force of the Comand but ratifies it He only could do it that is the Lord thereof There is no change made in the quamdiu and continuance nor in the quoties and frequency of the same The whole Precept being moral in part naturally in part positively is perpetual therefore and not to be altered by any Creature That some special time should be observed for Gods solemn worship is moral natural That it should be such a proportion in such a Revolution is moral positive That the duty should be moved from the seventh to the first day of the week makes no substantial change therein but only directs to the season thereof upon pregnant ground Paul clears this by a large demonstration The first day Sabbath was eminently typified in the most notable Providences of the old Testament On the first day Light was created Noahs Ark rested Circumcision was first ordained Israel was redeemed from Aegyptian Bondage on the same day Christs Law was first given by himself to Israel on mount Sinai the cloud of his special presence first rested on them the Tabernacle with his pertinances was rear'd Aaron and his Children first executed their Priesthood On that day his fire from Heaven first came down to consume the Sacrifices to make them acceptable in Christ by his Spirit The Israelites were first solemly by the Lord himself blessed their Princes first publiquely offered to the Lord. So for the new Testament Christ thereon first shewed his Miracles in Cana he first rose and appeared to his Disciples the Saints that slept then rose out of their Graves the holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles solemnly met and thereon still they met for divine worship When the Jewish Sabbath ended by reason of its Typicalness expiring with Christs death then began the first day to be the Christian Sabbath Christ sanctifying it to that end by his resurrection honouring it in a special manner which is the ground given by God himself for the keeping of a Sabbath So carefull were Christ and Christians of it that he bids them pray that their flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath lest it should distract their bodies and souls Prophaning of the Sabbath hath ever been threatned and punished signally as the due observance of it hath been choicely encouraged and rewarded in all Superiors and Inferiors It s the Lords court-day wherein he expects due Homage and Rents from all his Tenants It s his Muster-day for all his Christian Souldiers It s his solemn Feast-day to welcome all his friends It s his weekly Market for the getting in of all heavenly provisions It s his Chancery-day for the sealing and grant of his deeds of Favour What enemies are they to his honor and mans good who slight and abuse that Heaven upon earth It s the beginning of an eternal Sabbath All Cavils against it have been fully dispelled by many choice pieces When Paul condemns the distinction of days his meaning is cleared by the Context to speak of Jewish Ceremonials not of Christian Morals The neglect and abuse of the Christian Sabbath hath been observed formerly and lately to be still the Inlet to all other errors Englands prosperity began in Queen Elizabeths time when the Sabbath began to be duly maintained by Authority The troubles of England began afterwards when the Sabbath was publiquely by Authority profaned and by the same party * The famous Kings and Witagen Mots among the Saxons still renew'd strict Laws for due observance of the Christian Sabbath 15. The Law of Christ is variously abused 1. By the the foresaid Errors 2. By Antinomians denying the Obligation of a Christian to the moral Law 3. By Papists in mangling of it and dispencing therewith at pleasure many ways 4. By Quakers and other Innovators joining too much with Papists 5. By Socinians that rest thereon teaching people the like and so making it their satisfaction to justice and their Salvation AGainst such evils Scripture-knowledge of Christ will help us to see the need and use of that Law of Christ As he printed it on mans heart at first so doth he by his Grace renew it there gradually He published it himself from Mount Sina to his people adding the Ceremonials and Judicials afterwards as fit accommodations of that moral Law suited to the Jewish Church and State The Decalogue then is the sum of that Law which obliges all men without exception The sevetal Explications and Applications thereof we find through the Old and New Testament Christ ratified the same from Mount Zion also in taking away the Pharisaical Rubbish which their false Glosses had cast about it The Apostles further clear and confirm it in their several Epistles and Writings Where the Scripture seems to speak against the Law the sense is cleared by viewing the Context 1. They speak against the justifying Power of the Law through mans weakness since the fall none being able to keep it without fault or to make amends for his breach thereof Thus by the Law can none be justified and the regenerate are not under it to get pardon and salvation by a Law of works The Pharisees thus pressed and owned it and were confuted by Christ and his Apostles Thus also do they sin that do rest upon any Gospel-duty making it to themselves thereby a Law of Works Secondly They speak against the condemning effect of the Law which the regenerate are freed from by Christs Righteousness imputed to them They are not under the curse of it having their sins pardoned by Christs satisfaction made theirs actually through faith in his blood though their sin deserves the Curse yet that reatus and guilt doth not redound upon their persons being taken off by Christ Thirdly They speak often of the ceremonial Law as not obliging any Christian since Christ though it was used indifferently for a while to bear with tender Converts then unsatisfied about the abrogation thereof Fourthly They still own the royal Law of Liberty that moral Law which is the Transcript of Gods holy Will for the Rule of mans Duty in conformity to Gods Image It s called therefore the Law of Christ the perfect Law and the Law of Truth which men do well when they observe and ill so far as they neglect it God indeed writes his Law on his peoples heart but gradually and variously that is to them an internal Principle of Obedience which is still attended by the Law of their Members in opposition thereto This Principle moves them still to observe that Law which God hath given to be their standing Rule perfect and unchangeable Men are as far from his Grace as they are from observing his Law God never leaves his Children without Rule He
bodily disease setting out its specifical Idea by its numerical and peculiar properties whether one or more and usually by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Concurrence of divers as a Frensie a Lethargy an Apoplexy c. have singular marks from the defect and disorders of the faculties animal vital and natural Thus Error the Frensie of the soul when boiled up to its height sets a man on a rage against Truth and her friends rejects the Means of its cure raves and ranges at Will inflames the Spirits disorders all the powers and parts hastning to destruction as appeared in the ranting Crue formerly and lately in Germany and England another error may more resemble a Lethargy benumming the Soul fixing the Spirits casting the person into a feavorish sleep stopping the senses filling them with dreams closing their eyes and distempering all powers and parts rendering them incapable of sense and help if the Lord work not extraordinarily witness James Naylor and his quaking Rout. Another Error may be found more like an Apoplexie suddenly taking away sense and motion reason and life as that of some Circumcellions and the bloody rabble of Germany and Switzerland from Anno 1522. till 1534. Another is more like a Palsey stopping the fountain of the sinews either totally or partially by distempering the head and its Conduits whereby sense and motion are conveyed to all inferior parts and gradually hastning mans end So it fares with divers Quakers now and many monkish Pharisaical Notionists Rose-Crucians Eremitical Recluses and Behmenists Thus might we instance in every disease and draw the parallel of Error along in its various Symptoms and Characters the which are accompanied with malignity and infection with Confidence and peremptoriness with Censoriousness and self-conceitedness more or less according to the Nature Extent and Causes of such distempers But as some poisonous Weeds do very nearly resemble the good plants among which they grow as young Hemlock among Parsley So divers Errors grow like Truth for a while till they come up to strength which they do much faster then good hearbs to be better discerned by their ill qualities and wofull effects 8. The Cure of Error as of bodily sickness is diversly to be observed in the Indications directing thereto in the materials to be used and in the due method of preparing and ministring of them sutably to the Rules of Art and the Patients Case 1. The Indications of Error as of the bodily diseases require the removing of the Cause the rectifying