is to be confessed a speciall indulgence and prouidence of God â—â—e man to man should be as a wolfe but still in the most morall courteous and ciuill natures their corruption dwelleth and they are as farre from the true image of God as the furthest as appeares by this that a Publicane may as soone bee brought home as a Pharise and â—ooner Therefore there is no difference hee in Q. What vse learne we hereof Vse 1 A. First sharp reproofe to such as soder vp this fearefull ruine by any outward accomplishment which makes them glorious in mans eye and to blind themselues willingly from seeing their abomination before God If many true turned to God hauing liued vnder good meanes Ministers education yet haue beene deeply humbled by the cursednes of their nature because they neuer â—elt theÌ„selues humbled for it what shall be their case who haue nothing to commend them saue outsides of ingenuity morality gentlenesse or better breed and parts then others hauing neuer beheld the misery of their owne spirit and frame This world is now so full of debauchednesse that wee may be glad of such in our common dealings but such may haue cause to bee glad of themselues Rather let them read that in Act. 17 All are of one blood or seed Oh proud heart boast not of thy selfe aboue another lest those very clothes of thy pride defile thee and make thee worse Say thus I may bee learneder ciuiler then another but worse then another and if I thinke my selfe better it s because I am worse This should make euen the greatest Ionas 3. to come downe and licke the dust and call corruption and wormes their brother and sister till grace haue separated the precious from the vile Vse 2 Secondly it teaches that if the Lord exempt any from this leauen and infection compt it peculiar grace for hee is tyed to none hee hath all at vantage all hauing sinned Oh that the free goodnesse of God in Christians should make any difference where so little was It should turne all pride of man into deep astonishment and praise especially wonder at this freedome that when all other respects are alike one age temper birth two lying in one wombe as Iacob and Esau two at mill two in one bed in the field yet one should be taken the other refused nay perhaps the worser viciouser baser partie of two of ten the most despized in a family taken the likelyer and better reiected that grace should put honor vpon one and shame vpon others As Pharaos butler and baker being in one crime yet differing in Pharaos fauour As those two theeues in the same iust condemnation Thirdly let all Pharises learne to take this razor and cut the combe of their owne conceitednesse When one and the same misery shall bee laid vpon the proudest hypocrite and the â—rofanest Publicane whom the one scorned in respect of himselfe when one hell and iudgement belongs to both the Lord putting no difference because neither of their hearts purified by faith nay when the yonger brother a base spendâ—hrift vpon his meer submission without any worke wrought of desâ—ruing at his fathers hands shall be accepted and pardoned oh what ground of selfe deniall and humiliation oâ—ght this to be Q. But perhaps this misery is not of it selfe so deepe but there is way sufficient for man to escape it A. No possibility to manward out of himselfe to eâ—cape Art 5 Hee lyes forlorne of himselfe vnder the confusion of his misery As a prisoner lying in a dungeon with chaines being vnder sentence of death He is vncapable of any way offred him therefore much lesse able to embrace it No manner of feeling of it seâ—fe fearing of danger or hope of rescue Nothing in nature art education nothing of worth or congâ—uity nothing from selfe or other men or Angels to helpe out of this desperate ruine Nay when a remedy is â—ffered nothing in any naturall freedome of will concurring with the meanes can doe it Nay the grace it selfe of God imparted to the soule cannot worke it selfe to the meriting of a pardon if weakened by sin except the same freedome of mercy should still tye it selfe thereto Nay no elect childe of God can out of himselfe procure the least desert of acceptance if separate from Christ so much as for himselfe much lesse another See Psal 49.1 Sam. 2.95 Iob 4.18 Iob 14.4 Q. Is there any thing to bee added for the proofe of this our inabilitie to deliuer our selues from this misery A. This being taken as it must be for graÌ„ted that all offeÌ„ces committed against infinitenesse are infinite in their guilt and therefore Iustice cannot with safety of her selfe chuse but require the offence at the hands of the sinner both by holding him vnder guilt and punishment accordingly how can it bee imagined that there should bee any thing in a finite sinning nature to procure her peace at the hand of an infinite wronged Maiesty It s true that a Prince may at the instance of an equall yea inferior pardon a treason although no satisfaction bee made because the offence was but finite But to thinke so of God were blasphemous Againe let the reader looke backe into the third Article and see what is said of the spirituall penalties inflicted vpon man for sin If they be true that is if man bee both so insensible of his woe so vncapable of the way which God hath deuised to redeeme him so opposite and rebellious against it so well satisfied in that his Hell as if an Heauen who can thinke
loathsome and he is chastned with paine in the multitude of his bones his life abhorres bread his flâ—sh is consumed his soule drawes neere the graue v. 19 20 21 22. Oh thus body and soule by sympathy must stoop vnder wrath when God frownes all parts haue sinned and all must smart Psal 39.11 When thou art angry for sin man is made as a garment moth-eaten The Lord Iesus himselfe could not escape it his soule was heauy to death he sweet drops of blood he thought God quite gone from him And yet this at the worst is better then any other of the three I spake of And this we haue seene and daily do in men in spite of these hardned times the Lord breakes in vpon some and makes the sins of youth and age before them Oh that we could see the fruit of it after To this I adde The Lord doth this more or lesse in the soule I purposely say so because God is not tied in his course to any set measure hee can restraine or enlarge as hee pleaseth Many vnder a good Ministry or teaching hauing little felt this way of God doubt of their humiliatioÌ„ but if they can prooue that the Lord hath hidden the violeÌ„ce of terror by long frequent trayning that heere there the Lord hath reuealed himselfe more or lesse to them with fruit to be desired let it not trouble theÌ„ More vsually the Lord deales thus with soked sinners that they might vomit the morsels which they haue long taken in that by this course their change might be more apparant and for euer these markes of God might abide in their flesh to awe and bridle them yet I say God is not tyed I haue noted greater terrors in the choisest educations as the case hath stood then in openest Profanenesse Fourthly and lastly I say the act of this law is in all this to cast downe the soule at the feet of God For as I said there is in nature an intolerable bearing vp of a mans selfe in his estate a priding of himselfe boldnesse boasting of his sinne he is so farre from being ashamed that till the Law come home to him thus he is aliue read Rom. 7.9 that is iolly iocant meâ—râ— as the foole that casts arrowes darts and saith Am not I in sport A sinners Crowne is not his bare sin in corners and by stealth that his woe his law but his crown is his liberty of spirit in it to doe what he list to run ride talke practise to drinke sweare lye coozen and no man controll him This is to be aliue note the phrase and to say My selfe am my owne my tongue my own I am bond to none see Ioh. 8. ver 33 a free man to go and do as I list as he said liberty is to liue as a man list The crown of a drunkard or adulterer is to reuell and tosse and defile himselfe without feare as the Pope who may carry innumerable soules to hell with him and who shall say What dost thou Now I say this iollity and boldnesse and pride in sin the Lord in his Ministery of the law resists and that he doth when by all I haue spoken hee pulles downe this sinner vpon his knees cast his crown in the dirt dismounts him as he did Saul from his palfrey Act. 9. and the desperate Iaylor in his profanenesse and cruelty Act. 16.27 and those killers of Christ Act. 2. saying Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe Oh then hath wrath ceazed vpon the soule when it hath killed this iollity and let out this pleurisy out of it And hence it s cald the sacrificing knife sharper then any two-edged sword the killing letter Rom. 7.11 that which slew Paul not by mortification but by shedding the blood and bowels of sins iollity to the ground Oh when God comes thus into the conscience lo all is turned vpside down now I feel the vilenes of my pride now the wrath of God is vpon me for my couetousnesse now I feele this fire in my bones this sting of a serpent now I feele what it is to dare heauen and to liue like a masterlesse hound in the world â— King 22.25 Oh when that is verified which Micay told Zidkia Thou shalt be glad in that day to run from chamber to chamber to hide thee then thy pushing hornes thy scorne and pride shall be farre from thee When the Lord shall make him that durst act his parts vpon any stage now not to know what ground to stand vpon to become as if a mans body should hang in the ayre vnsusteined restlesse in it selfe not to be able to weild himselfe for the anguish confusion and agonies of a wounded spiriâ— Oh then the law hath done her part indeed and tamed former liberty and iollity in euill Examples are not wanting hereof in al places where this great Minister the law hath become But in the vse I shall apply it Q. And what secondly are the effects hereof vsually A. Among others these three apparantly First Stoppage of a course in euill openly SecoÌ„dly Inward vnsettling of a rotten peace Thirdly Holding downe the soule vnder bondage The first stopping in a course of euill This differs fâ—â—â— that effect of Prouidence whereby the Lord doth limit the number and measure of sin in the wicked for the preseruation of peace ande ciuill society for though that be a diuine work yet it s not the immediate worke of the law but either a Prouidence without a word or else by the generall power of the Word restraining sin but this is a speciall kind of restraint issuing from the work of the Law for the good of the soule so restrained And it is a lothsomnes of the soule finding no ioy in old courses beholding them with repenting and yrking of thoughts wishing them vndone and abhorring to returne to them through the terror of conscience being vnder this whip of the Law When horror lay vpon Saul Act. 9. his letters in his pocket and commission from the Priests and trade it self of pursiuantship was bitter no more of that for the present As the ague stirring the diseased humors makes that stomack loath a Partridge which before could haue eaten resty bacon so heer this terror makes the sweetest sin lothed which before deuoured all And although this be not grace yet the Lord is laying a beginning therof heerby in the soule which in due season may come to somewhat I remember a pretty speech of an Heathen in one of his Epistles who being sicke dare do as while he is well who then guzzles or is vncleane or railes or is couetous That is much truer of this soule sicknesse in which the stomack hath more list to vomit then to eate Now the reason of this worke is because while the soule is in her hurry shee hath no care to heare God speaking to her she is so busie with her trade that all is spoken as it were in her
