any of his By his own example and Command he hath directed us to seek the things that make for Peace wherein we may edifie one another Convulsions in his Members are most direful and dangerous Symptoms proceeding from ill humors vapors and Spirits Whilst the Limbs fall a jarring the body must needs decay That Wisdom from beneath which cherishes contentions and envy is sensual and devilsh The Devil hath no better sport then in such troubled waters These Confusions of Tongue become Babylon better then Zion Must not the stones of Gods Temple be proportionably squared and fitted to each other that his Sanctuary may be erected Should not they that believe in one God are saved by one Christ justified by one faith acted by one Spirit sealed by one baptism supported by one hope and ruled by one Lord walk in one Love also and be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace There is too much of hell fire in unchristian Combustions Such ignes fatui and cheating Meteors lead many to destruction Do not such wandring stars and blazing Comets manifest divine wrath and portend woful Judgements If our Light and fire burn better then anothers have we not cause to be more thankful and communicative What have we that we have not received to impart to others Are not the strong bid to bear with the weak and not please themselves Our Neighbours good is co-ordinate still with our own Interest for we should love our Neighbour as our selves Is not this Jewel a very precious one which is of such Import to the benefit of all Reason 4. The Nature of this gracious Knowledge doth further demonstrate its Excellency There are three special parts that do make it up being the choice Ingredients thereof Apprehension Assent and Application 1. APprehension of the matter understood is found in every kind of knowledge specially in this A view of Christs Beauty and Excellency is taken by the mind thus spiritualized The lively picture of Christs al-sufficiency is drawn in his Gospel by the pencil of his own Spirit The Lord himself opens his very Bowels to the Prospect of his peoples eyes therein Is not this a precious sight indeed to behold such a Saviour in all his proportions Doth not the sensible sight of our vileness and sinfulness recommend such a merciful Redeemer to our apprehension Can we behold our own wretchedness Insufficiency and unworthiness and thence cast a glance on his sutable and sure Redemption without admiration Doth not the survey of divine fulness thus exposed to view exalt the Lord Christ above all other Lovers Are not all his royal perfections a magnificent sight to a gracious Soul Can there be any thing more swett and stately 2. Assent and Credit to the Truth apprehended attends this knowledge in a singular way The God of Truth bespeaks this Assent by the word of Truth Salvation by Christ alone for true Believers upon conjugal terms is the sum thereof He that believes his Testimony hath set to his seal that God is true divine Authority gaining thus credit to his Assertion sways the Judgement to reason the case and cast its resolve upon Christs side Divine reason then perswades mans Reason that such a Christ is worth the accepting upon his own Terms The soul thereby judges all capitulations and Reservations to be sinfull dreadfull irrational Mans reason is then brought over to such a subjection as Christs reason demands without delaies or exceptions It sees that in Christ which is better then All and suits its wants in every part thereof It sees no help from any creature to be looked for and judges all to be but vanity and Lyes that hinders from Christ The soul then learns feelingly to cry None but Christ none but Christ as the Martyr did with due conviction of sin and righteousness in order to Judgement through the Spirits help The soul thus weary both of self and sin readily assents to that truth of God which presents Christ for a faithful and loving Husband for Saviour and Lord And is not this of singular worth Thirdly Application and hearty consent is the main ingredient of all conjugal Knowledge especially of this The soul is hereby effectually yielded into Christs own hand upon his own terms The Will in this Act accepts of Christ and renders up it self to his disposal Conjugal Acception is thus reciprocated that the whole man may yield unto him all loyal obedience of Faith and Love This great wheel thus moved all the Affections turn accordingly Christ ward heaven-ward that before still moved self-ward and earth-ward The soul being thus surrendred to Christ depends on him and derives from him still Grace for Grace All other things then become serviceable to the honor and service of Christ This Marriage-union brings with it a free and full a singular and sure Communion Then saith the soul My Beloved is mine and I am his I have all from him and all for him all in him and all through him And is not this a very rare Jewel that makes a match between Heaven and Earth Is not this Knowledge of singular worth that marries sinfull man to God Almighty Is not this thing of a rare value whose nature appears so supereminent Reason 5. The Properties of this Knowledge do much commend its excellency also They are expressed by a pregnant word full of sense and vertue being called a gracious knowledge 1. IN regard of Gods favouring Grace whence it flows which it manifests and whither it leads The glory of divine Grace doth so admirably and so wonderfully shine forth therein that its preciousness is as remarkable as the Noon-Sun in a Summer-day 2. In respect to his renewing Grace this knowledge is truly and incomparably gracious being attended with all the gracious Train and fruits of Christs Spirit So far as the Lord is duly known by his people so far is this knowledge attended with a proportionable measure of saving Grace 1. It s a fiducial knowledge that knows Christ with conjugal faith discerning of him looking up to him closing with him following after him trusting in him feeding upon him drawing all from him and returning all to him 2. It s a loving knowledge that embraces Christs love and retaliats Love for Love loving his person first and then his goodness That soul that knows Christ loves him sincerely and self-denyingly fervently and constantly That soul hears and speaks prays and acts in love to him loving his Word and ways his name and honor his service and servants out of Love to him That soul for his sake loves his Saints with a Love of delight and sinners with a Love of pitty The more she knows of him the more is her heart melted into his heart to be cast into the mold of his Love What 's recorded of famous Ignatius
Principle in the Habit and Source in the seed and beginning is first given to the Elect in their Regeneration and Conversion to be the original of all actual Graces in them this is called the new creature the new man created after Gods Image the divine Nature the forming of Christ within c. Of this children are capable if they be not of actual Grace which yet seems probable This is inherent Grace in the first principles and Habits thereof both gratis data and gratum faciens in an Orthodox not in a popish sense Secondly Inherent Grace in the Branches and streams in the Acts and Effects in the fruits and progress is variously denominated from the Objects Subjects manner of acting c. it s called faith to express the motion of the renewed soul towards God in Christ upon conjugal terms believing his Truth closing with his Person trusting his Promises depending on his Mercy deriving from his fulness observing him in all things which is called the life of faith It s called Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it turns the whole soul from all sin to God Both in purpose and endeavour through his Spirit this and all other Graces are still concomitants and subsequents of faith in their gradual proportion It s called love to denote the affectionate embracing of God in Christ and in his people for Christs sake as the most amiable object It s called obedience as it acts the whole man to a free and full compliance with Gods Will revealed in his Word It s called Thankfulness as it affects the heart with the sense of Mercy received It s called self-denial as it moves the soul to prefer Christ before all things else and part with any thing for his sake It s termed Patience in regard of sorrowfull evils which it learns to bear submissively It s named humility with respect to its low thoughts of self submitted still to Christ It s nominated Temperance in regard of its care to avoid all excessive use of Creatures It s termed Zeal as it moves with fervour for good against evil It s termed Justice or Righteousness in respect of its readiness to give every one their due It s called Prudence as it regards all due means tending to right ends It s termed Wisdom as it s acquainted with the best things in their nature cause and end Thus Grace inherent hath its various appellations and distinctions both habitually and actually being the Grace properly meant in the Text as being that Grace which is capable of Growth The Knowledge of Christ is taken also in a sense more large or more strict 1. LArgely and commonly for a notional Knowledge void of saving Faith and Love such as puffs up an empty Brain 2. Strictly and specially for that saving applicative knowledge which includes all Grace by an elegant Hebraism verbs of sense and knowledge signifying both affectum effectum Natural knowledge of things is acquired by sense Reason or Authority Thus in spirituals this knowledge of Christs is spiritually sensible and rationally fiducial Its a conjugal knowledge which implies 1. Apprehension of the Truth of Christs proper Object 2. Credit and Assent thereto upon his divine Authority 3. Personal consent and particular Applications in mutual Acception and Reciprocation Grace and Knowlede in the Text may be understood 1. Distinctly Conjunctly 1. DIstinctly shewing the excellent Worth and needfull use of every Grace and of the knowledge of Christ 2. Conjunctly by a figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace and Knowledge signifies gracious Knowledge as in that like phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace and Apostleship for gracious Apostleship So the sense will be very emphatical suiting our purpose in characterizing this excellent Jewel so singularly transcendent beyond all other This precious Jewel is curiously set out in the golden ring of divine Records where you find it held forth in its radient Lustre whose glorious beams may be contracted for our clearer apprehension into plain description you may then observe it to be a conjugal acquaintance with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour wrought in Gods Elect by the special operation of his renewing Spirit and effectually improved to Gods honor and mans good in every Relation toward God and Man This is the choice Jewel whose eminent worth hath been in all ages so incomparably prized by the Word and friends of God Every Page of Scripture sets forth the peculiar Eminency thereof every precept and Promise every prefiguration and Prophesie every President and