Life a Turning of men from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God by opening of their eyes and renewing their Will It s expressed by taking away the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh in putting his Spirit within us and giving a new heart and a new spirit in our special effectual Calling It s said to be our Regeneration and being born again absolutely needful to open an entrance into Gods Kingdom Though there be some Reliques of natural and moral Endowments left in men since the fall in their powers and parts as appears by the Heathens Improvements yet these only testifie the wofulness of mans desperate fall in ruining so glorious a Fabrick Thence the blindness and perversness of his mind and will are so aggravated the crooked distortions of his Affections the searedness and corruption of his Conscience with the disorder of every part are set forth so Emphatically to convince every man Thence men are said before Conversion to be Godless and hopeless because Christless Thence is the wonderful operation of Renewing Grace so extolled still in this new creation bringing forth Light out of darkness in making man partaker of the Divine Nature This supernatural Work is carried on rationally by the Spirit of Christ in a way suitable to mans rational Being He works strongly yet sweetly he opens their heart-springs with a special Key of his own framing This Renewing Grace runs parallel with the Fathers Electing and the Sons Redeeming Grace whom God did foreknow and predestinate those he calls effectually seasonably savingly Their corrupt nature doth much resist it till Grace prevails and conquers all its Forts The outworks of the Mind and Judgement Christs Spirit conquers first thence breaking through the Iron Gate of mans Will into the possession of all the powers and parts of the soul Many sins remain still in every part like so many Cananites and Tories to be gradually subdued These Rebels being broken in their Head and Reign Grace doth orderly dispatch by mortifying exercise The Spirit of Christ carries on his work in supporting and supplying still those gracious Beginnings which are weak at first By the Gospel Light he communicates his gracious Life Thus he perswades enables his people to embrace Jesus Christ upon Gospel terms by a Covenant of Marriage and Adoption Thus is mans dunghil heart by Renewing Grace broken up and dressed into a spiritual Garden sown and set with the fruits of his holy Spirit It differs exceedingly from common convictions and external Reformations as earth differs from Heaven That difference is still morally-specifical though it seems to be Physically but Numerical and gradual It s the same Spirit that works conviction on the Reprobate and on the Elect but not in the same manner He knocks at both and is resisted He leaves the Reprobate justly he opens the Elects heart mercifully and prevailingly The Reprobate may be externally and professedly sanctified in a partial superficial way Gods Elect are specially sanctified universally in every part and gradually through every part Mans free will by sin subjected to Satan is through this Renewing Grace set at liberty so far as Grace prevails The unregenerate is free only to spiritual evil being an enemy to spiritual good The Regenerate soul is so far free to spiritual good as it s renewed When Grace is compleated in Glory the soul like good Angels shall be free only to good The Nature of mans will is thus bettered by Grace which was made a slave by sin The Devils and damned do freely will sin so do unregenerate souls on earth yet necessarily Thus necessity man stand with freedom both to good and evil By this Renewing Grace the regenerate soul is made conformable to Gods Image and is so far called the new man and gradually learns to be holy as God is Holy That Seed and Root of Grace cast into it at first grows up by degrees as the grain of mustard seed as the corn as the Light as the living Child Thereby the soul is enabled to believe and Repent and further to actuate every sort of Grace being excited corroborated and directed still by the same Spirit Thence is the conflict so continuall between the spirit and flesh the Law in the members and the Law in the Mind Grace and sin which ends not till the death of sin in bodily death Thus acti agimus Implanted Grace then co-works still with the Lords gracious Spirit who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure This Grace appears also most free and full most choice sure to the glorifying of all Divine Attributes Man could not be conceived to have any skil power or will to procure the same By Grace the Lord cals unto Grace and so to Glory By Grace are we saved through Faith and that not of our selves it s the gift of God not of works least any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works so that it s not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God who shews mercy Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we might be to the praise of his Glory Object But why then is man commanded to believe and repent to change his heart c Answ Because as we hinted before God deals with men by men rationally orderly to convince all of their Duty and insufficiency to humble and awaken them to put them upon all due means to render the most inexcusable and moralize many to convey his Grace into his Elect through those very means peculiarly sanctified to the spiritualizing of their heart Object But is not God partial in so doing Answ No. For he is not bound to any further then he pleases neither is he led by any sinful respects which render men partial Object But why doth he yet complain of the Reprobates if he give them not sufficient Grace as to others how can they help it Ans God justly complains of the wicked for insolvency and squandring away his goods wilfully and rebelliously both in their first Father and by themselves They smart not but for their fault their being Bankrupts is no payment nor discharge of their debts to him He gives them more then they could expect or make right use of Though they cannot change their own heart yet they might use the means better then they do they are still wilfully negligent and selfish in all they do and suffer justly for their demerits Can the wicked say they sin not wilfully Will not their own conscience condemn them Are they not all corruptly estranged from the womb and speaking Lyes by time Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Can the
Mountebanks speak you fair and big distrust them the more beware of self conceitedness be not wise in your own eyes dread the smallest Beginnings of evil in opinion affection or converse The sums of this arsnick rats-bane and mercury will distemper you before you be aware Avoid the first step to avoid all the rest Beware of the brink if you fear the Precipice if you keep ill diet and feed on venom wonder not at your wasting and decayes Remember Ephesus who sadly miscarried by neglect of this care Make sure of Christ upon his own terms and keep close to him The noble Bereans shewed their Nobleness in trying daily the Doctrine of Paul by the Scripture-rule duly examined take heed what you hear and how you hear it so Christ directs you bring all things still to the Lords Touch-stone to his Rule and standard to his Ballance and Test to move you consider That Doct. 3. All Christians even the best need still warning to keep themselves from Error and Apostacy SAith the Text keep your selves well that you may be kept be very active that you may not suffer This voice answers the Hebrew Hithpael keep your selves with all delight and diligence let every power of soul and body be kept on the watch All Christians need this yea the very best They must take warning from every part Heaven and Earth do warn and must be hearkened to Christ warns in conscience by his Spirits motions in his Word and Providence by the same Spirit His motions are regular and harmonious still they are seasonable and proportionable He warns by friends and sometimes by foes in adversity and prosperiry Satans motions are irregular unseasonable and unproportionable They are unscriptural in the scope and substance though often disguised with Scripture expressions sadly perverted All do need warning though but few take it The best find most need and benefit thereof Peter warns the Christian Hebrews here though well grounded and settled in the Truth Warning never hurts it cannot but do good if it be well taken The best retain much sin and weakness still They cannot but feel their sinfull Reliques To prevent Relapses and remove much evil warning must be given The Physitians warnings are of singular use to all sorts of Patients None stands so fast but he still stands on slippery ground The world is a great Ice very dangerous The enemy is subtile and numerous vigilant and active We cannot but find many lurking fiends in our own bosoms our hearts are deceitfull and desperately wicked We stand no longer then we keep our hold God indeed keeps his unto Salvation and therefore bids them keep themselves He appoints the means as well as the end As he keeps them by his own power so must they keep close to him by faith They shall never fall totally nor finally but they may often fall partially and dreadfully If left to themselves they would kill themselves They must therefore be faithfully warned Objection But what needs all this if the Elects salvation be sure Answer 1. All are not elect that seem to be such many are called but few are chosen 2. Though Salvation be sure to the Elect yet must it be assured to them Warnings must be taken that they may obtain such an assurance They may have the Grace without the comfort All diligence is therefore required to make their Calling and Election sure 3. Though Salvation be sure to the Elect yet must it be wrought out by them with fear and trembling because its God that works in them both to will and to do of his good Pleasure He will be sought and found in every one of his waies that he may still meet them with a Blessing 4. Though Salvation be sure to the Elect yet because they are men mixed among men he deals with them by men after the manner of men Rational creatures must act rationally and so be acted with He changes not the substance but their qualities in renewing them They are so moved that they are enabled to move themselves in following him Though the Elect cannot perish utterly yet they may fall very sinfully Warnings well taken are effectual means to prevent much shame sorrow and loss God warns his children that they may be taught good manners Conditional Threats are intended to prevent the mischief treatned and are effectually blessed to Gods Elect. 6. The assurance of the Elect lies not in themselves as it flows not from themselves The Fathers Purpose and the Sons purchase the Spirits indwelling and the Covenant-Promises made by the Father in his Son through his Spirit to them are their efficacious Grounds In subserviency thereto all due means are therefore needed and blessed warnings among the rest God neither promises nor commands in vain His word is still sure as all ages have found Psal 93. 5. 7. There is a peculiar vertue attending the word and means of Grace to all Gods Elect in due time and order That quickning power raises a Lazarus leaving others dead destitute thereof That saving Grace of Heaven betters the good plants under every shoure when the weeds grow worse That discriminating Influence from the Sun of Righteousness makes the flowers fragrant though is occasions the dung-hill to stink Thereby is Gods word made a savour of Life to some whilst it proves a savour of death to others Who makes a man to differ from another What hath he that he hath not received Must not the prime and ultimate cause resolve into Gods Will Do not you else subject Gods Will to mans There can be surely but one Independant either God or man which is to be chosen let reason it self judge by scripture-Light Consect 1. SE the usefulness of a Gospel-Ministry Christs Officers are given especially to that end the Churches watch-men are called to this great work He sets them apart by an orderly call to be his Heraulds and Ambassadors his criers and publishers The Father sets them in the Son gives them to the Holy Ghost makes them overseers in the Lords flock They are especially charged to warn the unruly to prevent Error and Revolt Therefore did Christ receive and give so many royal Coronation-gifts upon his triumphant assention for the perfecting of the Saints c. that we hence forth migh be no more Children tossed too and fro with every wind of Doctrine by the craftiness of Seducers c. The best need warning Christs sheep must attend their Shepheards who are deputed to office by that grand Shepheard of their Souls Such must be set a part thereto from age to age as Timothy was charged by Paul to chuse and charge such who should be able to instruct others all indeed are bound in their several â—alces to instruct each other charitatively according to their abilities and opportunities But