of the parts the restoring of strength and preserving of it by all convenient means 2. The Materials and Ingredients that are to be used towards that Cure for soul and body are considerable in a regular diet in orderly medicines and the Chirurgions seasonable help Thus erroneous Persons are 1. to be dieted in shunning evil food evil company evil motions c. and in using food company exercise c. tending to spiritual health 2. They are to be well purged with due preparatives and Laxatives 3. They must have the Chirurgions help also in letting out the corrupt blood of sin in dressing of their spiritual Sores in applying of all fit Medicaments and administring of all things orderly 3. The Method of preparing and dispensing of them all for the cure of Diseases Spiritual and Corporal is to be guided by the skilfull Physitian of Heaven who hath appointed Men and Means that in observing the Prescripts of his Word applyed sutably to every ones case his promised Blessing may be waited for and received in an Obedience of Faith and Love The following Antidote prescribed by him may be through his Grace singularly helpfull thereto The Contents The Context opened THe Text divided into six Doctrines page 6. Doctrine 1. Wicked Lawless persons are exceedingly subject to be carried away with destructive Errors p. 7 Reason 1. Raigning Corruption p. 8 Reason 2. Errors deceitfulness ibid. Reason 3. Divine Judgement p 9 Use 1. Information the ground of our numerous Errors ibid. 2. Admonitin to lawless Ones ibid. 3. Examinatioon ibid. 4. Exhortation p. 10 Doctr. 2. Error will endanger a Christians stedfastness ibid. Reas 1. It loosens a Christians hold p. 11 2. It impairs a Christians strength p. 12 3. It snatches with forcible fraud ibid. Use 1. See hence the source of our Revolts ibid. 2. Convictions to erroneous ones p. 13 3. Trial of our state p. 14 4. Advice to all ibid. Doctr. 3. All Christians even the best need still due warning to keep themselves from Error and Revolt p. 15 Obj. 1. What need the Elect to be warned thus p. 16 Ans In seven particulars ibid. Use 1. Consect Hence see the usefulness of a Gospel Ministry p. 17 2. Reprehension p. 18 3. Inquiry p. 19 4. Excitation 1. to take warning p. 20 2. Improve warning p. 21 1. Personally ibid. 2. Relatively p. 22 Doctr. 4. The gracious Knowledge of Christ is a singular Jewel p. 23 1. Explanation in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 24. 25 26 2. Confirmation in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 27 3. Demonstration in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. Reason 1. From the Object Christ considerable p. 28 1. In his Person as God as man as God-man ibid. 2. In his Office Prophetical Sacerdotal Regal p. 30 3. In his Progress of Humiliation to Exaltation ibid. 4. In his Purchase for value and vertue considered p. 32 5. In his Relation variously set forth p. 33 6. In his Influence p. 34 Reas 2. From the subject Recipient thereof p. 35 Reas 3 From the Canse efficient formal final p. 36 Reas 4. From the Nature p. 42 Reas 5. From the Properties p. 44 Reas 6. From the Effects p. 46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Use 1. Instruction the Method of study p. 47 Use 2. Reprehension p. 49 Use 3. Examination pag. 54. Therein is considered 1. What is wrought 2. How it was wrought 3. What it works p. 55. 56 In allusion to Vegetative Sensitive and Rational Acts. ibid. Use 4. Consolation Obj. Ans p. 64 Use 5. Exhortation to Nominal Christians p. 65 Many Obj. Answ p. 67. 68 69 70 c Exhor 2. To Real Christians p. 73 Doctr. 5. Growing in the gracious Knowledge of Christ is a special Gospel-Duty p. 77 Reas 1. The Christians Nature p. 78 Reas 2. Gods Honour p. 79 Reas 3. Mans Interest ibid. Use 1. The Necessity of a standing Ministry p. 80 Use 2. Conviction p. 81 Use 3. Examination Is our Growth Vniversal proportional perpetual p. 82 Use 4. Excitation to dead and living Christians p. 84 Doctr. 6. Spiritual Growth is a Soveraign Antidote against Error and Apostacy p. 89 Res 1. It removes the Causes p. 91 Reas 2. It fortifies the parts p. 92 Reas 3. It improves Christs specifick Vertue p. 93 Use 1. Information shewing the ground and cure of all our distempers p. 94 Use 2. Admonition to all under the Raign or Remainders of sin p. 95 Use 3.
be a common Road for every Notion pretending to new Light Observe well the great gate of your understanding that no disguised enemy may slip in unaware Sift and search every thing by Scripture-Light that ye may know the Truth Watch narrowly the Fort of Judgement and Conscience that carnal Reasonings may not get in and thrust out spiritual Reason Let divine Reason by the Scripture of Truth fortifie the same against all surprises of the enemy Yield up your selves therefore to the Spirit of Truth for effectual renewing that through the Blood of Christ you may have it purified and pacified If Error get once into your conscience he will make sad work there Exercise your self therefore to have it alwaies void of offence towards God and man The Cittadel of your Will requires a special watch Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Have a singular eie to the Ammunition of your Affections if wild-fire get thither it will make work indeed See them all well ordered and well guarded least any be mounted for Error against Truth and for Revolt against perseverance Your Love and hatred your desire and fear your joy and grief your anger and distaste your hope and despair are Guns of great use if well managed but if error get once the mastery they will tear you and others to pieces Stand on your watch then as Christ commands all in these sleepy daies Watch and pray watch and Believe watch and Labour against such an enemy The Baits are specious that will entice you but dreadful hooks lie close under them Deadly poisons desperate Diseases will tempt you round under fair disguises Satans Powder-plots are most desperate in these later daies His venom is refined and sublimed to its height His old stratagems are revived afresh with more plausibleness Unclean spirits struggle and rage most stil when near ejection The Lord will keep you whilst you keep close to him in his Word and Waies He is with you whilst you keep with him if you forsake him he will forsake you 2. Relatively Keep close to your work in looking to others All Superiours have a special charge to keep their Inferiours from these dreadful Evils Study and improve your Relations well to this very end whether Political or Ecclesiastical Magistratical or Ministerial whether Parental or Magisterial Take heed to your selves and to the whole flock committed to your charge Act Gods part towards them and act like God whom you Represent Use all such means in Church or state as Christ himself would use were he in your place If fair Means will do good so much the better but rather then fail use sharper Tools If Lenatives will not avail Corrosives must be used When a Limb is gangreend and mortified it cals for Iron and fire If the Patient grow phrentick he must be bound and kept very close and solitary If the disease be contagious company must be kept off If the sore will not fairly resolve by proper discussives it must be ripened lanced cleansed with stronger medicines If a member be broken disjointed or wrenced you can hardly cure it without pain and trouble Superiors are Physitians in their kind if your Patients be froward you need the more wisdom care diligence You are Shepheards and Rulers of men all your Titles of Honor will still mind you of your Duty and Burthen Dignity and Duty are still inseparable You are set over others for their good Keep off therefore these great evils from them and keep them from these evils of revolting Errors The external man is within your reach The internal man accounts to God alone They that so honour God he will surely honor but they that dispise him in slighting his work shall become vile and base Whilst you act like God in acting for God the Glory will be his and the comfort yours in the furtherance of the publique good God looks now for such to stand in the Gap and make up the breach to prevent a fatal ruin One man of note may do a world of good one Moses one Phineas one Joshua one Nehemiah may be an eminent Saviour under Christ in this Israel Who is on Gods side now against Blasphemy and damnable Heresie against divisions and strong delusions Act Gods part now in your relations with zeal and courage with prudence and care Its Gods own work you may well trust him for Council and strength support and blessing The Lord never yet failed faithfull Reformers who denied themselves for the publique Weal Carnal policy will discourage you Divine Policy will quicken you still Christ himself met with strong Contradictions from all evil men and evil Spirits Your worst enemies are conquered ones both in Spirituals and in Temporals remember and improve all your experiences renewed so often for these many years Error discountenanced will soon wear away whereas Truth opposed will gather more strength Sinfull tolerations are the devils Nurses in all relations publique private Be zealous for God mind his Interest then shall your interest besurely settled Doctrine 4. The Grace and Knowledge of Christ is a singular Jewel THE word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace in Scripture-sense hath divers acceptions improperly and properly Improperly it signifies in a larger sense Thanks Joy Liberality Gift Office c. Properly and strictly it denotes two things 1 Gods special favour towards his Elect. 