performance points unto this This was under the Old Testament more ceremonially vailed and under the New is more Evangelically Revealed This is the centre wherein all the Lines of Scripture do meet All the Patriarchs aimed still at this Abraham saw his day and rejoiced Davi◠is full of it Job was divinely advised to such an Acquaintance as to the source and sum of all good Paul accounted all loss and dung in comparison of this excellent Knowledge and rationally determined to know nothing else Peter sums all up in this Good Reason for it if we consider the Object and subject the cause and Nature the property and effect thereof which are all hinted in the former Description Reason 1. The proper Object adequate of this gracious Knowledge is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ a singular Jewel indeed in every consideration The Paramount and Non-such the chiefest of ten thousand both in his Person and Office in his progress and Purchase in his Relation and Influence 1. The Person of Christ is a noble Paragon considered as God as Man as God-man 1. CHrist is God blessed for ever the eternal Son of his eternall Father co-essential and co-equal with him the the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image or Character of his Person in whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substantially and bodily the only begotton of the Father full of Grace and Truth essentially one with the Father though personally distinct by an eternal Generation unutterable to man firmly to be believed on Gods Testimony and piously adored not curiously pried into The wonderful Wisdom of the Father who was his Delight before Time by whom in time he made the world and upholds all by the word of his power Essentially he is God of himself Personally God the Son of God the Father His proper Name is the Word of God the Wonderful Councellor the Father of Eternity He that doth what ever the Father doth and to be worshipped as the Father is worshipped He that sends the Spirit from the Father who being in the form and substance of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God To him be glory for ever Amen 2. Christ as Man is the Rare Object of this Knowledge For the word was made flesh and dwelt among
Life a Turning of men from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God by opening of their eyes and renewing their Will It s expressed by taking away the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh in putting his Spirit within us and giving a new heart and a new spirit in our special effectual Calling It s said to be our Regeneration and being born again absolutely needful to open an entrance into Gods Kingdom Though there be some Reliques of natural and moral Endowments left in men since the fall in their powers and parts as appears by the Heathens Improvements yet these only testifie the wofulness of mans desperate fall in ruining so glorious a Fabrick Thence the blindness and perversness of his mind and will are so aggravated the crooked distortions of his Affections the searedness and corruption of his Conscience with the disorder of every part are set forth so Emphatically to convince every man Thence men are said before Conversion to be Godless and hopeless because Christless Thence is the wonderful operation of Renewing Grace so extolled still in this new creation bringing forth Light out of darkness in making man partaker of the Divine Nature This supernatural Work is carried on rationally by the Spirit of Christ in a way suitable to mans rational Being He works strongly yet sweetly he opens their heart-springs with a special Key of his own framing This Renewing Grace runs parallel with the Fathers Electing and the Sons Redeeming Grace whom God did foreknow and predestinate those he calls effectually seasonably savingly Their corrupt nature doth much resist it till Grace prevails and conquers all its Forts The outworks of the Mind and Judgement Christs Spirit conquers first thence breaking through the Iron Gate of mans Will into the possession of all the powers and parts of the soul Many sins remain still in every part like so many Cananites and Tories to be gradually subdued These Rebels being broken in their Head and Reign Grace doth orderly dispatch by mortifying exercise The Spirit of Christ carries on his work in supporting and supplying still those gracious Beginnings which are weak at first By the Gospel Light he communicates his gracious Life Thus he perswades enables his people to embrace Jesus Christ upon Gospel terms by a Covenant of Marriage and Adoption Thus is mans dunghil heart by Renewing Grace broken up and dressed into a spiritual Garden sown and set with the fruits of his holy Spirit It differs exceedingly from common convictions and external Reformations as earth differs from Heaven That difference is still morally-specifical though it seems to be Physically but Numerical and gradual It s the same Spirit that works conviction on the Reprobate and on the Elect but not in the same manner He knocks at both and is resisted He leaves the Reprobate justly he opens the Elects heart mercifully and prevailingly The Reprobate may be externally and professedly sanctified in a partial superficial way Gods Elect are specially sanctified universally in every part and gradually through every part Mans free will by sin subjected to Satan is through this Renewing Grace set at liberty so far as Grace prevails The unregenerate is free only to spiritual evil being an enemy to spiritual good The Regenerate soul is so far free to spiritual good as it s renewed When Grace is compleated in Glory the soul like good Angels shall be free only to good The Nature of mans will is thus bettered by Grace which was made a slave by sin The Devils and damned do freely will sin so do unregenerate souls on earth yet necessarily Thus necessity man stand with freedom both to good and evil By this Renewing Grace the regenerate soul is made conformable to Gods Image and is so far called the new man and gradually learns to be holy as God is Holy That Seed and Root of Grace cast into it at first grows up by degrees as the grain of mustard seed as the corn as the Light as the living Child Thereby the soul is enabled to believe and Repent and further to actuate every sort of Grace being excited corroborated and directed still by the same Spirit Thence is the conflict so continuall between the spirit and flesh the Law in the members and the Law in the Mind Grace and sin which ends not till the death of sin in bodily death Thus acti agimus Implanted Grace then co-works still with the Lords gracious Spirit who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure This Grace appears also most free and full most choice sure to the glorifying of all Divine Attributes Man could not be conceived to have any skil power or will to procure the same By Grace the Lord cals unto Grace and so to Glory By Grace are we saved through Faith and that not of our selves it s the gift of God not of works least any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works so that it s not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God who shews mercy Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we might be to the praise of his Glory Object But why then is man commanded to believe and repent to change his heart c Answ Because as we hinted before God deals with men by men rationally orderly to convince all of their Duty and insufficiency to humble and awaken them to put them upon all due means to render the most inexcusable and moralize many to convey his Grace into his Elect through those very means peculiarly sanctified to the spiritualizing of their heart Object But is not God partial in so doing Answ No. For he is not bound to any further then he pleases neither is he led by any sinful respects which render men partial Object But why doth he yet complain of the Reprobates if he give them not sufficient Grace as to others how can they help it Ans God justly complains of the wicked for insolvency and squandring away his goods wilfully and rebelliously both in their first Father and by themselves They smart not but for their fault their being Bankrupts is no payment nor discharge of their debts to him He gives them more then they could expect or make right use of Though they cannot change their own heart yet they might use the means better then they do they are still wilfully negligent and selfish in all they do and suffer justly for their demerits Can the wicked say they sin not wilfully Will not their own conscience condemn them Are they not all corruptly estranged from the womb and speaking Lyes by time Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Can the
A Soveraign Antidote AGAINST Sinful Errors the Epidemical plague of these latter dayes Extracted out of Divine Records the Dispensatory of Christianity FOR The Prevention and Cure of our Spiritual Distempers By Claudius Gilbert B. D. and Minister of the Gospel at Limrick in Ireland Luke 21. 8. See that ye be not deceived 2 Thes 2. 8 9 10 11 12. Whose coming is after the working of Satan in all Power c. and in all deceivableness c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecan Axioma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehova Medicus tuus Exod. 15. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui seipsum habet prosapiente habent eum Deus homines pro Ignaro London Printed by R. W for Francis Titon and are to be sold at the sign of the three Daggers in Fleetsheet 1658. To the Honourable Colonell Henry Ingoldesby Governour of the Precinct of Limrick and Clare and to the Inhabitants of the City of Limrick Honoured and Beloved in the Lord. THe substance of this Tract was through the Lords help preached lately in your ears and is of right now presented to your eyes that through his Grace it may the better reach your hearts The subject thereof is as seasonable as its excellent The Lord make it yours as profitably as it s made yours affectionately The choice usefulness of its provisions will make full Amends for the plainness of its Order and Dress It s not my work to tickle and flatter you but to reach healing and food to your souls A Signal hand of Heaven brought me over and fixed me here near five years ago by the same good hand have I been kept here in the Lords charge ever since We have had much cause still to mind and improve the wonderful dealings of our God towards us from that very day as in former seasons Variety of Dispensations hath he carried us through both publiquely and personally Visits of Iudgement and then of Mercy we have had from him again and again No wayes hath he left unattempted that might do us good though our Returns have not been answerable The Sword Famine and Plague ranged in these parts upon Gods Errand at my first coming and continued a considerable time I was thereby occasioned to contribute my utmost by the Lords Aid to the relief and cure of mens souls and bodies It was then my cordial delight and desire to spend and be spent for the good of Limrick as the same is still my design and labour through the assistance of Heaven