though the work of Redemption be appropriated to the Son and the word made flesh yet this work also was from the Father by the Son and not without the Holy Ghost to whom the Conception and Incarnation of Christ is ascribed 3. That though Sanctification and the eternal glorification of sinful man redeemed be appropriated to the Spirit yet this work also is from the Father and the Son both doing this by the Spirit The order of their working is evident the distinct manner is hidden and more Mysterious 4. The beginning of mans salvation is from the love of the Father giving Christê° the progress is in the Son given and made flesh the consummation is by the holy Ghost sanctifying man redeemed 5. If man had not been created he had never been if he had been created and then faln and not been redeemed he had been for ever miserable if he had been redeemed and not sanctified Redemption had been in vain to him and his eternal ruine hand been unavoidable This is the pith and marrow of the Scriptures as they who read them with due consideration may understand and the whole summe and substance of it is wonderfully abridged secretly couched and methodically disposed in these few words of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Sect. 4. Yet to make this more Clear I will proceed to the reducing of the principal Doctrines of the Scriptures unto these several heads of the Creed To this end I will 1. Take my Topicks disposed in a certain order out of the Creed 2. Inform you what places of Scripture must be referred to these heads and Topicks The general heads and Topicks according to this our Saviours Creed are three 1. Concerning the Father 2. Concerning the Son 3. Concerning the Holy Ghost The more particular Heads of the first part are 1. Gods Essence 2. Gods Subsistence 3. His Efficiency 1. To the first of these we must refer all those Scriptures which speak of Gods perfections and attributes representing this most excellent and perfect being as his unity infiniteness immensity eternity his infinite and eternal knowledge wisdom goodness holiness justice mercy power glory bliss 2. To the Subsistence must be referred such as speak of his eminent and wonderful acting upon himself as knowing himself loving himself delighting in himself of the Father begetting the Son who is the word and brightness of his glory the express image of his person produced and begotten from everlasting of the holy spirit breathed and proceeding from the Father and the Son and therefore called the spirit of the Father and the Son of their being one God of their union and inexistence whereby the Father is in the Son the Son in the Father both in the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost in both and infinitely contented one with another 3. Under efficiency we must bring in the exercise of his Wisdom Will and Power in the Creation of all things Preservation of all things Ordination of all things To the exercise of his Wisdom we must refer such places as speak of his excellent and wonderful contriving and ordering all things within himself to that concerning the acts of his will such as speak of his thoughts purposes decrees and amongst these decrees those especially of Election and Reprobation whereby he predestinated and ordered in himself according to his free-will yet in justice and mercy Men and Angels to their eternal estates to that of the exercise of his power such as speak of his mighty strength according to which all things are possible unto him nothing impossible 4. These began to be exercised first in Creation to which refer all such places as speak of the first beginning and effecting of these things in the first six days of the world the order according to which the end for which they were made the several kinds of creatures their variety their nature properties and perfections their unity whereby they make one body and systeme of the world consisting of two cheif places Heaven and Earth with all their ornaments and the hosts of them such as speak of the attributes and perfections manifested in this work of the good will and pleasure of God which moved God to make the world of the power of God acquired unto himself thereby of the subjection of all things created unto him and their dependance upon him of the use men must make of the doctrine of this creation which is to know God by the things made and to worship him But we must take more notice of such places as speak of the creation nature qualities place function imployment of Angels and most especially such as inform us of the making of man of his body soul and union of both the sex the image of God in him his excellency and dominion over the creatures the place prepared for his habitation and his imployment of the creation of woman the institution of marriage and all other things which did agree or belong unto men and Angels by vertue of their creation 5. To that Head of preservation we must reduce all such Scriptures as speak of Gods supporting upholding maintaining and continuing all things created in their being of the means which he useth to that end and the ordinary and extraordinary mediate and immediate ways he taketh in this work how all things live move and have their being in him who is in all creatures in all places providing all things necessary for the continuance of their exsistence of deliverance of his creatures from destruction by preventing danger or removing destructive causes The places which speak of wasting consuming destroying man beast or any other creature either in some ordinary or extraordinary way by powerful or by weak and inconsiderable causes or by withdrawing his hand 6. Under that Head of Ordination come such Scriptures as speak of the order wherein God created all things their ends and his disposing and directing every thing to his proper end and all to the supreme and last of the subordination of creatures and their several ends to which they tend of the changing of this order by his extraordinary power and wisdom when and how he pleaseth 7. In this respect the Sea doth not pass his bounds the Stars and Lights of heaven observe their order in their motion and do that service for which he made them and all and every creature are at his command and beck to effect what he requireth and so subject all things are unto him that when he pleaseth they must change their wonted order the Sun must stand still go back deny his light the fire must not burn nor the waters come together but must stand firm like a solid body The Scriptures inform us that this part of providence extends to all things the least to the falling of a sparrow upon the ground to the numbering of the very hairs of our heads But chiefly to this Head must we refer such places as speak of the government of Men and Angels of Laws
the Earth did quake the Rocks did rend the Graves were opened the Veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom to signifie that the great High-Priest having offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot was entring with his own Blood into the Holy Place of Heaven to obtain eternal Redemption and the expiation of mans sin for ever The very frame of Heaven and Earth seem'd to be shaken in the time of this great suffering men were astonished women wept many beat their breasts the Centurion who had the charge of this execution was convinced that the party executed was the Son of God Our blessed Saviour suffered this death with unparallell'd patience meekness he laid down his life willingly in obedience to his heavenly Father and out of love and a longing desire of sinful mans salvation No man could take it from him till the hour was come and he was willing to part with it because he as a Priest and general head and representative of mankind offered his life unto his heavenly Father as supreme Judge as a ransom for sinful man therefore his death was the greatest Sacrifice and the highest piece of service and obedience that ever was performed and was so highly accepted of God that it made him propitious satisfied his Justice merited his favour to sinful man made his sin pardonable and his salvation possible upon fairest terms whil'st he was by his own blood entring the sacrary of heaven his side is pierced and out of the same issue water and blood His body is taken from the Cross decently interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was laid before his soul abides for a time separate and under the power of death and his humiliation did continue till the Resurrection and by his burial he hallows the grave to all believers By this Humiliation thus finished the foundation of our eternal salvation is laid and a way prepared and opened for a passage into heavens Kingdom I believe that Jesus Christ who was thus humbled who suffered cruel pains and was delivered to death for our transgressions was raised for our justification and so to communicate the mercies merited by his death converts us and procures the actuall remission of all the sins of such as repent and believe in him and by his life saves such as he had reconciled by his death He that did rise was the very same who died upon the Cross and the same body and soul which were separated by Death were united again by Resurrection as man he was raised as God he raised himself he rose never to die again but to live for evermore The time was the third day according to the predictions and prefigurations of old and the decree of God's eternal wisdom God did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption The manner of this Resurrection was glorious God then shook the Earth sent from Heaven an Angel appearing in great glory who terrified the Guard rouls away the stone which closed up the Sepulchre and made way for Christs Disciples to come freely and see that he was not there The Graves were opened divers of the Saints raised and appear'd in the holy City Death was conquered and divers of his Captives rescued out of his hands This his Resurrection was made manifest by testimony of Angels and of divers others who saw him spake with him and were assured of it he appears unto many and that many times and especially to the eleven Apostles who saw him heard him did eat and drink with him touched him with their hands To these he unfolds the Mysteries of his Kingdom gives them commission to go into all Nations and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till they received the Holy Ghost according to the promise of his Father God by thus raising him did manifest that he had accepted his Sufferings and Death as a full propitiation of the sins of men and by saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee made him universal King and Priest fully consecrated for ever He rose as head and representative of mankind especially of his Church and became not only the pattern but the first fruits and cause of our Resurrection so that as in Adam dying all died so in Him rising we shall all be made alive first to newness of life then to eternal glory The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall raise us from the death of sin unto newness of life and raise our bodies to immortality forty days he stays on Earth to comfort his Disciples strengthen their Faith make evident his Resurrection and give orders for the administration of his future Kingdom then he ascends from Mount Olivet in a Cloud up into the Heaven of Heavens Men and Angels being witnesses according to a former Vision that one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came unto the ancient of days and that the Angels brought him peace before him He ascended that he might fulfill all things send down the Holy Ghost enjoy full joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for ever make intercession for his Saints prepare eternal blessed mansions for them raise up their thoughts and affections to that heavenly estate he had merited and prepared for them that where he is our hearts might be also and that he might receive a place at his Fathers right hand so it was prophesied of old that when the Son of man was brought before the ancient of days there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd For his Father said unto him Sit at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool and gave him a name above all names and set him far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come He was solemnly invested with a supreme universal power above all men and Angels established in his Kingdom confirmed by Oath in his everlasting Priesthood sent down the holy Ghost the Gospel the rod of his power went out of Zion he reigned in the midst of his enemies and many thousands did willingly submit unto him and his people for number were like drops of dew which fall from the womb of the morning When all things are fulfilled all enemies subdued the number of his Saints finished he will come from Heaven to determine of the final estate of men and Angels and judg both quick and dead And then he will deliver up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all I believe that the Holy Ghost which is One God with the Father and the Son and is the Spirit of the Father and the Son by whom all things in Heaven and