2. His sanctifying work in the Elect the former is favouring Grace this later is renewing Grace 1. It signifies Gods peculiar favour towards his Elect and that considered in the fountain and streams 1. Grace in the spring is called his pleasure purpose councill of his Will Amor Benevolentiae his love of benevolence 2. Favouring Grace in the stream signifies the various emanations of that eternal Love in all the expressions thereof towards them sutably to all their necessities thence the denominations of his predestinating and redeeming Grace his adopting and pardoning Grace his supplying and supporting Grace c. Which are in God one single intire Act that is variously denominated from its object This is Amor beneficientiae his love of beneficence whence flows his Amor Complacentiae his love of delight embracing of them Secondly Grace signifies also properly Gods sanctifying work of his Spirit in his Elect called the fruits of his Spirit the work of his Grace the gift from above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often the peculiar saving operations of his gracious Spirit in them and by them this Grace is considerable in the Root and Branches in the habit and acts in the principle and effects in the seed and fruits in the source and streams in the beginning and progress thereof being often called metonymically the Spirit for the gifts thereof 1. Renewing Grace in the Root and
us and we have seen his Glory So the beloved Apostle witnesses of him He took on him not the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Thus the Son of God became the son of man being miraculously conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary the Virgin over-shadowed by Gods Spirit and born of her in the humane nature like to us in all things except sin Thus was God the Son made manifest in the flesh by assuming the Nature not the person for then had he been two sons and two persons of man to himself This Man Christ Jesus hath body and soul the two substantial parts of Man even as we have as appear'd in his whole progress both which he hath Glorified not nullified This Fatherless man is as Wonderful as the same motherless God for who can declare his Generation as to the manner of it Thus Infiniteness confined himself God eternal was born of a finite poor Virgin Here is an Object indeed for the best knowledge of the best man God become man 3. Christ is God-man Emmanuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God with us The true Ithiel God with me the very Vcal who is All. In him by hypostatical Union the humane nature with the Divine do both subsist in God the Son the second person of the divine Trinity Here is indeed a complication of ineffable wonders As there one Divine Nature subsists distinctly in three divine Persons So here two Natures the divine and humane subsist both in one person each of them acting and remaining distinctly conjunctly and inseparably incommutably and unconfusedly as the Fathers expressed it to avoid Errors on both hands Here is no mixtion nor composition no confusion nor conversion but a mysterious and transcendant Union from whence flow the various expressions of Scripture 1. When that is attributed to each Nature which properly belongs thereto as suffering to humane Nature and also when that is attributed to the person which therein belongs to both natures as to be Mediatour this is most proper Secondly When that which is common to the whole Person as to be Mediator is attributed only to one of the Natures suppose to the humane this is more improper Thirdly When that which is proper to one Nature is attributed to the other Nature in concreto by a name denoting the whole Person In that sense its true that God purchased his Church by his Blood and that the King of Glory was crucified by communication of Properties Yet this acception is the most improper of the three being Metonymical as the second is Synecdochical In man two imperfect Natures Soul and Body are coadunated with reservation of Proprieties to the constituting of one Suppositum and Person by the vertue of God Christs Person in the divine Nature being most perfect took the humane nature into the unity of one person by his own Vertue So that its one and the same Christ visible according to the humane invisible according to the divine Nature This hypostatical Union was the work of the Trinity mediately of the Holy Ghost immediately and of the Son terminatively The Fathers compare this Mysterie to the joint work of three Sisters making up one vesture and putting it all conjunctly upon the second of them It was necessary that Christ should be God 1. To impart an infinite value and vertue to his compleat Obedience 2. To overcome all sufferings and enemies 3. To communicate all effectually by his Spirit to his people It was as needful that he should be man 1. Because the Godhead could not suffer Secondly because the same Nature that had offended was to satisfie 3. That our Nature corrupted by the first Adam might be restored by the second Christ Jesus our Lord. Thus is Christs Person the Amiable Object of our Knowledge Secondly CHrist considered in his Office is a precious Object his chief business as Mediator being to procure effectual Reconciliation to the saving of his people by his perfect Oblation presented to God for them and applied to them by Gods Spirit He assumed the Name and function of Jesus the Saviour He was anointed as the Christ of God with all suitable qualifications and made Lord of all but especially made our Lord and Saviour by personal appropriation and effectual application Thus was Christ voluntarily made of a woman under the Law subjecting himself in that wonderful dispensation of his Mediation to receive from the Father his Call to that redeeming Function There was no defect in God but in us only who wanted skil power and will utterly to the curing and saving of our selves Christ therefore was divinely anointed to be our Soveraign Prophet Priest and Prince to effect all for us and in us needful to salvation As a Prophet he Reveals the whole Council of God As a Priest he makes full expiation to God and Intercession for us As a Kingly Prince he subdues all spiritual Enemies and makes all things serviceable to the guidance and protection of his people under his Soveraign Rule and Government All this he did and doth by his Eternal Spirit as the Scripture Records freely fully surely and singularly being therein a glorious Object of Christian knowledge Thirdly Christ in his Progress is considerable under a double state of Humiliation and Exaltation 1. HIs Humiliation appeared in all the steps of his Conception and Birth of his Life and Passion of his death and Burial most wonderfully This God head was then covered with the dark vail of his humane Nature mourning as it were in the sad habit of his infirmities for his peoples Enormities He willingly then eclipsed his divine light within the dark Lanthorn of this submissive state he humbled himselfe to exalt us he emptied himself that he might fill us He parted with all that he might give us all He shewed himself to be the Son of man to the lowest degree that he might bring all his into the state of Children Had there not been an absolute necessity thereof he had never done it Had not our case been so desperate could any other way have expiated and destroyed his peoples sins Christ had not come down from the height of Glory to the bottom of ignominy Here is an object of admiration indeed God humbled to a childs state growing up by degrees in Stature and Grace doing and suffering every moment for his enemies in rebellious arms Behold the Son of man wrastling with earth and hell yea with heaven it self conflicting with mans rage the devils fury and the wrath of God! What think you of sin the murtherer of this Christ and of that Love which gave him to the death Thus made he his soul a sacrifice for sin that he might see his seed and the good will of the Lord prospering in his hands He laid in the grave to confirm his
