now to great ones whom this point much touche's let the promise of receiving you soke into your hearts If God justifie who shall condemn if hee reconcile and restore you to your blood your Sonship if hee vouchsafe your restitution to the inheritance of such as are sanctified by faith in him Who shall defeat you of it therefore com in receiv this Offer and God will bee your God yea your father yee shall walk in and out before him as his own with the confidence of sons hee shall guide you here till glorie Vse IV. This should exhort all God's people that they deceiv not themselvs in this great priveledg for fear that they forfeit the comforts of it Trie it first and then improov it a true son and danghter of God partake's of the sonship of Christ â—heir head The Angels worship't Christ the Son when hee was brought into the world and for his sake the Angels are Ministring Spirits for the good of us and of ours The Father acknowledg'd Christ saying This day have I hegotten thee So doth God in him acknowledg thee for his childe and himself thy father The Father made Christ the Heir of all things and all things which thy father hath are thine as thou art Christ's Christ was pittied and heard by the Father in that hee feared and thy father will bee afflicted with thee in all thy afflictions Christ was faithful in all God's hous as a Son fulfilling all rightegusness If thou bee a son what save thy faithful fear and obedience should proov it The Lord Jesus beeing the Lord of all yet denied all even to a Pillow to lean his head on and an Hole to hide himself in And thou if a son shalt and wilt denie thy self and take up thy Cross and learn obedience by his suffering despise the world and count all dung to win his acceptance Briefly if a son thou art an heir of God and co-heir of Christ Whatever is wanting here shall bee supplied in heaven and yet here thou shalt partake all the good things of God For why Whom doth a father provide for but for his children whose is all that hee hath save theirs Again if a son then thou knowest the way to the throne of grace even to the Father in the Mediation of Christ and there canst with the spirit of a son groan at least un-utterable desires to the Lord that thou maiest bee once free from bondage to this bodie of death from unbelief from an unsavorie heart from worldliness from the error of the wicked and this sinful world and the like Oh! with humble confidence thou wilt make kown thy request to God and that in secret such as none but thy self can bee privie to and will improov this libertie when strangers and slaves shall not dare to com neer These few trie and if thou finde the Spirit of Adoption to bee a stranger lin not till the Lord have created it if hee have don it stand fast in this priveledg and maintain it by thy awe and fear of thy Father not least hee should cast thee off again but becaus beeing once a Son thou shalt never bee dispossessed either of thy right here or thine inheritance hereafter VII Benefit Redemption Redemption is opposite to two things First Thraldom and slaverie to sin and so to all enemies who by sin strove to hold the Soul under fear and bondage Secondly to the sting and dint of all such crosses as sin hath brought into the world as the tokens of God's displeasure for it The first Redemption set's the soul at libertie from all that servitude and tyrannie it buy'es out and restore's the soul to the libertie of released and ransomed ones maketh it free onely to righteousnes and that for ever From hence issues's an heart enlarged to God so fearing him as fearing nothing els Hence secondly floweth a right to the Protection and Providence of God And lastly to these two may bee added freedom to God's service to finde it an easie yoke and a light burden yea to count it our happiness to denie our own wills becaus bodies and souls are bought with a price that wee should not bee at our own but at his will that dearly bought us 1 Cor. 5. 15. Christ hath bought and redeemed us I. From Sin 2. From all our Enemies Satan the Law bondage under Cerimonies Death Wrath and Hell unto freedom of Righteousness The conclusion of the Doctrine is That Redemption is a peculiar benefit wherewith Christ is offered to the Soul Vse I. Terror to all that lie yet in their state of Unregeneracie in what degree soever it bee more or less who either count this slaverie to bee freedom or els live in it as if they were free men and fear nothing Know yee that till the Law hath left you under the Spirit of this Bondage to count your selvs as yee are and lie under this estate as sensible of it and in your selvs past hope Cain's and Judase's case is not more wosul then yours Vse II. It 's Instruction to all sorts to make them behold their natural condition as in a glass Sin is no such tame and harmless beast as you imagin Nothing but this blood of Christ is able to ransom you For sin hath set the door open to all to Satan and all enemies wrath hell law conscience and death to have their wills on us So that an infinite strength it needed to deliver us Vse III. This should teach all who would not bee slaves to proov their redemption by the marks of it First all truly redeemed ones of the Lord see sigh under and are wearie of this their bondage desirous to bee freed from it Secondly the offer of this Redemption in Christ is precious to them both the purchaser the offer of it and the purchase it self Thirdly they cleav to the promise that seeing the Lord will have it so they embrace and chuse it and believ if the Son make them free they shall bee free indeed Vse IV. This should exhort us all that are redeemed to true libertie to understand wherein it consists and apply our selves duly therto True it is that wee are adopted sons to the frrdom of children but we are redeemed also to the libertie of service wee are not made free from the law in point of obedience but serv in holiness and fear to delight in the law in the inner man Temporal Redemption stand's in three things 1. Either in God's saveing his from afflictions 2. Or his susteining them in and under them 4. Or his delivering them out of them and that either in part or finally They are all three expressed in the 63. of Esay vers 9. by name The First The Angel of his presence Christ as vers 1. saved them and bare them on his wings continually The second In all their afflictions hee was afflicted that is succoured and upheld them The third In his pittie and mercie hee redeemed them that is delivered
