could not be induced to Print it But he writes Religious books doth as one said Retia salutis expandere spread the nets of Salvation to catch souls in and the good works of Rev. 14. 13. such will last as long as their Books live and follow them also after death I cannot Momo satisfacere as the Proverb is satisfie one who will do nothing himself but carp and cavil at every thing another doth whether deservedly or undeservedly Neither care I much for a detracting Zoilus whom I answer with the Poet Pexatus pulchrè rides mea Zoile trita Sunt haec trita quidem Zoile sed mea sunt Leaving these following Exercitations and Meditations to your most serious Meditation and your Meditations to Gods especial blessing and setting it home upon your hearts by His Holy Spirit that God in all things may be glorified and the salvation of Souls furthered against that great and notable day of the Lord Jesus to whom I commend you and remain Your Friend and Servant Sam. Thomsonn Esse tibi tantâ cautus brevitate videris Hei mihi quà m multis sic quoque longus eris Martial ad librum THE CONTENTS Exercitation I. OF the Covenant and our Covenant interest in God upon these words Ezek. 16. 8 I entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest Mine Where is discussed 1. What a Covenant is The difference between a Law Covenant and Testament The Covenant of God with man twofold 1. Of Works 2. Of Grace What the Covenant of Works was it was confirmed by a double Sacrament proving that God dealt with man in a Covenant way How God can be said to Covenant with man Why God deals with man in a Covenant way rather than in a meer supream absolute way Gods great mercy therein Of the Covenant of Grace Four Reasons why all depends upon faith The sum of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of grace divided into the old and new first and second The Covenant of grace is one in substance proved by two arguments Three things wherein the old and new Covenant agree Fight things wherein they differ Inferences thereupon The happiness of all those that are in Covenant with God and the miseries of those who are not Exhortations comforts and admonitions to those that are in Covenant with God God hath confirmed his Covenant four ways to us How to know if we are in Covenant with God The blessings ensuing thereon A farther description of Gods Covenanting with us A short Paraphrase on Jehovah God in the Old Testament revealed himself by ten names The Conclusion Exercitation II. 1. Of Sacraments in general There first what a Sacrament is How many Sacraments there are Of the word Sacrament whence borrowed and how used A Sacrament is a mysterie and why so Of the outward signs The external and internal form The Sacraments are signs in a fourfold respect Three thrings required in a Sacrament The ends of Sacraments are three Our want and need of Sacraments c. 2. Of the Sacrament of Baptism in particular Of the word Baptism Word Baptism used six ways A fourfold Baptism Baptism represents unto us two things The right use of baptism What baptism is How baptism came in place of circumcision Four ways To be baptized in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the S. S. implies three things Two parts of baptism The action of the Minister is twofold the inward baptism is done 1. By the Blood 2. by the Holy Spirit of Christ The ends of baptism are four In baptism Original sin is taken away c. Why was Christ baptized answered in four things How baptism belongs to Infants Infant-baptism asserted by nine Arguments Answer to an Oâ—jection That we have no rule or example for â—aptizing of Infants What warraâ—â— we have for sprinkling answered in â—our things How circumcision and baptism do agree answered in three things Wherein they differ answered in six things Four Aphorisms about baptism Exercitation III. Of the Lords Supper the second Sacrament of the New Testament It hath six appellations What the Lords Supper is A short Paraphrase upon the definition of the Lords Supper The signs and the things signified The analogy and proportion between them How the cup of the Lord is the new Covenant in two respects What are the ends of the Lords Supper answered at large in five respects and more especially in three respects How and wherein bread and wine represent Christs body and blood By this Sacrament our Communion with Christ is sealed and confirmed Two abuses of the Papists 1. Offering up Christs body c. 2. Denying the Cup to the Laity What it is to eat the body and drink the blood of Christ This signifies four things This our eating c. is our Communion with Christ That place 1 Cor. 10. 16 17 explained The Bread and Wine are the sign and testimony of our Communion with Christ About Transubstantiation Seven Arguments against it and four Reasonâ— against it What Consubstantiation is Five Reasons against it This is a Sacrament not of Christs living or glorified body but his crucified body and that two ways The outward actions of the Minister are four What each signifie The outward actions of the receiver are two what they signifie Q. Who are to be admitted to be partakers of this Sacrament Answered in three particulars Three things to be performed of every worthy communicant 1. Preparation before the right manner of it and several things wherein it consists 2. Heedfulness in the duty of receiving consists in four things 3. A thankful close consisting in two things What it is to do this in remembrance of Christ in three things The allegory between Christ and the Paschal Lamb explained in thirteen particulars Some sentences about the Supper Exercitation IV. Fear God Eccles 12. 13 The whole verse is thus Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep His Commandments for this is the whole duty of man The fear of God is commanded in the first Commandment The scope and meaning of the first Commandment Seven virtues or parts of obedience due to the first Commandment Descriptions of the fear of God Fear due to God Twofold fear of God as 1. Servile 2. Filial both described Three things wherein servile and filial fear differ Some things oppose the fear of God in excess and some in defect Nine acceptations or significations of fear in Scripture What the fear of God is which is here required Many Encouragements out of Scripture to fear God Several Encomiums or Praises of the fear of God all wholly also out of the Scripture Exhortation to the fear of God Q. What fear Saints may have in the service of God answered in two things Differences between the fear of the Godly and the fear of the wicked God requires the reverence both of a Father and also of a Master An answer to that place in 1 Joh. 4.
the words in our Church-Catechism are a death unto sin and a new-birth unto righteousness So said the Apostle buried with Christ in Baptism wherein also we are risen with Him through faith c. Col. 2. 12. God who usually accompanies His own Ordinance with His blessing will not frustrate our expectation in any of those good things which He hath promised therefore we must strive to be perswaded that remission of sins and regeneration or a renewedness of life by Baptism is offered unto us and that we receive it therein In as much as by Baptism we are incorporated into Christ and receive His Holy Spirit unless we reject the promises there made unto us and so render them unprofitable to our selves The right use of Baptism is placed in faith and repentance if thou wouldst use Baptism aright as it should be then repent and believe so we read in sundry places of the Gospels and also in the Acts of the Apostles that is that we be perswaded that we are purged by the blood of Christ from our sins and be sensible that we have His holy Spirit dwelling in us and so daily to meditate of mortifying our corrupt flesh and of yielding obedience to all Gods commands Baptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament by the washing of water representing the powerful washing of Eph. 5. 26. the Blood and Spirit of Christ and so 1 Cor. 6. 11. Heb. 10. 22. sealing up our regeneration or new birth our entrance into the Covenant of Grace our ingraffing into Christ and into His mystical body which is the Joh. 3. 5. Tit. 3. 5. Church Acts 8. 27. This Sacramental washing sealeth to those that are within Gods Covenant their birth in Christ and entrance into Christianity The Covenant which is in general to all believers is in Baptism especially made and established with every one of the faithful And it is always ratified and sure even to them that fall when they do repent Although Novatus and his Sect taught otherwise Neither do they enter into a new Covenant after their falls but that which was entered into is restored renewed and confirmed again We must often meditate on and consider of the Covenant made and entered into in our Baptism Baptism came in place of circumcision and keepeth analogy and proportion with it for both of them were a Sacrament of entrance or of receiving into the Covenant of Grace Baptism came in place of circumcision 1. By the command of God God sent John to baptize with water so we have it Joh. 1. 33. 2. By the Ministry of John therefore he was called John the Baptist so we have it Mat. 3. 1 In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness c. 3. It was sanctified and confirmed by our Saviour Christ Himself being baptized by John Mat. 3. 13. 4. By his giving commission to His Apostles and Ministers to continue the Mat. 28. 18. same in His Church unto the end Baptism is therefore also called the circumcision made without hands or tâ—ue regeneration in the Spirit in puting off the body of the sins of the flesh Col. 2. 11 by the circumcision of Christ That is by virtue of the gift of regeneration which is the spiritual circumcision whereof Christ alone is the workeâ— Buried with Him in Baptism c. So Baptism is our Circumcision on comes to us in the place of Circumcision that is by which the same things are confirmed and in all things assured to us in the Nâ—w Testament which were confirmed and conferred on those in the Old Testament by Circumcision The words of institution of Baptism are recorded in Mat. 28. 19. Mark 16. 14. Go ye into all the world and preach theâ— Gospel to every creature that is to every rational and intelligent creature or Teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned To be baptized in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost signifies and imports these things 1. That it is done by the command of God 2. To testifie that by this Rite and Ceremony that he that is thus baptized is received into Grace and favour by the eternal Father for and through His Son and is sanctified by the Holy Ghost We must still understand this of believers and them alone for Mark 16. 1â— He that believeth not shall be damned and that for all his Baptism unless he believe So here is the principal end of Baptism 3. To be baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is to shew that the pâ—â—son baptized is bound to know and acknowledg to believe and trust in to worship and fear to honour and call upon this true God Father Son and Holy Ghost and this is the second end of Baptism which St. Paul shews in these words 1 Cor. 1. 13 Were ye baptized in the name of â—aul â—â— as much as if he had said ye must be His to whom in Baptism ye have given and obliged your selves given your names unto and in whose name ye were baptiâ—eâ— Of Baptism there are two parts 1. The water of Baptism 2. The lawful use thereof 1. By the water of Baptism is signified both the Spirit and the Blood of Christ spilt upon the Cross This is that blood of sprinkling which speaketh better Heb 12. 24. things than that of Abel We are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without 1 Pet. 1. 19. spot This is the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Zech. 13. 1. As the Blood of Christ so also the Spirit of Christ is signified by the water of Baptism Therefore said our Saviour If any man thirst let him come unto Me Joh. 7. 37 38 39. and drink he that believeth on Me out of His belly shall flow rivers of living water this spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive John indeed baptized with water but Acts 11. 16 â—e shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost The lawful use of the water of Bapâ—ism is perceived in the action both of the Minister administring it and also of the faithful who receive Baptism The action of the Minister is twoâ—old 1. The Sanctification of the water 2. The outward washing 1. The Sanctification of the water is the setting it apart to this end to signifie the Blood and Spirit of Christ by His ordinance and institution which the words of institution do declare 2. The outward washing is a most sure sign pledg and seal of the inward washing whereby we with the Blood and Spirit of Christ are washed from out sins He hath washed us from our sins Rev. 1. 5. in His own blood So many of us as Rom. 3. 1. are baptized into Jesus Christ are