loues a cheerefull giuer So farre should they bee from censuring others who welter not as themselues vnder their bondage Hee is cast downe enough who is in case to heare of raising vp Secondly on the left hand those doe farre worse abuze this doctrine who being weary of terror and bondage as soone as they fall into it cast with themselues how they may shake it off pretending that this is no estate to serue GOD in And so they returne some to their sport and Pastimes some their Pleasures some their Profits some their old companions some prooue more desperate worldlings and others with Cain to build them Cityes and while out their time heere with singing sad thoughts away Let these know that the course they take is vâ—oâ—ent and much like to them who to stop the cry of their infants put into the brazen belly of Moloc did oppresse their eares with the noise of Pipes and Tabrets As their childrens cry preuayled to bring an heauy plague vpon them which no Pipes could still so when the sleepe of these Epicures is ouer they shall awake with such sad confuzion that all the noise of their Rattles shall not be able to still them And so much be spoken of this point of Consternation and of the three acts of the Law and the vses in speciall There is one generall vse to be added afterward Q. Before wee adde the vse of Terror in generall one obiection offers it selfe viz that Paul Rom 7.7 sayth When the Law came sinne reuiued how then is Terror the worke of the Law Paul doth in that place so affirme the former that he denyeth not the latter adding this But I dyed noting that both might stand together A. Both may be together in one vnregenerate man according to diuers parts For when the Law had slaine conscience then concupiscence reuiued And wee must distinguish betweene the naturall worke of the Law and the accidentall Terror is the proper worke of it and when it s wrought it is as it ought to be But when rebellion ariseth it s otherwise then ought to be When the Sunne reuiueth and sweetens the earth it workes properly when it drawes vp the noysome stench of a dunghill to poizon the ayre its accidentall comming from the loathsomnes of the dunghill So when sinne rebells she doth her kind for she doth as the deuill did when he went out he foamd raged and tyrannized first It proceedes from the fulnes of the stomacke of sin loth and disdayning to yeld to a new guest But howeuer sinne do her kind yet if the Law do set her selfe to do hers this rebellion shall not hinder the killing power of it It shall rather encrease it For when the soule comes to see how lothsome sinne hath made her that euen when the Law by her righteous good nature seeks to destroy sinne then shee most couets it cleaues to it and rushes her selfe vpon it to iustle it aside this makes her conclude her selfe out of measure wofull by sinne out of measure sinfull And when rebellion begins to bee tamed the heart growes more and more vnder feare Although nothing hinder why both may not at one time bee together Onely in the bad commonly it encreaseth till it haue cast out all terrour and so causes the soule to wax worse for the Lawes enlightning because the sweet of sinne hath so preuailed that with an high hand of rebellion it strengthens the iollity of sin and so reuiueth In the godly in whom God will vse the Law as a seed of regeneration and a way to a remedy the Lord will enlarge terror and conuictions so farre that rebellion shall not stand it out but stoop with confusion vnder the power of it It s certein many perish at this second rock of rebellion hauing shot the gulfe of ignorance Q. Cleere this obiection more fully A. To this end first we must cleere the Text. Secondly Lay downe the obiection and answere it First For cleering note That Paul by Sin meanes originall sin body and members By himself I died hee meanes the powers of soule and body these must bee well distinguished Secondly obserue that Paul compares Sinne and himselfe in this point viz The time before and the time after the lawes powerfull comming by conuiction and terror Before the comming of it thus Sinne was dead and Paul aliue What 's that Sinne was aliue in point of her stilnesse Peace and Qâ—ietnesse without any distemper why because either no Law came at all or else came not in her power Againe Paul was aliue What is that Merry iolly lusty secure without any feare Why Because there was none to oppose The death then of sin ere the Law was no true death for still her poizon remayned as the snakes in her cold hole The life also of Paul was no true life for hee was dead in poynt of misery a dead carrion to the life of God but alone onely in the matter or his â—oâ—lity and lustinessâ— Thirdly note Sinnâ—s death and Pauls liâ—e caused this deepe â—oâ—â—e 〈◊〉 betweene them both I laâ— her quietnes and their â—â—ll ty made them as câ—ose as buckle and thong for why sinne was glad to see Paul lusty and Paul was as glad to â—eâ— her quiet Thus it was between them ere the Law â—ame But how since Oh quite contrary Sinner u ued Paul dyed How Sinne perceyuing the Law resoluâ—d not to giue ouer till it had diuided her and Paul who had so long liued at peace together and traded with gaine and pleasure ech by other and to scoure her house of her guest whom she so corrupted the mind the will affections conscience and members of Paul beeing the creation of GOD begins to reuiue to be no longer quiet as before when her trade prospered but to fret rage and be vnquiet On the other side Paul also seeing the Law resolued to gaster him out of his wicked haunt what doth hee dyes is all a-mort forsakes his old mistresse concupiscence and begins to be weary of his trade I cannot open it better then by a Similitude There is some lewd huswife in an end way of a Towne that keepes a base Suckling house and there bee many lewd drunkards companions that sucken her Markes Ere the Constable come shee is still and quiet vtters no distaste at all followes her trade at ease and puts vp her wicked gaynes and the more quiet she is the more merry her guests be throwing all out at windowes and so both consent most inwardly to get her yea and perhaps while this league lasts although the Officer come yet at first she keepes her quiet and they their iollity and both out-face the Law But marke The Officer comes the second tyme vpon them and they vnderstand he is fully bent to execute the Law to pull downe the Alehouse and to diuide the keeper and the guests from ech other how then Then the Guests all turne iollity into feare they are all a-mort
well is he that can betake him first to heeles out goes one at one posterne another at another and leaue their hostesse What doth she Alas she is the housekeeper she must bide by it she hath forgone her trade therefore she mutters and rages aâ—d giues threatning specches they will vâ—doâ— a poore woman c. And if she can by any meanes toll in her flayted guests she wilâ— and tels them She must not be so forsaken they must sticke to her better then so Howbeâ—t the Officer is diligent and tells these guests I am resolued to breake your knot yee shall no more râ—ut here it shall cost ye all ye are worth to your skinne rather and if there be Law to be hâ—d I will breake your meetings As for this base huswife she doth her kind I neuer looke to see her honest I will watâ—h her aswell as I can but aâ— for reforming her I neâ—er looke for that I may bynd her to good behauior fine and yoke her and hold her downe as I can but her ill will I looke alway to haue and care not for it and I know as she can she will play her pranks But as for you of whom I haue more hope let me perswade ye to refrayâ—e What comes of this The base woman frets still and malignes the Law but the guests beeing ouer powerd with authority leaue their trade the more the woman rages the more they are ashamed not onely by the feare of thâ— Officer but by the rebellion of their old hostesse they grow more to loa h their old trade This for the first to wit the clearing of the text Q. Now how cleere you the doubt A Eâ—sily For what is it against Pauls dying that Sinne reuyuâ—th what is it against the Guests shame and dying to their tâ—dâ— that their old hostesse rages Rebellion is in her not iâ— them they are shamed and flayted thogh she will know no Law Q. â— vnderstand plainly but now because the point of sinâ— rebellion â—n the conscience terrified is somewhat vnusually taught speake a little of it shew what it is and so with a little vse conclude all A. Thus then we may conceaue what this sin-reuiuing in the soule cast down meaneth if we distinguish the sorts of Rebellion in generall It s three fold 1 Naturall or corrupt Second Penall and the third Mixt. The first kind is when the Word or law comes so to the corrupt soule that as yet it carries no power or authority ouer the soule with it but still the soule holds her owne for then so close is sin and the soule they so consent that to bee parted from their filthy fellowship is death to them both sin incorporating herselfe into the soule that she is as one with them though in truth there is as great oddes between them as betweene the creation of God and the confusion of the Deuill howbeit so it is by their neernesse and Inmateship the one so defiles another that it is as easy for Samson to part with his Delila as for these to be sundred Heere therefore as both band in euill so both do conspire in rebellion against all the lawes of God all his Knight-Marshals Constables and Officers it s as easy to rob a beare of her whelpes as these of their sinfull pleasures and when any thing is done by the law against Oh what a liuery do they giue it and Gods officer for it Oh he comes to make vproare and bring in confusion among neighbours that liued before at one Oh! say they its pity that euer such were suffred to breake the loue and liking that was before Oh how they combine to cast him out that they might roll backe to their old mire the Minister is to such as the Marshall in London is to harlots an ey-sore a reproch and common wonderment Their gaine their sweet trade their shrines for Diana are stopped therfore now they cry out more then euer Great is Diana their drinking their lusts pride and couetousnesse were neuer so sweet to them as now the opposition of the Word makes them The good and holy law of God makes them worse and worse they rush their crazy soules against the piller of Gods truth and split themselues at it and become more out of measure sinfull This is the first rebellion in the vnconuinced the most ordinary and common rebellion to be seene now a daies where the Word comes powerfully vpon ignorant consciences snorting in profanenesse This is not heere meant The second is Penall a fruit of this onely encreased by the iust wrath of God vpon the former rebels whose chaynes Lord makes stronger Esa 28.22 by how much the more they kicke against the pricks I say when the Lord penally smites them suffers them to encrease and fulfil the measure of their lusts to grow frozen in these dregs desperate in their lusts to scorne pursue deface the meanes and waxe impenitent in their rebellion so that they find no place of repenting See these texts Mat. 23.32 34 Act. 41.13 Act. 28.27 and the like neither is this meant heere The third is Mixt When rebellion is allayed with terror of conscience and not permitted to her selfe as we know a theefe in hold is one thing and at liberty is another Now this mixt terror is the accidentall worke of the law in a conuiâ—ted and troubled conscience working corruption to a rebellion and resistance that sinne might bee odious and the soule more humbled So that by this appeares that this reuiuing or rebelling is no act of conscience or the soule for it s planted in another subiect to wit sin Conscience all this while is oppressed with thraldome by the law and held downe the rebellion which is comes from the principle of lust which cannot endure separation To apply then the distinction I answere This obiection hinders not this truth That the proper work of the law is to cast downe and embondage the guilty soule Q. The chieft doubt remaining is How a troubled Conscience priuy to much reuiuing of corruption may discerne that it commeth not from her selfe but from sinne A. This may be discerned easily by many markes First from the worke of the law that hath separated her from sin and that amity which once was between her and it This is no hard matter to prooue if once the soule can say her old lusts and she are diuided by the lawes of terror How can she then thinke that she should rebell against the good law for working that which she is glad of Secondly It will appeare by this that rebellion must come from a free will and principle of the agent but that cannot bee conscience nor her selfe because shee is conuinced by an ouerruling Law which hath killed her freedome Thirdly by this that rebellion where it is vnconuinced doth not onely fret in respect of somewhat she is denied but alâ—o at that which crosseth her for it selfe But in this legall rebellion when the
thy meanest gifts to do good Mat. 15.37 Iob 8.7 and thy loues shall encrease in the breaking and thy small beginnings shall prooue great By these and the like directions conceaue of this first point Q. Proceed to the second Communion in meanes What is that A. It is such an exercise of Communion as whereby the Church of Christ doth edify her selfe in by the ordinance of GOD Ephes 4.13 Q. How doe these ordinances of GOD edify the Church A. Two wayes first as they are Tyes and bandes of Communion secondly as they are actiue instruments helps to beget and nourish it Q. How are the ordinances of God Tyes and Bands A. In that they are appointed by GOD to bee the sinnewes and cordes of vnion not onely of the Church to God himselfe but of the members each to other Without the which the members would scatter and be dissolued Hence Psal 122. Ierusalem is called a compacted City knit together by the Assemblyes by the Sacrifices by the Thrones of Iudgement Read it So Paul Ephes 4.5 One God one Baptisme one fayth noting that the Churches mutual interest in the Doctrine and Sacraments doth knit her in one Communion Thus it s sayd that the Church continued and claue together after the Ascension in the vse of the ordinances Act. 2.46 and 4.32 the Sacrament especially of the Supper Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the word prayer and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of Communion Hence it is that they are called the Banners Ensignes Standards of Christ and the Ministers the Bearers thereof For as Souldiers flocke to the Standard and Ensigne so doe these Doues of Christ Fly to these windowes and the youth of his wombe to these Assemblies Psal 110.2 Hence Paul saith 1 Cor. 10.16 The Bread we breake and the Wine wee drinke are they not our Communion with the body of Christ meaning that as they knit vs to him so doe they knit vs each to other Saint Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.2 The Saints partake like precious Faith We are said Heb. 12.22 to bee come to Mount Zion and the Assemblies of iust men Why saue that heereby we might be strengthned in the same Communion We see that the Common tyes of nature education and place doe much tye men together To haue had one father to haue lyen in one wombe to haue dwelt in one towne to haue fed at one boord to haue beene brought vp in one family or Nursery are bands of fellowship how much more all these Spirituall tyes in one In particular how dare wee come to the Supper of Christ without loue Why because it is as it is called a Sacrament of Communion a tye and band of Gods people into a more close and firme league of amity then else they could enioy So also the decency order beauty of the ordinances of hearing of prayer of fasting especially in the purity thereof what singular helpes are they to Communion Yea the members of the Triumphant Church the Angels themselues are tyed to the Militant by the ordinances 1 Pet. 1.12 When the faithfull members of Christ behold with what holy Claspes and Taches not of siluer or brasse the Lord hath fastned the parts of his Tabernacle together when they behold each in other the Reuerence the Zeale the Feare the Ioy and all the gracious dispositions with which they meet God in Hearing Praying Receauing how must they needs hee vnited in neere affection and loue Not to speake of the holy Censures which God hath ordained to curbe the vnruly and to confirme the godly in their station to make the one to feare and the other to obey So that there is no Iesuite or profane person doth more abuse and defile these ordinances to treason and lewd ends then the Saints doe embrace them to strengthen themselues in this Communion As Nehemia once said Shall such a one as I flee Nehem. 