us and we have seen his Glory So the beloved Apostle witnesses of him He took on him not the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Thus the Son of God became the son of man being miraculously conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary the Virgin over-shadowed by Gods Spirit and born of her in the humane nature like to us in all things except sin Thus was God the Son made manifest in the flesh by assuming the Nature not the person for then had he been two sons and two persons of man to himself This Man Christ Jesus hath body and soul the two substantial parts of Man even as we have as appear'd in his whole progress both which he hath Glorified not nullified This Fatherless man is as Wonderful as the same motherless God for who can declare his Generation as to the manner of it Thus Infiniteness confined himself God eternal was born of a finite poor Virgin Here is an Object indeed for the best knowledge of the best man God become man 3. Christ is God-man Emmanuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God with us The true Ithiel God with me the very Vcal who is All. In him by hypostatical Union the humane nature with the Divine do both subsist in God the Son the second person of the divine Trinity Here is indeed a complication of ineffable wonders As there one Divine Nature subsists distinctly in three divine Persons So here two Natures the divine and humane subsist both in one person each of them acting and remaining distinctly conjunctly and inseparably incommutably and unconfusedly as the Fathers expressed it to avoid Errors on both hands Here is no mixtion nor composition no confusion nor conversion but a mysterious and transcendant Union from whence flow the various expressions of Scripture 1. When that is attributed to each Nature which properly belongs thereto as suffering to humane Nature and also when that is attributed to the person which therein belongs to both natures as to be Mediatour this is most proper Secondly When that which is common to the whole Person as to be Mediator is attributed only to one of the Natures suppose to the humane this is more improper Thirdly When that which is proper to one Nature is attributed to the other Nature in concreto by a name denoting the whole Person In that sense its true that God purchased his Church by his Blood and that the King of Glory was crucified by communication of Properties Yet this acception is the most improper of the three being Metonymical as the second is Synecdochical In man two imperfect Natures Soul and Body are coadunated with reservation of Proprieties to the constituting of one Suppositum and Person by the vertue of God Christs Person in the divine Nature being most perfect took the humane nature into the unity of one person by his own Vertue So that its one and the same Christ visible according to the humane invisible according to the divine Nature This hypostatical Union was the work of the Trinity mediately of the Holy Ghost immediately and of the Son terminatively The Fathers compare this Mysterie to the joint work of three Sisters making up one vesture and putting it all conjunctly upon the second of them It was necessary that Christ should be God 1. To impart an infinite value and vertue to his compleat Obedience 2. To overcome all sufferings and enemies 3. To communicate all effectually by his Spirit to his people It was as needful that he should be man 1. Because the Godhead could not suffer Secondly because the same Nature that had offended was to satisfie 3. That our Nature corrupted by the first Adam might be restored by the second Christ Jesus our Lord. Thus is Christs Person the Amiable Object of our Knowledge Secondly CHrist considered in his Office is a precious Object his chief business as Mediator being to procure effectual Reconciliation to the saving of his people by his perfect Oblation presented to God for them and applied to them by Gods Spirit He assumed the Name and function of Jesus the Saviour He was anointed as the Christ of God with all suitable qualifications and made Lord of all but especially made our Lord and Saviour by personal appropriation and effectual application Thus was Christ voluntarily made of a woman under the Law subjecting himself in that wonderful dispensation of his Mediation to receive from the Father his Call to that redeeming Function There was no defect in God but in us only who wanted skil power and will utterly to the curing and saving of our selves Christ therefore was divinely anointed to be our Soveraign Prophet Priest and Prince to effect all for us and in us needful to salvation As a Prophet he Reveals the whole Council of God As a Priest he makes full expiation to God and Intercession for us As a Kingly Prince he subdues all spiritual Enemies and makes all things serviceable to the guidance and protection of his people under his Soveraign Rule and Government All this he did and doth by his Eternal Spirit as the Scripture Records freely fully surely and singularly being therein a glorious Object of Christian knowledge Thirdly Christ in his Progress is considerable under a double state of Humiliation and Exaltation 1. HIs Humiliation appeared in all the steps of his Conception and Birth of his Life and Passion of his death and Burial most wonderfully This God head was then covered with the dark vail of his humane Nature mourning as it were in the sad habit of his infirmities for his peoples Enormities He willingly then eclipsed his divine light within the dark Lanthorn of this submissive state he humbled himselfe to exalt us he emptied himself that he might fill us He parted with all that he might give us all He shewed himself to be the Son of man to the lowest degree that he might bring all his into the state of Children Had there not been an absolute necessity thereof he had never done it Had not our case been so desperate could any other way have expiated and destroyed his peoples sins Christ had not come down from the height of Glory to the bottom of ignominy Here is an object of admiration indeed God humbled to a childs state growing up by degrees in Stature and Grace doing and suffering every moment for his enemies in rebellious arms Behold the Son of man wrastling with earth and hell yea with heaven it self conflicting with mans rage the devils fury and the wrath of God! What think you of sin the murtherer of this Christ and of that Love which gave him to the death Thus made he his soul a sacrifice for sin that he might see his seed and the good will of the Lord prospering in his hands He laid in the grave to confirm his
used by him to set forth his goodness What ever defect you find in the Creature he is not capable of that is all goodness all perfection Is not such a Christ a singular object to exercise our knowledge about What his office called him to his progress fitted him for and his relation makes conveyance of through his holy Spirit unto all his Sixthly His Influence is considerable for actual Communication of all Each Relation of his carries still with it a secret sweet and sutable Influx which doth strongly and efficaciously operate on all his thereby they are made more and more Partakers of the divine nature in escaping the pollutions that are in the world through Lust The Apostle had found the precious vertue thereof which made him so desirous to know him in the power of his Resurrection and in the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death This the Converts at Ephesus felt who being made acquainted with this gracious knowledge of Christ were quickned by his power and made to rise with him yea to sit with him at Gods right hand This Influence is free indeed this spiritual wind blows where it lists not being tied to any means it works at pleasure with or without means by weak small improbable or contrary means yet ordinarily God works by his appointed Tools he walks in his own road of Providence and leads his people step by step to the very top of Jacobs Ladder In the course of things natural and spiritual he limits us still though not himself and will be sought and found in each of his ways for the further knowledge of his divine Influence It s he that is the Life of our Life the strength of our strength in whom we live move and have our Being both naturally and spiritually How excellent then is that gracious Knowledge whose Object is thus excellent in every consideration Reason 2. THE Subject and Recipient of this knowledge sets forth the inestimable worth of it They are his Elect his chosen Jewels his peculiar people to whom he imparts this Jewel unto Them only doth he know for his of all the Nations to whom he makes himself thus savingly known As he makes himself the Pearl or Price to them so doth he make them Pearls of Price thereby Blessed are the people who learn to known him being first known of him The rest are refuse stones these are his living precious stones Others he knows with a general knowledge of intuition but these with a special knowledge of appropriation and approbation The rest delight not to know him as he delights not to know them He never knew them and they never knew him in this choise manner For his own he came to make himself thus graciously known to their souls in all the Dimensions of his eternal Love surpassing mans knowledge that they may be filled with the fulness of God How precious is that knowledge that makes the Subjects thereof so precious How admirable is that Jewel that takes up the the sublimest Contemplations templations of the most glorious Angels Those Elect Angels are still attending in his Ordinances to join with his Elect and learn of the Church this manifold wisdom of our God For those Elects sake Christ suffered all things meritoriously and Paul his servant providentially Those Elect whom the Lord did foreknow he never casts away but makes them up among his Jewels by making his Christ so precious to them in a greacious way His choice Love did freely choose them before time and is fully assured to them in Christ being communicated through the precious Operations