The Voyce of Gods Rod cryed loud to this City then that the man of Wisdom might observe his Name who had appointed it in hearing his Rod. Our Heavenly Physitian saw it best then to diet and physick us suiting his Prescripts to our distempers Few in this place did miss of a Touch the deeper smartings of many among us warned all the rest Our sins deserved much worse from his hand yet he afflicted us very favourably In the midst of wrath he remembred mercy and stayed his rough wind in the day of his East wind After Purgations he gave us Cordials and turned in due time our mourning into joy Thanksgivings followed our humiliations and our bitter waters were turned into sweet Wine The Springs of Elim followed our Marah and they reaped in joy that had sown in Tears If the peaceable fruit of that Rod may in Righteousness appear among us the Glory will be his and the Comfort ours If our ill humours have been kindly removed it will best appear in the right use of our health If any grow wanton after Recovery shame and sorrow will be their portion It glads my heart that Gods Word and Works have not been quite fruitless in the midst of us yet I cannot but lament with a bleeding soul the sad improvements of his renewed Kindness What could more be done for us then he hath done Why then is our fruit so wild and so empty That it proves better with any of us it s of his Grace that divers others seem to grow still worse it s through their fault The Lord hath bestowed much cost upon us but like the cursed Ground we bear still many weeds He hath not spared for dressing or dunging it will much aggravate their sin and judgement if any of us remain still barren The good Husbandman hath cast in good seed in this Ground of his but the enemy hath crept in in the dark to scatter his Tares Multiplicious Errors still spread among us as in other parts which grow much faster then Christs spiritual Plants Too many are found to play with their Light and abuse it to do the Devils work by That good Word which proves savour of Life to some proves too often savour of Death to others The Spirits of divers are grown so childish that neither Barnabas nor Boanerges will please their Palate God hath restored us to health and plenty but many souls are still diseased and starved Sinful Infection troubles all Relations yet is little felt because spiritual Much malignity attends those ill humours which work so strangely and perniciously Some are Brain-sick with giddy Notions and others heart-sick with feavourish Affections The Heads of some labour with Convulsions the Vitals of others suffer defections Spiritual Lethargies benumb some into sleep and mortal dreams raging Phrenzies do inflame some others Some are merrily mad with pleasing Conceits others melancholy through a sullen spirit Lethal Apoplexies take some few suddenly and spiritual Palsies seiz upon others more gradually Some have lost Appetite to the dainties of Heaven others seem to hunger but digest not well Spiritual Rickets do possess divers and sinful Gouts trouble not a few Various obstructions disorder mens souls whence the disfiguring of their Life and Acts. Internal stoppages often discolour the external man the falling-sickness and the swounding fits do also take turns in souls and Societies Consumptions and Dropsies appear so visibly that they prognosticate but Ominous things Sad Symptoms are seen in mens faces and speech their tongues and breathings concurring therewith If you feel their pulse and Beatings of heart you may soon descrie Syncopal Tokens Schirrhus ' s and hardness are easily felt swellings and sores manifest themselves Thus this world appears a sinful Hospital for the God of mercy to give visits to What comes away from men proves a Semeiotick that points at the Cure by sad Characters The Causes of such dangerous Affects must needs be various and multiplicious Diseases complicate and inveterate bespeak a difficult and a dubious Cure Secresie and strength add much to that evil besides senslesness and unruliness Disorder in food and in exercise with sloth and slumber aggravate the same Strains and Ruptures with Dislocations Tumors and Wounds manifest more evil Humours and spirits being distempered do soon disorder the substantial parts Excess in Repletion and vacuity in number and extent still do make it
bodily disease setting out its specifical Idea by its numerical and peculiar properties whether one or more and usually by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Concurrence of divers as a Frensie a Lethargy an Apoplexy c. have singular marks from the defect and disorders of the faculties animal vital and natural Thus Error the Frensie of the soul when boiled up to its height sets a man on a rage against Truth and her friends rejects the Means of its cure raves and ranges at Will inflames the Spirits disorders all the powers and parts hastning to destruction as appeared in the ranting Crue formerly and lately in Germany and England another error may more resemble a Lethargy benumming the Soul fixing the Spirits casting the person into a feavorish sleep stopping the senses filling them with dreams closing their eyes and distempering all powers and parts rendering them incapable of sense and help if the Lord work not extraordinarily witness James Naylor and his quaking Rout. Another Error may be found more like an Apoplexie suddenly taking away sense and motion reason and life as that of some Circumcellions and the bloody rabble of Germany and Switzerland from Anno 1522. till 1534. Another is more like a Palsey stopping the fountain of the sinews either totally or partially by distempering the head and its Conduits whereby sense and motion are conveyed to all inferior parts and gradually hastning mans end So it fares with divers Quakers now and many monkish Pharisaical Notionists Rose-Crucians Eremitical Recluses and Behmenists Thus might we instance in every disease and draw the parallel of Error along in its various Symptoms and Characters the which are accompanied with malignity and infection with Confidence and peremptoriness with Censoriousness and self-conceitedness more or less according to the Nature Extent and Causes of such distempers But as some poisonous Weeds do very nearly resemble the good plants among which they grow as young Hemlock among Parsley So divers Errors grow like Truth for a while till they come up to strength which they do much faster then good hearbs to be better discerned by their ill qualities and wofull effects 8. The Cure of Error as of bodily sickness is diversly to be observed in the Indications directing thereto in the materials to be used and in the due method of preparing and ministring of them sutably to the Rules of Art and the Patients Case 1. The Indications of Error as of the bodily diseases require the removing of the Cause the rectifying of the parts the restoring of strength and preserving of it by all convenient means 2. The Materials and Ingredients that are to be used towards that Cure for soul and body are considerable in a regular diet in orderly medicines and the Chirurgions seasonable help Thus erroneous Persons are 1. to be dieted in shunning evil food evil company evil motions c. and in using food company exercise c. tending to spiritual health 2. They are to be well purged with due preparatives and Laxatives 3. They must have the Chirurgions help also in letting out the corrupt blood of sin in dressing of their spiritual Sores in applying of all fit Medicaments and administring of all things orderly 3. The Method of preparing and dispensing of them all for the cure of Diseases Spiritual and Corporal is to be guided by the skilfull Physitian of Heaven who hath appointed Men and Means that in observing the Prescripts of his Word applyed sutably to every ones case his promised Blessing may be waited for and received in an Obedience of Faith and Love The following Antidote prescribed by him may be through his Grace singularly helpfull thereto The Contents The Context opened THe Text divided into six Doctrines page 6. Doctrine 1. Wicked Lawless persons are exceedingly subject to be carried away with destructive Errors p. 7 Reason 1. Raigning Corruption p. 8 Reason 2. Errors deceitfulness ibid. Reason 3. Divine Judgement p 9 Use 1. Information the ground of our numerous Errors ibid. 2. Admonitin to lawless Ones ibid. 3. Examinatioon ibid. 4. Exhortation p. 10 Doctr. 2. Error will endanger a Christians stedfastness ibid. Reas 1. It loosens a Christians hold p. 11 2. It impairs a Christians strength p. 12 3. It snatches with forcible fraud ibid. Use 1. See hence the source of our Revolts ibid. 2. Convictions to erroneous ones p. 13 3. Trial of our state p. 14 4. Advice to all ibid. Doctr. 3. All Christians even the best need still due warning to keep themselves from Error and Revolt p. 15 Obj. 1. What need the Elect to be warned thus p. 16 Ans In seven particulars ibid. Use 1. Consect Hence see the usefulness of a Gospel Ministry p. 17 2. Reprehension p. 18 3. Inquiry p. 19 4. Excitation 1. to take warning p. 20 2. Improve warning p. 21 1. Personally ibid. 2. Relatively p. 22 Doctr. 4. The gracious Knowledge of Christ is a singular Jewel p. 23 1. Explanation in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 24. 25 26 2. Confirmation in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 27 3. Demonstration in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. Reason 1. From the Object Christ considerable p. 28 1. In his Person as God as man as God-man ibid. 2. In his Office Prophetical Sacerdotal Regal p. 30 3. In his Progress of Humiliation to Exaltation ibid. 4. In his Purchase for value and vertue considered p. 32 5. In his Relation variously set forth p. 33 6. In his Influence p. 34 Reas 2. From the subject Recipient thereof p. 35 Reas 3 From the Canse efficient formal final p. 36 Reas 4. From the Nature p. 42 Reas 5. From the Properties p. 44 Reas 6. From the Effects p. 46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Use 1. Instruction the Method of study p. 47 Use 2. Reprehension p. 49 Use 3. Examination pag. 54. Therein is considered 1. What is wrought 2. How it was wrought 3. What it works p. 55. 56 In allusion to Vegetative Sensitive and Rational Acts. ibid. Use 4. Consolation Obj. Ans p. 64 Use 5. Exhortation to Nominal Christians p. 65 Many Obj. Answ p. 67. 68 69 70 c Exhor 2. To Real Christians p. 73 Doctr. 5. Growing in the gracious Knowledge of Christ is a special Gospel-Duty p. 77 Reas 1. The Christians Nature p. 78 Reas 2. Gods Honour p. 79 Reas 3. Mans Interest ibid. Use 1. The Necessity of a standing Ministry p. 80 Use 2. Conviction p. 81 Use 3. Examination Is our Growth Vniversal proportional perpetual p. 82 Use 4. Excitation to dead and living Christians p. 84 Doctr. 6. Spiritual Growth is a Soveraign Antidote against Error and Apostacy p. 89 Res 1. It removes the Causes p. 91 Reas 2. It fortifies the parts p. 92 Reas 3. It improves Christs specifick Vertue p. 93 Use 1. Information shewing the ground and cure of all our distempers p. 94 Use 2. Admonition to all under the Raign or Remainders of sin p. 95 Use 3.
