last place in teaching learning and most serious consideration § 3. Two sorts do most dangerously sin against or abuse the Holy Ghost The first is the Prophane who through custom and education can say I believe in the Holy Ghost and say that He sanctifieth them and all the Elect people of God but hate or resist all sanctifying works and motions Deus est principium eâ—â—ectivum in Creatione refectivum in redemptione perfectivum in sanctificatione Ioh. Con. bis comp Theol. l. 4. c. 1. of the Holy Ghost and hate all those that are sanctified by him and make them the objects of their scorn and deride the very name of sanctification or at least the thing The second sort is the Enthusiasts or true Fanaticks who advance extoll and plead for the Spirit Rejectis propheticis Apostolicis scriptis Manichaei novum Evangelium scripserunt ut antecellere communi hominum multitudini semi-d 〈…〉 rentur simularunt Enthusiaâ—mos seu afflatus subâ—â—o in â—urâ—a se in terram objâ—â—â—â—entes c vâ—lut 〈◊〉 dâ—â— tacentes deinde tanquam redeuntes ex specu Trophonio plorantes multa vaticinati sunt Prorsus ut Anabaptistae recens fâ—ceruâ— in seditione Monasteriensi Etsi autem in quibusdam manifesta simulatio fuit tamen aliquibus reipsa à Diabolis surâ—tes immisses esse certum est Carioâ— Chron. l. 3. p. 54. against the Spirit covering their greatest sins against the Holy Ghost by crying up and pretending to the Holy Ghost They plead the Spirit in themselves against the Spirit in their Brethren yea and in almost all the Church They plead the authority of the Spirit in them against the authority of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures and against particular truths of Scripture and against several great and needful Duties which the Spirit hath required in the Word and against the Spirit in their most judicious godly faithful Teachers But can it be the Spirit that speaks against the Spirit Is the Spirit of God against it self Are we not all baptized by One Spirit and not divers or contrary into one body 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. But it is no marvel for Satan to be transformed into an Angel of light or his Ministers into the Ministers of Christ and of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. The Spirit himself therefore hath commanded us that we believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. Yea the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. Therefore take heed that you neither Mistake nor abuse the Holy Spirit § 4. 1. The Doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost to be believed is briefly this 1. That the Holy Ghost as given since the Ascension of Christ is his Agent on earth or his Advocate with men called by him the Paraclete Instead of his bodily presence which for a little space he vouchsafed to a few being John 16. 7. â— ascended he sendeth the Holy Spirit as better for them to be his Agent continually to the end and John 15 2â— John 16. 13. Gal. 3. 1 2 3 4 Heb. 2. 3 4. unto all and in all that do believe 2. This Holy Spirit so sent infallibly inspired the holy Apostles and Evangelists first to preach and then to write the Doctrine of Christ contained as indited by him in the Holy Scriptures perfectly imprinting therein the Holy Image of God 3. The same Spirit in them sealed this holy Doctrine and the Testimony of these holy men by many Miracles and wonderful Gifts by which they did actually convince the unbelieving world and plant the Churches 4. The same Spirit having first by the Apostles given a Law or Canon to the Universal Church constituting its Offices and the duty of the Officers and the manner of their entrance Eph. 3 2 3 4 8 13. dâ—tâ— Qualifie and â—ispose men for the stated ordinary Ministerial work which is to Explain and Apâ—â—â—â— â—he â—oresaid Scriptures and directeth those that are to Ordain and Choose them they being not wanting on their part and so he appointeth Pastors to the Church 5. The same Spirit assisteth the Ministers thus sent in their faithful use of the means to Teach and Apply the holy Scriptures according to the necessities of the peoplâ— the weight of the matter and the Majesty of the Word of God 6. The same Spirit doth by this Word heard or read renew and sanctifie the souls of the Elect illuminating their minds opening and quickning their hearts prevailing with changing and Actâ— 26. 18. resolving their wills thus writing Gods Word and imprinting his Image by his Word upon their hearts making it powerful to conquer and cast out their strongest sweetest dearest sins and bringing John 14 16 26 them to the saving knowledge love and obedience of God in Jesus Christ. 7. The same holy Spirit assisteth the sanctified in the exercise of this grace to the increase of it by blessing and concurring with the means appointed by him to that end And helpeth them to use those means perform their duties conquer temptations oppositions and difficulties and so confirmeth and preserveth them to the end 8. The same Spirit helpeth believers in the exercise of grace to feel it and discern the sincerity of it in themselves in that measure as they are meet for and in these seasons when it is fittest for them 9. The same Spirit helpeth them hereupon to conclude that they are justified and reconciled to God and have right to all the benefits of his Covenant 10. Also he assisteth them actually to rejoyce in the discerning of this Conclusion For though Reason of it self may do something in these acts yet so averse is man to all that is holy and so many are the difficulties and hinderances in the way that to the effectual performance the help of the Spirit of God is necessary § 5. By this enumeration of the Spirits operations you may see the errors of many detected and many common Questions answered 1. You may see their blindness that pretend the Spirit within them against Scripture Ministry or the use of Gods appointed means when the same Spirit first indited the Scripture and maketh it the Instrument to illuminate and sanctifie our souls Gods Image is 1. Primarily in Jesus Christ his Son 2. Derivatively by his Spirit imprinted perfectly in the holy Scriptures 3. And by the Scripture or the holy Doctrine of it instrumentally impressed on the soul. So that the Image of God in Christ is the Cause of his Image in his holy Word or Doctrine and his Image in his Word is the Cause of his Image on the heart So a King may have his Image 1. Naturally on his Son who is like his Father 2. Expressively in his Laws which express
grace which he hath given us 2. And by shewing us the truth of the Promise made to all believers 3. And by helping us from those Promises to conclude with boldness that we are the children of God 4. And by helping us to rejoyce therein § 12. II. I have been the longer though too short in acquainting you with the Office of the Holy Ghost supposing your Belief that he is the third person in the Trinity because it is an Article of grand importance neglected by many that profess it and because there are so many and dangerous errors in the world about it Your great care now must be 1. To find this Spirit in you as the Principle of your operations and 2. To obey it and follow its motions as it leadeth you up to communion with God Of the first I have spoken in the first Chapter For the second observe these few Directions § 13. Direct 1. Be sure you mistake not the Spirit of God and its motions nor receive instead of Direct 1. them the motions of Satan or of your passions pride or fleshly wisdom It is easie to think you are obeying the Spirit when you are obeying Satan and your own corruptions against the Spirit By these fruits the Spirit of God is known 1. The Spirit of God is for Heavenly Wisdom and neither for Foolishness or treacherous craftiness Psal. 19. 7. 94. 8. Jer. 4. 22. 1 Cor. 2. 4 5 6 7. 2. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of Love delighting to do good its doctrine and motions are for Love and tend to Good abhorring both selfishness and hurtfulness to others Gal. 5. 21 22. 3. He is a Spirit of Concord and is ever for the Unity of all believers abhorring both Divisions among the Saints and carnal complyances and â—onfederacies with the wicked 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 4. 3 4 5 6 13. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Nâ—mo magnus sine aâ—iquo afflaâ—â— Dâ—vâ—â—o â—nquam suit â—â—â—â— 2. â—â— Nâ—â— Dâ—o 3. 3. Rom. 16 17 18. 4. He is a Spirit of humility and self-denyal making us and our knowledge and gifts and worth to be very little in our own eyes Abhorring pride ambition self-exalting boasting as also the actual debasing of our selves by earthliness or other sin Matth. 18. 3. Eph. 4. 2. 5. He is a Spirit of meekness and patience and â—orbearance Abhorring stupidity and inordinate passion boisterousness tumult envy contention reviling and revenge Math. 11. 28 29. Ephes. 4. 2. Iames 3. 1 Pet. 2. 20 21 23. Gal. 5. 20. Rom. 12. 18 19 20. Eph. 4. 31. Col. 3. 8. 6. He is a Spirit of zeal for God resolving men against known sin and for known truth and duty Abhorring a furious destroying zeal and also an indifferency in the cause of God and a yielding complyance with that which is against it Gal. 4. 18. Numb 25. 11 13. Titus 2. 14. Iames 3. 15. 17. Luke 9. 55. Rev. 3. 16. 7. He is a Spirit of Mortification crucifying the flesh and still conâ—ending against it and causeing men to live above all the Glory and Riches and Pleasures of the world Abhorring both carnal licentiousness and sensuality and also the destroying and disabling of the Body under preâ—ence of true mortification Rom. 8. 1. 13. Gal. 5. 17. Rom. 13. 13 14. 1 Cor. 9. 27. 2 Pâ—t 2. 19. Col. 2. 18 21 23. 8. The Spirit of Christ contradicteth not the doctrine of Christ in the holy Scripture but moveth us to an exact conformity thereto Isa. 8. 20. This is the sure Rule to try pretences and motions of every Spirit by For we are sure that the Spirit of Christ is the Author of that word and we are sure he is not contrary to himself 9. The motions of the Spirit do all tend to our Good and are neither Ludicrous impertinent or hurtful finally They are all for the perfecting of sanctification obedience and for our salvation Therefore unprofitable trifles or despair and hurtful distractions and disturbances of mind which drive from God unfit for duty and hinder salvation are not the motions of the Spirit of God 2 Tim. 1. 7. Rom. 8. 15. Isa. 11. 2. Gal. 5. 22. Zech. 12. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 14. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 10. Lastly The Spirit of God subjecteth all to God and raiseth the heart to him and maketh us spiritual and divine and is ever for Gods glory 1 Iohn 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 17 20. Ephes. 2. 18 22. Phil. 3. 3 19 20. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 4 6. Examine the Texts here cited and you will find that by all these fruits the Spirit of God is known from all seducing Spirits and from the fancies or passions of self-conceited men § 14. Direct 2. Quench not the Spirit either by wilful sin or by your neglecting of its offered help Direct â— It is as the spring to all your spiritual motions as the Wind to your Sails You can do nothing without it Therefore reverence and regard its help and pray for it and obey it and neglect it not When you are sure it is the Spirit of God indeed that is knocking at the door behave not your selves as if you heard not 1. Obey him speedily Delay is a present unthankful refusal and a kind of a denyal 2. Obey him throughly A half obedience is disobedience Put him not off with Ananias and Saphira's gift the half of that which he requireth of you 3. Obey him constantly not sometime hearkning to him and more frequently neglecting him but attending him in a learning obediential course of life § 15. Direct 3. Neglect not those means which the Spirit hath appointed you to use for the receiving Direct 3. of us help and which be useth in his holy operations If you will meet with him attend him in his own way and expect him not in by-wayes where he useth not to go Pray and meâ—itaâ—e and hear and read and do your best and expect his blessing Though your plowing and sâ—winâ— will not give you a plentiful harvest without the Sun and Rain and the blessing of God yet these will not do â—t neither unless you plow and sow God hath not appointed a course of means in Nature or Morality in vain nor will he use to meet you in any other way § 16. Direct 4. Do most when the Spirit helpeth you most Neglect not the extraordinary measures Direct 4. of his assistance If he extraordinarily help you in prayer or meditation improve that help and break not â—st so soon as at other times without necessity Not that you should omit duty till you seel his help For he useth to come in with help in the performance and not in the neglect of duty But tire not out your self with affected length when you want the life § 17. Direct 5. Be not unthankful for the assistance he hath given you Deny not his grace Direct 5. Ascribe it not to nature Remember it to encourage your future expectations
119. 162. Ier. 15. 16. 7. Delight thy self in his Image though but imperfectly printed on thy soul and also on his holy servants Gal. 2. 20. 1 Cor. 15. 10. 2 Cor. 7 18. 8. Delight your selves in the consideration of the Glory which he hath from all his creatures and the universal fullfiling of his will As the prosperity and happiness of your friend delighteth you and the success of any excellent enterprises and the praise of excellent things and persons and as you have a special delight in the success of truth and the flourishing order and unity and peace and prosperity of Kingdoms especially of the Church much more than in your personal prosperity unless you have selfish private base unmanly dispositions so much more should you delight in the Glory and Happiness of God 9. Delight your selves in the safety which you have in his favour and defence and the treasury which you have in his All sufficiency and Love for your continual supplies in every want and deliverance in every danger and the ground of quiet contentedness and confidence which is offered to fearful souls in him 10. Delight yourselves in the particular discoveries of his common mercies to the world and his special mercies to his saints and his personal mercies to your selves from your birth to this moment both upon your souls and bodies and friends and names and estates and affairs in all relations 11. Delight your selves in the Priviledge you enjoy of speaking to him and of him and hearing from him and adoring and worshipping him and singing and publishing his Praise and in the communion which your souls may have with him through Christ on his Days and at all times in his sacraments and in all your lives And say as Solomon 1 King 8. 27. And will God indeed dwell on earth will he dwell and walk with sinful men When the Psal 68 3 4 5. 69 30 31 32. Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him Psalm 40. 16. Let those that seek him Rejoyce and be glad in him and 122. 1. Let us be glad to go up to the house of the Lord and joyn with his holy Assemblies in his worship Psalm 46. 4. The streams of his Grace make glad the City of God the holy Tabernacles of the most high God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved 12. Delight your selves above all in the forethoughts and hope of the Glory which you shall see and enjoy for ever I do but name all these for your memory because they are before spoken of in the Directions for Love § 4. Direct 4. Understand how much these holy Delights are pleasing unto God and how much he Direct 4. is for his peoples pleasure For it much hindereth the Joy of many Christians that they think it is How much God is for his servants Deligâ—ts against the will of God that such as they should so much Rejoyce Or at least that they apprehend not how much he hath commanded it and how great a duty it is and how much pleasing to their God Consider 1. It is not for nothing that the nature of man is made capable of higher and larger delights than the bruitish sensual nature is And that in this we are made little lower than Angels Phil. 3. 1. Isa. 58. 19. Job 22. 26. Isa. 55. 2 3. Psal. 4. 7. Acts 14. 15. Deut 27. 7. 1â— 12 18. â— Pet. 1 â— 4 6. Joh. 14. 16 26. 15. 2â— Isa. 53. 3. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 8 9. Mat. 11. 28. Isa. 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. 1 Thes. 5. 11 14 16. Phil. 4. 4. Psal. 33 1. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Joh. 5. 40. 2. Nor is it for nothing that God hath made Delight and Complacency the most powerful commanding affection and the end of all the other passions which they proâ—essedly subserve and seek and the most natural inseparable affection of the soul there being none that desireth not delight 3. Nor is it in vain that God hath provided and offered such plenty of most excellent objects for our Delight especially himself in his attributes Love Mercy Son Spirit and Kingdom which Bruits were not made to know or to enjoy 4. Nor hath he given us in vain such excellent convenient and various helps and inferiour preparations which tend to our delight even for body and mind to further our Delight in God 5. Nor is it in vain that he maketh us yet more neerly capable by his Spirit even by affecting humiliations and mortifying cleansing illuminating and quickning works And that the Kingdom of God consisteth in Righteousness Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost And that the spirit hath undertaken to be the comforter of Believers who is sent upon no low or needless work 6. Nor did Christ purchase his peoples Joys in vain by the price of his grievous sufferings and sorrows Having bâ—rn our griefs and being made a man of sorrows that we that see him not might rejoyce in believing with joy unspeakable and full of glory 7. Nor is it in vain that he hath filled his word with such matter of Delight and Comfort in the gladdest tidings that could come to man and in such free and full and faithful promises 8. Nor hath he multiplied his commands for his Rejoycing and delight in vain again and again commanding us to Rejoyce and allwaies to Rejoyce 9. Nor is it insignificant that he hath forbidden those worldly cares and fears and griefs which would devour their joyes Nor that he hath so clearly shewed them the way to Joy and blameth them if they walk not in it 10. He filleth up their lives with mercies and matter of delight by his direction support provisions and disposals And all this in their way of tryal and in the valley of tears 11. How tender is he of their sufferings and sorrows not afflicting willingly nor delighting to grieve the sons of men 12. He taketh not away their delight and comfort till they cast it away themselves by sinning or self-afflicting or neglecting his proposed pleasures 13. He never faileth to meet them with his delights while they walk in the way prescribed to that end unless Isa 63. 9. 2 Cor. 2. 7. Zeph. 3. 17. Deut. 30 9. 10. 15. Isa 62. 5. Jam. 2. 13. Joh. 14. 13. 18. when it tendeth to their greater pleasure to have some present interruption of the pleasure 14. In their greatest needs when themselves and other helps must fail he giveth them oft-times the greatest joys 15. And he takes their delights and sorrows as if they were his own In all their afflictions he is afflicted and he delighteth in their wellfare and rejoyceth over them to do them good Cannot you see the will of your Father in all this 16. If you cannot yet lift up your heads and foresee the eternal Delights which he hath prepared for you when you shall enter into your Masters Joy And then judge whether God be for your Delight § 5. Direct
satisfaction for our sins and Risen from the dead and conquered death and Satan and is ascended and Glorified in Heaven and that he is the King and Teacher and High Priest of the Church That he hath made a new Covenant of Grace and pardon and offered it in his Scriptures and by his Ministers to the World and that those that are sincere and faithful in this Covenant shall be saved and those that are not shall remedilâ—sly be damned because they reject this Christ and Grace which is the last and only remedy And here open to them the nature of this Covenant that God doth offer to be our Reconciled God and Father and Felicity and Christ to be our Saviour to forgive our sins and reconcile us unto God and renew us by his spirit and the Holy Spirit to be our sanctifier to illuminate and regenerate and confirm us and that all that is required on our part is such an unfeigned consent as will appear in the performance in our serious endeavours Even that we wholly give up our selves to be renewed by the holy spirit to be justified taught and Governed by Christ and by him to be brought again to the Father to Love him as our God and End and to live to him and with him for ever But whereas the temptations of the Devil and the allurements of this deceitful world and the desires of the flesh are the great enemies and hinderances in our way we must also consent to renounce all these and let them go and deny our selves and take up with God alone and what he seeth meet to give us and to take him in Heaven for all our portion And he that consenteth unfeignedly to this Covenant is a member of Christ a justified reconciled Child of God and an heir of Heaven and so continuing shall be saved and he that doth not shall be damned This is the Covenant that in Baptism we solemnly entred into with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as our Father and Felicity our Saviour and our Sanctifier This in some such brief explication you must familiarly open to them again and again § 10. Direct 10. When you have opened the Baptismal Covenant to them and the Essentials of Direct 10. Christianity cause them to learn the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments And tell them the Uses of them that man having three Powers of soul his Understanding his Will and his Obediential or executive power all these must be sanctified and therefore there must be a Rule for each And that accordingly the Creed is the summary Rule to tell us what our Understandings must Believe and the Lords Prayer is the summary Rule to direct us what our wills must desire and our tongues must ask and the Ten Commandments is the summary Râ—le of our Practice And that the Holy Scripture in general is the more large and perfect Rule of all And that all that will be taken for true Christians must have a General implicite Belief of all the Holy Scriptures and a particular explicite Belief Desire and sincere practice according to the Creeds Lords Prayer and ten Commandments § 11. Direct 11. Next teach them a short Catechism by memory which openeth these a little Direct 11. more fully and then a larger Catechism The shorter and larger Catechism of the Assembly are very well fitted to this use I have published a very brief one my self which in eight Articles or Answers containeth all the essential points of Belief and in One Answer the Covenant-consent and in four Articles or Answers more containeth all the substantial parts of Christian duty The answers are some of them long for Children But if I knew of any other that had It is in my 〈…〉 and by it self so much in so few words I would not offer this to you because I am conscious of its imperfections But there are very few Catechisms that differ in the substance Which ever they learn let them as they go have your help to understand it and let them keep it in memory to the last § 12. Direct 12. Next open to them more distinctly the particular part of the Covenant and Catechism Direct 12. And here I think this Method most profitable for a family 1. Read over to them the best expositions that you can get on the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments which are not too large to confound them nor too brief so as to be hardly understood For a summary Mr. Brinsleyes True watch is good but thus to read to them such as Mr. Perkins on the Creed and Dr. King on the Lords Prayer and Dod on the Commandments are fit so that you may read one Article one Petition and one Commandment at a time And read these over to them divers times 2. Besides this in your familiar discourse with them open to them plainly one Head or Article of Religion at a time and another the next time and so on till you come to the end And here 1. Open in one discourse the nature of man and the Creation 2. In another or before it the nature and attributes of God 3. In another the fall of man and especially the Corruption of our nature as it consisteth in an inordinate inclination to earthly and fleshly things and a backwardness or averseness or enmity to God and Holiness and the Life to come and the nature of sin and the impossibility of being saved till this sin be pardoned and these natures renewed and restored to the Love of God and Holiness from this Love of the world and fleshly pleasures 4. In the next discourse open to them the doctrine of Redemption in general and the Incarnation and natures and person of Christ particularly 5. In the next open the Life of Christ his fulfilling the Law and his overcoming the Tempter his humble life and contempt of the world and the end of all and how he is exemplary and imitable unto us 6. In the next open the whole Humiliation and suffering of Christ and the pretenses of his persecutors and the Ends and Uses of his suffering death and burial 7. In the next open his Resurrection the proofs and the Uses of it 8. In the next open his Ascension Glory and Interâ—ession for us and the Uses of all 9. In the next open his Kingly and Prophetical offices in General and his making the Covenant of Grace with man and the nature of that Covenant and its effects 10. In the next open the Works or Office of the Holy Ghost in General as given by Christ to be his Agent in men on earth and his great witness to the world and particularly open the extraordinary gift of the spirit to the Prophets and Apostles to plant the Churches and indite and seal the holy Scripture and shew them the authority and use of the holy Scriptures 11. In the next open to them the ordinary works of the Holy Ghost as the Illuminater Renewer and Sanctifier of souls and in what order he doth all this by the Ministry of the Word 12.
own And the truth is after all later discoveries there is yet so much errour darkness uncertainty and confusion in the Philosophy of every pretending sect the Peripateticks the Stoicks the Pythagoreans and Platonists much more the Epicureans the Lullianists the Cartesians Act. 17. 18 19 c. Eph. 4. 18 19. Hos. 4. 1. 6. 6. Psal. 119. 99. 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2 Pet. 1. 3 5 8. â—ol 2. 3. 3. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Eph. 3. 19. Eph. 1. 17. Rom. 1. 20 21 28. Eccl. 1. 16 17 18. 1 Cor. 8. 1 11. 1 Cor. 13. 2 3 4. Rom. 2. 20. Jâ—m 3. 13 14 17. Jer. 4. 22. 1 Cor. 8. 2. Telesius Campanella Patricius Gassendus c. that it is a wonder that any that ever throughly tryed them can be so weak as to glory much of the certainties and methods of any which hitherto are so palpably uncertain and full of certain errours We may therefore make use of all true humane learning Real and Organical And he is the happy Scholar who fasteneth upon the CERTAIN and the USEFUL parts well distinguished from the rest and truly useth them to their great and proper ends But niceties and fooleries which some spend their lives in for meer ostentation and also uncertain presumptions should be much neglected And the great certain necessary saving Verities of Morality and the Gospel must be dearly loved and thankfully imbraced and studiously learned and faithfully practised by all that would prove wise men at last Quest. 159. If we think that Scripture and the Law of Nature do in any point contradict each others which may be the standard by which the other must be tryed Answ. IT is certain that they never do contradict each other 2. The Law of Nature is either that which is very clear by Natural evidence or that which is dark as degrees of Consanguinity unfit for Marriage the evil of officious lies c. 3. The Scriptures also have their plain and their obscurer parts 4. A dark Scripture is not to be expounded contrary to a plain natural 1 Cor. 5. 1 2. Verity 5. A dark and doubtful point in Nature is not to be expounded contrary to a plain and certain Scripture 6. To suppose that there be an apparent contradiction in cases of equal clearness or doubtfulness is a case not to be supposed But he that should have such a dream must do as he would do if he thought two Texts to be contradictory that is he must better study both till he see his errour still remembring that natural evidence hath this advantage that it is 1. first in order 2. and 1 Joh. 1. 1 2 3. Heb. 2. 3 4. most common and received by all But supernatural evidence hath this advantage that it is for the most part the more clear and satisfactory Quest. 160. May we not look that God should yet give us more Revelations of his will than there are already made in Scripture Answ. YOu must distinguish between 1. New Laws or Covenants to mankind and new predictions or informations of a partiâ—ular person 2. Between what may possibly be and what we may expect as certain or probable And so I conclude 1. That it is certain that God will make no other Covenant Testament or Universal Law for the Government of mankind or the Church as a Rule of Duty and of Iudgement Because he hath oft told us Gal. 1. 7 8 9. Mat. 28. 20. 2. Thes. 1. 10 11. Mark 16. 15 16. that this Covenant and Law is perfect and shall be in force as our rule till the end of the world Obj. So it was said of the Law of Moses that it was to stand for ever yea of many Ceremonies in it Answ. 1. It is in the Original only for ages and ages or to generations and generations which we translate for ever when it signifieth but to many generations 2. It is no where said of Moses Law as such that it should continue either till the end of the world or till the day of Iudgement Rev. 14. 6. Rev. 22. 18 19. Heb. 7. 28 29. 1 Tim. 1. 16. Rom. 6. 22. Joh. 5. 22 24. 6. 27 40 47. 12. 50. Heb. 1. 7 8 9. as it is said of the Gospel And 3. It is not said that he will add no more to the former Testament but contrarily that he will make a new Covenant with them c. But here in the Gospel he peremptorily resolveth against all innovations and additions 2. It is certain that God will make no new Scripture or inspired word as an infallible universal Rule for the exposition of the word already written For 1. This were an addition which he hath disclaimed and 2. It would imply such an insufficiency in the Gospel to its ends as being not intelligible as is contrary to its asserted perfection and 3. It would be contrary to that established way for the understanding of the Scripture which God hath already setled and appointed for us till the end 3. It is certain that God will give all his servants in their several measures the help and illumination Eph. 1. 18 19. of his spirit for the understanding and applying of the Gospel 4. It is possible that God may make new Revelations to particular persons about their particular duties events or matters of fact in subordination to the Scripture either by inspiration vision or apparition or voice For he hath not told us that he never will do such a thing As to tell them what shall befall them or others or to say Go to such a place or dwell in such a place or do such a thing which is not contrary to the Scripture nor co-ordinate but only a subordinate determination of some undetermined case or the circumstantiating of an action 5. Though such Revelation and Prophesie be Possible there is no certainty of it in general nor Mic. 2. 11. 1 King 22. 21 22. 1 Joh. 4. 1 2. 2 Thes. 2. 2. any probability of it to any one individual person much less a promise And therefore to expect it or pray for it is but a presumptuous tempting of God 6. And all sober Christians should be the more cautelous of being deceived by their own Imaginations because certain experience telleth us that most in our age that have pretended to prophesie or to inspirations or revelations have been melancholy crackt-brained persons neer to madness who have proved to be deluded in the end And that such crazed persons are still prone to such imaginations 7. Therefore also all sober Christians must take heed of rash believing every Prophet or pretended spirit lest they be led away from the Sacred Rule and before they are aware be lost in vain expectations and conceits Quest. 161. Is not a third Rule of the Holy Ghost or perfecter Kingdom of Love to be expected as different from the Reign of the Creator and Redeemer Answ. 1. THe works ad extra and the Reign of the Father Word and Spirit are
heed of running from one extream into another p. 50 Direct 11. Be not too confident in your first apprehensions or opinions but modestly suspicious of them p. 51 Direct 12. What to do when Controversies divide the Church Of silencing truth p. 52 Direct 13. What Godliness is The best life on earth How Satan would make it seem troublesome and ungrateful 1. By difficulties 2. By various Sects 3. By scrupulosity 4. By your over-doing in your own inventions 5. By perplexing fears and sorrows 6. By unmortified lusts 7. By actual siâ—s 8. By ignorance of the Covenant of grace p. 54 Direct 14. Mortifie the flesh and rule the senses and the appetite p. 57 Direct 15. Be wary in choosing not only your Teachers but your Company also Their Characters p. 58 Direct 16. What Books to prefer and read and what to reject P. 60 Direct 17. Take not a Doctrine of Libertinism for Free Grace p. 61 Direct 18. Take heed lâ—st Grace degenerate into Counterfeits formality c. p. 63 Direct 19. Reckon not on prosperity or long life but live as dying p. 65 Direct 20. See that your Religion be purely Divine That God be your First and Last and All Man nothing p. 66 CHAP. III. The General Grand Directions for walking with God in a life of faith and Holiness Containing the Essentials of Godliness and Christianity p. 69 Gr. Dir. 1. Understand well the Nature Grounds Reason and Order of Faith and Godliness Propositions opening somewhat of them The Reader must note that here I blotted out the Method and Helps of Faith having fullier opened them in a Treatise called The Reasons of the Christian Religion and another of the Unreasonableness of Infidelity Gr. Dir. 2. How to live by Faith on Christ. How to make Use of Christ in twenty necessities p. 72 Gr. Dir. 3. How to Believe in the Holy Ghost and live by his Grace His Witness Seal Earnest c. Q. When good effects are from Means from our Endeavour and when from the Spirit p. 77 78 Gr. Dir. 4. For a True Orderly and Practical Knowledge of God A Scheme of his Attributes p. 81 82 Gr. Dir. 5. Of self resignation to God as our Owner Motives Marks Means p. 83 Gr. Dir. 6. Of subjection to God as our Soveraign King What it is How to bring the soul into subjection to God How to keep up a Ready and Constant Obedience to him p. 85 Gr. Dir. 7. To Learn of Christ as our Teacher How The Imitation of Christ. p. 90 Gr. Dr. 8. To obey Christ our Physicion or Saviour in his Repairing healing work p. 95 How each faculty is diseased or depraved The Intellect its acts and maladies The Wiâ—â— Q. Whether the Locomotive and sense can move us to sin without the Consent of the Will â—r Reason upon its bare Omission The sin of the Memory Imagination affections sensitive appetite exterior parts which need a Cure Forty intrinsecal evils in sin which make up its Malignity The common Aggravations of sin Special aggravations of the sins of the Regenerate Directions to get a hatred of sin How to cure it p. 95 Gr. Dir. 9. Of the Christian Warfare under Christ Who are our Enemies Of the Devil The state of the Armies and of the War between Christ and Satan The ends grounds advantages auxiliaries instruments and methods of the Tempter p. 104 How Satan keepeth off the forces of Christ and frustrateth all means Christs contrary Methods p. 109 Tit. 2. Temptations to particular sins with Directions for preservation and Remedy 1. How Satan prepareth his baits of Temptation p. 111 2. How he applyeth them p. 114 Tit. 3. Temptations to draw us off from duty p. 124 Tit. 4. Temptations to frustrate holy duties p. 126 Gr. Dir. 10. How to work as servants to Christ our Lord. The true doctrine of Good Works p. 128 Directions for our serving Christ in well doing p. 130. Where are many Rules to know what are good works and how to do them acceptably and successfully Q. Is doing good or avoiding sin to be most looked at in the choice of a Calling or Employment of life p. 133 Q. May one change his Calling for advantages to do good Q. Who are excused from living in a Calling or from Work p. 124 Q. Must I do a thing as a Good work while I doubt whether it be good indifferent or sin p. 134 Q. Is it not every mans duty to obey his Conscience p. 135 Q. Is it not a sin to go against Conscience Q. Whether the formal cause alone do constitute obedience Q. How sin must be avoided by one that hath an erroneus conscience Q. How can a man lawfully resist or strive against an erring conscience when he striveth against a supposed truth Q Is not going against conscience sinning against Knowledge p. 136 Q. When the information of conscience requireth a long time is it not a duty to obey it at the present Q. May one do a Great Good when it cannot be done but by a Little sin as a Lye Q Must I not forbear all Good Works which I cannot do without sin Q Must I forbear a certain great duty as preaching the Gospel for fear of a small uncertain sin Q. What shall a man do that is in doubt after all the means that he can use p. 137 Sixteen Rules to guide a doubting conscience and to know among many seeming duties which is the greatest and to be preferred p. 137 Gr. Dir. 11. To LOVE GOD as our Father and Felicity and End The Nature of holy Love God must be Loved as the Universal Infinite Good Whether Passionately What of God must be loved p. 141 What must be the Motive of our first Love Whether Gods special Love to us The sorts of holy Love Why Love is the highest Grace p. 143 The Contraries of holy Love How God is Hated The Counterfeits of Love p. 144 Directions how to excite and exercise Divine Love ibid. How to see God Signs of true Love p 154 Gr. Dir. 12. Absolutely to Trust God with Soul Body and all with full acquiâ—scence The Nature of Trust of which see more in my Life of Faith and Disp. of Saving Faith p. 157. The Contraries The Counterfeits Q. Of a particular faith The Uses of Trust. p. 158. Fifteen Directions for a quieting and comforting Trust in God p. 158 Gr. Dir. 13. That the temperament of our Religion may be a DELIGHT in God and Holiness Twenty Directions to procure it with the Reasons of it 162 Gr. Dir. 14. Of THANKFULNESS to God our grand Benefactor The signs of it Eighteen Directions how to obtain and exercise it 167 c. Gr. Dir. 15. For GLORIFYING God Ten Directions how the Mind must Glorifie God Ten Directions for Praising God or Glorifying him with our Tongues Where are the Reasons for Praising God Twelve Directions for Glorifying God by our Lives p. 172 Gr. Dir. 16. For Heavenly mindedness and Gr. Dir. 17. For Self-denyal
their power of the Rod or supposing that they had none such p. 802 Q. 27. What are Christs appointed means of the Unity and Concord of the Universal Church and consequently of its preservation if there be no humane Universal Head and Governour of it upon Earth And if Christ hath instituted none such whether prudence and the Law of Nature oblige not the Church to set up and maintain an universal Ecclesiastical Monarchy or Aristocracy seeing that which is every mans work is no mans and omitted by all p. 802 Q. 28. Who is the Iudge of controversies in the Church 1. About the Exposition of the Scriptures and Doctrinal points in themselves 2. About either Heresies or wicked practices as they are charged on the persons who are accused of them That is 1. Antecedently to our practice by way of regulation 2. Or consequently by judicial sentence and execution on â—ffenders p. 803 Q. 29. Whether a Parents power over his Children or a Pastors or many Pastors or Bishops over the same Children as parts of their stocks be greater or more obliging in matters of Religion and publick Worship p. 804 Q. 30. May an office Teacher or Pastor be at once in the stated relation of a Pastor and a Disciple to some other Pastor ibid. Q. 31. Who hath the power of making Church-Canons p. 805 Q. 32. Doth Baptism as such enter the Baptized into the Universal Church or into a particular Church or both and is Baptism the particular-Church-Covenant as such ibid. Q. 33. Whether Infants should be Baptized I have answered long ago in a Treatise on that Subject Q. What Infants should be Baptized And who have right to Sacraments And whether Hypocrites are univocally or equivâ—cally Christians and Church-members I have resolved in my disput of Right to Sacraments p. 806 Q. 34. Whether an unbaptized person who yet maketh a publick profession of Christianity be a member of the visible Church And so of the Infants of believers unbaptized ibid. Q. 35. Is it cértain by the word of God that all Infants baptized and dying before actual sin are undoubtedly saved or what Infants may we say so of p. 807 Q. 36. What is meant by this speech that Believers and their seed are in the Covenant of God which giveth them right to Baptism p. 812 Q. 37. Are believers Children certainly in Covenant before their Baptism and thereby in a state of salvation or not till they are baptized p. 813 Q. 38. Is Infants title to Baptism and the Covenant benefits given them by God in his Promises upon any proper moral condition or only upon the condition of their natural relation that they be the seed of the faithful ibid. Q. 39. What is the true meaning of Sponsors Patrimi or God Fathers as we call them and Is it lawful to make use of them p. 814 Q. 40. On whose account or right is it that the Infant hath title to Baptism and its benefits Is it on the Parents Ancestors Sponsors the Churches the Ministers the Magistrates or his own p. 815 Q. 41. Are they really baptized who are Baptized according to the English Liturgie and Canons where the Parent seemeth excluded and those to consent for the Infant who have no power to do it p. 817 Q. 42. But the great question is How the Holy Ghost is given to Infants in Baptism and whether all the Children of true Christians have inward sanctifying grace Or whether they can be said to be justified and to be in a state of salvation that are not inherently sanctified and whether any fall from this Infant state of salvation p. 817 Q. 43. Is the right of the Baptized Infants or adult to the sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost now Absolute or suspended on further conditions And are the Parents further duty for their Children such conditions of their Childrens reception of the actual assistances of the spirit or Are Childrens own actions such conditions and May Apostate Parents forfeit the Câ—venant benefits to their baptized Infants or not p. 821 Q. 44. Doth Baptism always oblige us at the present and give grace at the present and is the grace which is not given till long after given by baptism or an effect of baptism p. 823 Q. 45. What is a proper violation of our Baptismal Covenant p. 824 Q 46. May not baptism in some cases be repeated And when ibid. Quest. 47. Is baptism by Lay men or women lawful in cases of necessity or are they nullities and the person to be rebaptized p. 825 Q. 48. May Anabaptists that have no other errour be permitted in Church Communion p. 826 Q. 49. May one offer his Child to be baptized with the sign of the Cross or the use of Chrisms the white garment milk and honey or Exâ—rcisms as among the Lutherans who taketh these to be unlawful things ibid. Q. 50. Whence came the antient universal Custome of Anointing at baptism and putting on a white garment and tasting milk and honey and Whether they are lawful to us p. 827 Q 51. Whether it be necessary that they that are baptized in infancy do solemnly at age review and own their baptismal Covenant before they have right to the state and priviledges of Adult members and if they do not Whether they are to be numbred with Christians or Apostates p. 827 Q. 52. Whether the Universal Church consist only of particular Churches and their members p. 828 Q. 53. Must the Pastor first call the Church and aggregate them to himself or the Church first Congregate themselves and then choose the Pastor p. 829 Q. 54. Wherein doth a particular Church of Christ differ from a consociation of many Churches ibid. Q. 55. Whether a particular Church may consist of more Assemblies than one or must needs meet all in one place ibid. Q. 56. Is any form of Church-Government of Divine Institution p. 830 Q. 57. Whether any formes of Churches and Church-Government or any new Church-officers may lawfully be invented and made by maâ— p. 832 Q 58. Whether any part of the proper Pastoral or Episcopal power may be given or deputed to a Lay man or to one of any other office or their proper work may be performed by such p. 839 Q. 59. May a Lay man Preach or expound the Scriptures or what of this is proper to the Pastors office p. 840 Q 60. What is the true sense of the distinction of Pastoral power in foro interiore exteriore rightly used ibid. Q. 61. In what sense is it true that some say that the Magistrate only hath the external Government of the Church and the Pastor the Internal p 841 Q. 62. Is the tryal judgement or consent of the Laity necessary to the admittance of a member into the universal or particular Church ibid. Q. 63. What power have the people in Church Censures and Excommunication p. 842 Q. 64 What is the peoples remedy in case of the Pastors male-administration ibid. Q. 65. May one be a Pastor
Q. 121. May a Minister pray publickly in his own name singly for himself or others or only in the Churches name as their mouth to God ibid. Q. 122. May the name Priests Sacrifice and Altar be lawfully now used instead of Christs Ministers Worship and the Holy Table p. 882 Q. 123. May the Communion Table be turned Altar-wise and Railed in And is it lawful to come up to the Rails to communicate p. 882 Q. 124. Is it lawful to use David's Psalms in our Assemblies p. 883 Q. 125. May Psalms be used as prayers and praises and Thanksgivings or only as Instructive Even the Reading as well as the singing of them ibid. Q. 126. Are our Church-Tunes Lawful being of mans invention p. 884 Q. 127. Is Church Musick by Organs or such Instruments Lawful ibid. Q. 128. Is the Lords day a Sabbath and so to be called and kept and that of Divine institution And is the seventh day Sabbath abrogated c p. 885 Q. 129. Is it Lawful to appoint humane Holy dayes and observe them ibid. Q. 130. How far is the holy Scriptures a Law and perfect Rule to us p. 886 Q. 131. What Additions or humane Inventions in or about Religion not commanded in Scripture are Lawful or Unlawful p. 887 Q. 132. Iâ— it unlawful to obey in all thâ—se cases where it is unlawful to impose and command or in what cases And how far Pastors must be believed and obeyed p. 888 Q. 133. What are the additions or inventions of mâ—n which are not fâ—rbidden by the Word of God whether by Rulers or by private men invented p. 889 Q 134. What are the mischiefs of unlawful Additions in Religion p. 891 Q. 135. What are the mischiefs of mens errour on the other extream who pretend that Scripture is a Rule where it is not and deny the aforesaid lawful things on pretence that Scripture is a perfect Rule say some for all things p. 892 Q. 136. How shall we know what parts of Scripture precept or example were intended for universal constant obligation and what were but for the time and persons that they were then directed to p. 893 Q. 137. How much of the Scripture is necessary to salvation to be believed and understood p. 894 Q. 138. How may we know the Fundamentals Essentials or what parts are necessary to salvation And is the Papists way allowable that some of them deny that distinction and make the difference to be only in the degrees of mans opportunities of knowledge p 895 Q 139. What is the use and Authority of the Creed And is it of the Apostles framing or not And is it the Word of God or not p 896 Q 140. What is the use of Catechisms p. 897 Q. 141. Could any of us have known by the Scriptures alone the Essentials of Religion from the rest if tradition had not given them to us in the Creed as from Apostolical Collection ibid. Q. 142. What is the best method of a true Catechism or sum of Theologie p. 898 Q. 143. What is the use of various Church-Confessions or Articles of faith ibid. Q. 144. May not the subscribing of the whole Scriptures serve turn for all the foresaid ends without Creeds Catechisms or Confessions ibid. Q. 145. May a man be saved that believeth all the Essentials of Religion as coming to him by verbal Tradition and not as câ—ntained in the Holy Scriptures which perhaps he never knew p. 899 Q 146. Is the Scripture fit for all Christians to read being so obscure ibid. Q. 147. How far is Tradition and mens words and Ministry to be used or truâ—â—ed in in the exercise of faith p. 900 Q 148. How knâ—w we the true Canon of Scripture from Apocrypha ibid. Q. 149. Is the publick Reading of the Scripture the proper wâ—rk of the Minister or may a Lay man ordinarily do it or another officer p. 901 Q 150. Is it Lawful to Read the Apocrypha or any good Books besides the Scriptures to the Church as â—omiliâ—s c ibid. Q 151. May Church Assemblies be held where there is no Minister or what publick Worship may be so performed by Lâ—y men As among Inâ—idels or Papists where persecutiâ—n haâ—h killed imprisoned or expelled the Ministry p. 902 Q. 152. Is it Lawful to subscribe or profess full assent and consent to any religious Books besides the Scriptures seeing all men are fallible ibid. Q. 153. May we lawfully Swear obedience in all things lawful and honest either to Usurpers or to our Lawful Pastors ibid. Q. 154. Must all our Preaching be upon some Text of Scripture p. 904 Q. 155. Is not the Law of Moses abrogated and the whâ—le Old Testament out of date and therefore not to be Read publickly and Preached ibid. Q. 156. Must we believe that Moses Law did ever bind other Nations or that any other parts of the Scripture bound them or belonged to them or that the Iews were all Gods visible Church on earth p. 905 Q. 157. Must we think accordingly of the Christian Churches nâ—w that they are only advanced above the rest of the World as the Iews were but not the only people that are saved p. 906 Q. 158. Should not Christians take up with Scripture wisdom only without studying Philosophy or other Heathens humane Learning p. 907 Q. 159. If we think that Scripture and the Law of Nature are in any point contradictory to each other Which must be the standard by which the other must be tryed p. 908 Q. 160. May we not look that God should yet give us more Revelations of his will than there are already made in Scripture ibid. Q. 161. Iâ— not a third Rule of the Holy Ghost or perfecter Kingdom of Love to be expected as different from the Reign of the Creator and Redeemer p. 909 Q. 162. May we not look for Miracles hereafter p. 910 Q. 163. Is the Scripture to be tryed by the spirit or the Spirit by the Scripture and which of them is to be preferred ibid. Q. 164. How is a pretended Prophet or Revelation to be tryed p. 911 Q. 165 May one be saved who believeth that the Scripture hath any mistake or errours and believeth it not all ibid. Q. 166. Who be they that give too little to the Scriptures and who too much and what is the danger of each extream p. 912 Q. 167. How far do good men now Preach and pray by the spirit p. 913 Q. 168. Are not our own Reasons studies memory strivings Books Forms Methods and Ministry needless yea a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit and setting up our own instead of the spirits operations p. 914 Q. 169. How doth the Holy Ghost set Bishops over the Churches p. 914 Q. 170. Are Temples Fonts Utensils Church-Lands much more the Ministry holy and What reverence is due to them as holy p. 915 Q. 171. What is Sacriledge and what not p. 916 Q. 172. Are all Religious private-meetings forbidden by Rulers unlawful Conventicles or are
they are sins § 73. Direct 6. And indeed do you not know that it is a sin to love the world better than God Direct 6. and fleshly pleasure better than Gods service and Riches better than grace and holiness and to do more for the body than for the soul and for earth than for Heaven Are you uncertain whether these are sins And do you not feel that they are your sins You cannot pretend ignorance for these But what causeth your Ignorance Is it because you would fain know and cannot Do you read and hear and study and enquire and pray for knowledge and yet cannot know Or is it not because you would not know or think it not worth the pains to get it or because you love your sin And will such wilful ignorance as this excuse you No it doth make your sin the greater It sheweth the greater dominion of sin when it can use thee as the Philistines did Sampson put out thy eyes and make a â—rudge of thee and conquer thy Reason and make thee believe that evil is good and good is evil Now it hath mastered the principal fortress of thy soul when thy understanding is mastered by it He is reconciled indeed to his enemy who taketh him to be a friend Do you not know that God should have your heart and Heaven should have your chiefest care and diligence and that you should make the Word of God your Rule and your delight and meditation day and night If you know not these things it is because you would not know them And it is a miserable case to be given up to a blinded mind Take heed lest at last you commit the horridst sins and do not know them to be sins For such there are that mock at Godliness and persecute Christians and Ministers of Christ and know not that they do ill but think they do God service John 16. 2. If a man will make himself drunk and then kill and steal and abuse his neighbours and say I knew not that I did ill it shall not excuse him This is your case You are drunken with the love of fleshly pleasure and worldly things and these carry you so away that you have neither heart nor time to study the Scriptures and hear and think what God saith to you and then say that you did not know § 74. Tempt 7. But saith the Tempter it cannot be a mortal reigning sin because it is not committed Tempt 7. with the whole heart nor without some strugling and resistance Dost thou not feel the Spirit striving against the flesh And so it is with the Regenerate Gal. 5. 17. Rom. 7. 20 21 22 23. The good which thou dost not do thou wouldst do and the evil which thou dost thou wouldst not do so then it is no more thou that dost it but sin that dwelleth in thee In a sensual unregenerate person there is but one party there is nothing but flesh but thou feelest the combat between the Flesh and the Spirit within thee § 75. Direct 7. This is a snare so subtile and dangerous that you have need of eyes in your head Direct 7. to scape it Understand therefore 1. That as to the two Texts of Scripture much abused by the Tempter they speak not at all of mortal reigning sin but of the unwilling infirmities of such as had subdued all such sin and walked not after the flesh but after the Spirit and whose wills were habitually bent to good and fain would have been perfect and not have been guilty of an idle thought or word or of any imperfection in their holiest service but lived up to all that the Law requireth but this they could not do because the flesh did cast many stops before the will in the performance But this is nothing to the case of one that liveth in gross sin and an ungodly life and hath strivings and convictions and uneffectual wishes to be better and to turn but never doth it This is but sinning against Conscience and resisting the Spirit that would convert you and it maketh you worthy of many stripes as being rebellious against the importunities of Grace Sin may be resisted where it is never conquered It may Reign nevertheless for some contradiction Every one that resisteth the King doth not depose him from his Throne It 's a dangerous deceit to think that every good desire that contradicteth sin doth conquer it and is a sign of saving grace It must be a desire after a state of godliness and an effectual desire too There are degrees of Power some may have a less and limited power and yet be Rulers As the evil Spirits that possessed mens bodies were a Legion in one and What Resistance of sin may be in the ungodly but one in others yet both were possessed So is it here Grace is not without resistance in a holy Soul there is some remnants of corruption in the will it self resisting the good and yet it followeth not that Grace doth not Rule So is it in the sin of the unregenerate No man in this life is so good as he will be in Heaven or so bad as he will be in Hell Therefore none is void of all moral good And the least good will resist evil in its degree as Light doth darkness As in these cases § 76. 1. There is in the unregenerate a remnant of natural knowledge and conscience some discoveries of God and his will there are in his works God hath not left himself without witness See Acts 14. 17. 17. 27. Rom. 1. 19 20. 2. 7 8 9. This Light and Law of Nature governed the Heathens And this in its measure resisteth sin and assisteth conscience § 77. 2. When supernatural extrinsick Revelation in the Scripture is added to the Light and Law of Nature and the ungodly have all the same Law as the best it may do more § 78. 3. Moreover an ungodly man may live under a most powerful Preacher that will never let him alone in his sins and may stir up much fear in him and many good purposes and almost perswade him to be a true Christian and not only to have some uneffectual wishings and strivings against sin but to do many things after the Preacher as Herod did after Iohn and to escape the common pollutions of the world 2 Pet. 2. 20. § 79. 4. Some sharp affliction added to the rest may make him seem to others a true penitent when he is stopt in his course of sin as Balaam was by the Angel with a drawn Sword and feeth that he cannot go on but in danger of his life and that God is still meeting him with some cross and hedging up his way with thorns for such mercy he sheweth to some of the ungodly this may not only breed resistance of sin but some reformation When the Babylonians were planted in Samaria they feared not God and he sent Lyons among them and then they feared him and
