contrarietie of Spirit unto it Jo. 14. 4. and 5. 14. Psal 5. 15. Rom. 7. 23. propension to any sin and unaptness to any good 2. So for the penalties a seed of utter impenitâ—nciâ— disobedience obstinacie apostasie excommunication from God From this fountain proceeded both actual sins and actual penaltiâ—s Sins of commission omission ignorance presumption inward habits as hypocrisie earthliness ignorance error prophaneness unthankfulness hardness of heart Outward acts impiousness unrighteousness intemperancie and the like So penalties actual as the impuritie and curs of conception and birth the loss of the right and dominion of the creatures the curs on God's blessings hellish terrors diseases povertie discredit imprisonment fear of death guiltiness of judgment and utter miserie of loss and sens in hell Such a penaltie upon Adam's nature as made it truly miserable in stead of beeing truly happie This miserie hath two branches 1. The miserie of sin 2. The miserie of punishment 1. Miserie of sin is either of the root Original or the branches Actual sin both makeing the Soul truly though not equally miserable The miserie of Original sin standeth in two things 1. Original guilt 2. Original stain or pollution both being the fountains of all actual guilt and pollution of conscience Original guilt is that privitie and reflection of conscience whereby hee told himself continnally that hee had fallen and therefore must die the death in each kinde of it bodie and Soul This perpetual Alarum of conscience in his nature was the first part of his finfull miserie And to say the truth what miserie is like to this to bee ever on the rack of a man 's own spirit suggesting and boading him sad things to com for his sin threatning him with perpetual ruine Original stain or pollution is set forth either in the whole or in the parts Touching the whole the holy Ghost expresseth it by the word Death for as death is the resolution of nature so is this death of the Soul a total abolishment and corruption of that blessed frame of creätion in Minde by light in Will by holiness Touching the parts in the minde there is a death of all pure light and knowledg in the will of subjection in the affections of direction to the right objects in the conscience of all welfare and pureness in the spirits senses and members there is a death of that abilitie and serviceableness to the Soul in good things and a proneness and tickling to bee imploied profanely and unholily To conclude there is a death of the Person in respect of that right and sovereigntie over the creatures with a slavish proneness rather to idolize them both in the worship of som and the love or use of others a declenfion from God and a revolt to the base creature as Eve did to the forbidden fruit The miserie of Actual sin is the depravedness of death of all the operations flowing from the soul within or the bodie without 11. The miserie of punishment stand's in the manifold penalties both of soul and bodie In the Soul first an aversness from God an uncapableness of admitting of any meanes to draw the Soul out of miserie to any better estate a spirit of resisting and opposition to any such a proneness to bee riveted more and more deeply into this wo with less or less feeling or believing it Touching the bodie what languors and diseases are incident to it what povertie baseness beggerie and want to the estate what reproach to the name and credit aspersions slanders dishonors what miserie in familie Church and Common-wealth Crosses streights pursuits losses forfeits death of friends imprisonment bad tideings famin war pestilence and a thousand waies for him to go wofullie out who came but one way into the World besides grief of minde melancholie passions and distempers of the spirit bad conscience ill marriage lewd children ill success ruine of estate and at last a miserable death and yet the upshot of all is worst after viz. a final separation from GOD and loss of his eternal presence with the sens of unutterable intolerable unavoidable wrath of God in Hell upon the whole man for ever without the least hope of help or redress in or from himself Vse I. To consute the Papists who denie this death of nature and say there bee left in the unregenerate such abilities and devotions as may congruously dispose God to pardon them and by som help of grace merit also full forgiveness It likewise reprov's natural Papilts who doat upon their civil moral or religious duties except yee also denie your selvs and behold the miseries of your natures yee will fare wors in time even by your righteousness then if ye had none For why do not ye graff upon a rotten stock and guild a rotten post So also such as commend men's natures saying oh such are so sweetly natur'd courteous loving milde and harmless that there is but little between them and heaven alas how many of those sweet creatures are as bitter enemies to God's grace as friends to civilitie and fair carriage And also such as defend their passions by their nature saying it 's my nature to bee so hot I have soon don fool think'st thou thy nature is more excusable then thy passion Men think the Minister should onely reproov gross sins but should not bee bitter against infirmities oh God would fain draw thee from the open to the secret sins of thy heart least thy freedom from the gorsser should destroy thee Vse II. This should caus thee to look upward and to gage the greatness of Christ's love which could sinde in his heart to satisfie for such a miserie to fetch happiness out of the depth of it The height depth of mercie cannot bee sounded till thou take measure of it by the depth of miserie Little sin to forgive will make Christ little loved Lett us not lessen and mince our sins in hope of more easie pardon but if wee should magnifie the grace of Christ lett us first magnifie and enlarge our sin to the uttermost if Christ see that wee rather hope in our small sin then his great grace wee are dead men The way to get pardon is to equal his price to all our miserie That love that would rather satisfie for all then any should condemn mee is of infinite dimensions Vse III. This should caus us to wonder at the goodness of Gods dispensation of this miserie that both in the sin and in the penaltie it should bee so mitigated by the providence of that God who for universal ends restraineth the force and violence of this miserie Let us acknowledg the singular patience of God to dispens so mercifully with man all save hell being meer indulgence of mercie Vse IV. It teacheth us to judg aright of sin to count our selvs miserable by it to judg of it not by the matter or act of it but by the villanie of it against the majestie of God his crown and
them The first is usually called the protection of God over his own in Christ their buckler and shield in which sense it is said The beloved of the Lord shall dwell under his protection all the day long It is God's people scape all such crosses as befall the wicked as wicked Vse I. Oh! how patient should wee bee in such crosses as befall us in all kindes if wee considered that the greatest part of them which light upon us is not the least of them that pass by us Vse II. The truth is God's Saints ought to give thanks for they know not what how many how great sorrowes The second viz. Sustaining Redemption is that act of Christ whereby hee succoreth and supporteth all his in trouble And this standeth in the communion of the sufferings of Christ and his grace viz. 1. Of his sweeet Peace which hee giv's us My peace I give you my Peace I leav you 2. Of his meek and patient self-denial 3. Of his courage to bear and endure 4. Of his innocencie and good caus to defend them 5. Of the Spirit of prayer which crie's and grone's to him that can eas them 6. Of purgeing power whereby Afflictions prepare us for glorie 7. Of the issue of the Cross even the quiet fruit of righteousness 8. Of Victorie before-hand even while they are under the Cross 9. Of patience to wait till the hour of darkness bee over Vse I. This point should exhort us to applie our selvs to this priviledg in each cross that befall's us Is it not a mercie to bee thus cared for and pitied as children when the Lord put 's the wicked to their shifts and regard's not what betide's them Saul falling upon his sword desperately Ahimelech thrust through Achitophel and Judas hanging themselvs Is it not worth the while to see a believing Soul at his death lying as a Lamb as a Preacher as one burning but not consumed above fears above loves hopes wife children world self able to doe any thing through Christ that strengtheneth and susteineth 3 The third is Redemption or deliverance from Crosses either particular ones or all The Lord hath his healing in his wings even here for his people I grant there is a righteous Abel who perisheth in his righteousness But ordinarily when God's Mastick patch hath dried the rheum it fall's off of it self David Moses had an end of their crosses and as James saith Yee have heard of the afflictions of Job and what end the Lord made Long sickness long povertie long persecutions have had their end There is a day for us if wee can wait How many weak complexions in youth have enjoyed healthy age how many prisoners have been loosed how many poor ones bin enriched how many mens later daies have proved better then the first But becaus all redemption goe's not aforehand therefore there is another Redemption far more sure and that is full and final at their death and resurrection wherein all tears shall bee wiped away Vse I. This should make all afflictions seem light in comparison Rom. 8. and caus us to embrace it by hope saying If our hope were onely here of all others wee were most miserable Vse II. Let not thine heart mutter at the frequencie of thy crosses by the Divel by men or from the Lord but bless him for such partial deliverances as hee vouchsafeth thee in thy trials Vse III. Learn hence really to pick out the sap of that truth of Paul Phil. 2. To desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ which is best of all Vse IV. Beg of God two things 1. To give us his Spirit of Redemption to frame us for this verie thing as Paul 2 Cor. 5. 4. to prize our ful redemption upon any terms 2. That he would feal us up thereby to an holy securitie VIII Benefit Regeneration Regeneration is taken for the begetting of God in the soul and the effect thereof Sanctification called in Scripture the New Man the New Creature the renewing of the holy Ghost the workmanship of God c. This Sanctification stand's in 2 things 1. The killing power of the Cross of Christ called Mortification 2. The quickning power of his resurrection called Vivification sealed up in the Baptism of the Spirit whereby wee are engrafted and emplanted into them both IX Benefit Glorification The last benefit is Glorification of the whole man after the resurrection in heaven which is the overplus of Christ's purchase and exceed's Adam's happiness consisting in the partakeing of that purchased possession of Glorie and immortalitie not of Paradise upon Earth but in the presence of God And this benefit is the fulness of all the rest it is the execution of the election of God for wee are chosen to glorie it 's the perfection of our imperfect union in this life it 's the end of our calling for wee are called to honor and immortalitie It 's the â—â—â—ness of our Adoption for wee have here the right but there the inheritance of Sons It 's also our final Redemption and Sanctification becausâ— there all tears shall bee wiped away and death shall bee no more and wee shal do the will of God as the Angels and bee sanctified throughout in bodie soul and spirit without spot or blemish and so live eternally See Rom. 8. 30. and ult It stand's in two things 1. Negative happiness viz. The absence and voidness of all which com's short of this or opposeth it 2. Positive happiness viz. When the persons of the elect shall bee so enlarged in their souls and bodies and in each facultie and member thereof as to enjoy and comprehend and behold the Lord perfectly as they are comprehended Vse I. Let it teach us to avoid curiositie about enquirie of this depth and seek humbly and wisely to get our part in it here so shall wee know it one day by experience indeed Vse II. What persons should wee bee in spiritual respects if wee look for such promises how should wee purge our selvs in body and spirit from all uncleanness finishing our Sanctification in Godâ—â— fear Vse III. How should wee long for this happiness counting all our afflictions as light things through our hope revealed The Use of all these Benefits Vse I. If Christ bee offered thus together to the soul at once in all these and not in a bare manner it should bee a marveilous encouragement to each poor soul to believ Vse II. Examine whether Christ bee ours or no. Trial 1. Did Christ offered in the Gospel ever affect our hearts and ravish them with his loveliness the Lord we see offer 's him not bare but with all his furniture which way soever wee look wee shall discern his excellencie hee is one of ten thousand Can wee make a song of our beloved of his head his eyes locks neck bodie feet Surely els wee were never married to him except for his sake even our fathers hous was despised When Eliezer came to Rebecca to
new man new creature regeneration new birth are used or at the operation of this principle as when the tearms of repenting casting off the old man putting on the new purgeing forsakeing denying unrighteousness or lusts are used c. or els at som actual inward virtues as love fear obedience subjection and the like or at som outward performances as walking with God in all his commandements or departing from iniquitie or abhorring evil or cleaving to good ceasing to sin learning to do well or the like these all although in phrase differing yet in sens are all one and they import this That the Lord require's of all believers in Christ that their hearts bee renewed that they purge themselvs finish their sanctification fear him for his mercie walk with God order their conversaton aright all is one thing get one and get all but the holy Ghost doth include all in that golden sentence Hee that is in Christ is a new creature Four points here considerable 1. The Author of this regeneration or new creature the holy Ghost 2. The inward instrument of this author Faith 3. The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 4. The parts These four will proov the chief For as for the other which are taken for granted wee need not dwell much upon them to wit the seed whereof wee are begotten which is the Lord Jesus the immediate instrument used to beget the Word of God the seal by which the spirit assure's and convey's his Regeneration Baptism I. General The spirit of God is the Author of the new creature 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3 5 6. In this new creätion of nature and infusion of qualities the Spirit doth three works 1. By Perswadeing Hee draweth the soul to bee willing to take all Christ as hee is offered and to reject no part of him and succoreth the poor soul in her application of the offer and covenant of Peace 2. By Working The Spirit effect's that in the soul which the promise import's infuseing into her an habit of cleanliness and takeing away all her filthy rags 3. By Sealing The Spirit sealeth these to the Soul Matth. 3. 11. The Lord shall baptize with the holie Ghost and with fire What is that The verie divine gifts of Christ which as fire do purge and cleans our dross and bring forth our metal as pure and clean II. General The Inward instrument of this author Faith Faith saveing and effectual Act. 26. 8. Act. 13. 38. Rom. 5. 1. and 3. 25. Act. 15. both in regard of justification and sanctification Christ is not onely offered to the to bee for them in pardon but to bee in them to dwel to rule to command to exercise power over corruption and for government to bee as a soul in the bodie to act guide and bear sway in them as the branches in the Vine out of which they wither so that the promise offer 's Christ both for union of reconciliation and also communion and influence of grace Faith doth two things in the renewing of the soul First it work 's the heart to bee renewed by an argumentation See 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us becaus wee thus judg c. Mark faith judge's the matter aright and passeth a sound verdict upon it If Christ hath so loved us how should our souls earn towards him in all conformitie to his blessed nature Secondly by infusion shee is the tunnell of the Spirit to convey the renewing of the holy Ghost into the Soul III. General The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 1 Thes 5. 23. viz. 1. Minde the renuing whereof is partly a pugeing of it from the corruption and penalties of it and chiefly a restitution of it to her integritie of light and soveraigntie 2. Will purgeing it from the sin and penalties of it and restoreing it to her integritie and subjection 3. Conscience clensing it from contagion and a restoreing of her to her integritie of faithfull record accuseing for evil and excuseing for good 4. The Bodie and members restoreing them to such integritie as that the senses do duly offer to the soul the objects of sens and the members becom faithful weapons of righteousness Howsoever the holy Ghost doth renew all yet the immediate and chief subject of his residence is the spirit of man IV. General The Parts which bee negative and affirmative the former a destroying of the old frame the later a setting up of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renovation Mortification and Vivification I. Concerning Mortification In general wee must conceiv that there is no principle nor yet seed of any in us to oppose corruption flesh lov's it self Satan doth not oppose himself It is the Lord Jesus who is this new man in the soul and who expelleth the old and his dominion In Particular This spirit of Christ mortifying worketh by steps in the soul and that 1. By knowledg of sin The soul conclude's it to bee a fearful thing which could rob the Lord Jesus of his life-blood 2. By power against it 3. By Subduing the remainder of corruption Sin shall not reign Yee are no more servants of sin Rom. 6. 6. 4. By the seal of Baptism Rom. 6. 3. Know yee not that as many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death 5. By other ordinances viz. hearing praier watchfulness renewing of covenant c. 6. By the sweetness of Christ viz. liveing by faith and walking in uprightness It causeth that former base pleasure and sweet of sin to becom irksom Since the soul tasted Christ all other sinful pleasures becom like the book in the Prophet's bellie as wormwood 7. By applying Christ and his power against all sin in both parts both root and branches 8. By intercepting sins provision thereof Paul Rom. 13. ult oppose's these two putting on of Christ and takeing thought to make provision for our lusts 9. By remooving the strength of the Law The Law is called the strength of sin becaus of that itching and coveting propertie in sin to do that which is forbidden but the law in this point is made to a believer sweet and easie 10. By combat against sin Concerning Vivification As the death of Christ is the death of corruption so the life of Christ is a wel-spring of grace unto eternal life Vse I. If all believers bee new creatures what are those that are still old creatures and will take no other die such as boast they are no changelings are still the same men Secondly it is terror to revolters and returners to their old vomit and mire the later end of such is wors then the beginning Thirdly to hypocrites who still mask over the old man with a new cover of Christ but put not off the old Fourthly to prophane ones who think themselvs in verie good case if they can carrie their beloved lusts and corruptions closel and blear the eie of the
to know the meer common sins which everie one may read in great letters running and through eas seek no further becaus indeed knowledg in not their aim but their policie to avoid the shame of gross ignorance 6. Self-love by which hee is loath to bee informed in truths his partialitie and subtiltie which suffer's him not to bear such truths as are like to oppose his personal pretious and beloved evils whereby hee is loath to hear of any sins save other mens not his own 7. Errors of our own conceit of sound righteousness to wit that wee have served God well both in shunning of sin or doing dutie when wee have been drawn to it onely by forrein compulsion or outward occasions The Law enlighten's us in the discerning actual sins both in themselvs and in their Penalties 1. In themselvs sundry waies 1. By her authoritie in commanding setting up herself in the conscience the most privie chamber of the Soul this no law of man can do 2. By her harmonie consent and coherence this no man can see except enlightned Jam. 2. 10. bee that break 's one is culpable of all As hee that break 's one Link of a golden chain breake 's the coherence As hee that break 's his neighbors fence trespasse's him as well as if hee ranged over all his ground because the bond is broken 3. By her royaltie That as a King is not prescribed against by the qualitie of any Subject offending why hee may not hold him guiltie So in this no person is accepted of God in this kinde This royal law is impartial it will shew a Queen her sports as well as a poor woman 4. By her integritie and soundness that is it open's sin to the soul in one kinde as well as the other Such is the corruption of Adam that it will suffer much of the bodie of sin to vanish in the survey But where God enlighten's hee discover's sin in all her sexes male and female strong and weak remembred and forgotten ignorance and knowledg in a word one and other for want of which many a Soul never com's to the bar of God's conviction This rule shew's the difference of these First sins of Omission are passings by and balking of som dutie behooving to bee don whether against or without knowledg Secondly sins of Commission are actual doings of som evill in thought word and deed against the revealed will of God whether wee bee convinced or not convinced convinced thereof to bee sin as to work upon the Sabbath to speak vainly to nourish base thoughes Thirdly sins of Knowledg are transgressions of the Law of God against a mans conscience and the check of it whether greater or smaller as when Shimei paised Jordan against his own covenant or when a man goeth against his own light Sins of Ignorance are when a man transgresseth but yet not knowing his sin to bee sin as Abimelech coveting of Sarah Paul's persecuteing the Church 4. Sins of weakness or Presumption differ onely from sins of knowledg in the intention of him that sinneth Not each sin of knowledg amounteth to a sin of presumption though all presumption must need 's bee a sin against knowledg Sin of presumption then is a sin of knowledg committed with an high hand Sin of weakness is a sinning against such knowledg as yet is prevented in her work through accident as either inabilitie of grace to stick to knowledg or through timerousness and fear although dalliance and wantonness bee absent and though conscience bee present to accuse 5ly Sins of presumption it self are not all one for som are onely presumptuous in act as David's adulterie and murther others are total when a man is totally and finally carried in a presumptuous stream of habited sinning This trencheth most horribly against the patience and long-suffering of Grace it self and commonly drawe's impenitencie of spirit upon it self which cannot repent when it would 6ly A just fruit of this dalliance with grace habitually is that total and final Desertion of God's spirit giveing over the presumptuous heart to such a sinning against grace as at last despiteth that grace which it hath so long slighted as the Gnat which burneth it self in the candle and this is called sinning against the holy Ghost differing from habited Presumption in this That in that a man sinneth against the grace of the Spirit but in this a man despiteth the Spirit of Grace it self 5. By her extent it is a great piece of the light of the law to extend it self in the soul to all parts and degrees of sin 1. in her Spiritualness teaching us not to rest onely in open gross moral offences but to go to spiritual wickedness 2. In her inquisition and search it dare and can go to any part of the whole man and fetch out any poyson out of any corner 3. in her aggravateing power whereby shee inlarge's sin by her circumstances causing it thereby to seem the more odious and setting the wors colors upon it as becaus such a person committed it a publick man against such light when hee needed not from meer malignitie of Spirit in the mid'st of blessings against mercie gospel vowes covenant c. 4 in her puritie the law doth not go tell the Soul of each sin but set's the mirror of God's pureness before her that shee may according thereto discern and judg of sin good and bad true and evil These are helps to serv the work of the law in convinceing not to forestall the work of the Spirit she more sound light the soul hath the better Howbeit God is free to work in what way and measure hâ—e pleas II. The law discover's sin by the Penalties The Lord take's away all distinction of venial and mortal sin from a man present's himself to him in his full justice of revenging all sin without exception tell 's the Soul deferring of punishment is no remoovall of it that all sins deserv all punishments that the least cost the Lord Jesus his blood and hee that beleev's it not shall pay for it in hell there is no lying hid from God's eye no shift or evasion besides faith and repentance The Lord discover's Original sin to the soul many waies 1. By the special terms of his Word the Lord is in no one thing so emphatical as in the names hee give 's to this poyson Hee call's it the old man the flesh lust concupiscence the law of the members the law of sin reigning in the members the bodie of death and the like 2. By comparison For when the Soul hath had the view of actual sins before as most irksom and now com's to see greater abominations then these as the Lord tell 's Ezek. Chap. 8. 15. Oh! how out of meature sinful seem's it to the soul how doth shee crie out miserable man for mark thus shee speak's although actual sins were enough to sink mee into miserie yet I see they were but evil in respect of their part