world Amen CHAP. I. Of Christ's Universal Power Section 1 THese are the words of our blessed Saviour which he spake unto his Apostles and Disciples when after his Resurrection he was ready to ascend into Heaven for they pre-suppose Man's Sin Christ's Suffering and his Resurrection Man by sin had made himself miserable and liable to temporal and eternal death yet God was willing to deliver him Sin and Satan cast him down yet God in his abundant mercy was pleased to raise him up again The way which his eternal Wisdom had contrived to effect this great deliverance was strange wonderful his only begotten Son even that word which was God and by which he made the world must be made flesh and assume the nature of man and in that nature must take upon him the form of a servant be obedient unto death the death of the Cross rise again and be advanced to the highest pitch of glory so that the means of mans salvation are the humiliation and exaltation of the Son of God By his humiliation and sacrifice of himself he expiates mans sin satisfies Divine Justice and merits all mercies and blessings necessary for the full and eternal happiness of man By his exaltation he makes his sufferings effectual and communicates the benefits he had merited for we read That he was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. To be delivered for our offences was his humiliation unto death for our sins to render them pardonable To be raised again for our justification was his exaltation for the obtaining of actual remission his humiliation begins his exaltation consummates our salvation For being advanced to the right hand of his Father he sends down the Holy Ghost reveals the Gospel causeth it to be preached to all Nations and by his Word and Spirit converts man and plants the heavenly vertue of Faith in his heart and upon Conversion and Faith makes intercession in Heaven and procures his actual pardon reconciliation with his God and in the end the enjoyment of eternal glory so that without his humiliation man is not savable and without his exaltation he is not actually saved And thus we must understand that of the same Apostle For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. where we must observe That the death of Christ is his humiliation his life is his exaltation 2. That reconciliation is ascribed to his death salvation to his life For the Death and Blood of Christ was the propitiation for our sins and the foundation of our reconciliation the life and exaltation of Christ by his Word and Spirit converting us and making intercession for us is the cause of actual salvation Sect. 2. As in the two former Chapters we may read of Christs suffering death and humiliation whereby he mirited incomparable mercies and blessings so in this we read of his resurrection and the manner how he will apply and communicate his blessings and that is by a commission and power received and a commission and power given for the subject of the words are a two-fold commission The first granted by God to Christ The second by Christ to his Apostles These agree in some things differ in others 1. They agree as commissions giving great power 2. As expressing an unspeakable love unto and a tender care of sinful man 3 As issuing from the supream and universal Lord. 4. As tending to the same end mans eternal salvation yet they differ in these things 1. The former commission is granted by God immediately to Christ the latter is granted from God by Christ unto the Apostles 2. The former is the cause of the latter the latter an effect of the former 3. By the former Christ receives an universal power in heaven and earth and by the latter the Apostles receive only a limited power on earth Sect. 3. I will not say much of the first commission expressed in these words Ver. 18. All power in heaven and earth is given unto me Wherein he signifies that he had large power and it was given him where we must consider 1. Power given 2. The party to whom it was given 3. The donor or the Donation of it from the Donour In the power we may observe 1. The nature and quality of it 2. The measure of it 1. For the nature and quality of it it is spiritual and divine for Christ said My kingdom is not of this world John 18. 36. That is it s no secular power like that of the Princes of the world it s far more excellent and above it in respect of the subjects the laws the judgments the end thereof The subjects besides Angels are men considered in a spiritual notion and as capable of an eternal estate The Laws also are spiritual and bind not only Angels but the immortal souls and consciences of men Such are the judgments which determine and accord not only temporal but eternal punishments and rewards The end in respect of all loyal and obedient subjects is eternal peace and felicity for God gave Christ power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as he had given him John 17. 2. 2. The measure of this power is extensive and intensive Extensive in respect of the territory which is very large even the whole world whereof there be two parts heaven and earth so that it extends to all places and all things and so is universal yet the principal subjects are Angels in heaven and men on earth both intellectual and immortal creatures Intensive for its all power one may have some power or all power on earth and none in heaven or some or all power in heaven and none on earth but this is all power in heaven all power on earth all power on both so that Christ is over all persons in all causes supream Governour without any created superiour without any competitour without any partner it s all in the highest degree invested and inherent in one This is concernig the power 2. The person invested with it is Christ For all power saith he is given to me it was not given to any Angel or Angels nor to any Monarch or Monarchs of the world but to Jesus of Nazareth a man nearer to God then any of the Princes of the earth or any Principalities and Powers of heaven one more beloved of God and who had done a greater service than any other for he had humbled himself at his Fathers command so low as to be a servant and a servant obedient unto the death of the Cross therefore he and none other was thus highly exalted and received a name above every name 3. The Donour was God the Father As none but Christ was capable none was worthy of this transcendent power according to that universal acknowledgment of Saints and Angels Rev. 5 10. The Lamb slain
Obedience Disobedience Punishments and Rewards of the obedience of the blessed Angels and their Confirmation in a state of holiness and bliss of the fall of the rest and the wrath of God upon them and their irrecoverable misery Sect. 5. The second general Head and Topick iâ— that of the Son who redeems us The particulars considerable under this Heaâ— are 1. The party Redeemed 2. The Redeemer 3. The work of Redemption 1. To that of the party redeemed which is man as sinful and guilty we may reduce such places as inform us of the first Laws both Moral and Positive which God gave man upon his creation of mans obedience and comfortable condition and his hope of future happiness of the fall and first sin of man of Satans temptation and temptation and sin in general what it is what the aggravations or attenuations thereof what the consequents especially shame fear guilt punishment of the derivation of sin and death unto all mankind from Adam the root and head of all his posterity and of the sad condition of man in respect of the first sin upon which an inevitable ruine had followed if God had not prevented it 2. The Redeemer and hither refer such places as speak how God decreed and promised a Redeemer and Saviour and all the Prophesies Predictions Types Shadows of him such as inform us of his person as he is the eternal Word and Son of God of his God-head Manhood united and the eternal distinction of both of his Offices Sacerdotal Prophetical Regal of his Conception Birth Life of his Doctrine Miracles holy life and excellent vertues and the whole history of the same as delivered by the Evangelists 3. His work of Redemption which hath two parts Humiliation Exaltation In his Humiliation we have his low estate suffering To that of his low estate may be reduced the Scriptures which speak of the poverty and meanness of his Birth as he was born in stable and laid in a manger of the poverty and mean condition of his Parents his Circumcision Presentation in the Temple his Infirmities as Hunger Thirst Weariniss and the like which were without sin and his mortality To that of his suffering refer the Texts concerning his Persecutions dangers from the Contempt malice envy jealousie of Herod first then of the Pharisees Scribes Priests Rulers of the Jews of his Agony Judas treachery Peters denial and principally such as represent unto us his death upon the Cross and his continuing under the power of death for a time and in these sufferings of his Pains Cries Tears Complaints and inward sorrows of his Meekness Patience Humility Charity Hope of glory Considence in his Father of his obedience to the great command to suffer so many indigninities such shame and curse that by his death he might make propitiation for the sin of man and such as speak of this death as a sacrifice propitiatory offered unto God as supreme Judge offended by our sins and that out of dearest love unto us and a longing desire to save us of the eternal vertue and efficacy of the sacrifice so highly accepted of God and the rare effects of the same both mediate and immediate of the prodigies which fell out in the time of his passion and at his death of the Prophesies fulfilled in this humilitation even to the casting lots upon his seamless Coat the piercing of his side and the not breaking of a bone His exaltation follows in his Resurrection Ascension Session at the right hand of God Coming to judgment To this Head of Resurrection may be reduced such Texts as spake of the Prodigies falling out near unto the same the distinct time the manner the manifestation of it the persons to whom the time where the places where he was manifested his abode upon earth for forty days his converse with his Disciples his instruction given his commission granted to the Apostles who saw him The use which is to be made of this Doctrine to that of his Ascension may be reduced such places as speak of the time when of the places from which and to which he ascended the persons both Men and Angels who beheld it of the end of this part of this exaltatioâ— which was to be confirmed in his everlasting Kingdom and Priesthood and to exercise his power which he received more solemnly upon his Resurrection and to receive fulness of joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for evermore to make intercession for such aâ— come to God by him and to prepare eternal mansions for his Saints and so be fully blessed for ever To that of his sitting at the right hand of God refer those places which speak oâ— the super-eminency of his power above all men and Angels and all creatures of his being the head of the Church the administrator general of Gods spiritual kingdom of the exercise of this power and the wonderful effects thereof in heaven and earth and his abode in the place of glory and the continuance of his reign untill all enemies be subdued To that of his coming to Judgment refer such Scriptures as speak of the place from whence he comes the manner of his coming in the glory of the Father in flaming fire with the attendance of all the holy Angels the burning of the world the Archangel sounding his Trumpet the Resurrection whereby death the last enemy is destroyed the parties to be judged their summons appearance discovery of all their works even the secrets of their hearts the sentence of him the universal Judge the execution of the same in eternal punishments and rewards the delivering of the Kingdom up unto his Father Sect. 6. The third and last Head is concerning the holy Ghost in which we must observe 1. The Holy Ghost himself Vocation Justification Glorification 2. The effects of this Holy Ghost in respect of the Churches To the first reduce such places as inform us of his Divine Nature Properties perfections and the Worship due unto him of his relation to the Father and the Son of his working with them and from them of his apparitions of his resting upon Christ of the several Names and Titles given him As for the effects and works of this Spirit we must know that he with the Father and the Son is the universal cause of all things for the Father and the Son doth all things by his Spirit yet the Creed takes notice in this place only of those works and operations which tend to the eternal salvation of man The first whereof is Vocation To this Head refer all Scriptures which speak of the condition of man to be called as being blind ignorant senseless perverse guilty not thinking of any danger not desiring not seeking any remedy yet redeemed and by Redemption made saveable For Redemption found man in no capacity of salvation vocation finds the foundation of his salvation laid To this Topick also bring such places as speak of preventing grace and the