baptized into His death Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it thâ—â— He might sanctifie and cleanse it by the Eph. 5. 25 26. washing of water through the word The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from 1 Joh. 1. 7. all sin As the filthiness of the body is washed away with water so we are purged from our sins by the blood and spirit of Christ Ye are washed ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. ye are justified in the Name of the Lorâ— Jesus and by the Spirit of our God That inward washing is made or done both by the blood and by the spirit of Christ 1. Washing through the blood oâ— Christ is Justification So we have it Acts 22. 16 Arise and be baptized calling on the name of the Lord. 2. Washing through the spirit is regeneration when we are by the Holy Spirit regenerated or born again to a new life 1 Cor. 6. 11. Thus far of the action of the Minister now to speak of the action of him or her baptized Every faithful person that is baptized receiveth the outward Baptism of water that there may be signified and sealed up unto him that he is assuredly washed from his sins by the blood and spirit of Christ as surely as his body is sprinkled or washed with water Then will I Ezek. 36. 25. sprinkle said the Lord clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthinesses and from all your Idols I will cleanse you To be washed with the blood and spirit of Christ signifieth to be made partakers of the Covenant of Grace namely to be reconciled to God justified regenerated adopted to be the Son or Child of God and to be endowed with the freedom of the Sons of God All are washed with water but believers only by the blood and spirit of Christ Therefore not all that are baptized receive remission of sins and regeneration but the believers only For without a man have his name in the Covenant the seal set to it confirms nothing unto him To the receiving of the Sacrament as very worthily it is in our Liturgy there must be adjoyned thanksgiving which is presently performed by every person that is baptized if he be adult or of years of discretion or by the witnesses in his stead if he be an infant who when he comes to years of discretion all his life long ought to be thankful unto God for this benefit Q. What are the ends of Baptism A. Especially these four 1. To be a seal to us of our receiving into the Covenant of Grace and fellowship with Christ and His Church 2. By the outward washing to represent and confirm to us the inward cleansing of our Souls which standeth in justification and regeneration Eph. 5. 26. So in this sence Baptism as it is 1 Pet. 3. 21. is said to save us because it sealeth unto us eternal salvation 3. To mind us of repentance and reforming our lives for we are baptized with water unto repentance Mat. 3. 11. 4. To be sealed to the certain hope of resurrection and of an eternal blessed life In Baptism Original sin is washed and taken away especially as concerning the guilt that is to say the fault and the punishment there remaining notwithstanding the vitiation and the sickness namely wicked lusts and inclination to evil and that to this end that we might all our life long fight against sin and the Devil who is the Author of sin But the Papists say that by Baptism rightly administred not only the guiltiness but also the corruption of Original sin is so washed away as that it is not afterward properly accounted a sin But we contrarily distinguish thus of sin sin in regard of the guiltiness or obnoxiousness to the wrath of God and also in regard of the punishment together by one act is taken away in Baptism But in regard of that error and corruption of Nature it is not at the first wholly taken away but successively and by little and little or by degrees it is extinguished even as our renovation or renewing by the Holy Ghost is by little and little begun increased and carried on in us And this we evince by these four reasons 1. Else St. Paul would not so greatly bewail his Original sin if after Baptism it ceased to be a sin when-as he cryed out O miserable man that I am who shall Rom. 7. 23 24. deliver me from the body of this deathâ— I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members 2. Original sin is called a sin exceeding or out of measure sinful and a sin that hangeth fast on or easily encompasseth Rom. 7. 13. us about Heb. 12. 1. 3. Concupiscence is the root of actual sin and therefore after Baptism it must needs properly be a sin 4. Unless that concupiscence were a sin where would or could be that vehement and hot combate between the flesh and the spirit for the flesh lusteth against Gal. 5. 17. the spirit and the spirit against the â—lesh and these are contrary the one to the other Q. Why was Christ baptized what could Baptism signifie or seal unto Him He had no sin to wash away A. â— That He might fulfil all righteousness that is for us and on our behalf Mat. 3. 15. 2. That He might in His own person commend and confirm Baptism against all those who so debase and decry it 3. That He might sanctifie our Baptism in Himself 4. That by Baptism we might know Him to have entered into His office and the execution of it Q. How doth Baptism belong to Infants and how are they capable of performing the conditions required A. I have perused the learned Exercitations of Mr. John Tombes B. D. formerly a Cotemporary with me in Magdalen-Hall who is the best and most learned of that opinion and perswasion who hath many arguments against Infant Baptism which require a large volume particularly to answer I shall therefore only lay down some argument to assert the laudable use of the Churches Infant-Baptism which do fully convince and satisfie me and I suppose by God's blessing on serious meditation and consideration may satisfie those which will not wilfully close their eyes against the truth Arguments 1. Because Infants are comprehended in the Covenant of the Grace of God and therefore both the faith of the Parents themselves and also of the Church 1 Cor. 7. 14. is confirmed by this sign that God will be the God and Saviour as of the faithful Parents so of their seed and children which promise of His He at His good Rom. 8. 29 30. Tit. 3. 5. time performeth in His elect 2. Because to them belongeth also the promise of forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ 3. Because they belong to the Church of God 4. Because they are redeemed by the blood of
I pray thee c. So do thou as Jacob there did wrestle with God in Prayer and give Him not over until He bless thee So David prays to God to have respect Psal 74. 10. to the Covenant Jeremiah likewise prayeth Do not Jer. 14. 21. abhor us for Thy Names sake Oh remember break not Thy Covenant with us So look to the Covenant and the Promises build upon them hold them fast and be assured that in God's good time though perhaps not in thy desired time all shall be fulfilled And God will either give thee the mercy desired or that which is better for thee Now let us consider the misery of all those who are not in Covenant with God They are without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. and have no hope they have no right to one of the promises wicked creatures subject to many wants and need much assistance from God and yet can have no confidence to go unto God Oh that pitiful speech of Saul I am 1 Sam. 28. 1â— sore distressed for the Philistins make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth me no more c. Yea as they have no comfort from God so God is their enemy a devouring fire unto them everlasting burnings quickly and easily consuming them as stubble yea and all the creatures are at enmity with them because they are at enmity with God All Men Beasts and Devils may hurt them there is no prohibition against them for wicked men have no interest in God by Covenant and so are out of His more especial profection God oftentimes le ts loose the creatures against them go and worry them wound them hurt them be an enemy unto them destroy them Afflictions to those that are not in Covenant with God are as a cup of poison and as a sword for their destruction The bread and meat which they eat may choak them Though they have a civil right before men yet they are usurpers before God of all their Lands and Estates and of all the good things of the world which they have and do enjoy On the other side I might largely speak of the comforts blessedness security and happiness of all those who have a Covenant-interest in God and who can truly say to the Lord O Lord thou art my God Read Job 25. 23. to the end As God is faithful in keeping Covenant with us let us be faithful in keeping Covenant with God In Covenants between men there is usually a league offensive and defensive to defend and help each other Let God's enemies be our enemies as David said Do not I hate them O Lord that Psâ—l 139. 21. hate thee and am not I grieved at those that rise up against thee I hate them with perfect hatred I account them mine enemies Let no iniquity cleave unto us neither allow we our selves in any one known Sin Grieve when God's Name is dishonoured His Laws broken His Sabbath prophaned c. Let every thing that bears the Stamp or Name of God be precious to us as His Ordinances Sabbaths Servants c. Stand up in Gods Num. 25. 7. cause like Phinehas and shrink not back Side not with any ungodly speeches courses or practises As God is not ashamed Heb. 11. 6. to make us His people and to be called our God so let not us be afraid or ashamed to make it good upon all occasions Else if we be ashamed of Christ and His words here of us will He be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father Mark 8. 38. with His holy Angels Especially let us take heed we be not a shame to Christ and our Christian profession by ungodly or unsuitable lives We have great cause of admiration that the great and glorious and most holy God would enter into Covenant with us such vile miserable and sinful creatures and so to oblige Himself unto us to do us good As God is ours so all that is in God is ours and for our good He provides Isai 54. 13. 48. 17. for us for Soul and Body He doth instruct and teach us we are all taught of God who alone teaches to profit He helps us to grow in Grace and to hold out against all oppositions He comforts us with the consolations of God which are very sweet and precious He 2 Cor. 1. 4. encourages us in His ways preserves us therein against all the temptations and power of Devils or wicked men He is Josh 23. 6. Psa 84. â—1 a sun and shield to us to direct and protect us He gives us grace and glory no good thing will He with-hold from us None shall ever pluck us out of His Joh. 10. 