of his Spirit to make them precious like himself in due time unto eternity Reason 3. The cause of this Gracious Knowledge doth as wonderfully magnifie the same considerable in the Efficient formal and final 1. THe Efficient cause and Author thereof is the blessed Trinity jointly yet distinctly Revealing and communicating Jesus Christ unto his chosen people 1. The external Operations of God towards the creature being indivisibly effected by the three Persons concurring in One the Son doing nothing but what he sees his Father do and working still as the Father works and the Spirit proceeding from both speaks not of himself but whatsoever he hears from them both that speaks he unto Christs Disciples 2. Distinctly according to their distinct personal Relations 1. The Father electing from eternity having chosen them in Christ before the Foundation of the world that they might be holy and unblameable before him in Love and therefore predestinating them to the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will and making them through his knowledge meet partakers of his Inheritance in Light by translating them into the Kingdom of his dear Son who were chosen according to his foreknowledge through sanctification of the Spirit 2. The Son accepting and undertaking tendring and effecting in and by himself the whole business of their Salvation making known the same by his Word and Spirit as also by his own Person in the dayes of his flesh 3. The holy Spirit by wooing of their souls opening their eyes and fitting them for the Reception of this Excellent Knowledge infusing the same into them applying it particularly to their several dispositions and occasions removing daily the scales of their ignorance and sin scattering the mists raised by the Prince of darkness Repressing the vapours steeming from their boyling Lusts and dunghil hearts setting forth Christ to their souls in his full Beauty and Loveliness and leading them into all Truth by taking of Christ to impart unto them the gracious secrets of the Fathers Counsel Thus the glorious God works graciously in and by all Means of his appointing to the creating encrease and perfecting of his singular Jewel 2. THe formal Cause is very Remarkable in that peculiar saving application made of Christ to his Elect in their conversion gradually carried on towards perfection by the Spirits gracious Operation For then doth he stamp on that soul the glorious characters of Christs Image and begets that new creature which divine off-spring moves upward instantly in conjugal Reciprocations dilating the soul in all her faculties to the further comprehension of Christ It may be parallel'd with that Energetial Power whereby the rational soul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animates the humane nature into all suitable operations What the soul is to man in naturals that 's Christ to the soul in spirituals The principle of all Life Sence and Reason thus spiritually applied to the Regenerate enables and excites directs and strengthens them to the choice Improvements of this conjugal Acquaintance Christ on marriage terms by his Spirit in his Word tenders and gives himself to be their Husband By this quickening Touch they
cruel and painful torment They might as well deny the Sun-light at noon-day who deny this Truth To turn plain Scripture into Allegories is to turn substance into a shadow It cost Origen a self-mutilation for mutilating divine writings thus He was called Centaur for monstrous Opinions flowing from Allegorical strainings of Scripture Christs Manhood should be so precious to us as not to endure affronts put on it Therein God and man do most sweetly meet which will help weak faith in every time of need 3 Against both the parts of his humane nature his soul and Body many also fight Apollinarius denying him a human soul as if the Godhead had supplied the want thereof Eutyches destroyed both by his pretended swallowing of them up into the Divine Nature The Manichees and Valentinians allowed him but an aery phantastical Body running through the womb of Mary as through a Pipe Mahometans fain it to have passed through Maries Paps and by the smell of a Rose Divers Novelists are daily broaching strange conceits about it The Vbiquitarians give him a monstrous Body immense and filling all places the Papists as monstrously would have his Body to be distinctly in many places at once to be without quantity without extension without sensible accidents to be made a new daily at the Priests will to be broken and not broken by himself and by all their Priests c. Many such contradictions against Scripture and sence Reason and all Sciences they are forced to for their fictitious Transubstantiation sake All such Malignant vapours which infest many will be effectually dispelled by the right use of your spiritual confection Christ was and abides ever a perfect man consisting of Soul and Body both subsisting in his divine Person being united to the divine Nature therein It will shew you that his soul was sorrowful to death and was made sensible of all humane affections though without sin as clear Chrystal water moved without any mud It will teach you that his Body had flesh and bones after his Resurrection as before which a spirit hath not That the same Body did visibly ascend into Heaven before the Disciples eyes and shal return thence in the same manner That the Heavens must hold him till the Restauration of all things That the glorifying of his Body hath not could not have annihilated it or changed the substance though it hath bettered the qualities thereof It will help you to know the flesh of Christ spiritually though you learn to know him no more after the slesh carnally It will teach you that his bare flesh and the fleshly sence thereof profits nothing a Capernaitish soul being destitute of his Spirit but that it s his Spirit that quickens us giving Life to his flesh and to his Word that both may be Spirit and Life to us in a spiritual and lively improvement Christs manhood is that precious Golden Ring that sets forth the Jewel of his Godhead to us It s a curious Vail of his contriving that his glorious face may through it be beheld It s a Chrystal Glass of the Lords framing to reflect thereby his Image upon us Out of Christ God is a consuming fire but thereby he becomes a Reconciled Father If Christ were not man still there were no hopes for man if we know him not thus we know him not at all It s not a figment of our own divising but the man Christ Jesus that must be our Saviour He cannot be ours unless wholly ours 4. Against his Person appear Nestorius dividing it into two Persons Sabellius Arius all Antitrinarians denying his distinctly eternal Personality from the Father The Socinians and Notionists that fancy the distiction of persons in God to be but nominal according to various dispensations witness Hob's Leviathan among many other poisonous books so commonly scattered abroad TO queneh the force of these pernicious Errors your Counter poison will season your soul with the scriptural description of Emmanuel our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God with us It will prove him to be God-man having both Natures divine and humane subsisting in his person the Son of God the second Person of the divine Trinity by Hypostatical Union it will clear him to be the Brightness of his glorious Father and the express Image of his Person being that one Mediator between God and Man and therefore God-man that he might conquer by suffering and make his suffering infinite for vertue and value for satisfaction and acquisition It will shew you that there are three in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and that those three are one That this Mystery is not against Reason though above it in its common shallow apprehension that the Son sends the Spirit Comforter from the Father and is therefore distinct from them both yet that he and the Father are one in Essence though distinct in person That Gods Reason is the Rule of ours being revealed to us in his divine monuments that we may assent to his Assertion though we cannot fathom the Explicitness thereof no more then Bruits can fathom our rational expressions That the Person of Christ coming out of the water must needs be distinct from that Person of the Spirit who came in the likeness of a Dove lighting on him at his Baptism and from the person of the Father whose voice from Heaven said This is my Beloved Son hear him Thus the Grace and Knowledge of Christ will teach you that he who thought it no Robbery to be equal wtth God being in the form of God substantially made himself of no Reputation that as God-man he might restore man to God in the gloryfiing of all divine Attributes Our Faith is not true if we do not own the true God truly as he holds forth himself in three distinct persons Those divine persons are not meer modes or manners of Attribution or Manifestation but real subsistences The Father is not the Son the Son is not the Spirit personally though they be one God essentially The person of the Son alone was incarnate not that of the Father he could not be Son not that of the Spirit there had been two Sons then The Word became flesh not the Father nor Spirit Divers Emblems are used to set forth this glorious Mysterie but Scripture-Language describes it best to a sober faith The Word Person is a Scripture Word very proper and significant They that deny this right use thereof make way for further denyal of Truth The Person of Christ is then to be owned by all that intend to be owned of him 5. Against Christs Spirit stirs first Macedonius denying him to be a divine Person distinct from the Father and Son Secondly All Antitrinitarians who oppose the distinction of divine Persons Thirdly The Greeke who deny the Procession of the Spirit from the Father through the Son Fourthly The several Blasphemers that vaunted