Sacraments of the New Testament look at Christ as already come having shed his blood and finished the work of Redemption and require â—aith in him under that notion and in that respect As it differs from the former by this that it 's a Sacrament of the New Testament so in this particular it agrees with the Eucharist so that from hence we may describe a Sacrament of the New Testament to be a Rite instituted by Christ to confirm the Covenant of Grace in the blood of Christ already shed wherein we may observe 1. The blood of Christ shed 2. A Covenant confirmed in and by this blood of Christ and Sacrifice already offered 3. A confirmation of this Covenant made between God and particular persons by these holy Rites Sect. 3. Baptism as it is 1. a Sacrament 2. a Sacrament of the New Testament so 3. it is the initiating Sacrament of the New Testament For there are but two Sacraments of the Gospel instituted by Christ and this is the first in order and first to be administred it presupposeth the party to be baptized as an Alien and not yet solemnly admitted into the Church and Kingdom of God though he may be prepared for this admission and incorporation In respect of this initiation it differs from the Eucharist which cannot lawfully be administred to any but such as are members of the Church and incorporated already For as under the Law no stranger might be admitted to the Passover so under the Gospel no unbaptized person may come unto the Lords Table This is the reason why this Rite is called the Laver of Regeneration the Sacrament of our New Birth and of our ingrafting into Christ And as we are but once born so we are but once baptized for this Sacrament once rightly administred is not to be reiterated whereas the Eucharist being a Sacrament of our spiritual nourishment and growth is often to be celebrated Sect. 4. Thus you have heard that Baptism is an initiating Sacrament of the New Testament it remains that I inform you of the particular Rite of Initiation which is by washing with water In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost For this is the instruction and command of our Saviour in this Commission in these words Baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. where we have three things to be considered 1. Water the Element 2. Washing with water the Action 3. Washing in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost the words 1. Water in it self is a natural substance and a liquid Element granted unto mankind as a special blessing and to be used according to several virtues thereof for several ends one end is washing and cleansing bodies and other things that are â—ullied or defiled and this according to the purging and cleansing virtue thereof This Water according to this natural virtue was singled out by a Divine Institution and determination for an higher end and that is to signifie and confirm a spiritual cleansing And though some make this in Baptism to be a sign of Christ's blood which hath a power to cleanse and purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God yet in this Sacrament it rather signifies the Holy Ghost which sanctifies and regenerates the Church Therefore our Saviour saith 3. 5. Verily verily except a man be born of the Spirit and Water he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God In this respect Baptism is said to be the Laver of Regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which God shed on us abundantly Tit. 3. 5 6. In both which places the Spirit is assimilated to Water as washing cleansing renewing yet here it 's to be noted that the Spirit doth not renew and cleanse us but by virtue of Christ's blood which merited the renovation and purification of the soul. For if Christ's blood had not been shed the Spirit had never been given to sanctifie us Sect. 5. The action is Washing expressed in this word Baptize which word as you heard before signifies to wash and that often washing is the use and application of this Elemement for to cleanse which may be done many ways as by plunging the thing to be washed into the water wholly or by dipping or by pouring water upon it and sometimes by sprinkling for many things under the Law were cleansed by sprinkling of water or blood This action for this end implies the party to be baptized as polluted with sin and so unfit to have communion with God and to be admitted into his heavenly Kingdom Therefore he must be renewed purified and regenerated and that by the Holy Ghost ingrafting him into Christ and planting him into the similitude of Christs death and Resurrection thence we have two parts of this Regeneration 1. Remission 2. Sanctification in sanctification a death unto sin and a life unto righteousness In some kind of washing the death and Resurrection of Christ and also a death unto sin and a life unto righteousness were more clearly represented yet there is hardly any kind of washing but doth in some measure resemble these things But we must not in this Sacrament stand upon the more perfect or imperfect representation of the spiritual part thereof The principal thing visible sensible is washing cleansing the principal thing signified is the sanctification and purging of the soul and conscience Sect. 6. The words are In the name of the Father c. Where we must observe 1. That to be baptized in the name into the name unto the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Ghost are the same 2. That as the name of Christ and Christ are often the same so the name of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost 3. That though Father Son and Holy Ghost are three and some ways distinct yet they are but one and the same God 4. That the Baptism in this name presupposeth the party to be baptized to have professed his faith in and his obedience unto the name of God the Father and the Son and Holy Ghost that his sins may be forgiven and that he may attain eternal life according to the promise of the Covenant on Gods part so that the Covenant is actually made between God and the party to be baptized These things premised the meaning is that in the name and person of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost baptize thee in this water and by this solemn rite admit thee to be one of Gods people a subject of his blessed Kingdom of grace to enjoy all the priviledges thereof and assure thee of the performance of the promises of the Covenant according to the profession and promise thou hast made and by this same rite solemnly bind thee to make good the profession and perform the vows which thou hast made unto God the Father who hath made thee and God the Son
who hath redeemed thee and God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth thee so that the Covenant of grace which was made effectual and immutual by the death and blood of Christ being first made between God and the party to be baptized the proper effect of this rite of Baptism is a solemn confirmation of this Covenant in respect of both parties This confirmation being finished both the parties are more strictly and highly bound to performance God to make good his promises man to make goods his vows For God is bound not only by his promise in general but by this rite to the person baptized in particular And man is bound not only in general but by name not only by the command of God and his own vow but also by receiving of this solemn rite and being baptized Upon this obligation follows a more particular and certain right unto the mercies merited by Christ and promised in the Covenant and a nearer relation unto and a more special interest in that God who made him loved him and redeemed him by Christ and sanctifies him by the Spirit yet the actual enjoyment of these mercies depends upon the performance of the conditions to which man is bound yet because this performance depends upon the sanctifying power of the Spirit therefore God in his infinite mercy gives the Spirit to the party baptized that so the Covenant should not be in vain For God nulling the Covenant of works which had no promise of grace and making a Covenant of free-grace as a Father a Redeemer and Sanctifier and promising and really intending to save man must needs by vertue of this promise give him the Spirit which is absolutely necessary to salvation and also merited by Christ for such as believe in Christ to abid in them and enable them to perform all duties necessary to Salvation This is the reason why Baptism and the Spirit are sâ— often joyned together yet the giving â—â— this Spirit is not absolutely tyed and limited to the very time of Baptism but is given sometimes after and sometimes before and sometimes in or at the time of Baptism This Covenant is made by way of stipulation and restipulation and when the answer of a good conscience is made the Spirit may be received the more speedily By all this we may easily understand how willing God is to strengthen our weakness and confirm our hope and how deeply we that are baptized are bound and engaged to our God and to him alone so as to renounce all other confidences and to relie upon him as a Father loving us and his Son redeeming us and the Holy Ghost sanctifying us And here it s to be remembred that those supernatural effects which in the Scripture are given to Baptism are properly and principally to be ascribed to the love of the Father the merit of Christ and the power of the Spirit as by this Sacrament we subject our selves unto God alone as our Supreme Lord so we renounce the Devil all other false Gods profess our selves Christians and separate from all other Religions For Baptism is one of the bonds which ties the members of the Church together in one body a badge of our profession and character whereby we are didistinguished from all Idolaters Mahumotans and unbelieving Jews Sect. 7. Thus we understand what Baptism is the next thing to be inquired into is who may lawfully by this commission administer this Sacrament The Text doth plainly determine the person For he that must teach the same must baptize It 's true that this power as universal and extending to the Gentiles was given immediately unto the Apostles yet unto them as first dispensing the word yet because the word was to be dispensed and preached not only by them but also by their successours unto the worlds end therefore the ordinary powâ—â— of preaching is continued to all such as a 〈…〉 lawfully called to the Ministry and so the power of baptizing too So that according to these words of our Saviour they wâ—â— are trusted with the dispensation of the word are trusted with the administratioâ— of the Sacraments for the promise of asistance in the dispensation of both is madâ— only unto them as they are Ministers oâ— Christ to be imployed in the calling anâ— conversion of sinners and the applicat 〈…〉 on of Redemption These are the fitteâ— and most able to prepare them for the S 〈…〉 craments and should be most able to ju 〈…〉 who are rightly qualified for the receivi 〈…〉 of them It 's true that unworthy and insufficient persons may be admitted into the Ministry and others though more sufficient may be careless negligent yet these must answer for their infidelity betraying of their trust However it 's evident that the persons who may lawfully baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are the Ministers of the Gospel Sect. 8. The third and last thing to be examined is who are subjects capable of this Sacrament and have a right unto Baptism by the rules of divine institution and according to the Text they are such as are taught and made Disciples for neither the Apostles nor their successours have any warrant from Christ to baptize any but Disciples for here it 's said Go and teach or disciple all Nations baptizing them that is these who are discipled For we must know that the Apostles were sent not to gather Churches out of Churches and to find the Nations made Christians to their hand but to call men out of darkness into light and perswade men unbelievers to believe that of no Christians they might be made Christians They must not first baptize and then teach but first teach and then baptize and so prepare them for Baptism yet to be taught was not sufficient they must learn understand profess their faith in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost promise to obey Christs commands and desire by Baptism to be admitted into the Church yet a Simon Magus may do all this and so obtain Baptism and Phillip was bound to receive him for God doth not bind the Minister of the Gospel to try the hearts and reins of any man for that he could not do but he must perswade them in the name of Christ to profess and promise sincerely from their hearts yet if they do not this and it appear to him to do it so that he knows nothing to the contrary he not only may but must baptize such if they desire it yet Baptism is little advantage unto such for though they may be admitted and received into the visible Church yet they are not members of Christ nor heirs of Gods Kingdom but such as come with an upright heart and make the answer of a good conscience inwardly believe with their souls as they profess with their lips may certainly expect the Spirit of Regeneration and the benefits promised in the Covenant But in all this discourse upon this part of
this was not the first for Christ had formerly sent them and consined them to the lost sheep of Israel but now he enlargeth their patent and they must go to all Nations And here its observable that when he sent them first to the Jews only he gave them not only authority but the ability of Apostles and when he sends them the second time 20. 21 22. he breaths upon them saying Receive ye the holy ghost and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till the spirit from on high should be poured upon them which should fully enable them for the discharge of their high office for they received were endued with all heavenly wisdom and the knowledge of languages and all other gifts requisite for their place Christ did in this proceed by degrees first he makes them Disciples then Apostles then Messengers fit to be sent unto all Nations and he never required any thing at their hands but according to their ability which he had given them Humane commissions if rightly granted do not make the persons to be commissioned able and rightly qualified but find them such And though men may chuse and advance insufficient and unworthy persons yet Christ never did so but if they be not fit he makes them able before he sends them or puts them in office otherwise he knows power should be given in vain for though they should be very willing yet they shall not be able to do their duty Therefore if God send any man there will be found in him not only authority but ability too Let no man therefore take upon him the charge of a Minister except he find himself qualified for insufficiency in any person is evidence enough that God never intended him for his service in this kind As the mandate presupposing ability as necessary gave authority so it did induce an obligation of the person commanded to do his work Therefore the Apostles receiving a command for to perform the works proper to their place and office were not at liberty but as they had received power so they must exercise it otherwise they cannot be faithful to their trust nor make any good account nor expect a reward nay they will be guilty and liable to punishment This Paul being constituted an Apostle knew full well and doth confess it saying 1 Cor. 9. 16. A necessity is laid upon me and woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel where we may observe 1. An obligation to preach the Gospel and this a necessity from the command 2. Another obligation unto punishment if he discharge not his duty From this commission we may observe many things 1. In respect of Christ. 