28. hands He will guide us with His counsel here and at length will bring us safe Psal 73. 24. to His glory That where our blessed Saviour is there we may also be and Joh. 17. 24. that for ever We have also a right to the creatures and to all God's promises and to Heaven God hath confirmed and ratified His Covenant with us 1. By his promise which is a sure word Therefore it is of faith that it might be of Grace to the end the promise Rom. 4. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 19. might be sure c. 2. By His oath God willing more abundantly to shew to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things that is His Word and His Oath in which it was impossible Heb. 6. 17 18. for God to lye we might have strong consolation c. 3. By the death of His Son the blood of Christ For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death Heb. 9. 16. of the Testator By the seals of the Sacraments which is not so much to confirm the promises on God's part but to help our faith to believe them and to rely upon them Q. How may we know if we are in Covenant with God A. 1. By faith Abraham believed God and was reckoned to be in Covenant with God and so he was called Rom. 4. 3. the friend of God But this must be a true lively working faith a faith that shews it self by its good works This Acts 15. 9. faith purifies the heart 2. If we be in Christ and have His Spirit for if any have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His. This holy Spirit makes us like unto God and so testifies with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and also that we are partakers of the Covenant After that we believe in Christ we are sealed with Eph. â— 13 14. that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. This is a Divine impression of light and an inexpressible Rev. 2. 17. Joh. 14. 21. assurance that we are the children of God and so in Covenant with Him None knows it but
Christ 5. Because to them is promised the Holy Ghost 6. Because they are to be discerned from the Children of Infidels 7. Because in the Old Testament Infants were circumcised As Circumcision was then the first beginning or initiating Sacrament into the Jewish Church so is Baptism the first beginning of Christianity There can be no reason given to deprive Infants of Baptism but that which may be given against circumcision the main whereof is the incapableness of Infants of the Grace of the Sacraments But He that said of Infants to them belongs the Kingdom of God knows how to settle upon them the title of that Kingdom And we have no reason to think but that even before or in at or by the act of Baptism the Spirit of Christ doth unite the Soul of the elect Infant unto Christ and cloath it with His righteousness and impute unto it the title of a Son or a Daughter by adoption and the Image of God by Sanctification and so fit it for the state of Glory 8. To them to whom the Covenant belongs to them belongs the seal of the Covenant that confirms the right to them But to the Infants of faithful Parents the Covenant belongs to you Acts 2. 39. and to your Children are the promises Mark 10 13. made and to them belongs the Kingdom of God Therefore we rationally conclude that if the thing it self belongs to them therefore the sign and seal thereof 9. Your Children are Holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. there is a faederal Sanctity or an external and visible Holiness at least in Children of believing Parents and they are to be judged of the true flock of Christ until they shew the contrary Objection But the Anabaptists urge we have no rule or example in Holy Scripture for the baptizing of Infants We read of nothing in Scripture that Solution doth infringe the liberty of the Church therein neither do the Scriptures afford any proofs by consequence of it to deter from it We read of several whole housholds baptized doubtless some Infants were therein And if the Scriptures not expressing directly the baptizing of Infants were a sufficient reason of denying that Sacrament to them is a senseless thing Circumcision was a sign of repentance Deut. 10. 16. Jer. 4. 14. and a sign of faith Rom. 4. 11. and yet Infants were not kept from Circumcision but God commanded them to be circumcised the eighth day which is a sufficient ground to us for baptizing of Infants For the ancient promises of God to the people of Israel belong now to every believer in any Nation whatsoever Sith God under the Law shewed Himself the Saviour of Infants and commanded them to be signed with such a visible sign as Circumcision was it would be a very grievous and a hard thing if the Children of believers now under the Gospel since the coming of Christ should have less priviledg than the Infants of the fathers of old seeing the same promise is to us as was to them And God hath now more manifestly declared His goodness to us in Christ The promise belongs to Infants Acts 2. 37. therefore St. Peter would have his hearers to repent and to be baptized and he adds the reason because the promise belonged to them and to their Children c. whence I argue because they are partakers of the promise therefore they are bid to be baptized Or thus the promise belongs to the adult repentant persons and their Children or Infants therefore adult repentant persons and their Children or Infants are to be baptized for remission of sins The adult or those of years are to be baptized upon their repentance and the Children or Infants of those repenting baptized persons yea before they are actually capable of repentance are to be baptized also for the promise is made unto them upon the account of their Parents So St. Peter there commands them to be baptized and why because the promise is made unto them So also he shews the cause why those adult repentant persons are commanded to be baptized which is not because they were adult or repentant and so Baptism belonged only to them but also it belonged to their Infants and so he proveth that as well the Infants as the adult should be baptized Not because they believe or do not believe but because they are partakers of the promise Regeneration or receiving into Grace is enough for Infants Much more might have been said to several others of their arguments which are many and would digress into a large volume but I shall dwell no longer hereon Although we be but once baptized yet Baptism is unto us a perpetual Sacrament of our washing from sin and of our regeneration that is to say as Baptism doth not only evacuate and wash away Original Sin in the sence before premised but also all other Sins either past or present for they that are baptized are baptized into Christ's death Now Christ's death is available not only to wash away those Sins that are before Baptism but those also in our whole life which follow Baptism Q. What ground or warrant have we for sprinkling which is commonly used with us in these cold Countries A. Our Church allows no other than dipping unless in case of the Childs weakness as most consonant to our Saviour's Baptism where we read of His descending into the water and coming Mat. 3. up again out of the water Others conceive the very action of sprinkling water very warrantable especially in young Children to whom farther wetting may be dangerous to them The reasons are such as these 1. Because neither dipping nor sprinkling is essential to the Sacrament of Baptism but only washing and applying water to the body as a cleanser of the filth thereof 2. As in the other Sacrament that of the Lord's Supper a spoonful of Wine is as significant as a whole gallon so here a handful of water is as significant as a whole river 3. The action of sprinkling bears fit resemblance with the inward Grace as well as dipping and hath authority also in the Scriptures We read of sprinkling of the blood 1 Pet. 1. 2. Heb. 12. 14. of Christ and the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel 4. It is not unlikely that the Apostles baptized as well by sprinkling or pouring water upon as by dipping into it Sith we read of diveâ—â— baptized in houses as well as in rivers However the washing of the body with water is essential though Eph. 5. 26. whether way it be done seems not to be essential so water be applyed to the body for the cleansing of it Q. How do Circumcision and Baptism agree A. 1. In the principal end for the promise of Grace through and by Christ which was the same in all ages is sealed in both of them 2. In both is signified regeneration and a promise of faith and obedience towards God 3. Both Circumcision and
Baptism are the Sacrament of our reception and entrance into the Church Q. Wherein do Circumcision and Baptism differ A. 1. In the Rite or Ceremony which is not the same in Baptism as in Circumcision for in Baptism is only a washing but in Circumcision a cutting off the foreakin of the flesh 2. In the circumstance of the sex or age Circumcision belonged only to Males and at eight days old Baptism belongs to both sexes Male and Female and presently after they are born 3. In the manner of signifying Circumcision on God's part promised Grace through the Messiah to come but Baptism through Christ already come And on their part they being Circumcised were received into Grace by believing on the Messiah to come but we through faith in Him already come 4. In the particular promise Circumcision had also the promise of corporal blessings as of the land of Canaan c. But Baptism hath no such special promise of any temporal benefit 5. In the manner of obliging Circumcision on their part obliged them to the keeping of the whole Law Ceremonial Judicial and Moral but Baptism obligeth us only to the keeping of the Moral Law that is to faith and repentance 6. In the objects and duration Circumcision was commanded to the posterity of Abraham only and the Proselytes and was to endure but till the coming of Christ Baptism is instituted for all Nations that will come into the society of the Church and to endure to the end of the world To close up all with these few heads Aphorisms about Baptism 1. Baptism avails though administred by a contemptible person as much as if it were administred by an Apostle for if Baptism were in the merit or worth of the Minister then it did not belong unto Christ 2. The power of baptizing the Lord hath reserved to Himself it is Christ alone that baptizes with the Holy Ghost the applying of the outward Element Christ hath committed to His Ministers lawfully called and deputed 3. Baptism is the same as He is by whose power and authority it is administred Not as He is by whom it is performed 4. Every true believer in Baptism is made a King and a Priest and Prophet Rev. 1. 5. Christ washes us from our sins in His own blood and so makes us Kings and Priests unto God and His Father So St. Crysostome When as Christ hath washed us from our sins in the laver of Baptism by His blood He makes us Kings and Priests unto God Baptism as we have seen is a high Ordinance of God and a means whereby He hath appointed to communicate Christ and His benefits to our Souls and therefore not to be neglected or slightly esteemed but used with all reverence and thankful devotion when it may be had Yet where God denyeth it either in regard of the shortness of the Infants life or by any other unavoidable necessity there comes no danger from the want of Sacraments but only from the contempt of them The right use of Baptism is when inwardly in thy heart thou feelest some motion to sin through thy lusts then meditate on that solemn vow thou madest to God in thy Baptism And if by infirmity thou fallest once or oftner into some sin still have recourse to Baptism that thy Soul may be encouraged therehence For although Baptism be but once administred yet that once testifieth that all mans sins past present or to come are washed away 1 Pet. 3. 