themselves to be the Holy Ghost as Simon Magus Montanus David George c. Fifthly All Enthusiasts who father their lies on Gods Spirit c. TO quell this wofull poison your Preservative will set your Judgement right by the Grace and Knowledge of Christs Spirit Thereby you will surely understand that the holy Spirit hath in Scripture ascribed to him the same Titles and Attributes the same divine worship and works which are ascribed to the Father and to the Son and therefore must needs be God blessed from ever and for ever That the working of all Scripture Miracles the penning of all those divine writings the wonderfull quickning of dead souls and bodies and the daily experience of all spiritual Christians do fully demonstrate it That therefore the fanatick illusions and delusions of Revelationists being so opposite to Gods Truth and Holiness must needs proceed from that lying Spirit who perswaded so many of Ahabs Prophets and still possesses the false Prophets of our days to speak and act against the Dictates of Christs Spirit The malicious opposing of the Truth confirmed so undeniably by the miraculous Operations of the Lord The Spirit hath therefore the most desperate aggravations even unto death attending the same because God the Father and Son both are thereby also desperately opposed 6. Against his Office and Function of Al-sufficient and only Mediator for his peoples Salvation move First All the former Hereticks in denying his Deity or Humanity his Parts and Person Secondly All such who mangle the said Function as the Socinians who deny the need and use of his satisfaction for sin Thirdly All such who divide his Mediation work ascribing part thereof to Saints and Angles as the Papists with fond distinctions Fourthly All such as put the said Mediation into the Virgin Mary's hand calling her Queen of Heaven entitling the Psalter to her placing her name instead of the Lords name in the said Psalter giving her Authority over Christ her Son in Heaven promising and expecting more from her often then from Christ as much at least and telling doctorally that God hath divided his Mercy and Justice giving her the Throne of Mercy and reserving himself the Throne of Justice c. as the said Papists Fifthly All such who pretending to sinless perfection and selfish Righteousness do frustrate and nullifie so far his Mediation as the Quakers and such monkish Pharisees To suppress the violence of this poisonous stuff the Grace and Knowledge of Christ improved will shew us clearly still the necessity of Christs satisfaction and Al suffiency of his Mediation that without the shedding of this blood there can be no remission of sin That No Righteousness but that of God-man could satisfie divine Justice That without satisfaction there could be no Reconciliation of God to man that without Imputation thereof to many there could be no discharge of mans Debt That no purchase could be made of eternal Life and divine favour but by that infinite Price paid by Emmanuel That without such purchase orderly applycable there could be no salvation for lost man That Christs mediation alone is Al-sufficient to all those purposes and needs no partners in any share thereof either for Impetration or application That to give the least part thereof to any meer Creature whether in Heaven or Earth can be no better then Idolatry That no Palliation or shifts by distinctions of Dulia Hyperdulia and Latria can cover this Blasphemy no more then Adams figs leaves could cover his nakedness That there cannot be on earth in any meer man a sinless perfection and if it could be had yet it could not satisfie for the evil past in the least That the best are but unprofitable Servants That the payment of a farthing due cannot satisfie a thousand pound debt in Arrears To signifie emphatically the due application and Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto Believers the Scripture cals him Jehovah-Tsidkenu the Lord our Righteousness repeating that name again in the great Promise of Restauration to be afforded to his Israel by vertue of that Righteousness made theirs whence Christs name is Synecdochically and Metonymically ascribed to the new Jerusalem To that import the Lord Jesus incorporates his name with a Christians Propriety into one New name framed by his own Spirit which Paul expresses by his being made unto us of God Righteousness and Redemption and our being made the Righteousness of God in in him as he was made sin for us who knew no sin which must needs be understood by way of Imputation there being no sin inherent in Christ 7. His Priesthood is opposed first By all the formerly named Errors Secondly by the Papists in making new Priests daily and a new propitiatory Sacrifice called incruentum to be offered by them for the living and dead Secondly In joining mans merits to his and thereby patching up a mongrel Righteousness for themselves and others Thirdly In pretended Works of supererogation which are imputed to others by way of Indulgence out of their Churches imaginary Treasure Fourthly In denying the Imputation of Christs Righteousness for the pardon and Justification of his Members Fifthly In giving to mans Righteousness dip'd in Christs blood a meriting value and vertue to satisfie and pacifie Gods Justice and to procure his Mercy Sixthly In making Christs Merits to be but the remote and mediate cause but mans Merits to be the immediate Proxime cause of the pardon Thirdly By such who sever his habitual and his active Obedience from his meriting Oblation given to God for his people and imputed to Believers reckoning only his passive Obedience to be so meritorious and imputative for the reconciling of Man to God Fourthly By Quakers and others who find no need of and little regard an high Priest in Heaven Against such mortal wounds the Balm of our Christian Gilead will afford healing vertue from the due review of his Grace and Knowledge We shall find thereby that Christ Jesus by his personal Righteousness by that one Oblation hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified once for all That a new order of Priests brings a new Law and nuls the former That it was an imperfect Priest and Sacrifice typically ceremonial that needed renewing That to give to a meer Man suppose a Masse-Priest the power of making and renewing a propitiatory Oblation at his Will upon his intent of consecrating is to set him in Christs room yea above Christ and to deny Christ come in the flesh by unavoidable Consequence The Oblation of Christ had not been compleat if it had not been active as well as passive and habitual as well as actual Heart-Obedience being the root and life of all other Redemption is indeed frequently ascribed to his blood and death but it s by a Synecdoche including the rest of his whole Obedience whereof his
Garland and that signal work 24. Christ is opposed likewise in his Servants of the Ministry as First By the former Errors So secondly By the Socinians Seekers Behmenists Revelationists Quakers and Libertines who deny corrupt and oppose it Thirdly by the Papists who set up an Antichristian Head and Hierarchy mangling and perverting it wofully Fourthly By Innovators who exalt a Power therein above others unknown to Christ and others slighting what Christ hath set up AGainst these various Evils the Knowledge of Christ improved graciously will fence our Judgements and make us to see the excellency and perpetuity the necessity and utility of his Gospel-ministry It was his care of old to set it up in his Church for their common good that the Priests lips might preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth because he is the Messenger of the Lord. The first Insurrections against it which assaulted also the Magistracy by a strong levelling party under holy pretences were dreadfully rebuked and plagued by an extraordinary hand from Heaven The Lord made also Aarons Rod to blossom and fructifie miraculously that he might ratifie this great Ordinance of his to all Ages He appointed the Levites to be therefore settled in all the parts of Israel that every one might be provided with ministerial Help Himself promised in a peculiar way to be their best Portion and took a special care that among their Brethren they might never want a plentifull portion From time to time did he renew that charge and sharply visited for the neglect thereof He honor'd and prosper'd those Princes and people that did carefully observe his Will therein His Magistracy and his Ministry went still hand in hand both in doing good and suffering evil Moses and Aaron in all their Successors were still duly observed by God and good men The Jewish Church and State declined together by their sinfull neglects of Christs Institutions Christ therefore came at last himself personally that he might repair those wofull Ruins The vile abusing of his Ministry brought on them first a Babylonian yoak and afterwards a Roman slavery after many Persian and Grecian Oppressions The Revolts of Jason and of Onias with their Anti-temples in Aegypt and Samaria brought in many more confusions then both on Church and State Their corrupt opposings of Christs Ministry cost them very dear When Christ came in the flesh the many disorders of the ministerial Office and persons had disordered all His great care was then to rectifie things in the best method An end of all shadows he made in himself by his own Ministry and settled himself a substantial Ministry that should continue unto the worlds end His great business still was to purge his Temple and to commission his ministerial Servants for the successive building of his house His twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples were to that end succesfully employed by him When he ascended and triumph'd over all he bestowed then Coronation Gifts of a choice Nature Then gave he Apostles Prophets and Evangelists in extraordinary Pastors and Teachers in ordinary for Ambassados for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the building up of his body untill we all come to the full stature of the Son of God Thus Christ settled this ministerial function with spiritual Authority by setting apart in a regular Call persons by him duly qualified to the full employment of the Ministry The Circumstantials of the ceremonial Law he pared off thereby and settled the substance of his will therein in this solemn office for his special honor and his peoples good The Father and Spirit joined with God the Son in the Commission given from above to settle this Office and assure thereon a signal Blessing till the end of all As the Son gave these Residents of his to his Church below so did the Father set them in the Church and the holy Ghost still makes them overseers thereof In the renewing of their Commission he enlarged it unto all Nations gave them the keys of his Kingdom to act under him as Deputy-stewards Titles of Honor he gives them many fit Emblems also of their weighty work They are his Agents and the peoples Guides Shepherds and Rulers Angels and Leaders Elders they are and Overseers as Ambassadors acting in his name As he taught his Apostles the things of his Kingdom so were they carefull to instruct the rest Pauls Epistles to Timothy and Titus are a directory for all Church Affairs The Apostles needed extraordinary Gifts as did the Prophets and Evangelists in the first planting of Churches everywhere That work being done then ended with them their immediate infallible Call Extraordinaries are but for a time to make sure way to Ordinaries Snccessors they had in the substantials of the Ministry though not in all their Circumstantials Paul in his progress having shew'd the way of ordaining such gave Timothy and others further Rules still to prosecute that work Pastors and Teachers must abide in charge whilst there is one soul to be brought to Christ and built up in Christ These stars are kept in the Lords own hand being the Lights of his own setting up Many Ministers and Churches may perish for their Apostacy as they of Asia but the Ministry in the Church of Christ shall be sure to stand These witnesses of his may be much abused to the very Death but they shall rise again very speedily to the confusion of all enemies Lest they should grow proud and usurp Lorship Christ charged them timely to act as Servants in his name and work His word holds forth all Elders equal in ordinary since extraordinaries removed from men Some priority of order and age the Primitive Churches thought fit to admit Pride and Ambition corrupted the same adding Jurisdiction and Power thereto At first they did chuse a Moderator who might be Speaker in their regular meetings That was first elective and then became fixed and gradually did degenerate Under fair colors many did encroach and subjected Elders to Bishops Power Thence did Arch-Bishops and Patriarchs rise with other Limbs of that Hierarchy By Princes bounty too sadly abused this evil did rise and brought forth a Pope That Antichristian Beast with his double horn speaking like the Lamb acted Dragon-like He gradually subdued Christs Magistracy and Ministry by usurpations of the double sword That Pestilential Wen grew so fast on the Church that it did over-spread and consume it in its noblest parts Many Excrescences did rise under it as their Cardinals Archdeacons Chancellors Thence a further Rabble of Commissaries Porters Acolyths Subdeacons Exorcists Thence also their Monks Friers Eremits Nuns and Jesuits swarming everywhere Thus gradually did Abaddon prevail to waste Christs portion for a thousand two hundred sixty years The witnesses whilst