2. of Ministers 3. Of People to whom they are sent In Christs giving this mandate is manifested his great care of the Church and his tender love to our poor souls ready to perish 1. He redeems us by his precious blood and merits unspeakable mercies for us 2. Least this blood should be shed in vain and these mercies never imparted unto us he givâ—s commission to his Apostles and Messengers furnisheth them with gifts gives them authority and power binds them to dispence the Word administer the Sacraments and use all means which he hath appointed for our conversion confirmation and eternal salvation that we in the end may attain the ultimate benefit of his death and passion and be fully and for ever saved And woe unto them if they be not diligent and faithful for he will be highly offended with them and require their blood at their hands 2. For Ministers let them consider whether they have ability and be rightly qualified before they enter upon the place whether they have authority and be sent and if they take the charge upon them let them remember their duty and the strict obligation that lies upon them If they have not ability Christ never intended to trust them they cannot discharge the place if they have not a clear call and mandate they cannot expect his assistance success or comfort if they neglect their duty woe unto them they shall be called to an account and shall be found more guilty then other men and punished with more grievous punishments and they must know that the Office of a Minister is not a place of ease worldly honour filthy gain much less of tyranny over mens consciences and proudly domineering over Christs flock 3. As for the people they must consider Christs dearest love unto them highly esteem their Ministers in love for the works sake hearken to their Doctrine obey their commands follow their directions And if they despise them they despise Christ who sent them and shall severely be punished Chap. 3. Of Christs command to go to all Nations Sect. 1. THe second proposition is concerning the Mandate the 1. part of the commission and it is to this purpose Christ commanded the Apostles to preach baptize teach all Nations And because this is a copulate compound axiom divisable into several simple axioms therefore according to the four several parts of the work and matter commanded I will deliver them in four distinct propositions which are these 1. Christ commanded the Apostle to go to all Nations 2. Christ commanded them to teach all Nations to whom they went 3. Christ commanded them to baptize all Nations taught 4. Christ commanded them to teach all Nations baptized to observe all things which he had commanded them Before I enter upon these particulars let me inform you 1. That those actions commanded are subordinate one to another the first to the second the second to the third the third to the last For they must go that they may teach or disciple They must teach or disciple that they may baptize they must baptize that they may teach the parties baptized the observation of all Christs commands 2. The general object of these actions is all nations that is the men of all nations the object of their preaching is the number of them in all nations who hear them the object of their Baptism are such as being taught are Disciples the subject or object of teaching are the baptized 3. The whole work charged upon these Apostles and their successours is reducible to the dispensation of Word and Sacraments 4. That in these words we have a clear institution of the ministery and directions for Doctrine Worship and discipline Christian. 5. The end of the ministery is the application of Christs Redemption and of his Redemption applyed remission of sins and eternal life Sect. 2. The Proposition Christ commands his Apostles to go to all Nations Here is not determined the particular time and day when thy should begin the work what Nation or Nations they should first go unto whether they should go severally or joyntly whether they should do the whole work in their own persons or some of it by assistants qualified for that purpose when their work should be finished whether in their own time or much was to be left unto their
successours yet these things though not here expressed are certain 1. They must go to all Nations for none are excepted or excluded 2. They must begin at Jerusalem and first tender salvation to the Jew 3. They must begin in this place immediately upon the receiving of the Holy Ghost and the gift of Languages 4. They must go to other Nations as providence did direct them and the Spirit did reveal unto them 5. They might go severally and have their several assignations yet so that sometimes two or more might go together or meet at the same place 6. They might do and did many things by assistants 7. The principal work of the Apostles was to plant and lay the foundation of the Christian Church and Religion 8. Seeing the work could not be finished before the Worlds end therefore much must be left to their successours 9. Christ did not so limit himself to the eleven Apostles then present as that he could not commission others and invest them with Apostolical power for afterward St. Mathias was substituted in the place of Judas and St. Paul made a thirteenth Apostle 10. This universal power in respect of all Nations was not so limited to the Apostles or any extraordinary Ministers that the ordinary might not do Christ service in the universal Church or any Nation whether God should call him according to the opportunity and ability which God should give him But to be brief and hasten to the principal part of the commission I will in this proposition briefly observe four things 1. The preventing grace of God 2. His enlarging mercy 3. The benefits which redound unto us thereupon 4. Our duty to be performed in respect of this grace mercy and those benefits Sect. 3. 1. The preventing grace of God appears in this that the Nations did not pray to God to send them nor seek to the Apostles to come unto them nor did they come unto the Apostles but the Apostles were commanded to go to them and did go and came to all Nations They must not take their ease and make Jerusalem the place of their residence in one College Consistory or palace there They must not stand upon terms of Honour and send out their Edicts to cite and summon the Nations to come unto them and appear before them It s true that hitherto the Jew had taken State upon him and because of Gods Election of that City and the Temple the Gentiles must assemble there appear before God in that holy place If thus he refuse to do he must stand at a distance and continue without Christ without honour without God in the World If the Gentile will not come over to the Jew the Jew will not must not go over unto him But the time of this dispensation was expired and God will take another course and in his infinite mercy he will prevent the Gentiles of all Nations The Apostles must part asunder take several ways and with great labour peril charge visit the Nations of the World and seek their souls in every climate And God by them did bring the Gospel Christ and Salvation to their doors and offer Heaven and Eternity of bliss unto most unworthy wretches who never sought or thought of any such thing Then began to be fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet long before Esay 65. 1. I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not I said Behold me behold me unto a Nation not called by my Name The distance between God and sinful man is very great and would for ever so continue if God should deal with him in strict justice nay if he should not shew him great mercy For man would never think of God as he ought never desire him never come unto him if God should not prevent him call him and come unto him first For man will never seek his God if God do not seek him first For mans salvation must begin in Gods free love and preventing grace whereby he seeks him finds him and finds him dead in sins and trespasses and ready for to perish This is Gods preventing grace 2. His enlarging mercy appears in that the Apostles must go not only to the Jew but to the Gentile and not only to the Gentiles of some few Nations but of all and seek to gather them into one body and close them up into one fold For formerly his special mercy was confined to a single Nation the people of the Jews the posterity of Abraham by Jacob but now it must be extended to all Nations and to all sorts of all Nations No Nation in particular by name is excepted excluded or to be omitted and passed by God for a long time inclosed the Jew and by a partition wall severed him from all Nations in matter of Religion His Oracles his Covenant the promise of Christ the sanctifying Spirit and all the means of conversion were the priviledges of this people But now Gods mercies will not be thus straitned and contained in such narrow bounds The partition wall must be broken down and his saving grace will overflow these petty Banks and like the Ocean compass the whole Earth 3. But for what end must this mercy thus enlarge and why must they go unto all Nations of the Gentiles They might have gone to denounce most fearful judgements For what could Idolatrous Apostates who had forsaken their God who made them and every moment preserved them expect but some fearful punishments to be executed upon them Yet such was Gods mercy towards them that they were not sent to denounce judgement but to proclaim an act of Eternal Indemnity and Pardon of all their many grievous sins and promise and that upon fairest terms Eternal life Therefore the benefit of this preventing grace and enlarging mercy which did redound to all people of all Nations was very great They sate in darkness and the shadow of death under the power of Satan ignorant blind corrupted hardned without any means of conversion or hope of salvation But by the Apostles God sends unto them light life peace joy comfort Heaven gates are opened Eternal Life offered and Christ is very willing and desirous to save us and give us eternal bliss O that men would consider how great a mercy it is for God to come so near unto us and put us in a capacity of salvation 1. This benefit would appear to be the greater if we would remember how unworthy we are 2. The sad condition of others to whom God never vouchsafed the light of the Gospel without this preventing grace Salvation is impossible to all without this enlarging mercy impossible to many especially to us who live at so great a distance in a corner of the World But it hath been so enlarged that it reached us God hath found us Christ is come unto us and the heavenly light of saving truth doth clearly shine upon us So that if we perish we are deeply guilty and
means of Conversion of the Word Sacraments Sabbaths Ministery of Information and Instruction Promises Threatnings Conmands Reproofs Exhortation good Examples Afflictions and many other things used by God in the vocation the power of the spirit accompanying these means and working upon the heart of the sight and sence of sin of godly sorrow fear hope prayers tears hearkning unto the word receiving it into the heart longing after Christ some beginning of comfort faith and conversion To this place also reduce the Scriptures which speak of the contrary as God passing by a people and denying them the means of conversion of such as to whom the means is vouchsafed yet they refuse to receive them despise them blaspheme rebel persecute Gods messengers and seek the abolition of Gods Laws and Kingdom Of such as seem to receive these means yet do not use them or if they use them yet not diligently and aright but are like to the high way the stony or the thorny ground Such places as speak of impenitency hardness of heart unbelief neglecting the day of Visitation unfruitfulness under the means of Salvation Hypocrisie Apostacy all neglect or resistence of any motives unto repentance deferring the time of conversion after conviction and falling off from any resolutions to repent or any degree of grace To that of Justification which presupposeth not only Gods mercy and Christs merit but also the sinners Repentance Conversion and sincere faith may be reduced all Scriptures which speak of Christs Intercession Remission Regeneration Reconciliation Adoption Manifestation of Gods special love hope of glory a right unto eternal life peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost freedom from condemnation removal of judgements the earnest and first fruits of the spirit abiding in us the guardance of Angels near communion with God Gods special care of the justified the turning of every thing to their good mortification of sin sanctification continued good works heavenly affections divine vertues patience and perseverance in Hearts Afflictions Persecutions Martyrdom Conflicts with sin Satan the world fastings falls recoveries increase of heavenly vertues longing desires to be with Christ watching praying providing for removal hence and the last account comfortable death conveyance into Abraham's bosom the secure expectation of the Resurrection freedom from all sin misery temptation and troubles of this life To this Head must be referred all such Scriptures as speak of the contrary as of Gods desertion after disobedience to his heavenly call withdrawing the light of the Gospel taking away his blessed spirit leaving the parties thus deserted to the power of Satan delivering them up to a reprobate mind security in sin despair terrours of conscience loss of all the former mercies and graces or rather a dinial of them exemplary judgments as forerunners of eternal destruction abiding under Gods eternal displeasure a cursed death and a reservation of the parts thus dead unto final condemnation and that sad condition till that time To the last of Glorification refer such places as speak of the universal Resurrection of the power and spirit of God raising us the manner of this Resurrection the nature and excellent qualities of the body raised as being immortal uncorruptible glorious spiritual and like the body of Christ our final Justification and glorious reward of ejoyment of the blessed presence of God and Jesus Christ our full and final Sanctification by the spirit our Society with Saints and Angels our spiritual glorious pleasant Paradice our full joys eternal pleasure unspeakable content freedom from all sin temptation sorrow songs of praise and the certainty and security of the continuance and perpetuity of full bliss Here also must come in those parts of Gods word which speak of the contrary as of the resurrection of such as are designed to eternal death upon their final impenitency of the immortality of their bodies that