desperate and refractorie sinners that they may com under God's chain but as are bound in it already must not bee oppressed more as if there were no succor for them no Balm in Gilead Vse II. Let such as are to receiv their counsel beware of beeing stout and obstinate by melancholie and sullenness Many people make their chains heavier then God make's them and will not suffer a thought of hope to enter through the anguish of bondage All such as becaus they cannot feel so strong comforts as they fancie therefore quarrel with God and reject such as hee offer 's them No let not God bee tempted by thy frowardness when hee seek's to trie thy humilitie Vse III. It 's exhortation to all poor troubled souls First to get and pray for readie and willing hearts to hear and see God's voice and steps for for eas and do not devour their own flesh Prov. 9. 12. Get Abraham's wisedom Gen. 22 13. who although Isaac had the knife at his throat yet had an ear to hear the Angel and an eie to see the Ram caught in the bush instead of his son Secondly although your hope bee small yet becaus your streight is great consider whether it bee not better to venture upon uncertain hope then upon assured wo 2 King 7. 4. Vse IV. Suffer not bondage to swallow you up in legall sorrow think not hell an heaven custom but as speedily as you can get out at this privie door blessing God for such a mitigation of miserie that in the discharge of the duties of your places you may attend upon the further work of God abhorring to think your selvs well becaus the Law hath you under bondage till the Gospel hath comforted you THE SECOND PART ARTIC I. That there is a deliverance ordained and granted to miserable Man out of this thraldom TItus 3. 4 5 6 c. But after that the kindeness and love of GOD our Savior toward Man appeared not by works of righteousness which hee had don but according to his mercie hee saved us through the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holie-Ghost which hee shed on us abundantly by JESUS CHRIST our Savior Here is a cleer view of a deliverance of a Sinner from this miserie together with the use of it to all that want it The scope is to oppose deliverance to miserie q d. Thus indeed it was by our deservings and God's justice but yet the Lord could not finde in his heart to let us lie in this woful and shiftless estate but when hee saw none to save himself saved us as a man seeing a perishing creature in a ditch and readie to despair for lack of present help himself stepped forth to help it out hee of dutie the Lord of meer goodness hee found out a way to set man on drie land out of the gulf of miserie so that the one was not so hideous as this is pretious and gracious So that First note that in this woful ruine of man there is a deliverance Eph. 2. 1. 1 Thes 1. vlt. Luke 1. 74. Esay 63. 5. Secondly it is appointed by the LORD out of the uusearchable treasure of his wisedom And this appear's partly by his eternal purpose within himself and partly by that expression of himself to his Church and to his elect Both these the intention of his heart towards them and the declaration thereof to them in his word do shew that it was not the will of God that man sunk in the dungeon of wo should lie there still and perish but recover out of it and live and this hee would have no secret in his own bosom nor hidden from us but known and revealed The Lord from eternitie purposed with himself to exempt a number known to himself out of this destruction and out of his justice to pass by others as not bound to rescue them and leav them in their corruption still and this to manifest his infinite justice against sin The Covenant of Grace is the promulgation and publishing of this his purpose in and by his word i e. by his Son the eternal word of the Father And this Covenant reache's equally to Election and no further and the sum of it is that GOD will bee their God to pardon sanctifie protect and save them will not bee ashamed to bee so called by them nor of them to bee his own beloved but hold them in this everlasting Covenant of his till hee receive them to immediate fruition of himself There is another general Covenant of ordinary calling by the ofter of the Gospel and the common badg of Baptism which is made to all without exception who exclude not themselvs but differeth from the former and is much larger then Election This offer must bee universal 1. Because whom the Lord call's hee call's and cull's out of the universal world those who receiv it shew themselvs elect those who finally reject it perish by their own unbelief and shew themselvs to bee none of God's number 2. His Ministers beeing his ordinarie instruments cannot put difference between the elect and the not-elect therefore they are to publish it generally to all 3. If the Covenant should bee dispensed with restraint this might strengthen the rebellious in their cavilling against the decree and fasten the caus of their perdition upon God which is onely from themselvs Vse I. It should teach us to adore the wisedom of God in this manner of manifesting himself This