that greater measure is but his smallest measure and he himself is capable of increase to the last And so great a measure at first is as rare as his greater measure at last in his full growth is rare and scarce to be expected now § 4. And if God should give a great measure of Holiness at first to any now as possibly he may yet their measure of gifts is never great at first unless they had acquired or received them before conversion If Grace find a man of great parts and understanding which by study and other helps he had attained before no wonder if that man when his parts are sanctified be able in knowledge the first day For he had it before though he had not a heart to use it But if Grace find a man ignorant unlearned and of mean abilities he must not expect to be suddenly lifted up to great understanding and high degrees of knowledge by Grace For this knowledge is not given now by sudden infusion as Gifts were extraordinarily in the Primitive Church You need no other proof of this but experience to stop the mouth of any gain-sayer Look about you and observe whether those that are men of knowledge did obtain it by infusion in a moment Or whether they did not obtain it by diligent study by slow degrees Though I know God blesseth some mens studies more than others Name one man that ever was brought to great understanding but by Means and Labour and slow dâ—grees Or that knoweth any Truth in Nature or Divinity but what he read or heard or studied for 〈…〉 e result of what he read or heard The person that is proudest of his knowledge must confess that 〈…〉 me to it in this way himself § 5. But you 'l ask What then is the Illumination of the Spirit and enlightening the mind which the Scripture ascribeth to the Hâ—ly Ghost Hath not our understanding need of the Spirit for light as well as the Heart â—r Will fâ—r Liâ—e Answ. Yes no doubt and it is a great and wonderful mercy and I 'l tell you what it is 1. The Holy Spirit by immediate inspiration revealed to the Apostles the doctrine of Christ and caused them iâ—â—allibly to indite the Scriptures But this is not that way of ordinary illumination now 2. The Holy Spirit assisteth us in our hearing reading and studying the Scriptures that we may come by diligence to the true understanding of it but doth not give us that understanding without hearing reading or study Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. It blesseth the use of means to us but blesseth us not in the neglect of means 3. The Holy Spirit doth open the eyes and heart of a sinner who hath heard and notionally understood the substance of the Gospel that he may know that piercingly and effectually and practically which before he knew but notionally and uneffectually so that the knowledge of the same truth is now become powerfull and as it were of another kind And this is the Spirits sanctifying of the mind and principal work of saving illumination Not by causing us to know any thing of God or Christ or Heaven without means But by opening the heart that through the means it may take in that knowledge deeply which others have but notionally and in a dead opinion and by making our knowledge clear and quick and powerful to affect the heart and rule the life 4. The Holy Spirit sanctifieth all that notional knowledge which men had before their renovation All their learning and parts are now made subservient to Christ and to the right End and turned into their proper channell 5. And the Holy Ghost doth by sanctifying the heart possess it with such a Love to God and Heaven and Holiness and Truth as is a wonderful advantage to us in our studies for the attaining of further knowledge Experience telleth us how great a help it is to knowledge to have a constant love delight and desire to the thing which we would know All these wayes the Spirit is the â—nlightner of believers The not observing this Direction will have direful effects which I will name that you may see the necessity of avoiding them § 6. 1. If you imagine that you are presently men of great understanding and abilities and holiness T 〈…〉 r of 〈◊〉 â—â— â—â—ur young 〈◊〉 o◠〈◊〉 while you are young beginners and but new born babes you are entring into the sâ—are and condemnation of the Devil even into the odious sin of Pride yea a Pride of those spiritual gifts which are most câ—ntrâ—ry to Pride yea and a Pride of that which you have not which is most foolish Pride Mark the words of Paul when he forbids to choose a young beginner in Religion to the Ministry 1 Tim. 3. 6. Not a Nâ—vice that is a young raw Christian lest being lifted up or besotted with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil Why are young beginners more in danger of this than Qui dâ—sâ—ipulum â—udem clatum habet 〈◊〉 ventum adverâ—â—â—â—â—mine navigat Seâ—pentem nutrit acoâ—itum â—â—colit hostem doâ—â— Pâ—â— arch Dial. 41. li. 2. other Christians One would think their Infancy should be conscious of its own infirmity But Paul knew what he said It is 1. Partly because the suddenness of their change coming out of darkness into a light which they never saw before doth amaze them and transport them and make them think they are almost in Heaven and that there is not much more to be attained Like the Beggar that had an hundred pound given him having never seen the hundredth part before imagined that he had as much money as the King 2. And it is partly because they have not knowledge enough to know how many things there are that yet they are ignorant of They never heard of the Scripture-difficulties and the knots in School-divinity nor the hard cases of Conscience Whereas one seven years painful studies will tell them of many hundred difficulties which they never saw and forty or fifty years study more will clothe them with shame and humility in the sense of their lamentable darkness 3. And it is also because the Devil doth with greatest industry lay this Net to entrap young Converts it being the way in which he hath the greatest hope 2. Your hasty conceits of your own goodness or ability will make you presumptuous of your own strength and so to venture upon dangerous temptations which is the way to ruine You will think you are not so ignorant but you may venture into the company of Papists or any Hereticks or deceivers or read their Books or be present at their Worship And I confess you may scape but it may be otherwise and God may leave you to shew you all that was in your hearts as it is said of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 31 25 26. 3. And your overvaluing your first grace will make you too secure when your souls have need of holy
more of my observation of which these times have given us too much proof Profane and formal Enemies on the one hand and ignorant self-conceited wranglers on the other hand who think they are champions for the truth when they are venting their passions and fond opinions are the two Thieves between whom the Church hath suffered from the beginning to this day The first are the Persecutors and the other the Dividers and disturbers of the Church Mark what the Holy Ghost saith in this case 2 Tim. 2. 23 24. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender strife and the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men Phil. 2. 14 15. Do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5 6. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife raylings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds c. So 1 Tim. 1. 4 5. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which Minister Questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned § 6. Yet I must here profess that if any falsehearted worldly hypocrite that resolveth to be on the saving side and to hold all to be lawful that seemeth necessary to his safety or preferments shall take any encouragement from what I have here said to debauch his conscience and sell his soul and then call all those furious zealots that will not be as false to God as he let that man know that I have given him no cloak for so odious a sin nor will he find a cover for it at the barr of God though he may delude his conscience and bear it out by his carnal advantages before the world Direct 13. KNow that true Godliness is the Best Life upon Earth and the only may to perfect Direct 13. Happiness Still apprehend it therefore and Use it as the best and with great diligence â—â—sist those Temptations which would make it seem to you a confounding grievous or unpleasant thing § 1. There are all things concurrent in a Holy life to make it the most delectable life on earth to a rational purified mind that is not captivated to the flesh and liveth not on Air or Dung The Object of it is the Eternal God himself the Infallible Truth the only satisfactory Good and all these condescending and appearing to us in the mysterious but suitable glass of a Mediator Redeeming Reconciling teaching governing sanctifying justifying and glorifying all that are his own The End of it is the pleasing and glorifying of our Maker Redeemer and Sanctifier and the everlasting happiness of our selves and others The Rule of it is the infallible Revelation of God delivered to the Church by his Prophets and his Son and his Apostles and comprized in the Holy Scriptures and sealed by the Miracles and operations of the Holy Ghost that did indite them The work of Godliness is a living unto God and preparing for everlasting life by foreseeing foretasting seeking and rejoycing in that endless Happiness which we shall have with God and by walking after the Spirit and avoiding the filthiness delusions and vexations of the world and the flesh The nature of man is not capable of a more noble profitable and delectable life than this which God hath called us to by his Son And if we did but rightly know it we should follow it with continual alacrity and delight Be sure therefore to conceive of Godliness as it is and not as it is mis-represented by the Devil and the ungodly Read what I have written of this in my A Saint or a Brute § 2. As long as a man conceiveth of Religion as it is even the most sweet and delectable life so long he will follow it willingly and with his heart and despise the temptations and avocations of flâ—shly gain and pleasure He will be sincere as not being only drawn by other men or outward advantages nor frightned into it by a passion of fearfulness but loving Religion for it self and for its excellent ends And then he will be chearful in all the duties and under all the sufferings and difficulties of it And he will be most likely to persevere unto the end We cannot expect that the Heart or Will should be any more for God and Godliness than the Understanding practically apprehendeth them as Good Nay we must alwayes perceive in them a transcendent Goodness above all that is to be found in a worldly life Or else the appearing Goodness of the Creature will divert us and carry away our minds We may see in the very Brutes what a power apprehension hath upon their actions If your Horse be but going to his home or pasture how freely will he go through thick and thin but if he go unwillingly his travell is troublesome and slow and you have much ado to get him on It will be so with you in your way to Heaven § 2. It is therefore the principal design of the Devil to hide the Goodness and Pleasantness of Religion from you and to make it appear to you as a terrible or tedious life By this means it is that he keeps men from it and by this means he is still endeavouring to draw you back again and frustrate your good beginnings and your hopes If he can thus mis-represent Religion to your understandings he will suddenly alienate your wills and corrupt your lives and make you turn to the world again and seek for pleasure somewhere else and only take up with some heartless lip-service to keep up some deceitful hope of being saved And the means which Satan useth to these ends are such as these § 3. 1. He will do his worst to overwhelm you with appearing doubts and difficulties and bring How Satan would make Religion seem to be a câ—nfounding unpâ—â—aâ—an thing â— By difficulties you to a loss and to make Religion seem to you a confounding and not a satisfying thing This is one of his most dangerous assaults upon the weak and young beginners Difficulties and Passions are the things which he makes use of to confound you and put you out of a regular cheerful seeking of salvation When you read the Scriptures he will mind you of abundance of difficulties in all you read or hear He will shew you seeming contradictions and tell you that you will never be able to understand these things He will cast in thoughts of Unbelief and Blasphemy and cause you if he can to â—owl them in your
is here a great encouragement to the soul to think that Jesus our great High Priest doth make all his Children Priests to God They are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people that they should shew forth the prayses of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvellâ—us light An holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5 â— Even their broken hearts and contrite Spirits are a sacrifice which God will not despâ—se Psal. 51. 17. He knoweth the meaning of the Spirits groans Rom. 8. 26 27. § 19. 16. The strength of corruptions which molest the soul and are too often strugling with it and too much prevail doth greatly discourage us in our approach to that God that hateth all the workers of iniquity And here faith may find relief in Christ not only as he pardoneth us but as he hath conquered the Devil and the world himself and bid us be of good cheer because he hath conquered and hath all power given him in Heaven and Earth and can give us victorious grace in the season and measure which he seeth meetest for us We can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth us Go to him then by faith and prayer and you shall find that his grace is sufficient for you § 20. 17. The thoughts of God are the less delightful to the soul because that Death and the Grave do interpose and we must pass through them before we can enjoy him And it is unpleasing to nature to think of a separation of soul and body and to think that our flesh must rot in darkness But against this faith hath wonderful relieâ— in Iesus Christ. For asmuch as we were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part with us that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death even the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Hâ—b 2. 14 15. O what an encouragement it is to faith to observe that Christ once dyed himself and that he rose from the dead and reigneth with the Father it being impossible that death should hâ—ld him And having conquered that which seemed to conquer him it no more hath dominion over him but he hath the Keyes of Death and Hell we may now entertain death as a disarmed enemy and say O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Yea it is sanctified by him to be our friend even an entrance into our Masters joy it being best for us to depart and be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. and therefore death is become our gain v. 21. O what abundance of strength and sweetness may faith perceive from that promise of Christ John 12. 26. If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be As he was dead but now liveth for evermore so hath he promised that because he liveth therefore shall we live also John 14. 19. But of this I have written two Treatises of Death already § 21. 18. The terror of the day of Iudgement and of our particular doom at death doth make the thoughts of God less pleasing and delectable to us And here what a relief is it for faith to apprehend that Iesus Christ must be our Judge And will he condemn the members of his body Shall we be afraid to be judged by our dearest friend by him that hath justified us himself already even at the price of his own blood § 22. 19. The very strangeness of the soul to the world unseen and to the inhabitants and employments there doth greatly stop the soul in its desires and in its delightful approaches unto God Had we seen the world where God must be enjoyed the thoughts of it would be more familiar and sweet But faith can look to Christ and say My head is there he seeth it for me he knoweth what he possesseth prepareth and promiseth to me and I will quietly rest in his acquaintance with it § 23. 20. Nay the Godhead it self is so infinitely above us that in it self it is inaccessible and it is ready to amaze and overwhelm us to think of coming to the incomprehensible Majesty But it emboldneth the soul to think of our Glorified Nature in Christ and that even in Heaven God will everlastingly condescend to us in the Mediator For the Mediation of Redemption and acquisition shall be ended and thus he shall deliver up the Kingdom to the Father yet it seems that a Mediation of fruition shall continue For Christ said to his Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory John 17. 24. We shall rejoyce when the marriage of the Lamb is come Rev. 19. 7. They are blessed that are called to his Marriage Supper v. 9. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple and the Light of the New Ierusalem Rev. 21. 22 23. Heaven would not be so familiar or so sweet to my thoughts if it were not that our glorified Lord is there in whose Love and Glory we must live for ever O Christian as ever thou wouldst walk with God in comfortable communion with him study and exercise this Life of faith in the daily use and improvement of Christ who is our Life and Hope and All. DIRECT III. Gr. Dir. 3. Understand well what it is to believe in the Holy Ghost and see that he dwell To believe in the Holy Ghost and live upon his Grace and operate in thee as the Life of thy soul and that thou do not resist or quench the Spirit but thankfully obey him § 1. EAch person in the Trinity is so believed in by Christians as that in Baptism they enter Scrutari temeritas est credere pietas nesse vita Bernard de consid ad Eâ—geâ— l. 5. distinctly into Covenant with them which is to Accept the Mercies of and perform the 〈…〉 each person distinctly As to take God for Our God is more than to believe that there is a God â—nd to take Christ for Our Saviour is more than barely to believe that he is the Messiah so to Believe in the Holy Ghost is to take him for Christs Agent or Advocate with our souls and for our Guide and Sanctifier and Comforter and not only to believe that he is the third person in the Trinity This therefore is a most practical Article of our Belief § 2. If the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost be the unpardonable sin then all sin against the Holy Ghost must needs have a special aggravation by being such And if the sin against the Holy Ghost be the greatest sin then our duty towards the Holy Ghost is certainly none of our smallest duties Therefore the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit and our duty towards him and sin against him deserve not the least or
To be as like God in all his communicable excellencies as is agreeable to our created state and capacity 2. And to have as near and full communion with him as we can attain to and enjoy § 7. 7. The Will of God and his Goodness and Holiness is more nearly propounded to us to be the Rule of our Conformity than his Power and his Knowledge Therefore his Law is most immediately the expression of his Will and our Duty and Goodness lyeth in our Conformity to his Law being Holy as he is Holy Because I may not stand on the particulars I shall give you a brief imperfect Scheme of that of God which you must thus know GOD is to be known by us I. As â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— I. In his BEING Qâ—od â—â—â—â— 1. One and indivisible In Three Persons 2. Immense and incomprehensible 3. Eternal 1. The FATHER 2. The SON 3. The HOLY GHOST 1. Necessary 2. Independent 3. Immutable II. In his NATURE Quod â—â—t A SPIRIT 1. Simple uncompounded 2. Impassionate incoruptible immortal 3. Invisible intactible c. and LIFE it self 1. POWER 2. UNDERSTANDING 3. WILL. III. In his PERFECTIONS Qâ—aliâ—â—â—â—â— 1. OMNIPOTENT 2. OMNISCIENT 3. MOST GOOD 1. MOST GREAT 2. MOST WISE 3. MOST HOLY and HAPPY 1. BEING HIMSELF 2. KNOWING HIMSELF 3. LOVING ENJOYING HIMSELF II. As Râ—laâ—â—d to his Creatures I. The EFFICIENT Cause of all things Rom. 9. 36. OF HIM 1. CREATOR Conserver 1. Our OWNER or LORD most Absolute Free and Irresistible d 1. Our Life and Strength and Safety e 1. Perfecting our Natures in Heavenly Life II. The DIRIGENT Cause THROUGH HIM 2. REDEEMER Saviour 2. Our RULER or KING 1. By Legislation 2. Judgement 3. Execution Absolute Perfect True Holy Just Merciful Patient Terrible 2. Our Light and Wisdom 2. Whom we shall behold in Glorious Light III. The FINAL Cause TO HIM are all things To him be Glory for ever Amen 3. REGENERATOR Sanctifier 3. Our BENEFACTOR or FATHER 1. Most Loving 2. Most Bountiful 3. Most Amiable Patient Merciful Constant. Causally and Objectively d 3. Our Love and Ioy And so our End and Rest and Happiness hereafter e 3. Whom we shall Please and Love and be Pleased in him and Loved by him Rejoyce in him Praise him and so Enjoy him Perfectly and Perpetually See these Practically opened and improved in the First Part of my Divine Life The more full Explication of the Attributes fit for the more capacious is reserved for another Tractate § 8. For the right improvement of the Knowledge of all these Attributes of God I must refer you Do Dâ—s ita uâ— sunt loquere Bias iâ—l â—â—â—â— â—â—g Paâ—â—i Sâ—alâ—gâ—i â—â—â—â—â— sâ—s de 〈◊〉 Mâ—â—do Ep. Cath. l 14. God never wrought Miracâ—e to convince Atheism because his ordinary works convince it â— Baâ—oâ— Essay 16. p. 87. Deus est mens soluta libera legâ—egata ab omni concretione mortall omnia seâ—â—â—â—enâ— movens c. Cicero 1. Tâ—â—cul to the fore-mentioned Treatise The acts which you are to exercise upon God are these 1. The clearest Knowledge you can attain to 2. The firmest Belief 3. The highest Estimation 4. The greatest Admiration 5. The â—eartiest and sweetest Complacency or Love 6. The strongest Desire 7. A filial Awfulness Reverence and Fear 8. The boldest quietting Trust and confidence in him 9. The most fixed Waiting Dependance Hope and Expectation 10. The most absolute self-resignation to him 11. The fullest and quiettest submission to his disposals 12. The humblest and most absolute subjection to his Governing Authority and Will and the exactest obedience to his Laws 13. The boldest courage and fortitude in his cause and owning him before the world in the greatest sufferings 14. The greatest Thank fulness for his Mercies 15. The most faithful improvement of his Talents and use of his Means and performance of our trust 16. A reverent and holy use of his Name and Word with a Reverence of his Secrets forbearing to intrude or meddle with them 17. A wise and cautelous observance of his Providences publick and private neither neglecting them nor mis-interpreting them neither running before them nor striving discontentedly against them 18. A disâ—â—rning loving and honouring his Image in his children notwithstanding their infirmities and faults without any friendship to their faults or over magnifying or imitating them in any evil 19. A reverent serious spiritual adoration and worshipping him in publick and private with soul and body in the use of all his holy Ordinances but especially in the joyful celebration of his Praise for all his Perfections and his Mercies 20. The highest Delight and fullest Content and Comfort in God that we can attain Especially a Delight in Knowing him and Obeying and Pleasing him Worshipping and Praising him Loving him and being beloved of him through Jesus Christ and in the hopes of the Perfecting of all these in our Everlasting fruition of him in Heavenly Glory All these are the Acts of Piety towards God which I lay together for your easier observation and memory But some of them must be more fully opened and insisted on DIRECT V. Remember that God is your Lord or Owner and see that you make an absolute Gr. Dir. 5. Of Self-resignation to God as our Owner Resignation of your selves and all that you have to him as his Own and Use your selves and all accordingly Trust him with his Own and rest in his disposals § 1. OF this I have already spoken in my Sermon of Christs Dominion and in my Directions for a sound Conversion and therefore must but touch it here It is easie notionally to know and say that God is our Owner and we are not our Own But if the Habitual Practical knowledge of it were as easie or as common the happy effects of it would be the sanctification and reformation of the world I shall first tell you what this Duty is and how it is to be performed and then what fruits and benefits it will produce and what should move us to it § 2. I. The duty lyeth in these acts 1. That you consider the Ground of Gods Propriety in you Persuasum hoc sit à principiâ— hominibus dominos esse omnium rerum ac moderatores Deos eaque quae gâ—raâ—â—ur coâ—um geâ—i dâ—â—â—â—one aâ—que numâ—nâ— Et qâ—â—â—â—â— quisque â—â—â—â— quâ—â— agat quâ—d in se admiâ—â—aâ— qua mâ—nte qua pâ—etaâ—e â—olat râ—ligiâ—nem intue â— pâ—orumque impâ—orum habere ratâ—onem 〈◊〉 â— dâ—â—â—â—â— 1. In making you of Nothing and preserving you 2. In Redeeming you by purchase 3. In Regenerating you and renewing you for himself The first is the Ground of his Common Natural Propriety in you and all things The second is the Ground of his Common Gracious Propriety in you and all men as Purchased by Christ Rom. 14. 9 Iohn 13. 3. The third is the Ground of his special Gracious Propriety in you and all his sanctified peculiar people Understand and acknowledge what a Plenary
thus you must do The eye maketh an easier and deeper impression on the imagination and mind than the ear doth Therefore Christs example should be much preached and studied It will be a very great help to us to have still upon our minds the Image of the Holy Life of Christ that we be affected as if we always saw him doing the holy actions which once he did Paul calls the Galathians foolish and bewitched that obeyed not the truth when Christ had been set forth as crucified among them evidently before their eyes Gal. 3. 1. Papists think that Images serve well for this turn But the Records of Scripture and the living Images of Christ whom they persecute and kill are farr more useful How much example is more operative than doctrine alone you may perceive by the enemies of Christ who can bear his holy doctrine when they cannot bear his holy Servants that practise that doctrine before their eyes And that which most stirs up their enmity hath the advantage for exciting the believers piety Let the Image of Christ in all his holy examples be allways lively written upon your minds 1. Let the great ones of the world remember that their Lord was not born of such as bore rule or were in worldly pomp and dignity but of persons that lived but meanly in the world however they were of the royal line How he was not born in a pallace but a stable and laid in a manger without the attendance or accommodations of the rich 2. Remember how he subjected himself unto his reputed Father and his Mother to teach all Children Luke â— 51. subjection and obedience 3. And how he condescended to labour at a Trade and mean imployment in the world to teach us that our Bodies as well as our Minds must express their obedience and have their ordinary imployment and to teach men to labour and live in a calling and to comfort poor labourers with assurance that God accepteth them in the meanest work and that Christ himself lived so before them and chose their kind of life and not the life of Princes and Nobles that live in Pomp and Ease and Pleasure 4. Remember how he refused not to submit to all the ordinances of God and to fullfil all righteousness and to be initiated into the solemn administration of his office by the Baptism of Iohn Mat. 3. 15 1â— 17. which God appoved by sending down upon him the Holy Ghost To teach us all to expect his Spirit in the use of his ordinances 5. Remember how he voluntarily begun his work with an encounter with the Tempter in the Wilderness upon his fasting and suffered the Tempter to proceed till he moved him to the most odious sin even to worship the Devil himself To teach us that God loveth tryed Servants and expecteth that we be not turned from him by temptations especially those that enter upon a publick ministry must be tryed men that have overcome the Tempter and to comfort tempted Christians who may remember that their Saviour himself was most blasphemously tempted to as odious sins as ever they were and that to be greatly tempted without consenting or yielding to the sin is so farr from being a sin in it self that it is the greatest honour of our obedience and that the Devil who molesteth and haunteth us with his temptations is a conquered enemy whom our Lord in person hath overcome 6. Remember how earnestly and constantly he preached not stories or jingles or subtile controversies but Repentance and faith and self-denial and obedience So great was his Love to souls that when he had auditors he preached not only in the Temple and Synagogues but in mountains and in a ship and any other convenient place and no fury of the Rulers or Pharises could silence him till his hour was come having his Fathers Commission And even to particular persons he vouchsafed by conference to open the Mysteries of Salvation To teach us to love and attend to John 3. 4. the plain and powerful preaching of the Gospel and not to forbear any necessary means for the honour of God and the saving of souls because of the enmity or opposition of malitious men but to work while it is day seeing the night is coming when none can work John 9. 4. 7. Remember how compassionate he was to mens bodys as well as to their souls going up and down with unwearied diligence doing good healing the blind and lame and deaf and sick and possessed and how all his miracles were done in charity to do good and none of them to do hurt So that he was but living walking LOVE and MERCY To teach us to know God in his Love and Mercy and to abound in Love and Mercy to our brethren and to hate the spirit of hurtfulness persecution and uncharitableness and to lay out our selves in doing good and to exercise our compassion to the bodys of men as well as to their souls according to our power 8. Remember how his Zeal and Love endured the reproach and resisted the opposition of his friends who went to lay hold on him as if he had been besides himself And â—ow he bid Peter Get Mat 3. 20 21 Mat. 16. 22 23. behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things of God but those of men when in caâ—nal Love and wisdom he rebuked him for resolving to lay down his life saying Be it farr from thee this shall not be unto thee To teach us to expect that carnal Love and Wisdom in our nearest friends will rise up against us in the work of God to discourage us both from duty and from sufferings and that all are to be shaken off and counted as the instruments of Satan that would tempt us to be unfaithful to our trust and duty and to savour our selves by a sinâ—ul avoiding of the sufferings which God doth call us to undergo 9. Remember how through all his life he despised the Riches of the world and chose a life of poverty and was a companion of the meanest neither possessing nor seeking sumptuous houses or great attendance or spacious lands or a large estate He lived in a visible contempt of all the wealth and splendor and greatness of the world To teach us how little these little things are to be esteemed â—nd that they are none of the treasure and portion of a Saint and what a folly it is to be fond of â—â—â—â—h snares and diversions and temptations which make the way to Heaven to be to us as a needlâ—â—s â—yâ— 10. Observe how little he regarded the honour and applause of men how he made himself of no 〈…〉 6. 15 refutation 〈◊〉 took upon him the form of a Servant refusing to be made a King or to have a Kingdom of this â—â—â—â—ld Though he told malignant Blasphemers how greatly they sinned in dishonouring him yet did he not seek the honour of the world To teach
Father of lyes and error than for the School of Christ. Except Conversion make men as little children that come not to caâ—p and cavil but to learn they are not meet for the Kingdom of Christ. Matth. 18. 3. John 3. 3 5. Know how blind and ignorant you are and how dull of learning and humbly beg of the Heavenly Teacher that he will accept you and illuminate you and give up your understandings absolutely to be informed by him and your Hearts to be the Tables in which his Spirit shall write his Law Believing his doctrine upon the bare account of his infallible Veracity and resolving to obey it and this is to be the Disciples of Christ indeed and such as shall be taught of God § 11. Direct 10. Come to the School of Christ with honest willing hearts that Love the truth and Direct 10. â—ain would know it that they may obey it and not with false and byassed hearts which secretly hinder the understanding from entertaining the truth because they love it not as being contrary to their carnal inclinations and interest The word that was received into Honest hearts was it that was as the seed that brought forth plentifully Matth. 13. 23. When the Heart saith unfeignedly Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Teach me to know and do thy will God will not leave such a Learner in the dark Most of the damnable ignorance and error of the world is from a wicked heart that perceiveth that the Truth of God is against their fleshly interest and lusts and therefore is unwilling to obey it and unwilling to believe it lest it torment them because they disobey it A will that 's secretly poysoned with the Love of the world or of any sinful lusts and pleasures is the most potent impediment to the believing of the truth § 12. Direct 11. Learn with quietness and peace in the School of Christ and make not divisions and Direct 11. meddle not with others lessons and matters but with your own Silence and quietness and minding your own business is the way to profit The turbulent wranglers that are quarrelling with others and are religions contentiously in envy and strife are liker to be corrected or ejected than to be edified Read Iames 3. § 13. Direct 12. Remember that the School of Christ hath a Rod and therefore learn with fear and Direct 12. reverence Heb. 12. 28 29. Phil. 2. 12. Christ will sharply rebuke his own if they grow negligent and oftend And if he should cast thee out and forsake thee thou art undone for ever See therefore that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they sâ—aped not that refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we if we refuse him that is from Heaven Heb. 12. 25. For how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that â—eard him God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Heb. 2. 3 4. Serve the Lord therefore with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son left he be angry and you perish in the kindling of his wrath Psal. 2. 11 12. DIRECT VIII Gr. Dir. 6. To obev Christ as our Physicion in his healing work and his Spirit in its cleansing mortifying work Remember that you are Related to Christ as the Physicion of your souls and to the Holy Ghost as your Sanctifier Make it therefore your serious study to be cured by Christ and cleansed by his Spirit of all the sinful diseases and defilements of your hearts and lives § 1. THough I did before speak of our Believing in the Holy Ghost and using his help for our access to God and converse with him yet I deferred to speak fully of the Cleansing and Mortifying part of his work of Sanctification till now and shall treat of it here as it is the same with the Curing work of Christ related to us as the Physicion of our souls it being part of our Subjection and Obedience to him to be Ruled by him in order to our cure And what I shall here write against sin in general will be of a twofold use The one is to help us against the inward corruptions of our hearts and for the outward obedience of our lives and so to further the work of Sanctification and prevent our sinning The other is to help us to Repentance and Humiliation habitual and actual for the sins which are in us and which we have already at any time committed § 2. The General Directions for this curing and cleansing of the soul from sin are contained for the most part in what is said already and many of the particular Directions also may be fetcht from the sixth Direction before going I shall now add but two General Directions and many more Particular ones Direct 1. I. The two General Directions are these 1. Know what corruptions the soul of man is naturally Direct 1. defiled with And this containeth the knowledge of those faculties that are the seat of thâ—se corruptions and the knowledge of the corruptions that have tainted and perverted the several faculties Direct 2. 2. Know what sin is in its nature or intrinsick evil as well as in the effects Direct 2. How the several faculties of the soul are corrupted and diseased § 3. 1. The Parts or faculties to be cleansed and cured are both the Superiour and Inferiour 1. The Understanding though not the first in the sin must be first in the cure For all that is done upon the Lower faculties must be by the Governing power of the will And all that is done upon the will ac cording to the order of humane nature must be done by the Understanding But the Understanding hath its own diseases which must be known and cured It s malady in general is Ignorance which is not only a privation of actual knowledge but an undisposedness also of the understanding to know the truth A man may be deprived of some actual knowledge that hath no disease in his mind that causeeth In what cases a sound understanding may be ignorant it as in case that either the object be absent and out of reach or that there be no sufficient Revelation of it or that the mind be taken up wholly upon some other thing or in case a man shut out the thoughts of such an object or refuse the evidence which is the act of the will even as a man that is not blind may yet not see a particular object 1. In case it be out of his natural reach 2. Or if it be night and he want extrinsick light 3. Or in case he be wholly taken up with the observation of other things 4. Or in case he wilfully either shut or turn away his eyes It is a very hard question to resolve how far and wherein the
Idolatry 8. A perverse Spirit causing staggering and giddiness as a drunken man Isa. 19. 14. § 5. In the New Testament 1. He is sometimes called simply a Spirit Mar. 9. 20 26. Luke 9. 39. 10. 20. 2. Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unclean Spirits Luke 6. 18. as contrary to the Holy Spirit and that from their Nature and effects 3. And after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doemons a word taken in a good sense in Heathen Writers but not in Scripture because they worshipped Devils under that name unless perhaps Acts 17. 18. 1 Tim. 4. 1. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect to their knowledge and as some think to the knowledge promised to Adam in the temptation 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tempter Mat. 4. 5. Satan Mat. 4. 1 Pet. 5. 8. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an enemy Mat. 13. 28 39. 7. The strong man armed Mat. 12. 8. Angels 1 Cor. 6. 3. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Angels which kept not their first state Jude 6. 9. A Spirit of divination Acts 16. 16. 10. A roaring Lyon 1 Pet. 5. 8. 11. A Murderer John 8. 44. 12. Belial 2 Cor. 6. 15. 13. Beelzebub Mat. 12. the God of flies 14. The Prince of this world John 12. 21. from his power over wicked men 15. The God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 5. because the world obey him 16. The Prince of the power of the air Eph. 2. 2. 17. The Ruler of the darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. Principalities and powers 18. The Father of the wicked John 8. 44. 19. The Dragon and the old Serpent Rev. 12. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the calumniatâ—r or false accuser often 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil one Mat. 23. 19. 22. An evil Spirit Acts 19. 15. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destroyer and Abaddon the King of the Locusts and Angel of the bottomless pit Rev. 9. 11. unless that speak of Antichrist § 6. 3. He is too strong an enemy for lapsed sinful man to deal with of himself If he conquered us in innocency what may he do now He is dangerous 1. By the greatness of his subtilty 2. By the greatness of his Power 3. By the greatness of his Malice And hence 4. By his constant diligence watching when we sleep Mat. 13. 25. and seeking night and day to devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. Rev. 12. 4 § 7. 4. Therefore Christ hath engaged himself in our Cause and is become the Captain of our See my Treatise against Infidelity as before cited salvation Heb. 2. 10. And the world is formed into two Armies that live in continual War The Devil is the Prince and General of one and his Angels and wicked men are his Armies Christ is the King and General of the other and his Angels Heb. 2. 14. and Saints are his Army Between these two Armies are the greatest conflict in the world § 7. 5. It is supposed also that this War is carried on on both sides within us and without us by inward solicitations and outward means which are fitted thereunto § 8. 6. Both Christ and Satan work by Officers instruments and means Christ hath his Ministers 1 Cor. 3. 5. 4 1. 2 Cor. 11. 15. Acts 13. 8 9 10. to preach his Gospel and pull down the Kingdom of Satan And Satan hath his Ministers to preach licentiousness and lies and to resist the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ. Christ hath his Church and the Devil hath his Synagogue Christs Souldiers do every one in their places fight for him against the Devil And the Devils Souldiers do every one in their places fight against Christ. The Generals are both unseen to mortals and the unseen Power is theirs but their Agents are visible The Souldiers fight not only against the Generals but against one another but it is all or chiefly for the Generals sakes It is Christ that the wicked persecute in his Servants Acts 9. 4. And it is the Devil whom the godly hate and resist in the wicked But yet here are divers notable differences 1. The Devils Servants do not what they do in love to him but to their own flesh but Christs Servants do what they do in Love to him as well as to themselves 2. The Devils Army are cheated into Arms and War not knowing what they do But Christ doth all in the open light and will have no servants but those that deliberately adhere to him when they know the worst 3. The Devils servants do not know that he is their General but Christs followers do all know their Lord. 4. The Devils followers disown their Master and their work they will not own that they fight against Christ and his Kingdom while they do it But Christs followers own their Captain and his cause and work for he is not a master to be ashamed of § 9. 7. Both Christ and Satan work perswasively by moral means and neither of them by constraint and force Christ forceth not men against their wills to good and Satan cannot force them to be bad but all the endeavour is to make men willing and he is the Conquerour that getteth and keepeth our own consent § 10. 8. Their Ends are contrary and therefore their wayes are also contrary The Devils end is to draw man to sin and to damnation and to dishonour God And Christs end is to draw men from sin to Holiness and salvation and to honour God But Christ maketh known his end and Satan concealeth his End from his followers § 11. 9. There is somewhat within the good and bad for the contrary part to work upon and we are as it were divided in your selves and have somewhat in us that is on both sides The wicked have an honourable acknowledgement of God and of their greatest obligation to him a hatred to the Devil a love of themselves a willingness to be happy and an unwillingness to be miserable and a conscience which approveth of more good than they do and condemneth much of their transgression This is some advantage to the perswasions of the Ministers of Christ to work upon And they have Reason capable of knowing more The Souldiers of Christ have a fleshly appetite and the remnants of ignorance and error in their minds and of earthliness and carnality and averseness to God in their wills with a nearness to this world and much strangeness to the world to come And here is too much advantage for Satan to work on by his temptations § 12. 10. But it is the predominant part within us and the scope of our lives which sheweth which of the Armies we belong to And thus we must give up our names and hearts to Christ and engage under his Conduct against the Devil and conquer to the death if we will be saved Not to fight against the bare Name of the Devil for so will his own Souldiers and spit at his name and hang a Witch that makes a contract with him But it is
in our practice 99. For it is specially to be noted that the Doctrinal or Objective means of Love which Christ doth use and his internal spiritual influx do concur And his way is not to work on us by his spirit alone without those objects nor yet by the objects without the spirit nor by both distinctly and dividedly as producing several effects But by both conjunctly for the same effect The spirits influx causing us effectually to improve the objects and reasons of our Love As the hand that useth the seal and the seal it self make one impression 100. As Christ began to win our Love to God by the excitation of our self love multiplying and revealing Gods mercies to our selves so doth he much carry it on to increase the same way For while every day addeth fresh experience of the greatness of Gods Love to us by this we have a certain Tast that God is Love and Good in Himself and so by degrees we learn to Love him more for himself and to improve our notional esteem of his Essential Goodness into Practical 101. Though Faith it self is not wrought in us without the Holy Ghost nor is it if sincere a common gift yet this operation of the spirit drawing us to Christ by such arguments and means as are fitted to the work of believing is different from the Consequent Covenant-right to Christ and the spirit which is given to Believers and from the spirit of Adoption as recovering us as aforesaid to the Love of God 102. In this last sense it is that the Holy Ghost is said to dwell in Believers and to be the new name the pledge the earness the first fruits of life eternal the witness of our right to Christ and life and Christs agent and witness in us to maintain his cause and interest 103. Even as a man that by sickness hath lost his Appetite to meat is told that such a physicion will cure him if he will take a certain medicinal food that he will give him And at first he taketh it without appetite to the food or medicine in it self but meerly for the Love of health but after he is doubly brought to Love it for it self First because he hath tasted the sweetness of that which he did but see before and next because his health and appetite is recovered so is it with the soul as to the Love of God procured by believing When we have tasted through the perswasion of self-love our tast and recovery cause us to Love God for himself 104. When the soul is risen to this Habitual predominant Love of GOD and Holiness as such for their own Goodness above its own felicity as such though ever in conjunction with it and as his felicity it self then is the Law written in the Heart and this Love is the virtual fullfilling of all the Law And for such it is that it is said that the Law is not made that is In that measure that they Love the Good for it self they need not be moved to it with threats or Promises of extrinsick things which work but by self-love and fear Not but that Divine Authority must concur with Love to produce obedience especially while Love is but imperfect but that Love is the highest principle making the commanded Good connatural to us 105. And I think it is this spirit of Adoption and Love which is called The Divine Nature in us as it inclineth us to Love God and Holiness for it self as Nature is inclined to self-love and to food and other necessaries Not that the specifick essential Nature that is substance or form of the soul is changed and man Deified and he become a God that was before a man But his humane Soul or Nature is elevated or more perfected as a sick man by health or a blind man by his sight by the spirit of God inclining him habitually to God himself as in and for himself And this is all which the publisher of Sir H. Vanes notions of the two Covenants and two Natures can soundly meâ—n and seemeth to grope after 106. By all this you see that as the Love of God hath a double self-love in us to deal with so it dealeth variously with each 1. Sensual inordinate self-love it destroyeth both as it consisteth in the inordinate Love of sensual pleasure and in the inordinate love of self or life 2. Lawful and just self-love it increaseth and improveth to our further good but subjecteth it to the highest purest Love of God 107. By this you may gather what a confirmed Christian is even one in whom the pure Love of God as God and all things for God is predominant and more potent than not only the vicious but also the good and lawful and necessary love of himself 108. Though Christians therefore must study themselves and keep up a care of their own salvation yet must they much more study God his Greatness Wisdom and Goodness as shining in his works and word and in his Son and as foreseen in the Heavenly Glory And in this knowledge of God and Christ is life eternal And nothing more tendeth to the holy advancement and perfection of the soul than to keep continually due apprehensions of the Divine Nature Properties and Glorious appearances in his works upon the Soul so as it may become a constant course of contemplation and the habit and constitution of the mind and the constant guide of Heart and Life 109. The attainment of this would be a tast of Heaven on Earth Our wills would follow the will of God and Rest therein and abhor reluctancy All our duty would be both quickned and sweetned with Love Self-interest would be disabled from either seducing us to sin or vexing us with griefs cares fears or discontents We should so far trust soul and body in the Will and Love of God as to be more comforted that both are at his will than if they were absolutely at our own And GOD being our All the constant fixing satisfying object of our Love our souls would be constantly fixed and satisfied and live in such experience of the sanctifying grace of Christ as would most powerfully conquer our unbelief and in such foretasts of Heaven as would make Life sweet Death wellcome and Heaven unspeakably desirable to us But it is not the meer Love of personal Goodness as our own perfection that would do all this upon us 110. The soul that is troubled with doubts whether he Love God as God or only as a means of his own felicity in subordination to self-love must thus resolve his doubts If you truly believe that God is God that is the Efficient Dirigent and Final cause the just end of every rational agent the Infinite Good and chiefly to be loved in comparison of whom you are vile contemptible and as nothing If you feelingly take your self as lothsome by sin If you would not take up with an everlasting sensual pleasure alone without Holiness if you could