but now I see a bodie of all parts and members a King in his throne I see now my self cursed double and trebble 3. By the properties of Original sin as 1. It is eminently sinfull it 's more sin then other sins Whatsoever is in any of them is here more notoriously whatsover filth and base qualitie may bee spied in all or any sin is here more singularly as light and heat is in our fire or the air or the Moon but eminently in the Sun the first subject and seat of it All the poyson of actual evils is seated in the Original after whose copie they write and therefore Original is greatest as the seed which in her power contain's thirtie-sold 2. Predominantly both in respect of fulness and force For fulness it hath all sin under it and in it as the perfect bodie hath all the members 't is the fewell of the fire of sinful acts For force Paul call's a Law Princes rule strongly by their lawes they are as a soul wholly and en each part nothing so forcible there is a necessitie in a law it break 's down and carrie's all before it 3. Perpetually Wee say the King hath a perpetual patrimonie that is not alienable so hath a Sinner by his original sin Hee may fail in his spending-money as in his policie and strength and industrie to oppress to defile his bodie but his stock and patrimonie never fail's If it bee so in the best of God's servants Luther himself little molested with covetousness yet hee had this Stock still within how much more is it true of each sinner 4. It is an Over-flowing sin and natural Fire and water are ill masters but they burn and over-flow naturally It please's us becaus it is natural and hath a self-perswasion which carrie's it smoothly unsuspiciously and by priveledg It is my nature to smite when I am angry it 's my nature to bee soon hot it 's therefore the more dangerous and cursed 5. The bondage of it It binde's up the Soul in death hardness insensibleness incapableness of any good aversness to all meanes of grace 6. The unlimitedness of it Not onely an utter impotencie to any present obedience urged by the Law but so rooted a languor as reject's whatsoever God might impose Vse I. Touching the sin of ignorance bless God that hath freed us from the darkness and corruption of Poperie whose principles do for ever keep Souls far from the possibilitie of sound knowledg of their natural estate eitther by actual or original sin Beware likewise of nuzzeling thy self in places under ignorance or to abide ignorant under the use of meanes bring not God a sacrifice which want's this eie of knowledg of thy sin Vse II. Admonition to all sinners to go to work aright to get sound knowledg of their estate Consult not with dead teachers go not to blinde guides to such as thy self to deceivers Consult not with thy wits and carnal wisdom thy corrupt hopes blinde devotions Refuse no informations for fear of losing thy libertie in sin Vse III. Exhortation to all that would bee kindely convicted to com to the light for sound information of sin The want of this will bee a flaw for ever in thy Religion They who never knew themselvs never were humbled ones nor beleevers Discourage none for measure That light which make's all manifest is enough bee it never so little if sound Vse IV. Every one ought willingly to open himself and the door of his conscience and the light of this law coming into it Although the law hath no Christ in it yet the maker of it useth it as a School-master to him Grace begin's at the root of enlightning examine thy self in thy uprightness therein Vse V. This layeth open the unspeakable justice of God in suffring such darkness to spead over the world for so many ages and still in many nations who sit in the Valley of death Vse VI. This may teach us how deep a blindeness is cast upon the Soul in point of discerning her own sin and danger Nothing is further off then the reflex of her own corruption upon conscience nothing more tedious then to bee informed of sin in the kinde Hee that com's to tell us what wee are is our deadly enemie Vse VII This should teach both Ministers and people to loath all Generalities and to learn the Law in the true sens and the thorough enlightning of it Thus much of the first work of the law i e. knowledg of sin as sin II. The second work of the Law is Conviction and this is twofold I. Simple conviction viz. of the judgment 2. Conviction with terror viz. of the whole Soul or whole man When once the soul is thorowly enlightned if the law proceed in her work shee com's to apply her light to this convincing of the soul and first by causing the conscience to join against itself and to say thou art the man Again by a due yeelding of the soul to lie under the bondage and fear of punishment belonging to such a sinners wofull estate 1. This work of the Law viz. Conviction of the judgment is the second work of the Ministerie of the Law by the efficacie whereof the soul beleev's herself to bee that which shee knowe's to wit this sinful and cursed one A most powerful work yet no other then the poor Minister of God enabled by the authoritie of the Law may and doth perform The Law effect's this conviction by removeing three letts 1. Deadness of spirit 2. Sloth and eas 3. Subtiltie and hollowness And contrarily put 's a quickuing and a diligent and plain consent to the light into the soul 1. Deadness of Spirit Love of lusts and custom therein with delight doth defile and besot the powers of the minde that as one busie in his game doth not listen to a sad tale so neither doth this minde to the end of the law in enlightning 2. Loos incogitancie and carelesness by which men run up and down with light as the dog with his chain broken loos So doth a sloathful heart even cut 's its own throat 3. The worst of the three Subtiltie and slyness when men pretend they have received the light to believ it but they lie and their fals hearts are defiled with som secret root of bitterness which will not suffer them to bee plain Now the Mnisterie of the Law grapple's with these by jogging the soul and not suffring her to bee any of these but beeing more forcible in setting the Word home to the soul and breaking open that lock which will not shoot of it self And this it doth many waies 1. By entring into a solemn judicious cours with the soul and by applying the light to her by particular evidence-giveing in against her that shee is this childe of death When the Lord meane's to go thorowly to work hee will suffer no lust no sloth nor falshood to keep off the soul from her light but will shee
nill shee shee shall not onely almost but altogether bee convinced Now to bring the light and the soul close together is the great wisdom of the Spirit in the Ministerie of the Law Somtimes hee first insinuate's into the heart by slight or cunning and trap's the soul ere it bee aware in his net Thus Nathan came upon David Somtimes hee take's the soul napping in the mid'st and her sin while the sent is fresh thus hee deal't with Saul Somtimes by contesting with conscience and urging her to speak truth upon experience 2. By violence and necessitie when no other cours will serv This the Lord doth by threats apart and somtimes by the addition of som works convince Thus God deal't with Saul and with Achan Somtimes the Lord is fain to circumvent a Sinner in his own cours and to bring forth the long-concealed marks of his sin to his face bidding him denie it if hee dare Thus Tamar deal't with Juda. Somtimes by crosses so was Manasses taken in the bushes So the Prodigal Somtimes by patience and long-suffering and thus Saul in a pang was convinced of David's innocencie Vse I. Of sad mourning for the daies wee are in in which this spirit of the Law seem's to bee lost even as the Ark and Ephod were in the daies of the second Temple Oh! it is heavie to ponder how few consciences are rouzed up and gastred from their dregs under Ministeries of 7 10 20 yeers continuance but still the same men and change no color Vse II. Of Admonition both to Ministers and people First to Ministers that they pray and strive for the Spirit of conviction It 's God's gift and one chief part is to bee Ministers of the Spirit not of the Letter The manner of of our dispensation is more then our voice and as much as our matter Secondly to people They must bee warned to shake off their lets of conviction Let the righteouus smite you it shall bee as a balm Thus Abigail was welcom to David Self-love is an Adder which will not hear the voice of the Charmer The sweetness of usurie pleasure lawful libertie eas will bee as a Delilah to keep off the least conviction of the law Vse III. Examin thy self about this weightie work of the law that thou maiest hope to go on more safely Try it by these markes 1. By the love of a convinceing Ministerie and loathing of the contrarie 2. A cleering of God and the righteousness of his law call thy self the Slave sold under sin As hee to Achan give glorie to God Hugg the Chirurgeon that lanceth thee 3. Shame and confusion for sin The Publican durst not look up 4. By thy thanks to God for this merciful work 5. Bee thou under this confusion till God rais thee up Let rottenness enter into thy bones that peace may bee in the day of trouble Crust not over thy sore Wax not wearie of this work of God as most do 6. Let it end in the true consternation of Soul and terror for thy sin Thus far of conviction of judgment II. The second work of conviction is of the whole Soul called Terror and Bondage For when the former work of conviction hath prevailed it work 's thus that such a Soul is under an arrest and seeing it self this sinner this cursed one hee is thereby killed and the Spirit brought into terror and bondage Rom. 7. Paul saith When the Law came I died Meaning in spirit and in conscience That self of jollitie eas and securitie which sin affoarded was nip't and quash't and in stead of it a sad item given to the soul takeing away the taste of her morsels mixing the gall of Asps with her drink and stinging her as an Adder and stabbing her to the heart as a sword for her convinced villanies Yea and none more then this bodie of death which still dogg's her and wound 's her as fast as shee lick's herself whole with all duties or abstinences and works and shifts prooving her a slave sold under miserie and shewing her by nature a world of sin and wo to bear down all her moralitie hypocrisie And yet this terror is not grace but in the Elect a seed of it This work in Scripture is called the Spirit of fear or bondage not bondage to sin but by it whereby as they who are prisoners under chaines do lie in sorrow and horror without escape and hope so do these Their spirit is enslaved to fear their conscience to guilt accusation to the whip of wrath and justice yea crush't down to hell by the torment of such a spirit as cannot sustain it self for the restless anguish thereof but abide's and hang 's between earth and hell This Legal terror is explained by the consideration of three things especially 1. The difference 2. The nature effects and end of it 3. The extremities or abuse of it I. By differencing of it from the former conviction The work of enlightning cast's out ignorance the work of convincing resist's deadness and insensibleness But this third of consternation and terror resist's that pride and jollitie of a sinner over-bearing himself and lifting up himself in his sin without check or remors And this later is of all other the most proper work of the last to tame and beat down the loftie heart of man setting up a law to it self to walk as it listeth without law or fear It is as Leviathan pulling down all children of pride II. By the nature effects and end of it Touching the nature of it It is a presenting more or less of the wrath and penalties due to sin unto the whole man by the conscience for the casting of it down at the feet of God First it 's a presenting for the dead bare letter of the ten Commandements cannot do this by any magical power no it 's the powerful ministerie of the Law which can do it Although in appearance it bee weak yet God setting it on work with the authoritie of his spirit with power to carrie his errand into the soul it shal bee able without fear or flatterie to do it and to do that which no law of Princes can effect even to flait and gaster the Conscience Secondly it doth present the wrath and penalties of sin especially Till these com sin is at peace This wrath I say in the peanalties of it temporal spiritual and eternal the law present's to a sinful soul Thirdly unto the whole man by the conscience for as the law is the worker so the conscience is the immediate object of this wrath God hath made it the lawes object created it with a merveilous power of sensibleness above all parts to record and to apprehend all sin and wrath for it It exceed's the apprehension of any the tendrest part when it is stung with an Adder scalded with water or oyl burnt with fire cut with a sword The sens of conscience seazed with this wrath of God is unspeakable and cannot bee
uttered by man In this it is differenced first from the ignorant erroneous and superstitious conscience not fearing at all or fearing amiss Secondly defiled conscience dallying with God half convinced and half whole Thirdly seared and hardned conscience which by long rebellion and resistance of the law hath got the masterie of the law and is waxen sensless and useless forgetting her offices Fourthly The act of the law in all this is to cast down the soul at the feet of God For there is in nature an intolerable bearing up a mans self in his estate a prideing of himself boldness boasting of sin Hee is so far from beeing ashamed that till the law com home to him thus bee is alive Rom. 7. 9. that is jollie jocand merrie as the fool that cast's arrowes darts and saith Am I not in sport A Sinner's crown is not his bare sin in corners and by stealth that is his wo his law but his crown is his libertie of spirit in it to do what hee list to run ride talk practice to drink swear lie and couzen and no man controll him Now this jollitie and boldness and pride in sin the Lord in his ministerie of the law resist's and that hee doth when hee pull's the sinner upon his knees cast's his crown in the dirt dismount's him as hee did Saul from his Palfrey Acts 9. and the desperate Jaylor in his profaneness and crueltie Acts 16. 27. And those killers of Christ Act. 2. saying Lord what wilt thou have mee to do Oh then hath wrath seazed upon the soul when it hath killed this jollitie and let out this pleurisie out of it And hence it is called the Sacrificeing-knife sharper then any two-edged sword the killing letter that which slew Paul not by mortification but by shedding the blood and bowels of sins jollitie to the ground The effects of this terror are usually three 1. Stoopping in a cours of evill This differ's from the effect of providence whereby the Lord doth limit the number and measure of sin in the wicked for the preservation of peace and civil societie For though that bee a divine work yet it is not the immediate work of the law but either a Providence without a word or els by the general power of the word restraiing sin but this is a special kinde of restraint issueing from the work of the law for the good of the soul so restrained And it is a loathsomness of the soul findeing no joy in old courses beholding them with repenting and irking of thoughts wishing them undon and abhorring to return to them through the terror of conscience beeing under this whip of the law 2. The second effect is shakeing of a rotten peace scil fals secure peace which it take's to herself when God debar's her of all sound peace Esay 57. ult A sinners life is his rotten peace both without a law and with or under a law by sumdrie practice and colors viz. 1. By nuzling himself under flattering meanes 2. Withdrawing from stirring ones 3. Holding off conviction with obstinate error or faneness and coloring with half yeelding and and shew of consent the heart being rotten 3. The third effect of the law is the spirit of bondage The Lord aime's by this to hold and keep the soul whom hee will save from all revolt to former lusts and liberties The spirit of bondage is the frame of a fearful heart held under slaverie and chaines of the law from all escapeing As wee say such a man hath the spirit of mirth or covetousness in which hee is rooted So the Woman is said to have a spit of infirmitie when her diseas had so prevailed over her that shee was crazed by ha bit So the Spirit of bondage Gal. 4. 7. is to bee one sold to it that cannot get out Vse I. Of Admonition to beware wee rest not in this servile estate For it differ's from true fear as much as from true libertie for 1. True filial fear is a load-stone to attract the soul to God this rather of it self drive's from God 2. This fear hath a respect to sin as the occasion onely to punishment as a caus as the slave look's not at sloth but at the whip But true filial fear look's at sin as the proper caus of fear but at punishment as the occasion 3. True fear soften's this rather harden's and imbitter's the heart Examples in Josiah and Ahab 4. It hath excess in it both for the constant assault of it without all intermission in all places duties and occasions and also for the dangerous inconveniences it bring 's after it oftentimes hinder's all fitness of spirit both to dutie and in dutie and defile's all 5. It differ's from true filial fear as doth the fear of an harlot and a loyal wife the one fear's danger and hurt from her husband the other reverence's him for love Vse II. Let none stumble at it for although it bee no better in it self yet the Lord can moderate correct it and guide it so that it shall bee a special medicine to prepare the heart for that which lightness and giddiness would disable it from attaineing God's End in setting thus his law on work is to make way for a sinners reconciliation which otherwise were not possible to work Assoon catch an hare with a taber as a wilde wilful sinner by the charm of the Gospel This appeare's sundrie waies 1. By this meanes God joine's all wholesom doctrine together For it is not his purpose to leave the soul in this case to seek out of herself after eas seeing it 's not in her power But hee himself will have his Minister to join all doctrines together in the order of Catechism both of remedie and miserie in their due order 2. By this consternation hee doth trie and wearie the spirits as in a Labyrinth working them to an utter hopelesness in themselvs to bee better that in such a case the least inkling of mercie might bee as newes out of a far country 3. That by the hear-say of it their hearts might bee raised up to make serious inquisition after it and not to perish in their miserie When the Prodigal was brought to husks at the trough then and never till then the notion of a father pierced him really Vse I First observ how God prevent's a sinner by his wisedom For what is all the complaint of a poor soul when the promise is offred Oh it 's true if I were loaden I doubt not of eas thou liest against thy self thou doest doubt of eas by the promise for of the former thou canst not doubt haveing been enlightned cast down and convinced by the law That then which is the more easie to grant the Lord work 's first as a part of the condition of Grace that is to bee loden that when the harder com's to bee urged that is Faith then the condition already wrought might bee readie to comfort the poor soul 2ly Wonder thetefore
at this wisdom which most fitly to the soul's condition doth even work by contraries life out of death and order out of confusion and descant not by carnal reason against it 3ly In all the ministerie of the Word let the Minister and people of God still fix their eie upon the scope of God moving onwards with him and going even pace with his ordinance for the effecting of his own ends and the glorie of his grace in our salvation III. The extremities and abuses of this legal work The extremities are two 1. Legal presumption 2. Final despair 1. Touching the first it is called Legal becaus there is another and a more dangerous one by the Gospel This presumption is twofold One this when the sinner waxe's bold and venturous to shake off this yoak of the law before his spirit bee convinced and cast down this sin made Adam and all us cursed even presumption against threats The second is when the consternation of the law seazing without addition of the Gospel cause 's the soul to wax confident of it's own welfare becaus it hath been humbled and perhaps hold's som impression of it still not dareing to resist her light But this is rare and where it is dangerous for it 's a sign that the heart is secretly fals 2. The second extremitie is Despair offending as much on the left hand thorow the excess of terror Thus Saul and Judas And it commonly growe's from the first Satan never seeking more to poison with presumption and dalliance with the law then where hee meane's to snare with the contrarie of Despair Doubtless it is the sin of the damned to live in the perpetual despair of releas and in perswasion that Grace is unable to do them good Vse I. Learn wee dailie to root this cursed root of bitterness out of us by two things ensuing First a Spirit of Humilitie and Fear to keep our selvs under the bondage of of our School-master rather then to affect the libertie of presumers and in so doing to beseech the Lord to proportion out our stripes according to our strength and to keep our despair within the compass of our selvs and any thing in us but to be far from the least thought of enlargeing our baseness above the infiniteness of mercie Secondly to nourish in our hearts above all those meditations of mercie and grace in Christ which may set us upon a rock above our-selvs and all fearful distrust and carrie us in the stream thereof with holy irresistableness Frequent holy and loveing thoughts of God are the surest remedies against this hideous monster The abuse of the Law is double First on the right hand many abuse it when they nourish themselvs in a needless bondage whereas they know they are in case to hearken after the remedie and will not pretending they have not been cast down or troubled enough What madness is this to nourish a diseas against Physick or to think that our trouble pleaseth God or to think that to bee of substance of Grace which onely is for preparation to it Secondly on the left hand those who do far wors abuse this doctrine who beeing wearie of terror and bondage assoon as they fall into it cast with themselvs how they may shake it off pretending that this is no estate to serv God in and so they return som to their sport and pastimes som to their pleasures som to their profits som to their old companions Let these know that the cours they take is violent and much like to them who to stop the crie of their infants put into the brazen bellie of Moloch did oppress their own ears with the nois of pipes and tabret Obj. Paul Rom. 7. 7. saith When the Law came sin revived how then is terror the law's work Answ Both may stand together in one unregenerate man according to divers parts For when the law had slain conscience then concupiscence revived and wee must distinguish between the natural work of the law and the accidental Terror is the proper work of it and when it 's wrought it is as it ought to bee but when rebellion ariseth it 's otherwise then ought to bee When the Sun ariseth and sweeten's the earth it work 's properly when it drawe's up the noysom stench of a dunghill to poyson the air it 's accidental coming from the loathsomness of the dunghill So when sin rebel's shee doth her kinde yet this rebellion shall not hinder the killing power of it It shall rather encreas it for when the soul come's to see how loathsom sin hath made her this make's her conclude her self out of measure woofull by sin and out of measure sinfull And when rebellion begin's to bee tamed the heart growe's more and more under fear although nothing hinder why both may not at one time bee together Onely in the bad commonly it encreaseth till it hath cast out all terror and strengthen's the jollitie of sin In the godly the Lord will inlarge terror and conviction so far that rebellion shall not stand it out but stoop with confusion under the power of it Paul by Sin mean's Original sin bodie and members by himself hee mean's the powers of soul and bodie Sin was alive in point of her stilness peace and quietness without any distemper Paul was alive that is merrie jollie lustie secure without any fear Again note sin's death and Paul's life caused this deep consent between them both I say her quietness and his jollitie made them as close as buckle and thong For why Sin was glad to see Paul lustie and Paul was glad to see her quiet Thus it was between them ere the law came But how since oh quite contrary Sin revived Paul died How Sin perceiving the law resolved not to give over till it had divided her and Paul who had so long lived at peace together and traded with gain and pleasure each by other and to scour her hous of her guests whom shee so corrupted the minde the will affections conscience and members of Paul beeing the creation of God begin's to revive to bee no longer quiet as before when her trade prospered but to fret rage and bee unquiet On the other side Paul also seeing the law also to gaster him out of his wicked haunt what doth hee Die's is all amort forsake 's his old mistress Concupiscence and begin's to bee wearie of his trade Now what is it against Paul's dying that sin reviveth what is it against the guest's shame and dying to their trade that their old hostess rageth Rebellion is in her not in them they are ashamed and flaited though shee will know no law conscience and concupiscence are two things Three sorts of Rebellion 1. Natural 2. Penal 3. Mix't 1. Natural when the Word or Law com's so to the corrupt Soul that as yet it carrie's no power or authoritie over the soul with it but still the soul hold's her own for then so close is sin and