used by him to set forth his goodness What ever defect you find in the Creature he is not capable of that is all goodness all perfection Is not such a Christ a singular object to exercise our knowledge about What his office called him to his progress fitted him for and his relation makes conveyance of through his holy Spirit unto all his Sixthly His Influence is considerable for actual Communication of all Each Relation of his carries still with it a secret sweet and sutable Influx which doth strongly and efficaciously operate on all his thereby they are made more and more Partakers of the divine nature in escaping the pollutions that are in the world through Lust The Apostle had found the precious vertue thereof which made him so desirous to know him in the power of his Resurrection and in the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death This the Converts at Ephesus felt who being made acquainted with this gracious knowledge of Christ were quickned by his power and made to rise with him yea to sit with him at Gods right hand This Influence is free indeed this spiritual wind blows where it lists not being tied to any means it works at pleasure with or without means by weak small improbable or contrary means yet ordinarily God works by his appointed Tools he walks in his own road of Providence and leads his people step by step to the very top of Jacobs Ladder In the course of things natural and spiritual he limits us still though not himself and will be sought and found in each of his ways for the further knowledge of his divine Influence It s he that is the Life of our Life the strength of our strength in whom we live move and have our Being both naturally and spiritually How excellent then is that gracious Knowledge whose Object is thus excellent in every consideration Reason 2. THE Subject and Recipient of this knowledge sets forth the inestimable worth of it They are his Elect his chosen Jewels his peculiar people to whom he imparts this Jewel unto Them only doth he know for his of all the Nations to whom he makes himself thus savingly known As he makes himself the Pearl or Price to them so doth he make them Pearls of Price thereby Blessed are the people who learn to known him being first known of him The rest are refuse stones these are his living precious stones Others he knows with a general knowledge of intuition but these with a special knowledge of appropriation and approbation The rest delight not to know him as he delights not to know them He never knew them and they never knew him in this choise manner For his own he came to make himself thus graciously known to their souls in all the Dimensions of his eternal Love surpassing mans knowledge that they may be filled with the fulness of God How precious is that knowledge that makes the Subjects thereof so precious How admirable is that Jewel that takes up the the sublimest Contemplations templations of the most glorious Angels Those Elect Angels are still attending in his Ordinances to join with his Elect and learn of the Church this manifold wisdom of our God For those Elects sake Christ suffered all things meritoriously and Paul his servant providentially Those Elect whom the Lord did foreknow he never casts away but makes them up among his Jewels by making his Christ so precious to them in a greacious way His choice Love did freely choose them before time and is fully assured to them in Christ being communicated through the precious Operations of his Spirit to make them precious like himself in due time unto eternity Reason 3. The cause of this Gracious Knowledge doth as wonderfully magnifie the same considerable in the Efficient formal and final 1. THe Efficient cause and Author thereof is the blessed Trinity jointly yet distinctly Revealing and communicating Jesus Christ unto his chosen people 1. The external Operations of God towards the creature being indivisibly effected by the three Persons concurring in One the Son doing nothing but what he sees his Father do and working still as the Father works and the Spirit proceeding from both speaks not of himself but whatsoever he hears from them both that speaks he unto Christs Disciples 2. Distinctly according to their distinct personal Relations 1. The Father electing from eternity having chosen them in Christ before the Foundation of the world that they might be holy and unblameable before him in Love and therefore predestinating them to the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will and making them through his knowledge meet partakers of his Inheritance in Light by translating them into the Kingdom of his dear Son who were chosen according to his foreknowledge through sanctification of the Spirit 2. The Son accepting and undertaking tendring and effecting in and by himself the whole business of their Salvation making known the same by his Word and Spirit as also by his own Person in the dayes of his flesh 3. The holy Spirit by wooing of their souls opening their eyes and fitting them for the Reception of this Excellent Knowledge infusing the same into them applying it particularly to their several dispositions and occasions removing daily the scales of their ignorance and sin scattering the mists raised by the Prince of darkness Repressing the vapours steeming from their boyling Lusts and dunghil hearts setting forth Christ to their souls in his full Beauty and Loveliness and leading them into all Truth by taking of Christ to impart unto them the gracious secrets of the Fathers Counsel Thus the glorious God works graciously in and by all Means of his appointing to the creating encrease and perfecting of his singular Jewel 2. THe formal Cause is very Remarkable in that peculiar saving application made of Christ to his Elect in their conversion gradually carried on towards perfection by the Spirits gracious Operation For then doth he stamp on that soul the glorious characters of Christs Image and begets that new creature which divine off-spring moves upward instantly in conjugal Reciprocations dilating the soul in all her faculties to the further comprehension of Christ It may be parallel'd with that Energetial Power whereby the rational soul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animates the humane nature into all suitable operations What the soul is to man in naturals that 's Christ to the soul in spirituals The principle of all Life Sence and Reason thus spiritually applied to the Regenerate enables and excites directs and strengthens them to the choice Improvements of this conjugal Acquaintance Christ on marriage terms by his Spirit in his Word tenders and gives himself to be their Husband By this quickening Touch they
is verified of such the name of Christ is engraven on their heart by the finger of his own Spirit 3. It s a penitential knowledge that melts the soul with godly sorrow as looking on Christ pierced by him and for him The sight of such a Saviour so unkindly requited cannot but make sin out of measure sinfull to such a tender heart The sweetness of Christ must needs embitter every sin to such who have tasted how good the Lord is Such do hate sin with perfect hatred knowing the baseness and unreasonableness thereof Christ clears their eyes to descry and detest the least appearance of evil The more beauty is discovered in him the more ugliness do such observe in sin his grand Opposite They take most pains to mortifie those Lusts which are most opposite to Christ 4. It s an obediential knowledge carefull to observe the Lords Will made known If any say that he knows him and keeps not his Commands he is a liar and the truth is not in him If we know that he is righteous we know that he that doth righteousness is born of him This knowledge is not notional but practical It rests not in the brain but conveys Influence into the whole Life It s not idle but very active It studies his Will to fulfill it and fulfills it in studying thereof It s obedience is neither blind nor lame but a spiritual Sacrifice a rational Service The whole man in heart and life compleats this oblation of loyal observance It minds the precepts as much as the Promises and desires holiness as much as happiness It would act like Christ in acting for him 5. It s an humbling knowledge that puffs not up but laies the soul low The more any know of Christ aright the more still do they know of their sins The best of Christ being duly known makes them to know the worst of themselves Christs eye-salve doth so clear their eyes that they see easily those sinfull motes of lesser faults which by their moon-light of notional knowledge they could not discern Their beholding of Christ in their Gospel-glass with open face thus shews more of this shame and of his Glory Thus Job was more humbled by seeing of God in a clearer light Abraham acknowledges himself dust and ashes upon familiar Conference with Christ Their Affronts put on him in their time of darkness humble them soundly in this season of Light They learn daily as Socrates said to know their ignorance As Simonides the more they study the knowledge of God the more amazed are they with his glorious unsearchableness 6. It s a grateful knowledge that cannot endure sinful ingratitude They know thereby the worth of Mercy and the high price paid by Christs blood for every favour afforded to his The bounty of Christ so magnificently multiplied on them still renders them thankful Debtors mindful of their Bonds Their Insolvency they more throughly know which makes them the more beholding to him What others enjoy by common Providence they receive still by a Gracious Promise Ingratitude the sum of all evil they abominate as the Devil himself Their homage and rent do they bring to him whom they well know to be their chief Lord. Returns of Duty they labour to make in some proportion to their Receipts of Mercy 7. All other Graces do beautifie this attending on Christ in following his Train Patience and Prudence are found in their Rank Zeal and diligence will not be backward Meekness and sweetness will not be strangers Courage and Fortitude are ready at hand Sincerity and self-denial are inseparable companions thereof The Knowledge of Christ then is a choyce Jewel that is so well set and accompanied Nothing is wanting for knowledge or comfort so far as Christ is known or enjoyed Reason 6. The Effects of this gracious Knowledge do add very much to the price thereof It works effectually upon the whole man in every Relation towards God and man There is no condition nor occasion here wherein its Influence is not manifested It s a precious Root that bears much fruit solid substantial and still seasonable It renders a man fit for every good and is a Preserver from all kind of evil It makes a man still to look to Christ and to seek for him in every Ordinance The matter and means of Divine worship with the manner and solemn time thereof it spiritually minds In every Providence Christ is also acknowledged by such in every Duty towards their Neighbor As the first Table of Christs Divine Law is unto them the Standard of Worship so is the second Table of his Decalogue their constant Rule of officious Duty towards every man That order and safety setled by Gods Word for Beauty strength and use in this worldly Fabrick the knowledge of Christ teaches how to preserve with all possible care The chastity and propriety of body and goods as well as of souls it looks after The credit and content that concerns all men in their respective places is much furthered and duly preserved by this gracious Knowledge It s good physick to purge out ill humours for the curing of all distempers It affords choice food for old and for young for strong and for weak in all necessities What the Rabbies soy of the material manna is truly verified of this spiritual Meat that its relish suits every Palat and may satisfie every desire It s a Cordial against all faintings to revive the feeble in their Agonies Armour of Proof it furbishes for war against all enemies inward and outward It is the Key of Christs Magazin and of all his stores opening the Treasures of our All sufficient God our El Shaddai If you can conceive any thing of worth either in Heaven or earth This Knowledge of Christ will both match it and get it for you so far as may tend to your real good It s in a word the true Elixar and Philosophers Stone that turns all to Gold and puts a choice vertue into every thing towards felicity Vse This knowledge appears a singular Jewel upon good Reason good use thereof should be made also The best things are made for the best use and appear best therein As Christ himself is of infinite usefulness every kind of way so is his Grace participatively and communicatively This may be improved then 1. In a word of Information 1. See hence by way of Corollary the singular Method that should regulate every mans study Men are naturally desirous of Knowledge by an Instinct suited to their rational Being Mans soul was at first made after Gods Image in perfect Knowledge What sin lost and defaced in Adams Treason Grace only Restores The Knowledge of Christ affords a Tree of Life but most follow the Serpents advice stil in longing after another knowledge both of good and evil The sinful Issue of sinful Adam do stil love to