6.11 So doe the faithfull Shall such as we who enioy such Ordinances and haue such a Charter of Priuiledges quarrell contend goe to Law iangle and liue at variance Shall wee that are to heare one truth of God and receaue one Sacrament lye cog wrong hurt each other or dare we come into the presence of God in these Ordinances if we walke inordinately in our course Q. How are these Ordinances begetters and nourishers of Communion A. There is none of them but concurres heerto in a speciall manner First as for the Word preached how many thousands did one Sermon of Peter gaine to this Communion And it no lesse preserueth and holdeth the faithfull therein For either it findes them staggering in this Communion and then it restores them or weake and then it strengthens them or sad and heauy and then it encourages and comforts them or ignorant and then it enlightens them or vnruly and then it admonishes them or standing and then it stablishes them So thâ—â— it doth all offices of communion Secondly so the Censures duly administred Thirdly so the Sacrament of the Supper How actiue an instrument is it to reconcile them that are at ods and to vnite them more who are brethren It makes them dwell together more sweetly and louingly Fourthly Prayer is another what office is there which it hath not done in the Church what was the meane of conuerting Saul What deliuered Peter out of Herods prison Act. 12.6 Fifthly Fasting ioyned with it what good thing hath it not beene a key to open the Treasure of Heauen and to bring vpon the bodies and soules of the faithfull Plenty in famine Victory in warre Protection in dangers Ease in distresse Witnesse the examples of Ezra Ester and others Ezra 8.23 Ester 4.16 And to end The Conuersing of the people of God in Holy conference how doth it reuiue and cheere their soules when they are filled with heauinesse and sorrow and to seeke of instruction and strength in the wayes of God Heb. 10.25 Q. I see your meaning in both these viz. Graces and Ordinances conclude now and shew what is the third viz. Communion in Seruices A. It s such an exercise of Communion as wherein the members of the Church by mutuall duties and seruices performed do edify themselues in the body Q. Of how many sorts are these A. Some concerne the bodyes of men other their soules Q. VVhat duty concernes the bodies of men Are bodies also the obiects of Communion A. Yea doubtlesse if the dying bodyes yea dead carcasses of Paul supposed to be so Act. 14.19 and Stephen Act. 8.2 were assisted and enterred with solemne lamentation much more the liuing Besides we communicate not one with other as the Angels by Communion of Spirits but by the mediation of our bodyes Not to vrge that viz. The Bodies as well as the Soules of the faithfull are redeemed to the liberty of this Communion Q. Are onely the bodies of the faithfull the obiects of Communion A. No. There is an holy ouerflow of Communion of Saints
quckening worke of the spirit of which more in the third part and the last is Glorification Q Let vs proceed to the opening of their seuerall natures and vses breefly so farre as serueth for our purpose A. It were endlesse to wade into all onely to shew the realnesse of them and the vse of them to the soule that it may see how richly Christ is offred to the soule I will touch euery one of them The first of them is Vocation See texts Esay 55.5 Rom. 8 30.1 Cor. 1.2 Now this calling is a worke of the Spirit issuing from election whereby whom the Lord hath chozen to be his he brings to know it And that by the voyce and call of the outward word and inward spirit cryâ—ng to their soules thus Come out of her my people and returne to me Come out from thy former corrupt estate of sinne subiection to Satan curse misery lewd customes error of the wicked hell and returre to that blessednes which thou hast lost So then calling is that whole workmanship of GOD whereby he pulles the soule from a bad estate to a good be it longer in working or shorter darker or cleerer easier or harder it s the drawing of it from darknes to light Act. 16.18 That from whence it s drawne is an vnregenerate estate That whereto is faith Between these thee whole work of God is calling Q. Can you not breefly summe vp the parts of it A. Yes it may bee conceaued to stand in these two parts Eyther the preparing worke of calling or the finishing The former is that by which the Lord finding the heart vncapable of a promise brings it and prepares it to be such an one as may see it selfe capable and vnder condition of beleeuing such an one as may beleeue For as for the opinion of such as imagne that GOD breeds faith all at once without preparing the heart they ouerthrow that grace in respect of a soules triall of her selfe and in respect of Gods Glory which they would seeme to magnify And they strengthen the hand of sinful men in their error thinking there is no difference betweene men al may beleeue in Christ This by the way The latter is that by which the Lord doth finish the worke of faith and power which is the Condition of the Gospell without which no man can partake any of the priuiledges following Note For it succeeds the condition of the Law and in stead of Do this fayth Beleeue this and liue Note well these termes Preparation is the condition of faith and faith the condition of the couenant Q. What are those preparatiues A. Partly legall partly Euangelicall in a word when the Spirit of God by both leaues such an impression in a troubled soule vnder the spirit of bondage of which in part that it comes by the sight of the Gospell to so much hope as workes the heart to mourning and brokennes to desire of mercy to esteeme it and to bee nothing in its owne eyes in comparison of it together with diligent vnweariednes till it haue obteyned it All which are the preuentions and assistance of the spirit of calling drawing the soule home to God by the steps and degrees that the soule is capable of Q. And what is the finishing worke A. That wherein Calling is perfected and wherein true conuersion of the soule begetting of it and bringing of it home to God for all these are the same doth consist For when the soule thus prepared sees that the promise belongs to her and she may and must beleeue it then the spirit stampes this gift of faith vpon the soule to receaue and tak it to her selfe from the promise Q. Passe by the vse of this now because wee shall come to it in the last Article and proceed to the second A. The second is Vnion Which is the first benefit in order I meane for else all are together in respect of the soules title and right to Christ and this oppozeth the cutting off of the sinner from GOD and all influence and Communion with his grace and by faith so bringeth the soule vnto God that its vnited made one and incorporated againe into him by the flesh of Christ vnited to his Godhead as Article 2. And it s the worke of the Spirit of Christ making the Lord and the soule one spirit and causing the soule to partake by vertue thereof all that power of this both in priuiledges and graces which follow And therefore I set it in the forefront of the rest for its sure the soule can no more receaue ought from God till it bee one with him by Christ then Christ could merit any thing for vs till the Deity and flesh were really vnited no more then the body and soule can impart or receaue to or fro till they be one See texts Eph. 5.31 32. Ioh. 17. often In all which its euident that till wee bee one with God in Christ wee are without him in the world the Lord abhorring all relations that want vnion But if once vnited then he is in vs wee in him Eph. 2.2 Iohn 1â— vlt. hee dwels in vs we in him as an inhabitant in his house and the soule in the body he is one with vs he is marryed to vs Hosc 2. Eph. 5. and we are his spouse and therefore hence issâ—â—th â—ll vertue vigor anâ— power into vs that is meete for our support eyther earthly or spirituall till our vnion bee perfected in glory To this that belongeth that is sayd we are ingrafted into him as a scien into a stocke which fetcheth all her nourishment thence As the two Seales of Baptisme and the Supper doe tipifie there being no possibility of the Communion of the latter without the vnion of the first Q. Proceede to the third Benefit A. The third is Iustification which is the second benefit of the poore beleeuer opposite to the estate of her guilt and punishment by sinne by which the soule stands in a full and perfect pardon of sin quietnesse and peace toward God through his discharging her from all guilt and punishment and esteeming her as fully cleared and acquitted therefrom as if she had neuer offended See texts Rom. 8.30 Rom. 5.18 Q. Why say you fully and perfectly can wee be perfect in this life A. No but for speciall cause to difference the benefit of Iustification from Sanctification the one being Christ made ours wholy for we cannot else stand before God except perfect by our selues or another the other in part our Sanctification being in this life imperfect But of this in second Article see more Q Seeing wee ayme onely at a view of the Article and cannot discourse about euery thing goe to the fourth and so wee will conclude all with the vses afterward together A. The fourth is Reconciliation which is oppozed to our estate of enmity and brings vs into amity and fauour with God as Eph. 1.5 Paul calls it our acceptation and belouednesse with
and for God against all his and her enemies according to that vow and oath shee tooke in her baptisme or prest mony wherein shee couenanted to bee Gods faithfull souldier against World Deuill or Flesh and therefore she is that Brood of Trauellers mentioned in Psal 84 Psal 24. that thorow Baca go to Ierusalem The Church Triumphant is that Inuisible which hauing cast off her harne is after the Victory obtained abides in soule with God and triumphs there ouer all conquered enemies Both these although in diuers state are the same Church as shall appeare when both shall receaue their bodies after the Resurrection and make one Spouse of Christ wherein is neyther spot nor wrinkle Now lastly the Church corrupt or malignant is that speciall kind of a Church Visible which although it retaines Baptisme and some such truths as are of the essence yet hath degenerated in the most of her tenets from the truth of the Gospell and therefore howsoeuer her Baptisme cannot simply be denied yet for her essentiall corruptions in most points of the foundation especially her malignity against the true Church is to bee for euer separated from by that Church which still retaineth the purity of doctrine and integrity of life And what this Church is all may conceaue to wit That vnder the Papacy Q. I vnderstand you Now say which of these is that which is the equall and onely subiect of Christ and his Benefits A. The Church inuisible of which we say in the Creed I beleeue the Holy Catholique Church Onely with this difference that although the whole Church enioy all yet because the Triumphant differs from the Militant in the fulnesse and possession the one by sence the other vnder the assurance of Faith and Hope therefore heere we especially aime at the militant as it containes the whole army of the Souldiers the body of his members For as particular souldiers make a ranke and many rankes or companies a legion and many legions an army so heere And as many particular visible congregations make vp the body of the whole visible so many particular inuisible members and companies make the whole inuisible body of the Church Militant Yet note the soule of this body so imparteth it selfe to all that yet each member partakes his part in these benefits See texts Heb. 12.16 Eph. 4.15 1 Cor. 1.30 Q. Explaine your selfe more fully For yee seeme heereby to preiudice the visible Church What Hath not shee then any prerogatiue in this behalfe A. Yes euery way farre be it from vs to conceaue such a grosse error I may say as Paul Rom. 9.4 Hers is the Law the Adoption the Glory the Commandements the Worship the Promises Nay from her wombe came forth this Inuisible company and at her brests they sucked and besides secretly in her bosome still doe lye the rest of the elect as yet vngathered yet in due time to be brought to this Fold We ascribe as much honour to a Church constituted as can be and in some sort say of her Shee is the pillar of truth in point of holding forth all the named priuiledges howbeit in this respect of the spirituall participation of the benefits of Christ we may not say that as she is onely visible she can be called the subiect heereof We grant it s one of the greatest blessings in