21. Eph. 5. 25 26 27. And never rest before thou hast a feeling of that renewing power signified in Baptism namely the power of Christ's death Mortifying sin and the virtue of His resurrection in the renewing of the Spirit EXERCITATION THE THIRD Of the Lords Supper the second Sacrament of the New Testament IT hath several appellations it is called 1. The Lord's Supper or Caena Domini from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communis caena vocatur à communione vescentium For seorsim prandebant prisci Romani sed cum amicis caenabant About Supper-time the Jews were to eat the Paschal Lamb which circumstance of time the Church hath changed according to the liberty in these things she hath It is called the Lord's Supper because our Lord Jesus Christ sitting at His last Supper ordained it instead of the Passeover 2. It is called the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10. 21. 3. A convention of the Church 1 Cor. 11. 20 33 When ye meet together in one place c. And When ye come together to eat 4. The Eucharist because of the usual Thanksgiving 5. A Sacrifice so it was called by the ancient Fathers non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut meritorium not a propitiatory or meritorious Sacrifice as the Papists would have it but an Eucharistical Sacrifice because it is a solemn commemoration and celebration of the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ 6. At length it was called Missa from the offerings sent by the rich to the relief of the Poor or from a dismission of the Congregation after the publick Ordinances But we retaining the appellation or name delivered in Scripture call it the Supper of the Lord. There are many detestable and abominable differences between the Lord's Supper and the Popish Mass which I think not fit here to recite as not at all for edification I define the Lords Supper thus The instituted and commanded distribution of Bread and Wine by Christ Himself in which Christ is certainly promised to me and all true believers Or thus The Lord's Supper is the distributing and taking of Bread and Wine commanded by Christ to all true believers that He might testifie by these tokens that He gave His body to death for us and shed His blood and that He gave us these to eat and drink to assure us that He will dwell in us and nourish and quicken us to eternal life First He assures and seals that He gave His body for us upon the Cross and that His blood was as truly shed for us as we see with our eyes the bread to be broken for us and the cup to be given to us Next that He by that His body Crucified and by that His blood poured out will as certainly nourish our Souls to eternal life as surely as our bodies are fed by Bread and Wine taken from the hand of the Minister which are reached forth unto us as seals and pledges of the body and blood of Christ The Rites or Signs here are the Bread broken and eaten the Wine distributed and taken or the breaking and distributing of the Bread the distributing and drinking of the Wine The things signified are the body of Christ Crucified and the blood of Christ poured out the eating and drinking of them signifie our union with Christ by faith whereby we being made partakers of Him and all His benefits from Him as branches from a Vine do suck and draw eternal life or nourishment to eternal life Of this our union and communion with Christ
for ever And when He said take and eat He commanded Heb. 5. 6. us not to offer up His body but only to feed on it So also another abuse of the Papists is to deny the Cup to the people whereas Christ in His institution said Drink ye all of this It is a high Sacrilegious impiety thus expresly to go against Christ's institution in His own words It is by faith alone we eat the body and drink the blood of Christ And yet we say not that the body of Christ is included in the Bread and His blood included in the Cup but if we will enjoy the truth and reality of the Sacrament we must have our hearts lifted up heaven-wards and look upwards where Christ is in the glory of His Father and from whence He shall come to be our Judge for he that seeks Him corporally in these corruptible elements manifestly errs So for me to eat the body of Christ crucified for me and to drink His blood shed for me is not only firmly to believe the whole passion and death of Christ and by it to obtain remission of Joh. 6. 35. to 54. sins and everlasting life but also by His Spirit which dwelleth in me to be more and more united to His blessed body as Christ there said He that eateth My Joh. 6. 56. â—lesh and drinketh My blood dwelleth in Me and I in him So that although Christ is in Heaven and we on Earth yet we are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone Eph. 5. 30. 3. 16 17. 4. 15 16. Joh. 6. 57. Even as all the members of the body are quickened and directed by one soul so are we by one and the self same S-pirit So then our eating the body and drinking the blood of Christ which is not corporally but spiritually done signifies four things 1. Our believing of the passion and death of Christ 2. Our receiving remission of sins and everlasting life by faith in Him 3. Our union with Christ by His Holy Spirit which dwelleth both in Christ and us 4. The benefit of quickening by the same Holy Spirit So to eat the body and drink the blood of Christ is to believe that we through the merits of Christ are received by God into grace and favour and by the same faith we receive remission of sins and are reconciled unto God and that the Son of God that Word which was made flesh who hath Joh. 1. 14. united to Himself our humane nature which He personally took doth dwell in us and hath joyned us to Himself and His assumed humane nature by pouring upon us His Holy Spirit by which He regenerates us and restores light in us righteousness and eternal life the same which shineth in His assumed humane nature Or more briefly thus to eat the body of Christ is 1. To believe in Him 2. By faith to receive remission of sins 3. To be united unto Christ 4. To be made partaker of the life of Christ or to be conformable to Christ by His Holy Spirit which worketh the same things both in Christ and in us This our eating is our communion with Christ which the Scripture teacheth and which in this Sacrament we do profess namely our spiritual union with Christ such as is of the members with the head and of the branches with the vine This eating of His flesh Christ teacheth in John 6. and confirmeth it by these outward signs in the Lord's Supper For in the Lord's Supper as we do eat the Bread and drink the Wine even so there as surely Christ gives to all true believers His body to eat and His blood to drink This is clearly manifested to us in the words of institution Mat. 26. 26 27 28. 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. And this promise is repeated by St. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread To explain this briefly It is called the cup of blessing or of giving thanks because it is received to this end that we should give thanks to Christ for His death and passion for us or that we should use it so as to put us in mind of Christ's benefits towards us and for these to give Him thanks Communion of the blood of Christ Communion is a participation of a common thing the Communion of the body and blood of Christ is by faith to be made partakers of Christ and all His benefits the same Spirit being in us which is in Christ and working the same thing in us which he doth in Christ It is a spiritual communion which believers have with Christ as members with the head and as branches with the vine For the Bread and Wine are the Communion that is the sign and testimony of our Communion with Christ This Communion as the Apostle there said consisteth in this that we being many are one body This makes against the corporal eating of the Papists in this Sacrament for our communion with Christ is only by faith and by the Holy Ghost Christ is the common head His benefits are common and communicated to all His members Hence also it follows that the members are common among themselves whence should flow mutual love and amity The Papists to uphold their Transubstantiation do say that we must take the words litterally and so immediately after the words of consecration at the last syllable of the last word that the Bread is transubstantiated or changed into the very body of Christ and the Wine into His blood But this is a Sacramental speech of Christ This is my body As St. Austin to that general rule about Sacramental actions adds this instance of eating the body of Christ This is a certain way said he of finding out whether such a phrase or speech be proper or figurative that whatsoever in Divine Word or holy Scriptures cannot be done by honest and good manners nor be properly referred to the truth of our faith we must know it to be a figurative speech And shortly after instances in that place Vnless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man Joh. 6. 53. and drink His blood ye have no life in you Doth our Saviour here command such a nefarious act to have the Jews fall upon Him kill and â—ley Him to eat His flesh and drink His blood No it is a figurative speech there Christ commands them to communicate with the passion and sufferings of the Lord and most sweetly to lay it up in remembrance that for us His body and flesh was crucified and wounded So also this is a figurative speech when our Saviour speaks of the Bread This is my body and of the Cup This is my blood This Cup is the New Testament in My blood where the
In every nation he that feareth God Act. 10. 35. and worketh righteousness is accepted of him To whomsoever feareth God the word 13. 26. of salvation is sent ENCOMIUMS or Praises of the fear of God Behold the fear of the Lord that is Job 28. 28. wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding The fear of the Lord is clean enduring Psal 19. 9. for ever That is the rule of His fear and of all true Religion contained in His Word is pure and clean and it cleanseth and purifieth us it is invariable and incorruptible and produceth the effect of eternal life in them that observe it The fear of the Lord is the beginning Psal 111. 10. of wisdom that is the fear of the Lord is the foundation as well as beginning of wisdom The Lord taketh pleasure in them that 147. 11. fear Him c. The fear of the Lord is the beginning Prov. 1. 7. of knowledg beginning is the chief point or sum of knowledg The fear of the Lord is to hate evil c. 8. 13. that is he that hath the true knowledg and fear of God in his heart it will make him hate sin which is so hateful unto God The fear of the Lord is a fountain of 14. 27. life to depart from the snares of death The fear of the Lord is the instruction 15. 33. of wisdom that is the fear of the Lord is the best and only means to have our hearts framed to receive true wisdom By the fear of the Lord men depart 16. 6. from evil that is they that truly fear God will not willingly run into sin but say with Joseph How can I do this wickedness Gen. 39. 9. and sin against God And this fear of God was a curb to Joseph when he dealt roughly with his brethren when he had cast them into Prison on the third day he brought them Gen 42. 18. out and said this do and live for I fear God So let this fear of God be always before our eyes as a spur to every good duty and a bar against all sin and wickedness Happy is the man that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. that is through the awful respect he hath to God's glorious Majesty fearing to offend Him and being no ways confident of himself that doth so always and at all times it is a special preservative against sin and so happy is that man A man or woman that so feareth the Prov. 31. 