aright thou wouldst know thy self better and wouldst see thy new pretended Light to be but old darkness Thy pretence of Christs name will do thee little good whilst thou slightest his Word and Ways his Sabbath and Worship his Service and Saints Satan may cease troubling of thee and fill thee with false joyes but thy carnal Raptures will soon end in wo like the crackling of Thorns 2. The most gracious may find just cause from this very point to humble and judge themselves for the remaining of so much sin in them The most are totally guilty and the best in part of too much darkness and dulness selfishness and sinfulness against this precious Jewel That Christ is no better known unto thee after so much of his glorious discoveries what a shame is it that there is yet so little of Grace and so much of corruption in us should it not deeply humble us that we savour so much of self and so little of Christ Is it not matter of sad lamentation that Christ should be slighted and abused forgotten and forsaken in such a manner by his very Friends Is it not wofull The more precious Christ is unto us the more vile shall we be to our selves Saith not Christ to us as David his Type to his bosom friend that wretched Anitophel Is it not dreadfull to be abused by our nearest and dearest relations Hadst thou struck thy best friend in the dark on mistake how would it break thy heart 3. This Truth will afford a needfull Test for a due examination Hence may we trie our state personal and publique to frame a Prognostick of our hopes and fears In this ballance of the Sanctuary our case should be weighed Deceit is common and very dreadfull False Christs and false Prophets variously delude themselves and others too Bring then all to Gods Touch. 1. By the due review and application of all the former particulars do we know Christ thus in his person and office in his Progress and Purchase in his Relation and Influence Are we the subjects so wrought upon by him Are we thus acquainted with the cause and nature with the properties and effects of this gracious knowledge Are we not still in that unregenerate state of reigning Ignorance and neglect of formality and self justifying of profaness or notional delusions Is the spiritual Change yet wrought within us by the special hand of Christs renewing Spirit Our nature of it self is as bad as the worst Is it now savingly transformed in the Spirit of our mind How far is this change wrought in our selves and others mind it exactly by the standard of Truth 2. How this Change was wrought is as considerable What Method and Means did Gods Spirit use and in what manner did he prevail with us Were we effectually convinced by him of sin and Righteousness Were we made to see the worst of our selves that we might embrace the best of Christ Have we felt at the heart such a clear discovery of our emptiness and sinfulness of our Wretchedness and Unworthiness of our Insufficiency and nothingness as to be wholly weaned from self and carried out to him Have we duly observed the unability of all Creatures to afford us help Hath the sight and sense of our wofull state so opposite to God made Christ truly precious to our souls Are we more troubled at the pollution then at the punishment of sin Doth it grieve us to the very soul that we have grieved such a dear Saviour Have we beheld our state in the Glass of his Law and of his Gospel to make us sensible efficaciously both of our Malady and of his Remedy Hath he made his Word so to work on us as to break our hearts and melt them kindly Have we found that hammer and fire of his killing our sins and quickning our souls Hath he made us thereby cheerfully willing to give up all to him and prefer him above all Hath he blessed the means so effectually as to make us feel him in and through them all Hath he made every sin more bitter to our Taste then ever we found any sweetness therein Hath he knockâ—d us off from all other props that we might rest upon him alone 3. Consider also how this Change works now to clear this Inquiry with impartiality Doth his holy Spirit operate on us by this gracious knowledge as the Soul doth upon the Body through its variety of intermediate Spirits Observe it we may in the resemblance of that three-fold Life which mans soule doth communicate to its proper subject A vegetative a sensitive a rational Life is afforded thereby Doth Christ do so to us spiritually 1. A Vegetative Life is for Nutrition Augmentation and Propagation 1. FOR Nutrition whereto serve the several faculties attractive and retentive concoctive and expulsive Doth this knowledge of Christ act thus within us 1. Do we draw and attract spiritual nourishment to the supply of our renewed wants Do we suck his breasts as new born babs and desire that food that may sustain us to eternal Life Is it done in season and order in quantity and quality meet 2. Do we retain and keep the same with all diligence lest at any time we should let it slip Is it laid up in our hearts and industriously kept that it may keep us 3. Do we concoct and digest it well by spiritual fervour to be distributed unto every part Do we shun and abhor Crudities Cloyings and Oppressions that might hinder it 4. Do we expel all sinfull Excrements that continually do breed within us Do we loath detest and cast out duly all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and all superfluity of naughtiness from every part of us 2. For Augmentation Is our spiritual Life like the natural still upon increase spreading it self into every part that our growth may be proportional universal and perpetual Doth this knowledge dilate all faculties in Mind and Judgement Reason and Conscience Will and Affections 3. For Propagation Doth our spiritual Life as the natural labor still to beget in us and produce in others more fruits of the Spirit more issues of Grace to perpetuate this divine off-spring Is nothing more active and communicative Doth it diffuse its species round about as being the Issue and Image of him who is the chief and most communicative good 2. A sensitive Life is for Sense Motion and Appetite so it our spiritual Life Doth Christ do so to us spiritually 1. Doth he give us Sense external and internal as in Nature so in Grace 1. External Sense is five-fold by Sight and Hearing Smelling Taste and Touch. 1. DO we spiritually discern and delight in the Beauty of Christs divine holiness in all his perfections in all his Ordinances and in every Providence Do we thereby see all other things and reflect on
our selves as becomes us that we may not behold vanity 2. Is our Hearing spiritually employed in listning after the Fathers Commands Christs invitations the Spirits motions in his Word and Rod within and without us Is our ear opened to our Beloved and boared to the posts of his house that we may not hearken after any Tempter 3. Have we a spiritual Smell after the perfumes of Christs precious Garments the droppings of his Graces and Benefits and the fragrancy of his divine Spices Do we odorare the sweetness of his Garden and prefer it before all the rankness of sin self of the World and Satan 4. Is our Taste spiritually active to relish the dainties of Christ the pleasures of his Table the choiceness of his feast Do we prefer his flaggons and apples Do we relish him in his sweetness and comfort before all the worlds chear all and all in him Do we therefore abhor the bitterness attending every sin though sugard with Pleasure Profit or Honor Do we taste and know how good the Lord is 5. Is our Touch also spiritually employed to feel the difference between heat and cold between good and evil in the things of Christ Is this sense as others so well exercised to avoid all evil and embrace the good 2. The Internal sense receives from those Cinque Ports and Gates all sorts of Objects to be orderly view'd and compar'd laid up and improved by the faculties called Common sense Phantasie and Memory Are we thus spiritually sensible through this gracions Knowledge 1. BY common sense and general Perception of the species of things with their circumstantiated differences of Motion Rest Magnitude Number c. to give thereof a definitive intimation unto the Phantasie Doth Christs Spirit thus help us to discern of all things presented for a spiritual use to be faithfully reviewed and transmitted for orderly Improvement Do we keep watch and take due account of all sorts of Passengers and Guests coming to visit our internal man that they may be punctually discerned and orderly dealt with 2. Phantasie or Imagination entertaining those various Objects compares divides and composes them much like a Printer doth order his work with multitudes of variations and flowrishes Have we a like spiritual skill faithfully to compare the things that differ to separate the good from the evil to compose all things to spiritual advantage 3. Memory laies up what is thus ordered and laieth it out again as there is occasion in the naâ—ural man Is it so with us in the spiritual man Do we remember well the things of Christs Glory and of our own Peace Do we so record what he teaches us as to improve it in season and order Do we so lay up as to lay out in the best manner Are we carefull not to forget him or any thing of his Do we therefore beware of oblivion-water that we become not like wretched Israel 2. Sensitive Life acts by way of motion upward and downward to the right and left forward and backward in Pulsation and Respiration Do we move thus spiritually 1. DO we move upward towards Christ and Heaven aspiring still after Eternity Is our Center above and our Load-stone there where Christ sits at the right hand of God Is there a divine fire within us bending still heaven-ward to its first original 2. Do we move downward against every sin Do we labor still to tread self and Satan under foot with all sublunaries as Christ and his spouse eminently do 3. Do we move to the right in compassion and brotherly Love friendly assistance and Christian forbearance as Christ and his Apostles teach us practically 4. Do we move to the left by pittying and bemoaning sinners praying for them reproving of them and directing and exhorting them that yet remain in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity plucking some as brands out of the fire Christ himself did so in the days of his flesh 5. Do we move forward still toward the price of the heavenly calling looking at Jesus c Do we so press