they may eternally suffer in body and soul their appearance before the dreadful Judge their condemnation their ejection out of Gods blessed presence into utter darkness and unquenchable fire their society with the Devil and his Angels their everlasting and intollerable sorrows and pains and the certainty of the continuance thereof without any hope of ease intermission deliverance Sect. 7. After that I have first declared the substance of the Scripture abridged in the Creed and secondly given some directions how to reduce the principal particular places of the word of God unto the heads of the Creed I now proceed to reduce the former particulars into the form of a Confession in this manner I believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost who is only One Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal infinitely and eternally Wise Just Holy Powerful Glorious and every way Perfect and perfectly knows and loves himself from everlasting and is blessed in himself unto all eternity I believe that this One Glorious God did by his wisdom contrive and by his will decree to do many things out of himself and when he thought good he issued out with his Almighty Power to effect those things which he had before contrived and first he created Heaven and Earth and all things therein and the most glorious place which he made was the Heaven of heavens and the most excellent creatures were Men and Angels intellectual immortal free capable of Laws and of an eternal estate Man for his body was created of the dust of the earth and by the breath of God became a living soul and he was sanctified by the holy Spirit endued with heavenly gifts and virtues whereby he was righteous and holy and like unto his God and capable of eternal bliss tho his present estate was not immutable he might stand he might fall When this great work was finished by his Word Spirit without any pre-existent stuff any assistant any tool or instrument he continued by his Almighty power to support and preserve all things which do subsist by that word whereby they were created at the first By creation he manifested his eternal power and God-head became the absolute surpreme and universal Lord of all things and so continues by his preservation I believe that as he preserves all things created so he orders all things preserved in such a manner as that a Sparrow falls not to the ground without his will And as he created all things in an excellent order and gave them their inclinations power moving and tending to some end so he by his wonderful Wisdom directs every thing unto its several end and all things to the supream which is the manifestation of his glory In this ordination the government of his most noble creatures Men and Angels which he orders by certain Laws and Judgements unto an eternal estate as most excellent and wonderful to both he gave certain laws which they were able to observe and upon the observation they might certainly expect a confirmation in that blessed estate for which they were created many of the Angels sinned and were
will desire endeavour and intend the observation of all these commandments from the heart and soul that in obedience to Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us it will repent and grieve for disobedience and speedily return sincerely to God Redeemer seek for pardon in the name of Christ and pray for the Spirit of sanctification to renew us more and more Sect. 8. In the next place after these natural and supernatural morals follow the ceremonials of the New Testament which are Baptism and the Lords Supper Of Baptism I have spoken at large it remains therefore that I further add something concerning the Eucharist which is a Sacrament of the New Testament as Baptism is and follows it because as that is a Sacrament of our initiation and regeneration so this is of our continuance in Christ and the Church and of our spiritual nourishment and increase In this as in Baptism we may observe 1. The Elements or Signs 2. The Actions 3. The Words In Baptism the sensible Sign and Element was single and only one which was Water but in this Sacrament we have two 1. Bread 2. Wine Both these presupposing life in them who use them are great blessings of God given to continue and preserve the same and were singled out and determined by Christ to be used in this Sacrament to signifie the spiritual food and repast of our souls and by these two in his heavenly discourse concerning the meat that perisheth not but endureth to everlasting life did represent unto his hearers the food of life which came down from Heaven whereby sinful men live for ever Bread did signifie his Flesh and Body which he gave and offered for the life of the world and Wine did signifie his Blood And as Bread must be eaten and Wine must be drank that we may live thereby so by a divine Faith we must eat his Flesh and drink his Blood that we may live for ever In this respect this Sacrament agrees with the Eucharistical Offerings and Sacrificial Feasts wherein the Sacrifice was first slain and offered to God and then part of it given to men to eat and drink before God in his Sanctuary Christs Body was the Sacrifice and was crucified slain and offered upon the Cross and in this Sacrament given and received for our spiritual food The Bread and Wine signifie his Body the breaking of the Bread pouring out the Wine signifie his Death and Sacrifice the eating of this Bread and the drinking of this Wine the participation of those spiritual and heavenly Blessings which he merited by his Sacrifice Death and Passion 2. The Actions are according to some Consecration Distribution Participation Yet may be reduced to two the 1. Of Administration the 2. Of Participation The Administration which in this Commission is proper to the Minister of the Gospel is performed in Consecrating or blessing Breaking and pouring out Distribution The Participation is Taking Eating Drinking 1. The Consecration is by word and prayer thanksgiving and petition 2. The breaking of the Bread pouring out of the Wine do serve not only for the better distribution but also to signifie the Death and Sacrifice of Christ offering himself for our sins 3. The distribution it self puts us in mind of God's giving us the benefit of his passion unto our eternal Salvation for as in death he was given for us so in this Sacrament he is given unto us 4. The taking eating drinking signifies our receiving by Faith first of Christ himself then of all his benefits 5. The words are such as our Saviour used at the first Institution and Administration of this Sacrament in the distribution of the Bread and the Cup. 1. The words used in giving the Bread are Take eat this is my body given broken for you do this in remembrance of me In them we may observe 1. The body of Christ. 2. The offering of this body 3. The giving of it unto Communicants 1. The body of Christ was the Sacrifice or thing to be sacrificed 2. The giving and breaking this for us signifies the offering of this Sacrifice unto God for to expiate the sins of man 3. The commanding of man to take c. signifies God's promise and readiness for to give Christ sacrificed with all his benefits commanding and by command binding man to take This is the mystical hidden matter of this part of the Sacrament In the outward sensible matter is 1. Bread to signifie the body of Christ. 2. This Bread broken to signifie the offering of this body 3. The taking and eating of this Bread to signifie the receiving of Christ sacrificed into our hearts by Faith 4. The manner and end of this receiving which is expressed in the words Do this in remembrance of me In these words we have 1. The Death and Passion of Christ. 2. The Covenant 3. The sealing and confirmation of the Covenant 1. The Death of Christ and the Redemption by this death is expressed in these words My body given broken for you 2. The Covenant which consists of a Promise a Precept The promise is implyed in the words Take eat this is my body the precept expressed in these words Do this in remembrance of me To take and eat is an action of the body to take and eat in remembrance of Christ is an action of the soul The promise offers remission of sin the precept requires Faith and remembrance of Christ's Death the principal object of this Faith 3. The Covenant is sealed and confirmed on Gods part of giving thâ— bread upon condition of remembrance of Christs death or mans part by taking and eating in remembrance of Christ so that the bread blessed broken given taken eaten in remembrance of Christ is a signe and a feal 2. The words used in giving the Cup are This cup is the New Testament in my blood this do as often as ye drink it in remembrance of me Thus Luke and Paul Drink ye all of it for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for the remission of the sins of many Thus Matthew where we have many things observable and amongst others these 1. The blood of Christ shed 2. The remission of sins 3. The New Testament 4. The Cup. 5. The drinking of it in remembrance of Christ. 1. The Blood of Christ shed and the Body of Christ broken and given are nothing else but the Death of Christ which he suffered upon the Cross for the expiation of our sins whereby Gods justice was satisfied his wrath appeased sin made justly pardonable and man savable This unspotted blood of Christ the great High Priest was of infinite value the great ransome whereby heaven gates were opened and eternal life merited 2. The end of this blood shed and this cruel cursed and ignominous death was the actual remission of the sins of many even of all such as should believe in him The shedding of this purest blood accepted of God made sin
of Christ as before his Ascension or explicitly as after They must be made especially by us Christians in the name of Christ who by his blood hath satisfied Gods justice made him propitious the Throne of grace accessible hath merited all mercies promised to be our Advocate and to sollicite our cause in heaven and procure for us whatsoever we ask in his name They must also be made by the Spirit who alone doth sanctify us and qualifie our hearts for this duty and enables us to perform it so as that it may be effectual and when we know not how to pray as we ought he stirs up in us sighs and groans which cannot be uttered by which he makes intercession for us to the Father who not only understands these dark expressions but is much moved and affected with them So that a Christian effectual prayer is a presenting of our petitions to God the Father in the name of Christ by the Spirit And how powerful must that prayer be which is offered to the Father in the name of his Son by the power and grace of his Spirit A prayer may be made inwardly in the soul without any words of the Mouth and it may be â—o qualified as to prevail very much with God who principally looks at the heart It may be made outwardly and that without any understanding sense and inward affection and this is but a Carkase of prayer and not regarded of God though delivered in most excellent expressions and as it were in the language of Angels This outward prayer whether said or sung in Prose or Verse if made in publick or in company must be in a language and in terms more easily understood by the people with whom we pray that they may say Amen which they cannot if they understand not And though they understand yet if their hearts be not affected with the matter and rightly disposed towards God it s to no purpose For all outward prayer should be joyned with the inward and issue from an heart rightly disposed A prayer of a righteous man may sometimes be ineffectual because it s not made by him as righteous Sect. 2. These things concerning prayer in general observed I proceed unto the Lords prayer we find many particular prayers praises and thanksgivings in the Scripture and many forms both for publick and private devotion taken out of this blessed Book yet all these seem to be but so many branches of that excellent form which our Saviour taught his Disciples wherein he contracted the substance of all lawful prayers and that in an excellent method It was taught and prescribed in the days of his humiliation and was suitable unto their present light and condition For herein he gives no direction how to ask any thing in his name and the reason was he was not yet glorified nor made Advocate general in heaven nor possessed of his glorious Kingdom This may seem to be intimated in that petition Thy Kingdom come For then to him and so to them it was to come In it we may observe 1. The Entrance or Preface 2. The Body and Matter 3. The Conclusion In the entrance we may take notice of 1. The parties who must perform this duty 2. The parties for whom Prayer must be made 3. The party to whom Prayer must be made 4. The qualification of the Prayer it self 1. The parties who must perform this duty are persons living on Earth who have not lost their interest in God upon whom all and every one depends and our necessities are many and great and prayer is Ordained as a means whereby all things we need may be obtained and that more certainly because we have a Promise Besides its an universal Command and all Men are bound in that respect to pray and by prayer to worship and glorifie God For by it we acknowledge that God is the supreme Lord the fountain of all goodness the Father of Mercies willing freely to give us what we need and that we are miserable and indigent persons and that God is no ways bound to relieve us or supply our wants but only he promised to hear and help and this promise was freely made Some will not pray some cannot some can pray but not effectually yet all these are bound to pray and therefore their sin or misery must be very great 2. The persons for whom we must pray are our selves and all others who are capable of any benefit by our prayers For we are directed to say Our Father and in this word Our we include our selves and others too As we must love our Neighbour as our selves so we must pray for our Neighbour as for our selves And by Neighbour we must understand not only our Acquaintance and Friends but strangers and Enemies For we must pray for them which despitefully use us So Christ prayed for such as did Crucifie him saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do yet as we must love some more then others so we must pray more especially for some then others most of all for the Church and our persecuted Brethren For Christian charity in our prayers doth enlarge it self and abhors partiality and self-love 3. The person to whom we must pray is God and God is our Father in heaven Father is a word of power and pity Father in heaven is a term of supreme power and infinite pity And if all the power and pity of all Fathers even the best were united in one yet all were nothing to the pity and power of our God This Father loved us and gave his Son for us when we were Enemies and called us when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses greater love never was manifested to any creature and greater love to any creature there cannot be And how much must he love us when once we begin to love him as our God! What cannot a Father in heaven what will not a father in Christ do for his Children seeing in him meet in one power and pity might and mercy greatness and goodness which include all his perfections Thus we must conceive of God to whom we address our selves to whom we direct our prayers 4. The qualifications of prayers are many 1. One is faith whereby we believe that he is present in all places at all times hears all prayers knows all things and with what heart we pray that he is just holy wise of infinite goodness and unspeakable mercy in Christ who makes intercession for us in heaven that his power is Almighty and his dominion over all things is supreme 2. In respect of his infinite and eternal excellency and supreme dominion we must come into his presence with all humility and reverence adoring his eternal Majesty 3. As he is holy we must be holy and draw near with pure and upright hearts 4. As he is just we must petition for just things 5. As he is a father we must be obedient Children 6. As he is full of love so we must