Principle in the Habit and Source in the seed and beginning is first given to the Elect in their Regeneration and Conversion to be the original of all actual Graces in them this is called the new creature the new man created after Gods Image the divine Nature the forming of Christ within c. Of this children are capable if they be not of actual Grace which yet seems probable This is inherent Grace in the first principles and Habits thereof both gratis data and gratum faciens in an Orthodox not in a popish sense Secondly Inherent Grace in the Branches and streams in the Acts and Effects in the fruits and progress is variously denominated from the Objects Subjects manner of acting c. it s called faith to express the motion of the renewed soul towards God in Christ upon conjugal terms believing his Truth closing with his Person trusting his Promises depending on his Mercy deriving from his fulness observing him in all things which is called the life of faith It s called Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it turns the whole soul from all sin to God Both in purpose and endeavour through his Spirit this and all other Graces are still concomitants and subsequents of faith in their gradual proportion It s called love to denote the affectionate embracing of God in Christ and in his people for Christs sake as the most amiable object It s called obedience as it acts the whole man to a free and full compliance with Gods Will revealed in his Word It s called Thankfulness as it affects the heart with the sense of Mercy received It s called self-denial as it moves the soul to prefer Christ before all things else and part with any thing for his sake It s termed Patience in regard of sorrowfull evils which it learns to bear submissively It s named humility with respect to its low thoughts of self submitted still to Christ It s nominated Temperance in regard of its care to avoid all excessive use of Creatures It s termed Zeal as it moves with fervour for good against evil It s termed Justice or Righteousness in respect of its readiness to give every one their due It s called Prudence as it regards all due means tending to right ends It s termed Wisdom as it s acquainted with the best things in their nature cause and end Thus Grace inherent hath its various appellations and distinctions both habitually and actually being the Grace properly meant in the Text as being that Grace which is capable of Growth The Knowledge of Christ is taken also in a sense more large or more strict 1. LArgely and commonly for a notional Knowledge void of saving Faith and Love such as puffs up an empty Brain 2. Strictly and specially for that saving applicative knowledge which includes all Grace by an elegant Hebraism verbs of sense and knowledge signifying both affectum effectum Natural knowledge of things is acquired by sense Reason or Authority Thus in spirituals this knowledge of Christs is spiritually sensible and rationally fiducial Its a conjugal knowledge which implies 1. Apprehension of the Truth of Christs proper Object 2. Credit and Assent thereto upon his divine Authority 3. Personal consent and particular Applications in mutual Acception and Reciprocation Grace and Knowlede in the Text may be understood 1. Distinctly Conjunctly 1. DIstinctly shewing the excellent Worth and needfull use of every Grace and of the knowledge of Christ 2. Conjunctly by a figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace and Knowledge signifies gracious Knowledge as in that like phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace and Apostleship for gracious Apostleship So the sense will be very emphatical suiting our purpose in characterizing this excellent Jewel so singularly transcendent beyond all other This precious Jewel is curiously set out in the golden ring of divine Records where you find it held forth in its radient Lustre whose glorious beams may be contracted for our clearer apprehension into plain description you may then observe it to be a conjugal acquaintance with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour wrought in Gods Elect by the special operation of his renewing Spirit and effectually improved to Gods honor and mans good in every Relation toward God and Man This is the choice Jewel whose eminent worth hath been in all ages so incomparably prized by the Word and friends of God Every Page of Scripture sets forth the peculiar Eminency thereof every precept and Promise every prefiguration and Prophesie every President and performance points unto this This was under the Old Testament more ceremonially vailed and under the New is more Evangelically Revealed This is the centre wherein all the Lines of Scripture do meet All the Patriarchs aimed still at this Abraham saw his day and rejoiced Davi◠is full of it Job was divinely advised to such an Acquaintance as to the source and sum of all good Paul accounted all loss and dung in comparison of this excellent Knowledge and rationally determined to know nothing else Peter sums all up in this Good Reason for it if we consider the Object and subject the cause and Nature the property and effect thereof which are all hinted in the former Description Reason 1. The proper Object adequate of this gracious Knowledge is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ a singular Jewel indeed in every consideration The Paramount and Non-such the chiefest of ten thousand both in his Person and Office in his progress and Purchase in his Relation and Influence 1. The Person of Christ is a noble Paragon considered as God as Man as God-man 1. CHrist is God blessed for ever the eternal Son of his eternall Father co-essential and co-equal with him the the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image or Character of his Person in whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substantially and bodily the only begotton of the Father full of Grace and Truth essentially one with the Father though personally distinct by an eternal Generation unutterable to man firmly to be believed on Gods Testimony and piously adored not curiously pried into The wonderful Wisdom of the Father who was his Delight before Time by whom in time he made the world and upholds all by the word of his power Essentially he is God of himself Personally God the Son of God the Father His proper Name is the Word of God the Wonderful Councellor the Father of Eternity He that doth what ever the Father doth and to be worshipped as the Father is worshipped He that sends the Spirit from the Father who being in the form and substance of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God To him be glory for ever Amen 2. Christ as Man is the Rare Object of this Knowledge For the word was made flesh and dwelt among
are efficaciously moved to close with him and keep close to him by Matrimonial Reciprocations Thus doth the gracious knowledge of Christ Receive its first Being and progressive Operations from that Light of Life imparted to Gods people in this conjugal Union and Communion I will betroth thee unto me saith the God of Grace in Kindness and Mercy in Truth and Judgement and thou shalt know the Lord. Admirable sure in this divine Acquaintance that is thus twisted by the Lords own hand and embraced by a gracious hand Rare is that Jewel which is so curiously wrought for the Workmanship of the God of Heaven Therein do shine all divine Attributes in their Orient brightness at the wedding Feast of the King of Saints Is not this Life eternal thus to know the Father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Doth not this Sun of Righteousness bring Healing under his Wings to all that fear his Name Is not he that Living that quickening Light that dispels all darkness and Death by his gracious Visits and Influxe Do not his amiable Aspects produce a joyful Spring of all Divine Graces in the New world by his glorious Light and efficacious Heat Doth he not Ravish with divine Embraces the New Creature with his All-searching Presence and his perfective Influence through all the Beams of his Transcedent communications Do not his Active Rayes cherish by all his renewed Motions the Principles of Life given to all his This Divine Sun never ecclipsed but once for the salvation of his though he seems often to be clouded in his alternative Access and Recess 3. The final cause of this gracious Knowledge adds very much to the choyiceness thereof We may consider it both as Supream and subordinate 1. THe supream Ultimate end of it is Gods Glory which is also the end of all things else which are all made for him This Relative Glory of God which was laid in the dust by mans Rebellion Christ undertook to repair which he performed fully giving satisfaction in Mans Nature and so glorifying all the divine Attributes Thus in the first building up of Zion as in the Restauration and preservation thereof he still appears in the Glory of all his Excellencies His Power and Wisdom his Greatness and Goodness his Mercy and Justice his Truth and Holiness shine Radiantly in every part of it Christ thereby read us our Lesson and writ a fair Copy for our Imitation that we may glorifie God by the knowledge of him in giving each of the Divine persons their proper honor 1. The Father for giving such a Son for such enemies and upon such terms All the honour of Christ redounds to his Father For the Son doth nothing but what he hath seen the Father do and speaks not of himself but the Father by him 2. The Son by our embracing and publishing desiring and esteeming the particulars of his Infinite Glory whereof he is so full that we have still cause to admire with all Saints the length and bredth the heighth and depth of it in the manifestation of all his Excellencies 3. The holy Ghost by whose special favour and Influence we are made partakers thereof He shall take of mine said Christ and impart it to you For all that the Father hath is mine What Infinite Condescension is it for that glorious Spirit to stoop thus to sinful Dust and Ashes to Reveal and apply the gracious Counsels of God in Christ Yea to bear with our Ignorance and unbelief contempt and neglect abuse and Affronts Nay more to dwell in such dunghils and Receptacles of all filthy Lusts What Infinite Mercy is that which carries on the work of Grace through all Opposition and keeps a weak spark alive in the midst of an Ocean What marvellous power is that which preserves a poor smoaking flax among so many storms 2. The subordinate and proxime End of it is mans Good both Personal and Relative 1. PErsonally our own Salvation purchased and manifested by the Author and Object of this knowledge is hereby assured and orderly confirmed to us in all the wayes and means of his appointment through his peculiar Blessing The perfect knowledge of him will compleat as the beginning thereof begins our Salvation Through the Knowledge of him are given to us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness As he came once in person so hath he from the beginning by his Spirit through the same communicated all saving good and will still do it That Bosom friend of his leads us thereby into his very heart there to behold and embrace the whole Platform of our Salvation in all the steps of it from