the world to bee partakers of such a blessing as a visible Church and Blessed is that people whose God is the Lord. Howbeit to say that the Scriptures which speake of these Benefits doe directly aime at the visible Church as when he saith The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against her That she is the pillar of truth That Christ is made to her Righteousnesse Sanctification c. is very dangerous For neither to her properly nor necessarily do such promises belong First not properly because spirituall things cannot bee partaken but by spirituall receiuing and instruments but that which giueth the name to visible is onely externall administration the spirituall efficacy of Word and Sacraments concerneth the elect onely The Visible Church be it neuer so perfect being that of which those parables doe speake when the Kingdome of Heauen not the World is compared to a field of graine and of tares or weeds to the net that had good fish or the elect and hypocrites that is reffuse trash that heap which had good wheat and yet more chaffe It is true that in the Lords accompt the ordinances are giuen to the elect primarily and to the rest for their sake but in respect of the outward Polity of a Visible Church the dispensation concernes both equally Secondly I adde not necessarily for the Church Militant had lyen hid for a long time together as in the times of persecution and confusion when shâ— was pursued so hard eyther by Pagans or the malignant Church that she could not enioy so much as the Scriptures in their owne tongue much lesse the ordinances saue by stealâ—h As the Lord tels Elia 1 King 19.18 I haue reserued 7000. to my selfe that haue not bowed the knee to Baal and Obadia hid the Prophets from Ahab and Iezabel by fifties in a caue All stories record what a Catalogue of witnesses the Lord hath had by those Martyrs Confessors and Beleeuers since the primitiue times till now how God not only still had this Number when visibilâ—ty fayled but vsed them to support the truth by blood or banishment when all pure visibility fayled as by those Worthies in the dayes of Queene Mary Was not that the Church of God of which we read Heb. 11.35 36 37 Yet not visible for they were tortured had triall of cruell mockings scourgings b nds and imprisonment sawne slaine with the Sâ—ord wandred in sheeps skins and Goates skins destitute and afflicted Of whom the world was not worthy And the Apostle Rom. 9.27 saith Though Israel were as the sand of the Sea yet a remnant onely shall be saued Not all of Israel are Gods Israel He is not a Iew who is of the letter but of the Spirit whose prayse is of God not of man I conclude Although it be the greatest blessing heere to the Church of Christ that she enioy her visible ordinances with peace and constitution yet in this respect she is not the Depositary of these spirituall benefits but in respect of her vnuisible frame by vocation and vnion Q. I conceaue well what Church you meane now prooue that this Church is this Subiect of these benefits A. The Scriptures do prooue it in all these Titles Prayses and promises belonging to her She is called in the Scripture Christ the body of Christ his loue doue faire one spouse Beloued without spot or wrinkle the Daughter of God Sister of Christ Temple or habitation of the Spirit especially in Heb. 12.15 16. The City of God the Innumerable company of Angels the generall Assembly and Church of the first borne which are enrolled in Heauen She is stiled The Peculiar
for they haue heard the things which concerne your peace which others neuer saw and yet are happier in not seeing then ye in seeing and not beleeuing Fourthly consolation to the true Church of Christ for her Vse 4 portion of these benefits giuen her in Christ Wonder that the Lord should so looke vpon the lowlinesse of thy poore despised state in the world as to make thee his Iewel-house of these treasures If but of one of them much more of all Let this doctrine vrge that in the former Article Let each member of this Church praise God for her portion fallen into so good a ground Wish not that it had fallen otherwise any way no not to be a Treasurer of a Prince without it Let those precious names praises and promises vphold thee in all times of reproch and disdaine by such as know thee not If they knew thy treasure ten men would take thee by the skirt Zach. 8. vlt. and ten women would come to thee to beare their name Although thou art blacke and hast lyen among the pots yet thou art comely in Gods eye his doue sister darling and although thy iewels are sullyed a little with the aspersions of enemies yet when God shall make them vp Mal. 3. they shall cast their lustre and then shall it appeare who are precious when they are separated from the vile Hold therefore thy right and sell not thy birthright for whatsoeuer the Deuill would offer thee to cozen thee of it Redemption is thine therefore liberty stand fast in it Reconciliation thine therefore amity and fauor iustification thine therefore peace Adoption thine therefore accesse to God in prayer and so of the rest hold these as thy life and part with none of them except Christ himselfe the purchaser of them by his blood bee of no price with thee nor let time cause them to waxe stale but each day let these bee more precious as being effects and proofes of thy calling and vnion Vse 5 Fifthly and lastly let it bee exhortation to all liuely members of this body of Christ If the body of the Church bee this Magazine and Storehouse of all his Graces learne that of Paul Rom. 10.18 That the root holds thee not thou it The body holdes the members the vine the branches not they them Bee not highminded but humble thy selfe and bee lesser then the meanest of the members Let the Spirit of the Prophets bee subiect to the Prophets and not swell aboue them and the like I say of the other members The Lord hath bestowed life and blessing vpon his Church for euer Psal 133. vlt. not vpon thee in seuerall thy grace is a members grace as the blood of a finger and the sence thereof and the Spirit thereof is from the heart liuer and braine carryed to the body and thence deriued to each part Read that Eph. 4.16 it s from the whole body fitly ioined by that which euery ioint supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of euery part Humbly therefore be glad to receiue thy part see thy wants supply them by the body and disdaine not the grace of the meanest for if thou abide in the body it s thine and thy supply As no member hath all the gifts of the rest so it hath the supply of all if it abide in the body Let it cause thy soule to be knit to the least members for the grace of it let the whole body compounded of all bee glorious in thine eye and say as Hushai once did 2 Sam. 16.18 Hee whom the King and his people shall chuze shall be my delight also Behold the Graces of GOD in her get discerning of them for shee is all glorious within and her outside may deceaue thee Where faith hope holinesse the spirit of vnion adoption are let the persons of such bee precious and their name as an oyntment powred out Looke not at their Wealth Gold Rings and Inheritances but let him that is a Saint and Beloued of God excelling in vertue bee to thee as to Dauid Psal 16.2 Yea trade with her for her graces and iewels Let our prayers be for her and her protection let vs be ioyfull in her welfare and sad for her sorrow and let vs cast our lot into her lap to fare as she fares Yea let her outward peace and prosperity be deare to vs. Consider it is not for nothing that so many promises are made to her euen for outward beauty and blessings See Esay 55.12 and 43.1 and 35.7 and many more therefore let vs not rest till the day of her prosperity come Yea let vs blesse the dayes which we now see wherein the Lord begins to turne the wheeles ouer his enemies and to pleade his Churches cause against them in many other Countries who haue long lyen vnder Popish yoke and tyrannie Say we of our priuate griefes in comparison and respect heereof as that good Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 19.30 said to Dauid touching the diuision of his lands which yet hee had lost by that Ziba treacherously Nay let him takâ— all since my Lord the King is returned in peace And farre bee it from vs to dismay and afflict her by our separation forsaking of her Assemblies as the maner of some is who daily run into the confusion of their owne deuices and let vs confesse that if euer we eyther were truely bred it was in her wombe or if nourished it was at her brests Let vs not now call her harlot for her loue nor her children and the generation of her wombe the sonnes of the rebellions woman but euen in our farre distance from her as some haue by their late godly protestation professed let vs say and let them say If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my fingers forget to play And thus much for this sixth Article The seuenth Article Question VVHat is the seuenth and last Article of this second part A. The vse of the whole Part which is that we beleeue this deliuery to be our owne At the end of the fifth Article I referd my Reader to this last Article for the vrging of it Partly to auoyd the length thereof but especially because I would ground it vpon the whole Part as concerning it equally For as in the former I shewed the whole vse of it to be drawne from each Article so I doe heere say That whosoeuer hath beene conuinced by that of his sinne and bene kindly pinched and prickt thereby by each of those Articles so Iohn 16 9 euery such soule be now also conuinced of Righteousnes and beleeue himselfe to be the party to whom this delyuerance of Christ belongs by each of these fiue Articles premised Q. What is it to beleeue this A. It is the worke of the Spirit of God by vertue of which a soule vnder the condition of fayth doeth cast it selfe and rely vpon the offer of God for pardon of sin and for eternall life Q. I see some things in your answer
Lord So that the promise is like the Map which a wise man shewed once to a foole that boasted of his Lands bidding him to point out his Lands in the Map which beeing narrow hee could not doe And so went away ashamed Note then for this first wee all would bee compted wise many in these daies chuze to be compted rather dishonest then vnwise Well let vs then be wise for our selues and wise to saluation in châ—zing this way of a promise to ground our soules vpon We see not the Lord but if this be a wiser way then that thinke there is somewhat in it more then at first might seeme and fasten vpon it Q What is the second bottome in a promise A. The Strength of God Read 1. Sam. 15. The strength of Israel cannot lye meaning in his Word So then in the Word of GOD is his strength also enough to beare vp the poore soule in beleeuing Heb. 1.3 He beares vp all the weight of the world by the Word of his power how much more the weight of a weake soule See Esay 27.5 Anger is not in mee there is a word What followes Or take hold of my strength and make peace q.d. If I bee reconciled there is strength enough in that for a sinner to take hold of eyther this or nothing Read 2 Cor. 1.20 for all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen that is sure and strong but marke how In him the words that I speake are Spirit and life But wherein is this strength Surely in the forenamed grounds of this second part Christs Satisfaction the Fathers acceptation are those pillers of â—â—rength to a promise Without which it would not auaile to go to a promise Weigh seriously that noted text 2. Cor. 5.20 21. The Ministers of God in his Name offer and seale vp in the Word and Sacraments that word Be reconciled to God What sayth the soule to this I dare not God is a consuming fire True sayth Paul but anger is not in him Why Because He hath made and accepted him that knew no sinne to be sinne that we might be the righteousnes of God in him he that sayd In him hee is well pleased Shall a poore soule be then as Noahs doue vpon the waters Why say ye to my soule Fly to the Mountaynes Psal 11.1 if God be his strong hold If thou be vnder the condition of the promise hee is no lesse in his promise Take a similitude A man lyes in prison for debt of a hundred pound A friend comes to him and bids him come out he answers I cannot I lye heere for the debt but beeing vrged he considers that it s not for nothing he is so pressed by his friend theâ—e is some Surety hath payed his debt and then there appeares a strength vnto him and laying hold on it he comes out Read that in Rom. 3.25 God hath set him forth to be a propitiation that he might be iust in iustifying him who is of the faith of Iesus What saith the poore sinner to this O! but it is iust with GOD to punish sinne wheresoeuer Nay hauing made and accepted him the propitiation for a broken soule it is euen iust to pardon him It was mercy to grant such propitiation but hauing so done it is also iustice to pardon euen as it is not iust to take one debt twice Therefore Dauid pleades Pardon mee according to thy Righteousnes Christ hauing turned iust wrath into iust mercy To conclude this note yet a second strength in the promise for the poore soule still cauils But this is to a beleeuer I beleeue not I answer but the promise by the power of the Spirit of our Aduocate is able to doe that which it requireth it s not a killing letter as the Law Do this and liue but a quickening one Beleeue and liue it giues that it commands the soule being vnder a promise is vnder the Authority of him that bids her be reconciled It is as with Naaman 2. Kings 5.15 Wash and be cleane So he washed and lo his flesh came as a childes Act. 2. that Cripple that beheld Iohn Peter beeing bidden to