Abhor thirdly a presumptuous heart which haveing heard of som hope abuseth it to forestall the Lord's work Abhor fourthly all means of Satan which might turn off quite or dash and quench this work Yeeld not to the impossibilitie of recoverie run not into despair take not thought for thy sweet sin God will make thee no looser Sculk not into corners to eas thy self of this yoak let God that put it on hold it on his time till hee hath trulie tamed thee If it seem long know there is a caus Vse IV. Let it teach us to pitie the loos and jollie in sin oh they make either work for hell or if God re-call them for the law for their chains must bee hereby increased and they shall meet with a Jailor that will handle them accordingly Oh! hear counsel betimes the counsel of minister husband wife parent master friend yea childe or servant to yeeld to God at the first that so thy yoke may bee the easier Vse V. Of exhortation Burie not this work of the Spirit under these clods of flesh streighten not the spirit of conviction Beg of God that by all these six staires thou maiest fall lower and lower till thou art brought to the earth Ask thy self When Lord shall my laughter light frothie merrie quiet heart bee met with thorowly Lie under this work and suffer affliction Say I see the Lord is in earnest hell is no painted fire the eas of a sinfull cours differ's from that little eas of the law I am in a streight I know not whither to turn mee No wealth friends credit marriage honor eating sleep play or musick can help now Away now all old companions the Lord hath laid sorrow upon my soul such as no tales or jigs can put by my meat is now mingled with gall and God seem's to forsake mee wrath hell and horror are upon mee my nights are wearisom and my daies miserable Chuse rather to bee thus for the killing of thy flesh then at libertie for the death of thy soul And wait in this estate upon God till hee caus light to break out ARTIC VII The LORD leave 's not the Souls of his Children in this miserie but uphold's them by the hopes of the Gospel The Lord where hee mean's to save keep 's not the soul alway in this anguish but cause 's som upholding of his secret spirit to keep up the soul of him whom hee will save from utter extremitie This hee doth by shewing them a door of hope in the wilderness as hee saith in Hos 2. 15. causing som glimps afar off to appear to them as a crevis of light in a Prison-wall as to consider that God hath had a gracious meaning to thousands whom hee hath thus humbled that by hell lie's the way to heaven that God delight 's not in this cours if the rebellion of the heart did not require it that God doth that which the soul shall not know till after hee mean's to make Christ sweet precious and welcom hee begin's to lay som ground of mortisication which in due time the Gospel shall perfect By such glimps of the gospel which God require's to bee joined with the law the Lord keep 's his from revolt to old base lusts from a despair of mercie and undoing themselvs or from a careless dissoluteness which end goe's forward And so haveing upheld them by the chin from sinking for a time hee doth let in light by such degrees as hee see 's them meetest to bear and to keep them low from waxing bold and venturous till at length hee sâ—ttle them upon his promise The Reasons why God useth this method are Reas I. First to keep the Soul from extremities of presumeing or despairing both being dangerous rocks the one separateing the means from the end running to their old liberties and yet hopeing to fare well the other separateing the end from the means after all their humblings yet thinking there is no mercie for them See Jer. 2. 25. Reas II. Secondly hee encourage's such to bear the yoke of the law which otherwise for the tediousness of it would shake it off Reas III. Hee deale's according to the capacitie of their weakness becaus they cannot bear much terror hee ease's them and becaus they dare not hearken to much comfort at once hee giv's them little at once Reas IV. Hee doth it for the honor of his own work of calling hee hath promised to call those whom hee hath chosen which hee should not do if hee left them in these briers Reas V. By this hope hee shewe's them hee is as able to give them his full promise and the effect thereof sound peace as hee can stay them up from sinking when they are at so low an ebb of casting down The LORD work 's this hope By presenting to them duly the sight of a possibilitie to get out of this terror That hee deal's not in afflicting his as with the wicked Esel 27. 7 8. Hee will do it in measure That hee abhor's excess in his terrors Esay 64. 12. That hee bar's none from him who bar not themselvs 2 Chron. 15. 2. That there is a necessitie of afflicting them with such tedious terrors or els hee delight 's not in it That hee hath not don this to destroy but to humble And all these doth hee caus them to digest and to stay themselvs by and fasten upon in more or less measure to keep them from extremitie causing terror to decreas and hope to succeed as wee see in his cours with Job as tedious as it was This hope goeth before faith yet it is such as the Lord enableth to uphold them between the horrors of the law and the grace of the Gospel The marks of this Hope 1. the entrance it is very weak and staggering between fear and hope very doubtful 2. Yet this little hope keep 's from the hardest and desperatest attempts 3. It rather bend's the eie to the end why God troubleth the soul then at the trouble it self in a plodding manner who know's whether hee will asswage and shew mercie for all this 4. It 's wearie of trouble rather by that eas which God sheweth then by tediousness See Hab. 3. 16. 5. It weakly turn's the thoughts to muse what would follow upon it if God should shew mercie Oh this is great newes to one that was so oppressed Oh now therefore to swither up with thoughts of welfare is a great change 6. And lastly trouble decaye's and hope encrease's as that little oyl and meal wasted not till plentie came Vse I. Instruction to God's Ministers to discern wisely of the season of staying the troubled heart For els they may spend much labor in vain It fare's with an heavie heart as with the bleeding wound and the deep humor of Melancholie while the dint is they refuse plaister and counsel And again when they see the season com let them applie God's fittest mid'cines Let terrors serv for the
Let it likewise comfort all poor souls that need it both as concerning the propensness of God to love them and his constance of love toward them whom hee alreadie loved If thou had'st procured this love well migh'st thou fear the loss of it But if insinite goodness and a bredth incomprehensible were the fountain of it I speak to a poor soul under the condition loden or lost what doubt is there of his loveing thee If hee freely first mean't it and cut off the way of justice and the bridg of vengethat hee might not pass it over why should'st thou think hee should destroy his own work why should hee not bee willing to love thee whatsoever thy sin bee and haveing loved thee eternally what shall or can enter into him to change this principle in him or caus him to repent Vse V. This Doctrine serveth especially to stay the heart of a distressed wretch in the sight of his miserie by this light and door of hope Oh! bless that fountain which could not bee dried up by sin Wonder why Angels were left remediless not wee Ponder it in our deep fears and remember the Gospel of deliverance is from God as well as the law of terror Despair not the Lord cutt's of none who cut not off themselvs Vse VI. It teache's us to gather to our selvs a strong bottom against that slavish fear and emnitie of our spirit against God Why oh man if God were as thou framest him where had thy hope been Darest thou call him an hard Master the adversarie who of his own will and love cut off his own plea and devised a deliverie when no man or Angel could dream of it Vse VII Let it teach the Ministers of the Gospel to look to the order and substance of their teaching The order not to mis-match these two doctrines teaching this before the other bee well grounded For the substance takeing heed least they defraud the soul of this point when shee is brought low Vse VIII Let this bee a mean to carrie a poor heart quite beyond and out of it self The meditation of this freedom of God's purpose should ravish the heart and carrie it out of the baseness of self and self-ends into the stream of this Sovereign will and glorie of God It should bee above our own salvation Let us diligently trie our own spirit from the true spirit of Grace by this mark Further wee must observ that GOD in accomplishing man's deliverance out of this miserable estate is also the most free and sovereign Worker and applier of this deliverance to the soul For what els should it profit us that hee hath devised such a way as Christ and such means as the Gospel beleeved except hee took it upon him to possess the soul of it also Vse I. This will teach us to conceiv in what sens the Lord doth offer us his Christ command us to believ and promise us to eas us if wee hunger mourn bee poor in spitit to wit that hee is far from intimateing any power or will in us to concur with him in the least of these or to asscribe ought to him that willeth or runneth but rather to shew what those excellent Graces are which hee freely worketh in all whom hee will save Vse II. This will help us to judg who those parties are in all likelihood whom God will concur with and assist in the use of means tending to deliverance Such is the base slaverie of man that hee distrust's him sooner in no one thing then in that where in God offer 's himself to the soul As appear's in Manoah's and Gedeon's example For though hee bee free and tied to none yet I say with reverence hee tie's himself graciously to such as do seek him not themselvs for els should hee contradict his own ends which is blasphemous Vse III. To instruct us how wee may so go to work io the use of means as our own conscience may not accuse us for takeing God's office of freedom and sovereigntie out of his hands The honest soul sets up God in his own way of Christ in his own ends shee seek's the glorie of his wisdom power mercie and freedom who sought out such a deliverance and work 's it in her and all that concern her faith and conditions of it All seeking grace for a man 's own happiness is poor seeking for the present till God wod work better and all seeking for self must bee from self and by self But when the boat is tied to the ship of God's glorie shee need 's no more rowing of herself then the boat doth it 's enough for her that shee is set upon such a stream and tiâ—d to such a ship as can carrie her of it self and drown all her own welfare in the Lord. ARTIC II. The onely instrument of working out this deliverance is the Lord JESUS NO other name under heaven is given to save us by way of mediation or instrument but hee Act. 4. 12. God set him forth as a propitiation that all might see the salvation of God The father of our Lord Jesus Christ was content to part with his own Son and to make him the worker of this deliverance rather then it should fail in the execution thereof For in him the Lord purposed as in a mirror to declare the infinire grace of his election the freedom of the offer the efficacie of calling faith sanctification and eternal life all beeing established in him and nothing toward salvation subsisting without him therefore at the end of each gift Christ is mentioned as the gift of that gift Rom. 7. 24 25. 1 Tim. 1. 10. all the whole frame of grace and godliness is founded and sustained by him The whole work of his Mediation may bee referred to two heads 1. The qualification of his person to bee in case to satisfie 2. The actual performance of the satisfaction it self 1. The qualification of his person hath two parts Vnion and Vnction Vnion comprehend's three distinct things First The incarnation and flesh of Christ 2ly The Divinitie of Christ 3ly The joining of these two natures into one person or the assumeing of the nature of flesh unto the second person of the son of God not to swallow it up but to retain still his own distinct nature yet within union 2. By Vnion is mean't the calling or separation of the Lord Jesus beeing thus united in his natures to bee a meet Mediator which was the sanctification of him in time actually to the work of a Mediator to which God before all time had deputed him The Performance it self stand's of two parts 1. Either Meriting this price for all the Elect 2. Or actual applying it to them The Meriting part consist's of a double performance both of actual obedience to the Law and suffering the curs required thereby and due to sin And hee performed these two by way of real suretiship and no otherwise for takeing upon him the Person of a
of Christ as flesh reckoned to his Divinitie made an equal satisfaction to God's offended Majestie The influence and valor of the divine nature assisting the humane for the fulfilling of the merit for if the Suretie fail in any point his undertakeing is uneffectual The Mediator then beeing to mediate between God and Man must needs bee God 1. In respect of those evils hee was to expiate as sin and uncleanness 2. those enemies hee was to vanquish as Satan death and wrath 3. Those good things hee was too purchase eternal righteousness the image of God and glorie hereafter in the presence of God Vsn I. Let this teach us to adore the Mysterie of the Godhead of Christ that wee rest in no inferior object whatsoever the world can affoard us But remember hee is God blessed above all and hath merited by his glorious power a glorious deliverance for his Church from death to eternal life Vse II. This affoard's us a notable ground of understanding a real difference of the persons in Trinitie God the Father send 's God the Son into the world to save it by the power of God the holie Ghost conveying and sealeing his merit to the Soul of the Elect. Now except there bee admitted a real distinction of the persons in Trinitie how shall one and the same God for beeing bee the partie satisfying and satisfied Vse III. Of Exhortation to all that are loaden with their sin desireing eas to com to this second well-spring of salvation and to drink water of life freely from it that is believ it for themselvs Especially let this beat down self in us in the matter of our conversion What should wee bring to God for our Redemption can wee bring any light to the Sun or drop to the Ocean all fulness is his hee must do all for and in us before and in conversion Again let us lay hold on Jesus Christ who hath satisfied God and taken away wrath Let this give a beeing and bottom of truth to all the promises of God in our soul And let us draw neer with confidence to the God of promises and comfort our heavie heart in the view of the hainous circumstances of her sin makeing it out of measure sinful Bee not dismaid hee that is thy Suretie made not thy peace for small and som but all and the greatest so that thy thought must bee how to receiv this fulness not for the greatness of this sin III Branch The Personal Vnion Union of both Natures into one Person by the unconceiveable work of the Spirit it 's much that Soul and Bodie but much more that Flesh and the Word should bee really in one Person The person of the Word took the nature of flesh therein to subsist It is called Personal Union to distinguish it from other Unions in Christ and all other Unions whatsoever In Christ there is a well-spring of Unions but no personal Union in them The Union of Christs Godhead with the Father and the Spirit is Essential with his invisible Church Spiritual and Mystical with Water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper Sacramental In other Unions the things united are One either by bare notional apprehensions as things understood by the fancie or els One by compounding as when of three or four drugs is made one med'cine or els by mixture and confusion as when Water and Wine are made one substance or els by Divine institution as when man and wife are made one flesh none of these are personal Unions But Personal Vnion is such an one as whereby both natures so retain their distinct properties unconfounded that yet they remain indissolubly united in the person without the least seqaration no not at death in the grave Vse I. This teache's us to conceiv aright of the person of Christ wee must com to God in and by the flesh of the Son the second person The equal tearm and object must bee the personal Union i e. the Manhood must as truly bee praied unto and adored as the Godhead Vse II. It teache's us a difference between the subsisting of Christs flesh and all other subsistings wee subsist in the union of bodie and soul which two make one and the same person but the manhood of Christ is no person or subsistence by union of soul and bodie but by assumeing the nature of man into the person of the Son of God so that the flesh hath no subsisting at all save in the upholding power of the Godhead as the plant Misselto hath no root of its own to subsist in but subsist's in another tree Vse III. To encourage the soul that is afraid to draw neer to God for reconciliation and mercie in Christ becaus of the estrangement of it self from God by loss of image Lo the Lord is willing to unite himself unto thee poor soul in his Son by vertue of his union with thy fearful frail nature For by this union he hath purchased a spiritual union between himself and the sinful soul How singular an encouragemement then should this be to a poor soul to fasten on the promise when hee see 's it assisted by this all-sufficient merit issuing from the union of both natures both suffering and meriting Quest What is the Vnction of Christ Answ It is a consequent upon this personal union whereby the Godhead made the Manhood full of himself and of all gifts and graces of the spirit meet to enable him to his work of mediation and by name separated him from men to bee excellent as to bee the Prophet Priest and King of his Church Hee was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliver his people I. Vnction of Priesthood The Uuction of Priesthood is the chief part of the Unction of Christ becaus by vertue of that office hee performed the great work of satisfaction Two things are to bee considered in this Annointing of Christ our Priest 1. The peculiarness 2. The furniture of gifts For the first although there were many things in the ordinarie Priesthood of Aaron which resembled Christ for the general yet becaus there were many things verie different therefore the holie Ghost set's him forth by the type of Melchisedeck's Priesthood For as hee was without beginning and end in his storie so was Christ not as Aaron mortal mutable sinful Secondly the Furniture which this Unction filled the Lord JESUS our high-Priest withall and that without measure For as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so all the communicable gifts and excellencies thereof dwelt in him Eminent wisdom rightousness humilitie unblameablenes holiness separation from sinners and all other graces but as I take it one fruit of his Unction was his peculiar fitness to satisfie That holie free consent of his to the will of his Father to do and suffer and fulfil all righteousness I say this absolute and unstained Obedience to go thorow all difficulties meekly long-sufferingly cheerfully
God and they Scriptures what enemies have they to darken and dull them their sences understandings and heart what enemies of the wicked have they without them III Husbands Wives to dismay them telling them that they cannot bee assured in this life of their salvation How do enemies affright them with malice threats big-looks disclain and scorn putting them in fear they shall never escape out of their claws In this varietie of affliction what is there to sustain them What is it which teacheth to kiss the rod take up their cross and bear the indignation of the Lord till hee plead their caus and bring forth their light Surely the strength of their Captain and Conqueror the Lord JESUS who hath told them In the world they shall have affliction but bee of good comfort I have overcom the world It 's hee that tell 's them till God's season of their suffering bee com so much so long and that very cross God hath ordeined for them no enemie shall do them hurt And when they do hee will make it tolerable and easie unto them do them good for their sakes that hurt them But above all they are made Conquerors and their chin is kept above water they fight under hope of victorie and say with the Church Micah 7. 8. Rejoice not over mee Oh mine enemie for when I am down I shall rise and when thou art fallen thy wound shall bee incurable Lastly it comfort 's them by faith in the conquest of our Lord Jesus against the power of death and the grave For as it was with their head hee could not bee held in it so with them their flesh rest's in hope of that triumph This conquest make's us happie in all our miserie For why Even by that verie death which is the last enemie and the gate of utter miserie to the wicked the Lord open's a door of full and final redemption to the faithful Their lowest ebb is the next step to the highest tide of their soul's happiness and final freedom from all sin sorrow and enemies Wee shall bee as much out of Gun-shot of them as the Lord Jesus himself was after his Conquest VII Branch Applying of Christ's Merit The Applying work of Christ's merit is that solemn part of his Mediation for the sake whereof hee forsook the earth and was exalted above all principalities and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father that by his intercession alwaies made for his Church hee might applie to all the members the power of this satsfaction that it might work faith in those that want it and confirm it in those that have it Therefore hee is called Advocate that the Church may enjoy the fruit of his death continually And as the ends hereof are many to wit to present the prayers of his people unto God to hold them close to his Father and keep them in his love to cover their dailie offences and continue their justification and acceptance to unite them one to another and to protect them from enemies so especially to bless the Ministerie of the Gospel for the breeding Faith in the souls of the Elect by the preaching of this his Blood and Death So that when wee see the prevailing power of the Word and Sacraments in the weak ministerie of flesh what shall wee asscribe unto it but the power of this applying work of our Advocate who convey's favor of life of brokenness of heart faith and regeneration thereby into the souls of his and in this respect hee is the key of his Fathers bosom and fountain to unlock and set it open beeing sealed before for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in Vse I. As it is singular for all uses to the Church in general and all the lively members thereof in all concernments of it whatsoever as acceptance of their praiers beeing perfumed with the sweet incens thereof protection of their persons safeguard against enemies sustentation of their souls in grace perseverance and the like so especially seeing by the blood of Jesus wee have a liveing way made unto us by his flesh let us draw neer with a pure heart in assurance of faith Oh! it should bee as a wel-spring of salvation for everie drie soul to com unto even in the greatest barrenness deadness and fear of heart that the merit of Christ should not belong unto it Therefore go not to the Word and Sacraments any more with a dead and sad heart as if there were nothing in them save an out-side of man's voice and efficacie to perswade behold Christ in them who by his applying power convey's into them strength savor persuasion and grace that his poor people may not hear his Word as a dead letter or receiv the Seals as dumb elements but as divine ordinances assisted with the Spirit of Christ and therefore able to breed faith in the soul and truly to carrie it into the stream of his satiafaction Deceiv not thy self in the condition of faith and assure thy self the Lord Jesus will give thee both meat and appetite the object of his righteousness and faith to believ it also Vse II. Let us bee exhorted to denie our own strength conceits hopes or fears and and as oft as wee go to the Word remember it is a word of reconciliation Vse III. Let all the faithful Ministers of God comfort themselvs in their weakness and defects of preaching in the little success of their labors of woful hardness of heart in their people The Lord Jesus by his spirit of intercession hold's them as his candle-sticks in his right hand hand and hee will uphold gospel ministerie and the power of both in the mid'st of their enemies and although they bee never so furious yet Mic. 2. 7. his spirit shall not bee streightned but his word shall still bee good to such as walk uprightly ARTIC III. GOD'S imputation of the merits of CHRIST'S righteousness to a sinful Soul is the formal caus of our justification IMputation doth import such an act of GOD the Father satisfied as doth take this righteousness and reckon it to the needing Soul as her own although it bee inherent in another to cast upon it an estate of as full and perfect freedom and acceptance as if it had never sinned or had fully satisfied for look how he dealt with our Suretie hee made him sin for us that is imputed it to him as his so doth hee take his righteousness and count it ours that it might bee really ours indeed This doctine of imputation is expressed by divers phrases in the Scripture By the tearm of not-imputeing sin and imputeing righteousness hee intimate's in how many respects Christ hath holpen us to wit both to forgiveness in the one beeing made sin for us and to acceptation in the other by cloatheing us with his righteousness yet so as by both Active and Passive righteousness jointly not severally considered By imputeing righteousness and imputeing faith for righneousness is mean't one thing Not that faith in