Election to Glory that by walking therein steadily we may ascend to his Father and our Father his God and our God through the same Ladder even Christ whereby he comes down to us Christs Deity surpassing the highest Heavens infinitely is the Top and his Humanity fixed as it were on earth is a sure step for us The more careful we are to attain this End the more certainly shall we promote that further End God hath so wonderfully twisted our happiness and his honour that we advance the one by furthering the other One eye he allows us for the recompence of Reward that we may thereby effectually look through it to his Glory Is not this Knowledge a Jewel of Price which conveighs and assures all good to us The end of his Electing and predestinating us of his Blessing and saving of us is it not that we might be to the Glory of his Grace whereby he hath made us Accepted in the Beloved Christ himself desired Glory for that End that he might glorifie God This excellent Knowledge was never so dearly bought to be a meer pleasing of our selves and sin but to spiritualize us throughly in all the powers and parts of soul and Body that we may be holy and happy like unto him in the honouring and enjoying of him 2. Relatively the subordinate end thereof is the good of our Neighbour that speaking the Truth in Love we may grow up unto him in all things which is the Head even Christ He gave all the means of Knowledge and all Teachers ordinary and extraordinary for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of his Body God hath so contempered his gifts among the members of Christ and his Spirit doth so variously convey the same that the One cannot say to the other I have no need of thee He could in a moment and immediately from himself bring them to their full perfection But his infinite Wisdom hath thought it best that his Body should be joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies according to his several workings in the measure of every part to make an increase of it self in Love He loves not he allows not selffishness in
our selves as becomes us that we may not behold vanity 2. Is our Hearing spiritually employed in listning after the Fathers Commands Christs invitations the Spirits motions in his Word and Rod within and without us Is our ear opened to our Beloved and boared to the posts of his house that we may not hearken after any Tempter 3. Have we a spiritual Smell after the perfumes of Christs precious Garments the droppings of his Graces and Benefits and the fragrancy of his divine Spices Do we odorare the sweetness of his Garden and prefer it before all the rankness of sin self of the World and Satan 4. Is our Taste spiritually active to relish the dainties of Christ the pleasures of his Table the choiceness of his feast Do we prefer his flaggons and apples Do we relish him in his sweetness and comfort before all the worlds chear all and all in him Do we therefore abhor the bitterness attending every sin though sugard with Pleasure Profit or Honor Do we taste and know how good the Lord is 5. Is our Touch also spiritually employed to feel the difference between heat and cold between good and evil in the things of Christ Is this sense as others so well exercised to avoid all evil and embrace the good 2. The Internal sense receives from those Cinque Ports and Gates all sorts of Objects to be orderly view'd and compar'd laid up and improved by the faculties called Common sense Phantasie and Memory Are we thus spiritually sensible through this gracions Knowledge 1. BY common sense and general Perception of the species of things with their circumstantiated differences of Motion Rest Magnitude Number c. to give thereof a definitive intimation unto the Phantasie Doth Christs Spirit thus help us to discern of all things presented for a spiritual use to be faithfully reviewed and transmitted for orderly Improvement Do we keep watch and take due account of all sorts of Passengers and Guests coming to visit our internal man that they may be punctually discerned and orderly dealt with 2. Phantasie or Imagination entertaining those various Objects compares divides and composes them much like a Printer doth order his work with multitudes of variations and flowrishes Have we a like spiritual skill faithfully to compare the things that differ to separate the good from the evil to compose all things to spiritual advantage 3. Memory laies up what is thus ordered and laieth it out again as there is occasion in the naâ—ural man Is it so with us in the spiritual man Do we remember well the things of Christs Glory and of our own Peace Do we so record what he teaches us as to improve it in season and order Do we so lay up as to lay out in the best manner Are we carefull not to forget him or any thing of his Do we therefore beware of oblivion-water that we become not like wretched Israel 2. Sensitive Life acts by way of motion upward and downward to the right and left forward and backward in Pulsation and Respiration Do we move thus spiritually 1. DO we move upward towards Christ and Heaven aspiring still after Eternity Is our Center above and our Load-stone there where Christ sits at the right hand of God Is there a divine fire within us bending still heaven-ward to its first original 2. Do we move downward against every sin Do we labor still to tread self and Satan under foot with all sublunaries as Christ and his spouse eminently do 3. Do we move to the right in compassion and brotherly Love friendly assistance and Christian forbearance as Christ and his Apostles teach us practically 4. Do we move to the left by pittying and bemoaning sinners praying for them reproving of them and directing and exhorting them that yet remain in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity plucking some as brands out of the fire Christ himself did so in the days of his flesh 5. Do we move forward still toward the price of the heavenly calling looking at Jesus c Do we so press forward towards the Mark forgetting the things behind that we may lose no time in this race of ours 6. Do we move back sometime to hasten our pace that we may leap better in considering our ways with remorse of sin and strong resolves to be more diligent in learning Wisdom from former follies 7. Doth our Pulse beat spiritually with freeness strength and orderliness to signifie the due Composure and harmonious Accord of all our Vitals in the ways of Christ Doth our heart keep a right Circulation of spiritual blood from the Center to the Circumference with renewed Reciprocations Do the various Communications of his Spirit set out by the Title of seven Spirits to denote Perfection Variety and Sufficiency manifest themselves in the constant Tenor of of our spiritual Pulse by returning still to Christ what we are still receiving from him Are we sensible of any change there in weakness inaequality and disorderliness for speedy remove of all obstructions disturbing the same 8. Do we move also in Spiritual Respirations 1. Inspiring the fresh gales of his reviving Spirit who blows where he lists and breaths into us by internal and external motions to temper our Spirits and to revive them Do we therein imitate David and all the friends of Christ in their spiritual Pantings and longings 2. Expiring the fuliginous vapors of our sinfull hearts and breathing forth the desires of our souls to be rid of those fumes that are so noisom to all our vitals and still breeding feavourish heats in our internal man Do we long to eject these unwelcome Guests who still like that serpent in Aesop will be sure to sting and poison their host when they recover heat 3. Sensitive Life acts by Appetite Doth spiritual Life act so within us both Concupiscibly and Irascibly 1. The concupiscible Appetite acts the Affections of Love and Hatred Joy and Sorrow Desire and Disdain Is the like felt in us spiritually 1. DO we love Christ as the best Object for sweetness and beauty excellency and sutableness the incomparable Paragon of all Have we none in Heaven but him and none upon earth in comparison of him Do we love all his for his sake in subordination to himself Do we therefore love all the ways and means wherein his Love is shewed towards us that our Love may reciprocate towards him again 2. Do we hate sin and all Christs enemies as he hates them upon his account Do we abhor and detest whatsoever is contrary to that lovely Object as contrary to our very being also Hatred extends unto all the kinds Doth our Spirit thus abominate all sinful
habits and acts inclinations and allurements provocations and examples yea every appearance of evil in our selves and others 3. Is our Joy spiritually delighted in that Soveraign good presented to us to be certainly and intimately enjoyed both in free and present fruition Do we rejoice thus in the Lord always from the possession of that Kingdom of Christ which is Peace Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost Doth the Pledge and Earnest of his eternal Glory given us thereby fill us with that Joy both unspeakable and full of Glory Is this Joy of the Lord our strength to quicken and supple all the wheels of our souls 4. Is our Sorrow spiritually active in grieving for all sin Original habitual and actual for the great dishonor still done to Christ the contempt of his Gospel abusing his Mercies breaking of his Laws slighting his warnings hardning under his Judgements Do we mourn for the failings and distempers of his people and make their case ours among his Mourners marked for safety 5. Doth our Desire move spiritually with unsatisfiableness after that Good not yet attained setting an edge upon all endeavours sweetning all troubles in the way facilitating all difficulties spurring on sluggishness and teaching all Improvements of what 's received in order thereto 6. Doth our Disdain act spiritually to scorn all sinfull baseness which might hinder us from the good desired Doth it make us flie from whatsoever might keep that from us by keeping God at distance Doth it make us disown what might grieve Christ and offend his Spirit whose acquaintance is our chief desire 2. The sensitive Appetite moves irascibly against all difficulties by the Affections of Hope and Despair Fear Confidence and Indignation Doth this knowledge of Christ act thus within us 1. DOth our Hope stir spiritually towards the full enjoyment of eternal good though surrounded with discouragements from Earth and Hell Doth it cast Anchor within the vail upon the rock of Ages to stay our souls in the midst of all storms Is it that Helmet which safeguards our head in all Conflicts with many Legions of sins and devils 2. Do we spiritually despair not of Christ but of sin of selfe of all creatures expecting all good only from Christ in the use of good means appointed by him but not from themselves much less from self or sin 3. Is our fear spiritually active lest we should displease him and frustrate our own good by neglecting our duty or doing any thing contrary to him Doth this filial fear move us with Noah by faith to prepare all things and repair to the Ark casting out all slavish tormenting fears 4. Doth our Confidence appear spiritually in Christian resolutions against all Christs enemies to the discharge of our proper Duty he calls us to Are we bold with a generous audaciousness to follow Christ the Captain of our Salvation through all Impediments 5. Doth our spiritual Indignation move in holy Zeal to the removing of all obstacles that lie in the way of our Allegiance to our Soveraign Christ Are we enflamed with that prudent zeal which