Covenant was darkly before shadowed by ceremonies but in due time revealed clearly Vse II. Break off thy league with sin and embrace the Covenant of mercie the sure mercies of David Vse III. Thouh Redemption bee the undivided work of the whole Trinitie yet even in this there bee several and incommunicable works of everie person concurring The Son merit's and work 's out the way of redemption The holie-Ghost work 's the perswasion of it in the soul But God the Father is the first mover and ordainer of it as the wel-spring whence the purpose and also the manifestation thereof proceeded Beware then least wee either confound these three actions or yet exclude any of the persons from their own operations But let us adore them all The Spirit in the work of applying Christ and the Father in the work of giveing Christ and in that love of his from which both Christ and the satisfaction came Vse IV. Behold in the Father an infinite depth of love and mercie toward sunken man thus to repair him Here is love not that wee loved him first but hee loved us haveing nothing but odiousness in us even that hee might shew what was in his heart and what hee could do Therefore judg aright of this first love and secondly profit by the meditation of Judg of it to bee the very fulness of all in all to bee a length depth height and bredth neither to bee reached unto searched into comprehended or attained but onely by faith embraced and rested upon
of Christ as flesh reckoned to his Divinitie made an equal satisfaction to God's offended Majestie The influence and valor of the divine nature assisting the humane for the fulfilling of the merit for if the Suretie fail in any point his undertakeing is uneffectual The Mediator then beeing to mediate between God and Man must needs bee God 1. In respect of those evils hee was to expiate as sin and uncleanness 2. those enemies hee was to vanquish as Satan death and wrath 3. Those good things hee was too purchase eternal righteousness the image of God and glorie hereafter in the presence of God Vsn I. Let this teach us to adore the Mysterie of the Godhead of Christ that wee rest in no inferior object whatsoever the world can affoard us But remember hee is God blessed above all and hath merited by his glorious power a glorious deliverance for his Church from death to eternal life Vse II. This affoard's us a notable ground of understanding a real difference of the persons in Trinitie God the Father send 's God the Son into the world to save it by the power of God the holie Ghost conveying and sealeing his merit to the Soul of the Elect. Now except there bee admitted a real distinction of the persons in Trinitie how shall one and the same God for beeing bee the partie satisfying and satisfied Vse III. Of Exhortation to all that are loaden with their sin desireing eas to com to this second well-spring of salvation and to drink water of life freely from it that is believ it for themselvs Especially let this beat down self in us in the matter of our conversion What should wee bring to God for our Redemption can wee bring any light to the Sun or drop to the Ocean all fulness is his hee must do all for and in us before and in conversion Again let us lay hold on Jesus Christ who hath satisfied God and taken away wrath Let this give a beeing and bottom of truth to all the promises of God in our soul And let us draw neer with confidence to the God of promises and comfort our heavie heart in the view of the hainous circumstances of her sin makeing it out of measure sinful Bee not dismaid hee that is thy Suretie made not thy peace for small and som but all and the greatest so that thy thought must bee how to receiv this fulness not for the greatness of this sin III Branch The Personal Vnion Union of both Natures into one Person by the unconceiveable work of the Spirit it 's much that Soul and Bodie but much more that Flesh and the Word should bee really in one Person The person of the Word took the nature of flesh therein to subsist It is called Personal Union to distinguish it from other Unions in Christ and all other Unions whatsoever In Christ there is a well-spring of Unions but no personal Union in them The Union of Christs Godhead with the Father and the Spirit is Essential with his invisible Church Spiritual and Mystical with Water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper Sacramental In other Unions the things united are One either by bare notional apprehensions as things understood by the fancie or els One by compounding as when of three or four drugs is made one med'cine or els by mixture and confusion as when Water and Wine are made one substance or els by Divine institution as when man and wife are made one flesh none of these are personal Unions But Personal Vnion is such an one as whereby both natures so retain their distinct properties unconfounded that yet they remain indissolubly united in the person without the least seqaration no not at death in the grave Vse I. This teache's us to conceiv aright of the person of Christ wee must com to God in and by the flesh of the Son the second person The equal tearm and object must bee the personal Union i e. the Manhood must as truly bee praied unto and adored as the Godhead Vse II. It teache's us a difference between the subsisting of Christs flesh and all other subsistings wee subsist in the union of bodie and soul which two make one and the same person but the manhood of Christ is no person or subsistence by union of soul and bodie but by assumeing the nature of man into the person of the Son of God so that the flesh hath no subsisting at all save in the upholding power of the Godhead as the plant Misselto hath no root of its own to subsist in but subsist's in another tree Vse III. To encourage the soul that is