any sens can bee our righteousness but becaus Christ apprehended by faith is the same thing which faith it self in the Scripture Beesides faith must needs concur with imputation in the act of it and therefore the holie Ghost honor's it with the name of beeing imputed to righteousness For first God enable's the soul to believ on the Lord Jesus by the promise and the spirit thereof Secondly the soul yeeldeth and consenteth Thirdly God casteth hereby this righteousness thus believed on the soul and impute's it to pardon and life So in the point of justification faith is said to justifie becaus of her necessarie concurrence which phrase is tropical the instrument beeing put for the principal agent The issue of this imputation of God is the Act of God justifying us really and freely from all our sin and guilt and all the curs due thereunto quitting us by proclamation as I may say from heaven by the voice of his spirit through faith so that haveing disabled all enemies from giveing in evidence lo hee absolveth us as haveing nothing com in against us Vse I. Let this bee consolation to all faint and weak children of God in the sight of their little grace and mean gifts and in the fear of persevereing to the end If one should com and tell thee thou art as holy as Job as Upright as David Believing as Abraham Zealous as Phinehas would it not make thy heart leap within thee Surely though I dare not say these of thee yet I say this If all these had not the robe of Christ's imputed rightousness cast over the holiest of all their Graces their unhallowedness had defiled them and the greatest of their holiness had not profited them And lo this robe thou hast as fully largely and deeply as the best of all these ever had Thy righteousness of imputation is as large as the largest of theirs Again touching thy fear of holding out proov to thy self thy faith in this act of imputation and that thou hast received that from God and then I assure thee that eternal Spirit by which the Lord Jesus offred up himself for his Elect the weakest as well as the strongest shall sustain thee it is the stock which thou art by imputation implanted into which hold's thee not thou it Vse II. Teacheth us the excellencie of faith first in respect of the nature of it other Graces of inherence dwel in the soul and are active within the soul more or less as patience sobrietie c. But the nature of faith although it bee a gift put into the soul yet standeth rather in a passive receptiveness then an activeness Secondly in respect of the constancie of it other graces while they last stand us in great stead as patience under a cross thanks for blessings but faith alwaies receiv's his imputation of Christ from the father as well to cover and beautifie us all our life as at our first conversion and carrie's her influence into each grace both to strengthen and keep the life of it as also to cover the wants of it yea the defects of the whole cours No grace can supply faith properly but faith suppleth all them Thirdly in respect of the prerogative of it that it 's admitted to bee all in all with God for the soul for it's Faith onely that maintain's Union and thereby communion with God Vse III. Let it provoke all that partake this imputation to bee thankful to God for his most wise and gracious providence that hath cast their portion so in this life that if there bee any defect it should bee in things of less necessitie but for those that are most essential hee is most large and full in his provision for them Vse IV. Let it bee a ground of self-denial to us As wee would obtain this righteousness of another so let us bee naked of our selvs It is witten of Mr Rollock that beeing on his death bed and much encouraged by them that visited him by his worthie labors I abhor saith hee my Rectorship of the Universitie Readership of Divinitie and Pastorship of Edenborow all which with great profit to all hee under-went that I may bee found in Christ cloathed with his righteousness all mine own is dung in comparison of this Com as Mephibosheth a limping cripple to David when I was a dead dog my Lord accepted mee I Sam. 19. As poor Abigail sent for to bee a Queen said Let mee bee an handmaid to wash the feet of thy servants 2 Sam. 25. Shee knew meer marriage to a King would make a Queen without bringing any thing And thus doing thy unworthiness shall not hurt thee but help on this robe upon thy bare shoulders Com thus to the Lord and say here Lord is a naked wretch put on the Lord Jesus upon mee I have no cloathing to hinder thee thou bid'st mee put him on Rom. 13. vlt. But Lord do thou fit him for mee in particular for my soul for my sin against my curs and then take him Lord put him on mee also reckon him to mee account with mee in him and make mee his righteousness as thou madest him my sin and I shall count it as real as if I had it of mine own Vse V. Let it stablish and comfort every beleever against all his fears Oh! it cannot sink into a poor soul privie to all her defilements that the Lord should ever pardon or accept her Remember imputation is not takeing all sin out of thee at once that must abase thy heart as it abased thy Suretie but a not-imputeing it unto thee Our blessedness stand's not in the want of sin but in the Lord not imputeing it The bush burn't but the wonder was that it was not consumed The Lord imput'es not thy sin cover's it take's away the condemning power impute's not the actual offences thereof to thee Hee look's at his own image in thee In all thy duties praiers there is thy dunghill and his pearl hee behold's that which is his cover's that which is thine not to make thee bold but thankful and humble Vse VI. Let this excellencie of faith as comfort us in one respect so humble us in another For imputation is onely for this life and argueth a defect of that which shall bee in another the thing imputed is perfect but the person to whom is corrupt and faith herself shall ceas and bee abolish't Wee will perhaps confess that wee should bee blank for our corruptions of pride and covetousness but the truth is our grace and virtues should humble us yea faith it self becaus still our life of inherence and perfect holiness is wanting ARTIC VI. The Gospel and the offer of Grace in it is the Revealer of this deliverance THe Soul in her distress hath to do with God to his tribunal shee stand's as her Judg. Now it is not the hearing of his giveing of Christ nor of a satisfaction which can quiet her but this that shee may know it 's given
spared us when wee have broke them pressing in upon us with renuing of good motions and affections which wee had quenched as being loth to lose us giveing us helps and means even out of season after long contempt confessing himself to mean as hee speak's Why lay you out your money and not for bread and your silver for that which profit's not Hearken unto mee eat good things So somtimes by his protestations of his loathness that any poor soul should perish Why will yee die oh yee hous of Israel Anger is not in mee why should flame consume the stubble What should I do to my vine that I have not don Somtimes by his passions and lamentations Luke 19. 42. Oh! that thou hadst seen even in that day the things that concern thy peace but now they are hidden Those tears and mournings over Jerusalem for her hard heart and contempt have been and are still over thee If there bee any dampings and streightnings of spirit thou hast caused them by thy dalliance and heart that would not repent But the Lord for his part still crie's How oft would I have gathered thee as the Hen doth her chickens Somtimes by his writeings to this feast of his Son somtimes by his contestation somtimes by his entreaties and earnest exhorting somtimes by his allurements to perswade and toll on the heart that hang's off by the promise of all the good things which hee offereth somtimes by his severe threats to all that refuse his offers all these shew how willing and cordial hee is to part with his grace and lastly somtimes by the universalitie of it that hee dispenceth it without all respect of persons age sexes states and conditions who exempt not themselvs But the special properties of this offer are three 1. Libertie 2. Simplicitie 3. Fidelitie First hee offer 's to whom hee pleaseth passing by millions of people in the world so that it is meerly unconditional and free as when Paul came to Athens or Ephesus who had never heard of the Gospel before Secondly the Lord beeing truly pacified in Christ offer 's it simply hithout grudging with an open heart meaning as hee speak's Thirdly Fidelitie whereby hee doth most readily and fully perform whatsoever hee offer 's to all who put him to the triall and accept it This is the main hinge whereupon the door of Hope and Faith turneth For an Offer is no otherwise differing from a promise then as a general out of which a particular issueth the promise is included in an offer but yet in special expressing the covenant of God to all that express the offer that hee will receiv them bee their God both in pardon and all-sufficiencie Into these the soul doth wholy powr out herself which that wee may understand consider this that wee have to do with the Father immediately but with our Lord Jesus onely mediately as a mean to lead us with confidence to him The Father properly look's at the Son as our Suretie and us for his sake but wee look at him directly and to our Lord Jesus as our Mediator So that look what wee can shew for our reconciliation must com from the Father and that is his offer and promise oath and covenant of mercie Into that therefore the poor soul is to resolv it self all her doubts fears temptations and distempers whatsoever Vse 1. This teache's us to adore the depth of God's justice against sin that hath still left so many Nations in their utter darkness and brutish ignorance of the Gospel How should this woful desertion provoke us to prize the revelation of this Mysterie to us as for them how should we pittie them Vse II. Secondly this is terror to all Papists that maliciously hide and darken this precious offer of God in the Gospel from the eies of the blinde people terror to all profane scorners who reject the Gospel and prize their swine their pottage their pleasures eas and pomp more then the Gospel reproof of all Non-discerners of this Grace of the Gospel the feet of a Minister shoul bee beautiful in this main respect though others also beecaus hee bring 's glad tidings of peace Vse III. Reproof to all that sleight the Gospel in the offer thereof prefer their oxen and farms their self-love ends and liberties before it Vse IV. Advertisement to God's Ministers to magnifie their Ministerie in deed and practice by beseeching the people to bee reconciled to God Vse V. This should scare all from infidelitie and contempt of God's offer Oh! it 's free and from meer good will the Lord is tied to none Hee hath rejected millions of Jewes and Turks and Baptized ones and chosen to offer grace to thee And shall the contempt of the free offer of that which thousands would have been glad of upon the price of going from sea to sea for it bee pardonable Do but consider what woful punishment will lie upon thee who refusest such an offer laid in this lap When as many poor souls would rejoice if the spending of dayes and nights might procure them a tender and believing heart to receiv it and yet complain that they cannot com by it Oh tremble at the freedom of this offer Bee humble and base in thy self to consider but this I am a poor wretch standing to the mercie of a free God who hath it to give where hee will and to denie it at his pleasure If hee give it to a prodigal son and denie it to a moral civilian if hee give it to one that came into the vineyard at the eleventh hour and denie it to him that came in at the seventh if hee denie it to the willer and runner and bee found of such as sought him not who shall alledg against freedom May hee not do with his own as him please's Oh! despise none least the Lord make the despiser seek to the despised and bee glad of their portion Oh! turn all emulation and scorn into humilitie and deep adoring of this freedom Vse VI. Dallie not with this offer of grace There is a while of it a season annexed to the offer The same breath which urgeth to receiv the grace of God add's a charge For hee hath said In an accepted time I have heard thee and in the day of salvation have I succored thee Oh that in that thy day thou hadst seen Now when is this day Surely it is not the day of possible mercie but of seasonable mercie Then when as besides health means and the offer of grace the Lord putt's a special spirit into the Ministerie of the Word so that it pierce's into the heart with perswasion when the terrors of it are weightie and serious the promise it is as the early fruit in Summer welcom and savorie when sin is bitter to the soul and when it is irksom to it to bee out of God's favor When the heart break 's and mourn's after God and can spend nights after dayes in seeking and it cannot bee
in and by which God convey's them Concerning these benefits of Christ consider three things 1. The Difference 2. The Order 3. The Nature and use of them to the Soul I. There is a four-fold difference of them First Election is before time and presupposeth nothing but the first caus of God's good pleasure and will justification reconciliation and the rest in time and presuppose Christ really theirs and issue immediatly from him Secondly in respect of the benefits that follow Christ In which respect Vocation differ's from all the rest for Vocation is not the fruit of Faith as the rest are but of Election seeing whom God elected hee called to know it the rest are fruits of calling to faith as to bee justified adopted c. Thirdly in respect of those which concern us in this life and those that reach to a better The former beeing such as reliev the necessitie of our present condition in which wee are imperfectly conformed to Christ in his estate of humilitie and beset with sin Satan and enemies of this nature are our justification reconciliation adoption and the like which all shall ceas as faith hope and patience shall in respect of the evils they do here conflict withall those that concern the life to com belong to that Image of God renued in us in righteousness and holiness which abide for ever begun here in grace and perfected in glorie Fourthly in respect of the benefit it self which shall abide for ever instead of an earthly paradise with old Adam wee shall enjoy heavenly mansions with Christ in the presence of GOD and there have this image and our mortalitie perfected In all agree that they are the work of the Spirit of Christ setling all his benefits upon the believer II. The Order of them 1. Is Vocation or regeneration as it concerneth the way and mean of begetting to God 2. Is Vnion 3. Is Regeneration 4. Is Justification 5. Is Reconciliation 6. Is Adoption 7. Is Redemption 8. Is Sanctification immediately issuing from it containing the mortifying and quickning work of the Spirit 9. Is Glorification III. The nature and use of them to the Soul 1 Vocation wch is a work of the Spirit issuing from election whereby whom the Lord hath chosen to bee his hee bring 's to know it And that by the voice and call of the outward Word and inward Spirit crying to their souls thus Com out of her my people and return to mee Com out from thy former corrupt estate of sin subjection of Satan curs miserie lewd customs error of the wicked hell and return to that blessedness which thou hast lost Calling is that whole workmanship of God whereby hee pull's the soul from a bad estate to a good bee it longer in working or shorter darker or cleerer easier or harder it 's the drawing of it from darkness to light Act. 26. 18. From whence it 's drawn is an unregenerate estate That whereto is faith between these the whole work of God is Calling It stand's in these two parts 1. The prepareing Work 2. The finishing The former is that by which the Lord findeing the heart uncapable of a promise bring 's it and prepare's it to bee such an one as may see it self capable and under condition of believing such an one as may believ The later is that by which the LORD doth finish the work of faith with power which is the condition of the Gospel without which no man can partake any of the priveledges following For it succeed's the condition of the Law and in stead of Do this saith Believ this and live Note well these Preparation is the condition of faith and faith the condition of the covenant These preparations are partly Legal partly Evangelical When the Spirit of God by both leav's such an impression in a troubled soul under the spirit of bondage it com's by the sight of the Gospel to so much hope as work 's the heart to mourning and brokenness to desire mercie to esteem it and to bee nothing in its own eies in comparison of it together with diligent unweariedness till it have obtained it All which are the preventions and assistance of the spirit of Calling drawing the soul home to God by such steps and degrees as the soul is capable of II. Vnion which is the work of the Spirit of Christ making the Lord and the Soul one spirit and causing the soul to partake by vertue thereof all that power of his both in priveledges and graces which follow For it 's sure the soul can no more receiv ought from God till it bee one with him by Christ then Christ could merit any thing for us till the Deitie and flesh were really united and no more then the bodie and soul can impart or receiv to or fro till they bee one Till wee bee one with God in Christ wee are without him in the world The Lord abhorring all relations that want Union but if once united then hee is in us wee in him hee dwell's in us wee in him as an inhabitant in his hous and the soul in the bodie hee is one with us wee are of him 1 Cor. 1. 30. in him Joh. 17. flesh of his flesh hee is our husband and wee are his spous and therefore hence issueth all virtue vigor and power into us that is meet for our support either earthly or spiritual till our union bee perfected in glorie In this Vnion four things are considered 1 The Necessitie of it 2. The difference of creäted Union from gracious Union with the caus of it 3. How this Union is wrought in the soul 4. The Effects which follow upon it First Vnion with God is necessarie to all that would partake his graces It was in the Creation till the Lord had breathed the spirit of life and himself into him Adam could have no communion with God so it is in this second Creätion No benefit no fruit thereof can com to the soul till this second creätion and union bee But by this as by a channel the rest follow Reconciliation with amitie Adoption with worship and libertie c. The second thing is the difference of Vnions The Union of grace is not like that of creätion neither in the measure nor in the instrument of it Not in measure for in the creätion there was a total and immediate Union in that kinde and it was a perfect one haveing God's image in it without set or impeachment This Union of grace is an imperfect Union for measure in this life beecaus the relicks of corruption and old Adam as dross mixing themselvs with the soul suffer not God and it to knit fully Secondly instruments of Union are unlike That of the Creation needed no other tie or band save the immediate presence of God in his image which had then no sin nor let to divide it That Union which now is encumbred with lets and enemies must needs bee maintained by a band of greater perfection then
any is in us The third thing is the instrument by which Union is begot in the soul and that is on our parts faith on the Lord's part the Spirit of life in Christ conveied by the promise and baptism The fourth thing is the effect of this Union even in habiting and dwelling of the Spirit in that soul which is becom one with himself so that now God in Christ by the Spirit is that to the soul which before her lusts were all in all Lord and King light and defence heaven and happiness Vse I. It is a terror to all hang-byes and time-servers who have it at their tongues end they are Gods and they bee saved how few soever they are But they cannot proov it by any ingrafting or union The old stock appear's in them no planting into a new no life of grace no Chirst to bee theirs no bringging to God by his flesh and the union of it to God no promise to fasten upon by which they may com no Spirit of God to bee between them and to unite both as the spirits Knit the bodie and soul in one Vse II. All you that will needs claim it by union Trie your selvs about it if yee bee united to God then hath the Lord chased you from your wandring vagaries and old haunts and brought you back like the prodigal Vse III. It 's use of thankfulss and comfort to all God's people 1. Of thanks for who art thou that the Lord should thus unite himself to such a lump of earth and sin Secondly comfort against all thy bad inmates and lusts which disquiet thee and make thee rather a Stie of uncleanness rather then an Hous of God Bee of good cheer the Lord esteem's thee not by these necessarie inmates but by the voluntarie Keep out them and the Lord will look upon his pearls not thy dung-hill Vse IV. It is to teach us both what dignitie and what dutie lie's upon God's people in this respect of their union The dignitie must needs bee great to bee one with God for by this means all his and our things are common hee suffer's in and with us in all our crosses Hee is honored or reproached in all our obedience or disobedience wee stand not nor fall to our selvs but to him Secondly it 's to teach us our dutie viz. To bee sensible of this union continually wheresoever wee becom A wife that honor 's her husband will so carrie her self that her husband may not bee impeached by any unseemly carriage idle looks speeches or liberties shee look's at his credit whose shee is Such a narrow eie should this union with the Lord work in us That his honor and name should bee the mark wee shoot at and look what wee think would jarr with his affections trench upon his glorie that wee should cut off III Regeneration The order of Gods working whereof is this First the word present's to the soul her loss of God not in a few beams or raies of his but his whole divine nature life and beeing Secondly it present's hereby the succession of miserie upon this loss and that most deserved all the curses wooes and penalties written in the law are written also and engraven by the finger of God's convinceing Spirit upon this person as a book written all over within and without Thirdly the Lord present's this soul with her fearful condition in this respect viz. that dangerous eas and quiet which the deluded soul lie's in in the midst of all this privation of God A most miserable spectacle to behold a creature miserable and yet thinking it self posse'st of all rich cloathed and furnish't with all necessaries Fourthly where the Lord will regenerate to a new life hee bring 's the soul to the sens of her lofs by the light of his law shineing as in a dark place as the light in the morning discover's to a man robbed in the night of his treasure at once what a case hee is left in and sease's it with a spirit of miserie and beggerie really ignorant now what to do wringing his hands and saying What shall becom of mee how shal I live and pass my life how shall I avoid the pinch of beggerie the shame of an undon man and the sorrowes that will ensue I say when once the Lord saveingly work 's this for els it may vanish hee doth in season present the soul with the newes of second life to prevent utter sinkeing and staie's the heart thereby Hee shewe's it that as lost and forlorn as shee is yet there is a way to restore her to her former integritie again Now as touching this way the Lord 1. First enlighten's the Soul in it 2. Secondly applie's and fasten's it upon the same 1. Hee enlighten's it in two kindes First about the Order of this way Secondly about the way it self Touching the Order of it hee tell 's her that forasmuch as shee once had this image of God creäted in her and hath wilfully lost it therefore before hee can restore her to it the second time his justice which is wronged by her sin and hath justly accursed her for it must first bee satisfied and the soul must apprehend this satisfaction to herself as her own and by this means her guiltiness and curs must bee washed off and removed out of his way For otherwise how can hee and the corrupt soul bee brought together What communion can there bee between sin and pureness Secondly Hee enlighten's the soul in the way it self To wit that in his wisdom and love hee hath granted his own Son true God and the nature which was offended to suffer the imputation of guilt and the death which it procureth in the nature and for the nature of guiltie man and by this suffering hee satisfied justice to the full so that hereby the way which sin had shut up might stand and lie open for the restoring of the poor lost soul to her former nature and life of God again Haveing thus enlightned the soul about this way hee then applie's it to the soul And that by a second and closer work of his grace For first hee applie's this work of Regeneration by the instrument of his word and promise which is as a seed of Regeneration cast into the womb of the soul by hearing it preached As Saint James saith Of his good will begate hee us by his word of truth This word carrieth with it a forming power of the second birth even a creating of God in the soul again Secondly the efficient caus is the Spirit of Regeneration taking this word and casting it into the soul and there hatching and cherishing the same till it have formed Christ therein who is the second Adam the true way and life that quickning Spirit And thirdly hee effect's this in the soul by the power of Faith which receiv's this seed of the word and this quickning of the spirit and possesseth the soul therewith Onely note this that Faith doth