30. Lord shall be praised God is greatly to Psal 89. 7. be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are about Him God is to be feared above all gods 96. 4. Let us therefore strive as good Obadiah though in the Court of wicked Ahab to fear the Lord from our youth 1 King 18. 3 12. and to fear Him greatly And as Cornelius that religious Captain who feared Acts 10. 2. God with all his house to be faithful Nehem. 7. 2. men and to fear God above many Passing the time of our sojourning here in 1 Pet. 1. 17. fear in carefulness to please God fearing lest we should offend Him Surely I know that it shall be well with Eccles 8. 12. them that fear God which fear before Him David could not express it but breaks Psal 31. 19. out in admiration of it Oh how great is Thy goodness which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men Let us therefore sanctifie the Lord of Isai 8. 13. hosts Himself and let Him be our fear and let Him be our dread Whâ— shall not fear Thee O Lord and Rev. 15. 4. glorifie Thy name for Thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before Thee for Thy judgments are made manifest Q. But what fear may Saints have in the Service of God A. 1. There may be a fear of God's wrath they may have apprehensions of Psal 6. 2 3. God's heavy displeasure the hot displeasure of God's wrath may even vex their bones and cause their soul to be sore vexed They may conceive themselves Psal 13. 1. forgotten of God and that God doth hide His face from them to have their soul pained within them and horrour to overwhelm them and think 55. 4 5. Cant. 5. 6. that Christ may with-draw Himself and be gone in regard of any comfortable and sensible enjoyment of His fellowship which they have 2. There may be a great fear even of performing holy Duties they may be startled not dare adventure upon sâ—ch holy performances without much shame of Spirit and holy reluctancy as Ezra said I am ashamed and blush to Ezra 9. 6. lift up my face to Thee O my God for our iniquities are increâ—sed over our heads and our trespass is grown up unto the hâ—â—vens And with the poor woman Mark 5. 33. in the Gospel who came fearing and trembling and fell down before Christ And yet the Saints never depart or fall away from that assured confidence they have conceived of the mercies of God though they have a continual strife with their own distrustfulness In all these assaults faith upholds the Godly and is like to a Palm-tree endeavouring to rise up against all burdens how great soever they may be He that striving with his own weakness resorts to faith in his troubles is already in a manner a Conquerour So David checks his own heart Why art thou cast down O my soul Why art thou thus disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise Him Psal 42. 11. who is the health of my countenance and my God And wait on the Lord be of 27. 14. good courage and He shall strengthen 39. 2. thine heart and so he iterates it wait I say on the Lord. Sometimes the Saints may become even dumb with silence as though their faith were utterly overthrown yet they faint not but proceed in the Battel and by Faith and Prayer do still encourage themselves in God who at length will come in with the saving strength of His own right hand Psal 20. 6. There is great difference between the fears of the Godly and of the wicked The fear of the wicked ariseth out of the evidences of the guilt of sin but the fear of the Godly from a tender apprehension of the greatness goodness holiness and Majesty of God and His most pure eyes which cannot endure Habb 1. 13. to behold iniquity but with indignation and out of a deep sence of their own vileness and unworthiness to meddle with holy things But yet this fear in the Saints never brings any dislike or hatred of God or any wilful disobedience against Him For as the fear of the soul deters so the necessity of the
precept drives on to an endeavour of obedience and well-pleasing Slavish fear forceth a man to do the duty some way or other without any regard to the manner of doing of it There is also another branch of a holy filial fear when we thinking on the examples of God's vengeance shewed on wicked men for their sins do take care not to fall into the same sins lest we have the same punishments and so crave aid and assistance of God against them depending upon His Grace and assistance by His Spirit For we are of the same flesh and blood as they were and bear about us a body of sin So said the Apostle These things were our 1 Cor. 10. 6. to 12. examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them c. Neither let us commit fornication c. Neither let us tempt Christ c. Neither murmur as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these things happened to them for ensamples and were written for our admonition c. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Therefore we are bid to work out our Phil. 2. 12. own salvation with fear and trembling Seeing our own weakness wretchedness and sinfulness to lye low in our own sight and to look up unto and rest upon the Almighty Power and Grace of God Nothing so much awakens us to cast all our confidence upon God and by faith to rely upon Him as to have a distrust of our selves seeing our own weakness and frailty And when we thus go out of our selves resting wholly upon God it always goes best with us Ephraim was Hosâ—â— 1â— 1. heard in that he â—eared Therefore Solomon said happy is the man that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. How wretched soever we be of our selves by faith we know that through God's most gracious acceptation of us in Christ we shall be blessed God requires to Himself the reverence both of a Father and also of a Master A son honoureth his father and a servant Mal. 1. 6. his master If then I be a father where is mine honour and if I be a master where is my fear saith the Lord of hosts He that truly worshippeth God will endeavour to shew himself both a dutiful Son and an obedient Servant unto Him Therefore let the fear of God be a reverence joyned with honour Q. But how shall we answer that place there is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear 1 Joh. 4. 18. hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love A. The wicked fear not displeasing God so that they may do it without punishment but because they do know God is armed with power to revenge therefore they tremble and fear apprehending His wrath and vengeance But the Godly fear to displease and offend God more than they fear the punishments And therefore they are the more careful wary and watchful The fear which the Apostle John there speaks of is slavish fear There is no such slavish fear in love but perfect love casteth out that fear that is our true lively and sincere love to God carryeth it self no longer towards God with a simple fear of His terrible Majesty and Judgments but with a sweet humble and reverend apprehension of His Grace and goodness by which He hath made and declared Himself most amiable and lovely to the soul whereby is begotten hope and confidence in Him Q. How may we understand that place Ye have not received the spirit of Rom. 8. 15. bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father A. There is a threefold operation of the Holy Ghost in those that are led by Him 1. He is unto them a Spirit of bondage working fear 2. He is a Spirit of adoption working love through the sence of God's mercy for He not only makes them the Sons of God but intimates to their Spirits God's love towards them that they are His Sons 3. He is a Spirit of intercession making Rom. 8. 26. them to go with boldness to the throne of Grace and call upon God as their Father We are now to speak only of the first The Godly usually in the first act of Conversion feel the Spirit casting them down in the sight of their sins rebuking them for sin and convincing them of sin letting them see the bondage and servitude under which they lye that they are slaves of Sathan and guilty of everlasting damnation which works in them great fear As the proclaiming of the Law wrought in the Children of Exod. 20. 18 19. Israel great terrour and amazement So John Baptist began at the Preaching of Mat. 3. 10. the Law and the people asked him Luk. 3. 10. what shall we do that we may be saved And yet the Apostle here doth not compare the Godly under the Law with the Godly under the Gospel but the Godly under the Gospel with themselves their second experience of the operation of the Spirit in them with the first Whereas in the first operation He was a Spirit of bondage now He is a Spirit of adoption God is pleased to bring us by the gates of Hell to Heaven First deeply to humble us then to exalt and comfort us So then the meaning of these words ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear is thus Albeit in the time of your first Conversion you were stricken with a fear of that wrath which is the recompence of sin yet now the Spirit of adoption hath not only released you of that fear of damnation which you conceived at the first through the sight and sence of your sins but also hath assured you of Salvation making you certain that God is become your Father in Christ Jesus All the terrours and fears wherewith God humbles his children at the first are but preparatives to his comforts and Consolations that they may be the more sweet to the Soul In this 15th verse of Rom. 8. Two effects of the Spirit are opposed For in some the Spirit worketh fear in others love and assurance and first fear then assurance In all the elect which are of years of discretion the Spirit worketh a slavish fear first before the filial assurance fear is the sign of the Spirit of bondage confidence and assurance in God as a Father is the proper effect of the Spirit of adoption So the Jews at Peters Sermon were Acts 2. 37. first pricked at the heart and after comforted in assurance of forgiveness All are brought to this exigent more or less that they may acknowledg they stand in need of Christ and be stirred up to seek out after him Such as were never afraid were never assured So none have the Spirit of adoption but such as have had the Spirit of bondage