pray in charity and love towards others 7. As he is Almighty and Almerciful in Christ in whom he hath promised all things we must pray in greatest confidence 8. Because our necessity is great and we seek great and necessary things from him so we must be instant importunate wrastle with him and not let him be quiet till he hear help and bless us Sect. 3. In the body of the prayer we must observe the Method and excellent order to which he hath reduced all matters to be prayed for To understand this we must consider that he hath made two general heads and parts of petition the 1. Of supplication the 2. Of deprecation In the former we petition for all good we can justly desire In the latter we seek deliverance from all evil where unto we are subject The good we pray for is spiritual or temporal the spiritual respects Gods glory in 1. Hollowed be thy name or our spiritual happiness in the coming of his Kingdom 2. In doing of his will Temporal good we pray for when we say Give us this day our daily Bread Deliverance from evil is two fold either from sin or affliction The evil of sin is either guilt of sin past or temptation to sin in time to come The former we seek in these words Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trepass against us The latter in these Lead us not into Temptation Deliverance from evil we pray for when we say Deliver us from evil Sect. 4. We begin our petitions with these words Hallowed be thy Name where by name we must understand the excellent Majesty and supream Dominion of God our heavenly Father in respect of which all honour glory power and praise are due to him and ought to be ascribed unto him by men and Angels for ever yet all this doth not make him more glorious and excellent then he is in himself for what can be added to that which is infinite This excellency and supream dominion we profess to believe in the first Article of our Creed and promise to acknowledge in the first commandment of the moral Law And here we pray for the universal acknowledgment in the first Petition for such must be our respect to him as that above all things his name may be glorified therefore in these words we pray that his name and supream excellency may be manifested more and more both by his Ordinary and Extraordinary works of creation and providence and also by his blessed word especially by the Gospel of Christ. â— That being manifested to us and to all others it may be more and more clearly known 3. That being known we and all others may acknowledge it and submit with all our hearts to him as supream Lord and that he may be glorified in the eternal destruction of such as will not honour him as supream Lord. In these words we pray against all Atheism Idolalatry Profaneness Rebellion Apostasie and the usurpation of divine power 2. We pray Thy Kingdom come where we have 1. A kingdom 2. The coming of it 3. A petition for the coming of it Gods Kingdom is two-fold 1. Universal and general over all 2. Special over men The latter here is meant this second Kingdom respects Men as sinful and ready to perish yet as having some hope of Salvation by the Redemption of Jesus Christ therefore it s the kingdom of God Redeemer looking upon Man as first redeemed and so ordinable unto everlasting salvation for sinful Mans happiness begins in Gods love which moved him to give Christ to death for the Expiation of our sins for this was the laying the foundation of Eternal Life The coming of this Kingdom is the exercise of his power to make redemption effectual for then this kingdom comes to any person or persons when God Redeemer begins to reign by his Word and Spirit and by them calls men to repentance and faith The end where at this government aims is the ruine of all enemies and the eternal peace of all such as shall submit unto his power and continue to be loyal and obedient subjects Thus God did alwayes reign since the first promise of Christ made unto Adam but this reign advanced and became more glorious after that Christ was â—et at the right hand of God sent down the Holy Ghost revealed the Gospel and it shall be consummate when all enemies shall be subdued and Gods chosen Saints fully and for ever glorified Some make two degrees of this Government the first of grace and the second of glory The one begins with our first conversation the other with the resurrection In this petition therefore we do not seek of God the coming of Christ nor the conquest of Sin and Satan upon the Cross nor of death by his resurrection nor his exaltation to the right hand of God nor the beginning of his reign for all these are past But we pray that our heavenly Father would 1. Send his Ministers with the Gospel and the power of his Spirit into all nations who sit in darkness and the shadow of death and contrive the means of conversion to all people who enjoy them and in particular to us 2. That he would make these means effectual to the conversion of many 3. That he would justifie sanctifie adopt all such as are converted 4. That he would do these things more and more till he hath subdued all sin in them 5. That he would hasten to subdue death the last enemy by the resurrection and the last change of mortal bodies 6. That all enemies being conquered he may reign perfectly and that when Christ hath delivered up the kingdom God may be all in all his Saints and give them perfect holiness full joy and peace everlasting 7. That he would by degrees and at last totally and finally destroy all the power of Satan Sin Death wicked Men which oppose our Salvation and Eternal Peace The principal thing desired is first eternal life then all means which conduce unto the end The principal effect of this Government is destruction of Rebels and Enemies and the conversion and salvation of his People To this head may be referred all Petitions for the ruine of Babylon and Antichrist persecuting Enemies both open and secret for good Magistrates Ministers and Governours in Church and State for powerful preaching of the Gospel for good discipline and due administration of the Sacraments and here is to be observed that the more his Kingdom comes the more his name is hallowed and glorified 3. Yet because no man can enjoy the benefits peace and priviledges of any Kingdom tho never so excellent except he will submit unto the power of the Prince observe his Laws and do his will therefore that we may attain to the eternal peace and felicity of this Kingdom we pray that the will of our heavenly Father may be done where we have 1. The will of God 2. The doing of it 3. The manner or pattern of doing 4.
The thing petitioned for in these words 1. The will of God is sometimes his decree sometimes his command or law this will here intended is not his decree but his law the matter of the decree is something that God will do the matter of the command is something that man must do and the effect of this will once signified is the obligation of man unto obedience or upon disobedience unto punishment and by this will here is meant the Laws of God Redeemer in force under the Gospel And these Laws by some are reduced to repentance faith obedience to Gods Laws continued after our first faith and conversion and this according to the parts of the vow made in Baptism All well ordered Kingdoms have their laws which all such as will be admitted subjects or will receive protection and enjoy the priviledges of that Government must observe And so it is in the Kingdom of God Redeemer and these Laws are moral yet Evangelically understood or positive and ceremonial The moral are fundamental or superstructive The fundamental is that which requires subjection aad fealtv to the Soveraign Christ Jesus and submission to his power the superstructive are such Laws moral as are grounded upon this such are all the Commandments following the first And whereas some understand this will as well of the Executive will as the Legislative yet that 's not proper though true in some sense 2. To do this will doth presuppose that the Laws be published and that by the same the will of God be made known that none but such as are negligent or wilful may be ignorant This being presupposed 1. We must have a certain knowledge of the Will of our heavenly Father For if in every action of a man as he is a man and a rational creature knowledge be requisite and necessary much more in this obedience To do that which is commanded by God and not to know its Gods command is no obedience unto God 2. After this Will is once known there must be a free and full consent and stedfast resolution for to conform unto it and that not only because the commands of God are just and holy the doing them is pleasing unto him and beneficial unto man but for this very reason because we know them to be the commands of God 3. Because neither of these can be done except we renounce our own conceits imaginations lusts and corrupt inclinations of our own hearts therefore we must resign up our understandings to the wisdom and our own wills wholly to the Will of God 4. This doing doth not stay and rest in knowledge and good affection but must proceed to endeavours and if our power fail not to the doing prosecuting and finishing of the things commanded for our obedience should reach to the full measure of the command 5. This will is observed not only in doing good but in suffering evil and that with patience and thankfulness 6. We must submit unto the executive will of God and be content therewith even then when the works of Gods providence do cross us and seem to be contrary to his Laws For they may seem sometimes to be so though they never are so yet they may be above these Laws and beyond the reach of our understanding No man can do this will by nature except he be regenerate by grace And because our knowledge is imperfect at the first and our spiritual ability poor therefore we must improve them more and more 3. The manner how this will must be performed and the measure of our obedience is expressed by a pattern given us in heaven For we are taught to pray Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven This implies that God hath Subjects in Heaven 2. That these do his will more perfectly 3. That we must follow this Example and aim at that perfection These Subjects are not the Stars and Lights of Heaven as some do understand the words Though its true that these observe a constant regular Motion according to an order preferred in the Creation and never were Exorbitant or swerved from the rule since the beginning Only if God do command them to stand they stand or go back they go back or withhold their light they refuse to give it But these are not intelligible creatures or capable of Laws yet they may be witnesses against us confound us and make us for ever ashamed of our disobedience Therefore the words are meant of Angels which are Spirits Intellectual and most noble creatures and their proper place is Heaven and therefore styled in Scripture the Angels of Heaven Of these its written That they do Gods Commandments hearkning to the voice of his pleasure Psal. 103. 20. The perfection of their obedience is in this that they never sinned but always obeyed God from the first moment of their creation They did Gods will 1. Always and in all times 2. They did it in all things 3. They did it freely readily and with joy and delight 4. They did it in the highest degree of their perfection So that their obedience was constant universal free and perfect This example we must follow striving to attain their perfection though we cannot reach it and never rest till God hath fully sanctified us and made us perfectly Righteous and Holy as they are This pattern doth not exclude that of Sanits and Martyrs though it come short yet we have a more excellent and glorious example of Christ which is more perfect then that of theirs because they never denied themselves and bare the Cross as he did 4. In these words 1. We confess our ignorance errours blindness corruption inclination to sin aversness to good and our impotency which by nature is such that of our selves we can do nothing 2. We pray for Gods preventing regene rating co-operating assisting and consummating grace and that he would enlighten us inspire and sanctifie us so that we may clearly unsterstand and effectually do his will from our hearts aiming at his glory 3. That we would sanctifie us more and more that we may dayly improve our knowledge and Obedience 4. That he would strengthen and assist us continually that we may persevere in an universal obedience to the end This sanctifying grace we desire as merited by Christ to be given us by the Spirit according to his promise yet we do not expect it so from him as though he should do all things and we do nothing we must use the means he hath appointed exercise the power he hath given us hearken unto the Doctrine of the Gospel meditate in the same and continually pray for his assistance we must be diligent careful watchful continually depending upon him To this position we may and must refer all the prayers of Gods Saints recorded in Scripture wherein they seek of God knowledge understanding wisdom faith charity and all other heavenly vertues with the increase of them and Gods perpetual assistance and direction And though our perfection be