consumed the very heart of Christ for the purging and settling of his house Is our fire kindled against sin whilst our heart melts for the sinners good as far as possible It it not a blind but a well-guided zeal not a wild fire but duly ordered III. Natural Life appears in the Rational faculties by the several Acts of the Mind and Judgement Conscience and Will Memory and Affections doth our spiritual Life appear therein also 1. DOth our mind act spiritually in understanding of spiritual Matters and apprehending the mind of Christ made known to us by his Spirit Word and Providence 2 Doth our Judgment act in discerning of things that differ and reasoniug of things answerably to his divine Reason signified to us either expresly or consequentially Do we judge our selves first and our own sins that Satan may be judged in us and by us 3. Doth our conscience move spiritually in a due reflection on self with subordination to Gods Judgement Doth it speak for God as becomes his Deputy and Substitute in Teaching and Ruling in Witnessing and Recording in Judging and Executing according to Gods Will Is it not blinded bribed and feared Is it not benum'd deaded and gangrened by self-love and corrupt Opinions 4. Doth our will spiritually stir in chusing true good and refusing true evil Is it brought over to subject freely and fully to the will of Christ Hath the Key of Heaven opened the great Spring to lift up these everlasting Gates to the King of Glory Is thy heart of stone turned into flesh and this Iron sinew melted into Gods mould 5. Doth our Intellectual memory spiritually act in laying up those things which those faculties have committed to its charge Doth it recal such things to Remembrance by its peculiar Acts of Reminiscency and recovering those many useful things which accidentally had slipt away Doth it carry it self like a good Steward indeed bringing out of its store good things new and old 6. Do our rational Affections move spiritually towards good against evil under the guidance and Rule of these superiour Powers which are stil to follow the dictates of Heaven Do these wheels and weights stir Regularly Do these wings and feet carry our souls orderly Do these Sails and Oars convey us safely through the current of all our Relations to the service and enjoyment of God Thus may we take a due Estimate by this scantling and Abstract of our spiritual Acquaintance with God according to our measure of this gracious Knowledge variously acting toward Christ and from Christ for him and through him by his Spirits Energetical motions He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life Vse 4. This Truth speaks singular Consolation to the real friends of Christ Choyce is the Jewel afforded to them as former particulars do fully evince This precious Cordial will be of excellent use against all corruptions and temptations against all Afflictions and desertions There will a season come for the benefit thereof to all Gods people It concerns all to make the best of it Objection This is good indeed may the trembling heart say but it s none of mine that am so far from the Knowledge of Christ I fear I am a stranger to him yet Answ It s bad indeed to be far from Christ but its good to be sensible of it The knowledge of thy disease is a good step to the cure There is hopes of good in sensible sinners nothing but wo to sensless Perfectionists Answ 2. But what makes thee fear thy estrangedness Is not thy desire
vain Answ How knowest thou that Who hath told thee so Findest thou thy self excluded by Name No no such matter Secret things belongs to God revealed things to us Come and thou shalt know thou wast elected Exclude not thy self before he excludes thee Object But all are not saved Many do perish May not I be of them Ans What then Should it not quicken thy pace to Christ that thou maist be saved Dost thou not see how many as bad as thou canst be possibly have been welcom to him what thinkst thou of Mary of Paul of Manasseh Object But if I be a Reprobate I cannot be saved the labour is lost Answ Were thou a Reprobate thou wouldst not be so inquisitive after Christ and Heaven their heart never yields unfeignedly to Christ as thine seems to do Thou canst not be sure thou art such a one Yea thou maist quickly be sure thou art not such by coming to him But if thou refuse stil and harden thy heart thy case then will be very suspicious Object But is it possible that such a wretch as I should obtain mercy Answ Yea it s possible its probable it may be certain quickly if thy heart be but yielded to him Object But this is but A may be Answ A may be is sufficient Inducement to put thee on trial Remember the Leprous men about Samaria A may be saved them Mind the Syrian Ambassadors and the Jewish case If thou try not thou art certainly lost Object I have often tried but to little purpose Answ Thou didst not try aright blame thy self not God Is it not well worth the trial again Observe wherein thou missest to amend the fault Possibly thou wast too cold and formal too hasty and unmannerly too self-conceited and not throughly humbled Thou didst not know the worst of thy self Thou wentest in thy own strength Thou wast not wholly taken off from self and weaned from every creature The Lord hath been preparing of thee by all his put-offs to spur on thy desire pace Try once again come to better purpose Object Alas I cannot come my heart is dead and hard Answ That 's bad indeed but hath he not a quickning Spirit Is not his Word a word of Life Power and Salvation Hath not he promised a heart of flesh in taking away of the stony heart Is it not he that quickens the dead Is not he come to give Life to that world whom he cals his sheep and to give it them more abundantly Object I am not sure I am one of them Answ Neither art thou sure thou art none of them His sheep hear his voyce with attention and affection with submission and application dost thou not desire and delight dost thou not design and labour to do so Is not the hour come wherein such a dead Lazarus as thou shouldst hear the voyce of the Son of God and live Object But I have no free will of mine own to spiritual good Answ Thou hast a moral will capable of the means and doing thy duty though in a weak manner Bestir thy self therefore and whilst thou art making use of that Christs Renewing Grace thou maist meet with to spiritualize it and make it free from its sinful Bondage His Truth will make thee free Object But none comes to the Soâ—â— but such as the Father draws Answ Is not the Father drawing of thee now Are not his Ordinances Mercies and Offers strong cords of Love and the Bands of Man to fetch thee home Is not he drawing thee internally also by the motions of his Holy Spirit upon thy conscience Resist no longer burst not his Divine Tresses but yield and follow Object But I. Answ No more Buts against God and thine own Good thou must yield now Christ is resolved on it He will have thee home thou must come it s in vain to struggle All sufficient Grace will be all-efficient Dost thou not feel him turning of thy heart silencing thy doubts stirring in thy Bowels opening thine eyes and drawing thy will to embrace his own terms Are not these sure signes of his saving Grace Come on then come home to thy Christ Quest How shall I come that I may be welcom Answ 1. Come instantly without any delay demurs are dangerous This may be thy last moment of Life and his last word to thee Strike whilst th' Iron is hot come whilst there is hope Seek now the Lord whilst he may be found cast in thy mettle whilst hot into his mould Yield thy softned wax to the Seal of his Spirit His spirit will not alwayes strive with man 2. Come self denyingly not in thy strength but in his follow his effectual drawing from the sence of thine unability Let thy heart still say with the Spouse Draw me and we will run after thee Know still thy unworthiness and insufficiency laying thy self with recumbency upon his merits not on any thing else 3. Come self-resigningly on conjugal terms to be wholly given up to him Make no capitulations no Reservations of any sin of any creature though as dear to thee as thy right eye right hand or right foot Be content to be wholly his as he is content to be wholly thine Thy skil and power thy will and comforts thy time and credit thy soul and body thy Interest and friends must be wholly given up to him Nothing is his if all be not his a â—eart and a heart he cannot endure 4. Come sincerely and cordially without dissembling without base designs Come for his Person first out of Love to him not meerly to his goods Come chiefly to partake of himself and to enjoy him though he should seem to withold all things else Come to a Husband not to a Fair. Come for marriage not for a Bargain Chuse him for himself and all his goodness must needs be thine too 5. Come understandingly not in a blind manner Know what thou art about and be well advised Consult and reason the case to the full Cast up thy accounts what it may cost thee Canst thou be willing to live and die with him and for him View him throughly in all his Perfections and in all his Precepts too Be well acquainted with his marriage Covenant engaging to Duty by engaging Mercy He is a jealous God as he is Gracious 6. Come fiducially not distrusting him Study and apply this Promise of marriage so variously and so frequently expressed to thee That Promise is set out both absolutely and conditionally Suck those Breasts still and draw with comfort the water of life out of those saving Wels by the Bucket of faith let out by the cords of thine Affections when thou canst not find in thee the Condition required then press that word upon him and thy self which freely promises to give that Condition Do as David begging for a new heart from him that
said in the Old This Point was so clear then without opposition that a little sufficed The Believing Jewes would not have been quiet if their children had been shut out of Gods House that made such stirs at lesser matters Christ when a child was Head of the Church children then may be members thereof He cals them his Children Disciples Saints servants in the same Relation given to their Parents When Families of old joyned to the Lord children were not excluded no more were they in Apostolical dayes They that will deny Scripture-Consequence must deny all Duties of Christianity none whereof can be performed without such Reasoning Reason and Religion they must at once gainsay that gainsay Inferences orderly drawn from thence The Condition of this Covenant is sufficiently cleared by the Knowledge of Christ both for Entrance and continuance both Internally and Externally Christ invites sinners to come by Faith to him for all needful Grace None can come to him except the Father draw them He gives to his Elect peculiarly what he requires from all indefinitely As far as that Condition is performed either Externally or Internally so far reaches the Covenant priviledge before God and men The profession and outward Priviledge may be utterly lost by carnal hypocrites but the distinguishing Grace and internal priviledge thereof cannot be totally nor finally lost by the Regenerate though they may be ecclipsed for a time 18. The Church of Christ suffers much also First By all the former Secondly By rigid Separatists of divers sorts Thirdly By the Popish Apostacy and Usurpations assuming to themselves alone the Title of Catholicks and unchurching all that jump not with them Fourthly By Quakers and Notionists who slight and abuse the communion of Saints multipliciously and nefariously AGainst