arise felt strength and streightnes to come into his lims how in the Name of Iesus Ver. 12. This Name of Iesus is much more in the promise of Reconciliation Marke then If the strength of a promise be such say not It is nothing but take hold of it Q What is the third bottome in a promise A. The faithfulnes and vndeceauable vnchangeablenes of it this is a strong bottome 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull speech and worthy all acceptance Christ came c. Read that sweet place Esay 55.3 The sure mercies of Dauid and the opening of it Hebr. 17.18 Surely blessing I will blesse thee Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew to the heires of his promise the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things Couenant and oath in which it was impossible for GOD to lye wee might haue strong consolation Why Because they are as two Cities of Refuge to a poore distressed fearfull soule in the pursuit of Satan and conscience to those auengers lay hold vpon Marke then if the LORD descend so low to a poore sinner as to answer all doubts by adding an Oath and a seale of his Sacrament and a pledge of his Minsters faythfulnes to assure the simplicity of his meaning g then doubtlesse it must bee his honour to performe it and hee that beleeues it not must needes make him a lyer Ioh. 3.33 as hee that beleeues sets his seale to the Word that it is true Numb 22.19 It came from a wretch yet by Gods Spirit God is not a man that he should lye Oh! then bottome thy soule vpon this faythfulnes Read Esay 54.9 Hauing made his couenant of mercy with the Church hee addes This is as the waters of Noa vnto mee for as I haue sworne that they shall no more destory so I will be wroth no more with thee with euerlasting kindnesse I will shew mercy vpon thee And againe If my Couenant with the Sunne and Moone and Starres shall faile then shall my Couenant faile with thee We rest vpon the promise of a man that neuer fayled vs much more his oath Heb. 6.16 An oath is among men a confirmation and end of all strife Oh! beware then of strugling against Gods promise because it carries the force of an oath with it Let me exemplifie it by a text 1 Kings 1.22 The Prophet Nathan and Bathsheba goe to Dauid and presse him Did not my Lord the King say Salomon shall surely reigne after me How is it then that Adonijah raignes What did Dauid Hee rowzing his weake body vp sweares As the Lord liueth who hath deliuered my soule out of all aduersity as I haue sayd so I will performe it this day Salomon my Sonne shall not reigne Was not Dauid as good as his word and durst any
over to all lasciviousnesse and uncleannesse even with greedinesse as they who never had enough of their lusts But since ye came to the knowledge of God in Iesus Christ ye have heard and learned a new lesson since the truth of Gods love and mercy shined in yo yee came to beleeve your selues pardoned reconciled and restored to the fauour of God againe Walke therefore as forgiuen ones and let this grace renue and reforme your liues But ye will obiect saith Paul what is pardon of sinnes to a changed and renewed course Surely saith he â—hey are very agreeable each to other If ye haue been taught the truth as it is in Iesus If ye haue been iangâ—ers onely of faith and deceaued your selues with a bare shadow of Iesus I wonder not if yee aske this question But if ye haue sate at Iesus his feete as true disciples of his then ye cannot but know that Pardon and Reconciliation in Iesus is renouation of heart and change of conuersation for Iesus sake Euen that yee put off the old man and put on the new is the truth of Iesus and when hee forgaue yee his true and plaine meaning was that you should change your mannors and walke in another frame then ye did before yee knew Iesus Q. I well conceaue ye Now what doth the text it selfe containe and what are the parts thereof A. Generally it describes the state of new obedience which one that is in Christ ought to walke in Particulaâ—ly it expresseth three things First The implication in the generall therof and that in ver 23. That ye be renued ie the spirit of your mind that is the truth of Grace in Iesus hath this implication in it that euery one that is in him be renued and changed The Second thing in the description is the distribution of this generall into his parts where first note the order he begins with the Negatiue part and then addes the affirmatiue Then the substance first That ye put off concerning c. There is the purging out of the old man Secondly that yee put on the new the former in v. 22. the later in 24. The third is in the 25. verse and that conteines the effect of this renuing within to wit the change of the conuersation without that it be as free from open euils as the heart from secret and that it be as full of outward fruits as it 's of inward graces and hee expresses two contraries of lying and speaking truth as a taste of the rest Q. Open now the phrases of the Apostle in order A. In the generall implication we haue First the necessity of it vrged in vers 23. thus whereas perhaps yee Epesians are of mind that it 's sufficient for ye to haue beleeued in Iesus to saluation and as for other fruits ye need take no thought how your life be ordered I tell ye no the Lord lookes that yee be also renued and say not that it will come of it selfe no let it be your care Be ye renued looke yee to it it 's weighty it will cost much paines for although it's Gods worke in you yet you may shrewdly resist it by an idle loose heart but do you yeelde vp your selues in all meeknesse of spirit to this creating work of the Spirit be you moulded to it and fashioned not to old lustes or this present world but to the renuing of the holy spirit ye haue the Spirit of God in yee but stirre vp that grace of it which ye haue receiued let it not lye dead but accommodate your selues in all selfe-denial to this work that faith may breake out in renuing Secondly We haue the work it selfe Renouation that is the same thnig wich he doth in the end of the 24 verse repeat againe and calles it the creation of the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse if we put these together they amount to this First that a beleeuer in Christ must bee no patcht peeced and broken stuffe halfe old and halfe new but an whole cast molten new peece or vessell all new pulld down to the ground quite and cleane built vp al new sticke and stone so that no man can guesse what manner of frame the old was no more than a Barne can bee seene when a Lordship is set vp in the steed of it This is to be a renued workemanship Patcht things must reteane the old frame of necessity though halfe new but a meere Renuing changes frame and all Then Secondly this renued worke is a new Creation It 's Gods worke it s after God none but hee can create for creation is a producing of something out of nothing God creates this new man out of nothing The new creature consists of no power out of his owne matter but is meerely made of nothing out of Gods matter and stuffe Ioh. 3.6 That which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit Ioh. 1.13 This creature is not of blood or the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God Thirdly It is created according to Gods Image marke this a beleeuer in Christ must not onely be begotten to God by reconciliation but must haue also his Image stamped vpon him and be like him as hee hath borne the image of the old man so he must also of the new as hee beleeues for his owne saluation so hee must bee conformed to Christ for the honor and glory of him that hath forgiuen him As the wax takes the print of the seale so doth the beleeuer the stampe of God Fourthly This image is no new outside of face or members a Christian hath the same members and body and shape and soule he had before for substance but hee hath new qualities and gifts put into him as true light of truth into his mind true warmth of holines to God righteousnesse to man and purenesse to himselfe put into him euen Gods Image in his diuine nature and properties This is the third The last is the Subiect wherein these are That is the Spirit of the mind It is not denyed by Paul but the body and the soule and all the powers thereof are sanctified and renued also as 1. Thess 5.18 but by this phrase he imports That the true seate of renouation is the inner man or the spirit of the minde that is the best and chiefe part of the soule the best part of the mind that which is the eye and guide of the soule and the best of the will that to the bent and purpose of the heart this Spirit is as the Prince in his Priuy Chamber if he command all obey if the Spirit once bee renued all the inferiors bow This is the sence of the generall implication Q. Proceede to the order and to the parts A. The order is that first the Apostle vrges the negatiue of putting off To shew that the Spirit of God neuer planteth holinesse till he haue purged out vncleannesse
for who commits sweet liquor into a foule vessell and what communion is there betweene corruption and purenesse Secondly hee addes And put on c noting that the Lord accepts not of a naked absence of euill except there bee also the presence of gracious properties Q. What meanes he by the putting off the old man A. By putting off laying aside purging casting out he means forsaking hating renouncing and bidding farewell to lustes Not much differing from the former part of Sanctification standing in mortifying and crucifying of sinne By the old man he meanes old Adams corrupt properties as blindnesse vanity which heere is named insteed of all the rest profanenesse vnrighteosnesse c. These he would not haue put off as we doe our apparrell ouer night to bee put on againe in the morning but as our old rotten ragges wee cast vpon the dunghill Q. And what meanes he by putting on the new A. The same which else where Rom. 13. vlt. and in other places he calles Reade that verse putting on of the Lord Iesus that as wee are clad adorned and warmed with our apparrell so Christ should be our clothing not of body but of spirit dayes and nights and continually Putting on heere signifying application in the closest mannor of Christ to the soule in his reneuing power By the new man he meanes the Lord Iesus in his nature and qualities of all grace and goodnesse as before I named So that this is a putting on of a better apparrell then cloth of gold and therefore admitting a better putting on that is neuer to be put off againe Q. What is the third part of the Text A. The fruit of both For these are within this dresse attire is spirituall but the Lord will have his new Creature not onely all glorious within but also without All outward clouts and rags cast off he names lying as one that is as manifest and common a worke of the flesh as any but meanes all and he will have the outward attire of vertue also to be put upon the conuersation hee names truth which as it is a Girdle to gird all other garments close to us so it s one outward badge of goodnesse Psal 15. See Ephes 6. but by this grace of the tongue he meanes all other of the body sences life and conversation And this of a taste of the Text the rest in the Articles The Article of the third part Q. VVHat is the scope of this third part A. To shew that whosoever truly beleeves the pardon of his sinne must also giue up himselfe to God in all holy obedience both in the frame of his spirit and in his outward conversation Q. What is the first Article of this third part A. That who so is begotten to God by the gift of faith hath also the image of God begotten in him by the spirit or more briefly that he who is in Christ is a new creature Read these texts for it 2 Cor. 5 17 other texts shall occur in the particulars following see Ephe. 2 10. Q. How many wayes doth the Scripture expresse this A In sundry all tending to the same end which are well to be noted for better conceiving of the Scripture For as we see sundry writers use divers tearmes and call this third part of the Catechisme The doctrine of Thankfulnesse or of Obedience to the Commandemâ—nt or the like so the holy Ghost uses divers tearmes And all may be referred to these heads for either they looke at the maine Principle of the Spirit of Sanctification as when the tearmes of Renouation New man New Creature Regeneration New birth are used or at the operation of this principle as when the termes of Repenting casting off the old man putting on new purging forsaking denying unrighteousnesse or lusts are used and so of mortifying our lusts or rising up to holinesse c. are used or else at some actuall inward vertues as love feare obedience subiection and the like or at some outward performances as walking with God in all his Commandements or departing from iniquitie or abhorring evill or cleaving to good ceasing to sinne learning to doe well or the like these all although in phrase differing yet in sence are all one and they import this That the Lord requires of all beleevers in Christ that their hearts be renued that they purge themselues finish their Sanctification feare him for his mercy walke with God order their conuersation aright all is one thing get one and get all but the holy Ghost doth includ all in that golden sentence Hee that is in Christ is a new creature Q. How many things are to be considered for the better conceiving of this maine point A. It is indeede the maine of this whole part and the things are especially these foure first the Author of this Regeneration or new Creature the holy Ghost secondly the inward instrument of this author and that is Faith thirdly The subiect in which this regeneration is wrought The whole man Fourthly the parts these will prooue the chiefe For as for the other which are taken for granted wee neede not to dwell much vpon them to wit the seede whereof wee are begotten which is the Lord Iesus the immediate instrumen vsed to beget the word of God the seale by which the Spirit assures conveis this regeneration Babtisme Onely let vs take a Scripture for each for the first 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are we who is made c. that is of Christ Christ in his holy nature holy obedience and sufferings and resurrection is the matter of our sanctification For the second see Iam. 1.16 Of the word of truth he begate vs c. that is by the Gospell preached the eare receiues the seed of the word to beget vs. For the third See Mat 3.11 Where our Sauiour is said to baptize with the holy Ghost and fire noting that baptisme is the seale of this worke And so Rom. 6. The Apostle tels vs that by Baptisme wee are ingrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection which is nothing else but our sanctification Q. Well then let the former foure heads be a little opened yet before those answer one obiection that troubles me you seeme to imply that a beleeuer and a new creature are two things I had thought that seeing faith begets vs to God by reconciliation therefore it and a new creature differ not A. Briefely I answer that it 's true beleefe of the promise is Gods creation likewise Esay 57.18 But this prooues not that this article is needlesse For as shall appeare in the second of these points regeneration is either a begetting vs to God and making vs his or else a begetting God in vs and these two differ as life diffâ—rs from the exercise of it To vse a similitude the childe truly quickned in the wombe hath the life of a reasonable creature because he hath the soule put into him yet he is not said to be borne