The definition is false as hath been shewed and as the instance proveth else a man could not be said to love Learning Virtue or any quality but only to love the person that wanteth it or hath it But Love is a Complacency and benevolence is but its effect or antecedent 2. The unholy wish not good to God for they would all depose him from his Godhead They would not have him to be a hater of their sin nor to be their Holy and Righteous Governour and Judge Object 9. It is better to Be a man though a sinner and miserable in Hell than not to be at all Else God would never ordain cause or permit it Answ. 1. It is better to the highest ends Gods Glory and the Universal Order to be a punished man than to be nothing when God will have it so Because Punishment as to those highest ends is good Though it is not best for the poor miserable sinner But the same cannot be said of sin It is indeed better also to those highest ends to be a Man though a sinner while God continueth humanity But not to be a Man and a sinner For the latter implyeth some Good to be in the sin which hath no Good and therefore God neither causeth it nor willeth it though he permit it But though a sinful man is better than no man to Gods ends it followeth not that to be a man is better than to be a good man Object 10. If that be best and most amiable which is most to the glory of God then it is more amiable to be a sinner in Hell torment glorifying his Iustice than not to be at all or to be a bruit Answ. 1. It is neither of these that is offered to your Love and Choice but to be Holy All Good is not matter of Election But that Good which is in Hell is not the sin but the punishment For the sin doth reputatively and as much as in it lyeth rob God of his glory and punishment repaireth it Therefore love the punishment if you can and spare not so you love Holiness better For that would honour God more excellently and please him more Object 11. If I must love to be like God I must love to be Great and I must Love the Greatest as mâ—st like him Answ. You must love to be like him in those perfections which you are capable of and to the ends and uses of your proper nature Therefore you must be desirous to be like him in your measure even in such Power and Greatness as is suitable to the Nature and Ends of a Rational soul. Not in such strength as he giveth a Horse or such magnitude as he giveth a Mountain which is not to be most like him But in the vital activity and power of an Intellectual free-agent To be Powerful and great in Love to God and all his service and in all good works to be profitable to the world to be lively and ready in all obedience strong to suffer and to conquer sin and all temptations In a word to be Great and Powerful in Wisdom and true Goodness Thus seek even in Power to be like to God in your Capacities Object 12. God himself doth not love men only for their Goodness nor Love that best which is best For he loveth his Elect while enemies and ungodly and he telleth Israel he loved them because he would love them and not because they were better than others And in the womb he loved Jacob best when he was no better than Esau. Answ. 1. Distinguish between Gods Complacence and Benevolence 2 Between the good that is present and foreseen good with a present capacity for it 1. God had a greater Benevolence to Iacob than Esau and to the Israelites than to other Nations that were perhaps not much worse And it is not for our Goodness that God decreeth to make us good or to give us a double proportion of any of those mercies which he giveth not as Rector but as Dominus and Benefactor as an absolute Owner and free Benefactor And with this Love of Benevolence he loveth us when we are his enemies that is he purposeth to make us good But this benevolence is but a secundary Love and fruit of Complacency joyned with the free unequal distribution of his own 2. But for Complacency which is Love in the first and strictest sense God so loveth the wicked though Elect no farther than they are Good and Lovely that is 1. As they have the Natural Goodness of Rational Creatures 2. And as they are capable of all the future service they will do him and glory they will bring him 3. And as his Infinite Wisdom knoweth it fit to choose them to that service Or if the Benevolence of Election do go before his first Complacence in them above others as being before his foresight that they will serve and love him better yet still this proper Love called Complacence goeth not beyond the worth of the thing loved Object Doth God love us Complacentially in Christ beyond the Good that is in us Answ. Not beyond our Real and Relative Good as we are in our selves by his grace and as we are in Christ related to him and both wayes such as demonstrate the Divine perfections and shall Love and Glorifie and Please him for ever So much for the opening of the true Nature of LOVE to God our selves and others and of mans ultimate end and of the Nature of Holiness and Goodness and those Mysteries of Religion which are involved in these points CHAP. IV. Subordinate Directions against those Grand heart-sins which are directly contrary to the Life of Godliness and Christianity THE positive Directions to the Essential Duties of Godliness and Christianity have already given you Directions * The recital of such sins as the former Positive Directions do detect and afford help against against the contrary sins As in the first Grand Direction you have helps against direct Unbelief In the second you have Directions against Unbelief as it signifieth the not using and applying of Christ according to our various needs In the third you have Directions against †Of the sin against the Holy Ghost I have written a special Treatise in my Unreasonableness of Infidelity all resisting or neglecting the Holy Ghost Which were first because in Practice we must come by the Son and the Spirit to the saving Knowledge and Love of the Father In the fourth you have Directions * Since the writing of this I have published the same more at large in my Reasons of the Christian Religion and in my Life of Faith against Atheism Idolatry and Ungodliness In the fifth you have Directions against self-idolizing and self-dependance and unholiness in an alienating your selves from God In the sixth you are Directed against Rebellion and Disobedience against God In the seventh you have Directions against Unteachableness Ignorance and Error In the eighth you have Directions against Impenitency
their opinion or sâ—ct We little consider how great a hand this Pride hath had in our desolations God hath been scattering the proud of all sorts in the imaginations of their own hearts â—â—ke 1. 51. § 88. Direct 7. Look to a humbled Christ to humble you Can you be proud while you believe Direct 7. that your Saviour was cloathed with flesh and lived in meanness and made himself of no reputation and was despised and scorned and spit upon by sinners and shamefully used and nailed as a malefactor to a cross The very incarnation of Christ is a condescension and humiliation enough to pose both â—â—th â—â—4 Mâ—â—â—â—0 men and Angels transcending all belief but such as God himself produceth by his supernatural testimony and spirit And can Pride look a crucified Christ in the face or stand before him Did God take upon him the form of a servant and must thou domineer and have the highest place Had Joâ—â— 1â— â—◠〈◊〉 2 â— 8 9 10. not Christ a place to lay his head on and must thou needst have thy adorned well-furnished rooms Must thou needs brave it out in the most fantastick fashion instead of thy Saviours seamless coat Doth he pray for his murderers And must thou be revenged for a word or petty wrong Is he patiently spit upon and buffeted And art thou ready through proud impatiencie to spit upon or busâ—â—t others Surely he that condemned sin in the flesh condemned no sin more than Pride § 89. Direct 8. Look to the examples of the most eminent saints and you will see they were all Direct 8. most eminent in humility The Apostles before the coming down of the Holy Ghost on them contended which of them should be the greatest which Christ permitted that he might most sharply rebuke it and leave his warning to all his Ministers and Disciples to the end of the world that they 〈◊〉 12. 7. 〈◊〉 44 13. that would be greatest must be the servants of all and that they must by conversion become as little children or never enter into the Kingdom of God But afterward in what humility did these Apostles labour and live and suffer in the world Paul made himself a servant unto all that he might gain the more though he was free from all men 1 Cor. 9. 19. They submitted themselves to all the injuries and affronts of men to be accounted the plagues and troublers of the world and as the scorn 1 Cor. 4. 12 13 14 15. Acts 24. 5. and off-scouring of all things and a gazing stock to Angels and to men And are you better than they If you are you are more humble and not more proud § 90. Direct 9. Look to the holy Angels that condescend to minister for man and think on the blessed Direct 9. souls with God how far they are from being proud And remember if ever thou come to Heaven how far thou wilt he from pride thy self Such a sight as Isaiahs would take doâ—n pride Isa. 6. 1 2 3. I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple Above it stood the Sâ—raphims Each one had six wings with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he fled signifying Humility Purity and obedience And one cryed unto another and said Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts His Glory is the fulness of the whole earth So Rev. 4. 8. and vers 10. The Elders fâ—ll down and â—ast down their Crowns before him that sitteth on the Throne Look up to Heaven and you 'l abhor your pride § 91. Direct 10. Look upâ—n the great imperfection of thy grace and duties Should that man be Direct 10. proud that hath so little of the spirit and image of Jesus Christ That believeth no more and feareth God no more And loveth him no more And can no better trust in him nor rest upon his word and love Nor no more delight in him nor in his holy laws and service One would think that the lamentable weakness of any one of all these graces should take down pride and abase you in your own eyes Is he a Christian that doth not even abhor himself when he perceiveth how little he loveth his God and how little all his meditations on the Love and blood of Christ and of the infinite Goodness of God and of the heavenly Glory do kendle the fire and warm his heart Can we observe the darkness of our minds and ignorance of God and strangness to the life to come and the woful weakness of our faith and not be abased to a loathing of our selves Can we choose but even abhor those hearts that can love a friend and love the toys and vanities of this life and yet can love their God no more That take no more pleasure in his name and praise and word and service when they can find pleasure in the accomodations of their flesh Can we choose but loath those hearts that are so averse to God so loth to think of him so loth to pray to him so weary of prayer or holy meditation or any duty and yet so forward to the business and recreations of the flesh Can we feel how coldly and unbelievingly we pray how ignorantly or carnalâ—y we discourse how confusedly and vainly we think and how slothfully we work and how unprofitably we live and yet be proud and not be covered with shame O for a serious Christian to feel how little of God of Christ of Heaven is upon his heart and how little appeareth in any eminent holiness and fruitfullness and heavenliness of life is so humbling a consideration that we have much ado to own our selves and not lie down as utterly desolate Should that soul admit a thought of pride that hath so little Grace as to be uncertain whether he have any at all in sincerity or not That cannot with assurance call God Father or plead his interest in Christ or in the promises nor knoweth not if he dye this hour whether he shall go to Heaven or Hell Should he be proud that is no readier to dye and no more assured of the pardon of sin nor willinger to appear before the Lord If one pained member will make you groan and walk dejectedly though all the rest do feel no pain a soul that hath this universal weakness a weakness that is so sinful and so dangerous hath cause to be continually humbled to the dust § 92. Direct 11. Look upon thy great and manifold sins which dwell in thy heart and have been Direct 11. committed in thy life and there thou wilt see cause for great humiliation If thy body were full of Toads and Serpents and thou couldst see or feel them crawling in thee wouldst thou then be proud Why so many sins are ten thousand fold worse and should make thee far viler in thy own esteem If thou were possessed with Devils and knewest it wouldst
as all metaphors are equivocal and yet may be used 2. When the equivocal sense is the most usual or obvious and if it be not understood it is through the hearers fault or extraordinary dulness 3. When a Robber or usurping Tyrant or any cruel enemy that hath no authority to do it shall seek to ensnare my life by questions I may lawfully answer him in such doubtful words as purposely are intended to deceive him or leave him ignorant of my sense so be it they be not lies or false in the ordinary usage of those words 4. And to such a person I may answer doubtfully when it is apparent that it is a doubtful answer and that I do it as professing that I will answer him no more particularly nor plainly but will conceal the rest Quest. 6. Whether all mental reservation be unlawful Quest. 6. Answ. This needeth no other answer than the former If the expressed words be a Lie the mental Answ. reservation will not make them justifiable as a truth But if the expressed words of themselves be true then the mental reservation may be lawful when it is no more than a concealment of part of the truth in a case where we are not bound to reveal it But of both these cases I must refer the Reader to what I have said about Vows Tom. 3. Chap. 5. Tit. 2. without which he will not know my meaning Quest. 7. May Children Servants or Subjects in danger use words which tend to hide their faults Quest. 7. Answ. 1. When they are bound not to hide the fault they may not Which is 1. When due obedience Answ. or 2. the greater good which will follow require them to open it 2. When they are not bound to open it they may hide it by just means but not by Lies or any evil In what cases they may hide a fault by just means I shall here say no more to Quest. 8. May I speak that which I think is true but am not sure Quest. 8. Answ. If you have a just call you may say you think it is true but not flatly that it is so Answ. Quest. 9. May I believe and speak that of another by way of news discourse or character which I hear Quest. 9. reported by godly credible persons or by many Answ. 1. The main doubt is when you have a call to speak it which is answered after Tom. 4. at Answ. large 2. You may not so easily believe and report evil of another as good 3. You must not believe ill of another any further than evidence doth constrain you Yet you may believe it according to the degree of evidence or credibility and make use of the report for just caution or for good But not to defame another upon uncertainty or without a call 4. The sin of Receiving and spreading false reports of others upon hearsay is now so common among those that do profess Sobriety and Religion that all men should take heed of it in all company as they would do of the Plague in an infectious time And now it is so notorious that false news and slanders of others are so common neither good mens words nor common fame will allow you or excuse you to believe or report any evil of another till you are able to prove that it is your duty But all Christians should joyn in Lamenting and reproving this common uncharitable sin Tit. 4. Special Directions against Idle talk and Babling § 1. Direct 1. UNderstand well what is idle talk For many take that to be vain which is not Direct 1. and many take not that to be vain which is I shall therefore open this before I go any further § 2. The judgement of infidels and impious men here are of little regard 1. Some of them What is not idle talk think prayer to be but vain words because God knoweth our wants and hearts Iob. 22. 2 3. and our service is not profitable to him As if he had bid us seek him in vain Isa. 45. 19. These I have elsewhere Jâ—b 21 15. Mal. 3. â—4 confuted 2. Others think frequent preaching vain and say as the Infidels of Paul Act. 17. 18. What will this Babler say and as Pharaoh Exod. 5. 9. Let them not regard vain words But God saith Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life 3. Some carnal wretches think all vain in Gods service which is spiritual and which they understand not or which is above the reach of a fleshly mind 4. And some think all vain in Preaching Conference Writing or Prayer which is long But Christ spake Job 34 9 Heb. 13. â—5 no vain words when he prayed all night Luk. 6. 12. Nor are we bid pray in vain when we are bid pray continually instantly and importunately 1 Thes. 5. 17. Act. 6. 4. Luk. 18. 1 2. Nor did Paul speak idly when he preacht till midnight Act. 20. Godliness is not vain which is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. Indeed as to their own salvation the wicked may make our preaching vain but the word of God returneth not empty The oblations of the disobedient are vain Isa. 1. 13. and the prayer of the wicked abominable to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. 4. Some think all preaching vain of that which they know already whereas they have most need to hear of that lest they condemn themselves by sinning against their knowledge 2 Pet. 1. 12 13. Rom. 14. 22. 6. Some think it vain if the same things be often preached on or repeated see Phil. 3. 1. though yet they never received and obeyed them Or if the same words be oft repeated in prayer though it be not from emptiness or affectation but fervencie Mark 14. 39. Psalm 136. 119. 7. Unbelievers Isa. 49. 4â— 5. think our boasting in God is vain 2 King 18. 20. 8. And some malitious adversaries charge it on Ministers as Preaching in vain whenever the hearers are not converted See Heb. 4. 2. Gal. 5. 2. 3. 4. 4. 11. Isa. 53. 1. § 3. On the other side many that are godly mistake in thinking 1. That all talk is vain which is not of absolute necessity to some great use and end 2. And that all mirth and pleasant discourse 1 King 18 27. Prov. 29. 9. is vain Whereas the Holy Ghost saith Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit dryeth the bones Prov. 15. 13. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken Gen. 26. 8. King Abimelech saw Isaack sporting with Rebekah his wife Laughing as the Hebrew is or playing as the Chaldee and Samaritan and Sept. or jeasting as the Syriack Arabick and Vulgar Latine § 4. Observe these
knoweth what he is and what he hath done and what he hath deserved and in what a dangerous case his soul yet standeth must needs have his soul habituated to a humble frame Every penitent soul is vile in its own eyes and doth loath it self for its inward corruptions and actual sins And he that loatheth himself as vile will not be very desirous to have his sinful corruptible body seem fine nor by curious ornaments to attract And no wonder when the light of Nature reduced the serious sort of Philosophers to so plain a Garb no Socrates Zenocrates with almost all the Stâ—icks and Cyâ—â—ks and many of the Academicks and Pythagoreans the eyes of vain spectators How oft have I seen a proud vain Gallant suddenly cast off their bravery and gawdy gay attire and clothe themselves in plainness and sobriety as soon as God hath but opened their eyes and humbled their souls for sin and made them better know themselves and brought them home by true Repentance So that the next week they have not seemed the same persons And this was done by meer Humiliation without any arguments against their fashions or proud â—ttire As old Mr. Dod said when one desired him to preach against long hair Preach them once to Christ and true Repentance and they will cut their hair without our preaching against it As Pride would be seen in Proud apparel so humility will appear in a dress like it self though it desire not to be seen Maâ—k 1 Pet. 3. 3 4 5. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair or of wearing of Gold or of putting on of apparel that is curious dressing for adorning the body beyond plain simplicity of attire But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which in the sight of God is of great price For after this manner that is with inward Holiness and outward plainness in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their own husbands O that God would print those words upon your hearts 1 Pet. 5. 5. Yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Plainness among Christians is a greater honour than fine clothing Jam. 2. 2 3 4 5. 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefasteness and sobriety not with broidered hair or Gold or Pearl or costly array but which becometh women professing godliness with good works I intreat those that are addicted to bravery or curiosity to read Isa. 3. from ver 16. to the end § 21. Direct 12. Make not too great a matter of your clothing but use it with such indifferency as a Direct 12. thing so indifferent should be used Set not your hearts upon it For that is a worse sign that the excess in it self Take no thought wherewith ye shall be cloathed but remember how God clotheth the Lillies of the field Matth 6. 28. If you have food and rayment be therewith content though it be never so plain 1 Tim. 6. 8. § 22. Direct 13. Be not too censorious of others for different fashions of apparel Be as plain and Direct 13. modest your selves as you can But lay no greater stress on the fashions of others than there is cause If they be grosly impudent disown such fashions and seek to reform them But to carp at every one that goeth â—â—â—â—â— than your selves or to censure them as proud because their fashions are not like yours may be of worse signification than the fashions you find fault with I have oft observed more pride in such censures than I could observe in the fashions which they censured When you have your eye upon every fashion that is not according to your breeding or the custom of your rank or place and are presently branding such as proud or vain it sheweth an arrogant mind that steppeth up in the judgement seat and sentenceth those that you have nothing to do with before they are heard or you know their reasons Perhaps their fashion was as common among the modest sort where they have lived as your fashion is among those that you have converst with Custom and common opinion do put much of the signification upon fashions of apparel I Should next have given you special Directions about the Using of your Estates about your Of the proportion of our Estates to be given see my Letter to Mr. Goâ—ge Dwellings about your Meat and Drink and about your Honour or good Name But being loth the Book should prove too tedious I shall refer you to what is said before against Covetousness Pride and Gluttony c. and what is said before and after of Works of Charity and Family-Government AS to Sacred Habits and the different Garbs Laws Orders of Life Dyet c. of those called Religious Orders among the Papists Regular and Secular whether and how far such are lawful or sinful they are handled so largely in the Controversies of Protestants and Papists that I shall pass them by Only remembring the words of the Clergy of Ravenna to Carolus Iunior King of France inter Epist. Hincmari Rhemensis Discernendi à plebe vel caeteris sumus doctrina non veste conversatione non habitu mentis puritate non cultu Docendi enim potius sunt populi quam ludendi nec imponendum est eorum oculis sed mentibus praecepta sunt infundenda The End of the first Tome A Christian Directory Or A SUMM of PRACTICAL DIVINITY THE SECOND PART VIZ. Christian Oeconomicks OR THE FAMILY DIRECTORY Containing Directions for the true Practice of all Duties belonging to Family Relations with the Appurtenances By RICHARD BAXTER Josh. 24. 15. And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will serve But as for Me and my House we will serve the Lord. Deut. 6. 6 7 8. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy House and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up c. Dan. 6. 10. When Daniel knew that the Writing was signed he went into his House and his Window being open in his Chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and Prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime Acts 10. 1. 2. Cornelius a devout man and One that feared God with all his House which gave much Alms to the people and Prayed to God alwayes Ephes. 6. 4. Ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Psal. 101. 6 7. He that walketh in a perfect way
better understanding in a submissive and not a ruling masterly way A servant that hath a foolish master may help him without becoming Master And do not deceive your selves by giving the bare Titles of Government to your Husbands when yet you must needs in all things have your own Wills For this is but mockery and not obedience To be subject and obedient is to take the Understanding and will of another to Govern you before though not without your own and to make your Understandings and wills to follow the conduct of his that governeth you Self-willedness is contrary to subjection and obedience § 3. Direct 3. Learn of your Husbands as your appointed Teachers and be not self-conceited and wise Direct 3. in your own eyes but ask of them such instructions as your case requireth 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted to them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law and if they will learn any thing let them ask their husbands at home unless when the husband is so ignorant as to be utterly unable which is his sin and shame For it is vain to ask that of them which they know not § 4. Direct 4. Set your selves seriously to amend all those faults which they reprove in you Do not Direct 4. take it ill to be reproved swell not against it as if they did you harm or wrong It is a very ill sign to hate reproof Prov. 12. 1. and 10. 17. and 15 10 31 32. and 17. 10. And what doth their Government of you signifie if you will not amend the faults that are reproved in you but continue impenitent and grudge at the reproof It is a miserable folly to desire to be flattered and soothed by any but especially by one that is bound to be faithful to you and whose intimacy should make you as ready to hear of your faults from him as to be acquainted with them your selves and especially when it concerneth the safety or benefit of your souls § 5. Direct 5. Honour your Husbands according to their superiority Behave not your selves towards Direct 5. them with unreverence and contempt in titles speeches or any behaviour If the worth of their persons deserve not Honour yet their place deserveth it Speak not of their infirmities to others behind their backs as some twatling Gossips use to do that know not that their husbands dishonour is their own and that to open it causlesly to others is their double shame Those that silently hear you will tell others behind your back how foolishly and shamefully you spake to them against your Husbands If God have made your neerest friend an affliction to you why should you complain to one that is farther off unless it be to some special prudent friend in case of true necessity for advise § 6. Direct 6. Live in a cheerful contentedness with your condition and take heed of an impatient Direct 6. murmuring spirit It is a continual burden to a man to have an impatient discontented wife Many a poor man can easily bear his poverty himself that yet is not able to bear his Wives impatience under it To hear her night and day complaining and speaking distrustfully and see her live disquietedly is far heavier than his poverty it self If his Wife could bear it as patiently as he it would be but light to him Yea in case of suffering for righteousness sake the impatience of a wife is a greater tryal to a man than all the suffering it self and many a man that could easily have suffered the loss of his estate or banishment or imprisonment for Christ hath betrayed his Conscience and yielded to sin because his wife hath grieved him with impatiency and could not bear what he could bear Whereas a contented cheerful wife doth help to make a man cheerful and contented in every state § 7. Direct 7. In a special manner strive to subdue your passions and to speak and do all in meekness Direct 7. and sobriety The rather because that the weakness of your Sex doth usually subject you mâ—â—e to Passions than men And it is the common cause of the husbands disquietness and the calamity of your relation It is the vexation and sickness of your own minds you find not your selves at ease within as long as you are passionate And then it is the grief and disquietness of your Husbands And being provoked by you they provoke you more and so your disquietness increaseth and your lives are made a weary burden to you By all means therefore keep down passion and keep a composed patient mind § 8. Direct 8. Take heed of a proud and contentious disposition and maintain a humble peaceable Direct 8. temper Pride will make you turbulent and unquiet with your husbands and contentious with your neighbours It will make you foolish and ridiculous in striving for honour and precedency and envying those that exceed you or go before you In a word it is the Devils sin and would make you a shame and trouble to the world But Humility is the health the peace and the ornament of the soul 1 Pet. 3. 4. A meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price Write those words in your bed-chamber on the walls where they may be daily before your eyes Col. 3. 12. Put on as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another If this be the duty of all to one another much more of wives to husbands 1 Pet. 5. 5. Yea all of you be subject one to another and be cloathed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Proud women oft ruine their Husbands estates and quietness and their own souls § 9. Direct 9. Affect not a childish gawdiness of apparel nor a vain or costly or troublesom curiosity Direct 9. in any thing about you Uncleanness and nastiness is a fault but very small in comparison of this pride and curisioty It dishonoureth your Sex and selves to be so childish as to overmind such toyish things If you will needs be proud be proud of somewhat that is of worth and proper to a man To be proud of reason or wisdom or learning or goodness is bad enough but this is to be proud of something But to be proud of fashions and fine cloaths of spots and nakedness of sumptuous entertainments and neat rooms is to be proud of your shame and not your virtue and of that which you are not so much as commendable for And the cost the time O pretious time which themselves and their servants must lay out upon their dressings entertainments and other curiosities will be the shame and sorrow of their souls whenever God shall open their eyes and make them know what Time was worth and what greater matters they
and hope for audience when they beg for mercy and offer up prayer or praises to him § 15. III. In the Communication though the Sacrament have respect to the Father as the Joh. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 12 â—3 1 Cor. 15 45. Gal. 3. 14. 4. 6. Eph. 2. 22. principal Giver and to the Son as both the Gift and Giver yet hath it a special respect to the Holy Ghost as being that spirit given in the flesh and blood which quickeneth souls without which the flesh will profit nothing And whose Operations must convey and apply Christs saving benefits to us Ioh. 6. 63. 7. 39. § 16. These three being the parts of the Sacrament in whole as comprehending that sacred Action and participation which is essential to it The material Parts called the Relate and correlate are 1. Substantial and Qualitative 2. Active and passive 1. The first are the Bread and Wine as signs and the Body and Blood of Christ with his graces and benefits as the things signified and given The second are the Actions of Breaking Pouring out and Delivering on the Ministers part after the Consecration and the Taking Eating and Drinking by the Receivers as the sign And the thing signified is the Crucifying or Sacrificing of Christ and the Delivering himself with his benefits to the believer and the Receivers thankful Accepting and using the said gift To these add the Relative form and the ends and you have the definition of this Sacrament Of which see more in my Univers Concord p. 46 c. § 17. Direct 3. Look upon the Minister as the Agent or Officer of Christ who is commissioned by Direct 3. him to seal and deliver to you the Covenant and its benefits And take the Bread and Wine as if you heard Christ himself saying to you Take my Body and Blood and the pardon and Grace which is thereby purchased It is a great â—â—â—â—p in the application to have Mercy and pardon brought us by the hand of a commissioned Officer of Christ. § 18. Direct 4. In your preparation before hand take heed of these two extreams 1. That you Direct 4. come not prophanely and carelesly with common hearts as to a common work For God will be sanctified in them that draw near him Lev. 10. 3. And they that eat and drink unworthily not discerning the Lords Body from common bread but eating as if it were a common meal do eat death to Quinam auteâ—â— indigâ—i ineptive sint quibus Angelorum panis praebeatur sacerdoâ—um ipsoâ—um audâ—ta confessione â—aeâ—erisque perspectis judicium esto Acosta â— 6. c. 10. p. 549. themselves instead of life 2. Take heed lest your mistakes of the nature of this Sacrament should possess you with such fears of unworthy receiving and the following dangers as may quite discompose and unfit your souls for the joyful exercises of faith and Love and Praise and Thanksgiving to which you are invited Many that are scrupulous of Receiving it in any save a feasting gesture are too little careful and scrupulous of Receiving it in any save a feasting frame of mind The first extream is caused by Prophaneness and negligence or by gross ignorance of the nature of the Sacramental work The later extream is frequently caused as followeth 1. By setting this Sacrament at a greater distance from other parts of Gods worship than there is cause so that the excess of Reverence doth overwhelm the minds of some with terrours 2. By studying more the terrible words of eating and drinking damnation to themselves if they do it unworthily than all the expressions of Love and mercy which that blessed feast is furnished with So that when the Views of infinite Love should ravish them they are studying wrath and vengeance to terrifie them as if they came to Moses and not to Christ. 3. By not understanding what maketh a Receiver worthy or unworthy but taking their unwilling infirmities for condemning unworthiness 4. By Receiving it so seldom as to make it strange to them and increase their fear whereas if it were administred every Lords day as it was in the Primitive Churches it would better acquaint them with it and cure that fear that cometh from strangeness 5. By imagining that none that want Assurance of their own sincerity can receive in faith 6. By contracting an ill habit of mistaken Religiousness placeing it all in poâ—ing on themselves and mourning for their corruptions and not in studying the Love of God in Christ and living in the daily Praises of his name and joyful Thanksgiving for his exceeding mercies 7. And if besides all these the Body contract a weak or timerous melancholy distemper it will leave the mind capable of almost nothing but fear and trouble even in the sweetest works From many such causes it cometh to pass that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is become more terrible and uncomfortable to abundance of such distempered Christians than any other ordinance of God And that which should most comfort them doth trouble them most § 19. Quest. 1. But is not this Sacrament more holy and dreadful and should it not have more preparation Quest. 1. than other parts of worship Answ. For the degree indeed it should have very careful preparation And we cannot well compare it with other parts of worship as Praise Thanksgiving Covenanting with God Prayer c. because that all these other parts are here comprized and performed But doubtless God must also be sanctified in all his other worship and his name must not be taken in vain And when this Sacrament was received every Lords day and often in the week besides Christians were supposed to live continually in a state of general preparation and not to be so far from a due particular preparation as many poor Christians think they are § 20. Quest. 2. How often should the Sacrament be now administred that it neither grow into contempt Quest. 2. or strangeness Answ. Ordinarily in well disciplined Churches it should be still every Lords day For 1. We have no reason to prove that the Apostles example and appointment in this case was proper to those times any more than that Praise and Thanksgiving daily is proper to them And we may as well deny the obligation of other institutions or Apostolical orders as that 2. It is a part of the seâ—led order for the Lords days worship And omitting it maimeth and altereth the worship of the day and occasioneth the omission of the Thansgiving and Praise and lively commemorations of Christ which should be then most performed And so Christians by use grow habited to sadness and a mourning melancholy Religion and grow unacquainted with much of the worship and spirit of the Gospel 3. Hereby the Papists lamentable corruptions of this ordinance have grown up even by an excess of reverence and fear which seldom receiving doth increase till they are come to Worship Bread as their God 4. By seldom communicating men are
experiences thou wilt be very hardly kept from desperation Thou wilt read such passages as Heb. 6 4 5 6. and Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29. with so much horrour that thou wilt hardly be perswaded that there is any hope Thou wilt be ready to think that thou hast sinned against the Holy Ghost and that thou hast trampled underfoot the blood of the Covenant and done despite to the spirit of grace And thou wilt think that there is no being twice born again Or if thou be restored to Life thou wilt hardly ever be restored to thy comforts here if thy backsliding should be very great But indeed the danger is exceeding great lest thou never be recovered at all if once thou be twice dead and pluckt up by the roots Jud. 6. and lest God do finally forsake thee And then how desperate will be thy case § 35. 16. Is it not the example of Backsliders very terrible which God hath set up for the warning of his servants as monuments of his wrath Luk. 17. 32. Remember Lot's Wife saith Christ to them that are about to lose their estates or goods or lives by saving them How frightful is the remembrance of a Cain a Iudas a Saul a Ioas 2 Chron. 24. 2. a Iulian How sad is it to hear but such a one as Spira especially at his death crying out of his backsliding in the horrour of his soul and to see such ready to make away themselves § 36. 17. Consider that there is none that so much dishonoureth God as a Backslider Others are supposed to sin in ignorance But you do by your lives as bad as speak such blaspheamy as this against the Lord As if you should say I thought once that God had been the best Master and his servants the wisest and happiest men and Godliness the best and safest life but now I have tryed both and I find by experience that the Devil is a better master and his servants are the happiest men and the world and the flesh do give the truest contentment to the mind This is the plain blaspheamy of your lives And bethink thee how God should bear with this § 37. 18. There is none that so much hardeneth the wicked in his sin and furthereth the damnation of souls as the Backslider If you would but drive your Sheep or Cattle into a house those that go in first do draw the rest after them but those that run out again make all the rest afraid and run away One apostate that hath been noted for Religion and afterwards turneth off again doth discourage many that would come in For he doth as it were say to them by his practice Keep off and meddle not with a Religious life for I have tryed it and found that a life of worldliness and fleshliness is better And people will think with themselves Such a man hath tryed a Religious life and he hath forsaken it again and therefore he had some reason for it and knew what he did Woe to the world because of offences and woe to him by whom the offence shall come â—â—k 17. 1. Mat. 18. 7. How dreadful a thing is it think that mens souls should lie in Hell and you be the cause of it It were good for that man that a milstone were hanged about his neck and be were drowned in the depth of the Sea Matth. 18. 6 7. Luk. 17. 2. § 38. 19. There is none that are so great a terrour to weak Christians as these Backsliders For they are thinking how far such went before they fell away And those that think that true grace may be lâ—st are saying Alas how shall I stand when such that were better and stronger than I have faln away And those that think true grace cannot be lost are as much perplexed and say How far may an Hypocrite go that after falleth away How piously did this man live how sorrowfully did he repâ—nt how blamelesly did he walk how fervently and constantly did he pray how savourily did he speak how charitably and usefully did he live And I that come far short of him as far as I can discern can have no assurance that I am sincere till I am sure that I go further than ever he did Woe to thee that thus perplexest the consciences of the weak and hinderest the comforts of believers § 39. 20. Thou art the greatest grief to the faithful Ministers of Christ Thou canst not conceive what a wound it giveth to the heart and comforts of a Minister when he hath taken a great deal of pains for thy Conversion and after that rejoyced when he saw thee come to the flock of Christ and after that laboured many a year to build thee up and suffered many a frown from the ungodly for thy sake to see all his labour at last come to nought and all his glorying of thee turned to his shame and all his hopes of thee disappointed I tell thee this is more doleful to his heart than any outward loss or cross that could have befaln him It is not persecution that is his greatest grief as long as it hindereth not the good of souls It is such as thou that are his â—orest persecutors that frustrate his labours and rob him of his joyes And his sorrows shall one day cost thee dear The life and comforts of your faithful Pastors is much in your hands 2 Cor. 7. 3. 1 Thes. 3. 8. Now we Live if ye stand fast in the Lord. § 40. 21. Thou art more treacherous to Christ than thou wouldst be to a common friend Wouldst thou forsake thy friend without a cause especially an old and tryed friend And especially when in forsaking him thou dost forsake thy self Prov. 27. 10. Thy own friend and thy fathers friend forsake not Prâ—v 17. 17. A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity If thy friend were in distress wouldst thou forsake him And wilt thou forsake thy God that needs thee not but supplyeth thy needs Ruth was more faithful to Naomi Ruth 1. 16 17. that resolved Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge where thou dyest I will dye And hath God deserved worse of thee § 41. 22. Nay thou dealest worse with God than the Devils servants do with him Alas they are too constant to him Reason will not change them nor the Commands of God nor the offers of everlasting life nor the fears of Hell nothing will change them till the spirit of God do it And wilt thou be less constant to thy God § 42. 23. Consider also that thy end is so near that thou hadst but a little while longer to have held out And thou mightest have known that thou couldst keep thy worldly pleasures but a little while And it is a pitiful thing to see a man that hath born the forest brunt of the battle and run till he is almost at the end of the race to lose all for want of a
advantage of a Tempt 1. Christians bodily weakness to shake his faith and question his foundations and call him to dispute Hic labor extremus longaâ—um haec meta viarum est Virgil. over his principles again Whether the soul be immortal and there be a Heaven and a Hell and whether Christ be the Son of God and the Scriptures be Gods Word c. As if this had never been questioned and scanned and resolved before It is a great deal of advantage that Satan expecteth by this malitious course If he could he would draw you from Christ to infidelity But Christ prayeth for you that your faith may not fail If he cannot do this he would at least weaken your faith and hereby weaken every grace And he would hereby divert you from the more needful thoughts which are suitable to your present state and he would hereby distract you and destroy your comforts and draw you in your perplexities to dishonour God Away therefore with these blasphemous and unseasonable motions Cast them from you with abhorrence and disdain It is no time now to be questioning your foundations You have done this more seasonably when you were in a fitter case A paiâ—ed languishing body and a disturbed discomposed mind is unfit upon a surprize to go back and dispute over all our principles Tell Satan you owe him not so much service nor will you so cast away those few hours and thoughts for which you have so much better work You have the witness in your selves even the Spirit and Image and Seal of God You have been converted and renewed by the power of that word which he would have you question and you have found it to be owned by the Spirit of grace who hath made it mighty to pull down the strongest holds of sin Tell Satan you will not gratifie him so much as to turn your holy heavenly desires into a wrangling with him about those truths which you have so often proved You will not question now the being of that God who hath maintained you so long and witnessed his being and goodness to you by a life of mercies nor will you now question the being or truth of him that hath Redeemed you or of the Spirit or Word that hath sanctified guided comforted and confirmed you If he tell you that you must prove all things tell him that this is not now to do you have long proved the truth and goodness of your God the mercy of your Saviour and the power of his Holy Spirit and Word It is now your work to live upon that Word and fetch your hopes and comforts from it and not to question it § 10. Tempt 2. Another dangerous Temptation of Satan is when he would perswade you to Tempâ— â— Despair by causing you to mis-understand the tenour of the Gospel or by thinking too narrowly and unworthily of Gods mercy or of the satisfaction of Christ. But because this Temptation doth usually tend more to discomfort the soul than to damn it I shall speak more to it under Tit. 3. § 11. Tempt 3. Another dangerous Temptation is when Satan would draw you to overlook your Tempt 3. sins and overvalue your graces and be proud of your good works and so lay too much of your comfort upon your selves and lose the sense of your need of Christ or usurp any part of his office or hiâ— honour I shall afterward shew you how far you must look at any thing in your selves But certainly that which lifteth you up in pride or incroacheth on Christs Office or would draw you to undervalue him is not of God Therefore keep humble in the sense of your sinfulness and unworthiness and cast away every motion which would carry you away from Christ and make your selves and your works and righteousness as a Saviour to your selves § 12. Tempt 4. Another perillous Temptation is by causing the thoughts of death and the grave Tempt 4. and your doubts and fears about the world to come to overcome the Love of God and not only the comforts but also the desires and willingness of your hearts to be with Christ. It will abate your Love to God and Heaven to think on them with too much estrangedness and terror The Directions under Tit. 3. will help you against this Temptation § 13. Tempt 5. Another dangerous Temptation is fetcht from the remnants of your worldly Tempt 5. mindedness when your dignity or honor your house or lands your relations and friends or your pleasures and contentments are so sweet to you that you are loth to leave them and the thoughts of death are grievous to you because it taketh you from that which you over-love and God and Heaven are the less desired because you are loth to leave the world Watch carefully against this great Temptation Observe how it seeketh the very destruction of your grace and souls and how it fighteth against your Love to God and Heaven and would undo all that Christ and his Spirit have been doing so long Observe what a root of matter it findeth in your selves and therefore be the more humbled under it Learn now what the world is and how little the accommodations of the flesh are worth when you perceive what the end of all must be Would you never dye Would you enjoy your worldly things for ever Had you rather have them than to live with Christ in the Heavenly glory of the New Ierusalem If you had it is your grievous sin and folly And yet you know that it is a desire that you can never hope to attain Dye you must whether you will or not What is it then that you would stay for Is it till the world be grown less pleasant to you and your Love and minds be weaned from it When should that rather be than now And what should more effectually do it than this dying condition that you are in It is time for you to spit out these unwholsome pleasures and now to look up to the true the holy the unmeasurable everlasting pleasures Tit. 2. Directions how to Profit by our Sickness WHether it shall please God to recover you or not it is no small Benefit which you may get by his Visitation if you do your part and faithfully improve it according to these Directions following § 1. Direct 1. If you hear Gods call to a closer tryal of your hearts concerning the sincerity of your Direct 1. conversion and thereby are brought to a more exact examination and come to a truer acquaintance with your state be it good or bad the benefit may be exceeding great For if it be good you may be much comforted and confirmed and fitted to give thanks and praise to God And if it be bad you may be awakened speedily to look about you and seek for a recovery § 2. Direct 2. If in the review of your lives you find out those sins which before you overlookâ— or Direct 2. perceive
know by your own experience thâ—se Joyes or Torments which the wicked will not know by faith And O what a preparation doth such a change require II. You are next to know what persons they are and how they differ who must abide for ever in these different states As we are the Children of Adam we are all corrupted our minds are carnal and set upon this world and savour nothing but the things of the flesh And the further we go in sin the worse we are being strangers to the Life of faith and to the Love of God and the Life to come taking the prosperity and pleasure of the flesh for the felicity which we most desire and seek The name of this state in Scripture is Carnal and ungodly and unholy because such men live in a meer flâ—shly nature or disposition for fleshly ends in a fleshly manner and are not at all Devoted to God and carryed up to Heavenly Desires and Delights but live chiefly for this life and not for the life to come And though they may take up some kind of Religion in a second place and upon the by for fear of being damned when they can keep the world no longer yet is it this world which they principally value love and seek and their Religion is subject to their worldly and fleshly interest and delights And though God hath provided and offered them a Saviour to teach them better and reclaim and sanctifie them by his word and spirit and forgive them if they will believe in him and return yet do they sottishly neglect this mercy or obstinately refuse it and continue their worldly fleshly lives till time be past and mercy hath done and there is no remedy These are the men that God will condemn and this is the true description of them And it will not stand with the Governing-Justice and Holiness and truth of God to save them But on the other side all those that God will save do heartily believe in Iesus Christ who is sent of God to be the Saviour of souls and he maketh them know by his word and spirit their grievous sin and misery in their state of corrupted nature and he humbleth them for it and bringeth them to true Repentance and maketh them loath themselves for their iniquities and seeing how they have cast away and undone themselves and are no better than the slaves of Satan and the heirs of hell they joyfully accept of the remedy that is offered them in Christ They heartily take him for their Saviour and King and give up themselves in Covenant to him to be justified and sanctified by him whereupon he pardoneth all their sin and further enlighteneth and sanctifieth them by his spirit He sheweth them by faith the infinite Love of God and the sure everlasting Holy Ioyes which they may have in Heaven with him and how blessed a life they may there obtain through his purchase and gift with all the blessed Saints and Angels He maketh them deliberately to compare this offer of Eternal Happiness with all the pleasures and seeming commodities of sin and all that this deceitful world can do for them And having considered of both they see that there is no comparison to be made and are ashamed that ever they were so mad as to prefer Earth before Heaven and an inch of Time before Eternity and a dream of pleasure before the Everlasting Ioyes and to love the pleasures of a transitory world above the presence and favour and Glory of God! And for the time to come they are firmly Resolved what to do Even to take Heaven for their only Happiness and there to lay up their Hopes and Treasure and to live to God as they have done to the flesh and to make sure of their salvation whatever become of their worldly interest And thus the spirit doth dwell and work in them and renew their Hearts and give them a hatred to every sin and a Love to every holy thing even to the holy word and worship and wayes and servants of the Lord and in a word he maketh them New Creatures and though they have still their sinful imperfections yet the bent of their Hearts and Lives is Holy and Heavenly and they long to be perfect and are labouring after it and seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and live above the world and flesh And shortly Christ will make them perfect and Iustifie them in the day of their judgement and give them the Glorious end of all their faith obedience and patience These are the persons and none but these among us that have the use of Reason that shall live with God III. Now this being the infallible truth of the Gospel and this being the true difference between the Righteous and the wicked the Iustified and Condemned souls O how neerly doth it now concern you to try which of these is your own condition Certainly it may be known For God will judge the world in righteousness by the same Law or Covenant by which he Governeth them Know but whom the Law of Christ condemneth or justifieth and you may soon know whom the Judge will condemn and justifie For he will proceed according to this Law If you should die in an unrenewed state in your sins your Hopes of Heaven would all die with you And if you should think never so well of your self till death and pretend never so confidently to trust on Christ and the Mercy of God one hour will convince Mat. 18. 3. Heb. 12. 14. Joh. 3. 3 5 6. you to your everlasting woe that Gods mercy and Christs merits did never bring to Heaven an unsanctified soul. Self flattery is good for nothing but to keep you from Repenting till time be past and to quiet you in Satans snares till there be no remedy Therefore presently as you love your soul examine your self and try which of these is the condition that you are in and accordingly judge you self before God judge you May you not know if you will whether you have most minded Earth or Heaven and which you have preferred and sought with the highest esteem and Resolution and whether your Worldly or Heavenly interest have born sway and which of them it is that gave place unto the other Cannot a man tell if he will what it is which his very soul hath practically taken for his chief concernment and what it is that haâ—â— had most of his Love and Care and what hath been next his heart and which he hath preferred wheâ—â—hey came to the parting and one was set against the other Cannot you tell whether you have lived principally to the flesh for the prosperity of this world and the pleasures of sin or whether the spirit of Christ by his word hath enlightned you and shewed you your â—in and misery and humbled you for it and shewed you the Glory of the life to come and the happiness of living in the Love of God and hereupon hath