these two things 1. First it receiv's the way of this life into the soul which is the putting away of guilt and curs which Adam's sin contracted and that is pardon forgiveness Secondly it receiv's therewith and at once the actual and reall properties and nature of God to inhere and dwell in the soul Now the spirit of Regeneration by this promise work 's three distinct Acts and steps in the soul First Conception Secondly Quickning Thirdly Birth By conception I mean the least step to this life by which the soul retain's and keep 's this seed of life suffer's it not to pass away and bee spilt as in hypocrites but digest's and hold's the promise to it self till it have bred its longings after this life Conceptions provoke longings of the appetite lusting after a kinde of alteration of spiritual appetite and a desire after this life This is that Esay meane's Cap. 55. 4. Incline your hearts and hearken unto mee That is Bee so affected with this promise of life that yee do incline toward it and make to it that yee walk in God's way appointed to bring you to it Bee affected seriously with the excellencie of this life and the happie change which God offer 's you that your souls do diligently ensue it in the means That it stirr's the soul to mourn for so long liveing a dead life and resisting the offer 's of life and resting in a shew of a fals conception It doth long after this exceeding great priveledg to bee partaker of the nature and life of God It use's all means which God hath appaointed with all earnestness of soul restless till it obtain it The second work is the quickning power of the Spirit of promise whereby the Lord infuseth this life of God into the Soul which is nothing els save the soul 's breaking through the manifold struglings and strifes which self and unbelief do work within her self doth obey the voice and command of the promise that so it may live The third work of the Spirit is the birth of this speritual life When the Soul com's out of the womb into the light that is discover's her self to be alive and apprehend's as I may say her own life and that God hath begotten her to himself which is the highest step and decree of life which is bred in her The poor soul haveing received the life of God into her by her weak and poor faith scarce felt and perceived yet by the secret power of the Spirit growe's from degree to degree That although shee hath no other life at the birth than in the quickning Yet this life is more apparent and sensible every day then other till at last the Spirit fall in travel and bring forth Christ formed in the Soul so that the soul appear's to herself and to others to live and to believ becaus now shee is in the light perfected and brought forth So that appear's in the operations and works of the new Creature Vse I. Let it bee a terror to all such as being void of this life of God as unregenerate ones are Eph. 4 yet walk as alive merrie and jollie in the death of their corruption Thus was Paul Rom. 7. alive to sin ere the Law came and who but hee till the killing letter came and slew him and made him pull in his horns To all Counterfeits who adorn their dead carcasses with the ornaments of religion Duties of life and worship of God they will bee full of but the life of duties faith to apprehend the Lord Jesus for restoring of themselvs to the life of duties and of obedience they care not for Oh! rest not in any iuferior base life when the Lord offer 's thee true spiritual life Abhor all fals colors of life duties and performances when there is no substance Vse II. Learn here the price of faith It 's that whereby the soul live's here the life of God a life better then a Princes without it Vse III. Pray for the Spirit of the Lord Jesus his Resurrection by which the soul is regenerated to his new birth 1 Pet. 1. 5. and never lin till by the Word and Baptism hee hath inspired thy soul with this life of Regeneration Vse IV. Trie thy self about this birth and bee not cozened by Satan Bee content to resign up the best hopes thou hast of life heer so that the Lord would give thee sound marks of true life True life is a life of hope of Eternal life yea lively hope it rejoiceth under the hope of it It is a clensing life and purifie's the soul It is a noble precious life and will not pollute it self with dead carrion It is a waitting patient life under crosses because the upshot of it is hid with Christ in God IV. Is Justification which is contrarie to the state of guilt and curs by sin And by this benefit the soul obtain's an estate of quietness and peace towards God And that by a cleering and acquitting her at his Tribunal as if shee had never offended fully and perfectly Which I add for a difference between justificaton and sanctification the former is an whole purging us from all our sins as Saint John Ep. 1. Cap. 1. 7. speak's The other a purging us in part of which read Heb. 9. 14. For purging is from guilt and curs and that must bee perfect by imputation for els how should sinful flesh stand before a perfect God The latter is from the Dominion and Rule of it which in this life is imperfect The issue and effect of justification is peace and quiet of soul a most peculiar blessing contrarie to those garboils and horrors which the conscience felt being under wrath as also to that rotten peace which the unconvinced conscience walked with through error Either one or other of these is the estate of all injustified ones Hence the holie Ghost never cease's to magnifie this benefit as Esay 57. I create the fruit of the lips peace to him that is neer and afar off It 's a work onely belonging to God and above the first Creation for heer peace is made of a contrarie even war The Lord is the onely former of the conscience and therefore it 's a work equal to God's power to create peace in it and to restore it being lost is far greater hee was anointed Esay 61. to that purpose to preach glad tideiugs of peace Rom. 10. 15. to the meek For look how one sufficient witness in a Court may by his verdict settle a man's whole estate upon him and recover his right So the Lord Jesus by his blood bear's witness that our sin and curs is gone settleing Pardon and Salvation upon us decideing the question and making peace And in this sens wee read Heb. 12. That the blood of the Covenant speak's better things then the blood of Abel That cried in Cain's conscience nothing save revenge and horror but this crieth peace The like is that which I Pet. 3. 20.
the Apostle saith of Baptism the seal of this Covenant in the blood of Christ viz. That it saveth us not by washing away the filth of the flesh but by the answer of a good conscience to God by the Resurrection of Christ What is that Surely this that when the Lord ask's the soul in what plight it is the conscience step 's out and answer's Lord it 's well with mee It was as ill as could bee but now it 's as well as can bee Thou hast changed all in a moment for in stead of war I have peace Vse I. This first teache's us the woful state of all unregenerate ones in point of guilt and curs of sin There is no peace saith my God to the wicked The waies of peace they have not known Rom. 3. and they have not seen the things which concern their peace Vse II. Secondly let all that hear this behold the wonderful priveledg of a believer and admire it yea seek to have it their portion This is the first step to all other benefits Doest thou look upon a beleever Thou seest a precious object a son of Peace Hee carrie's that within his bosom which cost the Son of God his heart blood which far exceed's all Gold and pearls For why Hee hath peace within hee is at league with all fears and in the suburbs of all prosperitie Vse III. Let all such as have got this prais God and keep it Pray yee with the Apostles The peace of God rule our hearts and mindes Lord establish our feet with this preparation of the Gospel and let it bee as the Soldiers shooes of brass enabling us to walk upon the pikes safely Oh! buy this jewel but sell it not Nourish it in your souls first by abhorring all sins that waste the Conscience Ensue peace if wee desire holiness Take heed of any secret closeing with sin upon any fals colors dispensations and distinctions in a nibbleing kinde and dallying with som degrees when wee dare not attempt greater preserv it from the dailie soil of appearances of lawful liberties from the encroaching of eas worldliness slightness formalitie and the like V. Benefit Reconciliation The fift Benefit is Reconciliation contrarie to the blemish of Enmitie with God and God with us bringing us into amitie and favor with him again Eph. 1. 5. Paul call's it our acceptation and belovedness with God The substance of this doctrine is opened in three points 1. Wherein the nature of this benefit stand's 2. How God confer's it on the Soul 3. What use may bee made of it For the first The benefit of Reconciliation offered by Christ is the firm solid agreement and friendship of the soul with the Lord of heaven who before was our deadly adversarie For the opening whereof survey a little these few branches First from hence issueth a Covenant of God made with the soul and of the soul with him Deut. 26 17 18 19. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to bee his peculiar people as hee hath promised thee c. A sweet text As the Lord disclaimed and disavowed us in Adam so by the reconcilation of the second Adam hee vouchsafeth and acknowledgeth us to bee his Secondly hence our behavior and cours becom's acceptable as Abel's sacrifice for his persons sake was accepted so that in all our service allegïance we are wel-pleasing though in him whom first God was wel-pleased Thirdly hence also flow the most excellent favors and graces of his Spirit conferred upon us that hee might the more take pleasure in us as a Bridegtoom doth in his Bride and spous whom hee hath and adorned Fourthly the All-sufficiencie of God as as a fauntain is set open by this sluce of Reconciliation For hereby the Lord can beteam the soul all support and all that is needful for this and a better life And this All-sufficiencie reacheth to soul and bodie All things are yours as you are Christs and Christ God's Fifthly the Emnitie of the whole frame is reduced to an Amitie with them there is a league made with heaven earth and hell that nothing shall hurt them Heaven shall not bee as brass nor the earth as iron The beasts of the field shall bee at league enemies shall turn friends becaus their waies pleas God Sixthly it restore's us to our blood not onely to our dignitie in person but in our posteritie Seventhly hence issueth the gift of perseverance to bee endued with a loyal spirit and with faithfulness never to depart from the fear of God Eighthly hence issueth a sweet Reflex of this Amitie of the Lord with the soul a very pledg of that felicitie in heaven which shall fill the glorified soul in the sight of God Faith I say present's a privitie and consciousness of this holie agreement with God with unspeakable securitie of heart and soul which none can utter save they that feel it Secondly the way how the Lord confer's it and that is by the spirit of Reconciliation in the Word working by the embassadors of it 2 Cor. 5. 20. whereof there are four steps 1. By this spirit the Lord discover's and present's a light to the Soul in the right colors and in the glass of the Law of her in-bred and naturall contrarietie to God and trecherous enmitie of spirit such and so deep as doth perpetually fight against him yea reject the covenant of amitie offered by him Thirdly hee discover's himself to such a soul that hee hath afforded to her a price of reconciliation even the blood of the Covenant not onely to compound and mitigate som extremities of Enmitie but even to abolish it all and nail it to his Cross Fourthly if this prevail to break and shew to the soul the bottomless love which lay hid in the bosom of God who was in Christ and is in the Spirit and Word of Christ reconciling the world to himself Fifthly the Spirit of Reconciliation fasten's the offer of being reconciled to God upon this poor soul by the instrument of faith the best make-peace that ever was which faith over-power's the enmitie of the soul by the excess of amitie and mercie in God and as it were compell's it to bee reconciled Shee apprehend's so much compassion in the bosom of God as to drown all enmitie therein as in the bottom of the sea And so to kiss the Son swear allegiance and com in The third thing is the Use of this Doctrine Vse I. Terror to all unreconciled ones Oh! yee are out of favor with God Is there not enough in this to scare you Tell a favorite whose life rest's in the Princes favor that his Prince is out with him and his breath is stop't yee choak him What a plight was Haman in when his face was covered Tell mee if God's favor bee as life What is his enmitie Vse II. This is instruction to teach all sorts the excellencie of this priveledg No other amitie is like it onely in this and by it other
fetch her to bee Isaac's wife hee discoursed of his wealth cattel silver and jewels and for the purpose brought her out his gold bracelets and ornaments which Isaac sent her But what came of it did shee slight the offer No but went with the messenger immediately If God's Spokes-men in bringing forth these benefits of Christ have won us thereby to go with them it is well Trial 2. No man is married to Christ except hee hath his dowrie to shew A Christ without a dowrie is no husband 1 Cor. 1. 30. Hee is our wisdom righteousness c. if wee can shew our marriage-ring set with these jewels wee may bee believed Trial 3. If thou bee justified where is that boldness of a debtor discharged by his Suretie that can say I know the hardest I shall not perish I dare look my creditor in the face Trial 4. If thou bee reconciled where is thy joy and welfare then of heart how shouldest thou be beloved of God and bee such a stranger to this joy Trial 5. Thou saiest thou art redeemed but proov it also for if it bee so then that bondage of thine to sin and the lust thereof and that bondage by sin that keep 's thee from believing is taken away in som measure thy tongue is none of thine own thy eies ears feet members are bought with a price and the Lord's yoak is sweet to thee Vse III. Instruction to all Christians to ponder wisely this article of the difference order and nature of these benefits It would help much to the understanding of the Scriptures with light and profit Vse IV. Exhortation that wee ceas not to adore that most divine depth of wisdom and love in God who when hee might have forsaken us and cast us off quite in our first fall was not onely content to restore us to the same estate and make us as good as wee were but also took occasion by this ruine to set us in a better estate then ever Adam knew not onely in the grace of perseverance but in the gift of eternal life in his heavenly presence Vse V. It is exceeding consolation to all believers For why The benefits which they receiv all at once by faith are a namo scit of price and plentie God in Christ is above all wee can ask or conceiv ARTIC VI. The Church of GOD is the true and onely object of all the former Good things TWo things are considerable in this Article 1. The subject of it the Church herself 2. The proper adjunct of it Communion I. Concerning the Church it is necessarie to open som tearms touching the distinction of names given to the Church viz. 1. A Church Constituted is gathered by the Word professing the same truth doth enjoy the free peaceable setled use administration of all essentials to salvation the Word Sacraments and outward Assemblies established by Christian authoritie And contrarie to this is that Church which consist's onely in toleration and connivence doubtful and unsetled 2. A Church Visible is an Assemblie of such worshippers of God as enjoying the libertie of the Ordinances do partake them visibly audibly and sensibly to the eie and observation of man 3. The Church Invisible is that Communaltie or fellowship of the Elect of God when or wheresoever throughout the world in all ages and times as beeing called to God and given to Christ becom his mystical bodie and are built up unto one habitation by the Spirit Shee is called Invisible not as if shee consisted of such members as may not bee seen and bodily conversed with seeing that they do usually reside in the Church Visible worshipping God with others externally but becaus that by which shee subsist's is an invisible grace of the Spirit not sensible to the eie of man but known to God alone and to others onely by the judgment of charitie more or less 4. The Militant Church is that part of the invisible which here upon earth walketh and warreth with and for God against all his and her enemies according to that vow and oath shee took in her Baptism or prest-money wherein shee covenanted to bee God's faithful Souldier against World Divel or Flesh 5. The Church Triumphant is that invisible which haveing cast off her harness after the victorie obtained abide's in soul with God and triumph's there over all conquered enemie both these although in divers state are the same Church 6. The Church Malignant is that special kinde of Church Visible which although it retain's Baptism and som such truths as are of the Essence yet hath degenerated in the most of her tenets from the truth of the Gospel Now the Church Invisible is the equal and onely subject of Christ and his benefits Onely with this difference that although the whole Church enjoy all yet becaus the Triumphant differ's from the Militant in the fulness and possession the one by sens the other under the assurance of faith and hope therefore here wee especially aim at the Militant as it contain's the whole armie the souldiers the bodie of his members Vse I. Confutation of the usurped and pretended title of the Pseudo-Catholick-Popish-Church who claim to themselvs this priviledg to bee the treasurie of all the benefits of Christ Vse II. Terror to all the malignant enemies of the Church if all this store bee laid in her lap righteousness redemption c. bee affraid to pursue and oppose her Vse IIL Admonition to all God's people to honor even the Church Visible Disdain not her assemblies separate not from her members renounce not her fellowship prize the field highly wherein the pearl is hidden Bless God that make's her a sanctuarie for the distressed a mother of Orphans and desolate ones an Ark for perishing ones Again admonition to all that live in the bosom of the visible Church not to rest there nor give their eye-lids sleep till thereby the Lord hath drawn them to the invisible For out of this Ark is no salvation Vse IV. Consolation to the true Church of Christ for the portion of these benefits given her in Christ Wonder that the Lord should so look upon the lowliness of thy poor despised state as to make thee his jewel-hous of these treasures Vse V. Bee not high-minded learn that of Paul That the root hold's thee not thou it Rom. 10. 18. The bodie hold's the members the Vine the branches not they them Bee not high-minded but humble thy self and be lesser then the meanest of the members The Lord hath bestowed life and blessing upon his Church for ever Psalm 33. ult not upon thee in severall Thy grace is a member's grace as the blood of a finger and the sens thereof and the spirit thereof is from the heart liver and brain carried to the bodie and thence derived to each part Humbly therefore bee glad to receiv thy part see thy wants supplie them by the bodie and disdain not the grace of the meanest for if thou abide in the bodie it