forward towards the Mark forgetting the things behind that we may lose no time in this race of ours 6. Do we move back sometime to hasten our pace that we may leap better in considering our ways with remorse of sin and strong resolves to be more diligent in learning Wisdom from former follies 7. Doth our Pulse beat spiritually with freeness strength and orderliness to signifie the due Composure and harmonious Accord of all our Vitals in the ways of Christ Doth our heart keep a right Circulation of spiritual blood from the Center to the Circumference with renewed Reciprocations Do the various Communications of his Spirit set out by the Title of seven Spirits to denote Perfection Variety and Sufficiency manifest themselves in the constant Tenor of of our spiritual Pulse by returning still to Christ what we are still receiving from him Are we sensible of any change there in weakness inaequality and disorderliness for speedy remove of all obstructions disturbing the same 8. Do we move also in Spiritual Respirations 1. Inspiring the fresh gales of his reviving Spirit who blows where he lists and breaths into us by internal and external motions to temper our Spirits and to revive them Do we therein imitate David and all the friends of Christ in their spiritual Pantings and longings 2. Expiring the fuliginous vapors of our sinfull hearts and breathing forth the desires of our souls to be rid of those fumes that are so noisom to all our vitals and still breeding feavourish heats in our internal man Do we long to eject these unwelcome Guests who still like that serpent in Aesop will be sure to sting and poison their host when they recover heat 3. Sensitive Life acts by Appetite Doth spiritual Life act so within us both Concupiscibly and Irascibly 1. The concupiscible Appetite acts the Affections of Love and Hatred Joy and Sorrow Desire and Disdain Is the like felt in us spiritually 1. DO we love Christ as the best Object for sweetness and beauty excellency and sutableness the incomparable Paragon of all Have we none in Heaven but him and none upon earth in comparison of him Do we love all his for his sake in subordination to himself Do we therefore love all the ways and means wherein his Love is shewed towards us that our Love may reciprocate towards him again 2. Do we hate sin and all Christs enemies as he hates them upon his account Do we abhor and detest whatsoever is contrary to that lovely Object as contrary to our very being also Hatred extends unto all the kinds Doth our Spirit thus abominate all sinful
warfare against spiritual evils Doth your profiting in this Knowledge of Christ appear unto all in all occasions Vse 4. Be we stirred up to obey this divine Charge of growing in Grace and in the Knowledge of Christ Are not we all nearly concern'd therein Doth not our profit delight and credit challenge this from us Is not Gods Interest of greater moment to prevail with us Should not our Relations to others put as upon it Are not Christians spiritual Merchants Shall we not improve then such a precious Jewel Should not we still be trading with Christ in the great Commodities of Heaven Strong encouragements we have from all parts thereof if but duly weighed The Trade the Factor the Commodity the Venture and Gain are beyond compare Men improve their grounds and manage their state to the best advantage that they may live well Should not we then improve this stock and husband this portion upon better ground It is a field that will never fail the more we till it the more it will yield As Christ himself so the knowledg of him are richest Mines still full of Treasure springs of all good still inexhaustible The more you draw the more will follow it like the womans Oil that will never stop but for want of Vessels This improvement will improve all things else and without it nothing will do well This speak to dead and living 1. Death Christians should be excited that they may get Life else they cannot grow You must get the stock before you can trade Your heart must be renewed that it may be bettered Former directions will stand you in stead if duly minded and observed You must be convinced of your spiritual death to feel the need of the Prince of Life Seek then to him as blinde Bartimeus cry hard after him let him have no rest til he give you Life and Light at once He never yet rejected any soul that unfeignedly did attend on him If you wait long at Bethesdas pool it s for your good and he will be found in the best season if he put you off as he did that famous woman of Canaan it is but for trial and to quicken you If you cannot go send your heart and friends your Prayers and Tears to give him a call Be sure to observe what he saith to you in his Word and Providence as by his Spirit As you desire Life neglect no Means helping thereto Looking stil to him for his Blessing in all Retain no sin and slight no Duty Voluntarily give him your bad heart to mend it for you Feel your deadness that he may quicken you Know the worst of your self by inspection in his Glass that you may learn to know the best of Christ Beware especially of your darling Lusts your Dalilah corruptions whether sinful pleasure profit or Pride Know your wretchedness and emptiness your insufficiency and unworthiness that Christ may be your all for Wisdom and Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 2. Living Christians must stir up themselves encrease this Life Rouz up the Grace of God that is within you Blow up those sparks and make it your work to grow stil in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Food and Exercise Physick and Diet Temperance and Vigilance will be found special Helps as for bodily so for spiritual improvement of Life There is an Instinct in every creature for self-preservation and increase which moves stil towards proper Objects in all due means 1. Look well to your food then of a spiritual Nature to shun what is evil and improve what is good You must therein mind the quantity and quality the order and season of Receving it for due concoction The Scripture Word will afford you still the living Bread and the living Water the flesh and Blood of Christ to feed on by Faith Its milk for Babes and strong meat for adult Christians Let it not be mixed nor adulterated by humane additions or detractions Hunger and thirst stil after the Word and Righteousness of Christ Take what suits your case and observe what Rules himself gives you Plain dressing thereof will be still best for your profiting Feel the need of it and long after it cry and seek hard for it make good use of it You must feed well that you may thrive well 2. See to your exercise that it may be moderate suitable and seasonable so will it be of singular help to discuss ill humours and to augment your native heat by fit distribution of food and Spirits In all the waies of God exercise your self unto Godliness as the Apostle did for himself directing Timothy and all others to the same Such an exercise hath the Promises of this Life and of that to come being still profitable for all things Beware of straying into the devils paths and training in his military Yard You must wrastle against sin and self against spiritual enemies of all sorts Your sinful body must be kept under that you may be nimble and swift in your Race The whole Armour of God is furbished to your hands that you may put it on and use it with success Be thus strong in his strength and in the power of his might that you may prevail in all your conflicts 3. Mind seasonable Physick which you will often find the need of to purge out your peccant humors that are increasing and putrifying still Your Growth will be stopt if these sinfull stoppages and putrid matters be not duly removed Advise therefore with the best Physician for Prescripts and Medicines sorted to your case Deal very freely and fully with him without dissembling and reservation Give him exact account of what you do know that you may be dealt throughly with for good observe his directions with puncutual care in receiving good and eschewing evil His Skill Power and Will are incomparable and unquestionable His blood and Grace by his Holy Spirit he mingles in his Word to destroy your sins and to save your soul If his Pils appear bitter to your taste they are the fitter to kill your corruptions Your eure is certain if you be but ruled under his preparing purging and dressing No disease ever proved shame to him trust him obey him and your case is safe 4. Keep a due Diet as he doth instruct who orders all things to his peoples good To abstain from evil is still as needfull as to be doing and receiving good Observe then what things are most offensive to your constitution that you may avoid the first beginnings and appearance thereof Some are more bent to pride others to Passion some to vanity others to wordliness some are more lazie others more wanton some grow more secure others more foolish Error will tempt you under various shapes putting on often the Garment of Light Ignorance and Pride
By his Spirit he draws home his Elect from among the rest to a conjugal acquaintance with himself This gracious knowledge is to be improved for a singular Antidote against sinfull Errors It hath appeared to be so in all ages and will still be so upon solid grounds which divine Reason suggests to us Reason 1. Because it removes and prevents the causes thereof External and Internal The cause removed the Effect will cease 1. THE External Causes called evident among Physicians are all such as from without endanger men as ill Company Disorders Infection Wounds c. from Sin and Satan thus spiritually many external causes do still assault us which the knowledge of Christ prevents and removes A well grown Christian hath his senses exercised to discern aright between good and evil The spiritual man judges of all things comparing of them spiritually He is not easily caught into the snare but wisely foresees it and escapes He believes not every Spirit but tries them all by the Lords Touch-stone He is forewarned and forearmed still against Infectious Temptations of all sorts 2. Internal Causes are either Antecedent and remote or continent and proxime which are bred within by congestion and defluxion of several ill humors putrifying gradually and variously to the distempering of the several parts and of the whole also Thus sinfull Corruption doth spiritually disorder mens souls Spiritual Growth affords Christs own help to the purging out of such ill Humors Vapors and Spirits It kils the worms takes away stoppages cleanses the parts by all convenient helps internal and external It purges the whole and then the parts in a due Method using revulsions and derivations with all sort of evacuations So far as Grace is grown up within by the knowledge of Christ so far is corruption purged out gradually He that knows him purifies himself even as he is pure Christs own Physick dispenced daily in his Word and Providence is through his Spirit improved that way He that is born of God doth not so sin as he did before neither can he so sin either totally or finally because the seed of God abides in him As he finds corruption breeding afresh within it s his desire and design his delight and labor to crush the Cockatrice in the shell and suppress the first beginnings He hath a tender heart sensible of the first stirs of the least vain thoughts and keeps himself that the evâ—l one touch him not as before Reason 2. Because it corroborates and fortifies the noble parts and thereby all the rest against all internal Corruptions and outward Temptations Thus health and strength are procured and improved against the malignity of all spiritual distempers Corroboration is a singular help as in the bodies so in the Souls of men against all diseases Ill Humors do leave in the parts affected