Repent of your sinful life and yet set your Heart upon the life to come and Love God and Holiness better than the world and fleshly pleasure and trust your soul on Christ as your Redeemer and he will certainly forgive you and reconcile you unto God and present you justified and spotless in his sight Think of your sin till you abhor your self and think of your sin and misery till you feel that you are undone if you have not a Saviour and then think what Love God hath shewed you in Christ in giving him to be incarnate and die for sinners and offering you freely to pardon all that ever you have done and to justifie and save you and bring you to endless Glory with himself if yet as last you will but give up your self to Christ and accept his mercy and return to God What joyful tidings is here now for a sinful miserable soul Yet this is the certain truth of God This is his very Covenant of grace which is founded in the blood of Christ and which he is now ready to make with you and seal to you by his spirit within and his Sacrament without if you do but Heartily and unfeignedly Consent Believe in Christ and Turn to God from the world and the flesh and resolve upon a Holy life if you should recover and then I can assure you from the word of God that he will freely pardon you and take you for his Child and save your soul in endless Glory As late as it is he will certainly receive you if you return to him by Christ with all your heart And doth not your heart now rejoice in this unspeakable mercy which is willing to save you after all the sin that you have committed and after all the time that you have lost Do you not Love that God that is so abundant in Goodness and in Love and that Saviour who hath purchased you this pardon and salvation Is it not better think you to Love and praise and serve him than to live in fleshly lusts and pleasures And is it not better to dwell in Heaven with him in endless Ioys than to live awhile in the vain delights of sinners and thence to pasâ— to endless misery O beg of God now to give you a New Heart to Believe in Christ and Repent of sin and Love him that is most Holy Good and gracious And take heed that you sleight his grace no longer and that you do not now take on you in a fear to be that which you are not or to do that which you would not hold to if you should recover And to make all sure will you now sincerely enter into a Covenant with Christ I mean but the same Covenant which you made in Baptism and the Sacrament of the Lords supper and which would have saved you if you had sincerely made and kept it Let me therefore help you both to understand it and to do it by these questions which I intreat you to answer sincerely as one that is going to the presence of God Quest. 1. Do you truly Believe that you are a Rational creature differing from bruits being made to Love and serve your Maker and have an immortal soul which must live in Heaven or Hell for ever And that there is indeed a Heaven of Ioyes and a Hell of punishments when this life is ended Quest. 2. Do you believe that in Heaven the souls of the Iustified at death and the Body also at the Resurrection shall be joined with the Angels and shall dwell with Christ and see the Glory of God and be perfected in Holiness and filled with the sense of the Love of God and with the greatest Ioyes that our nature can receive and shall live in the most delightful Love and Praise of God for ever Quest. 3. Seeing you are certain that all the pleasures of this life are short and will end in death and leave the flesh which desired them in corruption do you not firmly believe that the Ioyes of Heaven are infinitely better and more to be desired and sought than all the pleasures and profits of this life And that it is most reasonable that we should Love God above all Creatures even with all our heart and soul and might Quest. 4. Seeing then that the Love of God is both our Duty and our Happiness is it not reason that we should be kept from the Love of any thing in the world which would steal away our hearts from God and hinder us from Loving him and desiring and seeking him and that we should mortifie the love of worldly riches honours and delights so far as they are against the Love of God Quest. 5. Seeing God is the absolute Lord and Ruler of the world is it not reason that we obey him whatsoever he commandeth us though we did not see the Reason why he doth command it And yet is it not plainly Reasonable that he command us to Love and honour and worship him and to Love one another and to deal Iustly with all and do as we would be done by and toâ—â—e careful of our souls and temperate for our bodies and not to neglect or dishonour our maker nor to neglect our own salvation nor abuse our bodies by beastly filthiness or excess nor to wrong our neighbours nor deny to do them any good that is in our power This is the sum of all Gods laws and this is the nature of Holiness and obedience And do you not from your heart believe that all this is very reasonable and good Quest. 6. When the sinful world was faln from Happiness into misery by turning away from God and Holiness to sensuality and God sent his Son to be their Redeemer and Saviour to be a Sacrifice for sin and a Teacher and Pattern of a Holy and Obedient life and to make a new Covenant with them in which he giveth them the pardon of all sin and everlasting happiness if they will but give up themselves to him as their Saviour and Sanctifier and by true Repentance turn to God do you not verily Believe that miserable sinners should gladly and thankfully accept of such an offer and abundantly Love that God and Saviour that hath so tenderly loved them and so freely Redeemed them from the flames of Hell and so freely offered them everlasting life And do you not Believe that he who after all this shall slight all this mercy and refuse to be renewed by sanctifying grace and shall neglect his God and soul and this salvation and rather choose to keep his sins doth not deserve to be utterly forsaken and to be punished more than if a Saviour and Salvation had never been offered to him Quest. 7. Hath not this been your own case Have you not lived a fleshly worldly life neglecting God and your salvation and minding more these lower things and have you not refused the word and spirit of Christ which would have brought you to Repentance and a holy
3. Else there should be seldome any Church in the world for want of a Head yea never any For I have proved there and to Iohnson that there never was a true General Council of the Universal See also in my Reasons of Christian Religion Coâ—s 2. of the Interest of the Church Church But only Imperial Councils of the Churches under one Emperours power and those that having been under it had been used to such Councils And that it is not a thing ever to be attempted or expected as being unlawful and morally impossible Quest. 13. Whether there be such a thing as a Visible Catholick Church And what it is THe Antients differently used the terms A Catholick Church and The Catholick Church By the first they meant any particular Church which was part of the Universal By the second 1 Cor. 12. 12. and throughout they meant the Universal Church it self And this is it that we now mean And I answer Affirmatively There is a Visible Universal Church not only as a Community or as a Kingdom distinct from the King but as a Political Society 2. This Church is the Universality of Baptized Visible Christians Headed by Iesus Christ himself Eph. 4. 1 5 6 7 16. There is this and there is no other upon earth The Papists say that this is no Visible Church because the Head is not Visible I answer 1. It is not necessary that he be seen but visible And is not Christ a Visible person 2. This Church consisteth of two parts the Triumphant part in Glory and the Militant part And Christ is not only Visible but seen by the triumphant part As the King is not seen by the ten thousandth part of his Kingdoms but by his Courtiers and those about him and yet he is King of all 3. Christ was seen on earth for above thirty years and the Kingdom may be called visible in that the King was once visible on earth and is now visible in Heaven As if the King would shew himself to his people but one year together in all his life 4. It ill becometh the Papists of any men to say that Christ is not visible who make him see him taste him handle him eat him drink him digest him in every Church in every Mass throughout the year and throughout the world And this not as divided but as whole Christ. Object But this is not quatenus Regent Answ. If you see him that is Regent and see his Laws and Gospel which are his Governing instruments together with his Ministers who are his Officers it is enough to denominate his Kingdom visible 5. The Church might be fitly denominated Visible secundum quid if Christ himself were invisible Because the Politick Body is visible the dispersed Officers Assemblies and Laws are visible But sure all these together may well serve for the denomination Quest. 14. What is it that maketh a Visible Member of the Universal Church And who are to be accounted such 1. BAptism maketh a Visible member of the Universal Church and the Baptized as to entrance Matth. 28. 19. 〈…〉 1â— 16. unless they go out again are to be accounted such 2. By Baptism we mean open devotion or dedication to God by the Baptismal Covenant in which the adult for themselves and Parents for their Infants do Profess Consent to the Covenant of Grace which includeth a Belief of all the Essential Articles of the faith and a Resolution for sincere obedience and a Consent to the Relations between God and us viz. that he be our Reconciled Father our Saviour and our Sanctifier 3. The Continuance of this Consent is necessary to the continuance of our visible membership 4. He that through ignorance or incapacity for want of water or a Minister is not baptized and yet is solemnly or notoriously dedicated and devoted to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the same Covenant though without the outward Sign and professeth openly the same Religion is a visible Christian though not by a compleat and regular visibility As a Souldier not listed nor taking his Colours or a Marriage not regularly solemnized c. 5. He that forsaketh his Covenant by Apostacy or is totally and duly excommunicated ceaseth to be a visible member of the Church Quest. 15. Whether besides the Profession of Christianity either Testimony or Evidence of Conversion or Practical Godliness be necessary to prove a man a Member of the Universal Visible Church 1. AS the Mediator is the way to the Father sent to recover us to God so Christianity includeth John 14. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 6 3 11. Godliness And he professeth not Christianity who professeth not Godliness 2. He that professeth the Baptismal Covenant professeth Christianity and Godliness and true Conversion 2 Pet. 1. 3. And therefore cannot be rejected for want of a Profession of Conversion or Godliness 3. But he that is justly suspected not to understand his own profession but to speak general words without the sense may and ought to be examined by him that is to baptize him And therefore though the Apostles among the Jews who had been bred up among the Oracles of God did justly presume of so much understanding as that they baptized men the same day that they professed to believe in Christ yet when they baptized converted Gentiles we have reason to think that they Acts 2. 38 39. first received a particular account of their Converts that they understood the three essential Articles of the Covenant 1. Because the Creed is fitted to that use and hath been ever used thereunto by the Churches as by tradition from the Apostles practice 2. Because the Church in all ages as far as Church History leadeth us upward hath used catechising before baptizing yea and to keep men as Catechumens some time for preparation 3. Because common experience telleth us that multititudes can say the Creed that understand it not If any yet urge the Apostles example I will grant that it obligeth us when the case is the like And I will not fly to any conceit of their heart-searching or discerning mens sincerity When you bring us to a people that before were the Visible Church of God and were all their life time trained up in the knowledge of God of sin of duty of the promised Messiah according to all the Law and Prophets and want nothing but to know the Son and the Holy Ghost that this Iesus is the Christ who will reconcile us to God and give us the sanctifying Spirit then we will also baptize men the same day that they profess to believe in Iesus Christ and in the Father as reconciled by him and the Holy Ghost as given by him But if we have those to deal with who know not God or sin or misery or Scripture Prophecies no nor natural verities we know no proof that the Apostles so haâ—â—ily baptized such Of this I have largely spoken in my Treatise of Confirmation 4. It is
in a state of salvation that are not inherently sanctified And whether any fall from this Infant state of salvation Answ. OF all these great difficulties I have said what I know in my Appendix to Infant Baptism to Mr. Bedford and Dr. Ward and of Bishop Davenants judgement And I confess that my judgement agreeth more in this with Davenants than any others saving that he doth not so much appropriate the benefits of baptism to the children of sincere believers as I do And though by a Letter in pleading Davenants cause I was the occasion of good Mr. Gatakers printing of his answer to him yet I am still most inclined to his judgement Not that all the baptized but that all the baptized seed of true Christians are pardoned justified adopted and have a title to the Spirit and salvation But the difficulties in this case are so great as driveth away most who do not equally perceive the greater inconveniencies which we must choose if this opinion be forsaken that is that all Infants must be taken to be out of the Covenant of God and to have no promise of salvation Whereas surely the Law of Grace as well as the Covenant of Works included all the seed in their capacity 1. To the first of these Questions I answer 1. As all true believers so all their Infants do receive initially by the promise and by way of obsignation and Sacramental Investiture in Baptism a Ius Relationis a right of peculiar Relation to all the three persons in the blessed Trinity As to God as Matth. 28. 19 20. their reconciled Adopting Father and to Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and actual Head and Justifier so also to the Holy Ghost as their Regenerater and Sanctifier This Right and Relation 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. adhereth to them and is given them in order to future actual operation and communion As a Marriage Covenant giveth the Relation and Right to one another in order to the subsequent Communion Eph. 4. 4 5. and duties of a married life And as he that sweareth allegiance to a King or is listed into an Army or is entred into a School receiveth the Right and Relation and is so correlated as obligeth to the mutual subsequent Offices of each and giveth right to many particular benefits By this Right and Relation God is his own God and Father Christ is his own Head and Saviour and the Holy Spirit is his own Sanctifier without asserting what operations are already wrought on his soul but only to what future ends and uses these Relations are Now as these Rights and Relations are given immediately so those Benefits which are Relative and the Infant immediately capable of them are presently given by way of communion He hath presently the pardon of Original sin by virtue of the Sacrifice Merit and Intercession of Christ. He hath a state of Adoption and Right to Divine Protection Provision and Church-communion according to his natural Capacity and Right to everlasting life 2. It must be carefully noted that the Relative Union between Christ the Mediator and the baptized persons is that which in Baptism is first given in order of nature and that the rest do flow from this The Covenant and Baptism deliver the Covenanter 1. From Divine Displicency by Reconciliation with the Father 2. From Legal Penalties by Justification by the Son 3. From sin it self by the operations of the Holy Ghost But it is Christ as our Mediator-Head that is first given us in Relative Union And then 1. The Father Loveth us with Complacency as in the Son and for the sake of his first beloved 2. And the Spirit which is given us in Relation is first the Spirit of Christ our The Spirit is not given radically or immediately to any Christian but to Christ our Head alone and from Him to us Head and not first inherent in us So that by Union with our Head that Spirit is next united to us both Relatively and as Radically Inherent in the Humane Nature of our Lord to whom we are united As the Nerves and Animal Spirits which are to operate in all the body are Radically only in the Head from whence they flow into and operate on the members as there is need though there may be obstructions So the Spirit dwelleth in the Humane Nature of our Head and there it can never be lost And it is not necessary that it dwell in us by way of Radication but by way of Influence and Operation These things are distinctly and clearly understood but by very few and we are all much in the dark about them But I think however doctrinally we may speak better that most Christians are habituated to this perilous misapprehension which is partly against Christianity it self that the Spirit floweth immediatly from the Divine Nature of the Father and the Son as to the Authoritative or Potestative conveyance unto our souls And we forget that it is first given to Christ in his Glorified Humanity as our Head and radicated in Him and that it is the Office of this Glorified Head to send or communicate to all his members from Himself that Spirit which must operate in them as they have need This is plain in many Texts of Scripture Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but gave him up for us all how shall be not also with him freely give us all things when he giveth him particularly to us 1 John 5. 11 12. And this is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath the life and he that hath not the Son hath not the life Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Eph. 1. 22 23. And gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all John 15. 26. The Advocate or Comforter whom I will send unto you from the Father c. John 16. 7. If I depart I will send him unto you John 14. 26. The Comforter whom the Father will send in my Name Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I know that is true of his Living in us Objectively and Finally but that seemeth not to be all Col. 3. 3 4. For ye are dead and your life is bid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory I know that in verse 3. by Life is meant Felicity or Glory But not only as appeareth by verse 4. where Christ is called Our Life Matth. 28. 19. All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth ver 20. I am with you allwayes Joh. 13. 3. The Father hath given all things into his hands Joh. 17. 2
to a holy life or fit for Glory immediately without an inward Holiness of his own yet by what is said it seemeth plain that meerly on the account of the Condition performed by the Parent and of his Union Relatively with Christ thereupon and his title to Gods promise on these Grounds he may be said to be in a state of salvation that is to have the pardon of his Original sin deliverance from hell in right adoption and a right to the needful operations of the Holy Ghost as given to him in Christ who is the first receiver of the spirit 15. But when and in what sort and degree Christ giveth the actual operations of the spirit to all Covenanted Infants it is wonderful hard for us to know But this much seemeth clear 1. That Christ may when he please work on the soul of an Infant to change its disposition before he come to the use of Reason 2. That Christ and his spirit as in Covenant with Infants are ready to give all necessary assistance to Infants for their inherent sanctification in the use of those means and on those Mr. Whiston p. 60. sheweâ—h That even the promises of a new Heart c. Ezek 36 37 c. Though they may run in the external tenour of them absolutely yet are not absolutely absolute but have a subordinate condition and that is That the parties concerned in them do faithfully use the means appointed of God in a subserviency to his working in or bestowing on them the Good promised further conditions on which we must wait for it and expect it For the Holy Ghost is not so engaged to us in our Covenant or Baptism as to be obliged presently to give us all the grace that we want But only to give it us on certain further conditions and in the use of certain means But because this leadeth me up to another question I will suspend the rest of the answer to this till that be handled Only I must answer this objection Obj. It is contrary to the Holy nature of God complacenically to Love an unsanctified Infant that is yet in his Original Corruption unchanged and he justifieth none relatively from the guilt of sin whom he doth not at once inherently sanctifie Answ. 1. Gods complacencial Love respecteth every one as he is For it is Goodness only that he so Loveth Therefore he so Loveth not those that either Actually or Habitually Love not Him under any false supposition that they do Love him when they do not His Love therefore to the Adult and Infants differeth as the objects differ But there is this Lovely in such Infants 1. That they are the Children of believing sanctified Parents 2. That they are by his Covenant Relatively United to Christ and so are Lovely as his members 3. That they are pardoned all their original sin 4. That they are set in the way to Actual Love and holiness being thus dedicated to God 2. All imperfect Saints are sinners And all sinners are as such abhorred of God whose pure eyes cannot behold iniquity As then it will stand with his purity to accept and love the Adult upon their first believing before their further sanctification and notwithstanding the remnant of their sins so may it do also to accept their Infants through Christ upon their Dedication 3. As the actual sin imputed to Infants was Adams and their Parents only by Act and not their own it is no wonder if upon their Parents faith and repentance Christ wash and justifie them from that guilt which arose only from anothers act 4. And then the inherent pravity was the effect of that Act of their Ancestors which is forgiven them And this pravity or inherent Original sin may two wayes be said to be mortified radically or Virtually or inceptively before any inherent change in them 1. In that it is mortified in their Parents from whom they derived it who have the power of choosing for them and 2. In that they are by Covenant engraffed into Christ and so related to the cause of their future sanctification yea 3. In that also they are by Covenant and their Parents promise engaged to use those means which Gods being a God to any individual person doth râ—quire and presuppose that they do for the present supposing them capable or for the future as soon as capable take God in Christ as their God Ibid. p. 61. Christ hath appointed for sanctification 5. And it must be remembred that as this is but an inceptive preparatory change so the very pardon of the Inherent vitiosity is not perfect as I have elsewhere largely proved however some Papists and Protestants deny it While sin remaineth sin and corruption is still indwelling besides all the unremoved penalties of it the very being of it proveth it to be so far unpardoned in that it is not yet abolished and the continuance of it being not its smallest punishment as permitted and the spirit not given so far as to cure it Imperfect pardon may consist with a present right both to further sanctification by the Spirit and so to Heaven Obj. Christs body hath no unholy members Answ. 1. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Now are your Children holy They are not wholly unholy who have all the fore-described holiness 2. As Infants in Nature want memory and actual reason and yet initially are men so as Christs members they may want actual and habitual faith and Love and yet initially be sanctified by their Union with him and his spirit and their Parents Dedication and be in the way for more as they grow fit And be Christians and Saints in fieri or initially only as they are men Quest. 43. Is the right of the Baptized Infants or adult to the sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost now Absolute or suspended on further Conditions And are the Parents further duty for their Children such conditions of their Childrens reception of the Actual assistances of the Spirit Or are Childrens own actions such Conditions And may Apostate Parents forfeit the Covenant benefits to their Baptized Infants or not Answ. THE question is great and difficult and few dare meddle with it And almost all Infant-cases are to us obscure I. 1. It is certain that it is the Parents great duty to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 2. It is certain that God hath appointed this to be the means of their actual knowledge faith Eph. 6 4 5. Col 3. 21. Gen. 18 19. Deut. 6. 6 7 8. 11. 18 19 20. and holiness 3. And God doth not appoint such means unnecessarily or in vain nor may we ordinarily expect his grace but in the use of the means of Grace which he hath appointed us to use 4. It is certain that Gods receiving the Children of the faithful is an act of Gods Love to the Parents as well as the Children and promised as a part of his blessing on themselves 5. It is certain that these Parents
of Psal. 23. 5. 92. 10. theirs but by former custome of the Countreys where they lived As 1. Anointing Luke 7. 46. Matth. 6. 17. Amos 6. 6. Psal. 89. 20. Lev. 16. 32. Luke 16. in Iudaea was like Bathing at Rome It was taken in those scorching Countreys for a wholsome and easing and comforting thing And therefore used to refresh the weary limbs of travellers and to comfort the sick 2. And it was the long accustomed Ceremony also used on Officers accounted sacred Kings and Priests who were anointed at their entrance and investiture 3. White Cloathing and Purple were then and there taken for the noblest attire Not appropriated Rev. 3 4 5. Thâ—y shall walk with me in white to sacred things and persons but as Scarlet lately in England the garb only of great men On which account not as a Sacred Vestment but as an honourable cloathing when the Bishops began to be advanced they were allowed to wear White Cloathing not only when they officiated but at other times 4. The Milk and Honey were there highly esteemed for food and accounted the character of the James 5. 14. Mark 6 13. Land of Promise 2. Hereupon by application the Churches used these signs in the Sacred Ordinance of baptism Not by new institution of the signification I say but by application of the old well known signification 3. As Natural Signs are commonly allowed to be applyed to holy things so signs whose signification is of old and commonly stated and well known by Agreement or Custome do seem in this not to be different from Natural Signs Such are all Words as signs of our minds No word signifying any thing Naturally but by Agreement or Custome only And such is kneeling in prayer and being uncovered and many the like About some of which Paul appealeth to the custome of the 1 Cor. 11. 16. Churches of God 4. It is most probable that these two things together brought in Anointing 1. The common use of Anointing then in both the foresaid Cases Common Refreshment and Sacred Investiture 2. And the mistake of all those Scripture Texts which command or mention Anointing Metaphorical Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. 20. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. As 1 John 2. 27. The Anointing which you have received teacheth you all things Ezek. 16. 9. I washed thee I anointed thee with Oyl c. Psal. 105. 15. 1 Chron. 16. 22. Touch not mine anointed Rev. 3. 18. And withal reading that we are made Kings and Priests to God and a Royal Priesthood they thought this might be signified by the usual honourary signs of such as well as by words to be called such So that they took it as if in our age the baptized should be set in a Chair of State and sumptuously apparelled and a â—east made to solemnize it as they do at Weddings and the baptized person set at the upper end c. which are significant Actions and Ceremonies But they intended them not as new Sacraments or any part of the Sacrament but as a pompous celebration of the Sacrament by such additional ceremonial accidents 5. And you must remember that they lived among Infidels where their profession was made the common scorn which tempted them by such ostentation and pomp to seek to make it honourable and to shew that they so accounted it and to encourage those who were discouragable by the scorn On which account also they used the Cross and the Memorials of the Martyrs 6. Yet some yea many afterwards did seem to take the Anointing for a Sacramental Action When they read that the Laying on of hands was the sign of Giving the Holy Ghost as distinct from baptism and that the Spirit is called in Scripture the Anointing they joyned both together and made that which they now call the Sacrament of Confirmation 7. Whether the Anointing Milk and Honey and the White Garment were then sinful in themselves to the users I determine not But certainly they proved very ill by accident whilest at this door those numerous and unlawful Ceremonies have entered which have so troubled the Churches and corrupted Religion and among the Papists Greeks Armenians Abassines and many others have made the sauce to become the meat and the lace to go for cloathing and turned too much of Gods Worship into Imagery shadows and pompous shews Quest. 51. Whether it be necessary that they that are baptized in Infancy do solemnly at age renew and own their Baptismal Covenant before they have right to the state and priviledges of adult members And if they do not Whether they are to be numbered with Christians or Apostates Answ. 1. CHurch-membership is the same thing in Infants and in the Adult 2. Infants are naturally uncapable of doing all that in baptism which the adult must do As to understand profess c. themselves 3. The baptism of the Adult being the most compleat because of the maturity of the receivers is made the standing pattern in Scripture For God formeth his Ordinances to the most perfect ordinary receivers 4. Though an Infant be devoted acceptably to God by his Parents will yet when he is at age it must be done by his own will 5. Therefore a bare Infant title ceaseth when we come to age and the persons title ceaseth unless it be renewed by himself or his own Consent The reason is because the Conditions of his Infant Title then cease For his Parents will shall go for his no longer 6. Regularly and ad bene esse the transition out of the state of Infant-membership into the state of See the proofs of all in my Treatise of Co firmation Adult-membership should be very solemn and by an understanding personal owning of the Baptismal Covenant 7. There needeth no other proof of this than 1. That God in Scripture never gave adult persons title to his Covenant but by their own personal consent And at the first institution of baptism both went together Personal profession and baptism because the receivers were adult 2. And that Infants are capable of baptism but not of personal profession 3. Therefore though they are not to repeat baptism which was done before yet they are bound to make that profession at age which they never made before 8. Where this solemn Owning of their Covenant cannot be had by reason of Church corruptions and Magistrates prohibition there the persons ordinary joyning with the Church in the publick profession and worship is to be taken for an owning it 9. He that being baptized in infancy doth no way at full age own his Baptismal Covenant is to be taken for an Apostate 1. Because his Infant title ceaseth 2. And he notoriously violateth his Covenant 3. Because he can be no adult Christian that no way owneth Christ. 10. But this is to be understood of those that have opportunity For one in a Wilderness among Heathens only cannot joyn in publick Worship nor give testimony of his Christianity to the
and instruction 3. If they may do so in the Psalms in Metre there can no reason be given but they may lawfully do so in the Psalms in prose For saying them and singing them are but modes of utterance both are the speaking of Prayer and praise to God And the ancient singing was liker our saying than to our tunes as most judge 4. The primitive Christians were so full of the zeal and Love of Christ that they would have taken it for an injury and a quenching of the spirit to have been wholly restrained from bearing their part in the praises of the Church 5. The use of the tongue keepeth awake the mind and stirreth up Gods graces in his servants 6. It was the decay of zeal in the people that first shut out Responses while they kept up the ancient zeal they were inclined to take their part vocally in the Worship And this was seconded by the pride and usurpation of some Priests thereupon who thought the people of God too prophane to speak in the assemblies and meddle so much with holy things Yet the very remembrance of former zeal caused most Churches to retain many of the words of their predecessours even when they lost the Life and spirit which should animate them And so the same words came into the Liturgies and were used by too many customarily and in formality which their ancestors had used in the fervour of their souls 6. And if it were not that a dead hearted formal people by speaking the Responses carelesly and hypocritically do bring them into disgrace with many that see the necessity of seriousness I think few good people would be against them now If all the serious zealous Christians in the assembly speak the same words in a serious manner there will appear nothing in them that should give offence If in the fulness of their hearts the people should breakout into such words of prayer or confession or praise it would be taken for an extraordinary pang of zeal and were it unusual it would take exceedingly But the better any thing is the more loathsome it appeareth when it is mortified by hypocrisie and dead formality and turned into a mockery or an affected scenical act But it is here the duty of every Christian to labour to restore the Life and spirit to the words that they may again be used in a serious and holy manner as heretofore 7. Those that would have private men pray and prophesie in publick as warranted by 1 Cor. 14. Ye may all speak c. do much contradict themselves if they say also that Lay man may say nothing but Amen 8. The people were all to say Amen in Deut. 27. 15 16 18 19 20 c. And yet they oftentimes said more As Exod. 19. 8. in as solemn an Assembly as any of ours when God himself gave Moses a Sermon in a form of words to Preach to the people and Moses had repeated it as from the Lord it being the Narrative of his mercies the command of obedience and the promises of his great blessings upon that condition all the people answered together and said All that the Lord hath spoken we will do The like was done again Exod. 24. 3. And Deut. 5. 27. And lest you should think either that the Assembly was not as solemn as ours or that it was not well done of the people to say more than Amen God himself who was present declared his approbation even of the words when the speakers hearts were not so sincere in speaking them as they ought vers 28 29. And the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spake unto me and the Lord said unto me I have heard the voice of the words of this people They have well said all that they have spoken O that there were such a heart in them Obj. But this is but a speech to Moses and not to God Answ. I will reciâ—e to you a form of prayer which the people themselves were to make publickly to God Deut. 26 13 14 15. Then shalt thou say before the Lord thy God I have brought away the ☞ hallowed things out of my house and also have given them to the Levite and to the stranger to the fatherless and the Widow according to all thy Commandments which thou hast commanded me I have not transgressed thy Commandments neither have I forgotten them I have not eaten thereof in my mourning neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use nor given ought thereof for the dead but I have â—earkened to the voice of the Lord my God and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me Look down from thy holy habitation from Heaven and bless thy people Israel and the Land which thou hast given us as thou swarest unto our Fathers a Land that floweth with milk and honey Is not here a full form of Prayer to be used by all the people And remember that Ioseph and Mary and Christ himself were under this Law and that you never read that Christ found fault with the peoples speech nor spake a word to restrain it in his Churches In Lev. 9. 24. When all the people saw the Glory of the Lord and the fire that came out from it and consumed the burnt Offering they shouted and fell on their faces which was an acclamation more than bare Amen 2 King 23. 2 3. King Iosiah went up into the house of the Lord and all the men of Judah c. And the Priests and the Prophets and all the people both small and great and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the Covenant And the King stood by a pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments c with all their heart and all their soul c. and all the people stood to the Covenant Where as a King is the speaker it 's like that the people used some words to express their consent 1 Chron. 16. 35 36. When David delivered a Psalm for a form of praise in which it is said to the people v. 35. And say ye save us O God of our salvation and gather us together and deliver us from the Heathen that we may give thanks to thy holy name and glory in thy praise blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever All the people said Amen and praised the Lord. Where it is like that their praising the Lord was more than their Amen And it is a command Psal. 67. 3 5. Let all the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee And he that will limit this to single persons or say that it must not be Vocally in the Church or it must be only in metre and never in prose or only in tunes and not without must prove it lest he be proved an adder to Gods word But it would be tedious to recite all the repeated sentences in the Psalms
undivided But yet some things are more eminently attributed to one person in the Trinity and some to another 2. By the Law and Covenant of Innocency the Creator eminently ruled Omnipotently And the Joh. 5. 22 25. Prov. 1. 20 21 c. Son Ruled eminently sapientially initially under the Covenant of promise or grace from Adam till his Incarnation and the descent of the Holy Ghost and more fully and perfectly afterward by the Holy Ghost And the Holy Ghost ever since doth Rule in the Saints as the Paraclete Advocate or Agent of Christ and Christ by him eminently by holy Love which is yet but initially But the same Holy Ghost by perfect Love shall perfectly Rule in Glory for ever even as the spirit of the Father and the Son We have already the Initial Kingdom of Love by the spirit and shall have the perfect Kingdom in Heaven And besides the initial and the perfect there is no other Nor is the perfect Kingdom to be expected before the day of judgement or our removal unto Heaven For our Kingdom is not of this World And they that sell all and follow Christ do make the exchange for Mat. 5. 11 12. Luk. 18. 22 23. Mat. 10. 41 32. Luk. 6. 23. 16. 20. 1 Cor. 12. 2 3. 5. 1 3 8. Mat. 18. 10. 1 Thes. 4. 17 18. Mar. 12. 25. 2 Pet. 3. 11 12 13. 1 Pet. 1. 4. Heb. 10. 34. 12. 23. Col. 1. 5. Phil. 3. 20. 21. a Reward in Heaven And they that suffer persecution for his sake must rejoice because their reward in Heaven is great And they that relieve a prophet or righteous man for the sake of Christ and that lose any thing for him shall have indeed an hundred fold in value in this life but in the world to come eternal life We shall be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord And those are the words with which we must comfort one another and not Jewishly with the hopes of an earthly Kingdom And yet we look for a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness according to his promise But who shall be the inhabitants and how that Heaven and Earth shall diffâ—r and what we shall then have to do with Earth Whether to be Overseers of that Righteous Earth and so to judge or Rule the World as the Angels are now over us in this World are things which yet I understand not Quest. 162. May we not look for Miracles hereafter Answ. THe answer to Quest. 160. may serve to this 1. God may work Miracles if he please Lâ—ke 23. 8. and hath not told us that he never will 2. But he hath not promised us that he will and therefore we cannot believe such a promise not expect them as a certain thing Nor may any pray for the gift of miracles 3. But if there be any probability of them it will be to those that are converting Infidel Nations when they may be partly of such use as they were at first 4. Yet it is certain that sometimes God still worketh Miracles But arbitrarily and rarely which may not put any individual person in expectation of them Object Is not the promise the same to us as to the Apostles and primitive Christians if we could but believe as they did Answ. 1. The promise to be believed goeth before the faith that believeth it and not that faith before the promise 2. The promise of the Holy Ghost was for perpetuity to sanctifie all believers 1 Cor. 1â— 2â— 29. Heb. 2. 3 4. John 1â— 41. But the promise of that special gift of Miracles was for a time because it was for a special use that is to be a standing seal to the truth of the Gospel which all after ages may be convinced of in point of fact and so may still have the use and benefit of And providence ceasing Miracles thus expoundeth the promise And if Miracles must be common to all persons and ages they would be as no Miracles And we have seen those that most confidently believed they should work them all fail But I have written so largely of this point in a set Disputation in my Treatise called The Unreasonableness of Infidelity fully proving those first Miracles satisfactory and obligatory to all following ages that I must thither now refer the Reader Quest. 163. Is the Scripture to be tryed by the Spirit or the Spirit by the Scripture and which of them is to be preferred Answ. I Put the question thus confusedly for the sake of those that use to do so to shew them how to get out of their own Confusion You must distinguish 1. Between the Spirit in it self considered and the Scripture in it self 2. Between the several operations of the Spirit 3. Between the several persons that have the Spirit And so you must conclude 1. That the Spirit in it self is infinitely more excellent than the Scripture For the Spirit is God and the Scripture is but the work of God 2. The operation of the Spirit in the Apostles was more excellent than the operation of the same Spirit now in us As producing more excellent effects and more infallible 3. Therefore the holy Scriptures which were the infallible dictates of the Spirit in the Apostles 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 6. John 18. 37. 8. 47. are more perfect than any of our apprehensions which come by the same Spirit which we have not in so great a measure 4. Therefore we must not try the Scriptures by our most spiritual apprehensions but our apprehensions Acts 17. 11 12. Matth. 5. 18. Rom. 16. 26. by the Scriptures that is we must prefer the Spirits inspiring the Apostles to indite the Scripture before the Spirits illuminating of us to understand them or before any present inspirations the former being the more perfect Because Christ gave the Apostles the Spirit to deliver us infallibly Matth. 28. 20. Luke 10. 16. his own Commands and â—o indite a Rule for following ages But he giveth us the Spirit but to understand and use that Rule aright 5. This trying the Spirit by the Scriptures is not a setting of the Scripture above the Spirit it Rev. 2. 2. Jude 17. a Pet. 3. â— Ephes. 4. 11 12. 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. Ephes. 2. 20. self but is only a trying the Spirit by the Spirit that is the Spirits operations in our selves and his Revelations to any pretenders now by the Spirits operations in the Apostles and by their Revelations recorded for our use For they and not we are called Foundations of the Church Quest. 164. How is a pretended Prophet or Revelation to be tryed Answ. 1. IF it be contrary to the Scripture it is to be rejected as a deceit Acts 17. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 John 10. 35. John 19. 24 28 36 37. 2. If it be the same thing which is
â—3 Rom. 8. 9. 1 John 3. 24. John 3. 5 6. Many Romish Priests and others do so without the Ministry of man to preserve deliver translate expound and preach it to the people 5. And those that think it sufficient to sanctifie men without the concourse of the Spirits illumination vivification and inward operation to that end 6. And they that say that no man can be saved by the knowledge belief love and practice of all the substantial parts of Christianity brought to him by Tradition Parents or Preachers who tell him nothing of the Scriptures but deliver him the Doctrines as attested by Miracles and the Spirit without any notice of the Book 7. And those that say that Scripture alone must be made use of as to all the History of Scripture Times and that it is unlawful to make use of any other Historians as Iosephus and such others 8. And they that say no other Books of Divinity but Scripture are useful yea or lawful to be read of Christians or at least in the Church 9. And they that say that the Scriptures are so Divine not only in Matter but in Method and Style as that there is nothing of humane inculpable imperfection or weakness in them 10. And those that say that the Logical Method and the phrase is as perfect as God was able to make them 11. And they that say that all passages in Scripture historically related are Moral Truths And so make the Devils words to Eve of Iob to Christ c. to be all true 12. And they that say that all passages in the Scripture were equally obligatory to all other places and ages as to those that first received them As the kiss of peace the Vails of women washing feet anointing the sick Deaconesses c. 13. And they that make Scripture so perfect a Rule to our belief that nothing is to be taken for certain that cometh to us any other way As natural knowledge or historical 14. And those that think men may not translate the Scripture turn the Psalms into Metre tune them divide the Scripture into Chapters and Verses c. as being derogatory alterations of the perfect Word 15. And those that think it so perfect a particular rule of all the Circumstances Mâ—des Adjuncts and external expressions of and in Gods Worship as that no such may be invented or added by man 1 Cor. 14. 33 40. 26. that is not there prescribed As Time Place Vesture Gesture Utensils Methods Words and many other things mentioned before 16. And those that Jewishly feign a multitude of unproved mysteries to lye in the Letters Orders Numbers and proper Names in Scriptures though I deny not that there is much mysterie which we little observe 17. They that say that the Scripture is all so plain that there is no obscure or difficult passages in them which men are in danger of wresting to their own destruction 18. And they that say that All in the Scripture is so necessary to salvation even the darkest Prophecies Heb. 5. 10 11 12. that they cannot be saved that understand them not all or at least endeavour not studiously and particularly to understand them 19. And they that say that every Book and Text must of necessity to salvation be believed to be Canonical and true 20. And those that say that God hath so preserved the Scripture as that there are no various readings Of which see Lud. Capellus Crit. Saâ—â— and doubtful Texts thereupon and that no written or printed Copies have been corrupted when Dr. Heylin tells us that the Kings Printer printed the seventh Commandment Thou shalt commit adultery All these err in over-doing III. The dangers of the former detracting from the Scripture are these 1. It injureth the Spirit who is the author of the Scriptures 2 It striketh at the foundation of our faith by weakning the Records which are left us to believe And emboldneth men to sin by diminishing the authority of Gods Law And weakneth our Hopes by weakning the promises 3. It shaketh the universal Government of Christ by shaking the anthority or perfection of the Laws by which he governeth 4. It maketh way for humane Usurpations and Traditions as supplements to the holy Scriptures And leaveth men to contrive to amend Gods Word and Worship and make Co-ordinate Laws and Doctrines of their own 5. It hindereth the Conviction and Conversion of sinners and hardneth them in unbelief by questioning or weakning the means that should convince and turn them 6. It is a tempting men to the Cursed adding to Gods Word IV. The dangers of over-doing here are these 1. It leadeth to downright Infidelity For when men find that the Scripture is imperfect or wanting in that which they fansie to be part of its perfection and to be really insufficient e. g. to teach men Physicks Logick Medicine Languages c. they will be apt to say It is not of God because it hath not that which it pretends to have 2. God is made the Author of defects and imperfections 3. The Scripture is exposed to the scorn and confutation of Infidels 4. Papists are assisted in proving its imperfection But I must stop having spoke to this point before in Quest. 35. and partly Quest. 30. 31. 33. more at large Quest. 167. How far do good men now Preach and Pray by the Spirit Answ. 1. NOt by such Inspiration of new matter from God as the Prophets and Apostles had which indited the Scriptures 2. Not so as to exclude the exercise of Reason Memory or Diligence which must be as much and more than about any common things 3. Not so as to exclude the use and need of Scripture Ministry Sermons Books Conference Examples Use or other means and helps But 1. The Spirit indited that Doctrine and Scripture which is our Rule for prayer and for preaching 2. The Spirits Miracles and works in and by the Apostles seal that doctrine to us and confirm Heb. 2. 3 4. 1 Peâ— 1. 2 22. 2 Thess. 1. 13. John 3. 5 6. Rom. 8. 9. Rom. 8. 15 16 26 27. 2 Tim. 1. 7. Nehem. 9. 20. Isa. 11 â— Ezek. 36. 26. 37. 14. Gal. 4. 6. Zech. 12. 10. Ezek. 18. 31. 11. 19. Rom. 7. 6. John 4. 23 24. 7. 38 39. 1 Cor. 2 10 11. 1 Cor. 6. 11 17. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Gal. 5. 5 16 17 18 25. Ephes. 3. 16. 5. 9 18. 6. 18. 1 Thess. 5. 19. our faith in it 3. The Spirit in our faithful Pastors and Teachers teacheth us by them to pray and preach 4. The Spirit by Illumination Quickning and Sanctification giveth us an habitual acquaintance with our sins our wants with the word of precept and promise with God with Christ with Grace with Heaven And it giveth us a Habit of holy Love to God and Goodness and Thankfulness for mercy and faith in Christ and the life to come and desires of perfection and hatred of sin And he
that hath all these hath a constant Habit of prayer in him For prayer is nothing but the expression with the tongue of these Graces in the heart So that the Spirit of Sanctification is thereby a Spirit of Adoption and of Supplication And he that hath freedom of utterance can speak that which Gods Spirit hath put into his very heart and made him esteem his greatest and nearest concernment and the most necessary and excellent thing in all the world This is the Spirits principal help 5. The same Spirit doth incline our hearts to the diligent use of all those means by which our abilities may be increased As to read and hear and confer and to use our selves to prayer and to meditation self-examination c. 6. The same Spirit helpeth us in the use of all these means to profit by them and to make them all effectual on our hearts 7. The same Spirit concurreth with Means Habits Reason and our own endeavours to help us in the very act of praying and preaching 1. By illuminating our minds to know what to desire and say 2. By actuating our Wills to Love and holy desire and other affections 3. By quickning and exciting us to a liveliness and â—ervency in all And so bringing our former habits into acts the Grace of prayer is the heart and soul of gifts And thus the Spirit teacheth us to pray Yea the same Spirit thus by common helps assisteth even bad men in praying and preaching giving them common habits and acts that are short of special saving grace Whereas men left to themselves without Gods Spirit have none of all these forementioned helps And so the Spirit is said to intercede for us by exciting our unexpressible groans and to help our infirmities when we know what Rom. 8. 26. to ask as we ought Quest. 168. Are not our own Reasons Studies Memory Strivings Books Forms Methods and Ministry needless yea a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit and setting up our own instead of the Spirits operations Answ. 1. YEs if we do it in a conceit of the sufficiency of our selves our reason memory John 15 1 3 4 5 7. studies books forms c. without the Spirit Or if we ascribe any thing to any of these which is proper to Christ or to his Spirit For such proud self-sufficient despisers of the Spirit cannot reasonably expect his help I doubt among men counted Learned and Rational there are too many such * Even among them that in their Ordination heard Receive yâ— the Holy Ghost and Oveâ— which the Holy Gâ—â—â—â—â—ath made you 〈…〉 that know not mans insufficiency or corruption nor the necessity and use of that Holy Ghost into whose name they were baptized and in whom they take on them to believe But think that all that pretend to the Spirit are but Phanaticks and Enthusiasts and self-conceited people when yet the Spirit himself saith Rom. 8 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his And Gal. 4. 6. Because we are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father 2. But if we give to Reason Memory Study Books Methods Forms c. but their proper place in subordination to Christ and to his Spirit they are so far from being quenchers of the Spirit that they are necessary in their places and such means as we must use if ever we will expect the Spirits help For the Spirit is not given to a Bruit to make him a man or rational nor to a proud despiser or idle neglecter of Gods appointed means to be instead of means nor to be a Patron to the vice of pride or idleness which he cometh chiefly to destroy But to bless men in the laborious use of the means which God appointeth him Read but Prov. 1. 20 c. 2. 3. 5. 6. 8. and you will see that knowledge must be laboured for and instruction heard And he that will lye idle till the Isa. 64. 7. Mat. 7. 13 14. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Spirit move him and will not stir up himself to seek God nor strive to enter in at the streight gâ—â—e nor give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure may find that the Spirit of sloth hath destroyed him when he thought the Spirit of Christ â—ad been saving him He that hath but two Articles in his Creed must make this the second For he that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Quest. 169. How doth the Holy Ghost set Bishops over the Churches Answ. 1. BY making the Office it self so far as the Apostles had any hand in it Christ himself Acts 20. 28. having made their Office 2. The Holy Ghost in the Electors and Ordainers directeth them to discern the fitness of the persons Acts 1. 24. Act. 13. 2. 15. 28 c. 14. â—3 elected and ordained and so to call such as God approveth of and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them Which was done 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the Apostles 2. By the ordinary help of Gods Spirit in the wise and faithful Electors and Ordainers ever since 3. The Holy Ghost doth qualifie them for the work by due Life Light and Love Knowledge Willingness and Active ability and so both enâ—lining them to it and marking out the persons by his gifts whom he would have elected and ordained to it Which was done 1. At first by extraordinary gifts 2. And ever since by ordinary 1. Special and saving in some 2. Common and only fitted to the Churches instruction in others So that who ever is not competently qualified is not called by the Holy Ghost When Christ ascended he gave gifts to men some Apostles Prophets and Evangelists 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 28 29. some Pastors and Teachers for the edifying of his body c. Eph. 4. 7 8 9 10. Quest. 170. Are Temples Fonts Utensils Church-lands much more the Ministers holy And what reverence is due to them as holy Answ. THe question is either de nomine whether it be fit to call them holy or de re whether they have that which is called Holiness I. The word Holy signifieth in God essential transcendent Perfection and so it cometh not into our question In creatures it signifieth 1. A Divine nature in the Rational Creature Angels and Men by which it is made like God and disposed to him and his service by Knowledge Love and holy Vivacity which is commonly called Real saving Holiness as distinct from meer Relative 2. It is taken for the Relation of any thing to God as his own peculiar appropriated to him so Mar. 6. 20. Col. 1. 22. Tit. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Exod. 22. 31. 1 Cor. 1. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Heb. 12.