's thine and thy supplie II. The Adjunct of the Church of Christ The Adjunct of the Church is the Communion of Saints and members of this mystical bodie of Christ which is nothing els but the due entercours and holie fellowship reciprocally between member and member for the good of the whole Two things wee are to consider in this Communion of members in the Church 1. Due qualifying of the persons that are to communicate 2. Due exercise of communion among them that are so qualified 1. Qualification generally stand's in this that they bee brethren No sooner is a man a believer and a new creature born to God but hee is also a brother No bastard no stranger no Gibeonite no blemish't one may enter the temple of this Communion More specially they have the true Spirit of brethren of members by which the former is manifested to bee true Wee must know that this Spirit of Communion is the priviledg of the whole Invisible Church before it bee the spirit of any particular member for the members draw spirit from the bodie as the bodie from the head Now this spirit is flowing from Christ who hath therefore shed his blood for his Church not onely that hee might unite it together with it self but also that it might edifie it self in love And the Lord Jesus hath obteined this Spirit from his Father This Spirit of Communion may bee discovered in these two particulars First in the spirit of Preserving her self in her estate and integritie Secondly in the spirit of Furniture for the several operations whereby communion may bee supported I. In preserving Communion and this it doth 1. By separation of fals parts or contrarie which threaten ruine to her Mettals melted will go together and unite their substance but sever the dross which is of another nature from incorporateing with them the Citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem hee loathes swearers liers forswearers usurers and so of the rest No communication between Christ and Belial light and darkness 2. By gathering together of new This preserving Spirit is also a drawer of like parts to her self for the filling up and strengthening of Communion shee is still aiming at the bodies increase and therefore as the waters of the sea win upon the banks so doth this spirit of Communion seek out and enlarge her borders Our Lord Jesus the head of this communion spent his life in gathering members to this bodie Peter gathered 3000. at once and each member of it doth or ought to becom all in all to gain som 3. By preventing of any thing hurtful to herself This Spirit is warie to defeat whatsoever attempts may bee made against her communion either by opposite persons or properties II. The Spirit Furnishe's the Church with all such gifts as serv to maintain communion Such are 1. Love mother-grace of all the rest that which Saint John so magnifie's 1 Joh. 5. 1. Hee that loveth him that begat love's him that is begotten It 's the band of perfection that hold's in all the duties of Communion as the corner-stone doth the sides of the wall 2. Sociableness a compound of three coards not easily broken viz. 1. Amiableness which is that holy suavitie of spirit which opposeth tartness austeritie sowreness and sullenness whereby men are like ragged unhewen stones unmeet to couch in this holie building 2. Humbleness which opposeth pride which is a vice excommunicate from true fellowship of Saints causing men to think themselvs their parts their persons too good for communion It 's discerned by two marks peaceableness and equalness 3. Self-denial contrarie to Self-love the bane of communion when men seek their own esteem credit end profit and prais and if they fail thereof they little look how the publick welfare goe's forward 3. Tendernes and compassion Gal. 6. 1. If any bee prevented by error ignorance Satan sudden temptation let him that is stronger set him in joint again so the word is and restore him in the spirit of meekness II The Exercise of Communion stand's in three things 1. Graces 2. Means or Ordinances 3. Services or Duties I. In Graces In the tradeing whereof these rules must bee observed First bring in thy stock into this bank each member in this staple of Communion must get the gift of exchange hee must maintain a due entercours Secondly Humilitie is an excellent mean to exercise communion in graces condescending to men of low degree Proud ones get little and do little in this communion of Saints Thirdly Covet others graces 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet the things that are most excellent Appetite after the graces of communion is the instinct of God's spirit for the growth of Graces Men that hunt the Bezar seek not her flesh but that which is precious in her the stone which is so cordiall Base respects are nothing to the Saints in regard of this jewel Fourthly extract graces from others Solomon saith Prov. 20. 6. There is wisdom in the heart of the wise and a man of understanding will get it out Delilah lay at Sampson till hee had told her his whole heart So should'st thou that seekest the grace of others First by putting thy case in their persons whom thou tradest with as if thou wouldest learn what patience in sickness and pain is or how thou mightest die well ask others how should yee do in this case make mine your own Secondly observ wisely what fall's from the godly in their communion and conversation over-see not their words behaviors affections zeal scopes Thirdly let faith bee the chief extractor All things are yours saith Paul meaning all graces in all the members it 's a great help of profiting when as wee believ all the graces of others are ours allotted us by priviledg from Christ whose wee are Fifthly Rest not onely in the outward object but pierce into the inward There is more in a Saint then a bare sentence or carriage will express Look into the bottom as the Cherub into the mercie-seat Sixthly Bee wise to chuse thy object Each man excell's not in each grace or gift And when wee meet not with that wee look for wee think meanly of men as Naaman did beeing crossed by Elisha But the Graces of God are to bee marked as they bee most eminent As in Moses his meekness in Phinehas his zeal in Abraham faith II. In Meanes or Ordinances These edifie the Church First as they are ties and bands of Communion Secondly as they are active instruments or helps to beget and nourish it 1. As ties and bands Psal 122. Jerusalem is called a compacted Citie knit together by the Assemblies by the Sacrifices by the Thrones of Judgment Act. 2. 46. The Church continued and â—lave together in the use of the Ordinances the sacrament especially of the Supper Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the Word Praier and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of communion Wee see that the common ties of nature education and place do much tie
men together to have had one father to have lyen in one womb to have dwelt in one town to have fed at one board to have been brought up in one familie or nurserie are bands of fellowship how much more all these spiritual ties in one 2. As begetters and nourishers of Communion First as for the Word preached how many thousands did one Sermon of Peter gain to this Communion And it no less preserveth and holdeth the faithful therein For eieher it finde's them staggering in this Communion and then it restore's them or sad and heavie and then it encourage's and comfort 's them or ignorant and then it enlighten's them or unruly and then it admonishe's them or standing and then it establishe's them So that it doth all offices of communion Secondly so the censures duly administred and the like Thirdly so the sacrament of the Supper how active an instrument it is to reconcile them that bee at odds and unite them more who are brethren Fourthly Prayer what office is there which it hath not don the Church what was the means of converting Paul what delivered Peter out of Herod's prison c. Fifthly Fasting joined with it what good thing hath it not don a key to open the treasure of heaven and to bring upon the bodies and souls of the faithful plentie in famin victorie in war protection in dangers eas in distress III. In duties and service These are of two sorts Som concern the bodie viz. Charitie Som the soul viz. Holie example savorie instruction admonition reproof correction of errors exhortation and quickning to holiness comfort in heaviness sickness and distress and in each spiritual respect wherein member may bee usefull to member Vse I. Warp from the Communion of all Popish prophane and excommunicate ones from this fellowship complie not with them turn from all inordinate malitious scandalous revolting and prophane ones true communion abhor's such Vse II. It 's Admonition to all of God's houshold to beware least any bitter root rise up in them to defile this communion When there were not above four or five in the Church how did Satan pollute them as Cain against Abel Ismael against Isaac Esau against Jacob to overthrow communion so doth hee still Again Let it admonish God's people also that if by any occasion Satan hath cast in any bone to divide them and to provoke them to wrath heart-burning distemper that they presently cast it out and repent least the breach grow greater And let the falling out of such bee the renewing of love Let them so much the more narrowly look to themselvs after to prevent the like that so they may nourish the communion of Saints in the bands of peace Vse III. Exhortation to couch in this building of communion to practice it to impart to each one his gift to the use of edifying the bodie let not this dead world cool grace in us ARTIC VII That every Soul make this deliverance his own in special Whosoever by the former part hath been convinced by that of his sin and been kindely pinched and prick't thereby by each of those Articles so let everie such soul be now also convinced of righteousness and believ himself to bee the partie to whom this deliverance of Christ belong's by each of these five Articles promised Quest What is it to believ this Answ To believ this is the Work of the Spirit of GOD by vertue of which a Soul under the condition of Faith doth cast it self and relie upon the offer of God for pardon of sin and for Eternal life The condition of Faith is such a qualification as God require's of one who may believ the promise of reconciliation to belong to him That which God aim'es at in offering mercie is the magnifying of his Attributes of Mercie Justice Wisdom and the rest which hee will have more to appear in man's Redemption then they could in Adam's Integritie Hee will have the eternall doors open themselvs as hee saith Psal 24. ult not that our own ends forgiveness and happiness but the King of glorie might enter in even as hee ordained our Lord JESUS not to obey and suffer for any ends of his own but meerly the Fathers to whom hee was subject as wee see in Rom. 15. 3. and therefore he would have him lose all glorie and emptie himself that hee might fulfill the ends of him that sent him The Lord usually proceed's by these step 's 1. Where the Lord will work kindely hee will so present the glorie of his grace to the soul in distress that whereas before it was under confused despair First it shall see a crevis of light and an hope a far off of a possible deliverance which hope shall melt and dissolv the heart into a spirit of mourning and breaking not so much for fear of hell as for the Lord himself See it in Jona 3. compare ver 9. with ver 6 7 8. when once hope began to spring up secretly who can tell whether God will repent him of his fierce anger that wee perish not Lo they melt into tears they fast put on sack-cloth on themselvs and their beasts and make a rufull spectacle So doth the soul here leav takeing thought for it self and take thought for the Lord saying O wofull man that I am whom the Lord should bee found of when I sought him not who had care of my happiness when I cared neither for him nor for my self 2. The Soul rest's not here but break 's out into desire that it might live to glorifie his grace and partake of it that it might magnifie it before all the world and give witness to it against all despisers of it 3. The Soul set's an high price upon this salvation and recount's the severals of it that it may see the unvaluableness of this pearl Matth. 12. 44. haveing spied the pearl withdrawe's it self hide 's it ponder's the worth of it viewe's the particulars of it as one would do of a purchase and by so museing of it set's the whole man a fire with it in the esteem and value thereof 4. It lastly emptie's the soul of herself Even as the Queen of Sheba beholding the glorie and wisdom of Solomon had no spirit left in her but was ashamed of her own silliness and as Peter Luk. 5. beholding the glorious power of Christ in bringing so many fishes into the net when hee could catch nothing was amazed so doth the Lord in this case Hee cause 's that loathness and resistance of that proud heart that savor's no grace or faith to quail and fail utterly take's away the corrupt self and self-love which is offended at his grace Especially it turn's away the soul from her own ends in seeking salvation shee dare's not now ascribe to her own duties hearings praiers affections preparations but cast's them into the sea that life may bee preserved Shee feel's the great ends of God's glorie to work all these in her but no way as
him to each poor member of his Church there to dwell for ever both in grace and glorie Now to conclude I demand what one link of this chain were not strong enough to draw the heart to settle it self upon it And yet I must say this That the word and promise of God is the immediate thing which faith relie's upon although strengthned with all the rest To this consideration two things generally are required The one to gage the promise and offer of God as a Marriner would sound the depth of the sea least his ship should bee on ground so see whether it bee able to bear the weight of the soul or no and answer all her distempers and fears fully The second if it appear that it is able to sustein it then to relie and cast it self upon it confidently for her own pardon and salvation Although the Marriner cannot himself by his own fadom touch the bottom of the sea yet by his line and plummet hee can sound it as well as if hee could reach it with his hand and so fasten his Anchor upon it So here the plummet and cable of the Word wherein this strength and depth lie's will help us out so far as may serv our turn The hand of faith touche's the depth of mercie conteined in the offer by the direction of the Spirit in the Word which tell 's us what is conteined therein Three things the Soul must look at to bottom it self upon the promise of reconciliation and deliverance First the Wisdom of the Lord. Secondly the Strength Thirdly the Faithfulness All which are sure grounds the Lord hath hidden in the promise of mercie to a poor sinner that is under the condition 1. Wisdom of the promiser I may say of it as the holy Ghost said of Salomon when hee called for a sword to cut the childe All Israel saw that God had put the Spirit of Wisdom into him to do justice So God hath shewed all wisdom in the promise to settle the soul And that in two respects First of himself Secondly of us in respect of himself becaus in revealing his heart of love to the soul onely hereby and no other way hee teacheth us that hee who is God onely wise 1 Tim. 1. 17. could in the depth of his counsel finde out no other way so wise and sufficient as this to ground the soul in sure peace towards him Christ and the promise in him was that which seemed the wisest of all waies in the thought of God especially to us under the Gospel See Heb. 1. 1. After sundrie waies the Lord spake unto our Fathers in dark times as dreams Urim visions but now by his Son and Word the engraven form c. Note how this course is called the best wisest and holdingest of all as haveing more in it then all the rest Oh! wee would think in our shallowness that one from the dead Angels or revelations were better But wisdom it self hath pitch't upon this way all things considered as the wisest of all Secondly in respect of us for it is such a way as call's us to faith a promise haveing relation to believing it without which it cannot profit us Now if it bee without us how wise a way is it to quash and damp our base spirit of self-conceit and self-endeavor and to abase our Pride that hee who boasteth might boast in the Lord So that the promise is like a Map which a wise man shewed once to a fool that boasted of his lands bidding him to point out his lands in the Map which being narrow hee could not do and so went away ashamed Note then for this First wee all would bee counted wise many in these daies chuse to bee counted rather dishonest then unwise Well let us then bee wise for our selvs and wise to salvation in chusing this way of a promise to ground our souls upon Wee see not the Lord But if this bee a wiser way then that think there is somwhat in it then at first might seem more and fasten upon it 2. The strength of God Read 1 Sam. 15. The strength of Israel cannot lie meaning in his word So then in the Word of God is his strength also enough to bear up the poor soul in believing Heb. 1. 3. Hee bear's up all the weight of the World by the word of his power How much more the weight of a weak soul See Esay 27. 5. Anger is not in mee there is a word What follow 's Or take hold of my strength and make peace q. d. if I bee reconciled there is strength enough and that for a sinner to take hold of either this or nothing Read 2 Cor. 1. 20. For all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen that is sure and strong but mark how In him the words that I speak are spirit and life But wherein is this strength Surely in the forenamed grounds of this second part Christ's satisfaction the Father's acceptation are those pillars of strength to a promise without which it would not avail to go to a promise Weigh seriously that noted text 2 Corin. 5. 20 21. The Ministers of God in his Name offer and seal up in the Word and Sacraments that word bee reconciled to God What saith the soul to this I dare not God is a consuing fire True saith Paul but anger is not in him Why becaus hee hath made and accepted him that knew no sin to bee sin that wee might bee the righteousness of God in him hee that said In him I am well pleased Shall a poor soul bee then as Noah's dove upon the waters Why say yee to my soul flie to the hils if God bee his strong hold If thou bee under the condition of the promise hee is no less in his promise Take a similitude A man lie's in prison for debt of an hundred pound A friend com's to him and bid's him com out hee answer's I cannot I lie here for debt and then there appear a strength unto him and laying hold of it hee com's out Read that in Rom. 3. 25. God hath set him forth to bee propitiation that hee might bee just in justifying him who is of the faith of Jesus What saith the poor sinner to this Oh! but it is just with God to punish sin wheresoever Nay haveing made and accepted him the propitiation for a broken soul it is even just to pardon him It was mercie to grant such propitiation but haveing so don it is also justice to pardon even as it is not just to take one debt twice Therefore David plead's Pardon mee according to thy righteousness Christ haveing turned just wrath into just mercie To conclude this note yet a second strength in the promise for the poor soul still cavill's But this is to a believer I believ not I answer But the promise by the power of the spirity of our Advocate is able to do that which it required it 's not a killing
letter as the Law Do this and live but a quickning one Believ and live it giv's that it command's the soul being under a promise is under the autoritie of him that bid's her bee reconciled It is as with Naaman 2 King 5. 15. Wash and bee clean so hee washed and lo his flesh became as a childes Act. 3. That cripple that beheld John and Peter being bidden to arise felt strength and streightness to com into his limbs How In the Name of Jesus vers 12. This name of Jesus is much more in the promise of Reconciliation Mark then if the strength of the promise bee such say not it is nothing but take hold of it 3. The faithfulness of God the faithfulness and undeceivable unchangeablenss of it this is a strong bottom 1 Tim. 1. 25. This is a faithful speech and worthie of all acceptation Christ came c. Read that sweet place Esay 55. 3. The sure mercies of David and the opening of it Heb 6. 18. Surely blessing I will bless thee Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew to the heires of his promise the immutabilitie of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things Covenant and Oath in which it was impossible for God to lie wee might have strong consolation why Becaus they are as two Cities of Refuge to a poor distressed fearful soul in the pursuit of Satan and conscience those two avengers to lay hold upon Mark then if the Lord descend so low to a poor sinner as to answer all doubts by adding an oath and a seal of his Sacraments and a pledg of his Ministers faithfulness to assure the simplicitie of his meaning then doubtless it must bee his honor to perform it and hee that believ's it not must needs make him a lier Joh. 3. 33. as hee that believ's set's his seal to the word that it is true Num. 22. 19. It came from a wretch yet by God's Spirit God is not a man that hee should lie Oh! then bottom this soul upon his faithfulness Read Esay 54. 9. Haveing made this covenant of mercie with the Church hee add's This is as the waters of Noah unto mee for as I have sworn that they shall no more destory so I will bee wroth no more with thee with everlasting kindeness I will shew mercie upon thee And again If my Covenant with the Sun and Moon and Stars shall fail then shall my Covenant fail with thee Wee rest upon the promise of a man that never failed us much more his oath Heb. 6. 16. An oath is among men a confirmation and end of all strife Oh! beware then of strugling against God's promise becaus it carrie's the force of an oath with it Let mee exemplifie it by a text 1 King 1. 22. The Prophet Nathan and Bathsheba go to David and press him Did not my Lord the King say Salomon shall surely reign after mee How is it then that Adonijah reign 's What did David Hee rowsing his weak bodie up swear's As the Lord liveth who hath delivered my soul out of all adversitie as I have said so I will perform it this day Salomon my Son shall reign Was not David as good as his word and durst any hinder or cross it No it ended the strife and scared away all the Traitors Oh beware then that thou cross not the Lord in his promise to make him a lier And I may say the like of all other attributes of God for the promise is that by which God seek's himself and his own glory infinitely and therefore hee hath put himself wholly unto it In applying of these grounds unto the soul faith should do these things First shee ought to ponder well and muse upon the promise Secondly bee throughly convinced thereby in her heart of all these grounds Thirdly shee should cleav close to the promise against all objections Fourthly shee should humbly and wholly obey and consent to the promise And lastly shee ought to plead the promise and improov it to her own peace 1. Pondering a promise Pondering is when a man lift's any thing to esteem what weight it bear's so ought faith to do with the promise and that in these three kindes 1. To mark it set a Star upon the Margin of a special promise Buy that book which call's out promises of note in this kinde 2. To muse upon it chew upon the cud dwell upon it therefore it is said of Marie that shee pondered the Angels words in her heart 3. To familiarize with it get it by heart till it bee easie make it thy bosom-friend So did David make promise his Counsellor and companion II. The second work of the soul is to bee convinced of whatsoever hath been said of the wisdom strength and truth of God in offering and promising pardon to a sinner Joh. 16. 9. The Gospel shall convince the heart of righteousness III. The third work of application is cleaving of the soul to the promise against all her fears doubts cavils for when it is convinced of clear truth the scales of darkness fall from her eyes The soul is set between vanitie and mercie if mercie prevail then lying vanities ceas Hence it is that a convinced heart com's forth and faith I renounce my slavish fear I abhor my base mixtures of self and duties vertues and preparatives of mine own I abandon all my former props of nature art experience religion which kept mee from mercie and I cut all knots in sunder which I cannot unloos and let all my tackling fall into the sea and commit my soul to thy promise through rocks waves and shelvs that if I perish I may perish onely I will for ever cling to thy promise do with mee as thou wilt If I bee deceived thou hast deceived mee Thus the soul beeing convinced clasp's to God and affiance's it self to him as the Ivie to the Oak so that break the one and break the other IV. This affiance causeth that sweet consent and naked obedience to the promise according to the Word and the extent thereof Esay 1. 19. If yee consent and obey yee shall eat of the good things c. V. The last work of application differ's not from the former save in degree and it is the pleading of a promise when there is a strong unlikelihood presented to the soul either from the Lord 's leaving it to herself or in temptation or in deep sens of unworthiness fear c. then shee labor 's to cling to the promise by pleading it secretly as wee see in that rare example of the woman of Canaan who was content to bee put off by silence denial yea taunts and although shee was called a dog yet shee held close to the Word that Christ was the Son of David a true dog and happie in this that shee would not bee beaten off Therefore our Savior saith shee was of great faith Vse I. Confutation of the Papists who say to cleav to a pomise by