any of his By his own example and Command he hath directed us to seek the things that make for Peace wherein we may edifie one another Convulsions in his Members are most direful and dangerous Symptoms proceeding from ill humors vapors and Spirits Whilst the Limbs fall a jarring the body must needs decay That Wisdom from beneath which cherishes contentions and envy is sensual and devilsh The Devil hath no better sport then in such troubled waters These Confusions of Tongue become Babylon better then Zion Must not the stones of Gods Temple be proportionably squared and fitted to each other that his Sanctuary may be erected Should not they that believe in one God are saved by one Christ justified by one faith acted by one Spirit sealed by one baptism supported by one hope and ruled by one Lord walk in one Love also and be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace There is too much of hell fire in unchristian Combustions Such ignes fatui and cheating Meteors lead many to destruction Do not such wandring stars and blazing Comets manifest divine wrath and portend woful Judgements If our Light and fire burn better then anothers have we not cause to be more thankful and communicative What have we that we have not received to impart to others Are not the strong bid to bear with the weak and not please themselves Our Neighbours good is co-ordinate still with our own Interest for we should love our Neighbour as our selves Is not this Jewel a very precious one which is of such Import to the benefit of all Reason 4. The Nature of this gracious Knowledge doth further demonstrate its Excellency There are three special parts that do make it up being the choice Ingredients thereof Apprehension Assent and Application 1. APprehension of the matter understood is found in every kind of knowledge specially in this A view of Christs Beauty and Excellency is taken by the mind thus spiritualized The lively picture of Christs al-sufficiency is drawn in his Gospel by the pencil of his own Spirit The Lord himself opens his very Bowels to the Prospect of his peoples eyes therein Is not this a precious sight indeed to behold such a Saviour in all his proportions Doth not the sensible sight of our vileness and sinfulness recommend such a merciful Redeemer to our apprehension Can we behold our own wretchedness Insufficiency and unworthiness and thence cast a glance on his sutable and sure Redemption without admiration Doth not the survey of divine fulness thus exposed to view exalt the Lord Christ above all other Lovers Are not all his royal perfections a magnificent sight to a gracious Soul Can there be any thing more swett and stately 2. Assent and Credit to the Truth apprehended attends this knowledge in a singular way The God of Truth bespeaks this Assent by the word of Truth Salvation by Christ alone for true Believers upon conjugal terms is the sum thereof He that believes his Testimony hath set to his seal that God is true divine Authority gaining thus credit to his Assertion sways the Judgement to reason the case and cast its resolve upon Christs side Divine reason then perswades mans Reason that such a Christ is worth the accepting upon his own Terms The soul thereby judges all capitulations and Reservations to be sinfull dreadfull irrational Mans reason is then brought over to such a subjection as Christs reason demands without delaies or exceptions It sees that in Christ which is better then All and suits its wants in every part thereof It sees no help from any creature to be looked for and judges all to be but vanity and Lyes that hinders from Christ The soul then learns feelingly to cry None but Christ none but Christ as the Martyr did with due conviction of sin and righteousness in order to Judgement through the Spirits help The soul thus weary both of self and sin readily assents to that truth of God which presents Christ for a faithful and loving Husband for Saviour and Lord And is not this of singular worth Thirdly Application and hearty consent is the main ingredient of all conjugal Knowledge especially of this The soul is hereby effectually yielded into Christs own hand upon his own terms The Will in this Act accepts of Christ and renders up it self to his disposal Conjugal Acception is thus reciprocated that the whole man may yield unto him all loyal obedience of Faith and Love This great wheel thus moved all the Affections turn accordingly Christ ward heaven-ward that before still moved self-ward and earth-ward The soul being thus surrendred to Christ depends on him and derives from him still Grace for Grace All other things then become serviceable to the honor and service of Christ This Marriage-union brings with it a free and full a singular and sure Communion Then saith the soul My Beloved is mine and I am his I have all from him and all for him all in him and all through him And is not this a very rare Jewel that makes a match between Heaven and Earth Is not this Knowledge of singular worth that marries sinfull man to God Almighty Is not this thing of a rare value whose nature appears so supereminent Reason 5. The Properties of this Knowledge do much commend its excellency also They are expressed by a pregnant word full of sense and vertue being called a gracious knowledge 1. IN regard of Gods favouring Grace whence it flows which it manifests and whither it leads The glory of divine Grace doth so admirably and so wonderfully shine forth therein that its preciousness is as remarkable as the Noon-Sun in a Summer-day 2. In respect to his renewing Grace this knowledge is truly and incomparably gracious being attended with all the gracious Train and fruits of Christs Spirit So far as the Lord is duly known by his people so far is this knowledge attended with a proportionable measure of saving Grace 1. It s a fiducial knowledge that knows Christ with conjugal faith discerning of him looking up to him closing with him following after him trusting in him feeding upon him drawing all from him and returning all to him 2. It s a loving knowledge that embraces Christs love and retaliats Love for Love loving his person first and then his goodness That soul that knows Christ loves him sincerely and self-denyingly fervently and constantly That soul hears and speaks prays and acts in love to him loving his Word and ways his name and honor his service and servants out of Love to him That soul for his sake loves his Saints with a Love of delight and sinners with a Love of pitty The more she knows of him the more is her heart melted into his heart to be cast into the mold of his Love What 's recorded of famous Ignatius
places in Ezekiel and other Scriptures hold this forth to the Life by the increase and Improvement of the Sanctuary-waters A fruitfull Parable the Lord himself spreads before us to express this emphatically by a large and pregnant Allegory whose divine Branches have been elaborately trimmed to this purpose by a very worthy Pen. The God of all Grace likes not to see his gracious Off-spring wasted with Rickets in a decaying posture His Messages from Heaven to the seven Churches of Asia testifie the same and hold forth a lively resemblance of his various dealings with his people from that time hitherto according to the various proportions of their Growth or Decay Reason 1. Their Nature requires it full of Spirit and Life they are and must needs grow The more of Life in any thing the more of Growth The more of Spirit the more of liveliness Grace is spiritual Life the seed of Glory and eternal Life It s the Life of Christ the operation of his holy Spirit as far as man is capable thereof The best of a mans natural Life is but dull and dead in comparison of this gracious Life Union to the living God and Communion with him in Christ through the Spirit is the Principle of this supernatural Life The new Creature must needs grow that Partakes so much of the divine Nature in similitude though not in sameness in quality though not in equality Want of lively Principles makes so many glorious Professors to wither and waste so miserably They were but seeming Branches as Cions meerly fastened about the stock but never incorporated therein intimately They that have their root and Life from earthly Nature still may for a while flourish but will soon be blasted The Root and Life of the new man is above in Gods bosom in the heart of Christ still supplied by his Spirit to safeguard them from all winter-blasts of renewed Temptations and corruptions Reason 2. Gods honour cals for it All things are made for him as they were framed by him Of him through him and to him are all things as in Nature so in Grace peculiarly This people hath he formed for his praises They are the plants of his setting the work of his hand that he may be glorified And herein is their Father glorified that they bring forth much fruit The growth of his Garden is the glory of that Divine Husbandman The thriving of his children must needs commend his Fatherly care His Love and service cannot but press thereto If his children be so unlike him they can neither honour nor serve him aright He hat much work for all his servants in every Relation and occasion If they be sickly and wasting what are they fit for Must not his people be lively like him that they may be stil faithful and successful The more Christ is known in a gracious way the more doth sin waste and Grace flourish The vigor of a Christian is still in his Christ The Love of Christ must needs constrain him to live more to him in being more like him Much strength and Spirit is still required in every part of the Lords service He would have us fervent in spirit as Paul himself was therein which doth require a spiritual growth to make us vigorous Reason 