wonders and glorifie thy name for ever and give all glory praise and thanks to thee that so all Atheists Idolaters prophane persons Apostates and rebellious wretches may be convinced or confounded 2. That thy name be the more hallowed and we sinful wretches eternally saved let thy Kingdom come that Christ at thy right hand may powerfully and gloriously reign till all his enemies be made his footstool O let thy word and spirit so mightily prevail that all Nations may be converted submit themselves to Christ their Saviour thy Church enlarged from Sea to Sea and from the river to the worlds-end till the number of thy Saints be finished and made perfect and thou mayest rule in our hearts till sin and the power of Satan be wholly and forever destroyed Raise up a continual supply of faithful and godly Ministers and good Kings and Magistrates which may be Defenders of the Faith and nursing Fathers to thy Church and pour down the gifts of thy Spirit in great plenty upon all flesh break in peices the power of Satan and all persecuting enemies let death the last enemy be destroyed make all thy Saints immortal and bless them with eternal joy and peace that so they may sing an eternal Hallelujah to thy name in the heaven of heavens where there shall be no sin no sorrow no pain but fulness of joy in thy presence and pleasures for evermore at thy right hand 3. That we may enjoy the priviledges and attain the eternal felicity of thy Kingdom we desire that thy will may be done on earth as it in heaven we do confess that by nature we are blind and ignorant and have no power to do thy heavenly will All our spiritual knowledge wisdom and power of obedience is from thee our God and the good spirit of Christ. Seeing therefore this is our condition as born of Adam and brought up in a wicked world and Christ hath given himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculier people zealous of good works we beseech thee open our eyes and enlighten our understanding that we may more clearly know thy heavenly Laws and sanctifie our hearts more and more that we may constantly and freely with joy and delight observe all thy holy and blessed Laws O raise up our thoughts and affections that we may seek that glorious and eternal estate which thou hath prepared for those that love thee and so renew our hearts that we may be zealous of thy glory mortifie sin bring forth the fruits of thy spirit abound in good works give good example unto others make our calling an Election sure manifest that we are born from Heaven that so following the example of thy blessed Angels and aiming at their perfection may in the end be partakers of eternal bliss together with them 4. Whil'st in this vale of tears we seek thy Kingdom and endeavour to do thy holy will we have need of many earthly comforts as food and raiment and such things as without which we cannot live we therefore pray thee give us this day our daily bread we acknowledge that we have neither life nor health nor a morsel of bread nor any place where to lay our heads but from thee our heavenly father Be pleased therefore out of our fatherly goodness to give us good government peace safety seasonable times a comfortable and competent Estate and a quiet enjoyment of the same If we should ask for superfluities dainties and abundance to spend them for to maintain our pride and seusual pleasures we confess it were just with thee not to hearken unto us thou mights justly deny them but we are contented with food and rayment and other necessaries and seek them from thee that we may without distraction seek thy heavenly Kingdom O pity the sick the poor the weak the widow and the fatherless the stranger and such as are in want and oppressed feed the hungry cloath the naked deliver poor captives and relieve thy persecuted and distressed Saints These mercies thou hast promised in order to our eternal happiness whil'st we are in this vale of tears until we come to our abiding city where we shall have no need of these things And we seek these at thy hands with hope to receive them because thou hast promised them yet we are resolved that howsoever thou shalt deal with us we will submit unto thy will and be contented 5. O heavenly Father tho' we should do thy will always and from our heart in all things yet we have often sinned and done evil in thy sight made our selves guilty and liable to eternal death and have great need of thy mercy in Jesus Christ therefore we pray thee forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us We do confess that both in the state of Nature of Grace we often offend thee and transgress thy holy laws and besides the guilt of the first sin which lies heavy upon us and our inbred corruption we are guilty of many actual transgressions And these have been committed not only out of ignorance or infirmity or upon surprizal or violence of temptation but many of them against knowledg and some of them are very hainous and of a crimson die some are publick some private som open some secret neither is this all but we harden our hearts in them against the light of thy Gospel the dictates of thy Spirit thy patience and long-suffering against thy mercies and deliverances against thy chastisements and many gracious invitations against thy dearest love and the bitter sufferings of our Saviour And these are the more hainous because committed by us who have received so many mercies enjoyed for a long time so many powerful means of conversion and have vowed better things O how much hath thou done to convert us and we are not converted how miserable have we made our selves what fearful punishments have we deserved Oh take away these stony hearts of ours give us hearts of flesh and make us sensible of our sins that we may loath our selves and that our hearts may inwardly bleed because we have offended thee so good a God Remember thy tender mercies the bitter sufferings of our Saviour and thy gracious promises in him unto poor sinners Shall he dye on earth and plead his blood in heaven and we confess our sins and yet not obtain mercy O pity spare forgive turn away thy wrath cast us not out of thy presence take not thy holy Spirit from us deny us not the joy of thy salvation And this mercy we desire with the greater hope because we desire to forsake our sins put our sole and whole confidence in our blessed Saviour and are willing to forgive and be reconciled to such as trespass against our selves 6. O Lord thou knoweth our frailty the great danger of temptation which is such that though we be sanctified and sin past pardoned yet we may fall into sin again and so contract
did give the promise and he was only fit to do it for there can be no doubt either of his fidelity or power as he was able so he was resolved to make good what he had said and his word was his deed and will be so unto the end He and he alone could procure the Spirit and send him down from heaven the Angels were at his command all creatures at his beck and as he had begun so he was resolved to finish the work of mans salvation This his purpose he might have concealed or reserved to himself a liberty yet he was willing to promise and by a promise not only to signifie his mind that they might know it to their comfort but also to bind himself unto them And now he cannot go back This promise is a ground of unspeakable comfort and encouragement to all faithful Ministers and doth assure us the Church shall continue to this worlds end Sect. 4. The third thing to be considered is the thing promised and that is Christs certain presence with them to the worlds end where we have 1. His presence 2. The continuance 3. The certainty of it 1. His presence is signified in these words I am with you which implies that he will not be against them nor will he be absent from them for there are enemies who are against us and there are friends which are absent and far from us but Christ will not be an enemy or a Friend at distance 2. It 's Christ that will be present I will be with you and that 's more then if all men and Angels should be for us and ever present with us 3. This presence is not bodily for Christ was justly after this promise taken up into Heaven bodily and the Heavens must contain him till the restitution of all things 4. It s a spiritual presence and the same far more excellent than that of his body for though a body may at several Times be present in many places yet it cannot be present in more places than one at one time but Christ by his Spirit might be with them in all places at all times for he promised before his death and passion to send the Comforter which should comfort their hearts in his absence teach them and lead them into all truth and upon Penticost he sent down his Spirit upon the Apostles which hath continued and will continue in the Church for ever 5. This is not a bare or meer presence for so this Spirit is present in all places at all times neither is it a presence with some general power for so he is with all things to preserve them But it s a special presence with a special active power for spiritual ends to produce spiritual and supernatural effects It is a presence not only to comfort strengthen assist and deliver them but also a powerful presence to make their Ministrry effectual for the eternal Salvation of mens Souls This Holy Ghost discended and rested upon Christ when he was ready to preach the Gospel and execute publickly his Offices When he first sent these Apostles he gave them the gifts of this Spirit After his Resurrection he breathed on them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost commanded them to stay at Jerusalem and wait for this Spirit upon the day of Penâ—ecost as before this Spirit came upon them By this Spirit all the Members of the Church are sanctified the Ministers qualified the Word and Sacraments made effectual and sentence of the Church so valid and of such mighty force Take away this spirit you take away the life and soul of the Church the power of the Ministry the efficacy of Word and Sacraments and without it all the Preaching Praying and other works of the Ministry will not be able to convert or comfort one Soul It s said I will be with you that is with you mine Apostles and your Successors in the Ministry to assist and bless and guide you in the discharge of your trust and execution of your office Dispense you the Word and Sacraments by the faithful observance of my mandate endeavour to save poor Souls and in that work I am with you no ways else so that such as are most faithful and diligent are most certain of his gracious presence Here is no promise made unto any particular Church or Ministers more than to others here is no express mention or intimation of the Bishop or Church of Rome or Jerusalem or Antioch or Constantinople The promise is made to the Church in general and their Ministers especially to such as are most faithful in their place and office Sect. 5. This is the presence the continuance of this presence is the second thing observed and is expressed in two words 1. Always or every day 2. To the worlds end 1. Always signifies that there shall be no intermission or interruption of Christs presence and assistance He will not absent himself or neglect them or desert them for a day so that they shall never have any cause to complain or say where is my Saviour now whether is he gon why hath he forsaken me There may be sad and woful times wherein Christ may seem to hide his face and to have forgotten them for a certain time yet even then Christ is with them and his faithful Ministers though he doth not appear and instantly manifest himself He must be with them always or else he breaks his promise and that he will never do Let us therefore do our duty always and Christ will be always with us 2. He will be with us to the worlds end this may be a longer this may be a shorter time Some understand the last period and end of that present generation the destruction of Jerusalem and the death of the Apostles and the reason of this opinion may be because some take the promise to be personal and to be made only to the Apostles for their lives yet this is rather a conceit than any solid well grounded truth especially seeing the end of the world in other places signifies either a far longer time than the life of a mortal man on earth unto the consummation of the creatures and to all eternity So the person or the time of the final judgment when the world shall be no more but Christ shall raise the dead deliver up the Kingdom to the Father and God shall be all in all for when the number of Gods Saints is finished there will be no need of Word or Sacraments or Ministers and then this promise is performed to the full But whilst these continue as they shall continue to the end Christ is bound and will certainly be with them that he may make his redemption effectual by them in the 〈…〉 sion and salvation of poor sinners 〈…〉 3. The certainty of this perp 〈…〉 seems to be implyed in the note of attention Loe and in the verb of the present tense for Christ doth not say I will be but I am with you for nothing is more certain than that which is present Besides some Copies have Amen added which is a strong confirmation of the promise But this certainly doth chiefly depend upon the power and fidelity of Christ who hath made the promise and hath kept it in all times unto this day And the particle Loe doth require as their so our special attention and serious consideration both of the person promising and the thing promised that they might be fully assured of performance to the utmost By vertue of this promise it is come to pass that in the midst of the tumults and confusions of the world and af ter the ruine of so many glorious kingdoms of so many potent Empires and of so many flourishing Churches of particular Nations yet an universal Church with Word Sacraments and Ministry do continue to this day and the gates of Hell could never yet prevail against it so that we may take up the Words of the Psalmist Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth the Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge for this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto death Amen FINIS