still mai'st hear the word which is a favor for an Angel but that thou breathest in the aire or treadest upon the earth Thou objectest If thy hard heart were not so hideous upon thee thou couldst hope But I answer What hath caused it save thy self that wofull hardner which would get out of her fears by her own way and so hath dallied out the time and hardned thee But the promise tell 's thee if thou would'st trade with it thou should'st finde a contrarie effect Thou wilt say True if I were elected I might but I feel that I am not The promise will shew thee God's cords in thy dungeon and the robes which hee offer 's thee and will ask thee Dost thou not see mercie at the bottom At which end of the ladder would'st thou go up What hast thou to do with Election when the cords are so near thee or why would'st thou to heaven when the word is thy heart Thou wilt say Thou art most unworthie sinful and cursed and thy sin is ever before thee Yea it is so But why elsâ— should mercie offer it self save to the miserable Yea but then thou hast long continued a wretch and saped thy self in sin The promise will tell thee This objection from self-deceit as if thou might'st plead mercie if thy sins were smaller or thy self better whereas thy plea must bee the greatness of grace not the smalness of sin But my heart hath been hardned against mercie it self and dallied with it The promise will tell thee The Lord JESUS died for them that slew the Lord of life and for sins against the Gospel also Yea but thou saiest many have been converted since I began The Word will replie God hath all the hours in the day to work in if thou wilt attend him the eleventh as well as the seventh Thou wilt object If God had mean't mee good I should have felt it long since The Lord will tell thee so thou hast if thou wert not unthankful for it and rather delightest in descanting than believing Bee encouraged to hearken to the promise if thou would'st see all distempers drowned in the sea A second motive to believ may bee the heavie doom of unbelievers Their condemnation is of all others deservedly the fearfullest wors then the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar heat thrice hotter They had the Son of God in the mid'st of it with them therefore felt it not these contemn the Son of God they tread the blood of the Covenant under foot and count it a vain thing and count eternal life unworthy of them Therefore it shall consume them without consumption for ever If our Gospel bee hid it is so to them that perish The condemnation of the world is That they hated light that is not the light of the Law but of the Gospel the promise Hee that hath surfeited his bodie by intemperancie may die but hee that throw's the potion sent him the onely one which can cure him against the walls must needs die If they who despised Moses Law died how far greater judgment are those worthie of who sin and that finally against this Remedie can they resist the force of this Rock falling upon them and grindeing them to powder I deny not but even moral sins standing in relation to infidelitie either as causes Joh. 3. 19. or as effects 1 Tim 1. 13. are in themselvs damnable How much more unbelieving it self which make's them so Do not think this still stream is safe it 's the most deep and deadly gulf It oppose's the wisdom the counsel of God the depth of his riches of love the second love of mercie above the first creätion the providence of God's dispensation appointing this as the best way for redemption the direct way for the magnifyiug of his bottomless grace who could finde in his heart to love enmitie it felf and hate holiness in a sort that hee might love sinful enemies it resist's the omnipotent power of God in creäting man The second time of wors then nothing it disannul's his attributes his offer truth and faithfulness make 's God a lier chuse's a wors choice then Eve and Adam did hell before heaven and therefore deserv's to die that death which it hath chosen Oh! therefore judg of this sin by the spiritualness of it and prevent a treble hell by humble accepting and believing promise Lastly to conclude this doctrine should teach all God's people to keep their eies upon this Mirror of the Promise so closely till it transform them from glorie to glorie The least glimpse of mercie in the promise is glorious yet the Lord is not idle in his peoples hearts but that hee can reveal himself more clearly and gloriously to them day by day if they bee not in fault and lay barrs in his way For as the day from the dawning to noon-tide so the promise encreaseth in light where once the day-Star is risen The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith there is a spirit of the promise whereby God sealeth his people after they have once believed so that as Rom. 8. The Spirit fellow-witnesseth with us about our adoption our redemption our reconciliation all are ours wee are the Lord 's Many haveing got som flashes of hope by the Woâ—d rest there go no further wax waily wanton frothie thinking any of their own humors may well complie with the glad tidings of Heaven and so shake off their fears and turn grace into wantonness But if the true Spirit of the Promise were in them their Covenant would draw them to seek more assurance evidence and hold then before Therefore let us look to this work of the Spirit And to this end trie it by these few marks First such an heart growe's lower and lower in it self daily by how much grace growe's higher and the reproach of God in his fulness cause 's the soul to crie Depart from mee a sinful wretch It work 's not lightness Secondly such an heart hath much busied it self in and about the faithfulness of the promises that so the Lord may as by an earnest 2 Cor. 1. 22. give her his seal to assure her Thirdly shee feel's the priviledges accompanying pardon to bee hers and out-grow's her fears bondage doubts assaults temptations by the spirit of libertie peace joy thanks admiration c. Fourthly shee grow's in the seal of holiness as well as of assurance beeing more zealous fruitful upright hereby Fifthly shee covet's the use of Baptism appointed to seal her Sixthly shee grow's more real savorie setled more confident in praier and more lively in hope more readie to die more mortified in lusts more cheerfull and fruitful in communion of Saints THE THIRD PART ARTIC I. That hee who is in CHRIST is a new Creature THe Scripture expresseth this sundrie waies all tending to the same end all may bee reserred to these heads for either they look at the main principle of the Spirit of sanctification as when the tearms of renovation
world thinking they have for saken them Vse I. Of instruction to all new creatures to wonder that the Lord will accept them to bee so and take them after their refuse-stuff and service to old Iusts to bee new men Who would think it that the Lord shoud chuse such defiled temples of idols lust and lewdness to dwell in Who would think hee would admit of those nastie sties of unclean thoughts those cagesof pride uncleanness and self-love powers and members of bodie and soul that have been so defiled to bee weapons of righteousness Oh what encouragement is it for old creatures to becom new Vse III. It should admonish all to take heed how they meddle with any believers in Christ to hurt discourage reproach or pursue them Let us know they are new creatures and the workmanship of God him that defaceth God's image will God destroy Beware touch not the anointed of God do his image no wrong Vse IV. If the Lord will have others to beware how they deface God's creaures how much more should wee his new cretaures take heed of defileing our selvs Oh! if God have made yee so beware yee cast not dung in his face and pollute not his image Vse V. It's use of consolation to a believer The Lord esteem's him by his best part his bent and stream and not by his defects As a man call's a dunghil precious for the pearl in it and as a man would call wine mix't with water Wine and corn full of weeds Corn becaus of of the better part So here the Spirit and bent of the heart denominate's a Christian with God Vse VI. Of Examination for all that would bee sure to know the new creature to be found in them Trie it by the room wherein yee place it the best things require the best place the image of God in Christ drawn by the Spirit will endure no room but the most inward part of the soul ARTIC II. The whole conversation of a believer must bee renued THat is that holiness bee exercised and set on work in the cours of our life which somtime in the Scripture is called the Ordering of conversation aright See Psal 50. ult Somtimes our walking with God Gen. 17. 2. Luk. 1. 6. So also our liveing righteously holily and soberly in this present life somtimes our serving him in fear all our daies somtimes the haveing of a good conscience Act. 25. 1. And lastly the holding out of a good conversation See Matth. 5. 16. So 1 Pet. 3. 2. Eph. 5. 8. 2 Pet. 3. 11. For explication of this two things are to bee considered of this Conversation 1. The circumstances 2. The substance I. The circumstances concern 1. Either the Persons who must lead this conversation 2. Or the conversation it self I. Circumstances concerning Persons bind all sorts equally to the good behavior without prescription or exception that in their several 1. Estates as in 2. Conditions as in each trade or calling 3. Relations as masters servants parents children c. 4. Degrees rich poor noble ignoble learned ignorant c. Prosperitie Adversitie II. Circumstances concerning conversation it self are 1. Order that the chief service of God bee preferred before the meaner 2. Proportion between dutie and dutie zeal with wisdom c. 3. Beautie giveing to each dutie her due respect not onely doing but looking how 1. In time that religious cours bee first attended then worldly Mat. 6. 33. 2. In honor lesser must give place to greater II. Substance of conversation II. Substance of conversation may bee referred to these three heads either 1. To those Graces which qualifie a good conversation vid. A 2. Subject wherein conversation consist's vid. B 3. Object which it look's at vid. C A 1. Graces which qualifie a good conversation are of two sorts General Special General are either Graces of Qualitie Quantitie I. Graces of Qualitie are five 1. Wisdom which is a determining of generals to specials both of actions and circumstances according to Christian rules Phil. 4. 6. It keep 's a decorum in all actions 2. Simplicitie which look's at truths in their naked nature without mixture of fleshly conceit 3. Sinceritie looking alwaies at right ends it hath a pure aim at God's glorie opposite to hypocrisie 4. Faithfulness not revolting or warping either for allurements or threats 5. Integritie towards all the commandements of God without partialitie II. Graces of Quantitie or measure are two 1. Prosperitie or welfare of the soul which hath three parts 2. Continuance whereby it giv's not in nor is wearie in wel-doing and it is contrarie to staggering sloath and eas 1. Rootedness contrarie to sleightness 1 Cor. 15. ult 2. Fruitfulness abundant in wel-doing 3. Growth 2 Pet. ult Special graces of the Soul are 1. Righteousness which giv's everie one his due 2. Prudence which wisely accommodate's it self to the occasions of actions as it judgeth most expedient 3. Courage which goeth thorow all dangers and streights patiently and waiteth by faith and hope for a good issue 4. Soberness which ordereth a man in the use of his lawful liberties aright and keep 's a man from excess therein 5. Humilitie which teacheth a man to think meanly of himself as knowing his own wants and shame 6. Chastitie whereby a man possesseth his vessel in holiness and honor 7. Thankfulness whereby the receiver is duly affected toward the author of any good Sundrie other virtues there are of which is sufficiently spoken in the Article of Communion Part. 2. Yet a true Christian must look to nourish moral vertues in his ordinarie conversation as well as religious in the fellowship of Saints B 2. The Subject wherein conversation consist's i. e. the regenerate person It stand's in three things as the instruments by which a Christian doth and must ordinarily convers vix 1. Thoughts 2. Affections 3. Actions I. Thoughts they are the first mover in the soul and from them issueth either good or bad life they are the master-wheel Concerning these observ three things 1 Rule Let it bee our continual care to keep the thorow-fare of the the soul free from the evil of them as by pardon so by purgeing of them daily 2 Rule Season thy imagination and the doors of thy senses with holy meditations 3 Rule Watch over thy thoughts as men do over thievs and ask whence they com and whither they will ere they pass 4 Rule Attend seriously on holy objects to fix thy imagination on good things Es 26. 5 Rule Let all thy springs bee in the Lord Psal 87. 7. even the root of thy whole conversation II. Affections These are the wheels of the soul indeed and upon them the soul is either hurried to evil or led to good Helps for the right ordering of them 1. Nourish the fire of the holie Ghost kindled in us in our first regeneration and applie it daily to the shamâ—ing purgeing out and consumeing of these lusts Gal. 5. 2. Apply the merit and look at
the example of the Lord Jesus in all the whole conversation of his affections 3. Learn to take a right mark of the right objects of our affections and that will shame us when by loosing or mistakeing our right mark wee do fasten them bafely and indirectly Our anger is too good to bee set on carnal revenge our love too good for base lusts c. 4. Get the soul setled in peace and this will rule our spirits that neither fear nor hope shall much unsettle us but wee shall possess our souls with patience in the mid'st of all distempers III. Actions Touching which observ four rules 1 Rule They must bee warranted by the Word either in doing not doing or suspending Without knowledg the heart is not good Pro. 19. 3. 2 Rule They must bee don in a right manner or els wee sin And this manner of doing require's two things First that they bee don in the state of wel-pleasing Secondly welpleasingly The former is an assurance that the person please's God The later is a cleaving to the qualitie of performance that it bee pure 3 Rule They must bee don in a right measure The Lord must bee served with the best of us Within by the best of our souls Without by the best extent of our abilities And that wee keep no fals measure within us 4 Rule They must bee don to a right end viz. The glorie of God good of his brethren and peace of his own heart â— 3. The Object of our conversation which is two-fold 1. Spiritual with God himself 2. With man in common life 1. With God himself Godly conversation is that communion which a renued soul hath with God And it is twofold Inward Outward Inward stand's in two things 1. Either the life of faith 2. The exercise of the graces of the spirit within the soul I. In the life of faith which is soul's enjoying of God Christ our sanctification by all his promises concerning life and godliness The particular objects of the life of faith are reduced to four heads 1. Estates viz. 1. Prosperitie The soul cleav's to God in the promise of his All-sufficiencie Gen. 17. 1. and 1 Cor. 3. end All things are yours c. 2. Adversitie The soul cleav's to God in the promise of his protection redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2. Means-useing The soul cleav's unto God by the promise for the power and blessing of and upon all his ordinances 3. Duties The soul cleav's to God by a promise for strength to give us the grace to do what hee commandeth 4. Graces The soul cleav's to God in the promise and the grace of the Lord Jesus for a supplie of grace convenient for it self both for number and measure Joh. 1. 17. From his fountain wee receiv grace for grace like for like so many for so many II. In the exercise of the graces of his spirit For as Merchants and chapmen have the policie and traffique for wares and money so the godly have their commerce with the Lord for Grace Phil. 3. 19. And this stand's in these three things 1. In the increas of their Graces 2. In the rejoicing in the growth and increas they have had 3. And especialiy their tradeing is in heaven by that precious hope which is an earnest-pennie of their inheritance and therefore they never think of it but it glad's their hearts So much of the inward convers with God Outward convers of the soul with God is that holie correspondencie which it hold's with God in outward services These are of two sorts 1. Ordinarie 2. Occasional 1. Ordinarie viz. 1. First a satisfying of the soul with the Lord's image at our awakeing with a saluteing of his promise for renewed pardon and grace 2. A seeking of his face as oft in the day as may bee for renewed humiliation for pardon of renewed â—ins grace to purge and season the soul thanks for renewed compassions 3. A reviveing of covenant with him for closer purpose and bent of heart towards him 4. A daily recording of God's peculiar administrations and providence to us in patience c. 5. A finishing of each day so as wee viewing it over may bee humbled or comforted and so lie down in peace 2. Occasional is the service of the time Act. 13. 36. by which wee rest not onely in our ordinarie service of God but reach our souls to the condition of the times wee live in accordingly carrying ourselvs either in affliction or thanksgiveing as occasion require's II. Branch viz. our conversation with men in common life This the Psalmist call's the ordering of conversation aright and it is the wise accommodation of a Christian to the several passages that befall us unavoidably in this our common cours of life as marriage companie or solitariness liberties earthlie business calling familie-government common talk c. Generul rules for all Generally touching all note this That God abhorr's all common prophane usages of the world in these things and will have his people carrie about them the cognizance of new creatures and holy ones that they may not make religion odious by their corrupt behavior and makeing use of each other therein for their own ends but that the graces of God may break out and shine in the order of their conversation to the glorie of our profession Special rules for Marriage Beeing married first in the Lord they loath to make it a common thing for the use of each other but first improoving it chiefly for God and the mutual good of their souls worshipping God together makeing him umpire of all their differences nourishing matrimonial love as a sacred knot and to that end observing each others graces for the strengthening thereof Cutting off all jars in the begining and yet not agreeing together for base ends but for holy If these rules and the like were observed how might the order of this one part set in order all other parts of our cours Whereas the disorder of this wheel cause 's all other to bee distempered children unrulie servants ungoverned and all out of frame Rules for mens Callings First beware of an unlawful Calling Then of picking quarrels with your callings Change not your Calling at your pleasure but cling to thy Calling to keep thee from noisom lusts eas sloath and lewd companie which nothing but a Calling will prevent As that Martyr blessed God for holy wedlock so do thou for an honest Calling Secondly use it not for base ends of gain money and the like but to serv providence mortifie thy lust and prepare thee for duties of worship Thirdly let an order bee set in thy Calling that it hinder not Religion in thy Familie neither let Religion hinder thy Calling but both know and keep their bounds Fourthly Neglect not thy Calling suddenly to attend upon needless pleasure travels companies drinkings to leav thy familie in a distemper without either provision or government but instead of these abide diligently in the Calling in which
reviveing of those truths wee have heard or the administrations of God towards us or others that both minde and heart beeing season'd with the savor thereof wee may bee furthered thereby to dutie 8. Conference is a wise and loveing laying together by two or more of such things as concern the glorie of God and our spiritual edifying for mutual information and quickning Rules concerning Fasting 1. Let us arm our selvs to the chief work which is soul-affliction Let us consider if wee were pined with necessitie of abstinence from meat and drink for any time what a fearful anguish would it bring us unto And is not think wee sin that deserv's it of more afflicting vexing nature Let us aim at it then much more that sin do humble us than any sorrow whatsoever Let us first Mic. 7. 9. bear the indignation of the Lord for our sin for the rest let God alone to plead our caus for what should it help us to berid of all other enemies while our own pride self-love hypocrisie vain-glorie worldliness and hardness of heart still grow at our hearts 2. Applie our selvs to all supports of a Fast which the Lord hath granted to keep us from deadness and weariness the Word I mean fitted to our occasions and the like yet as serving to the main of humiliation and confidence 3. Consider that the Scripture in no one thing afford's us greater consolation and hope than in this For there is scarce one example of a Fast which want's the experience of good success yea extraordinarie like it self as in Esther's Nehemiah's and Ezrae's Israel against Benjamin the Churche's Acts 12. doth appear 4. Considering it must bee no small grace either of mourning or faith which must prevail against those holds either without or within which wee pray against Let us know that our locks had need bee well grown with Sampsons for such a purpose Therefore let none dare to compass this Altar with unpreparedness of heart II. Rules concerning Thanksgiveing 1. Carrie a liveing memorial and catalogue of the chief publick mercies beeing the matter of our thanks and so of our own in particular Remember the great providence of setling the Gospel and banishing Poperie and since that the strange miraculous deliverances not once or twice from forrein enemies home judgments In secret rceord our own our first calling and since that our many staggers and revolts his renued mercies by occasion in our changes of estate in our streights in deep desertions when wee could no more sustein our selvs then if wee had hung in the ayr how hee hath ever been our portion when friends have forsaken us unthankfully and will bee so still our blessings above many in gifts of minde condition and calling graces of soul how God kept us from forsakeing his Covenant in our deepest temptations of Satan and enemies 2. Bee inlarged accordingly with due sympathie both for the Church and thy self rejoiceing with her with and for whom thou hast oft mourned and preferring her peace to thy chief joy Affection is the fire to the Sacrifice and know that psal 50. ult hee that praiseth God honoreth him and the asscent of praises shal bee the descent of blessings and happie is hee who may maintain this entercours with God for the enlargeing of him to more grace III. Rules concerning the Word preached 1. Bee sure thou hast right to the blessing of it the Word cannot build thee except it hath begot thee See 1 Pet. 2. 3. If yee have tasted how gracious the Lord is then com to the Word to grow by it 2. Prize and covet it Prize it as that Word which hath been the seed of immortalitie and glorie unto thee Now if it bee precious it will bee coveted hungred after attended with all heed yea snatch'd with violence as precious things are 1 Pet. 2. 2. Covet and cagerly tug at the Word as the childe at the breast Sleep not wander not gaze not but attend the gates and ports of wisdom and understanding if thou lookest they should preserv thee 3. Com from an holy cours and practice when thou comest to hear com not from thy own cours of wrath world self purge these first 1 Pet. 2. 1. and so com Repent of all old sins of hearing thy trifleings and dallyings with the Word thy base mixtures and com from a good cours and so the Word shall send thee back to it with more strength and grace then thou camest 4. Deny thy self and thine own wisdom partialities prejudices of man of gifts of ordinances 5. Believ God 1. That in his Word this direction to see life is to bee found Joh. 5. 2. That hee can guide his Word peculiarly to do thee good and speak to thy soul though thou bee but one of many hearers 3. Mix the Word with Faith believ it obey it fear it see God true in it in all his promises charges and threats and stand readily to catch that part of it which is thine as the tradesman stand's readie with his mould to catch the molten metall to frame his vessel 4. Depart from hearing as well apaid well fed keep your charge lose it not in the ayr of the world carrie it with you in each part of the world but let nothing rob you of it Take forth a new lesson daily have an ear to hear where God hath a tongue to speak IV. Rules concerning the sacrament of Baptism 1. As it should teach all that bring their infants to baptism to dedicate their children to God by praier so especially let all others recal to minde how the Lord hath been aforehand with them in like sort even hanging his badg upon them when they were cut off and knew it not 2. Let them hold the Lord sure to them in this covenant by this seal as a Corporation would hold their liberties by the King 's Broad Seal And when the Devil fill's thee with doubts about thy conversion the condition of faith the believing in the promise strength to a godly life flie to thy Baptism as thy uttermost assurance and say If the Lord were found of an Infant that could not seek him gave mee his seal that hee would save mee what will hee do now I seek him faithfully When thou lookest upon his Rain-bow in the clouds thou fearest no flood any more but Baptism is better 1 Pet. 3. 18. It 's God's Ark which by water save 's thee from perishing by the waters of Gods wrath Remember that that the Spirit by faith doth as really dip and drench thy soul with his pure water Ezek. 36. 25. to rins away thy guilt blemish and curs of sin and to quicken thee up to the life of the new Creature in righteousness as by his Ministers hand hee dip's thee into and take's thee out of the water V. Rules concerning the Lord's Supper 1. The soul knowing that God doth sustain her by the same whereby hee begat her doth upon this