is that liuely cause of cutting the â—imber but yet the saw or axe is the toole which this handworks by So here Take a similitude A maÌ„ buyes a pretious root of a rare flower that grows in few gardens giues it into the hand of the Gardner to set it in his garden The gardiner thrusts the root an pitches it into the earth giues it good mouldes waters and keepes it charily Euen so heere The spirit of sanctification is the purchaser of this roote but it plants and pitches it into the soile of the Soule by this hand of faith and there it nourishes and cherishes till the root bring forth a flower sutable to the nature of it Faith I say ingrafts this pretious signe of the righteous holy nature life death and resurrection into the soule or rather if yee will the twig of the soule into the stocke or soile of the Lord Iesus his holinesse and â—here it gathers strength till it produce fruit sutable Such corne as wee sow wee reape if we set a carnation wee looke the flowers shall bee sutable if wee set an apple into a stocke wee looke for no crab euen so this plant of loue brings forth loue againe and this roote of holinesse a fruit like it self That of Eph 3.16 is for this point That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Faith is the entertainer of Christ in this his holinâ—sse So then as in the former point faith sauours the truth in Iesus and tels the soule that Iesus comes into thither to sanctifie in for God as well as to saue it from hell so heere it 's the instrument of the spirit of Iesus to apply and to implant this roote of his in the soule it applyes the Couenant as well in the promise of renewing it as of forgiuing it and it embraces and claspes hold vpon the Lord her righteousnesse and till shee haue done both shee dares not say Thou art my God and I am thy child yea as the holy Ghost is that fire wherewith the new Creature is baptized when it comes to beleeue the Coeunant so faith is that hand which applies the soule to this fire to be purged thereby and that instrument of the Spirit whereby he refines the sonnes of Levi in the Ministry of the Word as Malachi speakes Q. What is the third thing to be noted A. The subiect wherein this new Creature is planted and that is the whole man Read for this 1 Thes 5.23 In body soule spirit meaning whateuer is in man Wee meane not a renewing of the Substance of either as if a Renued soule should be another soule or body but the same in point of the qualities or seruice of both It s corruption which is purged out and its grace is planted in The scurffe and poyson of each faculty is cast out mortified and consumed it s a new property is put in ignorance rebellion pride impatience is taken away and knowledge subiection humility and long-suffering put in And this subiect is the whole man Each part and power of body and soule is renued and if not all none at all The Spirit of Renouation is an entire workeman and purgeth all graceth all the minde with light the heart with heat the conscience with sound reflection and witnesse the will with free choyce and consent to holinesse the members with serviceablenesse to the soule in all her designes Q. Speake a little of the particulars What is renuing of the understanding and the powers thereof A Vnderstanding not only is corrupted in the light thereof but also in the prerogatiue of it It was set vp as a rule and directiue of the inferior soule will affections but it hath lost this bieth-right now and is become the vassall of the will and concupiscence therefore the renuing of it is partly a purging of it from the corruption and penalties thereof and chiefly a restitution of it to her integrity of light and soueraignty See Eph. 5.8 Light in the Lord. Q. What is the renuing of the will A. The Will being depraued in point of her loyalty and obedience to the minde and now having cast off the yoake and become rebellious the renuing of it is both the purging of it from the sinne and penalties of it and a restoring of it to her integrity of subiection to the verduit of the vnderstanding chusing refusing or suspending accordingly Q. What is the renuing of Conscience See 1 Pet. 1.22 A. Sinne hath depraved the Conscience in point of reflexion so that it cannot present any goodnesse of being or action to the soule with delight and contentment but is waxen defiled and either accusing or erroneous and peruerted therefore the renuing of it is both a cleansing of it from her contagion and a restoring of her to her integrity of faithfull accusing for evill and excusing for good See Tit. 1.15 by contraries Q. What is the renuing of the body A. The sences and members having lost their serviceablenesse to present obiect duly to the soule and to execute faithfully the purposes thereof the renuing of both is a restoring them to such integrity as that the senses doe duly offer to the soule the obiects of sense and the members become faithfull weapons of rightâ—ousnesse See Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies c. Q. But what part is especially the Subiect of Renuing A. Howsoeuer the holy Ghost doth renue all yet the immediate and cheefe subiect of her residence is the Spirit of man There are as I said sundry faculties in the soule but the spirit is the most inward and immediate actiuity of it and it stands in the directiue gift of the vnderstanding by which it fore-sees and deuises for the whole man as also in the free choise bent sauor and delight of the heart So then the frame streame and bent of the soule is the spirit of it See Eph. 4.23 Rom. 12.2 Rom. 7. vlt. that wherein this renuing or new creature stands As it is in the old man so in the new it is not a few thoughts or affections which make a man bad but the very frame and bent of all the thoughts and affections whereupon as vpon wheeles the whole man is carried And as a son hauing the liuely picture of his father to behold would not set it vp in a stable or out-house but in his best roome So the spirit of Christ sets vp the Image of God not in the eyes or eares or tongue which haue no power to worke vpon the soule but in the Priuie Chamber of the spiuit where the King lodgeth Q. And what is the fourth thing in this Renewing A. The parts of it negatiue and affirmatiue the former a destroying of the old frame the latter a setting vp of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renouation Both of them issuing from the Crosse and Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christ And thence it is that in the named place
sort strongly to conceale the old Like whereto is this to thinke our lusts are mortified because by some violent cause feare penalty or inward terrors they are restained Secondly it 's vse of instruction to all new creatures to wonder Vse 2 that the Lord will accept them to be so and take them after al their refuse stuffe and seruice to old lusts to be new men who would thinke it that the Lord should chuse such defiled Temples of Idols lusts and lewdnesse to dwell in who would thinke he would admit of those nastie sties of vncleane thoughts those cages of pride vncleanesse and selfe-loue those powers members of body soule that haue been so defiled to bee weapens of righteousnesse Oh what encouragement is it to old creatures to become new The Lord will melt and alter the property of your old Idols and he will prepare himselfe euen of such mettall vessels of price for euery good work He will admit the captiue woman when shee is pared washt and shauen to be a wife for an Israelite hee wil admit Mary Magdalen Luk. 6. her eyes teares hayre lips and oyntments euen so neere as his owne sacred body and become one with her that was an harlot and abused all these to abomination Oh! how iustly might hee haue for euer left vs to our selues and sworne that no sacrifice should blot out our sinne nor would hee euer take the seruice of a persecutor to bee a preacher Oh those very powers of wit and those affections of loue and ioy which we haue so abused wee should wonder that God will purge the fretting leprosie out of them so far as to be honored by them which yet we cannot deny but he hath except we should lye against the grace of the new creature Thirdly it should admonish all to take heed how they meddle Vse 3 with any true beleeuers in Christ to hurt discourage reproach or persue them Let vs know they are new creatures and the workmanship of God him that defaceth Gods image will God destroy Beware touch not the annoynted of God doe not his image any wrong If a King will leaue him to the punishment of a Traytor who shall race out and deface his image vpon a peece of siluer what shall hee doe to them that deface the liuely image of his holinesse stamped vpon his new Creature doe not descant here and say ye doe not deface them as such but in other respects well but in as much as hee hath honoured them yee shall pay for it that yee haue not counted them precious and delighted in them that honour ye doe not to them as well as that disgrace ye offer them is not done to him is offered to him and if you dare venter to hurt them with a distinction he wil punish you without distinction If the Lord will haue others beware how they deface Vse 4 Gods creatures how much more should his new Creatures beware of defiling themselues Oh! if God haue made ye so beware ye cast not dung in his face and pollute not his image The vilest wretch that liues when hee playes his parts yet if he were the sonne of an holy father he will draw the curtaine ouer his fathers picture as ashamed of himselfe And shall not we tremble to disguize our selues with any dreg of earthlinesse enuie pride and vanity loue of our selues knowing whose Creatures we are Take but the creatures of some proud ambitious ones will they doe any thing distastfull to their makers are they not in all points like them How then dare we to tempt him after whose image wee are created Oh! what a check should it be that any leauen in so much as a mouse-hole to allude to that Iewish curiosity should bee found in vs Remember that charge of Paul Purge out the old leauen therefore 1. Cor. 6. and let vs serue the Lord in the sincerity of a new Creature old things are passed away all things become new new Adam new couenant new Paradise new Ministry new Creation new Lord new Law and all new Shall they who are thus renewed suffer that vnrenued part to get head and to darken and defile the new that euen in them old base dregs should bee obserued to deface the Image of God But more of this in the latter Article Q. Proceed to the vse of the second branch A. If faith be the instrument of this Creation wee heere doe confute the conceite of them that imagine faith to bee a branch of Sanctification Sanctification is so farre from beeing the genus or totum of faith that it differs from it the wide skie Faith is a grace that addes no inherency to the soule but onely serues to receiue a forraigne imputed righteousnesse of another sanctification receiues an infuzed righteousnesse in to the soule faith receiues a righteousnesse of perfection to stand in the sight of God sanctification a righteousnesse in part and imperfect Can then an inherent holinesse bee the cause of an imputed or can an imperfect holinesse bee the cause or genus of a perfect But I must not dwell and I see this error is lately at large confuted Onely this faith and a new Creature being parts of Regeneration and of the Totum of a conuerted one so long as they bee diuiding members they are rather things of a contrarie nature then effects and causes of each other See what I said of their difference in the beginning of this Article Secondly wee learne heere what course Gods people must Vse 5 take to repaire the ruines of their holinesse when it is decayed in them by their falles Satans preuention or the like Run to their faith fetch fire from the hearth of the Lord Iesus his spirit wee are preserued by that of which we consist if the Lord Iesus bee our principle of Regeneration by faith hee by faith must be our sustentation goe to the Promise in thy fals take hold of the strength of Christ in them and compasse not thy selfe with thy owne sparkles thinking to recover thy selfe by thy owne heate but abhorring thy selfe go to a promise and there behold apply Christ thy righteousnesse to pardon thy fals to accept thee in weaknesse to repaire thy strength and then hâ—e will be thy righteousnesse also of holinesse to enlarge thy grace and by the addition of sweetnesse and love to uphold â—hee in thy course more and more Thou hast not received Christ thy new Creature to create somewhat in thy selfe but to fetch from his fountaine grace for grace daily Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever Q. What use doe ye make of the third branch Vse 6 A Very speciall And it should first teach us a discerning use betweene all hypocrites and truely renued ones The one may set up the Image of Christ in some of the powers of his soule as in his understanding wit memory in his tongue eares sences and outward members but the renued Creature sets him up