3. Mans Interest challenges it their credit and comfort their honour and happiness depend upon their growth Their profit and pleasure their helpfulness to others still attend the same A wasting sickly life is as uncomfortable as unserviceable to our selves and others Rickets and Consumptions render our children useless and burthensom spiritual decaies are far more offensive unto Gods children They can neither help themselves nor others that are thus pining and consuming The life of our life is in our health and strength without it we cannot receive nor do good to any purpose A diseased Life is but a living Death and a dying Life Christ must be known more graciously stil that we may enjoy more of his comforts and be more useful to all his members The more any Limb receives from the head the more assistance may the same afford unto its Body We must still be deriving from Christ what we are stil to communicate to our fellow members Christian sympathie and communion will still challenge serviceableness from every part of his mystical Body Vse 1. See the Necessity and Benefit of a perpetual Ministry and Ordinances They are the special means appointed and blessed for the promoting of this spiritual growth He gave Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ untill we all come into a perfect man in him to the full measure of his stature that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine but speaking the Truth in Love may grow up into him in all things who is the Head even Christ The slighting of Christs Institutions makes so many to decay apace in their profession and affection in their parts and practice They are the food and refreshings of Gods House suited to the case of all his children and servants therein The neglect abuse and poisoning thereof must needs be very sinful and woful How can they but languish and perish that scorn and defile that spoil and pervert the precious Means of their Life and growth Providence ever knits the End and the Means What the Lord appoints he doth surely and seasonably bless Out of his road he will not be look'd for nor assure his Grace where he Records not his Name His General presence fils all places indeed and Rules in hell it self Judicially But his favourable and fatherly presence is to be sought and found in his gracious Ordinances What can Rebels expect from a Soveraign whose Orders they stil oppose and reject Who can look for the Blessing of Heaven in following the waies of darkness What hope of growing in any good things without answerable supplies and relief We waste a pace and need refreshing still that we may grow in the knowledge of Christ Vse 2. It may convince and humble all ignorant and negligent Christians It s our sin let it be our shame and sorrow that we grow so little under such helps in the Lords husbandry This evil reigns in most it remains in the best Most continue in the love under the power thereof making a trade and a sport of it the best find much cause to be still judging themselves for the sad Reliques of these unhappy weeds The dunghil abounds continually with filth and Vermin so doth mans unrenewed heart The best Garden will ever be troubled with some trash or other to be look'd after Their case is saddest that are most sensless of it and secure in it The soundest bodies
By his Spirit he draws home his Elect from among the rest to a conjugal acquaintance with himself This gracious knowledge is to be improved for a singular Antidote against sinfull Errors It hath appeared to be so in all ages and will still be so upon solid grounds which divine Reason suggests to us Reason 1. Because it removes and prevents the causes thereof External and Internal The cause removed the Effect will cease 1. THE External Causes called evident among Physicians are all such as from without endanger men as ill Company Disorders Infection Wounds c. from Sin and Satan thus spiritually many external causes do still assault us which the knowledge of Christ prevents and removes A well grown Christian hath his senses exercised to discern aright between good and evil The spiritual man judges of all things comparing of them spiritually He is not easily caught into the snare but wisely foresees it and escapes He believes not every Spirit but tries them all by the Lords Touch-stone He is forewarned and forearmed still against Infectious Temptations of all sorts 2. Internal Causes are either Antecedent and remote or continent and proxime which are bred within by congestion and defluxion of several ill humors putrifying gradually and variously to the distempering of the several parts and of the whole also Thus sinfull Corruption doth spiritually disorder mens souls Spiritual Growth affords Christs own help to the purging out of such ill Humors Vapors and Spirits It kils the worms takes away stoppages cleanses the parts by all convenient helps internal and external It purges the whole and then the parts in a due Method using revulsions and derivations with all sort of evacuations So far as Grace is grown up within by the knowledge of Christ so far is corruption purged out gradually He that knows him purifies himself even as he is pure Christs own Physick dispenced daily in his Word and Providence is through his Spirit improved that way He that is born of God doth not so sin as he did before neither can he so sin either totally or finally because the seed of God abides in him As he finds corruption breeding afresh within it s his desire and design his delight and labor to crush the Cockatrice in the shell and suppress the first beginnings He hath a tender heart sensible of the first stirs of the least vain thoughts and keeps himself that the evâ—l one touch him not as before Reason 2. Because it corroborates and fortifies the noble parts and thereby all the rest against all internal Corruptions and outward Temptations Thus health and strength are procured and improved against the malignity of all spiritual distempers Corroboration is a singular help as in the bodies so in the Souls of men against all diseases Ill Humors do leave in the parts affected an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Discomposure which enfeebles it and by a ferment and a sickly Spawn makes it prone to new disorders Error and Sin work in the like manner upon mens souls striking chiefly at the Vitals and Chief The knowledge of Christ duly improved doth orderly eradicate and extirpate it by Communication of his divine strength to vivification of every Grace and Mortification of the old man in all its Members The more a soul lives in him and by him the more of his renewed Supports and supplies come in which compose the Christian into spiritual health rectifying every part All the faculties are secured and fortified thereby against Relapses and struglings of sin Such can do all things through Christ strengthning them The sense of their own insufficiency drives them still to his Al-sufficiency that his Grace may be sufficient for them and his Vertue perfected in weakness Reason 3. Because it derives still a specifick Vertue out of Christ himself whose Soveraign Property mingled with all due means of his appointing affords still a sure Preservative Physicians observe the specifick Vertue of natural Medicines simple and compound which renders the whole effectual towards bodily cures Such a signally peculiar force is found in the Lords choice Antidote dispensed to his Patients The knowledge of Christ duly improved fetches out of him that wonderfull Grace which he mingles with all the Medicines appointed for their good His Blood is that Aurum potabile and Panpharmacum that Catholicon and Elixer of Life which sanctifies all things effectually to his Peoples good The more any soul grows up into acquaintance with him the more use is made of that Soveraign Balm of Gilead flowing from the Physicians very heart The Pelican is said to cure his little ones with his own blood Christ to be sure makes this good to his His Grace is the Basis of every Dose of every Topick of every means appointed by him The strongest poison is quelled thereby the stoutest humors are subdued the sorest obstructions are removed and the worst Maladies cured by the same He healed all manner of diseases and sicknesses among the people in their bodies and souls in his progress on earth and he doth so still by his Spirit from heaven His Word and Ordinances are the proper means used by him for application thereof He employes his servants of the Magistracy and Ministry to observe his will in the right use thereof by all fit helps Spiritual and Civil His Providence points out the case to be dealt with all spiritual skil Our Antidote improved affords every Christian to manage all aright His special Blessing he affords in all according to Promise The Reason is good make good use of it Vse 1. Corollar 1. Hence may we view the Ground and Cure of our spiritual Distempers in all Relations 1. THE Ground is much from want of spiritual Growth in the best as from want of Life in most Were Christ known to better purpose both Church and State would not be so sickly But the most are ignorant of him and the best much too blame Thence so many diseases and sores in all Relations and Societies Every Person every Family finds cause to complain because the Lord Christ is so much slighted No wonder if the sickness increase and the venom spreads when such a Physician with his Antidote are so basely used Wise men easily see whence this evil comes and is aggravated Gross wilfull unbelief is the forest disease that aggravates the case making it desperate This was the case of Gods people of old in the wilderness and Canaan again and again They slighted Christ and his Messengers till they were grown beyond all Remedy It may give us warning 2. The Cure and Method of Relief is hence observable the Lord hath not left us yet remediless There is Balm in Gilead and a Physician there with Soveraign Vertue to cure