the authority which he committed to their trust § 86. 3. The Christian Religion bindeth subjects to obedience upon sorer penalties than Magistrates can inflict even upon pain of Gods displeasure and everlasting damnation Rom. 13. 2 3. And how great a help this is to Government it is so easie to discern that the simpler sort of Atheists do perswade themselves that Kings devised Religion to keep people in obedience with the fears of Hell Take away the fears of the life to come and the punishment of God in Hell upon the wicked and the world will be turned into worse than a den of Serpents and wild beasts adulteries and murders and poysoning Kings and all abomination will be freely committed which wit or power can think to cover or bear out Who will trust that man that believeth not that God doth judge and punish § 87. 4. The Christian Religion doth encourage obedience and peace with the Promise of the Reward of endless happiness caeteris paribus Heaven is more than any Prince can give If that will not move men there is no greater thing to move them Atheism and Infidelity have no such motives § 88. 5. Christianity teacheth subjects to obey not only good Rulers but bad ones even Heathens themselves and not to resist when we cannot obey Whereas among Heathens Princes ruled no longer than they pleased the Souldiers or the people so that Lampridius marvelled that Heliogabalus was no sooner butchered but suffered to reign three years Mirum fortasse cuipiam videatur Constantine venerabilis quod haec clades quam retuli loco principum fuerit quidem propè trienio ita ut nemo inventus Cicero saith that every Good man was in his heart or as much as in him lay one that killed Caesar. fuerit qui istum à gubernaculis Romonanae majestatis abduceret cum Neroni Vitellio Caligulae caeterisque hujusmâ—di nunquam tyranniceda defuerit § 89. 6. Christianity and Godliness do not only restrain the outward acts but rule the very hearts and lay a charge upon the thoughts which the power of Princes cannot reach It forbiddeth to curse the King in our bed-chamber or to have a thought or desire of evil against him It quencheth the first sparks of disloyalty and disorder And the rule of the outward man followeth the ordering of the heart And therefore Atheism which leaveth the Heart free and open to all desires and designes of rebellion doth kindle that fire in the minds of men which Government cannot quench It corrupteth the fountain It breaketh the spring that should set all a going It poisoneth the heart of Common-wealths § 90. 7. Christianity and Godliness teach men Patience that it may not seem strange to them to bear the Cross and suffer injuries from high and low And therefore that Impatience which is 1 Pet. 4. 12. the beginning of all rebellion being repressed it stayeth the distemper from going any further § 91. 8. Christianity teacheth men self-denyal as a great part of their religion And when selfishness Luk. 14. 29 33. is mortified there is nothing left to be a principle of Rebellion against God or our superiors Selfishness is the very predominant principle of the ungodly It is only for themselves that they obey when they do obey No wonder therefore if the Author of Leviathan allow men to do any thing when the saving of themselves requireth it And so many selfish persons as there be in a Kingdom so many several Interests are first sought which for the most part stand cross to the Interests of others The Godly have all one common center They unite in God and therefore may be kept in concord For Gods will is a thing that may be fulfilled by all as well as one But the selfish and ungodly are every one his own Center and have no common center to unite in their interests being ordinarily cross and inconsistent § 92. 9. Christianity teacheth men by most effectual arguments so set light by the Riches and honours of the world and not to strive for superiority but to mind higher things and lay up our Ungebantur Reges non pet dominum sed qui caeteris crudeliores existerent paulo post ab unctoribus non pro veri examinatione trucidabantur aliis electis trucioribuâ— Gildas de exc Brit. treasure in a better world and to condescend to men of low degree It forbiddeth men to exalt themselves lest they be brought low and commandeth them to humble themselves that God may exalt them And he that knoweth not that Pride and Covetousness are the great disquieters of the world and the cause of contentions and the ruine of States knoweth nothing of these matters Therefore if it were but by the great urging of humility and heavenly mindedness and the strict condemning of Ambition and Earthly-mindedness Christianity and Godliness must needs be the greatest preservers of Government and of order peace and quietness in the World § 93. 10. Christianity teacheth men to live in the Love of God and man It maketh Love the very heart and life and sum and end of all other duties of Religion Faith it self is but the bellows to kindle in us the sacred flames of Love Love is the end of the Gospel and the fulfilling of the Law To Love all Saints with a special Love even with a pure heart and fervently and to Love all men heartily with a common love To love our Neighbour as our selves and to Love our very enemies this is the life which Christ requireth upon the penalty of damnation And if Love thus prevail what should disturb the Government peace or order of the world § 94. 11. Christianity teacheth men to be exact in Justice distributive and commutative and to do to others as we would they should do to us And where this is followed Kings and States will have little to molest them when Gens sine justitiâ est sine remige navis in undâ § 95. 12. Christianity teacheth men to do good to all men as far as we are able and to abound in good works as that for which we are Redeemed and new made And if men will set themselves wholly to do good and be hurtful and injurious to none how easie will it be to govern such § 96. 13. Christianity teacheth men to forbear and to forgive as ever they will be forgiven of Rom. 14 15. 1. God and the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please themselves but one another to their edification Not to be censorious harsh or cruel nor to place the Kingdom of Gal. 6. 1 2 3 4. Jam â—3 15 16 17. Titus 3. 2. God in meats and drinks and dayes but in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost To bear one anothers burdens and to restore them with the Spirit of meekness that are overtaken in a fault and to be peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good
of Iesus of Nazareth which thing I also did c. And 1 Tim. 1. 13. that it was ignorantly in unbelief that he was a blaspheamer a persecutor and injurious And on the other side some Persâ—cute Truth and Goodness while they know it to be so Not because it is Truth or Goodness but because it is against their carnal worldly interest and inclination As the Conscience of a worldling a drunkard a whoremonger beareth witness against his sin while he goeth on in it so oft-times doth the Conscience of the Persâ—cutor and he hath secret convictions that those whom he persecuteth are better and happier than himself § 5. 3. As to the cause sometime persecution is for Christianity and Godliness in the gross or for some great essential point And sometimes it is only for some particular Truth or duty and that perhaps of a lower nature so small or so dark that it is become a great Controversie whether it be Truth or errour duty or sin In some respects it is more comfortable to the persecuted and more heynous in the persecutor that the suffering be for the Greatest things For this leaveth no doubt in the mind whether our cause be good or not and this sheweth that the persecutors mind is most aliene from God and truth But in some other respect it is an aggravation of the sin of the persecutor and of the comfort of the persecuted when it is for smaller truths and duties For it is a sign of great uncharitableness and cruelty when men can find in their hearts to persecute others for little things And it is a sign of a heart that is true to God and very sincere when we will rather suffer any thing from Man than renounce the smallest truth of God or commit the smallest sin against him or omit the smallest duty when it is a duty 4. Sometime persecution is directly for Religion that is for matters of professed Faith or Worship And sometimes it is for a civil or a common cause Yet still it is for our Obedience to God or else it is not the persecution which we speak of though the Matter of it be some common or civil thing As if I were persecuted meerly for giving to the poor or helping the sick or for being Loyal to my Prince and to the Laws or for doing my duty to my Parents or because I will not bear false-witness or tell a lye or subscribe a falshood or any such like This is truly persecution whatever the matter of it be as long as it is truly for Obeying God that we undergo the suffering § 6. I omit many other less considerable distributions And also those afflictions which are but improperly called persecutions as when a man is punished for a fault in a far greater measure than it deserveth this is Injustice but not persecution unless it be his Religion and Obedience to God which is the secret cause of it § 7. Direct 2. Understand well the greatness of the sin of Persecution that you may be kept in a Direct 2. due fear of being tempted to it Here therefore I shall shew you how Great a sin it is § 8. 1. Persecution is a fighting against God So it is called Act. 5. 39. And to fight against God is odious Malignity and desperate folly 1. It is Venemous malignity for a Creature to fight against his Creator and a sinner against his Redeemer who would save him and for so blind a worm to rise up against the wisdom of the All-knowing God! and for so vile a sinner to oppose the fountain of Love and Goodness 2. And what Folly can be greater than for a Mole to reproach the Sun for darkness or a lump of Earth to take up Arms against the Almighty terrible God Art thou able to make good thy cause against him or to stand before him when he is offended and chargeth thee with sin Hear a Pharisee Act. 6. 38 39. And now I say unto you refrain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happily ye be found even to fight against God Or hear Christ himself Act. 9. 4 5. I am Iesus whom thou persecutest It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks with bare feet or hands to beat the thorns How unmeet a match is man for God! He needeth not so much as a word to take away thy soul and crush thee to the lowest Hell His will alone can lay thee under thy deserved pains Canst thou Conquer the Almighty God Wilt thou assault the Power which was never overcome or storm Jehovahs Throne or Kingdom First try to take down the Sun and Moon and Stars from the Firmament and to stop the course of the Rivers or of the Sea and to rebuke the Winds and turn night into day and Winter into Summer and decrepit Age into vigorous Youth Attempt not greater matters till thou hast performed these It is a greater matter than any of these to conquer God whose cause thou fightest against Hear him again Isa. 45. 9. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsherd strive with the Potsherds of the Earth Shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou Or thy work He hath no hands And Isa. 45. 9. who would set the bryars and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together Wo to the man that is not content to fight with men but chooseth the most dreadful God to be his enemy It had been better for thee that all the World had been against thee § 9. 2. Persecution opposeth the gracious design of our Redeemer and hindereth his Gospel and work of mercy to the world and endeavoureth the ruine of his Kingdom upon earth Christ came to save men and persecutors raise up their power against him as if they envyed salvation to the World And if God have made the work of mans Redemption the most wonderful of all his works which ever he revealed to the sons of men you may easily conceive what thanks he will give them that resist him in so high and glorious a design If you could pull the Stars out of the Firmament or hinder the motions of the Heavens or deny the rain to the thirsty Earth you might look for as good a reward for this as for opposing the merciful Redeemer of the World in the blessed work of mans salvation § 10. 3. Persecution is a resisting or fighting against the Holy Ghost Act. 7. 51. saith Stephen to the Jews Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye If you silence the Ministers who are the means by which the spirit worketh in the illuminating and sanctifying of souls Act. 26. 17 18. or if you afflict men for those Holy duties which the
is in two cases viz. 1. If they commit such capital crimes as God and man would have punished with death its fit they dye and then they are silenced For in this case it is supposed that their lives by their impunity are like to do more hurt than good 2. If their Heresie insufficiency scandal or any fault what ever do make them more hurtful than profitable to the Church it is fit they be cast out If their Ministry be not like to do more good than their faults to do harm let them be silenced But if it be otherwise then let them be punished in their bodies or purses rather than the peoples souls should suffer The Laws have variety of penalties for other men Will none of those suffice for Ministers But alas What talk I of their faults Search all Church History and observe whether in all ages Ministers have not been silenced rather for their duties than their faults or for not subscribing to some unnecessary opinion or imposition of a prevailing party or about some wrangling controversies which Church disturbers set afoot There is many a poor Minister would work in Bridewell or be tyed to shovell the Streets all the rest of the Week if he might but have liberty to preach the Gospel And would not such a penalty be sufficient for a dissent in some unnecessary point As it is not every fault that a Magistrate is deposed for by the Soveraign but such as make him unfit for the place so is it also with the Ministers § 39. Direct 18. Malignity and Prophaneness must not be gratified or encouraged It must be considered Direct 18. how the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to his Law nor can be Rom. 8. 7 â— Gen. 3. 15. And that enmity is put between the Womans and the Serpents seed and that the whole business of the world is but the prosecution of the War between the Armies of Christ and Satan And that malignity inclineth the ungodly world to slander and reproach the servants of the Lord and they are glad of any opportunity to make them odious or to exasperate Magistrates against them And that their silencing and fall is the joy of the ungodly And if there be any Civil differences or sidings the ungodly rabble will take that side be it right or wrong which they think will do most to the downfal of the godly whom they hate Therefore besides the merits of the particular cause a Ruler that regardeth the interest of the Gospel and mens salvation must have some care that the course which he taketh against godly Ministers and people when they displease him be such as doth not strengthen the hands of evil doers nor harden them increase them or make them glad I do not say that a Ruler must be against what ever the ungodly part is for or that he must be for that which the major part of godly men are for I know this is a deceitful rule But yet that which pleaseth the malignant rabble and displeaseth or hurteth the generality of godly men is so seldome pleasing to God that its much to be suspected § 40. Direct 19. The substance of faith and the Practice of Godliness must be valued above all opinions Direct 19. and parties and worldly interests And Godly men accounted as they are caeteris paribus the best members both of Church and State If Rulers once knew the difference between a Saint and a sensualist a vile person would be contemned in their eyes and they would honour them that fear the Lord Psal. 15. 4. And if they honoured them as God commandeth them they would not persecute them And if the promoting of practical Godliness were their design there were little danger of their oppressing those that must be the instruments of propagating it if ever it prosper in the World § 41. Direct 20. To this end Remember the neer and dear relation which every true believer standeth Direct 20. in to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost They are called by God his peculiar treasure his jewels Exod. 19. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Tit. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. Mal. 3. 17 18. â—â—h 3. 17. 1 Cor. 3. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 14. 1 Joh. 4 15 16. his Children the members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost God dwelleth in them by Love and Christ by faith and the Spirit by all his sanctifying gifts If this were well believed men would more reverence them on Gods account than causelesly to persecute them Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye § 42 Direct 21. Look not so much on mens infirmities as to overlook or make light of all that is good in them But look as much at the good as at the evil And then you will see reason for lenity as well as for severity and for love and tenderness rather than for hatred and persecution And you will discern that those may be serviceable to the Church in whom blinded malice can see nothing worthy of honour or respect § 43. Direct 22. Estimate and use all lesser matters as means to spiritual worship and practical holiness Direct 22. If there be any thing of worth in Controversies and Ceremonies and such other matters of inferiour rank it is as they are a means to the power of Godliness which is their end And if once they be no otherwise esteemed they will not be made use of against the interest of Godliness to the silencing of the Preachers and persecuting the professours of it § 44. Direct 23. Remember that the Understanding is not Free save only participative as it is Direct 23. subject to the will It acteth of it self per modum naturae and is necessitated by its object further than as it is under the power of the will A man cannot hold what opinion he would himself nor be against what he would not have to be true much less can he believe as another man commandeth him My understanding is not at my own command I cannot be of every mans belief that is uppermost Evidence and not force is the natural means to compell the mind even as Goodness and not force is the natural means to win mens Love It is as wise a thing to say Love me or I will kill thee as to say Believe me or I will kill thee § 45. Direct 24. Consider that it is essential to Religion to be above the authority of man unless as Direct 24. they subserve the authority of God He that worshippeth a God that is subject to any man must subject his Religion to that man But this is no Religion because it is no God whom he worshippeth But if the God whom I serve be above all men my Religion or service of him must needs be also above the will of men § 46. Direct 25. Consider that an obedient disposition towards Gods Laws and a tender Conscience
visit or relieve them Tit. 2. Directions for Loving the Children of God Direct 1. ONce get the Love of God and you cannot choose but love his Children Therefore first set Direct 1. your hearts to that and study the Directions for it Tom. 1. God must be first loved as God before the Godly can be loved as such Though perhaps this effect may sometime be more manifest than the cause Fortifie the cause and the effect will follow Direct 2. Get Christ to dwell in your hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. and then you will love his members Direct 2. for his sake The study of the love of God in Christ and the belief of all the benefits of his love and sufferings will be the bellows continually to kindle your love to your Redeemer and to all those that are like him and beloved by him Direct 3. Cherish the motions of Gods spirit in your selves For he is a spirit of Love And it is Direct 3. the same spirit which is in all the Saints Therefore the more you have of the spirit the more Unity and the more Love you will have to all that are truly spiritual The decays of your own holiness containeth a decay of your love to the holy Direct 4. Observe their Graces more than their infirmities You cannot love them unless you take Direct 4. notice of that goodness which is their loveliness Overlooking and extenuating the good that is in others doth shew your want of love to goodness and then no wonder if you want love to those that are good Direct 5. Be not tempters and provokers of them to any sin For that is but to stir up the worser Direct 5. part which is in them and to make it more apparent and so to hide their amiableness and hinder your own love They that will be abusing them and stirring up their passions or oppressing wise men to try if they can make them mad or increasing their burdens and persecutions to see whether there be any impatiency left in them are but like the Horseman who was still spurring his Horse and then sold him because he was skittish and unquiet or like the Gentleman that must needs come as a Suitor to a beautiful Lady just when she had taken a Vomit and Purge and then disdained her as being unsavoury and lothsome Direct 6. Stir up their Graces and converse much with them in the exercises of grace If Aristotle Direct 6. or Socrates Demosthenes or Cicero stood silent by you among other persons you will perceive no difference between them and a fool or a vulgar wit But when once they open their lips and pour out the streams of wisdom and eloquence you will quickly perceive how far they excell the common world and will admire love and honour them So when you converse with Godly men about matters of trading or common employments only you will see no more but their blamelesness and justice But if you will joyn with them in holy Conference or Prayer or observe them in good works you will see that the spirit of Christ is in them When you hear the longings of their souls after God and their Heavenly desires and hopes and joys and their love to piety charity and justice express themselves in their holy discourse and prayers and see the fruits of them in their lives you will see that they are more than common men Direct 7. Foresee the perfection of their Graces in their beginnings No man will Love a seed or Direct 7. stock of those plants or trees which bear the sweetest and most beautiful flowers and fruits unless in the seed he foresee the fruit or flower which it tendeth to No man loveth the egg aright who doth not foreknow what a â—iâ—d it will bring forth Aristotle or Cicero were no more amiable in their infancy than others except to him that could foretell what men they were like to prove Think oft of Heaven and what a thing a Saint will be in Glory when he shall shine as the Stars and be equal to the Angels and then you will quickly see cause to love them Direct 8. Frequently think of the Everlasting union and sweet agreement which you must have with Direct 8. them in Heaven for ever How perfectly you will love each other in the Love of God How joyfully you will consent in the Love and Praises of your Creator and Redeemer The more believingly you foresee that state and the more you contemplate thereon and the more your Conversation is in Heaven the more will you love your fellow Souldiers and Travellers with whom you must live in blessedness for ever Tit. 3. Motives or Meditative helps to love the Godly Mot. 1. COnsider what Relation all the Regenerate have to God They are not only his Creatures Motive 1. but his Adopted Children And are they not honourable and amiable who Gal. 4. 6. are so near to God Mot. 2. Think of their near Relation to Jesus Christ They are his Members and his Brethren Motive 2. and the purchase of his sufferings and coheirs of everlasting life Rom. 8. 16 17. Ephes. 5. 26 27. Mot. 3. Think of the excellency of that spirit and holy Nature which is in them Regeneration Motive 3. hath made them partakers of the Divine nature and hath indued them with the spirit of Christ and hath by the incorruptible seed made them new Creatures of a Holy and Heavenly mind and life and hath renewed them after the Image of God And what besides God himself can be so amiable as his Image Mot. 4. Think of the precious price which was paid for their Redemption If you will estimate Motive 4. things by their price if the purchaser be wise how highly must you value them Mot. 5. Remember how dearly they are beloved of God their Creator and Redeemer Read and Motive 5. observe Gods tender language towards them and his tender dealings with them He calleth them his Children his beloved yea dearly-beloved his jewels the apple of his eye Deut. 33. 12. Psal. 60. 5. 127. 2. Col. 3. 12. Ier. 12. 7. Mal. 3. 17. Zech. 2. 8. Deut. 32. 10. Christ calleth the least of them his Brethren Matth. 25. Judge of his love to them by his incarnation life and sufferings Judge of it by that one heart melting message after his resurrection Joh. 20. 17. Go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God And should we not love them dearly who are so dearly beloved of God Mot. 6. They are our Brethren begotten by the same father and Spirit of the same holy seed the word Motive 6. of God and have the same nature and disposition And this Unity of nature and neerness of relation is such a suitableness as must needs cause love Mot. 7. They are our companions in labour and tribulation in our duty and sufferings They
clean and delectable and paved with mercies and fortified and secured by Divine protection and where Christ is your Conductor and so many have sped so well before you and the wisest and best in the world are your companions Live then as men that have changed their Master their end their hopes their way and work Religion layeth not men to sleep though it be the only way to Rest. It awakeneth the sleepy soul to higher thoughts and hopes and labours than ever it was well acquainted with before He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. You never sought that which would pay for all your cost and diligence till now You never were in a way that you might make haste in without repenting of your haste till now How glad should you be that Mercy hath brought you into the right way after the wanderings of such a sinful life And your gladness and thankfulness should now be shewed by your cheerful diligence and zeal As Christ did not raise up Lazarus from the dead to do nothing or live to little purpose though the Scripture giveth us not the history of his life So did he not raise you from the death of sin to live idely or to be unprofitable in the world He that giveth you his Spirit to be a principle of heavenly life within you expecteth that you stir up the gift that he hath given you and live according to that heavenly principle Direction 16. ENgage thy self in the chearful constant use of the means and helps appointed by God Direct 16. for thy confirmation and salvation § 1. He can never expect to attain the end that will not be perswaded to use the means Of your selves you can do nothing God giveth his help by the means which he hath appointed and fitted to your help Of the use of these I shall treat more fully afterwards I am now only to name them to thee that thou maist know what it is that thou hast to do 1. That you must hear or read the Word of God and other good Books which expound it and How Paenitents of old did rise even from a particular sin judge by these words of Pacianus Paâ—â—â—â—â—â— ad Poeâ—â—t Bibl. Pat. To. 3. p. 74. You must not only do that which may be seen of the Priest and praised by the Bishop to weep before the Church to lament a lost or sinful life in a â—ordid garment to fast pray to role on the earth if any invite you to the Bath or such pleasures to refuse to go If any bid you to a Feast to say These things are for the happy I have sinned against God and am in danger to perish for ever What should I do at Banquets who have wronged the Lord Besides these you must take the poor by the hand you must beseech the Widdow lye at the feet of the Presbyters beg of the Church to forgive you and pray for you you must try all means rather than perish apply it I shewed you before The new born Christian doth encline to this as the new born child doth to the breast 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings as new born babes that desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Psal. 1. 2 3. The blessed mans delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night § 2. 2. Another means is the publick worshipping of God in communion with his Church and people Besides the benefit of the word there preached the prayers of the Church are effectual for the members and it raiseth the soul to holy joyes to joyn with well ordered Assemblies of the Saints in the Praises of the Almighty The Assemblies of holy worshippers of God are the places of his delight and must be the places of our delight They are most like to the Celestial Society that sound forth the praises of the glorious Iebovah with purest minds and cheerful voice In his Temple doth every one speak of his glory Psal. 29. 9. In such a Chore what soul will not be rapt up with delight and desire to joyn in the consort and harmony In such a flame of united desires and praises what soul so cold and dull that will not be enflamed and with more than ordinary facility and alacrity fly up to God § 3. 3. Another means is private prayer unto God When God would tell Ananias that Paul was converted he saith of him Behold he prayeth Acts 9. 11. Prayer is the breath of the new creature The Spirit of Adoption given to every child of God is a Spirit of prayer and teacheth them to cry Abba Father and helpeth their infirmities when they know not what to pray as they ought and when words are wanting it as it were intercedeth for them with groans which they cannot express in words Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15 26 27. And God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit in those groans The first workings of grace are in Desires after grace provoking the soul to servent prayer by which more grace is speedily obtained Ask then and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you Luke 11. 9. § 4. 4. Another means to be used is Confession of sin not only to God for so every wicked man may do because he knoweth that God is already acquainted with it all and this is no addition to his shame He so little regardeth the eye of God that he is more ashamed when it is known to men But in three Cases Confession must be made also to Man 1. In case you have wronged man and are thus bound to make him satisfaction As if you have robbed him defrauded him slandered him or born false witness against him 2. In case you are Children or Servants that are under the government of Parents or Masters and are called by them to give an acount of your actions You are bound then to give a true account 3. In case you have need of the Counsel or Prayers of others for the setling of your consciences in peace In this case you must so far open your case to them as is necessary to their effectual help for your recovery For if they know not the disease they will be unfit to apply the remedy In these cases it is true that He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. § 5. 5. Another Means to be used is the familiar company and holy converse with humble sincere experienced Christians The Spirit that is in them and breatheth and acteth by them will kindle the like holy flames in you Away with the company of idle prating sensual men that can talk of nothing but their worldly wealth or business or their reputations or their appetites and lusts
sinned not You have got the victory and are more than Conquâ—r 〈…〉 Rom. 8. 37 38 39. Doth it sâ—â—m strange to you that few rich men are saved when Christ telleth you it is so hard as to be impossible with men Luke 18. 27. Mar. 10. 27. Or is it strange that Rich men should be the ordinary Rulers of the Earth Or is it strange that the wicked should hate the godly and the world hate them that 〈◊〉 châ—sen out of the world What of all this should seem strange Expect it as the common lot oâ— the fâ—â—thful and you will be better prepared for it § 2. Sâ—e therefore that you resist not evil by any Revengeful irregular violence Mat. 5. 39. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers and not resist leâ—t they receive damnation Rom. 13. 1 2 3. Imitate your Lord that When he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed all to him that judgeth righteously leaving us an ensample that ye should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. An angry zeal against those that cross and hurt us is so â—asily kindled and hardly suppâ—essâ—â— that it appâ—areth there is more in it of corrupted nature than of God We are very râ—â—dy to think that we may call for fire from heaven upon the enemies of the Gospel But you know not what manner of Spirit ye are then of Luke 9. 55. But Christ â—aith unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despi 〈…〉 htfully use you and persecute you that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven Matth. 5. 44 45. You find no such prohibition against patient suffering wrong from any Take heed of giving way to secret wishes of hurt to your adversaries or to reproachful words against them Take heed of hurting your self by pâ—ssion or sin because others hurt you by slanders or persecutions Keep you in the way of your duty and leave your names and lives to God Be careful that you keep your innocency and in your patience possess your souls and God will keep you from any hurt from enemies but what he will cause to work for your good Read Psal. 37. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgement as the noon-day Rest in the Lord and wait patienly for him fret not thy self because of him that prâ—spereth in his way because of the man that bringeth wicked devices to pass Cease from anger and forsake wrath fâ—et not thy self in any wise to do evil Vers. 5. 6 7 8. Direct 10. WHen you are repenting of or avoiding any extream do it not without sufficient Direct 10. fear and caution of the contrary extream § 1. In the esteem and Love of God your Ultimate End you need not fear over-doing Nor any Extreams in Religion where when impediments and backwardness or impotency do tell you that you can never do too much But sin lyeth on both sides the Rule and Way And nothing is more common than to turn from one sin to another under the name of duty or amendment Especially this is common in matter of opinion Some will first believe that God is nothing else but Mercy and after take notice of nothing but his Justice First They believe that almost all are saved and afterwards that almost none First That every Profession is credible and next that none is credible without some greater testimony First that Christ satisfied for none at all that will not be saved and next that he dyed for all alike First that none are now partakers of the Holy Spirit and next that all Saints have the Spirit not only to illuminate and sanctifie them by transcribing the written Word upon their hearts but also to inspire them with new Revelations instead of Scripture First they think that all that Papists hold and do must be avoided and after that there needed no reformation at all Now they are for Legal bondage and anon for Libertinism To day for a liberty in Religion to none that agree not with them in every circumstance and to morrow for a liberty for all This year all things are lawful to them and the next year nothing is lawful but they scruple all that they say or do One while they are all for a Worship of meer shew and Ceremony and another while against the determination of meer circumstances of order and decency by man One while they cry up nothing but Free-grace and another while nothing but Free-will One while they are for a Discipline stricter than the Rule and another while for no Discipline at all First for timerous complyance with evil and afterwards for boysterous contempt of Government Abundance such instances we might give you § 2. The remedy against this disease is to proceed deliberately and receive nothing and do nothing rashly and unadvisedly in Religion For when you have found out your first error you will be affrighted from that into the contrary error See that you look round about you as well to the error that you may run into on the other side as into that which you have run into already Consult also with wise experienced men And mark their unhappiness that have fallen on both sides and stay not to know evil by sad experience True mediocrity is the only way that 's safe Though negligence and lukewarmness be odious even when cloked with that name Direct 11. I Et not your first Opinions about the controverted difficulties in Religion where Scripture Direct 11. For Modesty in your first Opinions is not very plain be too peremptory confident or fixed But hold them modestly with 〈…〉 your unâ—ipe understandings and with room for further information supposing it possible 〈…〉 that upon better instruction evidence and maturity you may in such things change yâ—ur minds § 1. I know the factions that take up their Religion on the credit of their party are against this Direction thinking that you must first hit on the right Church and then hold all that the Church doth hold and therefore change your mind in nothing which you this way receive I know also that some Libertines and half-believers would corrupt this Direction by extending it to the most plain and necessary truths perswading you to hold Christianity it self but as an uncertain probable Opinion But as Gods foundation standeth sure so we must be surely built on his foundation He that believeth not the Essentials of Christianity as a certain necessary revelation of God is not a Christian but an Infidel And he that believeth not all that which he understandeth in the Word of God believeth nothing on the credit of that Word Indeed faith hath its weakness in those that are sincere and they are fain to lament the râ—mnants of unbelief and cry Lord increase
his Wisdom Clemency and Justice 3. And effectively on his Subjects and Servants who are by his Laws reduced to a Conformity to his mind As a man may first cut his Arms or Image on his seal and then by that seal imprint it on the wax and though it be perfectly cut on the seal it may be imperfectly printed on the wax so Gods Image is naturally perfect in his Son and Regularly or expressively perfect on the seal of his holy Doctrine and Laws but imperfectly on his subjects according to their reception of it in their several degrees § 6. Therefore it is easie to discern their error that tell men the Light or Spirit within them is their Rule and a perfect Rule yea and that it is thus in all men in the world when Gods Word and experience flatly contradict it telling us that Infidels and enemies of God and all the ungodly are in Darkness and not in the Light and that all that speak not according to this Word the Law and Testimony have No Light in them and therefore no perfect Light to be their Rule Isa. 8. 20. The Ministry is sent to bring them from darkness to Light Therefore they had not a sufficient Light in them before Acts 26. 17 18. Wo to them that put darkness for light and light for darkness Isa. 5. 20. telling the children of darkness and the haters of the Light that they have a perfect Light and Rule within them when God saith They have no Light in them See 1 John 1. 5. 4 6 7 8. He that saith he is in the Light and hateth his brother is in darkness even till now 1 John 2. 9 10 11. The Light within a wicked man is darkness and blindness and therefore not his Rule Matth. 6. 23. Ephes. 5. 8. Even the Light that is in godly men is the knowledge of the Rule and not the Rule it self at all nor ever called so by God Our Rule is perfect our knowledge is imperfect for Paul himself saith We know in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away Now we see through a glass darkly 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 12. The Gospel is bid to them that are lost being blinded by Satan 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. § 7. There is an admirable unsearchable concurrence of the Spirit and his appointed means and the will of man in the procreation of the new creature and in all the exercises of grace as there is of Male and Female in natural generation and of the Earth the Sun the Rain the industry of the Gardiner and the seminal vertue of Life and specification in the production of Plants with their flowers and fruits And as wise as it would be to say It is not the Male but the Female or the Female but the Male that generateth or to say It is not the Earth but the Sun or not the Sun but the Rain or not the Rain but the seminal Vertue that causeth Plants with Flowers and Fruits So wise is it to say It is not the Spirit but the Word and Means or it is not the Word and Means but the Spirit or it is not the Reason and Will and industry of man but the Spirit Or if we have not wisdom enough to assign to each cause its proper interest in the effect that therefore we should separate what God hath conjoyned or deny the truth of the causation because we comprehend not the manner and influence this is but to choose to be befooled by Pride rather than confess that God is wiser than we § 8. 2. You may here discern also how the Spirit assureth and comforteth believers and how palpably they err that think the Spirit comforteth or assureth us of our salvation without the use of its Evidencing grace The ten things mentioned § 4. is all that the Spirit doth herein But to expect his Comforts without any measure of discerning his graces which can only rationally prove our right to the blessings of the Promise this is to expect that he should comfort a Rational Creature not as Rational but darkly cause him to rejoyce he knoweth not why and that he should make no use of faith to our comfort For faith resteth understandingly upon the Promise and expecteth the performance of it to those that it is made to and not to others Indeed there is a common encouragement and comfort which all men even the worst may take from the universal conditional Promise and there is much abatement of our fears and troubles that may be fetcht from probabilties and uncertain hopes of our own sincerity and interest in the Promise But to expect any other assurance or comfort from the Spirit without Evidence is but to expect immediate revelations or inspirations to do the work which the Word of promise and faith should do The souls Consent to the Covenant of ☜ Grace and fiducial Acceptance of an offered Christ is justifying saâ—ing faith Every man hath an object in the Promise and offer of the Gospel for this act and therefore may rationally perform it Though all have not hearts to do it This may well be called Faith of adherence and is it self our evidence from which we must conclude that we are true Believers The discerning of this Evidence called by some the Reflex act of faith is no act of faith at all it being no believing of another but the act of Conscience knowing what is in our selves The discerning and concluding that we are the children of God participateth of faith and conscientious knowledge which gave us the premises of such a conclusion § 9. 3. You may hence perceive also how we are said to be sealed by the Spirit Even as a mans Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 9. Ephes. 4 30. seal doth signifie the thing sealed to be his own So the Spirit of holiness in us is Gods seal upon us signifying that we are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Every one that hath the Spirit is sealed by having it and that is his Evidence which if he discern he may know that he is thus sealed § 10. 4. Hereby also you may see what the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit is The Spirit is 2 Coâ— 1. 22. given to us by God as the earnest of the Glory which he will give us To whomsoever he giveth the Spirit of Faith and Love and Holiness he giveth the seed of life eternal and an inclination thereto which is his earnest of it § 11. 5. Hereby also you may see how the Spirit witnesseth that we are the children of God The word Witness is put here principally for Evidence If any one question our adoption the Witness or Evidence which we must produce to prove it is the Spirit of Iesus sanctifying us and dwelling in us This is the chief part at least of the sense of the Text Rom. 8. 16. Though it is true that the same Spirit witnesseth by 1. Shewing us the
Unthankfulness and neglect are the way to be denyed further help § 18. Quest. But how shall I know whether good effects be from the Means or from my Reason and Quest. Endeavour and when from the Spirit of God Answ. Answ. It is as if you should ask How shall I know whether my harvest be from the Earth or Sun or Rain or God or from my labour I will tell you how They are all con-causes If the effect be there they all concur If the effect be wanting some of them were wanting It 's foolish to ask which is the cause when the effect is not produced but by the concurrence of them all If you had asked which cause did fail when the effect faileth there were reason in that question But there is none in this The more to blame those foolish Atheists that think God or the Spirit is not the cause if they can but find that Reason and Means are in the effect Your Reason and Conscience and Means would fall short of the effect if the Spirit put not life into all § 19. Obj. But I am exceedingly troubled and confounded with continual doubts about every motion that Object is in my mind whether it be from the Spirit of God or not Answ. The more is your ignorance or the malice of Satan causing your disquiet In one word Answ. you have sufficient Direction to resolve those doubts and end those troubles Is it Good or Evil or Indifferent that you are moved to This question must be resolved from the Word of God which is the Rule of duty If it be good in matter and manner and circumstances it is from the Spirit of God either its common or special operation If it be evil or indifferent you cannot ascribe it to the Spirit Remember that the Spirit cometh not to you to make you new duty which the Scripture never made your duty and so to bring an additional Law but to move and help you in that which was your duty before Only it may give the Matter while Scripture giveth the Obligation by its general command If you know not what is your duty and what not it is your ignorance of Scripture that must be cured Interpret Scripture well and you may interpret the Spirits motions easily If any new duty be motioned to you which Scripture commandeth not take such motions as not from God Unless it were by extraordinary confirmed Revelation DIRECT IV. Gr. Dir. 4. Let it be your chiefest study to attain to a true orderly and practical knowledge of God For the true and orderly impression of Gods Attributes on the heart in his several Attributes and Relations and to find a due impression from each of them upon your hearts and a distinct effectual improvement of them in your lives § 1. BEcause I have written of this point more fully in another Treatise Of the Knowledge of God and Converse with him I shall but briefly touch upon it here as not willing to repeat Laert. in Zeno. saith Dicunt Stoici Deum esse animal immortale rationale perfectum ac beatum à malo omni remotissimum providentia sua mundum quae sunt in mundo administrans omnia Non tamen inesse illi humanae â—ormae lineamenta Caeterum esse opificem immensi hujus operis sicut patrem omnium Eumque multis appellari nominibus juxta proprietates suas Quosdam item esse daemones dicunt quibus insit hominum miseratio inspectores rerum humararum Heroas quoque so utas corporibus sapientum animas Bonos aiunt esse Divinoâ— quod in seipsis quasi habeant Deum Malum vero impium sine Deo esse quod duplici ratione accipitur sive quod Deo contrarius dicatur sive quod aspernetur Deum Id tamen malis omnibus non convenire Pios autem Religiosos esse sapientes peritos divini juris omnes Pâ—â—tatem esse seiâ—â—iam divini cultus Diis item eos sacr ficia sacturos castosque futuros Quippe ea quae in Deos admittuntur peccata detesâ—ari Diisque charos ac gratos fore quo sancti justique in rebus divinis sint that which there is delivered Only let me briefly mind you of these few things 1. That the true knowledge of God is the summ of Godliness and the end of all our other knowledge and of all that we have or do as Christians As Christ is a Teacher that came from God so he came to call and lead us unto God Or else he had not come as a Saviour It is from God that we fell by sin and to God that we must be restored by grace To save us is to restore us to our perfection and our happiness and that is to restore us unto God § 2. 2. That the true knowledge of God is powerful and effectual upon the heart and life And every Attribute and Relation of God is so to be known as to make its proper Impress on us And the measure of this saving knowledge is not to be judged of by Extensiveness or number of Truths concerning God which we know so much as by the Clearness and Intensiveness and the measure of its holy effects upon the heart § 3. 3 This is it that denominateth both our selves and all our Duties HOLY when Gods Image is thus imprinted on us and we are like him by the new birth as Children to their Father and by his knowledge both our Hearts and Lives are made Divine being disposed unto God devoted to him and employed for him he being our Life and Light and Love § 4. This is the summ of the Covenant of God with man I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people And the other parts of the Covenant that Christ be our Saviour and the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier are both subservient unto this there being now no coming unto God but as Reconciled in Christ our Mediator and by the teaching and drawing of the Holy Ghost To be our God is to be to us An Absolute Owner a most Righteous Governour and a most Bountiful Benefactor or Father as having Created us Redeemed and Regenerated us and this according to his most Blessed Nature properties and perfections § 5. 5. It is not only a loose and unconstant effect of your particular thoughts of God that is the necessary Impress of his Attributes as to Fear him when you remember his Greatness and Iustice But it must be an Habit or holy nature in you every Attribute having made it s stated Image upon you and that Habit or Image being in you a constant Principle of holy spiritual operations A Habit of Reverence Belief Trust Love c. should be as it were your Nature § 6. 6. Not that the knowledge of God in his perfections should provoke us to desire his properties and perfections For to have such an aspiring desire to be Gods were the greatest Pride and wickedness But only we must desire 1.