irrecoverably lost and are delivered into chains of darkness reserved for the judgment of the great day Man received Laws both moral and positive by which he was bound to perform perfect and perpetual obedience or else to suffer death yet man being tempted by the Devil fell and by one man sin entered into the world and by sin death and death passed over all men in that all men have sinned This was the just judgment of God who cursed the Serpent and the Devil punished man and woman yet promised them a Saviour the seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head and take away his kingdom and power over mankind This was the judgment of the supream Lord whereby many of the Angels continuing obedientin the day of their great trial were confirmed in an estate of holiness and bliss the apostate wretches were condemned to eternal death and so fell as never to rise again yet man had hope of recovery because God by his infinite mercy was willing to prevent his eternal ruine I believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life This Son who is our Redeemer is that word whereby all things in Heaven and Earth even the Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions of Heaven were created who is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person This word issued out of Eternity and in fulness of time was made flesh dwelt amongst men who saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace Truth So that he is truly God and truly Man in whom conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary we have One Person Two Natures eternally distinct and inseparably united He was conceived at Nazareth bornat Bethlehem saved in Egypt from bloody Herod and brought up in the place of his conception and his very birth was matter of joy and melody to the Angels of Heaven This Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ promised of old the seed of the Woman of Abraham of David according to the flesh and was anointed with the Holy Ghost above his fellows and was made King Priest and Prophet above all other Kings Priests and Prophets that he might govern us by his Power direct and teach us by his Wisdom and sanctifie us for ever by his own Sacrifice first offered for sinful men and then pleaded in Heaven 〈…〉 s all penitent Believers I believe that Jesus Christ the Word made flesh did humble himself very low took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient unto death the death of the Cross and both in life and death did manifest his Divine excellency and glorifie his heavenly Father In the day of his humiliation he did hunger thirst fast pray weep and took upon him the infirmities of man yet without sin and was mortal His conversation was holy and spotless and was so ordered that both in life and death he was a Mirrour of all heavenly Virtues His Doctrine whereby he revealed the Mysteries of Heavens Kingdom was pure and full of profoundest Wisdom and of sovereign power to save mens souls and his words such as never man spake and were confirm'd by signs and wonders and glorious miracles by which he declared himself to be the Son of the living God He by himself his Apostles and other assistants whom he had chosen and qualified for this work began to gather Disciples and lay the foundation of his everlasting Kingdom yet notwithstanding these so many Divine excellencies he suffers many indignities from his unworthy and ungrateful Brethren whom he loved above all other People in the world though he was a Son yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered For many did not believe in him many were offended with him The ambitious covetous corrupt hypocritical High-Priests Rulers Scribes Pharisees Sadduces being discovered unto the people and by him reproved for their sins and deserted by many of the people did envy him hate him persecute him revile him blaspheme him and designed his death which they often and many ways attempted and in the end prevailed In the last night of his mortal life on earth after the eating of the Passover the institution of the Sacrament of his blessed body and blood his consolatory speech unto his Disciples his heavenly prayer he enters into the fatal place and garden where his greatest sufferings began Then upon his serious consideration and lively apprehension of the bitter Cup he was to drink and the fearful passion and tempattion now at hand he falls into a grievous and extreme Agony wherein with earnest prayers tears and loud cries he desires his heavenly Father to spare him and to let the Cup pass from him yet so that he wholly resigns himself unto his will He desires his Disciples especially three of them to watch with him and to pray for an hour yet they fail him he falls upon the ground deprecates the Cup three several times sweats drops as it were of bloud and at length an Angel was sent from heaven to comfort the Lords of Angels so deeply was he humbled so greatly was he afflicted so much was he difcomforted while he prepares himself to encounter the powers of Hell and expiate the sin of man This woful fit was no sooner passed over but he is betrayed into the hands of sinners apprehended bound brought before the Council accused condemned as a plasphemer worthy of death and so the judg of Men and Angels was judged he is hoodwink't buffeted blasphemed spit upon and most fearfully aboused and being formerly betrayed by s and now with cursing swearing and forswearing denyed by S. Peter and forsaken of all his Disciples As for this he is brought before Pilate falsly charged with heinous crimes yet justified as having done nothing worthy of death The Judge is afraid to condem him willing to release him scourgeth him and at the importuniy of his bloudy enemies he at length condems him to the cruel cursed ignominious death of the Cross and delivers him to the Souldiers who deride him abuse him torment him and lead him to the place of execution There he is stripped crucified endures open shame cruel pains revilings bitter taunts from the High-Priests the People the Malefactors crucified with him and the Souldiers yet he reviles not again nor threatens but in respect of wrong received he is silent and dumb as the sheep before the shearer prays for his enemies provides for his disconsolate Mother comforts such as do bewail him and foretells their future misery In the height of his passion he cries out such was the extremity My God my God why hast thou forsaken me commends his Spirit into his Fathers hands and so dies This suffering and death was such as never any before it never any after it like unto it So much was signified at that time when the Heavens were darkned
the Text I may seem to exclude Infants from Baptism and this place is alledged by divers against their admission yet nothing in the Text nor any thing in my Discourse doth debar them from this Sacrament For the Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel both to the unbelieving Jew and also to the Gentiles neither of these much less their Children were inclosed in the pale of the Christian Church as believing in Christ already come and not only the Gentile but the proselyte and native Jew must repent and profess their faith before they were baptized and this is evident out of the history of the new Testament And can any man infer from hence that because those who were adult and at age out of the Church might not be baptized before they were taught and confessed the faith therefore the Infants of Christian parents who are actual members of the Church may not be baptized It s evident the sequel is not good Some doubt might be made of Infants born of Parents before they were made Christians and yet we find no question made of them in the Scriptures But of such as are born in the Church of Christian parents after they were Christians there is less doubt for these are part of their parents not only as their parents by nature but as Christians and were always so accounted as born under the Covenant and in their parents bound to the condition thereof and so far as they were bound so far they had right to the priviledges and promises which might be sealed unto them God did not require any profession or promise personal from them because they had not the use of reason and all the duty for the present lay upon the parents and the Church till the Infant came to age and was capable of instruction for then being taught they were bound in their own persons to make their confession and vow and so own their Baptism and this was the end of Confirmation which is an act performed by the Bishop with imposition of hands certain words according to a certain form prescribed in the ritual part of our Liturgy The covenant of Righteousness by Faith was sealed to infants by circumcision from the times of Abraham untill this commission was granted by Jesus Christ who neither by himself nor his Apostles except them or exclude them but of this see more in my Theopolitica lib. 2. cap. 15. Sect. 19 20. CHAP. 7. Of touching persons baptized to observe Christs Commandments Sect. 1. THE fourth proposition is Christ commanded the Apostles to teach all persons baptized to observe whatsoever Christ commands them This implies that the parties to be baptâ—zed must not only profess their faith but promise obedience to Christs commands In the words we may observe a two-fold duty 1. Of the people which was the observation of Christs commandments 2. Of the Minister who must teach the people to observe these commandments In the first we have 1. Christs laws and precepts 2. The peoples obedience 1. Laws are moral acts of a superiour power which bind the parties subject to obedience or upon disobedience to penalty The sovereign and universal Monerch is God who by creation preservation and redemption hath a total and absolute power over man and especially in respect of his piritual capacity as he is a subject ordinable to an eternal estate After Christ was risen from the dead God communicates a transcendent power unto him especially as redeemer of man therefore as Christ had received this glorious power so he did exercise the same by making laws and binding all the subjects of his spiritual and eternal kingdom to the observation of the same For these laws are not only a rule to direct them what to do but of a binding force and the obligation is so strict that whosoever shall refuse to obey shall be liable to eternal punishments for those Laws being written in the Scripture are far more excellent then any humane decrees and statutes not only because they are the Laws of God and the other of men but also because they are made in exact wisdom are most fitted for man so as to direct all acts and operations of soul and body bind the conscience and immortal soul promise eternal rewards and threaten eternal punishments and aree very way so perfect that upon obedience eternal peace and happiness will certainly follow The ignorance of these things and want of consideration is the cause why these laws are so little regarded so much neglected and disobeyed though they shall be the rule according to which Christ shall judge the world and determine of mens final and eternal estate Sect. 2. There are divers laws therefore of Christ as is here implyed and the same published not only by word but writing and that long ago and if so it 's the duty of all to whom these laws are made known especially of persons baptized to obey these and because this duty concerns us all and that very much therefore I will first inform you of the duty more particularly that you may know what it is and secondly stir you up unto performance by certain reasons and motives This obedience doth presuppose our submission unto Christ as our superiour Lord upon our acknowledgment of his power and this is the condition of admission into his kingdom and is the foundation of all obedience for we may do many things which another wills us to do and yet the doing of them is no obedience because he hath no power over us neither do we acknowledg him as our superiour 2. As it presupposeth submission to his legal power so it doth the promulgation of his Laws for where there is no law as there can be no sin so there can be no obedience 3. These Laws must be known to us before we can observe them for the laws of Christ as in our understanding and known by us are the immediate rule of our obedience yet when they are sufficiently published it may be our own fault to be ignorant of them as through our own negligence it may so come to pass 4. This obedience is properly an act of the will of man freely conforming to the will of Christ and is required in the first Commandment 5. The matter of this obedience is the law and command of God the proper and formal object is Christ as our supreme Law-giver 6. When the will of Christ is once made known unto us our liberty is so far restrained nay altogether taken away in those things that are commanded and we must have no will of our own but his will must be ours These things observed we must know 1. That this obedience must be yeilded out of love unto our Sovereign yet with humble reverence to his Majesty and joyned with a fear to offend him and the more we love him the more willingly and freely we shall obey and it will be our joy and delight to do his Commandments 2. This obedience