Baptism received with holy confidence go to the Lord for her due nourishment by and in him saying thus Oh Lord I am thine save mee Psal 119. 94. Of thee I am who art made unto mee not onely Righteousness but sanctification with growth and increas in it I com therefore to plead my right in all humilitie If I had never came to birth or to the light I had so been at an end but seeing thou hast not denied mee the life of a childe of thine do not leav mee to shift but Lord bring mee up at thy cost and let mee have my portion from thy Table and my daily bread from thy hand My Baptism I alreadie enjoy in the death and life of Christ to make mee thine O Lord let also his blood grace and spirit run in the veins of my soul to strengthen mee in the inner man with all long-suffering and wel-pleasing and joyfulness all grace of thy new creature let it bee mine 2. Prepare thy soul to this feast of the mountains Esay 25. as oft as thou comest which must bee oft 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. and com not without thy feast-Apparel And let this bee one rule unto thee Do not catch up this Robe on the sudden but wear it daily between Sacrament and Sacrament That faith in the Lord Jesus thou walkest or would'st com with to the Supper live by it daily Christ is the same in the promise and the seal That repentance thou walkest with to the Sacrament practice it daily hee that in a great frost would keep the ice thin must keep it broken every day so thou thy soul-issues lest thine heart harden 3. Beeing thus com to the Supper set thy faith on work say thus I know no Divel in hell can sever Jesus EMMANUEL my meat and drink from the Elements but this Word hath united them for ever That by sacramentall union with them as sensible hee might unite himself with mee spiritually and really in this seal of his 4. Seeing him there thine take him eat and drink him and enjoy him let thy soul applie him to thee for that thou lackest and hee serveth that is to applie thy wants where the hedg is lowest with the to pare off thy superfluous part to fill up and supplie thy decayes and voidness I mean such gifts or graces as concern thee either in thy particular Calling or in thy general 5. Least thou should'st stagger about thy right and part herein remember the end of the Sacrament is to rid thee of this fear For why it is God's seal to the covenant of his Grace to make thee his Son and Daughter and to sanctifie thee it 's his uttermost securitie for any outward one nay it 's his instrument of conveying the greatest measure of his Spirit unto thee 6. Haveing so received it live by him depart as one well satisfied enlarge him both for number and measure of growth to all parts of thy life all estates graces duties VI. Rules concerning Praier 1. Retain this heavenly Ordinance of God in that due esteem which the Lord hath graced it with for all ends both of humiliation and supplication The Lord and thy soul by experience do know it to bee the key of all the coffers of God and that High-priest's liveing way made by the blood of Christ whereby thou hast access daily yesterday to day and ever the oftner the welcomer to the Holie of Holies to the seat of Mercie 2. God in the Lord Jesus by a promise having thy wants in a readiness and thy faith on wing let not thy cours in praying issue from a formal plat-form but a lively feeling and humble pinching of soul for thy necessities 3. Shake off all extremities of a corrupt heart by faith which must hold thine eie fixed upon thy Mediator against all thy presumption commonness dulness deadness coldness and beseech the Lord to stir thee up to pray as hee shall suggest unto thee by the present occasion well digested either for the Church others or thy self If thou would'st bee heavenly in praier first abase thy self as a worm dust and ashes yea as Mr. Bradford hell and the sink-hole before the Lord who is heaven and holiness 4. Add these meet qualities of praier viz. fervent importunitie as one whom God cannot bee rid of till thou speed and frequencie as haveing sped well already 5. And above all com not to pray with any tainted known sin I say not onely gross but even secret and close through a lazie heart loath to cast them off or a loos heart loveing them better then the things thou praiest for least the Lord justly leave thee to bee wearisom to him and thy self VII Rules concerning Meditation 1. It take's away letts either giddiness of minde or unsavoriness of spirit the former like a sieve out of the water looseth all it get's suffer's nothing either truthes heard or works seen to abide long in the heart but Meditation set's them in the heart that they leak not out Heb. 2. 1. In stead of the later it season 's the heart with the sap the life the savor of good things 2. It make's the meaning view scope and order both of particular doctrine and the whole scope of Religion to becom our own 3. Wee com hereby to the eas of practice the fruit whereof experience so that if once wee have found crosses to do us good wee fear not when new ones approach if wee have felt the gain of a Sabbath get a delight therein in a word whatsoever is easie it becom's sweet and therefore if this bee worth somwhat to finde the yoke of God easie and his burthen light as to say the truth it is the upshot of goodness well may wee then say Meditation is a divine help to a good cours To these may bee added three other means of Godliness viz. 1. Resolvedness 2. Watchfulness 3. Experience I. Resolvedness is a grace of the Spirit standing in an holy firmness of minde and heart to keep fast the truth of God both in judgment and the power of practice Truth if it bee once lost in the judgment will not long hold in the practice therefore wee must bee well principled and grounded in the Truth love it for it self and embrace it with our best affections Not beeing wheeled and hurried about with the new tricks and devices of men of unsound judgment nor yet put on som truthes for a time with great zeal and heat and suddenly when a greater heat of opposition arise's out of a giddie minde and fearful heart recant as fast and betray the truth of God to time-servers and Enemies Therefore wee are bidden Buy the truth whatsoever wee give for it but sell it not whatsoever wee might have for it Contend wee for the faith Jud. 2 yea unto blood To this end let us wisely and strongly observ resist and reject all novelties and schisms starting up among us and abhor them bearing witness to the Truth of God
to our uttermost so far as it import's our calling 2. Resolvedness to cleav to God in the power of practice A solemn cours used by all the Saints both in ordinarie and by occasion Joshua cap. ult tell 's Israel That hee and his hous would serv the Lord. David did not onely resolv Psal 119. 57. and vow Psal 116. to keep the Word of God but also sware to keep his righteous judgments It was the sum of Barnabas his Sermon Act. 11. That they of Antioch would with full purpose cleav to the Lord. The people in Ezra came to the Oath and Covenant sealing thereto to binde themselvs to God the more strongly for starting Oh that in these staggering degenerate times wherein daily so many fall at our right hand and so many at our left wee might bee sustein'd with this resolution of heart to bee the Lord 's for ever II. Watchfulness is not onely given the Saints to awake out of their dead sleep but when the Lord hath given them light and grace in stead thereof and purged them from their filthiness Then doth this grace preserv them clean and keep them from defileing again It is like both to the eie and the eie-lid The one is the spie of the bodie to look before and to mark the occasions and opportunities offered by God of all dutie and service that wee may do it The other is the keeper of the eie from the least dust or mote which might fall into the same to annoy it Concerning the former the Christian soul must keep the watch of God Num. 9. 18. They must observ the Cloud and Pillar of fire constantly to pitch or remoov according to the mooving or resting thereof That is look what work the Lord hath for us to do whether in the round and cours of our life or in our particular Calling in which God hath set us that must wee watch unto yea wee must watch against all enemies and annoyances from without or within us And this work wee must do with the best spirit wee are able The Word first must bee the light by which wee must watch in a world of such darkness as wee live in There must be a voice behinde us saying This is the way Then secondly there must bee a marveilous active spirit in us attent to the word of God Thirdly there must bee a sensible tenderness and circumspection in the soul not to suffer any such dutie or occasion of it to escape as God afford's but to bee awake and aware of it to welcom and observ it Fourthly there must bee a special difference put between such occasions as are more safe and such as as are more dangerously beset as all lawful liberties are which lie open to much abuse Fifthly there must bee a very wakefull heart against the most secret affronts of a good cours not to stay till Satan appear in his foulest hue but even to watch the least appearances of danger which require's a marveilous jealous and scrupulous heart and yet ruled by knowledg not to bee a fool to believ every thing but wise to discern both of persons things and occasions Sixthly there must bee an heart watchful as as well to the grounds manner and measure intent and meaning of our Action as to their nature and unlawfulness Seventhly there must bee the Companions of watching fruitfulness unweariedness chearfulness and fulness in dutie redeeming our season and filling up the time with plentie abhorring emptiness and barrenness And lastly such a watching heart to a constant cours will breed a watchfulness for the coming of Christ III. Experience which is the life of a Christian's observation of the whole cours of God's government towards him both in his patience blessings corrections also exemples of others good and bad liveing and dying together with all his threats and promises against evill and to goodness with the performances thereof and especially the watch-words and warnings of Conscience out of the Word teaching us what waies to shun and what to embrace This experience teacheth the people of God to bee every one an Ecclesiastes to another a Preacher telling others what they have observed in the cours of things teach them what is vanitie and froth and what is substance The issue of which is That the whole dutie of man is this To fear God and keep his Commandements Holy experience is out of the Element of a naturall man hee is hedged out from it But it is the most blessed help to the godlie to order their life a true mistress not as to fools Vse I. And first seeing the chain of these holy helps is so precious and profitable to a godly life first wee confute all that break the links thereof and unsavorily make comparisons between one and other to the overthrow of all Son between preaching and praier som between Word and Sacraments as the Papists do Wheras wee hold that they have a sweet harmonie and neither without other to bee set up Let the solemness of the publick the familiaritie of the private and the need of all affect us with exceeding thankfulness especially for our libertie in the use thereof which Poperie had debarred us of in each kinde by a strange tongue of Scripture a Sacrifice for a Sacrament yea a confusion of many for a few Vse II. Secondly how precious and adored should the wisdom of our God bee in appointing so many and neither more of these nor less then the need of his Church required neither pampering nor sterving them but nourishing them Oh I say how should these list us up to God! As once an holy man rideing by the medows in the Spring seeing and smelling such varieties of flowers said Oh sweet Creatures but how sweet then is your Creator If this foot-stool bee so set forth what is his throne So let us say Oh sweet Ordinances oh beautiful Assemblies oh useful varieties but then how sweet is your Ordainer Vse III. Thirdly let this bee exhortation to all believers first to use secondly to live by faith in the use of means First to use them all closely constantly wisely despise not the filliness simplicitie of them judg them not by man or outsides of appearance sever not the things which God hath united hee hath ordained both their coherence and use seek him in all if by any means Phil. 3. 11. wee may attain our desire Forget wee not the scope of the whole Article to bee this That in the use of means under God the whole bodie of godly life is to bee preserved Use all not knowing in what box our chief health consisteth let not one eclips and stain the other affect not private to exclude publick honor not publick to weaken the esteem of private extraordinarie to despise ordinarie or ordinarie to exclude them And lastly let this teach us to live by faith in the use of Ordinances And by Faith let us crie out as the Church in the Canticles Arise O North winde and
blow upon these flowers and spices that they may com into my nostrils Els thou maiest bee in the midst of the Garden and savor nothing ARTIC V. The conversion of a new Creature is beset with manie Letts SEe Texts Heb. 12. 1. Cast off every weight and clog 1 Pet. 5. 8. 1 Joh. 2. 16. As it was with Christ after his Baptism and anointing instantly Satan set upon him Matth. 4. 1. So here These Lets are of three sorts 1. Sin 2. Satan 3. The World I. Sin is a Lett to us two waies 1. In respect of it self viz. Native corruption or Actual lusts within Actual evil without 1 Way Sin is a Lett in our unrenewed nature abiding still That is a woful clog and back-byas retarding our motion to heaven and slowing of our race Heb. 12. 1. Also a most tedious contrarietie in us and perpetual enemie Gal. 5. 17. lust 's against the spirit as a continual dropping In the former respect I might liken it to that unnaturall setting of the Sun ten degrees back in the second to that Peninna 1 Sam. 1. 7. which vexed Hanna day by day and upbraided her as her enemie or those daughters of Heth to Rebecca that were eie-sores that shee could never bee quiet for them her life was made wearisom to her Dead flies caus the ointment of the Apothecarie to stink so this cause's grace to bee unsavorie As the furnace send 's out infinite sparkles so doth this corruption minister fewel to all our cours what wofull deadness distemper distaste weariness loggishness doth it bring upon our cours how doth it cast wilde-fire into the thoughts and affections and the spirit of a man 2. In respect of our inward actual lusts and passions which as Saint James saith fight in our members Jam. 4. but as Peter addeth fight against our souls These lusts do snib and kill the growth of goodness in the soul and over-drip the grace of God as a sowre shadow and the bows of a Walnut-tree do keep under som tender Plant or as the blasting of the East-winde the blossoms 3. In the actual breakings out in open offences and excesses as oathes blasphemies impietie to God and open contempt of his Word Sabbath patience crosses blessings open coosenage uncleanness intemperance idleness wrath rage unmercifulness revenge worldliness and the like If these waste families and states of men then how do they much more waste and devour the conscience what horror what woo repentance complaints do they caus 2 Way by the Penalties of it Sin at the at the first did and still doth scourge her self Shee bring 's God against her both by spirituall desertions and outward crosses beeing stinging things to grace and to our nature How unsavorie doth a lust make our hearts how dead defiled how doth the heart wax polluted thereby as a sink-hole how is it first deceived then defiled then habited to ill Custom then growing to a nature riveted and confirmed then how sullen dead and dark do wee grow by it how endless an appetite of adding drunkenness to thirst doth it procure How avers doth it make us to close with hearing Sacraments or to perform dutie praier to God mercie love to men patience under the Cross II. Lett of a Believer is Satan who although hee could not do us hurt but by our sin yet by that tunnell let 's in a woful deal of his own into us wors then our own enflameing and exasperateing sin in us by the adding of his own malice to our sin as more waters make the flood greater Two things here to bee noted 1. The properties of the Tempter 2. The Substance of the Temptation The Properties are these First Malice ever set's him on work against the bodie and soul of the Creature Secondly Vigilancie and attention alway do assist his Temptations Thirdly Mischief and wo is ever in the end thereof to pull the soul from Union and Communion with God Fourthly the Method and manner of his tempting which is to bee weighed according to the parties tempted If weak and unable to resist hee tread's down the low hedg never troubling himself further needlesly And thus hee is himself a Lyon First to anticipate the counsel of the heart in preventing sin by the suddenness of injection Secondly to assault judgment and conscience both at once in blindeing the one and in bindeing the other Thus hee blinded Eve in that speech God knoweth that your eies shall bee open and yee made as Gods Secondly By his bindeing the will in point of her resistance and that by the excessiue sweet of the bait Thus to David in Bathsheba Thirdly by putting on the person of one unsuspected as somtimes pursuers of a man will prais him to get others to betray him And Jäel to deceiv Sisera brought him Cream in a Lordlie dish And thus hee becom's an Angel of light as holy as a Preacher Thus hee tempt's Christ to leap down and to make stones bread out of a godly end forsooth that God's power might bee glorisied in a miracle Avoid Devil God need 's not my sin to honor himself I sin too much unavoidably I need not add sin to sin willingly Thirdly By the delusions and the deceits which hee beguile's silly souls by that hee may circumvent them and bring them into his snare Hee hath fine names to set upon odious crimes that with the names the things might enter easily Adulterie or fornication are but tricks of youth prodigalitie but good fellowship fashions but handsomness mizerliness but providence pride of heart and life but good courage and liveing in good sort These are his dice-play and cunning Ephes 4. The Harlot entise's the young man by her spices Carpets and perfumes her Husband 's absence These delude the heart and blear the eie till like a fool his heart bee darted through The Temptations themselvs concern the Godlie two waies 1. Either in the point of their calling to bee the Lord's 2. Or in the point of their estate beeing called 1. Temptations about their first Calling are either in God's preventing Call assisting Call perfecting Call Touching his preventing thus No sooner doth hee see any sinner make toward the voice of GOD to look into his old cours or hearken after a new but presently hee set's upon them even in their entrance First By presenting old sins with all their circumstances order of them number hainousness continuance long contempt c. to dismay them from possibilitie of conversion Or hee assault's them with their weakness of capacitie or memorie gifts or parts that they shall never compass such great things Or hee discourage's them with their husband's ill will the loss of father's love and land Or that the things they must forego both in liberties and laws are more then they can bear But O Satan avant The Lord hath prevented mee and drawn mee out of darkness shall hee suffer mee to perish in light Touching his assisting thus Especially in the first works
to excellencie and honor and shall not thy perswasions draw my heart to recover my lost estate and should not each day seem ten to us when wee may regain it till the Lord hath setled it again in Christ upon us Vse IV. It should teach us much more to believ how admired hee can make himself in all his Saints by his second Creätion especially at his second coming and the whil'st in repairing his image more perfectly in those that believ faith being a greater excellencie and tending to a neerer Union then ever any perfection of Adam Oh! it should convince us of the goodness of mercie and cast out that emnitie of ours which cannot beteam God one good thought ARTIC II. ADAM fell from his integritie by wilfull transgression HIs sin was a Compound of all sins in one a proud disloyall needless distrustfull revolting discontented unthankfull rebellious departing from the blessed GOD to a base Creature even when hee was set in the midst of all perfection above all base objects Hee was indeeed actually God's image but not unchangeablie so Therefore having his will left in her freedom and unestablished by gracious determineing thereof to good Lo when a sensible object is presented by the Devil first shee as the weaker then hee by her means freely chose to leave God and to embrace the Creature And hereby when hee was made able if hee would to stand although so as hee might fall hee turned this voluntarie might into a necessitie of falling and impossibleness of return by himself This sin is more fully set forth by two things 1. By the description of the holy Ghost 2. By the parcels of the sin I. The Scripture call's it That disobedience That offence That transgression Sol. Eccl. 7. ult call's it a findeing out of inventions No man can finde out any thing that good is beyond God God had found out and bestowed on Adam and Eve all goodness in perfection yet they would finde out beyond him and bee wiser then hee supposing to better their estate but they found out nothing but their own findeings Sin and Sorrow as it was just they should do who would go beyond God they found out work which God never set them and then devised lies and shifts but they found out miserie to their portion when all the rest vanished and left them in sad confusion II. By the parcels of their sin considered 1. By the circumstances 2. By the fall it self The circumstances are as the persons belonging to it viz. 1. the Serpent the subtillest creature the fiittest instrument for Satan to work by hee set's upon the woman the weaker and that alone 2. Satan who had been an Angel of light but fel by pride and now full of rage against man 3. Eve and Adam jointly who did most immediately concur to their own transgression In their fall consider two things 1. The remote causes 2. The more neer and proper The former were 1. Changeableness of their will whose habitual holiness wanted a confirmation in grace and so was corrupted to a passive capableness of evil but they used not that power to stand which God had put into them 3 The aptness of the temptation By the strong bait of sweetness hee attempt's the affection and so corrupt's the judgment The neer or proper caus is three-fold I. Inward tickling of their affection not suddenly but by steps Satan suspend's the act of goodness in them bring 's them to a slack remissness and corrupt's their bent of spirit This was the first spawn of the sin which stood in foolish credulitie curiositie and dalliance Credulitie to secure herself of her own welfare as if nothing could or would hurt her Curiositie to enter change talk with a creature shee being the Ladie of all creatures Then Dalliance in bandying so many replies one after another who know's how many and ventureing to prate of so weightie a thing as her happiness not doubting that so nice a point threatned her ruine These three brought forth the second which was II. Snareing for by this tickling of her shee take's the Devil's snare into her will and thoughts so far that as a bird in the grin shee could neither go backward nor forward but is limed and hampered with that which at first shee was free from And so in the third place succeed's III. Secret assent to the temptation and yeeld's up the inward weapon of her innocencie to the Devil So God leave 's her to call evil good and good evil And so shee took it eat it gave it her husband who though hee were not first yet hee was last in the transgression and yeeldded to do as the Devil had drawn her to do and so both of them disobeyed In the fall it self consider not onely the act of the transgression but with it a fardel of abundance of foul corruptions of heart and these are of two sorts Special or General The Special were 1. Pride 2. Securitie and Sloth 3. Vanitie 4. Sensualitie 5. Discontent 6. Salriledg 7. Crueltie and Injustice with the like The General 1. Woful distrust of God 2. Rebellion against God 3. Vnthankfulness 4. Apostasie totally from God Vse I. Learn from the Serpent who abused his parts not to boast our selvs or rest in no outward gift of God for it self Seeing if unsanctified it may bee instrumental to such villanie and dishonor to God either in our publick or private places and so prejudicial to our own Salvation as wee should wish rather wee had been Idiots then so egregious Vse II. From Satan learn to suspect him in his sweet inchantments and when hee attempt's Eve that is out sensual part overthrowing our Adam and judgment thereby then to handle him roughly knowing him by his messenger not to bee far off Vs III. From Eve and Adam learn to beware of dalliance and admitting parlee with temptations of sensualitie least wee fare as Sampson by Dalilah and would fain get off the hook but cannot being snared Vse IV. Bless God that in Christ hath changed old Adam's perfection to a better and surer from a self-subsistence in grace according to our own freedom to a subsisting in another Betrusting us no more with our own treasure but keeping it under the lock and key of his own power in Christ Vse V. It teache's us highly to esteem of self-denial Adam fell by too much trusting himself wee stand by the grace of self renouncing ARTIC III. Adam's sin made him miserable Both in respect of sin and punishment 1. HIs actual sin brought forth Original his Original all Actual sins and both these procured all penalties So that by the wrath of God was inflicted upon him the loss of God's image standing in righteousness and true holiness a deprival of the glorie of God both in Soul and bodie Hence came that utter impotencie of minde and members to purpose to will or execute any good Nay an utter aversness from it an utter uncapableness of it a