afraid to draw neer to God for reconciliation and mercie in Christ becaus of the estrangement of it self from God by loss of image Lo the Lord is willing to unite himself unto thee poor soul in his Son by vertue of his union with thy fearful frail nature For by this union he hath purchased a spiritual union between himself and the sinful soul How singular an encouragemement then should this be to a poor soul to fasten on the promise when hee see 's it assisted by this all-sufficient merit issuing from the union of both natures both suffering and meriting Quest What is the Vnction of Christ Answ It is a consequent upon this personal union whereby the Godhead made the Manhood full of himself and of all gifts and graces of the spirit meet to enable him to his work of mediation and by name separated him from men to bee excellent as to bee the Prophet Priest and King of his Church Hee was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliver his people I. Vnction of Priesthood The Uuction of Priesthood is the chief part of the Unction of Christ becaus by vertue of that office hee performed the great work of satisfaction Two things are to bee considered in this Annointing of Christ our Priest 1. The peculiarness 2. The furniture of gifts For the first although there were many things in the ordinarie Priesthood of Aaron which resembled Christ for the general yet becaus there were many things verie different therefore the holie Ghost set's him forth by the type of Melchisedeck's Priesthood For as hee was without beginning and end in his storie so was Christ not as Aaron mortal mutable sinful Secondly the Furniture which this Unction filled the Lord JESUS our high-Priest withall and that without measure For as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so all the communicable gifts and excellencies thereof dwelt in him Eminent wisdom rightousness humilitie unblameablenes holiness separation from sinners and all other graces but as I take it one fruit of his Unction was his peculiar fitness to satisfie That holie free consent of his to the will of his Father to do and suffer and fulfil all righteousness I say this absolute and unstained Obedience to go thorow all difficulties meekly long-sufferingly cheerfully
universally and constantly emptying himself to the death of the Cross was the main effect of this Unction and the bottom of that infinite complacencie which his Father had in him saying This is my well-beloven Son in whom I am well pleased All the three Offices of Christ do conspire most sweetly together The Priesthood before the other two becaus els wee can have no right to them But then the Prophecie and the Kingdom do return their aide to the Priesthood First the Prophecie teache's what the Priesthood is and by what order and degrees the Lord settle's reconciliation and peace upon a poor sinner open's the doctrine of Faith and mysterie of Salvation Then it teache's how to put on the Lord Jesus daily to apply him continually for forgiveness as our daily sacrifice and how to live by faith and to bee guided in our particular cours and conversation according to knowledg Secondly the Kingdom convey's the power of the Priesthood into the Soul and effect's that which the prophecie teache's and then haveing so don it set's up a perpetual rule in the soul giveing it power to obey both in doing and suffering according to the truth revealed II. Vnction of Prophecie The unction of Prophesie is that insusion of divine light into the manhood of Christ by virtue of which hee did all at once habitually receiv all that knowledge and wisdom of God whereof hee was possibly capable far above all that nature art experience or education could attain unto yea far above all that which Angels could comprehend Onely those mysteries excepted which finite flesh could not conceiv as the day of Judgment c. our gain hereby is this that hee is made unto us by vertue hereof true wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 30. both in the purging our corrupt mindes from all blindeness and our judgments of all rashness error headlong conceit and our spirits from all misleading and misguiding of us in our conversations so that neither the delusion of Satan nor dice-play of men nor other error can carrie us from the truth as it is in Jesus III. Vnction of Christ's Ringdom The uuction of Christ's Kingdom is that influence of the Godhead into the Manhood by virtue whereof Christ our Mediator is the Vice-roy of God the Father deputed under him to govern the whole world but especially is Church Briefly the end of it is to support the Priesthood Prophefie in their vigor and efficacie that hee may bee a Prince and Captain of Salvation to the Elect to bring them to God This Kingdom of Christ assist's his Prophesie by susteining and strengthing the means of salvation that his Gospel Sacraments Sabbaths and all his ordinances together with the ministerie thereof not onely in beeing but also in their full effectualness of working in the hearts of his people with conviction and authoritie It is no small Power to preserv these pillars of his Throne from ruin For how many enemies are risen up since his asscention openly or secretly to persecute or undermine the truth how hath Satan bestirred himself by those lion-like Emperors in the first 300 yeers and since by those wolvish Popes and by Hereticks and other instruments of the Devill to raze the Scriâ—â—â—res to deface the chief truth of God the Divinitie the Humanitie the Union the Puritie of spiritual Worship the Integritie of Sacraments the justification of a Sinner by Faith alone the Works of the Spirit the Resurrection of the Bodie and the whole power of Godliness To this very hour he worketh against all these but in vain for this our King looketh down