virtue not fainting under affliction but constantly waiting for God's promised help and succour knowing that better things are reserved for us So we must not sink in our courage nor shrink from our burden and then we shall both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So said the Apostle Ye have need of patience Heb. 10. 36. that after ye have done the Will of God ye may receive the promise There is another word in the New Testament used also for expectation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an earnest expectation with Rom. 8. 19. holding up the head stretching out the neck lifting up the eyes with an earnest intention and observation to see when the person or thing shall appear And one word more is used for expectation namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But no more of this now The same word in the Sâ—ptuagint is in Psal 130. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have waited upon or for thee O Lord my soul doth wait c. Q. What are the signs of our true waiting upon God A. 1. If it râ—st on the Grace of God alone and His free promises 2. If it breed in us a care in all things 1 Pet. 1. 13. to please God Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as He is 1 Joh. 3. 3. purâ—â— 3. If it perswade us diligently to use the means ordained of God and â—eb 10. 23 24 25. to abstain from all others which are not lawful and He hath not appointed 4. If we depend not on those means but on God alone working by and through them And so in thus doing Esth 4. 13. we may chearfully go about our duty imposed on us by God that according to our earnest expectation and our hope Phil. 1. 20. in nothing we shall be ashamed c. Q. By what means our hearts may be confirmed and strengthened against troubles A. 1. By fervency of spirit or zeal that others may take notice of us that we have been with Jesus Acts 4. 13. we have been with Jesus 2. By a true confidence in God alone So if we commit our works unto the Prov. 16. 3. Lord our thoughts shall be established If we cast our burden upon the Lord He will sustain us He will never suffer the Psal 55. 22. righteous to be moved And the Lord Isai 58. 11. will guide thee continually and satisfie thy soul in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not 3. By faithful and fervent Prayers commending and committing all our affairs unto God In every thing by prayer Phil. 4 6. and supplication with thanks-giving let our requests be made known unto God 4 By a sound judgment of those troubles wherewith we are assailed For sometimes many of them are meerly to be contemned as the foolish speeches of vain men and women c. And sometimes they are meer fopperies which when we have weighed them in the ballance of a clear judgment do presently vanish away and always are such that if they are duly compared with the dignity of our place and Christian Calling with the fruits and necessity of them they signifie nothing at all Our waiting and hope is confirmed and increased by all those Arguments whereby we may be made more certain that that good thing waited and hoped for doth belong unto us So experience worketh hope and hope maketh not Rom. 5. 4. ashamed This Hope is a virtue whereby we expect all good things from God and patiently wait for all things that we need at His hands resting in the Lord and waiting patiently for Him not only â—â—â— 37. 7. when we have the means but also when 〈◊〉 3. 17. we want all apparent means yâ—a and when the means seem contrary As the three Children answered Nebuchadnezar Our God whom we serve is able to deliver Dan. 3. 17. us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us out of thine hand O King but if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship thy golden Image which thou hast set up 1. Wait believingly The vision is yet Habb 2. 3 4. for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry The just must live by faith He that cannot believe cannot live Behold the husbandman waiteth Jam. 5. 7. for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it c. Let us learn of the husbandman and from the constant experience and observation of God's providence towards us learn to wait upon God For light is sown for Psal 97. 11. the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Therefore will we not fear though the Psal 46. 2. earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea For this God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48. 14. He will be our guide even unto death I had verily fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Psal 27. 13 14. land of the living wait on the Lord be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. 2. Wait patiently For the patient expectation of God's poor Servants shall not perish for ever He that believeth Psal 9. 18. Isai 28. 16. makes not haste If we wait upon God by saving faith and an holy recumbency of spirit we will willingly wait for deliverance or supply and will not make haste to rid our selves out of such or such a calamity or use any indirect or unlawful means so to do In returning and rest shall we be saved in quietness Isai 30. 15. and in confidence shall be our strength Foolish men and women in the impatiency of their spirits do sin against God and their own arguments and reasons and do sin away those mercies which else would come unto them David was in a holy temper of spirit in his affliction which he reports to us for our imitation These things were our examples 1 Cor. 10. 6. 11. and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come David said I waited patiently Psal 69. 3. upon the Lord. How long did he wait even until he cryed himself weary his throat dry and his eyes dim I am weary of my crying said he my throat is dryed mine eyes fail while I wait for my God Oh invincible patience unconquerable expectation and he lost nothing by it for so it followeth and He enclined unto me and Psal 40. 2. heard my cry c. The Apostle advises us Let patience have its perfect work that ye may be Jam. 1. 4. perfect and entire lacking nothing till all our Graces are tryed and
Faith fills the heart full of spiritual joy and therefore these two are joyned together believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And so 1 Pet 1. 8. 2 Pet. 1. 6 10. a believer strives to add to his faith vertue c. to grow and increase more and more never to give over reaching forth and pressing toward the mark if by any means he might attain unto the resurrection Phill. 3. 11. of the dead to attain to such a measure of Grace and Holiness as I shall have at the resurrection of the dead when I shall receive the end of my faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. even the salvation of my soul where faith shall for ever be swallowed up with fruition EXERCITATION THE SEVENTH Psal 93. 5. Holiness becometh Thine house O Lord for ever HOliness in the Septuagint is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctimonia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctus which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some say is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veneratio ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veneror colo Then it implies that holy persons are true worshippers of God 2. Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a privative particle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terra quasi extra terram vel sine â—erra then it denotes that Saints must not be glewed to the earth but trample all earthly things under their feet 3. Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duco because the Godly are led in the ways of God So said the Apostle As many as Rom. 8. 14. are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Holiness is the end of our election for God chose us in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4. foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love This Holiness makes the Church and people of God and every particular Servant of His to excel all the world besides For Saints and holy persons are excellent persons they are more excellent Psal 16. 3. Prov. 12. 2â— than their neighbour This comely and becoming this excellent dress of holiness makes us like the most holy God Therefore He commands us be ye holy as I am holy and be ye holy for 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. I the Lord your God am holy If we would shew our selves God's Children and call Him Father let us be followers Eph. 5. 1. of God as dear children endeavouring to come near His nature by Holiness and Sanctimony of life Yea God is Holiness it self in the abstract Once have I Psal 89. 35. sworn by My holiness c. that is by my Self who am holiness it self Holiness applyed unto God is that Holiness of God what it is Divine uncreated essence which being it self most holy and undesiled loveth every thing which is so and loatheth and hateth every thing which is not so The men of Bethshemesh after they had so pryed into the Ark experimentally said Who can stand before this holy Lord 1 Sam. 6. 20. God Holiness applyed unto men signifies Holiness of men what it is that created quality of pureness wherein the Saints resemble God being pure severed in part from the mixture of sin as God is holy and pure Here we are unperfectly pure and clean and unpolluted separate from sin and corruption but such we shall be most perfectly in heaven So the nearer that any come to God in holiness the more they are like unto God best liked and beloved of Him Therefore this should breed in our hearts a love of holiness and a hatred of whatsoever is contrary unto it it should kill in us all evil thoughts and opinions of God that may rise in our hearts seeing in Him who is holiness it self there can be no iniquity No evil shall dwell with Him He hateth all Psal 5. 5. those that are workers of iniquity He cannot endure to behold iniquity in the sons of men but with indignation He Habb 1. 13. is of purer eyes to behold evil Holiness is a real change of a man Definition of Holiness from the filthiness of sin into the purity of the image of God To put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the Ephes 4. 22 23 24. deceitful lusts and to be renewed in the spirit of our mind and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Christ is the sum of the whole Scriptures therefore necessarily He who is the new man must be the rule of holiness Holiness is a conformity unto Christ if we consider the nature of it when we are reindued with that image of God after which we were at first created We were predestinated to be conformed Rom. 8. 29. to the image of His Son that is to be conformed to Christ in His nature which is Holiness in His end which is blessedness and in the way thereunto which is by sufferings So our holiness must bear a proportion to Christ's holiness for conformity cannot be without proportion 1. Our holiness must have the same principle and seed with Christ's holiness namely His Spirit 2. It must be conformable to Christ's holiness in the ends of it as the glory of God and the good of the Church Rom. 11. 36. 3. Our holiness must be proportionable to Christ's holiness in regard of the parts of it it must be universal to have respect to all Gods Commandments and that with the whole man both Soul and Body So the Apostle prays for the Psal 119. 8. 1 Thess 5. 23. Thessalonians And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 4. In the manner of working and there 1. It must be done with self-denyal So said our Saviour If any Mat. 16. 24. man will follow Me let him deny himself c. 2. It must be done in obedience to God so Christ said In the volume Heb. 10. 5. of thy book it is written of Me to do Thy will O God Lo I come to do thy 7. 9. will O God 3. It must have growth and proficiency with it therefore we are bid to grow in Grace and in the 2 Pet. 3. 18. knowledge of our Lord Jesus A plant while it hath life in it will grow so a Child c. Even so we while we have the life of true Grace in us will strive to grow and make proficiency in the ways of holiness Sanctification is a real change both of our quality and dispositions Of Lyons Isai 11. 6. we become Lambs though we were fierce cruel hard-hearted c. formerly Sanctification makes us gentle meek easie to be intreated peaceable â—am 3. 17. full of mercy and good fruits c. Briefly it is a change of the whole man and