boisterous that there is no time to resist but they come as if they were vnanswerable and the soule must yeeld no remedy Corruption commonly is more leisurely and more graduall abhorring violence and hidiousnesse as wee in some that haue in their heat rauished Children and others who deuoure themselues Fifthly The insulting and fury of temptation which followes the fourth that it comes with a trampling of the soule vnder feete with a disdaine as past all resistance If these markes bee in our temptations wee may by the messengers knocking ghesse the Masters feet not to bee farre behinde Oh what should such a point teach but this what wee are if God leaue vs how cursed a spirit and sky of evill we carry within vs and therefore as to be comforted that they are not wholly our owne so yet to begge of the Lord mercy to stop the rage of our enemy who if hee be let alone is crueltie it selfe Q. Well come to the temptations themselues how many things consider we in them A. These two The properties of the Tempter and the substance of the Temptations Q. What are these properties A. These First Malice euer sets him on worke against the body and soule of the Creature Secondly Vigilancy and attention alway doe assist his Temptations Thirdly Mischiefe and woe is euer in the end thereof to pull the soule from vnion and Communion with God Fourthly the Method and manner of his tempting which is to bee weighed according to the parties tempted If weake and vnable to resist he treads downe the low hedge neuer troubling himselfe further needlesly And thus hee is himselfe a Lyon as Act. 16 27. the Iaylor being under terror easily surprized and as if the prisoners fled for so he thought would haue desperately stabd himselfe The Deuill behind him tels him As good so as be executed but by this hee would haue preuented his conuersion But if hee finde other obiects and strength of grace to resist sinne as sinne he goes another way to worke to wit by deuices and cunning as Eph. 4.14 As first to anticipate the counsell of the heart in preuenting sinne by the suddennesse of iniection Thus Mat. 4. in the twinckling of an eye he had darted in his glorious bait of honour into our Saviour Secondly to assault iudgement and conscience both at once in blinding the one and in binding the other Thus he blinded Eve in that speech God knoweth that your eyes shall be open and ye made as Gods What was this save to make obedience base and sinne sweet that is In obeying ye shall but serve the envy of an enemy And your eating were to make ye better So he did bleare Davids eye in Mephibosheths case knowing that else he had never preuailed by Ziba therfore he presenting him as a Traitor makes Dauid say Why tellest thou me of thy matters 2 Sam. 19. Secondly by his binding the will in poynt of her resistance and that by the excessiue sweet of the bait Thus to Dauid in Bathsheba Oh! Who would thinke a woman so goodly so alluring to be dangerous A companion so fine spoken and complementall to bee so sinfull This beares all downe Sampson went to see her who was precious in his eyes that bleared him Thirdly by putting on the person of one vnsuspected as sometime pursuers of a man will praise him to get others to betray him and Iaâ—l to deceive Sisera brought him Creame in a lordly dish And thus hee becomes an Angell of light as holy as a Preacher Thus hee tempts Christ to leape downe and to make stones bread out of a godly end forsooth that Gods power might be glorified in a miracle Thus he tempts good men you are well knowne to keepe good conscience to doe such or such a thing for so good an end oh who will see it Avoid Deuill God needs not my sinne to honour himselfe I sinne too much vnavoydably I need not adde sinne to sinne Q. But when he knowes he cannot finally preuaile it seemes foolish for him to tempt A. Yea If his wisedome were from aboue but it is earthly sensuall and divellish Therefore hee goes against the edge of his wisedome euen as his instruments doe defiling themselues in the things they know If euer hee knew any he knew our Sauiour to bee out of gun-shot yet out of his fulnesse of malice he assaulted him bitterly If he cannot keep the people of God from heauen yet let it availe as it may he will see if he can make them halt to heauen And yet I may adde that he hopes well to get many to himselfe who as yet some farre enough off his hopes are impudent Mat. 12.44 hee saith I will returne and bring seuen spirits worse c. Hee knowes not but he may doe so with any but to be sure hee will not faile to try Q. Proceed to the temptations themselues A. These concerne the godly for of the other I speake not here but in the first part since that these are Temptors both to themselues and to others and they are ruled by the Prince of the ayre who rules in all the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 and leads them as the Ox to the slaughter out of their fat pastures and according to his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Therefore to return these concern them either in the point of their calling to be the Lords or in poynt of their estate being called Q. In how many respects about their first Calling A. Either in Gods preuenting call or his assisting or his perfecting Touching his preuenting thus No sooner doth hee see any sinner make toward the voyce of God to looke into his old course or hearken after a new but presently hee sets upon them euen in their entrance First By presenting old sinnes with all their circumstances order of them number haynousnesse continuance long contempt c. to dismay them from possibiltty of conversion If they answer him they had more need to seeke mercy hee tells them It s too late God will not take the leauings they should haue giuen him their best strength courage time c. Or hee assaults them with their weaknesse of capacity or memory gifts or parts that they shall neuer compasse such great things Learned Wise men are too little for them Or hee discourages them with their husbands ill will the losse of fathers loue and land the worlds disdaine the reproach of their old companions yea perhaps brethren and kindred Or that the things they must forgoe both in liberties and lusts are more than they can beare that they shall neuer endure the trouble of Repentance and change of heart or at least they will be of another minde when charge and trouble comes and shall neuer perseuere to the end But O Satan avaunt The Lord hath preuented me and drawne mee out of darkenesse shall he suffer me to perish in light No as thy first assaults so his grace will be most eager in my entrance to hold
cannot rob it of the truth of grace yet he robs it of the comfort thereof chusing to play at any game rather than sit out For the former of these what is the ioy of a deere seruant of God in his poore obedience duties Sabbaths but that of Hezekiah O Lord thou knowest I haue been vpright This the Deuill hides away from the soule as the point of comfort by it as if it were little worth for lack of measure And then whereas the want of measure integrity fruitfulnesse and constancy should onely humble them lo it deiects them Oh say they what good doe I what serue I for a very clod of the earth what wife husband friend neighbor or stranger fares the better for me None liue so as I so barren Oh put case it be true it should abase thee but seeing there is vprightnesse it should not dismay thee And looke what the poore Christian doth most note by himselfe to be amisse that Satan takes for granted to doe the soule most hurt by Lo these sins thou confessest therefore of thy owne mouth God may condemne thee No wofull enemy for hee that confesses and forsakes them all and would be as fruitfull as he is honest as wise as he is vpright shall not be cast off Oh! the wofull bordage that Satan holds vnder many a sad heart though sincere by melancholy and feare Q. And how doth he tempt against obedience A. Sundry wayes hee labours to bring the soule vnder sin to renounce a good course to be slacke remisse loose common prophane vnprofitable euen by consent And this is his most naturall temptation For as he is exceedingly wicked so its little to him that comfort be stopped except the conscience be wasted now that he knowes sinne against knowledge will doe and hereby bring God against a man also As Balaam Numb 31.16 seeing Sorcery could not curse Israel sought to lay blocks of sinne before them that God might curse them Oh! What a May-game was it thinke we for him to see Dauid foyled by Adultery Noah by drunkennesse Lot by incest Hezekia by pride Peter by reuolt How doth such successe put hopes into him to keepe and practise his Trade vpon the best Therefore here hee vses all meanes to bring his purposes to passe He takes vantage of each thing First He markes his season and time when the heart is most at ease as Absalom noted Amnon lying most open and being garnisht which perhaps another time would haue beene armed iealous and fearefull Thus Dauid in Bathsheba Hee concurres not onely with the corruption of the heart as before but secondly with the constitution and complexion of the spirit of nature in a man Is he propense to lust to vncleannesse to iouialnesse to ambition Oh saith he hee is mine I will tempt him with meet baits Thirdly Hee watches the accomodation of occasions as when excesse of cheerefulnesse or of sadnesse of praises or disgraces of welfare and successe or defeat or the like and when the spirits are open then is his opportunity to worke the heart ro wanton speech to riot to wrath and discontent to swelling pride to ostentation of gifts to the making away of a mans selfe and the like Fourthly Hee will make vse of their best Graces and Priuileges all men know you well enough to be one that make conscience you may doe such or such a thing and no man suspect ye therefore be not so nice in trifles defeat an Orphan oppresse the fatherlesse falsifie the trust reposed in ye c. Fifthly Sometime of secrecie of time and place who shall euer find it out who is here twenty mile from neighbours to discouer thee Sixthly By fine colours of pretensed meanings as Ananias and Sapphira meant well to the Church why might they not meane well to themselues So by colour of iustice my paines haue beene such and such in businesse for others why may not I pay my selfe so and so they being neuer the wiser and perhaps neuer the worse as the case may stand As once a wretch spake of mony giuen him for the poore Who is poorer than my selfe Seuenthly By their falls to driue them to sinne for somewhat rather than to be punished for a little ouer shooes ouer knees So by comparing themselues with worse than themselues to be bold and presumptuous in liberty-taking By the oft shunning of sinfull occasions to venture beyond their calling and so be snared Nay by truths of God both in examples of the Saints falles why maiest not thou doe so and repent and in rules that the best men haue their infirmities and therefore why should I be free Infinite is this field let the rest of the sheaues be brought to these bandes but if he can so dazle the heart till he haue snared vs he will be content we shall afterward see in what pickle we are get out how we can These for a taste although I might say that his oppressing the soule being thus fallen that it might not rise againe withholding the sight of mercy encreasing either stupor of conscience our slauery of distrust and so wheeling off the soule till death is worse than the former But I cease Q. What is the third let can the world let vs also A. Yea most dangerously and that by defiling the minds the wils and courses of men both in doctrine and manners See Ephes 4 14. Rom. 12.2 1 Ioh. 2.16 And againe 1 Ioh. 5.19 lyeth in euill as in the sequell shall appeare Q. But how can this be shew it plainely .. A. It both containeth in it all euill and setteth it forth and is it selfe set on fire by the Deuill who is the Chap-man of it to set the glosse vpon them and to vend the wares of it For the first of which see that in Iohn All that is in world is the lust of heart lust of the eye pride of life He speakes of these not onely as the appetites of bad men but as worldly obiects This Ware then being the worlds Merchandize and Staple no wonder if shee defile For the second Shee is carefull not onely to keepe in her Ware-house but to lay forth vpon the open stall and set out to sale these Wares in the most busie manner that can bee No Market or Fare no company or meeting no family or place of resort but sauouring these commodities eyes gazing feet walking hands reaching after tongues iangling members of body and powers of soule attending and acting this Merchandize and therefore Saint Iohn saith The world lyeth in euill saped in the Conuersation of it For the third The Deuill the god of this world and Lord of this Staple and Common-wealth to whose banke and Exchequer all this Custome and Tribute goes I meane hell is not wanting both to suppresse all meanes which might marre this Market of mischiefe and is at hand to vnite to acquaint to accomodate these wares to all Customers as their minde most stands to one more than