from his throne and laugheth them to scorn and destroyeth their policies no deluge or flood of his malice could ever prevail against these but still they continue as a brazen pillar and shall survive them all till his second coming And not onely so but still hee support's these in their authoritie to over-rule the consciences of men to pierce perswade convince convert or condemn whether they believ or despise them and to settle on the Elect all the liberties of Redemption Adoption Holiness and Glorie This Kingdom of Christ's assist's his Priesthood by sustaining and upholding his beleeving servants in that estate of grace both faith and sanctification in which hee hath set them For it is the Kingdom of Christ which giveth efficacie both to his satisfaction and intercession for the keeping of all such as are given him by the Father in his truth and name Hee enable's his sacrifice to forgive them and reconcile their persons his holiness to sanctifie them to change their natures to subdue their iniquities to set up his Kingdom in their hearts to make them spiritual Kings and Priests to God in the mortifying of their lusts and their liveing to God in the power of Faith and Godliness Moreover Christ as a King subject's all his people to himself by the lawes of his kingdom For hee rule 's not by tyrannie but by law and command These lawes hee settle's upon his Church both in respect of conversation and administration As a King likewise hee protect's his people shelter's them against all enemies ghostly and bodily for hee hath fought for his kingdom valiantly and got it as well by conquest as inheritance haveing overcom Satan Death and Hell triumphing over them all Vse I. What an happie estate is it for all true beleevers to bee Kings Priests and Prophets to God tbrough this Unction of Christ the Beard of Aaron and the skirt of his cloathing were not more fragrant with the overflow of his oyl of consecration then the persons and souls of the Elect are precious and savorie and accepted of God in the Unction of Christ Whither then shall wee go when wee want wisdom righteousnes sanctification and redemption save to this fountain which is made to us of the Father to convey them unto us IV Branch Actual Obedience The Lord JESUS became piacular for us not onely by bearing our punishent but by translation upon himself the real imputation of our guilt Hee was made Sin Original and Actual all the sins of the Elect were charged upon him that hee by his perfect obedience might disannul them and bring in and settle upon us perfect righteousness And as the miserie of man stand's in both sin and guilt and stain as well as in curs so must our suretie perform righteousness as well as bear the curs Now this righteousness of Christ is both his natural and his actual opposite to this natural and actual unrighteousness af Adam His obedience doth consist in his whole conversation but more specially from his baptism to his death in which hee fulfilled all both general and personal righteousness His whole conversation toward God and man was holy But especially for the manner measure end and ground of all hee did most sincere and entire adding thereto perfection both of parts and degrees so that there was nothing amiss Hee was a righteous servant no guile found in him V Branch
amitie is blessed But all other is but dung to it Vse III. Let it bee an use of trial to us whether wee bee reconciled If wee are not wee are cursed If wee are then this Covenant hath drawn from us an Oath and Covenant with God again As the singular Amitie of David and Jonathan begate a Covenant and a renewing of it with an Oath of God Oh! such a soul will swear to keep God's righteous judgments and to walk in all well-pleasing This is the last mark of all as our Savior saith You are my Friends Joh. 15. 14. if you do whatsoever I command you Vse IV. Improov this benefit Seeing the Lord will have us his beloveds and crown us with such favors let us not decline them Do as favorites do with Princes they chuse favor above all boons becaus it is the fountain of all Vse V. Abhor all base roots of bitterness rising up to defile this Amitie and weaken it First abhor all enmitie of unbelief suspition of God distrust of his promises as if hee mean't nothing less This is the deepest villanie Never lin till thy large heart can better answer the Lord then Jehonadab answered Jehu's question Is thy heart as mine Yea doubtless Make use of all Ordinances especially the Supper of Christ the Symbole of this Amitie to seal it up to the Soul Secondly take heed of all falshood in thy Covenant with God If thou bee loos to him and yet expect's him to bee close with thee thou wilt bee deceived Hee will avenge the quarrel of it VI. Benefit Adoption Adam was the Son of God by Creätion Luke 3. ult By this fall hee lost it is becom a bastard strip't of his royalties birth-right and inheritance the dignitie of the first-born dominion and Lordship of the Creatures title to Paradise immortalitie Adoption is the enfranchisement of the soul into her former estate of Sonship again beeing freed from the spirit of bondage and flavish fear Gal. 4. 