themselves to be the Holy Ghost as Simon Magus Montanus David George c. Fifthly All Enthusiasts who father their lies on Gods Spirit c. TO quell this wofull poison your Preservative will set your Judgement right by the Grace and Knowledge of Christs Spirit Thereby you will surely understand that the holy Spirit hath in Scripture ascribed to him the same Titles and Attributes the same divine worship and works which are ascribed to the Father and to the Son and therefore must needs be God blessed from ever and for ever That the working of all Scripture Miracles the penning of all those divine writings the wonderfull quickning of dead souls and bodies and the daily experience of all spiritual Christians do fully demonstrate it That therefore the fanatick illusions and delusions of Revelationists being so opposite to Gods Truth and Holiness must needs proceed from that lying Spirit who perswaded so many of Ahabs Prophets and still possesses the false Prophets of our days to speak and act against the Dictates of Christs Spirit The malicious opposing of the Truth confirmed so undeniably by the miraculous Operations of the Lord The Spirit hath therefore the most desperate aggravations even unto death attending the same because God the Father and Son both are thereby also desperately opposed 6. Against his Office and Function of Al-sufficient and only Mediator for his peoples Salvation move First All the former Hereticks in denying his Deity or Humanity his Parts and Person Secondly All such who mangle the said Function as the Socinians who deny the need and use of his satisfaction for sin Thirdly All such who divide his Mediation work ascribing part thereof to Saints and Angles as the Papists with fond distinctions Fourthly All such as put the said Mediation into the Virgin Mary's hand calling her Queen of Heaven entitling the Psalter to her placing her name instead of the Lords name in the said Psalter giving her Authority over Christ her Son in Heaven promising and expecting more from her often then from Christ as much at least and telling doctorally that God hath divided his Mercy and Justice giving her the Throne of Mercy and reserving himself the Throne of Justice c. as the said Papists Fifthly All such who pretending to sinless perfection and selfish Righteousness do frustrate and nullifie so far his Mediation as the Quakers and such monkish Pharisees To suppress the violence of this poisonous stuff the Grace and Knowledge of Christ improved will shew us clearly still the necessity of Christs satisfaction and Al suffiency of his Mediation that without the shedding of this blood there can be no remission of sin That No Righteousness but that of God-man could satisfie divine Justice That without satisfaction there could be no Reconciliation of God to man that without Imputation thereof to many there could be no discharge of mans Debt That no purchase could be made of eternal Life and divine favour but by that infinite Price paid by Emmanuel That without such purchase orderly applycable there could be no salvation for lost man That Christs mediation alone is Al-sufficient to all those purposes and needs no partners in any share thereof either for Impetration or application That to give the least part thereof to any meer Creature whether in Heaven or Earth can be no better then Idolatry That no Palliation or shifts by distinctions of Dulia Hyperdulia and Latria can cover this Blasphemy no more then Adams figs leaves could cover his nakedness That there cannot be on earth in any meer man a sinless perfection and if it could be had yet it could not satisfie for the evil past in the least That the best are but unprofitable Servants That the payment of a farthing due cannot satisfie a thousand pound debt in Arrears To signifie emphatically the due application and Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto Believers the Scripture cals him Jehovah-Tsidkenu the Lord our Righteousness repeating that name again in the great Promise of Restauration to be afforded to his Israel by vertue of that Righteousness made theirs whence Christs name is Synecdochically and Metonymically ascribed to the new Jerusalem To that import the Lord Jesus incorporates his name with a Christians Propriety into one New name framed by his own Spirit which Paul expresses by his being made unto us of God Righteousness and Redemption and our being made the Righteousness of God in in him as he was made sin for us who knew no sin which must needs be understood by way of Imputation there being no sin inherent in Christ 7. His Priesthood is opposed first By all the formerly named Errors Secondly by the Papists in making new Priests daily and a new propitiatory Sacrifice called incruentum to be offered by them for the living and dead Secondly In joining mans merits to his and thereby patching up a mongrel Righteousness for themselves and others Thirdly In pretended Works of supererogation which are imputed to others by way of Indulgence out of their Churches imaginary Treasure Fourthly In denying the Imputation of Christs Righteousness for the pardon and Justification of his Members Fifthly In giving to mans Righteousness dip'd in Christs blood a meriting value and vertue to satisfie and pacifie Gods Justice and to procure his Mercy Sixthly In making Christs Merits to be but the remote and mediate cause but mans Merits to be the immediate Proxime cause of the pardon Thirdly By such who sever his habitual and his active Obedience from his meriting Oblation given to God for his people and imputed to Believers reckoning only his passive Obedience to be so meritorious and imputative for the reconciling of Man to God Fourthly By Quakers and others who find no need of and little regard an high Priest in Heaven Against such mortal wounds the Balm of our Christian Gilead will afford healing vertue from the due review of his Grace and Knowledge We shall find thereby that Christ Jesus by his personal Righteousness by that one Oblation hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified once for all That a new order of Priests brings a new Law and nuls the former That it was an imperfect Priest and Sacrifice typically ceremonial that needed renewing That to give to a meer Man suppose a Masse-Priest the power of making and renewing a propitiatory Oblation at his Will upon his intent of consecrating is to set him in Christs room yea above Christ and to deny Christ come in the flesh by unavoidable Consequence The Oblation of Christ had not been compleat if it had not been active as well as passive and habitual as well as actual Heart-Obedience being the root and life of all other Redemption is indeed frequently ascribed to his blood and death but it s by a Synecdoche including the rest of his whole Obedience whereof his
Scripture speaks of Christs Dying for all for the World for sinners c. the context still clears the restriction of those phrases to all the Elect both Jews and Gentiles that are of all sorts and in all places and ages It s a common phrase in every language thus to speak of all for many of all sorts indefinitely to be explained by the matter in hand Thus all Judea came to be baptised The Apostles preached to every creature under heaven yet still with limitation The word World in divers places cannot signifie whole man-kind but must be limited to the vessels of mercy alone Thus Christ takes away the sin of the world now blessed is he whose sin is taken away every man is not so Many are in Hell beyond possibility thereof he gives Life to the world not to them in Hell God was in Christ reconciling the world not imputing their sin unto them Is this every mans priviledge to have reconciliation and pardon In other places the World can signifie none but Reprobates that shall never be saved that lie in wickedness that Christ prayed not for that die in their sins that cannot receive the Spirit of Grace c. Usually its signification is indefinite to be explained by the context But what must men blieve if Christ died not for every man They must believe that Christ alone is the full Saviour and Redeemer of his people that he that believes not shall be damned that Believers are saved through his Grace c. as the Scripture teaches Object Bnt why is Christ offered