the way the seruants and Ordinances of Christ which being once giuen out proue irreuocable See Matth. cap. 28.12 The Priests gaue large mony to the Souldiers to giue it out that Christ was stollen away and this preuailed long after against the Resurrection So men speake of the godly Tush doe yee beleeue them I warrant yee they can breake their promises bee as hard and couetous as others This new learning neuer did good wee liued better ere it came there was better house-keeping love among neighbours your greatest Professors shutting their doores and liuing in some corner of London to spend all vpon new fashions or else to hoard vp for their Children And so they speake of the good Ministry they doe but driue men out of their wits they are factious and turbulent And in old times the world reported of the faithfull that they met in the night and after their deuotions put out their lights and fell to vncleannesse Q. What is Cosenage A. That Trade of which mainly that Text treats Eph. 4 18. whereby false Teachers schismatiks and Hereticks blanched their conceits wresting their wits to abuse the Scriptures to set false Colors vpon their opinions And so the subtill and cunning devices which drunkards and the like set vpon their sinne calling them good fellowship or the like So the cheâ—ting chapman hath his glosing protestations colors and tricks that harlot Iezabel abused fasting to couer her murther the Strumpet in the Prouerbs saith shee hath payd her vowes when that woman came with her circumstances to Dauid he asked Is not the hand of Ioab here so may we say If the father of lyes and trickes were not in this world of cogging and cosenage how could it deceiue so as it doth Q. Proceed to the next branch of the liuing worlds defilements wherein doe they consist A. Partly in words partly in deedes The former are the open corrupt Counsels of sinners or their secret insinuations Of the former see Pro. 7.18 the harlot tempts her paramour Come let vs take our fill my husband is far off And the tâ—eefe Prou. 1.13 Cast thy lot in with vs we will haue one purse But more close ones are such whisperers as the Apostle calls priuie corrupters of mindes whose words fret like a cankar 2 Tim. 2.17 Thus some do whisper in secret against Magistracy and good Ministers and others against gouernment of parents entising their children seruants yea wiues from their loyalty So doe wicked preachers scatter their false tenents or principles of prophannesse to taint mens iudgments or manners Thus young nouices are beaten off from their zeale and hearing I would scorne saith one to be tyed to their girdles Q. What are the deeds of the liuing world Vse 1 A. All their wicked malitious cruell intents threats and pursuits of the godly to quash them and to vphold their own Kingdome As those Scribes and Pharisees had a Law to crucifie Christ though they made it for the nonce And Daniel 6. those enemies of his This trade were infinite to rip vp Popish machauillian plots and deuises to dismay to suppresse and destroy all puritie of Doctrine and power of religion Witnesse their inquisition prisons censures and torments both lying in waite for the precious soules and bodies of men and sacrificing them to their God Maazzim wherein they doe whatsoeuer the Deuill their father hath taught them with absurd unreasonable and implicable hearts to the Truth And thus I haue gone ouer this whole Doctrine of the Lets in the three parts thereof Q. What now is the use hereof A. Large and plentifull I will but touch the heads and Vse 1 first it should bee vse of Instruction to vs to be humbled Branch 2 to bee comforted and to long after a full redemption For the first It 's humiliation to the best of Gods children for their selfe-love and for this misery that lyes upon them For marke it what outcryes doe we make if any man wrong vs in our bodies goods or names liues or liberties and indeed it is true we have bitter enemies but oh poore soules who is such an enemy such a Traytor such a deuill to vs as our selues At home begins our sorrow and our woe in our bosomes are those euils of pride prophannesse hypocrisie and selfe-loue which bane vs and what they cannot doe of themselues they doe by others setting dore open and letting in Divell and world to rifle and rob vs of all without which no enemy could hurt vs. Learne wee truly and cordially to cry out upon our selues So also for all this misery which in this vale thereof lyes vpon vs. Paul Rom. 7. O miserable man Why this body of death and world of sinne creates a world of sorrow in us of annoiances feares doubts strength of lusts little groth errors of wicked deadly feud of Satan melancholly crosses bad times poverty bootlesse wrongs hardnesse of heart harshnesse to the yoke of Christ an vnbroken carnall pusillanimous froward impure heart Are not these sorrow our belly full to vs at the best If God alayed them not with inward supports who should endure them Oh! so it must bee yet let vs mourne vnder our bondage Such as are led into captiuity are no merry folke witnesse they who hung their harpes on the Willowes and were so full of anguish that they could not sing How shouldst thou Psal 137.2 poore soule in a strange land Secondly let yet this comfort them for the present that it is Branch 2 no otherwise with them in this their sorrow than that wise God their good Father hath allotted them so that if they feele their burden they may cheere themselues with this They are as God will haue them it 's their Pilgrimage their Baca their warfare the Lord will worke them triumph out of these battels and combats hee will purge them and conforme them to his deare sonne by them and euen the sin and penalties they here endure yet are conforming and moulding things to make their victories sweeter It is not well with them they may say but it shall be they see it a farre off if this were a life of perfection if any of the faithfull were exempt from the like 1 Ioh. 1.8 Pro 24.16 Esay 64.6 2 Cor. 12.9 then this were cause of all and only mourning But here the best of our perfection is the sight of our imperfection we are as well on it as our head while he was here in this strange land he could neither be rid of our sinnes nor of infirmities or enemies but afterward hee knew no more Very gladly therefore will I be glad euen of my desertions and tentations to me its a sure signe of consolation to them of confusion and that of God I only wait my time to be perfectly redeemed Branch 3 Thirdly wait for that with longing as Paul did Rom. 7. Who shall deliuer me Be not so well apaid in this smalnesse of thy grace measure because it must
Sonne of GOD. Heere was a worke indeed of some dâ—fficulty at which not onely the deepest conceit of mortall man but euen the Angels themselues may stand and wonder and vanish Oh! â—hat he view of this might rauish our soules with the worth of grace to say The least dramme of grace is more worth then the whole worke of Nature who is carried by this meditation aboue whatsoeuer this world is in respect of the New Creature to compt the whole creation as vanity Dauid Psal 8. admireth man in that first workmanship of his as aboue aâ—l others in the world what then may be sayd of man renued and restored to a second Image of God if the breath oâ— Creation were such a thing what is Regeneration that cost not a breath but so greaâ— a workmanship of this Actiue and passiue satisfaction Q. â—eeing all this is doubtlesse the maine Satisfaction goe to the vses o bâ—th these in due order first tell me why you do put them together A. For the latter I answer Because as one saith this price is like the price of a Diamond payd for ten malefactors which is nâ—yâ—her all payd â—or any one nor any seuerall part for one and â—notheâ— for the other but generally the whâ—le for them al and eâ—ch hâ—uing shaâ—e in the whole Let thâ—reâ—ore whatsoeuer is spoken dstinctly of the benefit hereof bee inclusiuely taken as that which issueth froÌ„ the insparable merit of both ioyntly Now for the vses First let vs abhorre the cocceit of such Sectaries as imagine that there was no necessity at all of any such price paying to Iustice nor any barre in Gods Iustice at all why hee might not haue shewed mercy to sinners without any such satisfaction made at all It s an horrible derogation to the Scriptures and to the wisdome of GOD and sauoreth of a profane audacious spirit making sinne and grace of small esteeme Rather let it present to vs the hideous nature of sinne and iustice Salomon bids vs behold the drunkard in his rednes of colour bluenesse of wounds that wee might loath his sinne But rather behold it in this glasse of the Lord Iesus his satisfaction Esay 63.1 Who is he that commeth from Bozra with his red garments I haue trod the wine presse of the wrath of the Lord c. If the glasse of the Law haue not done it let this do it yea behold the sinnes which we count most veniall in this obiect of Iustice Not the pettyest oath or least of our vaine wordes could be payd for with the price of a lesser thing then the blood of Christ Iustice would admit of no other And the Father spared not his onely Sonne in this point but would haue him drinke the dregs of his wrath What shall become of such wretches then as despise this price How shall they struggle with this infinite wrath of GOD which the Lord Iesus had bin crusht vnder as vnsupportable if his Godhead had not held him vp Now while sinne is in her element it s counted as light as feathers but being vnder the weight of iustice and the sence of wrath it will prooue intolerable Let vs count it so now whiles wee may get it shrowded vnder the Lord Iesus let vs sweat water and blood and feele that in vs which caused those outcryes My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken mee Not to become Mediators to our selues but to driue vs to him that ouercame this anguish Hebr. 5. and was heard in that he feared If sin in our selues will not breake our hearts let it breake them in the view of CHRIST broken by them let vs Zach. 12.10 See him whom we haue pierced and mourne Not as Papists who whip their bodies and cry out of them that betraied accused scourged and crowned Christ and crucified him but as those who were the Actors of this Tragedy our selues Act. 2.38 that if by any meanes our hearts may be pricked as theirs who heard Peter vrge the killing of the Lord of Life Oh vnspeakable loue to be willing to be pierced for Murtherers that they might escape To say Oh Father heere is the surety lay no debt or punishment vpon these debtors I haue taken all vpon me if thou wilt needs haue the vttermost powre out thy wrath vpon him that can satisfie not vpon them that cannot Try whether there be any drop of mourning in thee by this due sight of sinne and iustice and say Oh Lord if I were left to bee my owne satisfier if thou shouldst haue said to Christ as once to Moses Them that sinne against mee I will punish of thee I will require nothing Oh how terrible had our condition beene Secondly let this doctrine confute Vse 2 First all Sectaries who that they might be singular to say Branch 1 no more teach heere of late among vs that Christ had no guilt of sinne cast vpon him by iustice for then hee could haue beene no satisfier confounding sinne imputed and sinne inherent that Christ suffred nothing in his soule from Gods wrath seazing vpon him nor yet in either body or mind but that which man could inflict by eyther paiâ—â— or discontent But God keepe them that are the broachers of such stuffe from such a satisfaction as this in the day of their distresse And whereas they adde Gods Iustice accepted this for an equall price of sinne I answer Who hath taught them to dreame of an acceptance of that which is not equivalent to Iustice Might they not aswell ouerthrow any necessity of a satisfying Iustice as teach Iustice to accept that which is not Iustice Is it not well for vs that the Lord will accompt a truly iust satisfaction of a surety to answer our debt which was more then he ought vs but wee must goe about to corrupt the price it selfe and dreame of an imputing of equall satisfaction to an vnequall price Let vs abhorre such nouelties and know if Christ suffred no more then the malice of man there remayneth a necessity of a second suffring for vs from iustice Let vs beware while we goe about to minse and lessen the suffrings of Christ lest we destroy the truth of a Mediator and bereaue the soule of that which should vphold her in her conflict with Iustice Not to speake of vnsauory dallyance with those Texts which are brought to confute them Esay 53. 2 Cor. 5.21 and others To conclude except Christ suffred more then from man we may say that many Martyrs exceeded him in their patience of whom we read no such outcryes as Christ made Branch 2 Secondly let it teach vs to abhorre the opinion of those Lutherans who teach that our Iustification stands in the so applying of Christ righteousnesse to a sinner that hee may pleade it from the tenor of the Law Doe this and liue Meaning that wee must be possessed with the very selfe-same righteousnesse wherewith Christ obeyed and suffred And this they imagine to be the matter of