6. For as a man freely and without desert take's one that is not his own childe to becom his own changeing his name adopting him into his familie and setling that inheritance upon him which belonged to one descended from his Loins So doth the Lord here hee restore's the Sinner to his former livelihood Sonship Lordship and Coheirship with Christ the heir of all Wee shall understand this priveledg of Adoption the better if wee consider it in three things 1. What wee had lost in Adam 2. What wee recover and hold in Christ 3. What use wee should make of them both 1. What wee had and lost in Adam Although wee were no adopted sons in Adam for what needed it yet wee were sons by creätion As Adam Luke 3. is called the Son of God beeing inspired with the breath of God and framed in bodie according to his own image Wee bare the similitude of God about us in both even as a son resemble's the father Wee carried both in minde will affections senses bodie gesture autoritie and presence the glorie of our father about us were to God most accepted in our walking before him to the Creatures most honorable and awful as God's Deputies in the sight of the Angels most excellent and in our selvs most happie by the reflex and view of our own integritie of Sonship so that wee had whatsoever an earthlie vessel could contain Beeing thus heirs of all and sons of immortalitie planted in a Paradise of exquisite perfection even in the habitation of our glorie when wee were full of it wee prostituted our selvs willingly to transgress the bounds of children and sons and the law of our creätion so that wee must either bee better then sons and equall with God or els nothing and so by yeelding to the Divel wee fell to God ate the forbidden fruit tainted not our spirits onely and beeings but our blood also and became degenerate Bastards and slaves in our condition not haveing one dram in us of that son-like nature temper and integritie which wee had in stead of bearing the image of heaven wee bear the image of earth strip't of our honor and put down to the lowest form of baseness and made meer shadowes of what wee had been forfeited all our royalties not onely of inward content esteem peace and beholding of the face of God as children but also of outward title to the Earth and to Paradise dominion of creatures brotherhood with Angels and beeing thrust out of the Garden wee became drudges of the earth slaves to Satan and lived in continual fear of death and wrath onely haveing a poor hold and corner of the earth to confine us as prisoners and to hide our heads in 2. What wee recover and hold in CHRIST Hee beeing God by nature the eternal Word and also flesh by the power of the holy Ghost did by his bloodie satisfaction over-entreat our father pacified his justice and washed off our rebellion and guilt with the curs thereof from us that so wee might pass into the former priveledg of Sonship and whatever honor of grace appertained thereto and that by adoption For as a rich Prince haveing lost his son take's another childe not his own strip's him of his name familie cause's him to take his own name upon him and to becom his own and giv's him right to all hee hath and make's him his heir so doth the Lord take us poor lost bastards strip's us of our name and take's us into his stock arraie's us with his own robe sett's us at his own table cause 's us to forget our father's hous and all the baseness thereof restore's us to the right of Sons of the Almightie begot of his seed and spirit giv's us the libertie of sons the title to all his creatures with pureness without fear of ever beeing cast out any more till wee com to possess heaven with himself for ever 3. What Vse wee should make of them both Vse 1. It should teach us wisely to digest and carrie that disproportion of our condition below in the mean time Oh! what humbleness meekness mean opinion of our selvs self-denial to subject our selvs for a while to this state of conformitie to our elder brother should wee seek for What faith especially need wee firmly to cleav to the word of promise which assure's us that the Lord esteem's us as wee are Vse 11. This should scare ungodly men and make them tremble at their condition that they are bastards and no sons or daughters of the Almightie Men boast themselvs that they are the sons of men Anakim's like their Ancestors men of brave stomacks as proud and rebellious as their parents such as Gyant-like do fight again heaven and walk according to the sway of their lusts but to bee the Sons of God they regard not Oh! therefore howl and mourn all yee bastards for your degenerate condition Vse III. If the Lord shall indeed prick your hearts for this I speak
's thine and thy supplie II. The Adjunct of the Church of Christ The Adjunct of the Church is the Communion of Saints and members of this mystical bodie of Christ which is nothing els but the due entercours and holie fellowship reciprocally between member and member for the good of the whole Two things wee are to consider in this Communion of members in the Church 1. Due qualifying of the persons that are to communicate 2. Due exercise of communion among them that are so qualified 1. Qualification generally stand's in this that they bee brethren No sooner is a man a believer and a new creature born to God but hee is also a brother No bastard no stranger no Gibeonite no blemish't one may enter the temple of this Communion More specially they have the true Spirit of brethren of members by which the former is manifested to bee true Wee must know that this Spirit of Communion is the priviledg of the whole Invisible Church before it bee the spirit of any particular member for the members draw spirit from the bodie as the bodie from the head Now this spirit is flowing from Christ who hath therefore shed his blood for his Church not onely that hee might unite it together with it self but also that it might edifie it self in love And the Lord Jesus hath obteined this Spirit from his Father This Spirit of Communion may bee discovered in these two particulars First in the spirit of Preserving her self in her estate and integritie Secondly in the spirit of Furniture for the several operations whereby communion may bee supported I. In preserving Communion and this it doth 1. By separation of fals parts or contrarie which threaten ruine to her Mettals melted will go together and unite their substance but sever the dross which is