that wholly for the Holy Spirit make a through work a through change although usually it is by degrees Here is the term from which and the term to which we are changed 1. The term from which from the filthiness corruption and stain of sin therefore we are bid to cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and â— Cor. 7. 1. spirit 2. The term to which is the purity of the image of God which is said to be renewed in knowledge righteousness Coll. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. Jam. 1. 25. Rom. 6. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 17. and holiness This is called a conformity to the law of God Newness of life A new creature and the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. There are two degrees of Sanctification 1. Begun and imperfect which is here in this life 2. Perfect and consummate which is in Heaven where alone perfection is to had The parts of Sanctification are two Mortification Viviâ—â—cation 1. Mortification or dying to sin and thereby we have a freedom from the dominion of sin by the death of Christ Ye are dead c. Mortifie therefore your Col. 3. 3 5. earthly members Our old man is crucified with Him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should Rom. 6. 6 7. not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin 2. Vivification or quickning unto newness of life by the power of Christ's resurrection Blessed and holy is he Rev. 20. 6. that hath part in the first resurrection Or Vivification is the second part of Sanctification whereby the image and life of God is restored in man Therefore Eph. 4. 24. Rom. 12. 2. put on that new man and be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind From this Vivification ariseth in those that are Sanctified a firm obliging of themselves unto God whereby they dedicate and devote themselves unto God and Christ So said the Apostle they gave themselves unto the Lord. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Hence follow these two things 1. A spiritual war which is continually waged between these two parts The flesh lusteth against the spirit and Gal. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 9. the spirit against the flesh and these two are contrary the one to the other So sight I not as one that beateth the air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection c. And this continual combate must we maintain while we are in this body of flesh 2. A daily renewing of repentance as we daily do sin Now the end of all this is 1. The glory of God He that hath 1 Joh. 3. 3. this hope in him purifieth himself as God is pure 2. Our own Salvation He that purgeth 2 Tim. 2. 21. himself from these shall be a vesseâ— sanctified unto God and meet for thâ— Masters use Q. What must we do that we may bâ— holy A. 1. Subject our whole man to thâ— Word of God for the Word is the sanctifying truth of God Therefore Chrisâ— prayeth Sanctifie them by thy truth Thâ— Joh. 17. 17. word is truth 2. By faith to apply Christ to ouâ— selves as our Sanctification for He of Goâ— 1 Cor. 1. 30. is made unto us Sanctification therefore suck holiness from Christ 3. By a lively faith not only to apprehend and lay hold on the promises iâ— general but also those promises in particular which do more especially belong to Sanctification Then I will sprinkle Ezek. 36. 26 c. clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols I will cleanse you 4. To give our selves to the Holy Spirit that we may be led and guided by Him in all things As many as are Rom. 8. 13 14. led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God So we also are sanctified by the Holy Spirit Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost God hath chosen us to 2 Thess 2. 13. salvation through sanctification of the Rom. 15. 16. Spirit and belief of the truth There are three things must be observed for holiness sake 1. Shamefacedness of body 2. Chastness of mind for we may commit contemplative adultery with wanton glances of the eye so Christ said whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with Mat. 5. 28. her already in his heart 3. Truth of Doctrine It was a notable speech of St. Ambrose Let us learn the envy of former Saints that we may imitate their patience for they shewed no envy in their sufferings but meerly patience and let us know them not to be of a better nature than we are but of greater obedience Not that they did not know vices and corruptions as well as we but they strived more to subdue and amend them He that desires to live and reign with Christ must strive to keep himself from deceit and wickedness If thou wilt live with Christ thou must live after the example of Christ And if thou desirest to have fellowship with the Saints strive to cleanse thy heart from all thoughts of malice and wickedness For the heavenly Palace will receive noâ—e but holy just innocent and pure persons The first degree of holiness is to love holiness and then to love those who live holily For holy persons were not before holiness but holiness was before them He doth speak foolishly who saith that he loves and respects holy persons who sleighteth and contemneth holiness By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God 1 Joh. 5. 2. and keep His Commandments Entertain into thy heart that Holy Spirit of promise If thou hast not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of His. Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 9. He who hath Christ hath holiness for holiness hath a double relation unto Christ 1. As Christ is the principle and fountain of holiness whence it comes 2. As He is the rule and pattern of holiness to which it answers of these two more fully 1. Christ is the principle of holiness by whom it is wrought He Isai 26. 1â— Psal 87. 7. Joh. 1. 16. Psal 133. 2. works all our works in us all our springs are from him Of his fulness we all receive and Grace for Grace The oyntment ran down from Aarons head to the skirts of his garments to denote the effusion of the Spirit of holiness from Christ unto His lowest members 2. Christ is the rule and pattern of holiness to His Church Therefore we 1 Joh. 2. 6. must walk so as Christ also walked Now the works of Christ are of two sorts 1. Incommunicable as these 1. His works of Merit and Mediation and 2. His work of government and influence into the Church His giving of the Spirit Quickning of His Word Subduing of His Enemies Gathering together of His members all these are personal honours which belong to Him as He is the Head of the Church 2. His communicable works which
uprightness Jer. 30. 21. and may engage my heart to approach unto God to walk before Thee to do every thing as in Thy sight and presence Lord help me to keep my heart with all diligence and to wash Prov. 4. 23. my heart from wickedness that I may be clean that although vain and evil Jer. 4. 14 thoughts will pass through me yet I may not give them entertainment or suffer them to lodge within me Take Thou away this stony heart from me and give me a heart of flesh a heart Ezek. 36. 26. pliable and flexible and capable of being governed and guided by thy Spirit Vnite my heart to fear thy name Let Psal 86. 11. 119. 80. my heart be sound in thy statutes That so when my heart is sound Christ may set me as a seal upon his heart and as a seal upon his arm keeping me nearly Cant. 8. 6. and dearly joyned unto Him and refresh me by the comfort of the presence of His Grace setting me as a signet upon his right hand to have me always Jer. 22. 24. in His eye and in His heart to be present with me to guide me in His ways to bless me and to do me good that at last He may present me glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and without blemish For holiness becometh thine house O Lord for ever as here in this life which is glory begun so especially in Heaven where Grace and Glory is consummate and made perfect into which place no unholy thing shall ever enter Holiness is the badge of Christs people Addition Isai 63. 18. they are called the people of his holiness Israel was holiness to the Lord Jer. 2. 3. The Spirit of holiness distinguisheth and setteth a mark upon the sheep of Christ they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Eph 1. 13. Holiness setteth us apart for God and Psal 4. 3. Tit. 2. 14. for His Service to do His Will and to serve Him He hath set apart him that is Godly for himself to see and enjoy him for without holiness none shall see Heb. 12. 14. the Lord Our holiness is not the cause of our Salvation but it is the way thereunto Holiness hath none but gracious and honourable effects it filleth the soul with joy comfort and peace with joy unspeakable and full of glory with Rom. 15. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Isai 32. 17. peace and quietness and assurance for ever Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall Isai 35. 10. flee away God is glorious in holiness and glories most in the Attribute of holiness God stands upon nothing more than to appear to all the world to be a Exod. 15. 11. holy God therefore the Angels when they celebrate the glory of God cry out Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hosts Isai 6. 3. Let those therefore that draw nigh to God and make profession of his name labour to hold forth above all things the glory of his holiness in their lives and conversations EXERCITATION THE EIGHTH Jer. 23. 9. For because of Oaths swearing the Land mourneth IF the holy Prophet in his dayes cryed out as in the former Verse Mine heart within me is broken because of those cursings and oaths which do make the Land to mourn that is which draw down God's judgments upon the Land as it is evident in the following words the pleasant places of the wilderness are dryed up namely God did send drought and scorching heats and withheld the rain in its due season for those crying sins so it cannot be meant Metonymically the Land for the People of the Land but the Land mourned because the people had no hearts to do it Oh what cause have we now to break our hearts with sighting to have rivers Psal 119. 136. of water to run down our eyes because God's Laws are so broken and his name so highly dishonoured by hellish Oaths and Blasphemies by damned damning curses and execrations whose judgment 2 Pet. 3. 2. lingreth not and their damnation slumbereth not These as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed shall Verse 12. utterly perish in their own corruption These are raging waves of the Sea foaming Jude 13. out their own shame to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever We read of a flying rowle which is interpreted a curse that goeth forth over Zech. 5. 2 3 4. the earth for every one that stealeth shall be cut off on that side according to it and every one that sweareth shall be cut as on that side according to it I will bring it forth saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by My name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Oh this dreadful denunciation O that prophane Swearers would consider it and lay it to heart hearing God's dreadful threatnings on themselves both Souls and Bodies and all that they have yea even their houses and habitations where they dwell and that for their sakes How many times doth the Lord God and how frequently forbid this horrid sin of Swearing Ye shall not falsly swear by My name Levit. 19. 12. neither shalt thou prophane the name of the Lord thy God I am the Lord. Where-ever in Scripture this is added I am the Lord it is to shew that God is faithful in revenging the breach of His Commandments and on the contrary that He is faithful in rewarding the observation or keeping His Commandments Our blessed Saviour biddeth us Swear not at all that is in our ordinary discourses but let your communication be Mat. 5. 34. 37. yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that evil one meaning the Devil who is the father of all lyes oaths and blasphemies Joh. 8. 44. So Saint James But above all Jam. 5. 12. things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by the earth that is by nothing which is either in heaven or earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into damnation No less punishment than everlasting damnation is here threatned against all prophane Swearers If of every idle word that we shall Mat. 12. 36. speak of the same shall we give account at the day of judgment how much more then of every horrid oath and wicked cursing Oh that the terror of 2 Cor. 5. 11. the Lord might awaken and perswade men The Lord is a Sin-revenging God a consuming fire a jealous God Who Heb. 12. 29. Isai 33. 14. can dwell with everlasting burnings who can dwell with devouring fire These even