to all then Answ Because that he speaks to men by men after the manner of men His Elect are to be gathered from among all sorts The Gardiner waters the weeds secundarily but the good plants primarily The Sun shines on the blind that cannot make use thereof Object But is not Vnbelief the great damning sin Answ It is so though not the only damning sin Positive unbelief is worse then negative and admits of Degrees too All sin is Damnable a deadly disease But Unbelief is the refusing the rejecting of the only Remedy that shuts the soul under its deserved death Object But is not this Doctrine uncomfortable Answ It s indeed to all unbelieving Impâ—nitent sinners wilfully rejecting Christ but it s most comfortable to all humble self-denying souls those poor in spirit that hunger and thirst after Christs righteousness There is no comfort to the wicked from the Lord. But much encouragement to every soul that is made willing to turn from al sin to God through Christ Such shall duly know that Christ died for them when they find him killing sin in them that they may live to him A general Notion that Christ died for all and every One can give no more comfort to Peter then to Judas till his heart do feel the power of Christs death Is it not more comfort that Christ died to save his Elect certainly then that he died so indefinitely that its uncertain for all his death whether any shall be saved If you grant he died absolutely but for some then it s certain that only they shall be saved and his dying for the rest conditionally will not make them salvable nor afford any comfort to them If any Inconvenience attend our Doctrine it must needs attend that also Yea if Christ should have died for all alike yet seeing all are not in the event saved he must needs fore-know it or not be Omniscient and fore-ordain it or not be Omnipotent and that certainly or not be Soveraign The same difficulties will follow that way with many more Either God or the Creature must be Independent It disparages not Christs death that its limited to the Fathers purpose by his Intention and Execution All Divine Attributes are wonderfully magnified this way his Wisdom and Power Mercy and Truth Justice and Holiness c. The Parallel drawn by the Apostle between the first and second Adam proves a parity and proportion of Christs Redemption extended to all his spiritual seed as the corruption and condemnation of Adam extends to all his natural seed But all men individually considered are not Christs spiritual seed The Elect are such intentionally before Conversion and actually Become such in their Conversion All Adams children died by him and all Christs children were redeemed by him It s more to redeem one soul then to destroy all Christ excels incomparably 21. Christs renewing Grace is no less a Sufferer by First The former Oppositions Secondly By Pelagians old and new asserting mans nature to be so restored in every man that they are all born in Gods favour continuing so till they grosly abuse the Light given them either natural or Evangelical making Grace as common as Nature because its a gift though diversifyed Denying Original sin and Habitual corruption before years of discretion Thirdly The Socinians who following them deny that special Renewing Grace and pretend the New Birth mentioned so often to be but a moral change upon men which their nature by a common help from God doth attain unto in imitation of Christ whom they suppose to be a meer Patterne of Holiness not the Internal efficient thereof Fourthly By the Papists and Arminians who have learned of them to advance mans self-sufficiency free Will and Power by a common assistance of Gods Light indifferently afforded to all sorts according to their Improvements of the common Gifts received to accept or reject Christ at their pleasure and to cast away the best of his Gifts Received when they list In effect placing a mans strength and standing yea his chief All in his own mutable will making Faith but a common Assent given to Truth Fifthly By the Quakers Familists and Notionists who carry too much compliance with their Ghostly Fathers in these as in other things AGainst these Lethal Maladies the knowledge of Christ improved graciously will afford effectual Remedies Thereby we learn to see by Scripture Light the total corruption of mans sinful Nature the universality thereof reaching all places and persons its closeness and adherence its contagion and fruitfulness its temptations and Rebellions its policies and power its fierce and inconsiderate madness its indefatigable unsatisfiableness and its multiplicious propagation not admitting of remission or intermission This fully manifests the insufficiency and emptiness of man his unskilfulness and aptness to any spiritual good Thence the necessity of a special Renewing Grace from above to work an effectual change in all Gods Elect by an Almighty irresistible power such as quickned Lazarus and raised up Christ Jesus from the Grave This sanctifying Grace is considered in Scripture in the gradual Renovation of man from his first conversion from Nature to Grace unto his change from Grace into Glory The product of this Renewing Grace is called a new Creature and a Translation from death to
Life a Turning of men from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God by opening of their eyes and renewing their Will It s expressed by taking away the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh in putting his Spirit within us and giving a new heart and a new spirit in our special effectual Calling It s said to be our Regeneration and being born again absolutely needful to open an entrance into Gods Kingdom Though there be some Reliques of natural and moral Endowments left in men since the fall in their powers and parts as appears by the Heathens Improvements yet these only testifie the wofulness of mans desperate fall in ruining so glorious a Fabrick Thence the blindness and perversness of his mind and will are so aggravated the crooked distortions of his Affections the searedness and corruption of his Conscience with the disorder of every part are set forth so Emphatically to convince every man Thence men are said before Conversion to be Godless and hopeless because Christless Thence is the wonderful operation of Renewing Grace so extolled still in this new creation bringing forth Light out of darkness in making man partaker of the Divine Nature This supernatural Work is carried on rationally by the Spirit of Christ in a way suitable to mans rational Being He works strongly yet sweetly he opens their heart-springs with a special Key of his own framing This Renewing Grace runs parallel with the Fathers Electing and the Sons Redeeming Grace whom God did foreknow and predestinate those he calls effectually seasonably savingly Their corrupt nature doth much resist it till Grace prevails and conquers all its Forts The outworks of the Mind and Judgement Christs Spirit conquers first thence breaking through the Iron Gate of mans Will into the possession of all the powers and parts of the soul Many sins remain still in every part like so many Cananites and Tories to be gradually subdued These Rebels being broken in their Head and Reign Grace doth orderly dispatch by mortifying exercise The Spirit of Christ carries on his work in supporting and supplying still those gracious Beginnings which are weak at first By the Gospel Light he communicates his gracious Life Thus he perswades enables his people to embrace Jesus Christ upon Gospel terms by a Covenant of Marriage and Adoption Thus is mans dunghil heart by Renewing Grace broken up and dressed into a spiritual Garden sown and set with the fruits of his holy Spirit It differs exceedingly from common convictions and external Reformations as earth differs from Heaven That difference is still morally-specifical though it seems to be Physically but Numerical and gradual It s the same Spirit that works conviction on the Reprobate and on the Elect but not in the same manner He knocks at both and is resisted He leaves the Reprobate justly he opens the Elects heart mercifully and prevailingly The Reprobate may be externally and professedly sanctified in a partial superficial way Gods Elect are specially sanctified universally in every part and gradually through every part Mans free will by sin subjected to Satan is through this Renewing Grace set at liberty so far as Grace prevails The unregenerate is free only to spiritual evil being an enemy to spiritual good The Regenerate soul is so far free to spiritual good as it s renewed When Grace is compleated in Glory the soul like good Angels shall be free only to good The Nature of mans will is thus bettered by Grace which was made a slave by sin The Devils and damned do freely will sin so do unregenerate souls on earth yet necessarily Thus necessity man stand with freedom both to good and evil By this Renewing Grace the regenerate soul is made conformable to Gods Image and is so far called the new man and gradually learns to be holy as God is Holy That Seed and Root of Grace cast into it at first grows