such Disorders the gracious knowledge of Christ affords meet help Improve it to a right Union and Communion both with the Head Christ and with his Body His Church is his House that cherishes Concord among Brethren of different sizes There is but one God and Mediator there there also should be but one mind and heart There are divers Chambers and Stories therein yet it s one house Though different flocks under various Shepherds yet are they all under one great shepherd They that own Christ as Head should be owned of his Members They that agree in the main may bear with each other in the means Schism is a sinfull separation that breeds a Convulsion in the Body of Christ Shame and Sorrow are the genuine fruits thereof as Pride and Ignorance the Parents of it They bear most with others that know Christ and themselves best Paul would have them both marked and shun'd that make divisions as selfish Christians that know little of Christ and themselves He would have us separate from evil but not from good as himself doth Christians and Churches must purifie themselves as he is pure They should therefore labor more for verity and Unity in the way to purity They need all mutual help Orderly Union affords much Beauty strength and usefulness It makes Gods people like an Army with Banners such an Arch-Building is choice and sure All convulsions are painfull and direfull Scripture represents this harmonious composure by that which excels in all frams natural civil and artificial We should all labor then for things that tend to Peace for mutual edification Variety of helps he affords to that end The Popish pretence is as injurious as its ridiculous They make a particular Universal a Roman Cathotholick They first disown Christ in effect and then must they disown and be disowned of his friends The Quakers follow them too closely in this as in other things casting Odiums upon our reformed Churches and rejecting them It s sad to see any of Christ friends who seem more sober and serious through mis-interpretations and mis-applications of Scripture to imitate them in such dividing ways To divide and destroy is Satans Motto it s his Method We see it we feel it by woful experience We must learn of Christ Prudent moderation in our zeal for Truth Both his Body and Garment should be so tendered as not to rend the one by favouring the other Peace is to be pursued after as far as possible in consistency with Holiness Much labor and care must often be used in over-taking and preserving Peace still endangered by many enemies 19. The Grace of Christ nearly concerns his Church and meets with the contradiction of sinners His Electing Grace is much slandred by many First By most of the forenamed Errors Secondly By Pelagians Socinians and others denying it to be eternal Thirdly Papists and Arminians agreeing with the Semi-Palagians in making it conditional not absolute upon faith foreseen or on Good work not of Gods free pleasure Fourthly By many of our Notionists following of those blind Guides in following the false Lights which Paracelsus and Behmen Swenkfield and Wigelius the Rose-Crucians and Enthusiastical Recluses have racked out of old Dung-hils and dressed anew AGainst such deceits improve the knowledge of Christ that you may consider him in a double capacity 1. As God the Son jointly with the Father and the Spirit chusing his people from eternity divina opera ad intra sunt indivisa Secondly As Mediator in Gods eternal purpose in whom in all the vessels of Mercy were absolutely elected without any respect to any thing in them but according to the good pleasure of his Will having predestinated us to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself before the foundation of the world There is a double Election also mentioned in Scripture 1. Eternal which is to Glory 2. Temporal which is to office By eternal Election the Lords chosen flock alone were fore-ordained to Glory through Grace By temporal Election reprobates as Judas may be chosen to office as he was to the Apostleship Gods electing Grace is called sometimes his fore-knowledge by an Hebraism verbs of sence with them importing both affect and effect Thus Christ is said never to have known the wicked because he never owned them for his This foreknowing Grace is called his Pleasure his good Will his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amor Bonevolentiae chiefly looking at the end Gods Glorifying himself by glorifying them in Christ Predestination or fore-ordaining Grace pre-determining those Elect Persons so freely pitched upon by God regards the means leading to that end therefore it fore-appointed them to Redemption and Adoption in Christ by Grace towards Glory Some being thus chosen others were passed by and are therefore called Reprobates and Gods purpose or councel about them is called Praeterition Non-election and non-predestination God was not bound to any and did chuse and pass by of his own Will independently eternally distinctly individually certainly Those persons so passed by considered in massa nuda he did fore-ordain
Bramble bear figs or a sinful man beget a sinless child Is not the spawn and brood of venemous creatures venemous also Can a dead corpse raise it self to Life or a soul dead in sin contribute ought to its own quickning Yet is this no excuse for any sin because man is condemned for the abuse and neglect of that which is given him The best of them goes not so far as he might Though he be spiritually dead yet is he naturally alive and the abuse of natural parts is a sufficient condemnation to every sinner though variously appearing Thus is God stil just merciful and true though man prove unjust unworthy and false He is stil beforehand with every man though unfaithful servants who improve not the talent lent them charge him to be a hard master As he is free in disposing of his gifts so will every abuse and neglect of each of them be duly reckoned for 22. Christs saving Grace is also abused 1. By the former Errors 2. By the Pelagians and Socinians ascribing mans salvation to his own merits the fruits of his own power and will 3. By the Papists and Arminians sacrificing also to their nets some owning merits de congruo before Conversion others only merits de condigno after conversion either ex propria Natura with some or ex pacto with others very few of them are found more modest 4. By the Quakers Behmenists and Notionists variously treading in their steps and disguising those old Errors with the colours of new Light of a Christ within pretended Raptures Chymical dreams and Magical deceits Their monstrously abstruse expressions and Fictitious Raptures were much magnified in that German Tragedy acted in various Scenes for many years especially from 1522. til 1540. and are now revived out of Paracelsus Behmen Wigelius and the like by their followers very perniciously now AGainst such a Poyson the gracious Knowledge of Christ will fortifie you by Scripture discovery of the Nature and Cause the Method and Means the Subject and Effects of that saving Grace 1. The Nature thereof is Gods Application of his special Favour unto his Elect Redeemed by Christ saving them from all sin on earth Inchoatively in Heaven consummatively 2. The Fountain cause thereof is his own pleasure the final his Honour exalted in his Son by his own Spirit applying the same 3. The Method observed is gradually to shew this favour 1. Primitively in his Election and Redeeming Love 2. Communicatively in his Adopting and Justifying his supporting and supplying Love from the beginning of Grace through perseverance unto Glory in Eternity 4. The means appointed and employed therein are 1. Christ the Principal The Spirits Operation as efficient and every Ordinance and Providence his Word especially as Instrumentally blessed of him thereto 5. The Subjects thereof are Gods Elect Redeemed by the Son Renewed by his Spirit whom he Adopts for Children justifying their persons and keeping them through faith by his Power unto Salvation supporting and supplying them stil by the earnest and first fruits of his Spirit til the full possession of all 6. The Effects thereof are the gaining of their hearts by Divine Love to mutual Returns to chuse him in Christ by his Spirit for their chief good and soveraign Lord delighting in him depending on him closing with him following of him drawing all from him reducing all to him loving what he loves hating what he hates with an harmony of mind heart and hand And all for his sake and to his Glory by his strength according to his Will THis Light will easily dispel all Cavils darkning the truth There are no merits but in Gods Mercy He rewards indeed but it s of Grace He pardons sin and doth it freely Yet he requires Faith and Repentance not to merit but to receive it emptying the soul of self to fill it with himself letting out sin to let in Christ casting out Satan to bring in his Spirit Purging out corruption by giving his Grace preparing for Glory He therefore bids them take heed lest they fall to keep them standing in the right use of Means He appointed the End and blesses the Means He promises and assures their standing not by their own but by his Might Thus all that the Father gave Christ shall come to him and him that comes to him he will in no wise cast out because this is the will of the Father that sent him that of all he hath given him he should lose nothing The father that gave them to him is greater then all none shall pluck them out of his hand Ergo. Object But may they not slip away Answ Yea if left to themselves as Adam was in the Covenant of Works But he hath made a better Covenant with them in Christ engaging his Grace to preserve and save to the utmost all whom he chose in him Redeemed by him and sanctifyingly renews by his Spirit This is all their Hope and all their Salvation though in a Winter of temptation it seems not to flourish He therefore writes his Law in their heart and puts his Spirit within them to cause them to walk in his Statutes that they shall keep his Judgements and do them He will uphold them by his right hand till he bring them to Glory He will Crown his own Grace in them and magnifie his strength in their weakness Object But doth not this Doctrine lead to presumption and Libetinism Answ Not at all though it may be abused as the best things are It leads genuinely to all Christian diligence and Grace as the sure only way to Glory This Assurance he gives not to all alike nor to any alike at all times Though his weak children be sure in his hand yet he lets them often stumble that they may know him and themselves better The Riches of his Grace appear still herein freely and fully surely and choicely What 's freer then pardon to an unworthy Rebel That Christ satisfied and that Faith is given to receive pardon is not that free also What 's fuller then such a pardon that justifies from all guilt Inchoatively progressively consummatively whether you say the pardon is Renewed or continued or confirmed to the Regenerate is it not stil full Doth he not blot out all scores and remit all faults by application of his Justifying Grace His correcting of them is the fruit of that Adopting Love which pardons them Because they are children they must have Physick and the Rod also What 's surer then this Grace which engages the Trinunity in the clearest Bond with the surest Ties with Word and Writing with his Hand and Seal with Promise and Oath yea with his own Blood to final performance on his side and theirs They may break indeed but he cannot break Though they act faithlesly yet he acts