the most odious sins if he can but get them once to have some learned wise or religious defenders And from our tenderness of the persons we easily slide to an indulgent tenderness in censuring the sin it â—elt And good men themselves by these means are dangerously disabled to resist it and prepared to commit i◠§ 25. Direct 12. Take â—eed lest the Devil do either cast you into the sleep of carnal security or 〈…〉 into such doubts and fears and perplexing seruples as shall make holy obedience seem to you an impossâ—â—le â—â— a tiâ—â—sâ—me thing When you are asleep in carelesness he can use you as he list And if Obedienâ—e be made grievous and ungrateful to you your heart will go against it and you will go but like a tired horse no longer than you feel the spur you are half conquered already because you have lost the â—â—ve and pleasure of obedience and you are still in danger lest difficulties should quite tire you and weariness make you yield at last The means by which the Tempter effecteth this must afterward be spoken of and therâ—fore I shall omit it here § 26. By the faithful practice of thâ—se Directions Obedience may become as it were your Nature a â—amâ—liar â—asiâ— and delightful thing and may be like a chearful servant or child that waiteth for your commands and is glad to be imployed by you Your full subjection of your wills to God will be as the health and ease and quietness of your wills You will feel that it is never well or easie with you but when you are obedient and pleasing to your Creators will Your delight will be in the Law of the â—â—rd Psal. 1. 2. It will be sweeter than hony to you and better than thousands of gold and silver And this not for any by respect but as it is the Law of God a Light unto your feet and an inâ—â—lâ—â—ble guide in all your duty You will say with David Psal. 119. 16 24 35 47 70 77 174. I will delighâ— my self in thy Statutâ—s I will not forget thy word Thy Testimonies are my delight and my Câ—â—unsellers Make me to go in the path of thy â—â—mmaâ—dments for therein do I delight And as Psal. 40. 8. I delight to dâ— thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart And O Blessed is the man that â—eareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments Psal. 112. 1. DIRECT VII Continue as the Covenanted Scholars of Christ the Prophet and Teacher of his Gr. Dir. 7. Church to learn of him by his Spirit word and Ministers the farther knowledge of God and the things that tend to your Salvation and this with an honest willing mind in faith humility and diligence in obedience patience and peace § 1. THough I spake before of our Coming to God by Iesus Christ as he is the way to the Father It is meet that we distinctly speak of our Relation and Duty to him as he is our Teacher our Captain and our Master as well as of our improving him as Mediator immediately unto God The necessity of Believers and the office and work of Christ himself doth tell us how much of our Religion doth consist in Learning of him as his Disciples Acts 7. 37. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear This was the voice that came out of the cloud in the holy mount Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hâ—ar ye Him Therefore is the title of Disciples commonly given to Believers And there is a twoâ—old Tâ—â—ching which Christ hath sent his Ministers to perform both mentioned in their Commission Mat. 28. 19 20. The one is so to teach the Nations as to make Disciples of them by perswading them into the School of Christ which containeth the Teaching of faith and Repentance and whatever is necessary to their first admission and to their subjecting themselves to Christ himself as their stated and infallible Guide The other is the Teaching them further to know more of God and to observe all things whatever be commanded them And this last is it we are now to speak of and I shall add some sub-directions for your help How to Learn oâ— Christ. Sâ—ct 2. Directions for Learning of Christ as our Teacher Direct 1. § 2. Direct 1. Remember who it is that is your Teacher that he is the Son of God that knoweth his Fathers will and is the most faithful infallible Pastor of the Church There is neither ignorance nor negligence nor ambition nor decâ—it in him to cause him to conceal the mind of God There is nothing which we need to know which he is not both able and willing to acquaint us with Direct 2. § 3. Direct 2. Remember what it is that he Teacheth you and to what End That it is not how to sin and be damned as the Devil the world and the flesh would teach you nor how to satisfie your lusts or to know or do or attain the trifles of the world But it is how to be renewed to the Image of God and how to do his will and please him and how to be justified at his barr and how to escape everlasting fire and how to attain everlasting joys Consider this well and you will gladly learn of such a Teacher § 4. Direct 3. Let the Book which he himself hath indiâ—ed by his Spirit be the Rule and principal Direct 3. matter of your learning The Holy Scriptures are of Divine inspiration It is them that we must be Judged by and them that we must be Ruled by and therefore them that we must principally learn Mens Books and Teachings are but the means for our Learning this infallible word § 5. Direct 4. Remember that as it is Christs work to Teach it is yours to hear and read and study Direct 4. and pray and practise what you hear Do your part then if you expect the benefit You come not to the School of Christ to be idle Knowledge droppeth not into the sleepy dreamers mouth Dig for it as for Silver and search for it in the Scriptures as for a hidden treasure Meditate in them day and night Leave it to miserable fools to contemn the wisdom of the most high § 6. Direct 5. Fix your eye upon himself as your pattern and study with earnest desire to follow Direct 5. The imitation of Christ. his holy example and to be made conformable to him Not to imitate him in the works which were proper to him as God or as Mediator but in his Holiness which he hath proposed to his disciples for their imitation He knew how effectuall a perfect example would be where a perfect doctrine alone would be less regarded Example bringeth doctrine nearer to our eye and heart It maketh it more observable and telleth us with more powerful application such you must be and
diseases of the Understanding may be How the understanding can be the subject oâ— sin called sin Because the Understanding is not a Free but a Necessitated faculty And there can be no sin where there is no Liberty But to clear this it must be considered 1. That it is not this or that faculty that is the full and proper subject of sin but the Man the fulness of sin being made up of the vice of both faculties understanding and will conjunct It s properer to say The man sinned than the Intellect or Will sinned speaking exclusively as to the other 2. Liberum arbitrium Free choice is belonging to the Man and not to his Will only though principally to the Will 3. Though the Will only be Free in it self originally yet the Intellect is Free by participation so far as it is commanded by the Will or dependeth on it for the Exercise of its acts 4. Accordingly though the Understanding primitively and of it self be not the subject of morality of moral Virtues or of moral Vices which are immediately and primarily in the Will yet participatively its Virtues and Vices are moralized and become graces or sins laudable and rewardable or vituperable and punishable as they are imperate by the will or depend upon it Consider then the Acts and Habits and disposition of the Understanding And you will find 1. That some acts and the privation of them are Necessary Naturally Originally and unalterably and these are not virtues or sinful at all as having no morality As to know unwillingly as the Devils do and to Believe when it cannot be resisted though they would this is no moral Vertue at all but a natural perfection only So 1. To be ignorant of that which is no object of knowledge or which is naturally beyond our knowledge as of the Essence of God is no sin at all 2. Nor to be ignorant of that which was never revealed when no fault of ours hindred the revelation is no sin 3. Nor to be without the present actual knowledge or consideration of one point at that moment when our thoughts are lawfully diverted as in greater business or suspended as in sleep 4. But to be ignorant wilfully is a sin participatively in the intellect and originally in the will 5. And to be ignorant for want of Revelation when our selves are the hinderers of that revelation or the meritorious cause that we want it is our sin Because though that ignorance be immediately necessary and hypâ—thâ—tically yet originally and remotely it is Free and Voluntary So as to the Habits and Dispositions of the intellect It is no sin to want those which mans Understanding in its entire and primitive Nature was without As not to be able to know without an object or to know an unrevealed or too distant object or actually to know all things know able at onâ—â— But there are defects or ill dispositions that are sinfully contracted and though these are now immediately natural and necessary yet being originally and remotely voluntary or free they are participatively sinful Such is the natural mans disability or undisposedness to know the things of the Spirit when the Word revealeth them This lyeth not in the want of a Natural faculty to know them but 1. Radically in the will 2. And thence in contrary false apprehensions which the Intellect is prepossessed with which resisting the truth may be called its blindness or impotency to know them And 3. In a strangeness of the mind to those spiritual things which it is utterly unacquainted with Note here 1. That the will may be guilty of the understandings ignorance two wayes either by Pâ—sitive averseness prohibiting or diverting it from beholding the evidence of truth Or by a Privation and forbearance of that command or excitation which is necessary to the exercise of the acts of the understanding This last is the commonest way of the sin in the understanding and that may be truly called Voluntary which is from the wills neglect of its office or suspension of its act though there be no actual Volition or Nolition 2. That the will may do more in causing a disease in the understanding than it can do in curâ—â—â—â— it I can put out a mans eyes but I cannot restore them 3. That yet for all that God hath so ordered it in his gracious dispensation of the â—â—aâ—â— of the Redeemer that certain means are appointed by him for man to use in order to the obtaining of his grace for his own recovery And so though grace cure not the understanding of its primitive natural weakness yet it cureth it of its contracted weakness which was voluntary in its Original but necessary being contracted And as the will had a hand in the causing of it so must it have in the Voluntary use of the foresaid means in the Cure of it So much to shew you how the Understanding is guilty of sin § 4. Though no actual knowledge be so immediate as to be without the Mediation of the sense 〈…〉 and ma 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and fantasie yet supposing these Knowledge is distinguished into Immediate and Mediate The Immediate is when the Being Quality c. of a thing or the Truth of a proposition is known immediately in it self by its proper evidence Mediate knowledge is when the Being of a thing or the truth of a proposition is known by the means of some other intervenient thing or proposition whose evidence affordeth us a light to discern it The understanding is much more satisfied when it can see Things and Truths immediately in their proper evidence But when it cannot it is glad of any means to help it The further we go in the series of Means knowing one thing by another and that by another and so on the more unsatisfied the understanding is as apprehending a possibility of mistake and a difficulty in escaping mistake in the use of so many media's When the evidence of one thing in its proper nature sheweth us another this is to know by meer discourse or argument When the Medium of our knowing one thing is the Credibility of another mans report that knoweth it this is though a discourse or argument too yet in special called Belief which is strong or weak certain or uncertain as the evidence of the reporters Credibility is certain or uncertain and our apprehension of it strong or weak In both cases the understandings fault is either an utter privation of the act or disposition to it or else a privation of the rectitude of the act When it should know by the proper evidence of the Thing the privation of its act is called Ignorance or Nescience and the privation of its rectitude is called Error which differ as not-seeing and seeing-falsly When it should know by Testimony the privation of its act is simple unbelief or not-believing and the privation of its rectitude is either Disbelief when they think the reporter erreth or Mis-belief when it
took thee into his favour and adopted thee for his son and an heir of Heaven He will glorifie thee with Angels in the presence of his Glory How should such a friend as this be loved How far above all mortal friends Their love and friendship is but a token and message of his Love Because he Loveth thee he sendeth thee kindness and mercy by thy friend and when their kindness ceaseth or can do thee no good his kindness will continue and comfort thee for ever Love them therefore as the messengers of his Love but Love him in them and love them for him and love him much more § 40. Direct 17. Think oft how delightful a life it would be to thee if thou couldst but live in the Direct 17. Love of God And then the complacencie will provoke desire and desire will turn thy face towards God till thou feel that thou lovest him The Love of a friend hath its sweetness and delight and when we Love them we feel such pleasure in our Love that we Love to Love them How pleasant then would it be to Love thy God O blessed joyful life if I could but love him as much as I desire to love him How freely could I leave the ambitious and the covetous and the sensual and voluptuous to their doting delusory swinish love How easily could I spare all earthly pleasures How near should I come to the Angelical life Could I love God as I would love him it would fill me with continual pleasure and be the sweetest feast that a soul can have How easily would it quench all carnal love How far would it raise me above these transitory things How much should I contemn them and pitty the wretches that know no better and have their portion in this life How readily should I obey And how pleasant would obedience be How sweet would all my Meditations be when every thought is full of Love How sweet would all my prayers be when constraining Love did bring me unto God and indite and animate every word How sweet would Sacraments be when my ascending flaming love should meet that wonderful descending love which cometh from Heaven to call me thither and in living bread and spiritful wine is the nourishment and cordial of my soul How sweet would all my speeches be when Love commanded them and every word were full of Love How quiet would my Conscience be if it had never any of this accusation against me to cast in my face to my shame and confusion that I am wanting in Love to the blessed God O could I but Love God with such a powerful Love as his Love and Goodness should command I should no more question my sincerity nor doubt any more of his Love to me How freely then should I acknowledge his grace and how heartily should I give him thanks for my justification sanctification and adoption which now I mention with doubt and fear O how it would lift up my soul unto his praise and make it my delight to speak good of his name What a purifying fire would Love be in my breast to burn up my corruptions It will endure nothing to enter or abide within me that is contrary to the will and interest of my Lord but hate every motion that tendeth to dishonour and displease him It would fill my soul with so much of Heaven as would make me long to be in Heaven and make death welcome which is now so terrible Instead of these withdrawing shrinking fears I should desire to depart and to be with Christ as being best of all O how easily should I bear any burthen of reproach or loss or want when I thus Loved God and were assured of his Love How light would the Cross be And how honourable and joyful would it seem to be imprisoned reviled spit upon and buffeted for the sake of Christ How desirable would the flames of Martyrdom seem for the testifying of my love to him that loved me at dearer rates than I can love him Lord is there no more of this blessed life of Love to be attained here on earth When all the world reveals thy Goodness when thy Son hath come down to declare thy love in so full and wonderful a manner When thy word hath opened us a window into Heaven where afar off we may discern thy Glory yet shall our hearts be clods and ice O pitty this unkind unnatural soul This dead insensible disaffected soul Teach me by thy spirit the art of Love Love me not only so as to convince me that I have abundant cause to Love thee above all but Love me so as to constrain me to it by the magnetical attractive power of thy Goodness and the insuperable operations of thy omnipotent Love § 41. Direct 18. In thy Meditations upon all these incentives of Love preach them over earnestly to Direct 18. thy Heart and expostulate and plead with it by way of soliloquy till thou feel the fire begin to burn Do not only Think on the Arguments of Love but dispute it out with thy Conscience and by expostulating earnest reasonings with thy heart endeavour to affect it There is much more moving force in this earnest talking to our selves than in bare cogitation that breaks not out into mental words Imitate the most powerful Preacher that ever thou wast acquainted with And just as he pleadeth the case with his hearers and urgeth the truth and duty on them by reason and importunity so do thou in secret with thy self There is more in this than most Christians are aware of or use to practise It is a great part of a Christians skill and duty to be a good preacher to himself This is a lawful and a gainful way of preaching No body here can make question of thy call nor deny thee a License nor silence thee if thou silence not thy self Two or three sermons a week from others is a fair proportion but two or three sermons a day from thy self is ordinarily too little Therefore I have added soliloquies to many of these Directions for Love to shew you how by such pleadings with your selves to affect your hearts and kindle Love § 42. And O that this might be the happy fruit of these Directions with thee that art now reading or hearing them That thou wouldst but offer up thy flaming Heart to Jesus Christ our Great High-Priest to be presented an acceptable sacrifice to God! Or if it flame not in Love as thou desirest yet give it up to the Holy Spirit to increase the flames Thou little knowest how much God setteth by a Heart He calleth to thee himself My son give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. Without it he cares not for any thing that thou canst give him He cares not for thy fairest words without it He cares not for thy lowdest prayers without it He cares not for thy costliest alms or sacrifices if he have not thy heart If thou give all thy goods to
Gospel Leave out this Gratitude and it is no Evangelical Repentance And what is our saving faith in Christ but the Assent to the truth of the Gospel with a Thankful Acceptance of the good which it offereth us even Christ as our Saviour with the Benefits of his Redemption The Love to God that is there required is the Thankful Love of his Redeemed ones And the Love to our very enemies and the forgiving of wrongs and all the Love to one another and all the works of Charity there required are the exercises of Gratitude and are all to be done on this account because Christ hath loved us and forgiven us and that we may shew our thankful Love to him Preaching and Praying and Sacraments and publick praises and communion of Saints and obedience are all to be animated with Gratitude and they are no further Evangelically performed than Thankfulness is the very life and complexion of them all The dark and defective opening of this by Preachers gave occasion to the Antinomians to run into the contrary extream and to derogate too much from Gods Law and our Obedience But if we obscure the doctrine of Evangelical Gratitude we do as bad or worse than they Obedience to our Ruler and Thankfulness to our Benefactor conjoyned and co-operating as the Head and Heart in the Natural body do make a Christian indeed Understand this well and it will much incline your hearts to Thankfulness § 4. Direct 2. Let the greatness of the manifold mercies of God be continually before your eyes Direct 2. Thankfulness is caused by the due apprehension of the greatness of mercies If you either know them not to be mercies or know not that they are mercies to you or believe not what is said and promised in the Gospel or forget them or think not of them or make light of them through the corruption of your minds you cannot be thankful for them I have before spoken of Mercy in order to the kindling of Love and therefore shall now only recite these following to be alwayes in your memories 1. The Love of God in giving you a Redeemer and the Love of Christ in giving his life for us and in all the parts of our Redemption 2. The Covenant of Grace the pardon of all our sins the justification of our persons our adoption and title to eternal life 3. The aptness of means for calling us to Christ The gracious and wise disposals of providence to that end the gifts and compassion of our instructers the care of Parents and the helps and examples of the servants of Christ. 4. The efficacy of all these means â—he giving us to will and to do and opening of our hearts and giving us repentance unto life and the Spirit of Christ to mortifie our sins and purifie our nature and dwell within us 5. A standing in his Church under the care of faithful Pastors the liberty comfort and frequent benefit of his Word and Sacraments and the publick communion of his Saints 6. The company of those that fear the Lord and their faithful admonitions reproofs and encouragements the kindness they have shewed us for body or for soul. 7. The mercies of our Relations or habitations our estates and the notable alterations and passages of our lives 8. The manifold preservations and deliverances of our souls from errors and seducers from terrors and distress from dangerous temptations and many a soul-wounding sin and that we are not leâ—t to the errors and desires of our hearts to seared Consciences as forsaken of God 9. The manifold deliverances of our bodies from enemies hurts distresses sicknesses and death 10. The mercies of adversity in wholesome necessary chastisements or honourable sufferings for his sake and support or comfort under all 11. The communion which our souls have had with God in the course of our private and publick duties in Prayer Sacraments and Meditation 12. The use which he hath made of us for the good of others that our time hath not been wholly lost and we have not lived as burdens of the world 13. The mercies of all our friends and his servants which were to us as our own and our interest in the mercies and publick welfare of his Church which are more than our own 14. His patience and forbearance with us under our constant unprofitableness and provocations and his renewed mercies notwithstanding our abuse our perseverance untill now 15. Our hopes of everlasting Rest and Glory when this sinsul life is at an end Aggravate these mercies in your more enlarged meditations and they will sure constrain you to cry out Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies Psal. 102. 1 2 3 4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise be thankful to him and bless his name For the Lord is good his Mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Psal. 100. 4 5. The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy For as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his mercy to them that fear him Psal. 103. 8 11. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Psal. 136. 1 c. O give thanks unto the Lord call upon his name make known his deeds among the people sing ye unto him sing Psalms unto him talk ye of all his wondrous works glory ye in his holy name Let the heart of them rejoyce that seek him Psal. 105. 1 2 3. § 5. Direct 3. Be well acquainted with the greatness of your sins and sensible of them as they are Direct 3. the aggravation of Gods Mercies to you This is the main end why God will humble those that he will save Not to drive them to despair of mercy nor that he taketh pleasure in their sorrows for themselves But to work the heart to a due esteem of saving mercy and to a serious desire after it that they may thankfully receive it and carefully retain it and faithfully use it An unhumbled soul sets light by Christ and Grace and Glory It relisheth no spiritual mercy It cannot be thankful for that which it findeth no great need of But true humiliation recovereth our appetite and teacheth us to value mercy as it is Think therefore what sin is as I have opened to you Dir. 8. and think of your manifold aggravated sins and then think how great those mercies are that are bestowed on so great unworthy sinners Then mercy will melt your humbled hearts when you confess that you are unworthy to be called Sons Luke 15. and that you are not worthy to look up to Heaven Luke 18. 13. and that you are not worthy of the least
him when ever he provoketh us to it but only endeavour to strengthen our Faith and destroy the remnants of unbelief § 38. Direct 35. Remember that Christ doth propagate his Religion conjunctly by his spirit and his Direct 35. word and effecteth himself the faith which he commandeth For though there be sufficient evidence of credibility in his word yet the blinded Mind and corrupt perverted hearts of men do need the cure of his medicinal Grace before they will effectually and savingly believe a doctrine which is so holy high and heavenly and doth so much control their lusts See therefore that you distrust your corrupted hearts and earnestly beg the Spirit of Christ. § 39. Direct 36. Labour earnestly for the Love of every Truth which you believe and to feel the Direct 36. renewing power of it upon your hearts and the reforming power on your lives especially that you may be advanced to the Love of God and to a Heavenly mind and life And this will be a most excellent help against all temptations to unbelief For the Heart holdeth the Gospel much faster than the Head alone The seed that is cast into the earth if it quicken and take root is best preserved and the dâ—eper rooted the surer it abideth but if it die it perisheth and is gone When the seed of the holy word hath produced the new creature it is sure and safe But when it is retained only in the brain as a dead Opinion every temptation can overturn it It is an excellent advantage that the serious practical Christian hath above all hypocrites and unsanctified men Love will hold faster than dead belief Love is the Grace that abideth for ever and that is the enduring faith which works by Love The experienced Christian hath felt so much of the power and Goodness oâ— the wâ—rd that if you puzzle his head with subtile reasonings against it yet his heart and experience will not suffer him to let it go He hath taâ—ted it so sweet that he will not Believe it to be bitter though he cannot answer all that is said against it If another would perswade you to believe ill of your dearest friend or Father Love and experience would better preserve you from his deceit than reasoning would do The new creature or new nature in believers and the experience of Gods Love communicated by Jesus Christ unto their souls are constant witnesses to the word of God He that believeth hath the witness in himself that is The Holy Ghost which was given him which is an objective testimony or an evidence and an effective Of this see my Treat of Infidelity Unsanctified men may be 〈◊〉 turned to Infidelity For they never felt the renewed quickning work of faith nor were â—vâ—â— brought by it to the Love of God and a holy and heavenly mind and â—iâ—â— They that never were Christians at the Heart are soonest turned from being Christians in opinion and name Quest. BY what Reason evidence or obligation were the Iews bound to believe the Prophets Seing Isaiah Jeremy Ezekiel c. wrought no miracles and there were false Prophets in their daies How then câ—uld any man know that indeed they were sent of God when they nakedly affirmed it Answ. I mention this objection or case because in my book of the Reas. of Christian Religion to which for all the rest I refer the Reader it is forgotten And because it is one of the hardest questions about our faith 1. Those that think that every book of Scripture doth now prove it self to be Divine propâ—ia luce by its own matter stile and other properties will accordingly say that by Hearing the Prophets then as well as by Reading them now this intrinsick satisfactory evidence was discâ—â—nable All that I can say of this is that there are such Characters in the Prophecies as are a help to faith as making it the more easily credible that they are of God but not such as I could have been ascertained by especially as delivered by parcels then if there had been no more 2. Nor do I acquiâ—sce in their answer who say that Those that have the same spirit know the stile of the spirit in the Prophets For 1. This would suppose none capable of believing them groundedly that had not the same spirit 2. And the spirit of sanctification is not enough to our discerning Prophetical inspirations as reason and experience fully proveth The guist of discerning spirits 1 Cor. 12. 10. was not common to all the sanctified 3. It is much to be observed that God never sent any Prophet to make a Law or Covenant on which the salvation of the people did depend without the attestation of unquestionable Miracles Moses wrought numerous open miracles and such as controlled and confuted the contradictors seeming Miracles in Egypt And Christ and his Apostles wrought more than Moses So that these Laws and Covenants by which God would rule and judge the people were all confirmed beyond all just exception 4. It must be noted that many other Prophets also wrought Miracles to confirm their doctrine and prove that they were sent of God as did Elias and Elisha 5. It must be noted that there were Schools of Prophets or Societies of them in those times 1 Sam. 10. 10. 19. 20. 1 Kings 20. 35 41. 22. 13. 2 Kings 2. 3 5 7 15. 4. 1 38. 5. 22. 6. 1. 9. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 32. Who were educated in such a way as fiâ—ted them to the reception of prophetical inspirations when it pleased God to give them Not that meer education made any one a Prophet nor that the Prophets had at all times the present actual guiâ—t of prophesie But God was pleased so far to own mens commanded diligence as to joyn his blessing to a meet education and at such times as he thought meet to illuminate such by Visions and revelations above all others And therefore it is spoken of Amos as a thing extraordinary that he was made a Prophet of a herdsman 6. Therefore a Prophet among the Jews was known to be such usually before these Recorded Prophecies of theirs which we have now in the Holy Scriptures 1. The spirits of the Prophets which are subject to the Prophets were judged of by those Prophets that had indeed the Spirit And so the people had the testimony of the other Prophets concerning them 2. The Lords own direction to know a true Prophet by Deut. 18. 22. is the coming to pass of that which he foretelleth Now it is like that before they were received into the number of Prophets they had given satisfaction to the societies of the Prophets by the events of things before foretold by them 3. Or they might have wrought miracles before to have satisfied the members of the Colledge of their calling though these Miracles are not all mentioned in the Scripture 4. Or the other Prophets might have some Divine testimony concerning them by visions revelations or
own word for it and plead with them the Arguments which he hath put into our mouths and yet we speak as to posts and stones to men past feeling what a pittiful sight was it to see Christ stand weeping over Ierusalem for the hardness of their hearts and the nearness and greatness of their misery while they themselves were so far from weeping for it that they raged against the life of him that so much pityed them We bless God that it is not thus with all He hath encouraged some of us with the heart-yielding obedient attention of many great Congregations But among the best alas how many of these hardned sinners are mixed and in many places how do they abound Hence it is that such odious abominations are committed such filthiness and lying and perjury and acts of malicious enmity against the servants of the Lord and that so many are haters of God and Godliness If Satan had not first hardned their hearts he could never have brought them to such odious crimes as now with impudency are committed in the Land As Lots daughters were fain to make their Father drunk that he might commit the sin of incest so the Devil doth first deprive men both of reason and feeling that he may bring them to such heinous wickedness as this and make them laugh at their own destruction and abhor those most that fain would save them And they are not only past feeling but so hate any quickning Ministry or Truth or Means which would recover their feeling that they seem to go to Hell as some condemned Malefactors to the Gallows that make themselves drunk before they go as if it were all they had to care for to keep themselves hoodwinkt from knowing or feeling whither they go till they are there § 9. See what a Picture of a hardned people God giveth to Ezekiel 3. 7. But the house of Israel will not hearken to thee for they will not hearken to me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted Observe but what a case it is that they are so insensible of and then you will see what a hard hearted sinner past feeling is 1. They are the servants of sin Rom. 6. 16. in the power of it corrupted by it and yet they feel it not 2. They have the guilt of many thousand sins upon them all is unpardoned that ever they committed and yet they feel it not 3. They have the threatnings and curses of God in force against them in his Word even words so terrible as you would think might affright them out of their sins or their wits and they take on them to believe this Word of God and yet they feel not 4. They are in the power of the Devil ruled and deceived by him and taken captive by him at his will Acts 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26. 5. They may be certain that if they dye in this condition they shall be damned and they are uncertain whether they shall live another day they are never sure to be one hour longer out of Hell and yet they feel not 6. They know that they must dye and that it is a great change and of the greatest endless Ferâ—emini moriem nâ— sentieti â— an caeci autem an videntes id in vestra manu est Optate igitur bene mori quod ipsum nisi bene vixeritis frustra est Optate inquam initimini quod in vobis est facile reliquum illi committite qui vos in hanc vitam ultro non vocatos intulit egressuris non nisi vocatus rogatus manum dabit Non mori autem nolite optare Petrarch Dial. 107. l. 2. consequence that death will make with them and they know that this is sure and near and are past doubt of it and yet they feel it not 7. They must shortly appear before the Lord and be judged for all that they have done in the body and be doomed to their endless state and yet they feel not 8. They know that life is short and that they have but a little time to prepare for all this terrible change and that it must go with them for ever as they now prepare and yet they feel not 9. They hear and read of the case of hardned wicked men that have gone before them and have resisted grace and lost their time as they now do and they read or hear of the miserable end that such have come to and yet they feel not 10. They have a world of examples continually before them They see the filthy lives of many for their warning and the holy lives of others for their imitation and see how Christ and Satan strive for souls and yet they feel not 11. They are alwayes before the eye of God and do all this before his face He warneth them and calleth them to repentance and yet they feel not 12. They have Christ as it were crucified before their eyes Gal. 3. 1. They hear of his sufferings They may see in him what sin is and what the Love of God is He pleadeth with them his blood and sufferings against their obstinate unkindness and yet they feel not 13. They have everlasting joy and glory offered them and Heaven so opened to them in Gods promises that they may see it as in a glass 1 Cor. 13. 12. They take on them to believe how much the blessed Spirits there abhorr such wickedness as theirs and yet they feel not 14. They have the Torments of Hell opened to them in the Word of God They read what impenitent souls must suffer to all eternity They hear some in despair in this life roaring in the misery of their souls They hear the joyful thanksgivings of believers that Christ delivereth them from those torments and yet they feel not 15. All the promises of Salvation in the Gospel do put in an exception against these men unless they be converted They are made to the penitent and not to the impenitent There is Justification and life but not for them There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. But he that believeth not is condemned already John 3. 18 36. and they that after their hardness and impenitent hearts do treasure up wrath against the day of wrath shall have tribulation and anguish Rom. 2. 5 6 7. Here is comfort for repenting sinners but none but on condition they Repent for them when others are welcomed to Christs marriage feast he saith to these How came you in hither and yet they feel not 16. They still carry about with them the doleful evidences of all this misery One would think the ambitious and covetous and voluptuous might see these death-marks on themselves and the ungodly might feel that God hath not their hearts especially they that hate the godly and shew their wolvish cruelty against them and are the progeny of Cain and yet they feel not any
it as some of a higher degree The thing pretended by Eminent Hypoâ—â—ites is to be zealous eminent Christians or at least to be sincere in a special manner while they discern the common Hypocrite not to be sincere 2. The cloak of seeming or pretense by which they would be thought to be what they are not is any thing in gâ—neral that hath an appearance of Godliness and is apt to make others think them godly And thus there are diverse sorts of Hypocrites according to the variety of their cloaks or ways of dissimulation though hypocrisie it self be in all of them the same thing As among the very Mahometanes and Heathens there oft arise some notable Hypocrites that by pretended Revelations and austerity of life profess themselves as Mahomet did to be Holy persons that had some extraordinary familiarity with God or Angels So among the Papists there are besides the common ones as many sorts of Hypocrites as they have self-devised Orders And every where the cloak of the common Hypocrite is so thin and transparent that it sheweth his nakedness to the more intelligent sort And this puts the Eminent Hypocrite upon some more laudable pretense that is not so transparent As for instance the Hypocrisie of common Papists whose cloak is made up of penances and ceremonies of saying over latine words or numbering words and beads for prayers with all the rest of their trumpery before named Chap. 3. Gr. Dir. 15. Dir. 11. is so thin a cloak that it will not â—atisfie some among themselves but they withdraw into distinct societies and orders the Church and the profession of Christianity being not enough for them that they may be Religious as if they saw that the rest are not Religious And then the common sort of ungodly Protestants have so much wit as to see through the cloak of all the Popish Hypocrisie and therefore they take up a fitter for themselves and that is the name of a Protestant Reformed Religion and Church joyned to the Common Profession of Christianity The Name or Profession of a Christian and a Protestant with going to Church and a heartless lip-service or saying their Prayers is the cloak of all ungodly Protestants Others discerning the thinness of this cloak do think to make themselves a better and they take up the strictest opinions in Religion and own those which they account the strictest party and own that which they esteem the purest and most spiritual worship The cloak of these men is their opinions pâ—rty and way of worship while their carnal lives detect their Hypocrisie Some that see through all these pretenses do take up the most excellent cloak of all and that is An appearance of serious spirituality in Religion with a due observation of all the outward parts and means and a Reformation of life in works of piety Iustice and charity I say An appearance of all these which if they had indeed they were sincere and should be saved in which the Godly Christian goeth beyond them all § 4. By this it is plain that among us in England all men that are not Saints are Hypocrites because that all except here or there a Jew or Infidel profess themselves to be Christians and every true Christian is a Saint They know that none but Saints or Godly persons shall be saved And there is few of them that will renounce their hopes of Heaven and therefore they must pretend to be all godly And is it not most cursed horrid hypocrisie for a man to pretend to Religion as the only way to his salvation and confidently call himself a Christian while he hateth and derideth the power and practice of that very Religion which he doth profess Of this see my Treat of The Vain Religion of the Formal Hypocrite When Pâ—â—â—â— in vita sua speaketh of others extolling his eloquence he addeth his own neglect of it Ego modo bene vixisâ—em qualiter dixisâ—em parvi sacerem Venâ—osa gloria est de solo verborum splendore famam quaerere Conscientiam potius quam famam attende Falli saepe poterit fama Conscientia nunquam Seâ—ec § 5. The Hypocrites Ends in his pretenses and dissemblings are not all the same One intendeth the pleasing of Parents or some friends on whom he doth depend that will else be displeased with him and think ill of him Another intendeth the pleasing of the higher powers when it falls out that they are friends to Godliness Another intends the preserving of his esteem with religious persons that they may not judge him wicked and prophane Another intendeth the hiding of some particular villany or the success of some ambitious enterprise But the most common end is to quiet and comfort their guilty souls with an Image of that Holiness which they are without and to steal some peace to their Consciences by a lie And so because they will not be Religious indeed they will take up some shew or image of Religion to make themselves as well as others believe that they are Religious § 6. Direct 1. To escape Hypocrisie understand well wherein the life and power of Godliness doth consist Direct 1. and wherein it differeth from the lifeless Image or Corps of Godliness The life of Godliness is expressed in the 17 Grand Directions in Chap. 4. It principally consisteth in such a faith in Christ as causeth us to Love God above all and obey him before all and prefer his favour and the hopes of Heaven before all the pleasures or profits or honours of the world and to worship him in spirit and truth according to the direction of his word The Images of Religion I shewed you before § 3. Take heed of such a lifeless Image § 7. Direct 2. See that your chief study be about the Heart that there Gods Image may be planted Direct 2. and his interest advanced and the interest of the world and flesh subdued and the Love of every sin cast out and the Love of Holiness succeed and that you content not your selves with seeming to do goâ—d in outward acts when you are bad your selves and strangers to the great internal duties The first and Sic vivendum est quaâ—i in coâ—â—â—â—ctu â—â—â—amuâ— Sic cogitandum tanquam aliquis pectus intimum prospicere poâ—â—iâ— Senec. Rem dâ—â—am ex qua mâ—â—â—â—s a stimes nâ—straâ— Vix quempiam invenâ—es qui possit aperto ostiâ—â—ivâ—re jâ—â—itores conscientia nostra suposuit sic vivimus ut deprehendi sit sabiâ—â— aspici Senec. Ep. 96. great work of a Christian is about his heart There it is that God dwelleth by his spirit in his Saints And there it is that sin and Satan reign in the ungodly The great duties and the great sins are those of the heart There is the root of Good and Evil The tongue and life are but the fruits and expressions of that which dwelleth within The inward habit of sin is as a second nature And a sinful nature is worse than a sinful
that they are zealous for the faith when they are but contending for their honour or conceits Passion covers much deceit from the passionate § 22. Direct 17. Suspect your selves most among the great the wise the learned and the godly or Direct 17. any whose favour opinion or applause you most esteem It is easie for an arrant Hypocrite to despise the favour or opinion of the vulgar of the ignorant of the prophane or any whose judgement he contemneth It is no great honour or dishonour to be praised or dispraised by a child or fool or a person that for his ignorance or prophaness is become contemptible But Hypocrisie and Pride do work most to procure the esteem of those whose judgement or parts you most admire One most admireth worldly greatness and such a one will play the Hypocrite most to flatter or please the great ones he admireth Another that is wiser more admireth the judgement of the wise and learned and he will play the Hypocrite to procure the good esteem of such though he can sleight a thousand of the ignorant and his pride it self will make him sleight them Another that is yet wiser is convinced of the excellency of Godly men above all the Great and Learned of the world And this man is more in danger of Pride and Hypocrisie in seeking the good opinion of the Godly and therefore can despise the greatest multitudes of the ignorant and prophane Yea pride it self will make him take it as an addition to his glory to be vilified and opposed by such miscreants as these § 23. Direct 18 Remember the perfections of that God whom you worship that he is a Spirit and Direct 18. therefore to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth and that he is most great and terrible and therefore to be worshipped with sâ—ri usnâ—ss and reverence and not to be dallyed with or served with toyes or lifeless lip-service and that he is most holy pure and jealous and therefore to be purely worshipped and that â—e is still present with you and all things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do The knowledge of God and the remembrance of his all-seeing presence is the most powerful means against Hypocrisie Christ himself argueth from the Nature of God who is a Spirit against the hypocritical ceremoniousness of the Samaritans and Iews Iohn 4. 23 24. Hypocrites offer that to God which they know a man of ordinary wisdom would scorn if they offered it to him If a man knew their hearts as God doth would he be pleased with words and complements and gestures which are not accompanied with any suitable seriousness of the mind Would he be pleased with affected histrionical actions One that seeth a Papist Priest come out in his Formalities and there lead the people in a Language which they understand not to worship God by a number of Ceremonies and canting repeated customary words would think he saw a Stage-player acting his part and not a wise and holy people seriously worshipping the most holy God And not only in worship but in private duties and in converse with men and in all your lâ—ves the remembrance of Gods presence is a powerful rebuke for all hypocrisie It is more foolish to sin in the sight of God because you can hide it from the world than to steal or commit adultery in the open Market-place before the crowd and be careful that Dogs and Crows discern it not If all the world see you it is not so much as if God in secret see you Be not deceived God is not mocked Gal. 6. 7. § 24. Direct 19. Remember how Hypocrisie is hated of God and what punishment is appointed for Direct 19. Hypocrites They are joyned in torment with unbelievers and as wicked mens punishment is aggravated by their being condemned to the fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels so the punishment of ordinary ungodly persons is aggravated by this that their portion shall be with hypocrites and unbelievers How oft find you the Lamb of God himself denouncing his thundering Woes against the hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees How oft doth he inculcate to his Disciples Be not as the Hypocrites Matth. 6. 2 5 16. And no wonder if Hypocrites be hateful to God when they and their services are lifeless Images and have nothing but the Name and outside of Christianity and some antick dress to set them off and humane ornaments of Wit and Parts as a Corpse is more drest with Flowers than the living as needing those Ceremonies for want of life to keep them sweet And a Carrion is not amiable to God And the Hypocrite puts a scorn on God as if he thought that God were like the Heathens Idols that have eyes and see not and could not discern the secret dissemblings of his heart or as if he were like fools and children that are pleased with fair words and little toyes God must needs hate such abuse as this § 25. Direct 20. Come into the Light that your hearts and lives may be throughly known to you Direct 20. Love the most searching faithul Ministry and Books and be thankful to reprovers and plain dealing friends Permanent tepidi â—gnavi neglâ—gâ—ntes Vaâ—â— leves voluptâ—â—si delâ—caâ—â— commoda corporis supersâ—ua sectantur suâ—m compendium in omnibus quaeâ—unt ubicunque honoâ—em existimationem nominis sui integra seâ—vaâ—e possunt Iâ—â—us prâ—priae voluntaâ—â— perâ—â—nacâ—ter addâ—â—â—â— irreâ—â—gnâ—â— minime abnegati superbi curiosi contumaces sunt in omnibuâ— licet â—â—terne coram hominibus bene mâ—â—ati videantur In tentationibus impatientes amari procaces iracundi â—risâ—es aliis molestâ— verbis tamen ingenioque seâ—â—â—â— In prosperis nimium eâ—aâ—i hilaâ—es In adversis nâ—mâ—um turbaâ—i sunt pusilâ—animes Aâ—iorum temeraâ—â—â—â— sunt judices aliorum vitia accuratissime perscrutari de aliorum defectibus frequenter gaâ—â—â—â—re aâ— gloâ—â—ari egregium putant Ex istis simiâ—â—bus operibus facillime cognosci poterunt nam moribus gestibusque suis câ—u sorex quispiam suopte sâ—met judicio produâ—â— Thaâ—le â—loâ— pag. 65 66. Darkness is it that cherisheth deceit It is the office of the Light to manifest Justly do those wretches perish in their hypocrisie who will not endure the light which would undeceive them but fly from a plain and powerful Ministry and hate plain reproof and set themselves by excuses and cavils to defend their own deceit § 26. Direct 21. Be very diligent in the examining of your hearts and all your actions by the Word Direct 21. of God and call your selves often to a strict account Deceit and guilt will not endure strict examination The Word of God is quick and powerful discovering the thoughts and imaginations of the heart There is no Hypocrite but might be delivered from his own deceits if by the assistance of an able Guide he would faithfully go on in the work of self-trying without partiality oâ— sloth § 27. Direct
crime 12. Their Consciences are quick in telling them of sin and putting them upon any dejection as a duty but they are dead to all duties that tend to consolation as to Thanksgiving for mercies Praises of God meditating on his Love and grace and Christ and promises Put them never so hard on these and they feel not their duty nor make no conscience of it but think it is a duty for others but unsuitable to them 13. They alway say that they cannot believe and therefore think they cannot be saved Because that commonly they mistake the nature of faith and take it to be a Believing that they themselves are forgiven and in favour with God and shall be saved And because they cannot believe this which their disease will not suffer them to believe therefore they think that they are no believers whereas saving faith is nothing but such a Belief that the Gospel ☜ is true and Christ is the Saviour to be trusted with our souls as causeth our Wills to Consent that he be ours and that we be his and so to subscribe the Covenant of Grace Yet while they thus consent and would give a world to be sure that Christ were theirs and to be perfectly holy yet they think they believe not because they believe not that he will forgive or save them 14. They are still displeased and discontended with themselves just as a pievish froward person is apt to be with others see one that is hard to be pleased and is finding fault with every thing that they see or hear and offended at every one that comes in their way and suspicious of every body that they see whispering and just so is a Melancholy person against himself suspecting displeased and finding fault with all 15. They are much addicted to solitariness and weary of company for the most part 16. They are given up to fixed musings and long poring thoughts to little purpose so that deep musings and thinkings are their chief employments and much of their disease 17. They are much averse to the labours of their callings and given to idleness either to lye in bed or sit thinking unprofitably by themselves 18. Their thoughts are most upon themselves like the mill-stones that grind on themselves when they have no grist so one thought begets another Their thoughts are taken up about their thoughts when they have been thinking irregularly they think again what they have been thinking on They meditate not much on God unless on his wrath nor Heaven nor Christ nor the state of the Church nor any thing without them ordinarily but all their thoughts are contracted and turned inwards on themselves self-troubling is the sum of their thoughts and lives 19. Their thoughts are all perplexed like ravelled Yarn or Silk or like a man in a maze or wilderness or that hath lost himself and his way in the night He is poring and groping about and can make little of any thing but is bewildred and moithered and entangled the more full of doubts and difficulties out of which he cannot find the way 20. He is endless in his scruples afraid lest he sin in every word he speaketh and in every thought and every look and every meal he eateth and all the Cloaths he weareth And if he think to amend them he is still scrupling his supposed amendments He dare neither travel nor stay at home neither speak nor be silent but he is scrupling all as if he were wholly composed of self perplexing scruples 21. Hence it comes to pass that he is greatly addicted to superstition to make many Laws to himself that God never made Col. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. him and to ensnare himself with needless Vows and resolutions and hurtful austerities Touch not taste not handle not and to place his Religion much in such Outward self-imposed tasks to spend so many hours in this or that act of devotion to wear such cloaths and forbear other that are finer to forbear all dyet that pleaseth the appetite with much of the like A great deal of the Perfection of Popish devotion proceeded from Melancholy though their Government come from Pride and Covetousness 22. They have lost the power of Governing their thoughts by Reason so that if you convince them that they should cast out their self-perplexing unprofitable thoughts and turn their thoughts to other subjects or be vacant they are not able to obey you They seem to be under a necessity or constraint They cannot cast out their troublesome thoughts They cannot turn away their minds They cannot think of Love and mercy They can think of nothing but what they do think of no more than a man in the Tooth-ache can forbear to think of his pain 23. They usually grow hence to a disability to any private prayer or meditation Their thoughts are presently cast all into a confusion when they should pray or meditate They scatter abroad a hundred wayes and they cannot keep them upon any thing For this is the very point of their disease a distempered confused fantasie with a weak reason which cannot govern it Sometime terrour driveth them from Prayer they dare not hope and therefore dare not pray and usually they dare not receive the Lords Supper here they are fearfullest of all And if they do receive it they are cast down with terrours fearing that they have taken their own damnation by receiving unworthily 24. Hence they grow to a great aversness to all holy duty Fear and dispair make them go to prayer hearing reading as a Bear to the stake And then they think they are haters of God and Godliness imputing the effects of their disease to their souls when yet at the same time those of them that are Godly would rather be freed from all their sins and be perfectly holy than have all the riches or honour in the world 25. They are usually so taken up with busie and earnest thoughts which being all perplexed do but strive with themselves and contradict one another that they feel it just as if something were speaking within them and all their own violent thoughts were the pleadings and impulse of some other And therefore they are wont to impute all their fantasies either to some extraordinary actings of the Devil or to some extraordinary motions of the spirit of God And they are used to express themselves in such words as these It was set upon my heart or it was said to me that I must do thus and thus and then it was said I must not do this or that and I was told I must do so or so And they think that their own imagination is something talking in them and saying to them all that they are thinking 26. When Melancholy groweth strong they are almost alwayes troubled with hideous Blaspheamous temptations against God or Christ or the Scripture and against the immortality of the soul which cometh partly from their own fears which make them think most against their