justice and judgment and so opened to him a way that he might run head-long to his own utter ruine and destruction So God confounds his implacable enemies two ways here 1. By hardness of heart which ariseth as we said before when God with-draweth His Grace from a man and leaveth him to himself so as he goeth on from sin to sin and never repenteth to the last gasp And we must esteem of it as a most fearful and terrible judgment of God for when the heart is possessed therewith it becomes so flinty and rebellious that a man will never relent or turn to God This was manifest in Pharaoh for though God sent most grievous plagues upon him and all the Land of Egypt yet would he not submit or humble himself save only for a fit while the hand of God was so heavy upon him for when the hand of God was removed he returned to his former obstinacy wherein he persisted until he was drowned in the red Sea And this judgment of God of hardness of heart is the more fearful because when a man is in the midst of all misery he feels no misery 2. God confounds His enemies as by hardness of heart so by final desperation I say final because all kind of desperation is not evil for a man may despair of himself and of his own power in the matter of Salvation which tends to his everlasting comfort But final desperation is when a man utterly despairs of the pardon of his sins and of everlasting life Examples we have in Saul that slew himself in Achitophel and Judas that hanged themselves c. This sin of desperation is caused thus so many sins as thou committest without repentance so many wounds thou givest to thine own soul and in life or death God will make thee to feel the smart of it and the weight of them all whereby the soul sinks down to the gulph of despair without recovery The sins which thou committest lye at the door of thy heart though thou feel them not as God said unto Cain Gen. 4. 7. sin lyeth at the door and if thou dost not prevent them by speedy and timely repentance God will make thee to feel them once before thou dyest and raise up such terrours in thy Conscience that thou shalt think thy self to be in Hell before thou art there They that were sent from the chief Priests c. to apprehend Christ though He had acknowledged I am He and they were astonished and fell to the ground and He had miraculously healed Joh. 18. 12. Malchus his ear yet for all though they had seen his wonderful power both in word and deed they proceed in malice against Him and bind Him as a Malefactor In this we note what a fearful sin hardness of heart is The danger whereof appears in this that if a man be possessed with it there is nothing that can stay or daunt him in his wicked proceedings no not the powerful words and deeds of our Saviour Himself And indeed among all God's judgments there is none more fearful than this of hardness of heart and yet how rife is it among us even in these our days For it is very evident that the more men are taught the Doctrine of Gods Law and Gospel the more hard and senseless are their hearts like unto an anvil the more it is beaten upon with the iron hammer the harder it is So that that denunciation against the Jews Acts 28. 26 27. is fulfilled in them It is such a terrible judgment of God into which when a man is fallen he feels neither pain nor grief Therefore we have cause with fear and trembling to look into it lest it take such hold of us that we be past all hopes of recovery Sin is a deceitful thing and custom in sin brings hardness of heart therefore read that Heb. 3. 13. and Rom. 2. 5. Let us bewail and be humbled for our hardness of heart whereby we are hindered from knowing and acknowledging God aright and from discerning His glory and Majesty from acknowledging God's judgments or our own sins dreaming we are safe from God's vengeance and such perils and miseries which arise from sin whereas all those out of Christ and in this estate have nothing stands between them and vengeance EXERCITATION THE TENTH Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16 17. Verily my Sabbath ye shall keep for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest holiness to the Lord. Whosoever doth any work in the Sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh He rested Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy HEre we have the Commandment of God for the strict observation of the Sabbath-day No one Commandment so often iterated or so much pressed This Commandment requireth at the hand of every man one day of seven in every week to be set a-part unto a holy rest and requireth all persons to separate themselves from their ordinary labour and all other exercises to God's Service alone on that day that so being severed from their worldly businesses and all the works of their Labours and Callings concerning this Nehem. 13. 15. 22. life they may wholly attend to the Worship of God alone wholly to separate themselves to the Worship and Service of God that they may with more freedom of Spirit perform the same If Adam in his perfection had need of this holy day as it was first enjoyned in the state of innocency much more Gen. 2. 2 3. have we To teach man from time to time on the Sabbath-day to withdraw himself from the cares and labours of this life to apply himself in freedom and tranquillity of mind to the meditations and actions of a spiritual life Q. But some will say this fourth Commandment is ceremonial and so it is taken away by the death of Christ A. I answer No but it is constantly and perpetually to be observed 1. For it is placed in the number of the ten Commandments which are perpetual otherwise the Moral Law should consist but of nine which is contrary to God's Word And He declared unto Deut. 4. 13. you His covenant which He commanded you to perform even ten Commandments 2. Because this fourth Commandment among the rest and in the middle of them as a Diamond in a ring was written
God Who Job 9. 4. ever hardened himself against God and prospered Know as thou canst not contend with Him so He knows thee afar Psal 138. 6. Psal 73. 27. off and all they that be far from Him shall perish Talk no more so exceeding proudly let not arrogancy come forth of thy lips for the Lord is a God of judgment 1 Sam. 2. 3. and by Him actions are weighed Though in thy towring thoughts thou thinkest highly of thy self yet when God weighs thee in the ballance thou wilt be found a pitiful poor empty creature Therefore hear and give ear for Jer. 13. 15. the Lord hath spoken these things against thee and be not proud any longer The height of pride is scornfulness He that is proud and haughty scornful is Prov. 21. 24. his name who worketh in the pride of his wrath this man despiseth his neighbour Prov. 18. 3. and therefore is destitute of understanding Judgments are prepared for scorners and stripes for the backs of such Prov. 19. 29. proud fools And so I leave them Surely God scorneth the scorners but He giveth Prov. 3. 34. grace unto the lowly Q. What are the proper means whereby pride may be subdued A. 1. With the consideration of the greatness and power of God the serious apprehension thereof will make us vile Job 42. 5 6. Rom. 9. 20. 21. in our own eyes and to abhor our selves in dust and ashes 2. So the second means is the consideration of our own vileness 3. The consideration of those obligations and tyes by which we are bound to subject our selves wholly to God as He is our Creator Up-holder Provider and our Lord. 4. The consideration of God's wrath and indignation against all proud persons and His grace and favour toward the humble Come we now to the second Proposition God giveth grace to the humble 2 Proposition There are several acceptations of Grace in Scripture But to wave them Grace in God is His eternal favour and good-will which is the well-spring of all the benefits we have So we have it 1 Tim. 1. 9. according to His own purpose and Grace So Rom. 11. 6. if of Grace then not of works This is the Grace of Election which makes us gracious and acceptable unto God There is also Grace freely given as the gifts of the Spirit freely bestowed upon us so we are bid to grow in Grace So also faith with all the saving 2 Pet. 3. 18 effects and fruits thereof which are called Grace because they are freely given unto us So also the free imputation Rom. 5. 1. 15 17. 20 21. of Christ's righteousness or our justification is by God's Grace and called the Grace of God which hath abounded unto many By the name of Grace we use to comprehend the free favour of God in Christ and His gifts from that Grace whether given to believers as ingraffing into the body of Christ by His Spirit remission of sins final perseverance or to hold out unto the end and in the end eternal life These gifts are not given of God but only to those who are in His Grace and favour that is to true believers But corporal and temporal good things are given to many yea to those that are not true believers and have no faith whereby men alone may please God Heb. 11. 6. Some do understand by Grace in this place favour and acceptation with God Luk. 2. 80. and men So we read that Jesus grew in Grace and savour with God and men so it is in the Original The Lord will give his people grace and glory and no good thing will â—e withhold from them that Psal 8â— 11. walk uprightly So God gives grace to the humble makes them accepted and favoured with God and men Briefly Grace in Scripture is used three ways 1. For comeliness stature meekness or mildness 2. For free favour whereby one embraceth another pardoning former injuries and receiving the party offending into favour So Gen. 6. 8. Noah found grace in the eyes of God 3. For all kinds of gifts and graces which of God's free favour are given whether temporal or eternal Eph. 4. 7. So I understand that grace is taken here Now to speak of humility we have the same expression in St. Peter as is here All of you be subject one to another and 1 Pet. 5. 5 6. be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time A humble man signifies one lowly-minded A description of Humility esteeming others better than himself ascribing all unto God being little in his own eyes or account even as a weaned child Whosoever shall humble Mat. 18. 4. himself as this little child saith our Saviour the same is greatest in the kingdom of God So David to profess his humility said Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even Psal 131. 1. â— as a weaned child Christ in his incarnation exceedingly humbled Himself for us in that He would be man a Servant and subject to death yea the death of the Cross He being equal to God God Phill. 2. 5 6 7 8. abaseth Himself to behold the things in heaven how much more the things on earth The great God hath two houses where He dwells as in His glory He Psal 113. 6. dwells in Heaven so is He present by His grace to dwell with His humble afflicted poor servants here on earth To this man will I look saith the Lord even to him that is poor and of a contrite Isai 66. 2. spirit and that trembleth at My word Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with Isai 57. 15. Him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and â—o revive the heart of the contrite ones A man is never so humble as after he hath received the holy Spirit of promise The best men are worst and lowest in their own eyes As the attaining of great learning makes us see our own ignorance more and more for the emptiest vessels sound most so the more grace we have the more we see our own weaknesses and corruptions to be humbled under the sence of them and to loath our selves in our own sight for all Ezek. 36. 31. our iniquities This puts a man quite out of conceit with himself for that the Lord comes in as the Sun-shine and shewes him those corruptions which he never saw before that he wonders at himself how he hath lived so long with himself and knew himself no better This makes him humble and is a means to keep him humble Now there is a Two-fold Humility 1. Toward God 2. Towards Man 1. Of