up by degrees as the grain of mustard seed as the corn as the Light as the living Child Thereby the soul is enabled to believe and Repent and further to actuate every sort of Grace being excited corroborated and directed still by the same Spirit Thence is the conflict so continuall between the spirit and flesh the Law in the members and the Law in the Mind Grace and sin which ends not till the death of sin in bodily death Thus acti agimus Implanted Grace then co-works still with the Lords gracious Spirit who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure This Grace appears also most free and full most choice sure to the glorifying of all Divine Attributes Man could not be conceived to have any skil power or will to procure the same By Grace the Lord cals unto Grace and so to Glory By Grace are we saved through Faith and that not of our selves it s the gift of God not of works least any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works so that it s not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God who shews mercy Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we might be to the praise of his Glory Object But why then is man commanded to believe and repent to change his heart c Answ Because as we hinted before God deals with men by men rationally orderly to convince all of their Duty and insufficiency to humble and awaken them to put them upon all due means to render the most inexcusable and moralize many to convey his Grace into his Elect through those very means peculiarly sanctified to the spiritualizing of their heart Object But is not God partial in so doing Answ No. For he is not bound to any further then he pleases neither is he led by any sinful respects which render men partial Object But why doth he yet complain of the Reprobates if he give them not sufficient Grace as to others how can they help it Ans God justly complains of the wicked for insolvency and squandring away his goods wilfully and rebelliously both in their first Father and by themselves They smart not but for their fault their being Bankrupts is no payment nor discharge of their debts to him He gives them more then they could expect or make right use of Though they cannot change their own heart yet they might use the means better then they do they are still wilfully negligent and selfish in all they do and suffer justly for their demerits Can the wicked say they sin not wilfully Will not their own conscience condemn them Are they not all corruptly estranged from the womb and speaking Lyes by time Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Can the
Bramble bear figs or a sinful man beget a sinless child Is not the spawn and brood of venemous creatures venemous also Can a dead corpse raise it self to Life or a soul dead in sin contribute ought to its own quickning Yet is this no excuse for any sin because man is condemned for the abuse and neglect of that which is given him The best of them goes not so far as he might Though he be spiritually dead yet is he naturally alive and the abuse of natural parts is a sufficient condemnation to every sinner though variously appearing Thus is God stil just merciful and true though man prove unjust unworthy and false He is stil beforehand with every man though unfaithful servants who improve not the talent lent them charge him to be a hard master As he is free in disposing of his gifts so will every abuse and neglect of each of them be duly reckoned for 22. Christs saving Grace is also abused 1. By the former Errors 2. By the Pelagians and Socinians ascribing mans salvation to his own merits the fruits of his own power and will 3. By the Papists and Arminians sacrificing also to their nets some owning merits de congruo before Conversion others only merits de condigno after conversion either ex propria Natura with some or ex pacto with others very few of them are found more modest 4. By the Quakers Behmenists and Notionists variously treading in their steps and disguising those old Errors with the colours of new Light of a Christ within pretended Raptures Chymical dreams and Magical deceits Their monstrously abstruse expressions and Fictitious Raptures were much magnified in that German Tragedy acted in various Scenes for many years especially from 1522. til 1540. and are now revived out of Paracelsus Behmen Wigelius and the like by their followers very perniciously now AGainst such a Poyson the gracious Knowledge of Christ will fortifie you by Scripture discovery of the Nature and Cause the Method and Means the Subject and Effects of that saving Grace 1. The Nature thereof is Gods Application of his special Favour unto his Elect Redeemed by Christ saving them from all sin on earth Inchoatively in Heaven consummatively 2. The Fountain cause thereof is his own pleasure the final his Honour exalted in his Son by his own Spirit applying the same 3. The Method observed is gradually to shew this favour 1. Primitively in his Election and Redeeming Love 2. Communicatively in his Adopting and Justifying his supporting and supplying Love from the beginning of Grace through perseverance unto Glory in Eternity 4. The means appointed and employed therein are 1. Christ the Principal The Spirits Operation as efficient and every Ordinance and Providence his Word especially as Instrumentally blessed of him thereto 5. The Subjects thereof are Gods Elect Redeemed by the Son Renewed by his Spirit whom he Adopts for Children justifying their persons and keeping them through faith by his Power unto Salvation supporting and supplying them stil by the earnest and first fruits of his Spirit til the full possession of all 6. The Effects thereof are the gaining of their hearts by Divine Love to mutual Returns to chuse him in Christ by his Spirit for their chief good and soveraign Lord delighting in him depending on him closing with him following of him drawing all from him reducing all to him loving what he loves hating what he hates with an harmony of mind heart and hand And all for his sake and to his Glory by his strength according to his Will THis Light will easily dispel all Cavils darkning the truth There are no merits but in Gods Mercy He rewards indeed but it s of Grace He pardons sin and doth it freely Yet he requires Faith and Repentance not to merit but to receive it emptying the soul of self to fill it with himself letting out sin to let in Christ casting out Satan to bring in his Spirit Purging out corruption by giving his Grace preparing for Glory He therefore bids them take heed lest they fall to keep them standing in the right use of Means He appointed the End and blesses the Means He promises and assures their standing not by their own but by his Might Thus all that the Father gave Christ shall come to him and him that comes to him he will in no wise cast out because this is the will of the Father that sent him that of all he hath given him he should lose nothing The father that gave them to him is greater then all none shall pluck them out of his hand Ergo. Object But may they not slip away Answ Yea if left to themselves as Adam was in the Covenant of Works But he hath made a better Covenant with them in Christ engaging his Grace to preserve and save to the utmost all whom he chose in him Redeemed by him and sanctifyingly renews by his Spirit This is all their Hope and all their Salvation though in a Winter of temptation it seems not to flourish He therefore writes his Law in their heart and puts his Spirit within them to cause them to walk in his Statutes that they shall keep his Judgements and do them He will uphold them by his right hand till he bring them to Glory He will Crown his own Grace in them and magnifie his strength in their weakness Object But doth not this Doctrine lead to presumption and Libetinism Answ Not at all though it may be abused as the best things are It leads genuinely to all Christian diligence and Grace as the sure only way to Glory This Assurance he gives not to all alike nor to any alike at all times Though his weak children be sure in his hand yet he lets them often stumble that they may know him and themselves better The Riches of his Grace appear still herein freely and fully surely and choicely What 's freer then pardon to an unworthy Rebel That Christ satisfied and that Faith is given to receive pardon is not that free also What 's fuller then such a pardon that justifies from all guilt Inchoatively progressively consummatively whether you say the pardon is Renewed or continued or confirmed to the Regenerate is it not stil full Doth he not blot out all scores and remit all faults by application of his Justifying Grace His correcting of them is the fruit of that Adopting Love which pardons them Because they are children they must have Physick and the Rod also What 's surer then this Grace which engages the Trinunity in the clearest Bond with the surest Ties with Word and Writing with his Hand and Seal with Promise and Oath yea with his own Blood to final performance on his side and theirs They may break indeed but he cannot break Though they act faithlesly yet he acts