an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Discomposure which enfeebles it and by a ferment and a sickly Spawn makes it prone to new disorders Error and Sin work in the like manner upon mens souls striking chiefly at the Vitals and Chief The knowledge of Christ duly improved doth orderly eradicate and extirpate it by Communication of his divine strength to vivification of every Grace and Mortification of the old man in all its Members The more a soul lives in him and by him the more of his renewed Supports and supplies come in which compose the Christian into spiritual health rectifying every part All the faculties are secured and fortified thereby against Relapses and struglings of sin Such can do all things through Christ strengthning them The sense of their own insufficiency drives them still to his Al-sufficiency that his Grace may be sufficient for them and his Vertue perfected in weakness Reason 3. Because it derives still a specifick Vertue out of Christ himself whose Soveraign Property mingled with all due means of his appointing affords still a sure Preservative Physicians observe the specifick Vertue of natural Medicines simple and compound which renders the whole effectual towards bodily cures Such a signally peculiar force is found in the Lords choice Antidote dispensed to his Patients The knowledge of Christ duly improved fetches out of him that wonderfull Grace which he mingles with all the Medicines appointed for their good His Blood is that Aurum potabile and Panpharmacum that Catholicon and Elixer of Life which sanctifies all things effectually to his Peoples good The more any soul grows up into acquaintance with him the more use is made of that Soveraign Balm of Gilead flowing from the Physicians very heart The Pelican is said to cure his little ones with his own blood Christ to be sure makes this good to his His Grace is the Basis of every Dose of every Topick of every means appointed by him The strongest poison is quelled thereby the stoutest humors are subdued the sorest obstructions are removed and the worst Maladies cured by the same He healed all manner of diseases and sicknesses among the people in their bodies and souls in his progress on earth and he doth so still by his Spirit from heaven His Word and Ordinances are the proper means used by him for application thereof He employes his servants of the Magistracy and Ministry to observe his will in the right use thereof by all fit helps Spiritual and Civil His Providence points out the case to be dealt with all spiritual skil Our Antidote improved affords every Christian to manage all aright His special Blessing he affords in all according to Promise The Reason is good make good use of it Vse 1. Corollar 1. Hence may we view the Ground and Cure of our spiritual Distempers in all Relations 1. THE Ground is much from want of spiritual Growth in the best as from want of Life in most Were Christ known to better purpose both Church and State would not be so sickly But the most are ignorant of him and the best much too blame Thence so many diseases and sores in all Relations and Societies Every Person every Family finds cause to complain because the Lord Christ is so much slighted No wonder if the sickness increase and the venom spreads when such a Physician with his Antidote are so basely used Wise men easily see whence this evil comes and is aggravated Gross wilfull unbelief is the forest disease that aggravates the case making it desperate This was the case of Gods people of old in the wilderness and Canaan again and again They slighted Christ and his Messengers till they were grown beyond all Remedy It may give us warning 2. The Cure and Method of Relief is hence observable the Lord hath not left us yet remediless There is Balm in Gilead and a Physician there with Soveraign Vertue to cure
thus 1. Prize it undervalue it not consider its worth and singular use It s Christ himself with his saving Grace that is to be duly known and improved Let no creature then come into competition Christ will endure no Corrival nor Superiour Let not any darling sin be cherished now to undervalue Christ If he be not infinitely better mind him not at all if he be mind him above all 2. Desire it disdain it not So lovely so needful an Object should set all your Affections on flames You have disdained him too long already is it not high time to long for him to breath and pant till you obtain him What would a dying man give for a sure cure a condemned man for a pardon a drowning man for help Let your heart give that and all to this Christ 3. Embrace it reject it not accept of him if you love your self upon his own Terms If you capitulate or reserve any thing Christ will none of you This offer may be your last Let your whole soul now close freely with him in a Conjugal way by mutual consent Receive and Take that you may be One and may know him thus and your self aright 4. Insure it neglect it not you have his Insuring Office to make all clear and firm His Spirit within by his privy Seal his Sacraments and Ordinances without by a broad Seal ratifie his gracious Covenant Observe and grieve not that Spirit of Adoption that must witness within by evidencing Grace and operate without in all the means of Grace for the Obsigation and security of your Interest 5. Keep it los it not so Rare a Jewel so choice an Antidote should be laid up with all possible care Precious stones are found to be specifick Cordials against various diseases and poisons This choisest Jewel should be chiefly set in the Golden Ring of a gracous soul to be worn and kept against all danger Beware of sullying breaking and hurting so curious a Piece 6. Improve it abuse it not This precious knowledge was never intended to feed vain Notions or vile Affections but to fence you against every evil and help you effectually to all true good Improve it therefore unto such Ends wherein you may be sure of Gods Blessing There was never more need of such an Antidote to preserve Christians from Epidemical sins This gracious Knowledge of Christ well improved hath vertue enough to fortifie you against all the Wiles of the wicked and all the deceits of your sinful hearts make use of it then against every Temptation and corruption especially against Errour the woful disease of this sinful Age There was never more need of Christs help against so many unclean spirits ensnaring many simple hearts Prudence and Zeal are here most needful to discern aright of persons and things Some good men are drawn in on mistakes as the four hundred that followed Absalom in their simplicity Some Errors are more superficial wherein Christians must bear with each other walking together as far as they agree waiting for the Lords further discovery Many Errors are so fundamental that they are inconsistent with the hope of Salvation and must be earnestly contended against by due improvement of this Antidote all of them militate against Christ either directly or reflectively in opposition to all that is near and dear unto him variously assaulting 1. His Deity which the Arrians and Sabellians blasphemously denied making him but a Deus factus and the Socinians after them following therein both the Socinus's Uncle and Nephew whose Italian Venom carried so much infection into Poland lately revived by too many among us as by Paul Best Biddle c. as it hath been scattered in Transilvania and Neighbouring parts by divers such Instruments Turks and Jewes agree with them therein For the prevention and cure of this deadly plague spiritual growth in the Grace and Knowledge of Christ will be a special Antidote faithfully improved fortifying your soul with his Truth making you to feel the Power of his Godhead through the beam of that Sun of Righteousness Reason and Experience thus spiritualized will demonstrate to you and to others by you the Record which God bears of his Son in whom dwels the fulness of the Godhead bodily or essentially as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports The same Titles and Attributes the same Worship and works ascribed to God the Father are also ascribed to God the Son The wretched Arrians called Christ in scorn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a diminutive God and would grant him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a like substance but denied him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same substance Were he not God co-essential and co-eternal with the Father how could he be one with him as himself affirms How could he have made infinite satisfaction and procured infinite Salvation How could he have born Gods infinite wrath for his peoples sins What shall we think of those quaking Impostors that own no Christ above but what 's in them that renew the Ranters blasphemy of Gods being all things their being Christed c Do they not affront the God of Glory The God-head of Christ takes up man to God conveying from God all good through his Manhood There must be our strength against every sin that Christ our surety is the blessed God 2. His Humanity variously assaulted by Notionists of an old and new stamp by many Behmenists and the swarms of Quakers who have con'd too much of their mysterious absurdities This poison once got into mens Brains casts them into strange dreams about Christs manhood which they fancy to have been but a fiction and figure a Phantasm and Apparition that vanished after a while to represent that within them which they call Christ To repress those pestiferous fumes from intoxicating your head and heart your Antidote will inform your Judgement with the Truth and warm your heart with the substantial goodness of his human Nature It will shew you out of Scripture that he is truly the Son of man who took on him the seed of Abraham was made flesh in all things like to us except sin Without controversie Great is the Mysterie of Godliness God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels believed on in the world preached to the Gentiles received up into Glory Had he not been a real man how could he have suffered on his peoples behalf How could he have made his soul an offering for sin His sufferings were most real sure that forced from him such a bloody sweat in the open air of a cold season and that in the night that made him cry out so lamentably My God my God why hast thou forsaken me that spent him wholly to his last breath with a most