of another nature from incorporateing with them the Citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem hee loathes swearers liers forswearers usurers and so of the rest No communication between Christ and Belial light and darkness 2. By gathering together of new This preserving Spirit is also a drawer of like parts to her self for the filling up and strengthening of Communion shee is still aiming at the bodies increase and therefore as the waters of the sea win upon the banks so doth this spirit of Communion seek out and enlarge her borders Our Lord Jesus the head of this communion spent his life in gathering members to this bodie Peter gathered 3000. at once and each member of it doth or ought to becom all in all to gain som 3. By preventing of any thing hurtful to herself This Spirit is warie to defeat whatsoever attempts may bee made against her communion either by opposite persons or properties II. The Spirit Furnishe's the Church with all such gifts as serv to maintain communion Such are 1. Love mother-grace of all the rest that which Saint John so magnifie's 1 Joh. 5. 1. Hee that loveth him that begat love's him that is begotten It 's the band of perfection that hold's in all the duties of Communion as the corner-stone doth the sides of the wall 2. Sociableness a compound of three coards not easily broken viz. 1. Amiableness which is that holy suavitie of spirit which opposeth tartness austeritie sowreness and sullenness whereby men are like ragged unhewen stones unmeet to couch in this holie building 2. Humbleness which opposeth pride which is a vice excommunicate from true fellowship of Saints causing men to think themselvs their parts their persons too good for communion It 's discerned by two marks peaceableness and equalness 3. Self-denial contrarie to Self-love the bane of communion when men seek their own esteem credit end profit and prais and if they fail thereof they little look how the publick welfare goe's forward 3. Tendernes and compassion Gal. 6. 1. If any bee prevented by error ignorance Satan sudden temptation let him that is stronger set him in joint again so the word is and restore him in the spirit of meekness II The Exercise of Communion stand's in three things 1. Graces 2. Means or Ordinances 3. Services or Duties I. In Graces In the tradeing whereof these rules must bee observed First bring in thy stock into this bank each member in this staple of Communion must get the gift of exchange hee must maintain a due entercours Secondly Humilitie is an excellent mean to exercise communion in graces condescending to men of low degree Proud ones get little and do little in this communion of Saints Thirdly Covet others graces 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet the things that are most excellent Appetite after the graces of communion is the instinct of God's spirit for the growth of Graces Men that hunt the Bezar seek not her flesh but that which is precious in her the stone which is so cordiall Base respects are nothing to the Saints in regard of this jewel Fourthly extract graces from others Solomon saith Prov. 20. 6. There is wisdom in the heart of the wise and a man of understanding will get it out Delilah lay at Sampson till hee had told her his whole heart So should'st thou that seekest the grace of others First by putting thy case in their persons whom thou tradest with as if thou wouldest learn what patience in sickness and pain is or how thou mightest die well ask others how should yee do in this case make mine your own Secondly observ wisely what fall's from the godly in their communion and conversation over-see not their words behaviors affections zeal scopes Thirdly let faith bee the chief extractor All things are yours saith Paul meaning all graces in all the members it 's a great help of profiting when as wee believ all the graces of others are ours allotted us by priviledg from Christ whose wee are Fifthly Rest not onely in the outward object but pierce into the inward There is more in a Saint then a bare sentence or carriage will express Look into the bottom as the Cherub into the mercie-seat Sixthly Bee wise to chuse thy object Each man excell's not in each grace or gift And when wee meet not with that wee look for wee think meanly of men as Naaman did beeing crossed by Elisha But the Graces of God are to bee marked as they bee most eminent As in Moses his meekness in Phinehas his zeal in Abraham faith II. In Meanes or Ordinances These edifie the Church First as they are ties and bands of Communion Secondly as they are active instruments or helps to beget and nourish it 1. As ties and bands Psal 122. Jerusalem is called a compacted Citie knit together by the Assemblies by the Sacrifices by the Thrones of Judgment Act. 2. 46. The Church continued and â—lave together in the use of the Ordinances the sacrament especially of the Supper Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the Word Praier and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of communion Wee see that the common ties of nature education and place do much tie