the Love of God we must be content to be shut out from the Love of God § 47. Inst. 9. Thus also the vulgar separate the Mercy and the Iustice of God! As if God knew Instance 9. not better than man to whom his mercy should extend And as if God be not merciful if he will be a righteous Governour and unless he will suffer all the world to spit in his face and blaspheme him and let his enemies go all unpunished § 48. Inst. 10. Thus many separate Threatnings and Promises Fear and Love a perfect Law and a pardonining Instance 10. Gospel As if he that is a man and hath both fear and Love in his nature must not make use of both for God and his salvation and the Law-giver might not fit his Laws to work on both As if Hell may not be feared and Heaven loved at once § 49. Inst. 11. Thus hypocrites separate in conceit their seeming Holiness and devotion to God from Instance 11. duties of Iustice and Charity to men As if they could serve God acceptably and disobey him wilfully Or as if they could love him whom they never saw and not love his Image in his works and children whom they daily see As if they could hate and persecute Christ in his little ones or at least neglect him and yet sincerely love him in himself § 50. Inst. 12. Thus by many Scripture and Tradition Divine faith and humane faith are commonly Instance 12. opposed Because the Papists have set Tradition is a wrong place many cast it away because it fits not that place When mans Tradition and Ministerial Revelation is necessary to make known and bring down Gods Revelation to us And a subservient Tradition is no disparagement to Scripture though a supplemental Tradition be And man must be believed as man though not as God! And he that will not believe man as man shall scarce know what he hath to believe from God § 51. Inst. 13. Thus many separate the sufficiency of the Law and Rule from the usefulness of an Instance 13. Officer Minister and Iudge As if the Law must be imperfect or else need no Execution and no Iudge for execution Or as if the Iudges execution were a supplement or addition to the Law As if the Question Who shall be the Iudge Did argue the Law of insufficiency and the promulgation and execution were not supposed § 52. Inst. 14. Thus also many separate the necessity of a publick Iudge from the lawfulness and Instance 14. necessity of a private judgement or discerning in all the rational subjects As if God and man did govern only Brutes or we could obey a Law and not judge it to be a Law and to be obeyed and not understand the sense of it and what it doth command us As if fools and mad men were the only subjects As if our learning of Christ as his Disciples and meditating day and night in his Law and searching for Wisdom in his Word were a disobeying him as our King As if it were a possible thing for subjects to obey without a private judgement of discretion Or as if there were any repugnancy between my judging what is the Kings Law and his judging whether I am punishable for disobeying it or as if judging our selves contradicted our being judged of God! § 53. Inst. 15. So many separate between the operation of the Word and Spirit the Minister and Instance 15. Christ As if the Spirit did not usually work by the Word and Christ did not preach to us by his Ministers and Embassadors And as if they might despise his Messengers and not be taken for despisers of himself Or might throw away the dish and keep the milk § 54. Inst. 16. Thus many separate the special Love of Saints from the common Love of man as man Instance 16. As if they could not Love a Saint unless they may hate an enemy and despise all others and deny them the Love which is answerable to their Natural Goodness § 55. Inst. 17. Thus many separate Universal or Catholick Union and Communion from particular Instance 17. And some understand no Communion but the Universal and some none but the particular Some say we separate from them as to Catholick Communion if we hold not local particular Communion with them yea if we joyn not with them in every mode As if I could be personally in ten thousand thousand Congregations at once or else did separate from them all Or as if I separated from all mankind if I differed from all men in my visage or complexion Or as if I cannot be absent from many thousand Churches and yet honour them as true Churches of Christ and hold Catholick communion with them in Faith Hope and Love Yea though I durst not joyn with them personally in Worship for fear of some sinful condition which they impose Or as if I need not be a member of any ordered worshipping Congregation because I have a Catholick faith and Love to all the Christians in the world § 56. Inst. 18. Thus are the outward and inward worship separated by many who think that all Instance 18. which the Body performeth is against the due spirituality or that the spirituality is but fansie and contrary to the form or outward part As if the heart and the knee may not fitly bow together nor decency of order concur with Spirit and truth § 57. Inst. 19. Thus many separate faith and obedience Pauls Iustification by faith without the Instance 19. works of the Law from Iames's Iustification by works and not by faith only and Christs Justification by our words Matth. 12. 37. And thus they separate free Grace and Iustification from any necessary condition and from the rewardableness of obedience which the Antients called Merit But of this at large elsewhere § 58. Inst. 20. And many separate Prudence and zeal meekness and resolution the wisdom of the Instance 20. Serpent and the innocency of the Dove yielding to no sin and yet yielding in things lawful maintaining our Christian liberty and yet becoming all things to all men if by any means we may save some These Instances are enow I will add no more § 59. Direct 18. Take heed of falling into factions and parties in Religion be the party great or Direct 18. small high or low in honour or dishonour and take heed lest you be infected with a factious censorious uncharitable hurting zeal For these are much contrary to the interest Will and Spirit of Christ Therefore among all your readings deeply suck in the doctrine of charity and peace and read much Reconciling moderating Authors Such as Drury Hall Davenant Crocius Bergius Martinius Amyraldus Dallaeus Testardus Calixtus Hottonus Junius Paraeus and Burroughs their Irenicons § 60. The reading of such Books extinguisheth the consuming flame of that infernal envious zeal described Iames 3. and kindleth charity and meekness and mellowness and
nothing to disturb you or carry you into sin § 7. Direct 3. Dwell in the delightful Love of God and in the sweet contemplation of his Love in Christ Direct 3. and â—owl over his tender mercies in your thoughts and let your conversation be with the Holy ones in Heaven and your work be Thanksgivings and Praise to God And this will habituate your souls to such a sweetness and mellowness and stability as will resist sinful passion even as heat resisteth cold § 8. Direct 4. Keep your Consciences continually tender and then they will check the first appearance Direct 4. of sinful passions and will smart more with the sin than your passionate natures do with the provocation A scared Conscience and a hardened senseless heart is to every sin as a man that 's fast asleep is to thieves They may come in and do what they will so they do not waken him But a tender Conscience is always awake § 9. Direct 5. Labour after wisdom strength of Reason and a solid judgement for Passion is cherished Direct 5. by folly Children are easily overthrown and leaves are easily shaken with every little wind when men keep their way and rocks and mountains are not shaken Women and children and old and weak and sick people are usually most passionate If a wise man should have a passionate nature he hath that which can do much to controle it When folly is a weathercock at the winds command § 10. Direct 6. See that the will be confirmed and resolute and then it will soon command down Direct 6. passion Men can do much against Passion if they will Nature hath set the will in the Throne of the soul It is the sinful connivance and negligence of the will which is the guilty cause of all the rebellion As the connivance of the commanders is the common cause of mutinies in an Army The will Sâ—e 〈◊〉 of Tranquility of mind either consenteth or is remisâ— in its office and in forbidding and repressing the rage of passion When I say you can do it if you will you think this is not true because you are willing and yet passion yieldeth not to your wills command But I mean not that every kind of willingness will serve It is not a sluggish wish that will do it But if the will were resolute without any compliance or connivance or negligence in its proper office no sinful passion could remain For it is no further sin than it is voluntary either by the wills compliance or omission and neglect Therefore let most of your labour be to waken and confirm the will and then it will command down passion § 11. Direct 7. Labour after holy fortitude courage and magnanimity Great minds are above all Direct 7. troubles desires or commotions about little things A poor base low and childish mind is never quiet longer then it is rockt asleep or flattered § 12. Direct 8. Especially see that you want not self-denial and that worldliness and fleshly-mindedness Direct 8. be throughly mortified For sinful passion is the very breath and pulse of a selfish fleshly worldly mind It is not more natural for dogs to fight about a bone than for such to snarl and quarrel or be in some distempered Passion about their selfish carnal-interest Covetousness will not let the mind be quiet It s as natural for a selfish man to be under the power of sinful Passions as for a man to shake that hath an ague or to fear that is melancholy Fleshly men have a Canine appetite and feaverish thirst continually upon them after some flesh-pleasing toy or other § 13. Direct 9. Keep a Court of Iustice in your souls and call your selves daily to account and Direct 9. let no passion scape without such a censure as is due If Reason and Conscience thus exercise and maintain their authority and passion be every day soundly rebuked it will wither like a plant that is cropt as fast as it springeth § 14. Direct 10. Deliberate and foresee the end examine whether passion tend to that which will be Direct 10. approveable when its past Looking to the end doth shame all sinful passions They are blind and moved only by things present They cannot endure the sight of the time to come nor to be examined whether they go or where is their home § 15. Direct 11. Keep a continual apprehension of the danger and odiousness of sinful passions by Direct 11. knowing how full they are of the spawn of many other sins See the evil of them in the effects Mark what passion doth in others and your selves what abundance of evil thoughts and words and deeds do come from sinful passions § 16. Direct 12. Observe the immediate troublesome effects and the disorders of your soul and so Direct 12. turn the fruit of passions against themselves Mark how they discompose you and disturb your Reason and make your minds like muddyed waters and breed a diseased unquietness in you unfitting you for your work and breaking your peace so that you can neither know nor use nor enjoy your selves § 17. Direct 13. Let Death look your passions frequently in the face It hath a mortifying vertue Direct 13. and as it sheweth us the vanity of the creature so it taketh down those passions which creature-interest and deceit have caused It exciteth reason and restoreth it to its dominion and silenceth the rebellion of the senses A man that is to die to morrow and knoweth it would easilier repell to day a temptation to lust or covetousness or drunkenness or revenge than at another time he could have done One look into eternity will powerfully rebuke all carnal passions § 18. Direct 14. Remember still that God is present Will you behave your selves passionately before Direct 14. him When the presence of your Prince would calm you Shall God and his holy Angels see thee like a Bedlam lay by thy reason and mis-behave thy self § 19. Direct 15. Have still some pertinent scripture ready to rebuke thy passions That thou mayst Direct 15. say as Christ to Satan Thus it is written Speak to it in the name and word of God Though the bare words will not charm these evil spirits yet the authority will curb them For this word is quick 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. and powerful a discerner of the throughts Heb. 4. 12. mighty though God to the pulling down of stroâ—â— holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. § 20. Direct 16. Set Christ continually before you as your pattern who calleth you to learn of him Direct 16. to be meek and lowly Matth. 11. 29. Who desired not the wealth or glory of the world who loved his own that were in the world but loved not the things of the world who never was lifted up or sinfully
your selves or others what you are is to know what your pleasures are or at least what you choose and desire for your pleasure If the Body rule the Soul you are bruitish and shall be destroyed If the Soul rule the Body you live according to true humane nature and the ends of your creation If the Pleasures of the Body are the predominant pleasures which you are most addicted to then the Body ruleth the Soul and you shall perish as Traytors to God that debase his Image and turn man into Beast Rom. 8. 13. If the Pleasure of the Soul be your most predominant pleasure which you are most addicted to though you attain as yet but little of it then the Soul doth Rule the Body and you live like men And this cannot well be till Faith shew the Soul those higher Pleasures in God and everlasting Glory which may carry it above all fleshly pleasures By all this set together you may easily perceive that the way of the Devil to corrupt and damn men is to keep them from faith that they may have no Heavenly Spiritual pleasure and to strengthen sensuality and give them their fill of fleshly pleasures to imprison their minds that they may ascend no higher And that the way to sanctifie and save men is to help them by faith to Heavenly pleasure and to abate and keep under that fleshly pleasure that would draw down their minds And by this you may see how to understand the doctrine of mortification and taming the body and abstaining from the pleasures of the flesh And you may now understand what personal mischief Lust doth to the soul. § 12. 10. Your own experience and consciences will tell you that if it be not exceedingly moderated it unfitteth you for every holy duty You are unfit to meditate on God or to pray to him or to receive his word or sacrament And therefore nature teacheth those that meddle with holy things to be more continent than others which Scripture also secondeth 1 Sam. 21. 4 5. Such sensual Rev. 14. 4. things and sacred things do not well agree too near § 13. 11. And as by all this you see sufficient cause why God should make stricter Laws for the bridling of Lust than fleshly lustful persons like so when his Laws are broken by the unclean it is a sin that Conscience till it be quite debauched doth deeply accuse the guilty for and beareth a very clear testimony against O the unquietness the horror the despair that I have known many persons Saith Chrysostom The Adulterer even before damnation is most miserable still in fear trembling at a shadow fearing them that know and them that know not always in pain even in the dark in even for the sin of self-pollution that never proceeded to fornication And how many adulterers and fornicators have we known that have lived and died in despair and some of them hang'd themselves Conscience will condemn this sin with a heavy condemnation till custom or infidelity have utterly seared it § 14. 12. And it is also very observable that when men have once mastered conscience in this point and reconciled it to this sin of fornication it 's an hundred to one that they are utterly hardned 1 Tim. 6 9. Hâ—râ—sâ—d lusts whâ— hâ—d own men in destruction and perâ—â—tion in all abhomination and scarce make conscience of any other villany whatsoever If once fornication go for nothing or a small matter with them usually all other sin is with them of the same account If they have but an equal temptation to it lying and swearing and perjury and theft yea and murder and treason would seem small too I never knew any one of these but he was reconcileable and prepared for any villany that the Devil set him upon And if I know such a man I would no more trust him than I would trust a man that wants nothing but Interest and Opportunity to commit any heynous sin that you can name Though I confess I have known divers of the former sort that have committed this sin under horror and despair that have retained some good in other points and have When an Adulterer asked Thales whether he should make al Vow against his sin he answered him Adultery is as bad as pâ—rjury If thou dare be an adulterer thou darest forswear thy self Laert. Herod durst behead Iohâ— that durst be incestuous been recovered yea of this later sort that have reconciled their Consciences to fornication I never knew one that was recovered or that retained any thing of Conscience or honesty but so much of the shew of it as their Pride and worldly interest commanded them and they were malignant enemies of goodness in others and lived according to the unclean spirit which possessed them They are terrible words Prov. 2. 18 19. For her house inclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead None that go unto her return again neither take they hold on the paths of life Age keepeth them from actual filthiness and lust and so may Hell for there is no fornication but they retain their debauched seared Consciences § 15. 13. And it is the greater sin because it is not committed alone but the Devil taketh them by couples Lust enflameth lust And the fewel set together makes the greatest flame Thou art guilty of the sin of thy wretched companion as well as of thine own § 16. 14. Lastly the miserable effects of it and the punishments that in this life have attended it do Jud. 19. 20 The tribe of Benjamin was almost cut off upon the occasion of an Adultery or rape See Num. 25 8. Gen. 12. 17. 2 Sam 12. 10. Luk 3. 19. 1 Cor. 5. 1. Joh. 8. 2. Aid Aeliaâ— sol 47. tell us how God accounteth of the sin It hath ruined persons families and Kingdoms And God hath born his testimony against it by many signal judgements which all Histories almost acquaint you with As there is scarce any sin that the New-testament more frequently and bitterly condemneth as you may see in Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 2. Iud c. so there are not many that Gods providence more frequently pursueth with shame and misery on earth And in the latter end of the world God hath added one concomitant plague not known before called commonly the Lues Venerea the Venereous Pox so that many of the most bruitish sort go about stigmatized with a mark of Gods vengeance the prognostick or warning of a heavier vengeance And there is none of them all that by great Repentance be not made new creatures but leave an infamous name and memory when they are dead if their sin was publickly known Let them be never so great and never so gallant victorious successful liberal and flattered or applauded while they lived God ordereth it so that Truth shall ordinarily prevail with the Historians that write of them when they are dead and with all sober men their names rot and stink as
Wilderness than with a contentious angry woman Prov. 29. 22. An angry man stirreth up strife and a furious man aboundeth in transgression There is no ruling the tongue if you cannot rule the passions Therefore it 's good counsel Prov. 22. 24. Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go lest thou learn his way and get a snare to thy soul. § 47. Direct 9. Foresee your opportunities of profitable discourse and your temptations to evil Direct 9. speeches For we are seldom throughly prepared for sudden unexpected accidents Consider when you go forth what company you are like to fall into and what good you are like to be called to or what evil you are likest to be tempted to especially consider the ordinary stated duties and temptations of your daily company and converse § 48. Direct 10. Accordingly besides your aforesaid general preparations be prepared particularly Direct 10. for these duties and those temptations carry still about with you some special preservatives against those particular sins of speech which you are most in danger of and some special provisions and helps to those duties of speech which you may be called to As a Surgeon will carry about with him his instruments and Salves which he is like to have use for among the persons that he hath to do with And as a Traveller will carry such necessaries still with him as in his travail he cannot be without If you are to converse with angry men be still furnished with patience and firm resolutions to give place to wrath Rom. 12. 19. If you are to converse with ignorant ungodly men go furnished with powerful convincing reasons to humble them and change their minds If you are to go amongst the cavilling or scorning enemies of holiness go furnished with well digested arguments for the defence of that which they are likest to oppose that you may shame and stop the mouths of such gainsayers This must be done by the word of the spirit which is the word of God Ephes. 6. 17. Therefore be well acquainted with the Scripture and with particular plain Texts for each particular use By them the man of God is compleat throughly furnished to every good work 2 Tim. 3. 17. § 49. Direct 11. Continually walk as in the presence of God and as under his Government and Direct 11. Law and as those that are passing on to Iudgement Ask your selves whatever you say 1. Whether Psal. 1 9. 4. it be fit for God to hear 2. Whether it be agreeable to his holy Law 3. Whether it be such speech as you would hear of at the day of judgement If it be speech unmeet for the hearing of a grave and reverend man will you speak it before God will you speak wantonly or filthily or foolishly or maliciously when God forbiddeth it and when he is present and heareth every word and when you must certainly give account to him of all § 50. Direct 12. Pray every morning to God for preservation from the sins of speech that you are Direct 12. lyable to that day Commit the custody of your tongues to him Not so as to think your selves discharged of it but so as to implore and trust his grace Pray as David Psal. 141. 3 4. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips encline not my heart to any evil thing and that the Psal. 19. 14. words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart may be acceptable to him § 51. Direct 13. Make it part of your continual work to watch your tongues Carelesness and negligence Direct 13. will not serve turn in so difficult a work of government Iames telleth you that to tame and rule the tongue is harder than to tame and rule wild beasts and birds and serpents and as the ruling of a horse by the bridle and of a Ship that 's driven by fierce winds and that the tongue is an unruly evil and that he that offendeth not in word is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body Jam. 3. Make it therefore your study and work and watch it continually § 52. Direct 14. Call your tongues daily to account and ask your selves what evil you have Direct 14. spoken and what good you have omitted every day and be humbled before God in the penitent confession of the sin which you discover and renew your resolution for a stricter watch for the time to come If your servant be every day faulty and never hear of it he will take it as no fault and be little careful to amend Nay you will remember your very Ox of his fault when he goeth out of the Furrow by a prick or stroke and your Horse when he is faulty by a spur or rod And do you think if you let your selves even your tongues be faulty every day and never tell them of it or call them to account that they are ever like to be reformed and not grow careless and accustomed to the sin Your first care must be for preventing the sin and doing the duty saying as David Psalm 39. 1 2 3. I said I will take heed to my ways that I offend not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me I was dumb with silence I held my peace Psalm 35. 28. My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long Psal. 71. 24. Psal. 119. 172. My tongue shall speak of thy word Psalm 45. 1. My tongue is as the pen of a ready writer But your next care must be to repent of the faults which you commit and to judge your selves for them and reform Remembering that there is not a word in your tongues but it is altogether known to God Psalm 139. 4. § 53. Direct 15. Make use of a faithful monitor or reprover We are apt through custom and partiality Direct 15. to overlook the faults of our own speech A friend is here exceeding useful Desire your friend therefore to watch over you in this And amend what he telleth you of And be not so foolish as to take part with your fault against your friend Tit. 2. Special Directions against prophane swearing and using Gods name unreverently and in vain § 1. I. TO swear is an affirming or denying of a thing with an appeal to some other thing or person as a witness of the truth or avenger of the untruth who is not producible as Witness What an Oath is or Iudge in humane courts An affirmation or negation is the matter of an oath The peculiar appellation is the form It is not every appeal or attestation that maketh an Deu 6. 13 10 20. oath To appeal to such a witness as is credible and may be produced in the Court from a partial incredible witness is no oath To appeal from an incompetent Iudge or an inferior Court to
qualifications and your mirth and sporting talk will not be idle 1. Let it be such and so much as is useful to maintain that cheerfulness of mind and alacrity of spirits which is profitable to your health and duty For if bodily recreations be lawful then tongue-recreations are lawful when they are accommodate to their end 2. Let your speech be savoury seasoned with salt and not corrupt and rotten communication Jeast not with filthiness or sin 3. Let it be harmless to others Make not your selves merry with the sins or miseries of other men Jeast not to their wrong 4. Let it be seasonable and not when another frame of mind is more convenient nor when graver or weightier discourse should take place 5. Let it be moderate and not excessive either wasting time in vain or tending to habituate the mind of the speakers or hearers to levity or to estrange them from things that should be preferred 6. See that all your mirth and speech be sanctified by a holy end that your intent in all be to whet your spirits and cheer up and fit your selves for the service of God as you do in eating and drinking and all other things 7. And mix with cautelous reverence some serious things that the end and use be not forgotten and your mirth may not be altogether as empty and fruitless as that of the unsanctified is Sporting pleasant and recreating talk is not vain but lawful upon these conditions 8. Still remembring that the most holy and profitable discourse Iam. 5. 13. Is any merry Let him sing Psalms What is idle talk The sorts of it Otiosum verbum est quod justae necessitatis aut intentione piae utilitatis ca 〈…〉 t. Gregor Moral must be most pleasant to us and we must not through a weariness of it divert to carnal mirth as more desirable but only use natural honest mirth as a necessary concomitant to exhilerate the spirits § 5. Idle or vain words then are such as are unprofitable and tend not to do good I here forbear to speak of those Idle words which are also worse than vain as mentioned before among the sins of the tongue Idle words are 1. Either simply such which tend to no good at all 2. Or comparatively such which are about some small or inconsiderable good when you should be speaking of greater things The former sort are always idle and therefore always sinful The latter sort are sometimes lawful in themselves that is when greater matters are not to be talked of In its season it is lawful to speak about the saving of a penny or a point or a pin But out of season when greater matters are in hand this is but idle sinful talk § 6. Also there is a great deal of difference between now and then an Idle word and a babling prating custom by which it becometh the daily practice of some loose-tongued persons so that the greater part of the words of all their lives are meerly vain § 7. The particular kinds of Idle talk are scarce to be numbred Some of them are these § 7. 1. When the tongue is like a vagrant beggar or masterless dog that is never in the way and never out of the way being left to talk at random about any unprofitable matter that comes before it And such will never want matter to talk of every thing they see or hear is the subject of their chat And one word begetteth occasion and matter for another without end § 8. 2. Another sort of idle talk is the vain discourses by word or writing of some learned 1 Cor. 3. 20. Rom. 1. 21. men in which they bestow an excessive multitude of words about some small impertinent thing not to edifie but to shew their wit which Sâ—neca reprehends at large § 9. 3. Another sort of idle talk is vain and immoderate Disputings about the smaller circumstances oâ— Religion or frequent discourses about such unedifying things while greater matters should be talkt of Tit. 3. 9. But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the Law for they are unprofitable and vain 1 Tim. 1. 5 6 7. Now the end of the Commandment is charity out of a pure â—eart and of a good Conscience and of faith unfeigned from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling desiring to be teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 6. 20. O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust avoiding profane and vain bablings and opposition of sciences falsly so called which some professing have erred concerning the faith 2 Tim. 2. 16. But shun prophane and vain bablings for they will increase unto more ungodliness Tit. 1. 10 11. There are many unruly and vain talkers c. § 10. 4. Another sort of Idle talk is the using of a needless multitude of words even about that â—â—â—â—â— â—5 16. Saith Hugo thâ—re is a time when â—o â—â—ag and a time when soâ—â—thia should be spâ—ken but never â— time whâ—n All should be spoken which is good and necessary in it self but might better be opened in a briefer manner Even in preaching or praying words may be vain which is when they are not suited to the matter and the hearers For you must note that the same words are necessary to one sort of hearers which are vain as to another sort And therefore as Ministers must take heed that they suit their manner of speech to their auditors so hearers must take heed lest they censoriously and rashly call that vain which is unnecessary to them or such as they There may be present many ignorant persons that the preacher is better acquainted with than you And the ignorant lose that which is concisely uttered They must have it at large in many words and oft râ—peated or else they understand it not or remember not that which they understand But yet a real excess of words even about holy things must be avoided Eccles. 5. 23. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God The Spartans banished an Oraâ—or for saying He could speak all day of any suoâ—ect â—â—asn See the Manual of prayers printed at 〈◊〉 1658. pag. 507. for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few for a dream cometh through the multitude of business and a fools voice is known by the multitude of words Two causes of idle words in prayer must be avoided 1. Emptiness and rashness 2. Affectation that is 1. Affectation to words as if you should be heard for saying so many words over and over as the Papists in their Iesus Psalter say over the name Iesu nine times together and those nine times fifteen times over besides all their repetitions of it in the petitions themselves between So in the Titles of the B. Virgin in her Litany p. 525. Hypocrites in all ages and Religions have the same
beyond our Callings nor into confusion Argument 5. It is a Duty to receive all the mercies that God offereth us But for a family to have access to God in joynt prayers and praises is a mercy that God offereth them Therefore it is their duty to accept it The major is clear in nature and Scripture Because I have offered and ye refused is Gods great aggravation of the sin of the rebellious How oft would I have gathered you together and ye would not All the day long have I stretched out my hand c. To refuse an offered kindness is contempt and ingratitude The minor is undeniable by any Christian that ever knew what family prayers and prayses were Who dare say that it is no mercy to have such a joynt access to God Who feels not conjunction somewhat help his own affections who makes conscience of watching his heart Argument 6. Part of the Duties of families are such that they apparently loose their chiefest life and excellency if they be not performed joyntly Therefore they are so to be performed I mean singing of Psalms which I before proved an ordinary Duty of conjunct Christians Therefore of families The Melody and Harmony is lost by our separation and consequently the alacrity and quickning which our affections should get by it And if part of Gods praises must be performed together it is easie to see that the rest must be so too Not to speak of teaching which cannot be done alone Argument 7. Family prayer and praises are a Duty owned by the teaching and sanctifying work of the spirit Therefore they are of God I would not argue backward from the spirits teaching to the words commanding but on these two suppositions 1. That the experiment is very general and undeniable 2. That many texts of Scripture are brought already for family prayer and that this argument is but to second them and prove them truly interpreted The Spirit and the word do alway agree If therefore I can prove that the spirit of God doth commonly work mens hearts to a love and savour of these Duties doubtless they are of God Sanctification is a transcript of the precepts of the word on the heart written out by the spirit of God So much for the consequence The Antecedent consisteth of two parts 1. That the sanctified have in them inclinations to these Duties 2. That these Inclinations are from the spirit of God The first needs no proof being a matter of experience I appeal to the heart of every sound and stable Christian whether he feel not a conviction of this Duty and an inclination to the performance of it I never met with one such to my knowledge that was otherwise minded Object Many in our times are quite against family prayer who are good Christians Answ. I know none of them I confess I once thought some very good Christians that now are against them but now they appear otherwise not only by this but by other things I know none that cast off these Duties but they took up vile sins in their stead and cast off other Duties as well as these Let others observe and judge as they find 2. The power of delusion may for a time make a Christian forbear as unlawful that which his very new nature is inclined too As some think it unlawful to pray in our Assemblies and some to joyn in Sacraments And yet they have a spirit within them that inclineth their hearts to it still and therefore they love iâ— and wish it were lawful even when they forbear it upon a conceit that it is unlawful And so it 's possible for a time some may do by family Duties But as I expect that these ere long recover so for my part I take all the rest to be graceless Prejudice and error as a temptation may prohibit the exercise of a Duty when yet the spirit of God doth work in the heart an inclination to that Duty in sanctifying it 2. And that these inclinations are indeed from the spirit is evident 1. In that they come in with all other grace 2. And by the same means 3. And are preserved by the same means standing or falling increasing or decreasing with the rest 4. And are to the same end 5. And are so generally in all the sâ—iâ—ts 6. And so resisted by flesh and blood 7. And so agreeable to the Word that a Christian sins against his new nature when he neglects family Dutys And God doth by his spirit create a desire after them and an estimation of them in every gracious soul. Argument 8. Family prayer and praises is a Duty ordinarily crowned with admirable divine and special blessings Therefore it is of God The consequence is evident For though common outward prosperity may be given to the wicked who have their portion in this life yet so is not prosperity of soul. For the Antecedent I willingly appeal to the experience of all the holy families in the world Who ever used these Duties seriously and found not the benefits What Families be they in which grace and Heavenly mindedness prospereth but those that use these Duties Compare in all your Towns Cities and Villages the families that read Scriptures pray and praise God with those that do not and see the difference Which of them abound more with impiety with Oaths and cursings and railings and Drunkenness and Whoredoms and Worldliness c. And which abound most with Faith and Patience and Temperance and Charity and Repentance and Hope c. The controversie is not hard to decide Look to the Nobility and Gentry of England See you no difference between those that have been bred in praying families and the rest I mean taking them as we say one with another proportionably Look to the Ministers of England Is it praying families or prayerless families that have done most to the well furnishing of the Universities Argument 9. All Churches ought solemnly to pray to God and praise him A Christian family is a Church Therefore The major is past doubt the minor I prove from the nature of a Church in general which is a society of Christians combined for the better worshipping and serving of God I say not that a family formally as a family is a Church But every family of Christians ought moreover by such a combination to be a Church Yea as Christians they are so combined seeing Christianity tieth them to serve God conjunctly together in their Relations 2. Scripture expresseth it 2 Cor. 16. 19. Aquila and Priscilla salute much in the Lord with the Church that is in they house He saith not which meeteth in their house but which is in it So Philemon 2. And to the Church in this house Rom. 16. 5. Likewise greet the Church that is in their house Col. 4. 15. Salute the brethren that are at Laodicea and Nymphas and the Church which is in his house Though some Learned men take these to be meant of part of the Churches assembling in
be any deformity of the body or any thing unseemly in behaviour or if God should visit them with any loathsom sores or sickness they must for all that love each other yea and take pleasure in their converse It is not a true friend that leaveth you in adversity nor is it true Conjugal affection which is blasted by a loathsom sickness The Love of Mothers to their Children will make them take pleasure in them notwithstanding their sickness or uncleanness And so should their Love do between a Husband and his Wife He that considereth that his own flesh is lyable to the same diseases and like ere long to be as loathsome will do as he would be done by and not turn away in time of her affliction from her that is become his flesh Much less excusable is the crime of them that when they have nothing extraordinary to distaste or disaffect them are weary of the company of one another and had rather be in their Neighbours houses than in their own and find more pleasure in the company of a stranger than of one another § 7. Direct 5. It it a great duty of Husbands and Wives to live in quietness and peace and avoid Direct 5. all occasions of wrath and discord Because this is a duty of so great importance I shall first open to you the great necessity of it and then give you more particular Directions to perform it § 8. I. It is a duty which your Union or neer relation doth specially require Will you fall out Against Disâ—â—â—â—tion with your selves cannot you agree with your own flesh 2. Your discord will be your pain and the vexation of your lives Like a Bile or Wound or Fracture in your own bodies which will pain you till it 's cured You will hardly keep Peace in your minds when Peace is broken so near you in your family As you would take heed of hurting your selves and as you would hasten the Cure when you are hurt so should you take heed of any breach of Peace and quickly seek to heal it when it 's broken 3. Dissension tends to cool your Love Oft falling out doth tend to leave a habit of distaste and aversness on the mind Wounding is separating And to be tyed together by any outward bonds when your Hearts are separated is but to be tormented and to have the insides of adversaries while you have conjugal outsides As the difference between my house and my prison is that I willingly and with delight dwell in the one but am unwillingly confined to the other such will be the difference between a quiet and an unquiet life in your married state It turneth your dwelling and delight into a Prison where you are chained to those calamities which in a free condition you might over-run 4. Dissention between the Husband and the Wife do disorder all their Family affairs They are like Oxen unequally yoaked that can rid no work for striving with one another Nothing is well done because of the variance of those that should do it or oversee it 5. It exceedingly unfitteth you for the Worship of God You are not fit to pray together nor to confer together of Heavenly things nor to be helpers to each others souls I need not tell you this you feel it by experience Wrath and bitterness will not allow you so much exercise of love and holy composedness of mind as every one of these duties do require 6. Dissention disableth you to govern your Families aright Your Children and Servants will take example by you or think they are at liberty to do what they list when they find you taken up with such work between your selves And they will think you unfit to reprove them for their faults when they see you guilty of such faults and folly of your own Nay you will become the shame and secret derision of your Family and bring your selves into contempt 7. Your Dissentions will expose you to the malice of Satan and give him advantage for manifold temptations A house divided cannot stand An Army divided is easily conquered and made a prey to the Enemy You cannot foresee what abundance of sin you put your selves in danger of By all this you may see what Dissentions between Husband and Wife do tend to and how they should be avoided II. For the avoiding of them observe these Sub-directions 1. Keep up your conjugal Love in a Directions against Distâ—ntion constant heat and vigour Love will suppress wrath You cannot have a bitter mind upon small provocations against those that you dearly love much less can you proceed to reviling words or to averseness and estrangedness or any abuse of one another Or if a breach and wound be unhappily made the balsamick quality of Love will heal it But when Love once cooleth small matters exasperate and breed distastes 2. Both Husband and Wife must mortifie their Pride and Passion which are the causes of Impatiency and must pray and labour for a Humble meek and quiet spirit For it is the diseased temper of the heart that causeth dissentions more than the occasions or matter of offence do A proud heart is troubled and provoked by every word or carriage that seemeth to tend to their undervaluing A piâ—vish froward mind is like a sore and ulcerated member that will be hurt if it be toucht He that must live near such a sore diseased impatient mind must live even as the nurse doth with the child that maketh it her business to rock it and lull and sing it quiet when it â—ryeth For to be angry with it will do no good And if you have married one of such a sick or childish temper you must resolve to bear and use them accordingly But no Christian should bear with such a vexatious malady in themselves nor be patient with such impatiency of mind Once get the victory over your selves and get the cure of your own impatience and you will easily keep peace with one another 3. Remember still that you are both diseased persons full of infirmities and therefore expect the fruit of those infirmities in each other and make not a strange matter of it as if you had never known of it before If you had married one that is lame would you be angry with her for halting Or if you had married one that had a putride Ulcer would you fall out with her because it stinketh Did you not know before hand that you married a person of such weaknesses as would yield you some matter of daily tryal and offence If you could not bear this you should not have married her If you resolved that you could bear it then you are obliged to bear it now Resolve therefore to bear with one another as remembring that you took one another as sinful frail imperfect persons and not as Angels or as blameless and perfect 4. Remember still that you are one flesh and therefore be no more offended with the words or failings
speak of For 1. Such a heart will be like a Spring which is alwayes running and will contiuually feed the streams Forced and feigned things are of short continuance The hypocrites affected forced speech is exercised but among those where it may serve his pride and carnal ends At other times and in other company he hath another tongue like other men It is like a Land-flood that is quickly gone or like the bending of a Bow which returneth to its place as soon as it is loosed 2. And that which cometh from your hearts will be serious and hearty and likeliest to do good to others For words do their work upon us not only by signifying the matter which is spoken but also by signifying the affections of the speaker And that which will work affections must express affection ordinarily If it come not from the heart of the speaker it is not so like to go to the hearts of the hearers A hearty Preacher and a hearty feeling discourse of holy things do pierce heart-deep and do that good which better composed words that are heartless do not § 2. Direct 2. Yet for all that when your hearts are cold and dull and barren do not think that Direct 2. your tongues must therefore neglect their duty and be silent from all good till your hearts be better but force your tongues to do their duty if they will not do them freely without constraint For 1. Duty is duty whether you be well disposed to it or not If all duty should cease when men are ill disposed to it no wicked man would be bound to any thing that is truly holy 2. And if Heart and Tongue be both obliged it is worse to omit both than one 3. And there may be sincerity in a duty when the heart is cold and dull 4. And beginning to do your duty as well as you can is the way to overcome your dulness and unfitness when you force your tongues at first to speak of that which is good the words which you speak or hear may help to bring you into a better frame Many a man hath begun to pray with coldness that hath got him heat before he had done And many a man hath gone unwillingly to hear a Sermon that hath come home a converted soul. 5. And when you set your selves in the way of Duty you are in the way of promised grace § 3. Object But is not this to play the Hypocrite to let my tongue go before my heart and speak the Object things which my heart is not affected with Answ. If you speak falsly and dissemblingly you play the Hypocrites But you may force your Answ. selves to speak of good without any falshood or hypocrisie Words signifie as I told you the matter spoken and the speakers mind Now your speaking of the things of God doth tell no more of your mind but this that you take them to be true and that you desire those that you speak to to regard them And all this is so and therefore there is no hypocrisie in it Indeed if you told the hearers that you are deeply affected with these things your selves when it is not so this were hypocrisie But a man may exhort another to be good without professing himself to be good yea though he confess himself to be bad Therefore all the good discourses of a wicked man are not hypocrisie Much less the good discourse of a sincere Christian that is dull and cold in that discourse And if a duty had some hypocrisie in it it is not the duty but the hypocrisie that God disliketh and you must forsake As if there be coldness in a duty it is the coldness and not the duty that is to be blamed and forborn And wholly to omit the duty is worse than to do it with some coldness or hypocrisie which is not the predominant complexion of the duty § 4. Object But if it be not the fruit of the Spirit it is not acceptable to God And that which Object I force my tongue to is none of the fruits of the Spirit Therefore I must stay till the Spirit move me Answ. 1. There are many duties done by Reason and the common assistances of God that are better Answ. than the total omission of them is Else no unsanctified man should hear the Word or pray or relieve the poor or obey his Prince or Governours or do any duty towards children or neighbours because whatsoever is not the fruit of the special grace of the Spirit is sin and without faith it is impossible to please God and all men have not faith Heb. 11. 6. 2 Thess. 3. 2. 2. It is a distracted conceit of the Qâ—akers and other Fanaticks to think that Reason and the Spirit of God are not conjunct principles in the same act Doth the Spirit work on a man as on a beast or a stone and cause you to speak as a Clock that striketh it knoweth not what or play on mans soul as on an instrument of Musick that hath neither knowledge of the melody nor any pleasure in it No the Spirit of God supposeth Nature and worketh on man as man by exciting your own Understanding and Will to do their parts So that when against all the remnant of dulness and backwardness that is in you you can force your selves to do your duty it is because the Spirit of God assisteth you to take that resolution and use that force For thus the Spirit striveth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. Rom. 7. 16 17 18 c. Though it is confessed that there is more of the Spirit where there is no backwardness or resistance or need of forcing § 5. Direct 3. By all means labour to be furnished with understanding in the matters of God For Direct 3. 1. An understanding person hath a Mine of holy matter in himself and never is quite void of matter for good discourse He is the good Scribe that is instructed to the Kingdom of God that bringeth out of his treasury things new and old Matth. 13. 52. 2. And an understanding person will speak discreetly and so will much further the success of his discourse and not make it ridiculous contemptuous or uneffectual through his indiscretion But yet if you are ignorant and wanting in understanding do not therefore be silent for though your ability is least your necessity is greatest Let necessity therefore constrain you to ask instruction as it constraineth the needy to beg for what they want But spare no pains to increase your knowledge § 6. Direct 4. If your own understandings and hearts do not furnish you with matter have recourse to Direct 4. those manifold helps that God vouchsafeth you As 1. You may discourse of the last Sermon that you heard or some one lately preached that nearly touched you 2. Or of something in the last Book you read 3. Or of some Text of Scripture obvious to your thoughts 4. Or of
that be gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Act. 13. 39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Heb. 8. 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more If it be the weakness of his grace that troubleth him let him choose such passages as these Isa. 40. 11. He shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bâ—som and shall gently lead those that are with young Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Matth. 26. 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Joh. 6. 37. All that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Luk. 17. 5. The Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our faith If it be the fear of death and strangeness to the other world that troubleth you remember the words of Christ before cited and 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 4 5 6 8. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my spirit Fix upon some such word or promise which may support you in your extremity § 6. Direct 6. Look up to God who is the Glory of Heaven and the Light and Life and Ioy of souls Direct 6. and believe that you are going to see his face and to live in the perfect everlasting fruition of his fullest Love among the glorified If it be delectable here to know his works what will it be to see the Cause of all All Creatures in Heaven and Earth conjoyned can never afford such content and joy to holy souls as God alone O if we knew him whom we must there behold how weary should we be of this dungeon of mortality and how fervently should we long to see his face The Chicken that cometh out of the shell or the Infant that newly cometh from the womb into this illuminated world of humane converse receiveth not such a joyful change as the soul that is newly loosed from the flesh and passeth from this mortal life to God One sight of God by a blessed soul is worth more than all the Kingdoms of the earth It is pleasant to the eyes to behold the Sun But the Sun is as darkness and useless in his Glory Rev. 21. 23. And the City had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Rev. 22. 3 4 5. And there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there and they need no candle nor light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them Light and they shall reign for ever and ever If David in the Wilderness so impatiently thirsted to appear before God the living God in his Sanctuary at Ierusalem Psal. 42. How earnestly should we long to see his Glory in the Heavenly Ierusalem The glimpse of his back-parts was as much as Moses might behold Exod. 34. yet that much put a shining glory upon his face v. 29 30. The sight that Stephen had when men were ready to stone him was a delectable sight Act. 7. 55 56. The glimpse of Christ in his transfiguration ravished the three Apostles that beheld it Mat. 17. 2 6. Pauls vision which rapt him up into the third Heavens did advance him above the rest of mankind But our Beatifical sight of the Glory of God will very far excell all this When our perfected bodies shall have the perfect Glorious Body of Christ to see and our perfected souls shall have the God of Truth the most perfect uncreated Light to know what more is a created understanding capable of And yet this is not the top of our felicity For the Understanding is but the passage to the Heart or Will and Truth is but subservient to Goodness And therefore though the Understanding be capable of no more than the Beatifical Vision yet the Man is capable of more even of receiving the fullest communications of Gods Love and feeling it poured out upon the heart and living in the returns of perfect Love and in this entercourse of Love will be our highest Ioyes and this is the top of our heavenly felicity O that God would make us foreknow by a lively faith what it is to behold him in his Glory and to dwell in perfect Love and Ioy and then death would no more be able to dismay us nor should we be unwilling of such a blessed change But having spoken of this so largely in my Saints Rest I must stop here and refer you thither § 7. Direct 7. Look up to the Blessed Society of Angels and Saints with Christ and remember their Direct 7. blessedness and joy and that you also belong to the same society and are going to be numbred with them It will greatly overcome the fears of death to see by faith the Joyes of them that have gone before us and withall to think of their relation to us As it will encourage a man that is to go beyond Sea if the far greatest part of his dearest friends be gone before him and he heareth of their safe arrival and of their Joy and happiness Those Angels that now see the face of God are our special friends and guardians and entirely Love us better than any of our friends on earth do They rejoiced at our Conversion and will rejoice at our Glorification And as they are better and Love us better so therefore our Love should be greater to them than to any upon earth and we should more desire to be with them Those blessed souls that are now with Christ were once as
and endeavours do contain the seed of life eternal and are such a preparation for it as cannot be in vain Would God concurr thus with any word which is not true and holy and good to make it effectual for the renovation of so many millions of souls Have you not found that his work of Grace is earryed on by heavenly Wisdom Love and Power and is a witness of his special providence and containeth his own Image upon the soul And shall we then question the Author of the seal when we see that the Image and superscription which it imprinteth is Divine And have you not had such experiences your 5. self of the fulfilling of this word in the answer of prayers manifest both on mens souls and bodies which are enough to confute the Tempter that would shake your faith when he seeth you in your weakness unfit to call up all those Evidences which at another time you have discerned For my own part I must bear this witness to the truth that I have known and felt and seen and heard such wonders wrought upon servent prayer as have many a time convinced me of the truth of the promises and the special providence of God to his poor petitioners I have oft known the Acute and Chronical Diseases of afflicted ones relieved by prayer without any natural means Some of the most violent cured in an hour and some by more slow degrees Besides the effects upon mens souls and estates and publick affairs which plainly demonstrated the means and cause And shall a promise thus sealed to us be ever questioned again Nay have you not the Witness in your self 6. 1 John 5. 10 11 12. Even the Spirit of Christ which is the pledge and earnest of your inheritance and the seal and mark of God upon you In a word it is an unquestionable truth that the rational 7. world neither is nor ever was nor can be governed agreeably to its nature without an End to move and rule them which is beyond this life and without the Hopes and fears of a Reward and Punishment hereafter Were this but taken out of the world man would no longer live like man but as the most odious noxious creature upon earth And it is as sure that it agreeth not with the Omnipotence Wisdom and Goodness of God to Govern so noble a Creature by a lye and to make a Nature that must be so governed And it is as certain that all other Revelation is defective and that Life and Immortality the end and the way were never so brought to light as they are in the Gospel by 2 Tim. 1. 10. Christ and by his Spirit Say then to the malitious Tempter The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke theâ— Zech. 3. 2. O full of all subtilty and mischief thou enemy of God and righteousness Wilt thou not cease to be a lying Spirit and to pervert the truth and right wayes of the Lord Act 13. 10. Lift up your soul to God and say I believe Lord help mine unbelief Though Satan stand to resist me at my right hand am I not a brand pluckt out of the fire Am I not thine and have I not resigned this soul to thee and didst thou not accept it in thy holy Covenant O then defend it as thine own Plead thou my Cause and confirm thy work and justifie both thy truth and me against the malitious enemy of both O let the intercession of my Saviour prevail that my faith fail not And take away the filthy garments from me Zech. 3. 3 4. and cause mine iniquities to pass away And though my soul be troubled what shall I say Father save me from this hour But then what passage shall I have into thy presence I was born a mortal wight John 12. 23 27 28. John 17. 1. and go but the way as all Generations have gone before me and follow my Lord and all his Saints Father receive and glorifie thy servant that thy servant may glorifie thy name for ever Receive O Father the soul which thou hast made Receive O Saviour the soul which thou hast so dearly bought and loved to the death Acts 7. 59. and washed in thy blood Receive the soul which thou hast regenerated by thy Spirit and in some measure quickned Psal. 39. 5 7 8 11. Psal. 32. 1 2 3. Rom. 4. 7 8. 24. Psal. 25. 7. Psal. 19. 12 13. 1 Pet. 2. 22. Matth. 3. 15. Heb. 9. 26. Isa. 53. 10. 3 4 6 7 8 9. Matth. 3 17. 17. 5. 12. 18. Rom. 5. 1 2 3 5 10. Ephes. 2. 14. Heb. 10. 10 12 14 18. Heb 7. 26 2â— Ephes. 1. 6 7 11 13. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Phil. 3. 9 10 11. Eph. 5. 26 27. Psal. 139. 16 17 18. Psal. 16. 6 7. Psal. 6â— 9. Psal. 46. 4. Psal. 42. 3 4. Psal. 89. 15. Psal. 36. 8. John 4. 10 13 14. Psal. 42. 4. Psal. 107. 6. 13. Psal. 107. 17 14. by the immortal seed Behold thou hast made my dayes as an hand breadth my age before thee is as nothing and every man at his best estate is vanity When thy rebukes correct us for iniquity thou makest our beauty to câ—nsume as a nâ—oth And now O Lord what wait I for Is not my hope alone in thee Deliver me from my transgressions and impute not to me the sins which I have done Remember not against me the sins of my youth and forgive the iniquities of my riper years Charge not upon me my grieving of thy Spirit and neglects and resistances of thy grace Forgive my sins of ignorance and of knowledge my sins of slâ—thfulness rashness and presumption especially those which I have wilfully committed against thy warnings and the warnings of my Conscience Who can understand his errors Cleanse thou me from secret sins O pardon my unprofitableness and abuse of thy mercies and my sluggish loss of pretious time that I have served thee no better and loved thee no more and improved no better the day of grace Though folâ—y and sin have darknâ—d my light and blemished my most holy services and my transgressions have been multiplyed in thy sight yet is the Sacrifice sufficient which thou hast accepted from our great High Priest who made his soul an offering for sin In him thou art well pleased He is our peace In him I trust He was holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners He did no iniquity He fulfilled all Righteousness and by once offering of himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified He is able to save to the utmost them that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Accept me O Father in him thy well beloved Let my sinful soul be healed by his stripes who bare our sins in his body on the Cross. Let me be found in him not having any Legal righteousness of my own but that which