death was the complement and utmost His whole life was a continual passion and he was most active in his most passive Obedience He laid down his Life of himself-freely and shewed his active Power in his giving up the Ghost That perfection of his Merits excludes the least Ingrediency of mans Merits Our Obedience is required indeed and rewarded of Grace not for its worth or proportion The Childs duty is required not to merit his Inheritance by but to shew his Ingenuity The Beggars reaching of his hand is a condition yet no merit of the Gift 8. His Prophetical Charge is undermined First By the Errors forenamed Secondly By the Popish pretences of Infallibility in their Church Pope or Councel Thirdly By the immediate Revelations and infallible Oracles of Enthusiasts Quakers Behmenists pretending extraordinary acquaintance with God and Spirits besides above and against his Word Fourthly By the Perfectionists of divers sorts who pretend to a sinless state wherein they need no further teaching Fifthly By such as despise Christs Prophets and Apostles Pastors and Teachers extraordinary and ordinary Messengers of his AGainst such a disease improve this Antidote to vindicate the Lords Infallibleness and to detect the cheats of all Impostors pretending thereto You will see thereby that Christs Spirit alone is the supream infallible Judge speaking to us by his written word è Cathedra coeli That we need no other infallible Judge on earth That every Christian in his place whether private or publique Civil or Ecclesiastical hath a Judgement of discretion to regulate him in his own Acts by the Scripture Rule That Churches and Counsels have an Authoritative Judgement of direction to the several members under their respective Charges still in subordination to Christs writen Word That yet there is no need of any Infallible immediate and sinless assistance or spirit in any mortal man now since the Canon of Scripture our perfect Rule was compleated by John the Beloved Apostle That all pretenders to such infallibility since the Apostles days have successively bewrayed their notorious Impostures and contradictions both notionally and practically That Popish Bishops and Councils Enthusiastical Behmenists and Quakers have hitherto been found guilty of such absurd falshoods and blasphemous extravagancies that they sufficiently confute themselves That Paul himself after all his Raptures knew but in part complaining stil of his own and others weakness and insufficiency That Peter himself failed and was reproved by him openly That there is indeed a perfection of sincerity and Truth begun below in the Regenerate and a perfection of Growth which is comparative progressive But that a sinless perfection of fulness is reserved for the Glory of Heaven not enjoyed before mans dissolution That Christ therefore is the grand Prophet who teaches his people stil by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for their Salvation gradually That being taught all needful things by his Anointing who writes his Law upon their heart they need not to be taught by any Sect-master in a Pharisaical way so as to pin their faith upon any mans sleeve upon his own credit but must attend Christ who teaches from Heaven by men and Means That no meer mans word is to be believed upon his own credit but that all Doctrines must be examined by the Scriptural Teachings of Christ That those spirits and persons who pretend to bring Infallible Oracles and a new Gospel are cursed of the Apostle for shaking off Christ and his Gospel That all Christs servants are to be heard so far as they keep to his scriptural Commission but no further That Christ himself is received or rejected so far as his Embassadors following his Instruction are owned or slighted It s the common and ominous Symptom of Error to despise the Ministers of Christ though Godly and Learned and prefer their own Imaginations before the plain Word of God The Gospel is to us the only Glass of Heaven wherein the Glorious Revelations of Gods Image are made out to transform us into the likeness thereof gradually through his Spirit 9. The Kingship of Christ is much abused 1. by the Errors forenamed 2. By Libertines and Ranters of all sorts 3. By the Pontifician Supremacy pretended to be over all things and persons in the Pope as Peters Successor 4. By Quakers and others slighting the Christ above under pretence of a Christ within 5. By sensual pretenders and abusers of a fifth Monarchy Against these Rebellious Tenets the Grace and Knowledge of Christ will satisfie us that Christ Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who must Reign even in the midst of all enemies till they be made his footstool That he will destroy all such who refuse to stoop to his Golden Scepter but chuse to live in the kingdom of Darkness under the Rule of sin and Satan That Conscience is his seat Royal in mans soul which is by Sin Satan and self usurped from him That he will surely recover his Right if not in mercy yet in his just wrath That pretence of conscience to shake off his Rule is the highest Treason under his Pavilion That to shelter any sin or Error under that covert is but to cloath Traytors in his robes of state That he will not save where he doth not Rule and will not be our Priest if he be not our King That to desire or plead Liberty to sin is to set up Hell in Rule among men under the habit of Heaven That the more of Christ is in any soul the more obedience in true faith and Love is given to him That to set up a Pope or any other meer man for a supream Head over the conscience is to set up a sinful wretch in the Throne of Christ That his Jealousie will not endure long such a Rebellion That Peter never had any Supremacy of Power or Authority what ever priority of Order and Age may be granted by some That Peters being at Rome is very uncertain and yet to be proved though many affirm it That if his being there were fully granted yet his fixed charge and continuance there shall need as much proof That upon supposal of his setling there yet must it be shewed that he acted there such a Supremacy That if that also were clear it must be shewed also that his full power was made over to his successors there more then to any other Minister of Christ at Antioch or elsewhere That in case that should be proved likewise they must demonstrate a clear succession from that time till now which is impossible And if that could be yet they must evince their succession in Doctrine also else all the former will only prove Papacy to be the Man of Sin got into Gods Temple the grand Antichrist and the scarlet Whore riding on
Scripture speaks of Christs Dying for all for the World for sinners c. the context still clears the restriction of those phrases to all the Elect both Jews and Gentiles that are of all sorts and in all places and ages It s a common phrase in every language thus to speak of all for many of all sorts indefinitely to be explained by the matter in hand Thus all Judea came to be baptised The Apostles preached to every creature under heaven yet still with limitation The word World in divers places cannot signifie whole man-kind but must be limited to the vessels of mercy alone Thus Christ takes away the sin of the world now blessed is he whose sin is taken away every man is not so Many are in Hell beyond possibility thereof he gives Life to the world not to them in Hell God was in Christ reconciling the world not imputing their sin unto them Is this every mans priviledge to have reconciliation and pardon In other places the World can signifie none but Reprobates that shall never be saved that lie in wickedness that Christ prayed not for that die in their sins that cannot receive the Spirit of Grace c. Usually its signification is indefinite to be explained by the context But what must men blieve if Christ died not for every man They must believe that Christ alone is the full Saviour and Redeemer of his people that he that believes not shall be damned that Believers are saved through his Grace c. as the Scripture teaches Object Bnt why is Christ offered to all then Answ Because that he speaks to men by men after the manner of men His Elect are to be gathered from among all sorts The Gardiner waters the weeds secundarily but the good plants primarily The Sun shines on the blind that cannot make use thereof Object But is not Vnbelief the great damning sin Answ It is so though not the only damning sin Positive unbelief is worse then negative and admits of Degrees too All sin is Damnable a deadly disease But Unbelief is the refusing the rejecting of the only Remedy that shuts the soul under its deserved death Object But is not this Doctrine uncomfortable Answ It s indeed to all unbelieving Impâ—nitent sinners wilfully rejecting Christ but it s most comfortable to all humble self-denying souls those poor in spirit that hunger and thirst after Christs righteousness There is no comfort to the wicked from the Lord. But much encouragement to every soul that is made willing to turn from al sin to God through Christ Such shall duly know that Christ died for them when they find him killing sin in them that they may live to him A general Notion that Christ died for all and every One can give no more comfort to Peter then to Judas till his heart do feel the power of Christs death Is it not more comfort that Christ died to save his Elect certainly then that he died so indefinitely that its uncertain for all his death whether any shall be saved If you grant he died absolutely but for some then it s certain that only they shall be saved and his dying for the rest conditionally will not make them salvable nor afford any comfort to them If any Inconvenience attend our Doctrine it must needs attend that also Yea if Christ should have died for all alike yet seeing all are not in the event saved he must needs fore-know it or not be Omniscient and fore-ordain it or not be Omnipotent and that certainly or not be Soveraign The same difficulties will follow that way with many more Either God or the Creature must be Independent It disparages not Christs death that its limited to the Fathers purpose by his Intention and Execution All Divine Attributes are wonderfully magnified this way his Wisdom and Power Mercy and Truth Justice and Holiness c. The Parallel drawn by the Apostle between the first and second Adam proves a parity and proportion of Christs Redemption extended to all his spiritual seed as the corruption and condemnation of Adam extends to all his natural seed But all men individually considered are not Christs spiritual seed The Elect are such intentionally before Conversion and actually Become such in their Conversion All Adams children died by him and all Christs children were redeemed by him It s more to redeem one soul then to destroy all Christ excels incomparably 21. Christs renewing Grace is no less a Sufferer by First The former Oppositions Secondly By Pelagians old and new asserting mans nature to be so restored in every man that they are all born in Gods favour continuing so till they grosly abuse the Light given them either natural or Evangelical making Grace as common as Nature because its a gift though diversifyed Denying Original sin and Habitual corruption before years of discretion Thirdly The Socinians who following them deny that special Renewing Grace and pretend the New Birth mentioned so often to be but a moral change upon men which their nature by a common help from God doth attain unto in imitation of Christ whom they suppose to be a meer Patterne of Holiness not the Internal efficient thereof Fourthly By the Papists and Arminians who have learned of them to advance mans self-sufficiency free Will and Power by a common assistance of Gods Light indifferently afforded to all sorts according to their Improvements of the common Gifts received to accept or reject Christ at their pleasure and to cast away the best of his Gifts Received when they list In effect placing a mans strength and standing yea his chief All in his own mutable will making Faith but a common Assent given to Truth Fifthly By the Quakers Familists and Notionists who carry too much compliance with their Ghostly Fathers in these as in other things AGainst these Lethal Maladies the knowledge of Christ improved graciously will afford effectual Remedies Thereby we learn to see by Scripture Light the total corruption of mans sinful Nature the universality thereof reaching all places and persons its closeness and adherence its contagion and fruitfulness its temptations and Rebellions its policies and power its fierce and inconsiderate madness its indefatigable unsatisfiableness and its multiplicious propagation not admitting of remission or intermission This fully manifests the insufficiency and emptiness of man his unskilfulness and aptness to any spiritual good Thence the necessity of a special Renewing Grace from above to work an effectual change in all Gods Elect by an Almighty irresistible power such as quickned Lazarus and raised up Christ Jesus from the Grave This sanctifying Grace is considered in Scripture in the gradual Renovation of man from his first conversion from Nature to Grace unto his change from Grace into Glory The product of this Renewing Grace is called a new Creature and a Translation from death to