Baptism received with holy confidence go to the Lord for her due nourishment by and in him saying thus Oh Lord I am thine save mee Psal 119. 94. Of thee I am who art made unto mee not onely Righteousness but sanctification with growth and increas in it I com therefore to plead my right in all humilitie If I had never came to birth or to the light I had so been at an end but seeing thou hast not denied mee the life of a childe of thine do not leav mee to shift but Lord bring mee up at thy cost and let mee have my portion from thy Table and my daily bread from thy hand My Baptism I alreadie enjoy in the death and life of Christ to make mee thine O Lord let also his blood grace and spirit run in the veins of my soul to strengthen mee in the inner man with all long-suffering and wel-pleasing and joyfulness all grace of thy new creature let it bee mine 2. Prepare thy soul to this feast of the mountains Esay 25. as oft as thou comest which must bee oft 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. and com not without thy feast-Apparel And let this bee one rule unto thee Do not catch up this Robe on the sudden but wear it daily between Sacrament and Sacrament That faith in the Lord Jesus thou walkest or would'st com with to the Supper live by it daily Christ is the same in the promise and the seal That repentance thou walkest with to the Sacrament practice it daily hee that in a great frost would keep the ice thin must keep it broken every day so thou thy soul-issues lest thine heart harden 3. Beeing thus com to the Supper set thy faith on work say thus I know no Divel in hell can sever Jesus EMMANUEL my meat and drink from the Elements but this Word hath united them for ever That by sacramentall union with them as sensible hee might unite himself with mee spiritually and really in this seal of his 4. Seeing him there thine take him eat and drink him and enjoy him let thy soul applie him to thee for that thou lackest and hee serveth that is to applie thy wants where the hedg is lowest with the to pare off thy superfluous part to fill up and supplie thy decayes and voidness I mean such gifts or graces as concern thee either in thy particular Calling or in thy general 5. Least thou should'st stagger about thy right and part herein remember the end of the Sacrament is to rid thee of this fear For why it is God's seal to the covenant of his Grace to make thee his Son and Daughter and to sanctifie thee it 's his uttermost securitie for any outward one nay it 's his instrument of conveying the greatest measure of his Spirit unto thee 6. Haveing so received it live by him depart as one well satisfied enlarge him both for number and measure of growth to all parts of thy life all estates graces duties VI. Rules concerning Praier 1. Retain this heavenly Ordinance of God in that due esteem which the Lord hath graced it with for all ends both of humiliation and supplication The Lord and thy soul by experience do know it to bee the key of all the coffers of God and that High-priest's liveing way made by the blood of Christ whereby thou hast access daily yesterday to day and ever the oftner the welcomer to the Holie of Holies to the seat of Mercie 2. God in the Lord Jesus by a promise having thy wants in a readiness and thy faith on wing let not thy cours in praying issue from a formal plat-form but a lively feeling and humble pinching of soul for thy necessities 3. Shake off all extremities of a corrupt heart by faith which must hold thine eie fixed upon thy Mediator against all thy presumption commonness dulness deadness coldness and beseech the Lord to stir thee up to pray as hee shall suggest unto thee by the present occasion well digested either for the Church others or thy self If thou would'st bee heavenly in praier first abase thy self as a worm dust and ashes yea as Mr. Bradford hell and the sink-hole before the Lord who is heaven and holiness 4. Add these meet qualities of praier viz. fervent importunitie as one whom God cannot bee rid of till thou speed and frequencie as haveing sped well already 5. And above all com not to pray with any tainted known sin I say not onely gross but even secret and close through a lazie heart loath to cast them off or a loos heart loveing them better then the things thou praiest for least the Lord justly leave thee to bee wearisom to him and thy self VII Rules concerning Meditation 1. It take's away letts either giddiness of minde or unsavoriness of spirit the former like a sieve out of the water looseth all it get's suffer's nothing either truthes heard or works seen to abide long in the heart but Meditation set's them in the heart that they leak not out Heb. 2. 1. In stead of the later it season 's the heart with the sap the life the savor of good things 2. It make's the meaning view scope and order both of particular doctrine and the whole scope of Religion to becom our own 3. Wee com hereby to the eas of practice the fruit whereof experience so that if once wee have found crosses to do us good wee fear not when new ones approach if wee have felt the gain of a Sabbath get a delight therein in a word whatsoever is easie it becom's sweet and therefore if this bee worth somwhat to finde the yoke of God easie and his burthen light as to say the truth it is the upshot of goodness well may wee then say Meditation is a divine help to a good cours To these may bee added three other means of Godliness viz. 1. Resolvedness 2. Watchfulness 3. Experience I. Resolvedness is a grace of the Spirit standing in an holy firmness of minde and heart to keep fast the truth of God both in judgment and the power of practice Truth if it bee once lost in the judgment will not long hold in the practice therefore wee must bee well principled and grounded in the Truth love it for it self and embrace it with our best affections Not beeing wheeled and hurried about with the new tricks and devices of men of unsound judgment nor yet put on som truthes for a time with great zeal and heat and suddenly when a greater heat of opposition arise's out of a giddie minde and fearful heart recant as fast and betray the truth of God to time-servers and Enemies Therefore wee are bidden Buy the truth whatsoever wee give for it but sell it not whatsoever wee might have for it Contend wee for the faith Jud. 2 yea unto blood To this end let us wisely and strongly observ resist and reject all novelties and schisms starting up among us and abhor them bearing witness to the Truth of God