by God only And that man hath a power to oblige himself is discerned by the light of Nature and is the ground of the Law of Nations and of humane Converse And though this is no Divine Obligation yet is it not therefore none at all 2. But moreover he that voweth doth induce upon himself a New Divine obligation by making himself the subject of it For example God hath said Honour the Lord with thy substance This command obligeth me to obey it whether I vow it or not The same God hath said Pay thy Vows to the Most High Psal. 50. 14. And When thou vowest a Vow to God defer not to pay it Eccles. 5. 4. This layeth no obligation on me till I vow but when I have vowed it doth so that now I am under a double Divine obligation one to the matter of the duty and another to keep my Vow and under a self-obligation of my own Vow Whence also a greater penalty will be due if I now offend then else would have been § 5. Hence you may see what to think of the common determination of Casuists concerning Vows materially sinful when they say A man is not obliged to keep them It is only thus far true that God obligeth ☜ him not to do that particular thing which he voweth For God had before forbidden it And he changeth not his Laws upon mans rash Vowings But yet there is a self-obligation which he laid upon himself to do it And this self-obligation to a sinful act was it self a sin and to be repented of and not performed but it bringeth the person under a double obligation to penalty as a perjured person even Gods obligation who bindeth the perjured to penalty and the obligation of his own consent to the punishment if there was any Oath or imprecation in the Vow If it were true that such a person had brought himself under no kind of obligation at all then he could not be properly called Perjured nor punished as Perjured But he that sweareth and voweth to do evil as the Jews to kill Paul though he ought not to do the thing because God forbiddeth it yet he is a perjured person for breaking his Vow and deserveth the penalty not only of a rash Vower but of one perjured Thus Error may make a man sinful and miserable though it cannot warrant him to sin § 6. Direct 2. Tâ—y well the matter of your Vows and venture not on them till you are sure that they Direct 2. are not things forbidden Things sinful or doubtful are not fit matter for a Vow In asserting subscribing and witnessing you should take care that you know assuredly that the matter be True and â—enture not upon that which may prove false Much more should you take care that you venture not Vid. Sanderson de Juram Praelect 7. Sect. 14. Iuramentum oblatum reluctante vel dubitante conscientia non est suscipiendum 1. Quia quod non est ex fide peccatum est 2. Quia jurandum est in judicio quod certè is non facit qui contra conscientiae suae judicium facit c. ad finem doubtingly in Vows and Oaths They are matters to be handled with dread and tenderness and not to be played with and rashly ventured on as if it were but the speaking of a common word Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccles. 5. 2. It is a grievous snare that men are oft brought into by ignorant and rash Vows As the case of Iephtha and Herod and many another tell us for our warning An error in such cases is much more safely and cheaply discerned before than afterward To have a rash vow or perjury to repent of is to set a bone in joynt or pull a thorn out of your very eye and who would choose such pain and smart Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the Angel that it was an error Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands Eccles. 5. 6. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy and after vows to make enquiry Prov. 20. 25. Be careful and deliberate to prevent such snares § 7. Direct 3. Vow not in a Passion Stay till the storm be over whether it be anger or desire Direct 3. or what ever the Passion be delay and deliberate before you Vow For when Passion is up the judgement is upon great disadvantage In your Passion you are apt to be most peremptory and confident when you are most deceived If it be your Duty to Vow it will be your duty to morrow when you are calm If you say that Duty must not be delayed and that you must do it while the Spirit moveth you I answer Was it not as much a duty before your passion was kindled as now It is no sinful delaying of so great a duty to stay till you have well proved whether it be of God If it be the Spirit of Christ that moveth you to it he will be willing that you deliberate and try it by that Word which the same Spirit hath endited to be your rule Gods Spirit worketh principally upon the judgement and the will by setled convictions which will endure a rational tryal It is liker to be your own Spirit which worketh principally on the passion and will not endure the tryal nor come into the light Iohn 3. 18 19. Isa. 8. 20. § 8. Direct 4. Make not a Vow of things indifferent and unnecessary If they be not good in a true Direct 4. comparing practical judgement which considereth all accidents and circumstances they are no fit matter for a Vow Some say Things indifferent are the fittest matter both for Vows and humane Laws But either they speak improperly or untruly and therefore dangerously at the best If an idle word be a sin then an idle action is not a thing to be vowed because it is not a thing to be done being as truly a sin as an idle word And that which is wholly indifferent is idle For if it be good for any thing it is not wholly indifferent And because it is antecedently useless it is consequently sinful to be done § 9. Object 1. But those that say things Indifferent may be Vowed mean not things useless or unprofitable Object 1. to any good end but only those things that are Good and Useful but not commanded such as are the matter of Gods Counsells and tend to mans perfection as to Vow Chastity Poverty and absolute obedience Answ. There are no such things as are morally Good and not commanded This is the fiction of men that have a mind to accuse Gods Laws and Government of imperfection and think sinful man See the fourteenth Article of the Church of 〈…〉 against Voluntary Works over and above Gods Comâ—andments as imâ—ion can do better than he is
juris remaining still the same if a Parish omit for divers years to choose any Constable or Church-warden yet the next time they do choose one according to Law the Law doth authorize him nevertheless though there was an interruption or vacancy so long And so in Corporations unless the Law or Charter say the contrary so is it in the present case 1. It is the established Law of Christ which describeth the office determineth of the degree and kind of power and Granteth or Conveyeth it when the person is determined of by the Electors and Ordainers though by Ordination the Delivery and Admission is regularly to be solemnized which actions are of just so much necessity as that Law hath made them and no more 2. And if there were never so long an interruption or vacancy he that afterward entereth lawfully so as to want nothing which the Law of Christ hath made necessary to the Being of the office doth receive his power nevertheless immediatly from the Law of Christ. And Bellarmine himself saith that it is not necessary to the people and to the validity of Sacraments and offices to them to know that their Pastors be truly called or ordained And if it be not necessary to the validity of Sacraments it is not necessary to the validity of Ordination And W. Iohnson confesseth to me that Consecration is not absolutely necessary See my Disput. with him of the successive Vâ—sibility of the Church p. 336. ad esse officii to the Pope himself no nor any one sort of Electors in his Election p. 333. And in his Repl. Term. Expl. pag. 45. he saith Neither Papal nor Episcopal jurisdiction as all the Learned know depends of Episcopal or Papal ordination nor was there ever interruptions of successions in Episcopal jurisdiction in any see for want of that alone that is necessary for consecrating others validly and not for jurisdiction over them You see then how little sincerity is in these mens disputations when they would perswade you to reject your lawful Pastors as no true Ministers of Christ for want of their Ordination or Succession § 11. Direct 4. Though the Sacraments and other ministerial offices are valid when a Minister is qualified Direct 4. in his abilities and call but with so much as is essential to the office though he be defective in degree of parts and faithfulness and have personal faults which prove his own destruction yet so great is the difference between a holy heavenly learned judicious experienced skilful zealous laborious faithful Minister and an ignorant ungodly idle unskilful one and so highly should every wise man value the best means and advantages to his eternal happiness that he should use all lawful means in his power to enjoy and live under 〈…〉 8. P 〈…〉 Domâ—ni is a peccatore Praepo 〈…〉 separate sâ— debâ—â— Wâ—iâ—â— Gâ—otius 〈…〉 Imâ—â—â—â— p. 230. â—iting saith Jubentur eâ—im singulâ— multo magâ—s universi â—avere prophetas faâ—soâ— alâ—â—num Pastorâ—m 〈…〉 ar qui dissâ—â—â—â— faâ—iunt â—â—fâ—â— sâ—â— câ—nt a doâ—â—â—â—inam 2. Imperatur â—â—delibus familiarem eorum consuâ—tudinem declinare qui Fratres c. 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 16. 17. Joh. 10. 2 Tim. 3 6. 2 Thes. 3. 6 14. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. such an able godly powerful ministry though he part with his worldly wealth and pleasure to attain it I know no evil must be done for the attainment of the greatest helps For we cannot expect that God should bless a sinful course or that our sin should tend to the saving of our souls And I know God can bless the weakest means when they are such as he appointeth us to use and can teach us by Angels when he denyeth us the help of men But Scripture reason and experience telleth us that ordinarily he worketh morally by means and fitteth the means to the work which he will do by them And as he doth not use to light men by a cold or stone but by a Candle nor by a rotten post or Glow-worm so much as by a Torch or Luminary so he doth not use to work as much by an ignorant drunken idle person who despiseth the God the Heaven the Christ the Spirit the Grace the sacred Word which he Preacheth and vilifieth both his own and other mens souls as he doth by an able and compassionate Minister And the soul is of so much more worth than the Body and Eternal things than temporal that a little commodity to the soul in order to the securing of our salvation must be preferreâ— before a great deal of worldly riches He that knoweth what his soul hiâ— Sâ—viour and Heaven is worth will not easily sit down contented under such a dark and dull and stâ—rving Minister 〈…〉 feeleth he can but little profit by if better may be had on lawful terms Hâ— that feeleth no difference between the Ministry of these two sorts of men it is because he is a stranger to the work of the Gospel on the soul And if the Gospel in its truth or worth or use be â—id it is â—id to them that â—re lost the †Saâ—a 〈…〉 r their own worldly advantages saith Dr. Haâ—moâ—d Dan. 1. 12 13. Ezâ—k 4. 12 15. Read c. 3. Aâ—osta 〈◊〉 rebuking the nâ—gligence of their Priâ—sts that taught the Indians the Catechism idly and without explication or callâ—ng them to account about the sensâ— and then laid all the fault on the blockishness of the people when Tota 〈…〉 ratio â—rat umbâ—atilis 〈…〉 iâ—qâ—it si hominâ—s iâ—â—câ—iâ— aâ—â—riâ—â—o discendi percupidi tales praeceptores 〈…〉 liud quem ut duplo 〈…〉 a biâ—rarâ—r Olim in symbolo addiscendo intelligendo mysteriisque 〈…〉 noscendis viri ingeâ—o praestaâ—tes â—â—â—â—eratura celebrâ—s diu in catechumâ—norum ordine tenebantur cum Ecclesiastica disciplina vigeret Neque ante ad fideâ— Sacramentum admittâ— bantur quam multas ab Episâ—opo de sâ—mbolo conciones audissent diu multum cum Caâ—echista contu issâ—nt post quas omnes cuâ—aâ— medâ—â—aâ—ionâ—â— magnum erat si recta sentirent consentanea responderent c. And he addeth pag. 360 Equidem sic opinioâ— neque ab ea opinione avelli unquam potero quin peâ—â—imo praeceptori omnes esse auditores â—ebetes creâ—â—m A bad Teacher hatâ— a wayâ—s bad Schollars Even in the Roman Church how little their authority can do against prophaneness and negligence the same Aâ—osta sheweth l. 6. c. 2. p. 519. Cum in provinciali Concilio Lim nsi ab omnibus Peruenâ—bus Episcopis caeterisque gravibus viris ad ea viâ—ia emendanda multum operae studii collatum sit atque edita extent egregia decreta de reformatione permulâ—a nihil tamen amplius perfectum est quam si ab otiosis nautis de republica moderanda consultatum esset â—oâ—isiâ— Moâ—â—â—â— Ep. 3. mentioneth iâ— as the errour of a new sprung sâ—ct that heynous sinners even so continuing mâ—y be Priests And Ep. 73. it 's said No
members of the visible Church The Integral and accidental Union I pass by now 2. Besides this Union of the Universal Church with Christ the Universal Head there is in all Particular organized Churches a subordinate Union 1. Between 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. the Pastor and the flock and 2. Between the People one towards another which consisteth in these their special Relations to each other 3. And there is an Accidental Union of many particular Churches As when they are United under one Civil Government or Consociated by their Pastors in one Synod or Council These are the several sorts of Church-Union Direct 2. § 4. Direct 2. Understand also wherein the Communion of Christians and Churches doth consist that you may know what it is that you must hold to In the Universal Church your Internal Communion with Christ consisteth in his communication of his spirit and grace his word and mercies unto you and in your returnes of Love and Thanks and Obedience unto him and in your seeking to him depending on him and receivings from him Your Internal Communion with the Church or Saints consisteth in mutual Love and other consequent affections and in praying for and doing good to one another as your selves according to your abilities and opportunities Your external communion with Christ and with most of the Church in Heaven and Earth is not mutually visible and local For it is but a small number comparatively that we ever see But it consisteth in Christs visible communication of his word his officers and his ordinances and mercies unto you and in your visible learning and reception of them and obedience to him and expressions of your Love and Gratitude towards him Your external communion with the Universal Church consisteth in the Prayers of the Church for you and your prayers for the Church In your holding the same faith and professing to Love and Worship the same God and Saviour and Sanctifier in the same holy ordinances in order to the same eternal end § 5. Your external Communion in the same particular Congregations consisteth in your assembling together to hear the Preaching of Gods word and to receive the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ and pray and praise God and to help each other in knowledge and holiness and walk together in the fear of the Lord. § 6. Your Communion with other neighbour Churches lyeth in praying for and counselling each other and keeping such correspondencies as shall be found necessary to maintain that Love and Peace and Holiness which all are bound to seek according to your abilities and opportunities § 7. Note here that Communion is one thing and subjection is another It is not your subjection to other Churches that is required to your communion with them The Churches that Paul wrote to at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi c. had Communion together according to their capacities in that distance but they were not subject one to another any otherwise than as all are commanded to be subject to each other in humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. The Church of Rome now accuseth all the Christians in the World of separating from their Communion unless they will take them for their Rulers and obey them as the Mistres Church But Paul speaketh not one syllable to any of the Churches of any such thing as their obedience to the Church of Rome To your own Pastors you owe subjection statedly as well as communion and to other Pastors of the Churches of Christ fixed or unfixed you owe a temporary subjection so far as you are called to make use of them as sick persons do to another Physicion when the Physicion of the Hospital is out of the way But one Church is not the Ruler of another or any one oâ— all the rest by any appointment of the King of the Church § 8. Direct 3. By the help of what is already said you are next distinctly to understand how far Direct 3. you are bound to Union or Communion with any other Church or person and what distance separation or division is a sin and what is not that so you may neither causlesly trouble your selves with scruples What Unity is among all Christians Gal. 3. 20. 4. 5 6. Ephes. 4. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. nor trouble the Church by sinful Schism § 9. I. There must be a Union among all Churches and Christians in these following particulars 1. They have all but One God 2. And One Head and Saviour Jesus Christ. 3. And One Sanctifier the Holy Ghost 4. And One Ultimate End and Hope even the fruiâ—â—on of God in Heaven 5. And one Gospel to teach them the Knowledge of Christ and contain the promise of their salvation 6. And one kind of faith that is wrought hereby 7. And one and the same Covenant 1 Pet. 1. 16 Eph. 4. 11 12 13. of which Baptism is the seal in which they are engaged to God 8. And the same Instrumental founders of our faith under Jesus Christ even the Prophets and Apostles 9. And all members of the Eph. 2. 20 21 19. same Universal Body 10. And all have the same new nature and Holy disposition and the same Holy Affections in Loving God and Holiness and Hating sin 11. They all own as to the essential 1 Joh. 3. 11 14 23 parts the same Law of God as the Rule of their faith and life even the sacred Canonical Scriptures Psal. 122. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. Joh 3. 6. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. 12. Every member hath a Love to the whole and to each other especially to the more excellent and useful members and an inclination to holy Communion with each other 13. They have all a propensity to the same holy means and employment as Prayer learning the word of God and doing good to others All these things the True living members of the Church have in sincerity and the rest have in Profession Râ—m 12. 1. Eph 2. 10 11. What 〈…〉 sity â—â—l be in the Church 1 Joh. 2. 12 13 14 § 10. II. There will be still a diversity among the Churches and particular Christians in these following points without any dissolution of the fore-described Unity 1. They will not be of the same Age or standing in Christ but some babes some young men and some fathers 2. They will not have the same degrees of strength of Knowledge and of Holiness some will have need to be fed with milk and be unskilful in the word of Righteousness 3. They will differ in the kind and Heb. 5. 11 12 13. measure of their gifts some will excell in one kind and some in another and some in none at all Mat. 17. 2. 13. 3â— Rom. 14. 1 2 21. 4. They will differ in their natural temper which will make some to be more hot and some more mild some more quick and some more dull some of more regulated wits and some more scattered and
place 2. And great haste allowed me not Time to transpose them If you say that in such a work I should take time I answer You are no competent judges unless you knew me and the rest of my work and the likelyhood that my time will be but short They that had rather take my Writings with such defects which are the effects of haste than have none of them may use them and the rest are free to despise them and neglect them Two or three Questions about the Scripture I would have put nearer the beginning if I could have time But seeing I cannot it 's easie for you to transpose them in the reading III. The resolution of these Cases so much avoideth all the extreams that I look they should be displeasing to all that vast number of Christians who involve themselves in the opinions and interests of their several sects as such and that hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons But there will be still a certain number of truly Catholick impartial Readers whose favourable acceptance I confidently prognosticate and who being out of the dust and noise and passions of contending sides and parties and their interests will see a self-evidencing Light in those solutions which are put off here briefly without the pomp of formal argumentation or perswading Oratory The eternal Light reveal himself to us by Christ who is the Light of the World and by the Illumination of the spirit and word of Light that we may walk in the Light as the Children of Light till we come to the World of Glorious Everlasting Light And what other defect soever our knowledge have if any man hath knowledge enough to kindle in him the Love of God the same is known of Him and therefore is Beloved by Him and shall be Blessed with and in Him for ever 1 Cor. 8. 1 2 3. CASES OF CONSCIENCE ABOUT Matters Ecclesiastical Quest. 1. How to know which is the true Church among all pretenders that a Christians Conscience may be quiet in his Relation and Communion I HAVE written so much of this already in four Books viz. one called The Safe Religion another called A Key for Catholicks another called The Visibility of the Church another called A true Catholick and the Catholick Church described that I shall say now but a little and yet enough to an impartial considerate Reader The terms must first be opened 1. By a Church is meant a Society of Christians as such And it is sometimes taken Narrowly for the Body or Members as distinct from the Head as the word Kingdom is taken for the Subjects only as distinct from the King And sometimes more fully and properly for the whole Political Society as constituted of its Head and Body or the Pars Imperans pars Subdita 2. The word Church thus taken signifieth sometime the Universal Church called Catholick which consisteth of Christ and his Body Politick or Mystical And sometime some Part only of the Universal Church And so it is taken either for a subordinate Political Part or for a Community or a Part considered as Consociate but not Political or as many particular Political Churches Agreeing and holding Concord and Communion without any Comon Head save the Universal Head 3. Such Political Churches are either of Divine Constitution and Policy or only of Humane 2. By Christians I mean such as Profess the Essentials of the Christian Religion For we speak of the Church as Visible 3. By True may be meant either Reality of Essence opposite to that which is not really a 1 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Cor. 12 12. Eph. 1. 22 23. 1 Cor. 6 15. 1 Cor. 12. 27. Eph. 4. 4 5. Matth. 28. 19 20. Church in this univocal acception or else Sound and Orthodox in the Integrals as opposite to erroneous and defiled with much enormity And now I thus decide that question Prop. 1. The True Catholick Church consisteth of Christ the Heâ—d and all Christians as his Body or the Members As the Kingdom consisteth of the King and his Subjects Prop. 2. As all the sincere Heart-Covenanters make up the Church as regenerate and mystical or invisible so that all that are Christened that is Baptized and profess Consent to all the Essentials of the Baptismal Covenant not having Apostatized nor being by lawful Power Excommunicated are Christians and make up the Church as Visible Prop. 3. Therefore there is but One Universal Church because it containeth all Christians and so Ephes. 4 4 5. 1 Cor. 1â— 12. Mark 16 16. Rom 14. 1 6 7. 15. 1 3 4 leaveth out none to be the matter of another Prop. 4. It is not Ignorance or Error about the meer Integrals of Christianity which maketh them no Christians who hold the Essentials that is the Baptismal Covenant Prop. 5. That the Baptismal Covenant might be rightly understood and professed the Churches have still used the Creed as the explication of the Covenant in point of faith and taken it for 1 Cor. 15 1 2 c. the Symbol of the Christian Belief And no further profession of faith was or is to be required as Matth. 28. 19 20. necessary to the Being of Christianity Prop. 6. If proud Usurpers or Censurers take on them to excommunicate or unchristian or unchurch others without authority and cause this maketh them not to be no Christians or no Churches Rom. 14. 3 4. John that are so used Prop. 7. Therefore to know which is the true Catholick or Universal Church is but to know who Rom. 6 1 2 c. are Baptized-Professing-Christians Prop. 8. The Reformed Churches the Lutherans the Abassines the Copties the Syrians the Armenians Ephes. 4. 4. 5. the Jacobites the Georgians the Maronites the Greeks the Moscovites and the Romanists do all receive Baptism in all its visible Essentials and profess all the Essentials of the Christian Religion though not with the same Integrity Prop. 9. He that denyeth any one essential part in it self is so a Heretick as to be no Christian nor true member of the Church if it be justly proved or notorious that is none ought to take him Tit. 3. â—â— 3 John for a Visible Christian who know the proof of his denying that essential part of Christianity or to whom it is notorious Prop. 10. He that holdeth the Essentials primarily and with them holdeth some error which by James 3 â— Phi. 3. 15 16. Heb. 5. 1 2. unseen consequence subverteth some Essential point but holdeth the Essentials so much faster that he would forsake his error if he saw the inconsistence is a Christian notwithstanding And if the name Heretick be applicable to him it is but in such a sense as is consistent with Christianity Prop. 11. He that is judged a Heretick and no Christian justly by others must be lawfully T it 3. 10. Matth. 18. 15. cited and heard plead his Cause and be judged upon sufficient proof and not
hold their own mercies upon the condition of their own continued fidelity And let their Apostasie be on other reasons never so impossible or not future yet the promise of continuance and consummation of the personal felicity of the greatest Saint on earth is still conditional upon the condition of â—his persevering sidelity 6. Even before Children are capable of Instruction there are certain duties imposed by God on the Parents for their sanctification viz. 1. That the Parents pray earnestly and believingly for them Second Commandment Prov. 20. 7. 2. That they themselves so live towards God as may invite him still to bless their Children for their sakes as he did Abrahams and usually did to the faithful's seed 7. It is certain that the Church ever required Parents not only to enter their Children into the Covenant and so to leave them but to do their after duty for their good and to pray for them and educate them according to their Covenant 8. It is plain that if there were none to promise so to educate them the Church would not baptize them And God himself who allowed the Israelites and still alloweth us to bring our Children into his Covenant doth it on this supposition that we promise also to go on to do our duty for them and that we actually do it 9. All this set together maketh it plain 1. That God never promiseth the adult in Baptism though true believers that he will work in them all graces further by his sanctifying spirit let them never so much neglect or resist him or that he will absolutely see that they never shall resist him nor that the spirit shall still help them though they neglect all his means or that he will keep them from neglecting the means Election may secure this to the Elect as such but the Baptismal Covenant as such secureth it not to the baptized nor to believers as such 2. And consequently that Infants are in Covenant with the Holy Ghost still conditionally as their Parents are And that the meaning of it The Holy Ghost is promised in Baptism to give the Child grace in his Parents and his own faithful use of the appointed means is that the Holy Ghost as your sanctifier will afford you all necessary help in the use of those means which he hath appointed you to receive his help in Obj. Infants have no means to use Answ. While Infants stand on their Parents account or Wills the Parents have means to use for the continuance of their grace as well as for the beginning of it 10. Therefore I cannot see but that if a believer should apostatize whether any do so is not the question and his Infant not be made anothers Child he forfeiteth the benefits of the Covenant to his Infant But if the propriety in the Infant be transferred to another it may alter the case 11. And how dangerously Parents may make partial forfeitures of the spirits assistance to their Children and operations on them by their own sinful lives and neglect of prayer and of prudent and holy education even in particular acts I fear many believing Parents never well considered 12. Yet is not this forfeiture such as obligeth God to deny his spirit For he may do with his own as a free benefactor as he list And may have mercy freely beyond his promise though not against his word on whom he will have mercy But I say that he that considereth the woful unfaithfulness and neglect of most Parents even the Religious in the Great work of holy educating their Children may take the blame of their ungodliness on themselves and not lay it on Christ or the spirit who was in Covenant with them as their sanctifier seeing he promised but conditionally M. â—â—istoâ— pag. â—3 As Abraham as a single person in Covenant was to accept of and perform the conditions of the Covenant so as a Parent he had something of duty incumbent on him with reference to his immediate seed And as his faithful performance of that duty incumbent on him in his single capacity so his performing that duty incumbent on him as a Parent in reference to his seed was absolutely necessary in order to his enjoying the good promised with reference to himself and his seed Proved Gen. 17 1. 18. 19. He proveth that the promise is conditional and that as to the continuance of the Covenant state the conditions are 1. The Parents upright life 2. His duty to his Children well done 3. The Childrens own duty as they are capable to give them the sanctifying Heavenly influences of his Life Light and Love in their just use of his appointed means according to their abilities 13. Also as soon as Children come to a little use of Reason they stand conjunctly on their Parents Wills and on their own As their Parents are bound to teach and rule them so they are bound to learn of them and be ruled by them for their good And though every sin of a Parent or a Child be not a total forfeiture of grace yet both their notable actual sins may justly be punished with a denyal of some further help of the spirit which they grieve and quench 11. And now I may seasonably answer the former question whether Infants Baptismal saving grace may be lost of which I must for the most that is to be said referr the Reader to Davenant in Mr. Bedfords Book on this subject and to Dr. Sam. Ward joyned with it Though Mr. Gatakers answers are very Learned and considerable And to my small Book called My Iudgement of Perseverance Augustine who first rose up for the doctrine of perseverance against its Adversaries carried it no higher than to all the Elect as such and not at all to all the Sanctified but oft affirmeth that some that were justified sanctified and Love God and are in a state of salvation are not elect and fall away But since the Reformation great reasons have been brought to carry it further to all the truly sanctified of which cause Zanchius was one of the first Learned and zealous Patrons that with great diligence in long disputations maintained it All that I have now to say is that I had rather with Davenant believe that the fore-described Infant state of salvation which came by the Parents may be lost by the Parents and the Children though such a sanctified renewed nature in holy Habits of Love as the adult have be never lost than believe that no Infants are in the Covenant of Grace and to be baptized Obj. But the Child once in possession shall not be punished for the Parents sin Answ. 1. This point is not commonly well understood I have by me a large Disputation proving from the current of Scripture a secondary original sin besides that from Adam and a secondary punishment ordinarily inflicted on Children for their Parents sins besides the common punishment of the World for the first sin 2. But the thing in question is
which are commonly supposed to be the Responses of the people or repeated by them And in Rev. 14. 2 3. the voice as of many waters and as of a great thunder and the voice of Harpers harping with their harps who sung a new song before the Throne and before the four beasts and the elders a song which noâ—e could learn but the hundred forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the Earth which were not defiled with women who were Virgins and followed the Lamb c. doth seem very plainly to be spoken of the praises of all the Saints Chap. 17. 15. by waters is meant people multitudes c. And Chap. 1â— 5 6 7 8. there is expresly recited a form of praise for all the people A voice came out of the Throne saying Praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him both small and great And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waâ—â—rs and as the voice of mighty thundrings saying Alleluja for the Lord God omnipotent reigâ—eth Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready and to her was granted c. And indeed he that hath stiled all his people Priests to God and a holy and royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ and to shew forth the praises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light doth seem not to take them for so prophanâ— a generation as to be prohibited from speaking to God in publick any otherwise than by the mouth of a Priest And it seemeth to be more allowed and not less under the Gospel than under the Law because Numb 1. 5â— 3. 10 38. Exod. 20. Heb. 4. 16 17. Eph. 2. 13. Heb. 12. 18 21 22 23. then the people as under guilt were kept at a greater distance from God and must speak to him more by a Priest that was a type of Christ our intercessour But now we are brought nigh and reconciled to God and have the spirit of soâ—s and may go by Christ alone unto the Father And therefore though it be true that Ministers yet are sub-intercessours under Christ our high Priest yet they are rarely called Priestâ— but described more in the new Testament by other parts of their office Obj. But the peoples responses make a confused noise in the Assemblies not intelligible Answ. All things are ill done that are done by ill men that carnally and formally slubber it over But if the best and holiest people would unanimously set themselves to do it as they do in singing Psalms so that they did not only stand by to be the hearers of others it would be done more orderly and spiritually as well as singing is Quest. 84. Is it not a sin for our Clerks to make themselves the mouth of the people who are no ordained Ministers of Christ Answ. 1. IN those places where ordained Deacons do it this objection hath no place 2. The Clerks are not appointed to be the mouth of the people But only each Clerk is one of the people commanded to do that which all should do lest it should be wholly left undone If all the Congregation will speak all that the Clerk doth it will answer the primary desire of the Church-Governours who bid the People do it But if they that will not do it themselves shall pretend that the Clerk doth usurp the Ministry because he ceaseth not as well as they they might as well say so by a few that should sing Psalms in the Church when the rest are against it and forbear May not a man do his duty in singing or saying when you refuse yours without pretending to be your mouth or usurping the Ministry Quest. 85. Are repetitions of the same words in Church-prayers lawful Answ. 1. IT is not lawful to affect them as the Heathens who think they shall be heard for their Maâ— 6. 18. Battologie or saying over the same words as if God were moved by them as by a charm 2. Nor is it lawful to do that which hath a strong appearance of such a conceit and thereby to make Gods worship ridiculous and contemptible As the Papists in their Psalters and Prayer Books repeating over the name of Iesus and Mary so oft together as maketh it seem a ludicrous Canting But 1. It is lawful to speak the same words from fulness and fervency of zeal 2. And when we are afraid to give over lest we have not yet prevailed with God 3. And in Gods solemn Praises sung or said a word or sentence oft repeated sometime hath an elegancy and affecting decency And therefore it is so often used in the Psalms yea and in many Scripture Prayers 4. In such cases to Psal. 136. 107. 8 13 21 c. bring a serious urgency of spirit to the repeated words and not to quarrel with the repetitions is the duty of one that joyneth with true Christian Assemblies as a son of piety and peace Quest. 86. Is it lawful to bow at the naming of Iesus Answ. THE question either respecteth the Person of Jesus named by any of his names or else Mic. 6. 6. Jer. 23. 27. Isa. 52 5 6. Isa. 29. 24. Isa. 42. 8 9. Psal. 2. 10 11. Phil. 2. 9 10 11 12. Psal. 34. 3. 66. 2. 68. 4. 72 19. â—6 1 2. 96 2. 100. 4. 111. 9. 148. 13. 149. 3. Isa. 9. 6 7. 12. â— Psal. 138. 2 3. Rev. 15. 4. 1 Chron. 29. 20. 2 Chron. 29. 30. this name Iesus only And that either simply in it self considered or else comparatively as excluding or not including â—â—â—â—er names 1. That the person of Iesus is to be bowed to I never knew a Christian deny 2. That we may lawfully express our reverence by bowing when the names God Jehovah Jesus Christ c. are uttered I have met with few Christians who deny nor know I any reason to deny it 3. Had I been fit to have prescribed directions to other Ministers or Churches I would not have perswaded much less commanded them to bow at the Name of Iesus any more than at the name of God Iehovah Christ c. For many Reasons which the Reader may imagine though I will not now mention them 4. But if I live and joyn in a Church where it is commanded and peremptorily urged to bow at the name of Iesus and where my not doing it would be divisive scandalous or offensive I will bow at the name of God Iehovah Iesus Christ Lord c. one as well as the other seeing it is not bowing at Christs name that I scruple but the consequents of seeming to distinguish and prefer that name alone before all the rest Quest. 87. Is it lawful to stand up at the Gospel
to true penitent believers with a right to everlasting life and as to the obligation to sincere obedience for salvation though not as to the yet future coming of Christ in the flesh And this Law of Grace was never 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 15. 4. 16. 26. yet repealed any further than Christs coming did fulfill it and perfect it Therefore to the rest of the world who never can have the Gospel or perfecter Testament as Christians have the former ☞ Law of Grace is yet in force And that is the Law conjoyned with the Law of Nature which now the world without the Church is under Under I say as to the force of the Law and a former Matth. 22. 29. Luke 24. 27 32 45. John 5. â—9 Acts 17. 2. 11. 18. 24 25. John 20. 9. John 7. 38 42. 10. 35. 13. 18. 19. 24 28. Luke 4. 18. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. Acts 8. 32 33 35. Rom. 1. 2. promulgation made to Adam and Noah and some common intimations of it in merciful forbearances pardons and benefits though how many are under it as to the knowledge reception belief and obedience of it and consequently are saved by it is more than I or any man knoweth 6. There are many Prophecies of Christ and the Christian Church in the Old Testament yet to be fulfilled and therefore are still Gods Word for us 7. There are many Precepts of God to the Jews and to particular persons given them on Reasons common to them with us where parity of Reason will help thence to gather our own duty now 8. There are many holy expressions as in the Psalms which are fitted to persons in our condition and came from the Spirit of God and therefore as such are fit for us now 9. Even the fulfilled Promises Types and Prophecies are still Gods Word that is his Word given to their several proper uses And though much of their Use be changed or ceased so is not all They are yet useful to us to confirm our faith while we see their accomplishment and see how much God still led his Church to Happiness in one and the same way 10. On all these accounts therefore we may still Read the Old Testament and preach upon it in the publick Churches Quest. 156. Must we believe that Moses Law did ever bind other Nations or that any other parts of the Scripture bound them or belonged to them or that the Iews were all Gods Visible Church on Earth Answ. I Conjoyn these three Questions for dispatch I. 1. Some of the Matter of Moses Law did Rom. 2. Rom. 1. 20 21 Enod 12. 19 43 48 49. 20. 10. Lev. 17. 12 15. 18. 26. 24. 16 22. Numb 9. 14. 15. 14 15 16 29 30. 19. 10. Deut. 1. 16. bind all Nations that is The Law of nature as such 2. Those that had the knowledge of the Jewish Law were bound â—ollaterally to believe and obey all the expositions of the Law of nature in it and all the Laws which were given upon reasons common to all the world As about degrees of Marriage particular rules of Justice c. As if I heard God from Heaven tell another that standeth by me Thou shalt not marry thy fathers Widow for it is abominable I ought to apply that to me being his subject which is spoken to another on a common reason 3. All those Gentiles that would be proselytes and joyn with the Jews in their policy and dwell among them were bound to be observers of their Laws But 1. The Law of Nature as Mosaical did not formally and directly bind other Nations 2. Nâ—r were they bound to the Laws of their peculiar policy Civil or Ecclesiastical which were positives The reason is 1. Because they were all one body of Political Laws given peculiarly to one political body Even the Decalogue it self was to them a political Law 2. Because Moses was not authorized or sent to be the Mediator or deliverer of that Law to any Nation but the Jews And being never in the enacting or Promulgation sent or directed to the rest of the World it could not bind them II. As to the second Question Though the Scripture as a writing bound not all the World yet 1. The Law of Nature as such which is recorded in Scripture did bind all 2. The Covenant of Psal. 145. 9 103. 19. Psal. 100. 1. Rom. 14. 11. Act. 34 35. Jud. 14. 15. Grace was made with all mankind in Adam and Noe And they were bound to promulgate it by Tradition to all their off-spring And no doubt so they did whether by word as all did or by writing also as it 's like some did as Henochs Prophesies were it 's like delivered or else they had not in terms been preserved till Iudes time 3. And God himself as aforesaid by actual providences pardoning and benefits given to them that deserved hell did in part promulgate it himself 4. The neighbour Nations might learn much by Gods doctrine and dealing with the Jews III. To the third Question I answer 1. The Jews were a people chosen by God out of all the Deut. 14. 2 3. 7. 2. 6 7. Exod. 19. 5. 6. 7 8. Lev. 20. 24 26. Deut. 4. 20 33. 29. 13. 33. 29. Rom. 3. 1 2 3. Nations of the Earth to be a holy Nation and his peculiar treasure having a peculiar Divine Law and Covenant and many great priviledges to which the rest of the World were strangers so that they were advanced above all other Kingdoms of the world though not in wealth nor worldly power nor largeness of Dominion yet in a special dearness unto God 2. But they were not the only people to whom God made a Covenant of Grace in Adam and Noe as distinct from the Law or Covenant of Innocency 3. Nor were they the only people that professed to Worship the true God neither was holiness and salvation confined to them but were found in other Nations Therefore though we have but little notice of the state of other Kingdoms in their times and scarcely know what National Churches that is whole Nations professing saving faith there were yet we may well conclude that there were other visible Churches besides the Jews For 1. No Scripture denyeth it and charity then must hope the best 2. The Scriptures of the Old Testament give us small account of other Countreys but of the Jews alone with some of their Neighbours 3. Sem was alive in Abrahams dayes yea about 34 years after Abrahams death and within 12 years of Ismaels death viz. till about An. Mundi 2158. And so great and blessed a man as Sem cannot be thought to be less than a King and to have a Kingdom governed according to his holiness and so that there was with him not only a Church but a National Church or holy Kingdom 4. And Melchizedeck was a holy King and
them speedily Luk. 18. 7 8. what need you be so forward to justifie and avenge your selves Obj. If God will have their names to rot and spoken evil of when they are dead why may I not do it while they are alive Answ. There is a great deal of difference between a true Historian and a self-avenger in the reason of the thing and in the effects To dishonour bad Rulers while they live doth tend to excite the people to rebellion and to disable them to govern But for Truth to be spoken of them when they are dead doth only lay an odium upon the sin and is a warning to others that they follow them not in evil And this no wicked Prince was ever so Great and powerful as to prevent For it is a part of Gods resolved judgement Yet must Historians so Sâ—rt Aâ—râ—l Victor de Calig De quo nescio an decuerit memoriae prodi nisi forte quia juvat de principibus nosse omnia ut improbi saltem famae metu talia declinent open the faults of the person as not to bring the office into contempt but preserve the reverence due to the authority and place of Governours § 29. Direct 7. By all means overcome a selfish mind and get such a Holy and a publick spirit as Direct 7. more regardeth Gods honour and the publick interest than your own It is SELFISHNESS that is the great Rebel and Enemy of God and of the King and of our Neighbour A selfish private spirit careth not what the Common-wealth suffereth if he himself may be a gainer by it To revenge himself or to rise up to some higher place or increase his riches he will betray and ruine his King his Countrey and his nearest friends A selfish ambitious covetous man is faithful to no man longer than he serveth his ends nor is he any further to be trusted than his own interest will allow Self-denyal and a publick spirit are necessary to every faithful subject § 30. Direct 8. Wish not evil to your Governours in your secret thoughts but if any such thought Direct 8. would enter into your hearts reject it with abhorrence Eccles. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter A feaverish misguided Zeal for Religion and a passionate discontent for personal injuries do make many greatly guilty in this point They would be much pleased if God would shew some grievous judgement upon persecutors and take no warning by Christs rebukes of Iames and Iohn but secretly are wishing for fire from Heaven not knowing what manner of spirit they are of They cherish such thoughts as are pleasing to them though they dare not utter them in words And he that dare wish hurt is in danger of being drawn by temptation to do hurt Obj. But may we not pray for the cutting off of persecutors And may we not give God thanks for it if he do it himself without any sinful means of ours Answ. Every Ruler that casteth down one sect or party of Christians and setteth up another perhaps as true to the interest of Christianity as they is not to be prayed against and his destruction wished by the suffering party 2. If he be a persecuter of Christianity and Piety it self as Heathens and Infidels are yet if his Government do They are dangerous passages which Petrarch hath though a good and learned and moderate man Dial. 49. Non tot passim essent Domini nec tam late â—urerent nisi populi insanirent cuique civium pro se charior â—oret res privata quam publica voluptas quam gloria pecunia quam libertas Vita quam Virtus Et statim Et sane si vel unum patria civem bonum habeat malum Dominum diutius non habebit The meaning is too plain Abundance of the most learned writers have such passages which must be read with caution Though I would draw none to the other extream Pâ—trarchs 68. Dial 85. Dialog de boâ—o Domino is as smart as the former but yet speaketh not all that contra Reges which be doth contra Dominos However he say that Inter Regem Tyrannum non discernunt Gâ—aii c. So Sr. Thoâ— More in his Poems Regibus è multis Regnum bene qui â—egat unum Vix tamen unus erit si tamen unus erit And that of Senec. Trag. ult Tantum ut noceat cupit esse potens more good than his persecution doth harm you may not so much as wish his downfall 3. If he were a Nero or a Iulian you must pray first for his conversion and if that may not be then next for his restraint and never for his destruction but on supposition that neither of the former may be attained which you cannot say 4. You must pray for the deliverance of the persecuted Church and leave the way and means to God and not prescribe to him Hurtful desires and prayers are seldom of God 5. You may freelyer rejoyce afterwards than desire it before because when a Iulian is cut off you know that Gods righteous will is accomplished when before you knew not that it was his will Yet after it is the deliverance of the Church and not the hurt of a persecuter as such that you must give thanks for Be very suspicious here lest partiality and passion blind you § 31. Direct 9. Learn how to suffer and know what use God can make of your sufferings and think Direct 9. not better of prosperity and worse of suffering than you have cause It is a carnal unbelieving heart that maketh so great a matter of poverty imprisonment banishment or death as if they were undone Bias interrogatus quidnam esset difficile Ferre inquit fortiter mutationem rerum in deterius Laert. p. 55. if they suffer for Christ or be sent to Heaven before the time As if Kingdoms must be disturbed to save you from suffering This better beseems an infidel and a worldling that takes his earthly prosperity for his portion and thinks he hath no other to win or lose Do you not know what the Church hath gained by suffering How pure it hath been when the fire of persecution hath refined it and how prosperity hath been the very that that hath polluted it and shattered it all to pieces by letting in all the ungodly world into the visible Communion of the Saints and by setting the Bishops on contending for superiority and overtopping Emperours and Kings Many thousands that would be excellent persons in adversity cannot bear a high or prosperous state but their brains are turned and pride and contention maketh them the scorn of the adversaries that observe them § 32. Direct 10. Trust God and live by faith and then you will find no need of rebellions or any Direct 10. sinful means
Do you believe that both the Hearts and Lives of Kings and all their affairs are in the hand of God If not you are Atheists If you do then do you not think that God is fitter than you to dispose of them He that believeth will not make haste Deliverance from persecutions must be prayed and waited for and not snatcht by violence as a hungry dog will snatch the meat out of his masters hands and bite his fingers Do you believe that all shall work together for good to them that Love God Rom. 8. 28. And do you believe that the godly are more than Conquerours when they are killed all day and counted as sheep unto the slaughter v. 32 33 34 35. And do you believe that it is cause of exceeding joy when for the sake of righteousness you are hated and persecuted and all manner of evil is falsly spoken of you Matth. 5. 10 11 12. If you do not you believe not Christ If you do will you strive by sinful means against your own good and happiness and joy Will you desire to conquer when you may be more than Conquerours Certainly the use of sinful means doth come from secret unbelief and diffidence Learn to Trust God and you will easily be subject to your Governours § 34. Direct 11. Look not for too great matters in the world Take it but for that Wilderness Direct 11. which is the way to the promised land of rest And then you will not count it strange to meet with hard usage and sufferings from almost all 1 Pet. 4. 12 13. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal which is to try you as if some strange thing happened to you but rejoyce in that ye are Phil. 3. 7 8 11 12. partakers of the sufferings of Christ. Are you content with God and Heaven for your portion If not how are you Christians If you are you have small temptation to rebell or use unlawful means for earthly priviledges Paul saith he took pleasure in persecutions 2 Cor. 12. 10. Learn you to do so and you will easily bear them § 35. Direct 12. Abhor the popular spirit of envy which maketh the poor for the most part think odiously Direct 12. of the Rich and their superiours because they have that which they had rather have themselves I Univers Histor. p. 140. Dicas Imperatorem Orbâ—s Eâ—â—ctetum Neronem Mâ—ncipium irrisum esse summo fastigâ—o cum serviret dignus imperaret indignus nullumque esse malum quin aliqua boni gutta condiatur have long observed it that the poor labouring people are very apt to speak of the Rich as sober men speak of drunkards As if their very estates and dignity and greatness were a vice And it is very much to flatter their own Conscience and delude themselves with ungrounded hopes of Heaven When they have not the spirit of Regeneration and holiness to witness their title to eternal life they think their Poverty will serve the turn And they will ordinarily say that they hope God will not punish them in another world because they have had their part in this But they will easily believe that almost all Rich and Great men go to Hell And when they read Luke 16. of the Rich man and Lazarus they think they are the Lazarus'es and read it as if God would save men meerly for being poor and damn men for being Great and Rich when yet they would themselves be as Rich and Great if they knew how to attain it They think that they are the maintainers of the Common-wealth and the Rich are the Caterpillars of it that live upon their labours like drones in the hive or mice and vermine that eat the honey which the poor labouring Bees have long been gathering For they are unacquainted with the Labours and cares of their Governours and sensible only of their own This envyous spirit exceedingly disposeth the poor to discontents and tumults and rebellions but it is not of God Iam. 3. 15 16 17. § 36. Direct 13. Keep not company with envious murmurers at Government for their words fret Direct 13. like a canker and their sin is of an infecting kind What a multitude were drawn into the Rebellion Numb 16. of Corah who no doubt were provoked by the leaders discontented words It seemeth they were for Popularity Numb 16. 3 13 14. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey to kill us in the Wilderness except thou make thy self altogether a Prince over us Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men What confidence and what fair pretenses are here so probable and plausible to the people that it is no wonder that multitudes were carryed to rebellion by it Though God disowned them by a dreadful judgement and shewed whom he had chosen to be the Governours of his people § 37. Direct 14. Keep humble and take heed of Pride The humble is ready to obey and yield Direct 14. and not only to be subject to Magistrates but to all men even voluntarily to be subject to them that cannot constrain them 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be all of you subject one to another It is no hard matter for a twig to bow and for a humble soul to yield and obey another in any thing that is lawful But the Proud take subjection for vassalage and obedience for slavery and say Who is Lord over us Psal. 12. 6 7. Prov. 16. 18. 29. 23. Our tongues are our own what Lord shall controll us will we be made slaves to such and such Only from Pride cometh contention Prov. 13. 10. By causing impatience it causeth disobedience and sedition § 38. Direct 15. Meddle not uncalled with the matters of superiours and take not upon you to censure Direct 15. their actions whom you have neither ability fitness or authority to censure How commonly will every tradesman and labourer at his work be censuring the Counsels and Government of the King and speaking of things which they never had means sufficiently to understand Unless you had been upon the place and heard all the debates and consultations and understood all the circumstances and reasons of the business how can you imagine that at so great a distance you are competent judges Fear God and judge not that you be not judged If busie-bodies and medlers with other mens Maâ— 7. 1 2 3 matters among equals are condemned 2 Thes. 3. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 13. 1 Pet. 4. 15. much more when they meddle and that censoriously with the matters of their Governours If you would please God know and keep your places as Souldiers in an Army which is their comly order and their strength § 39. Direct 16.
also are distinguishable by the effects which are such as these 1. Some Scandals do tempt men to actual infidelity and to deny or doubt of the truth of the Gospel 2. Some scandals would draw men but into some particular error and from some particular Truth while he holds the rest 3. Some scandals draw men to dislike and distaste the way of Godliness and some to dislike the servants of God 4. Some scandals tend to confound men and bring them to utter uncertainties in Religion 5. Some tend to terrifie men from the way of Godliness 6. Some only stop them for a time and discourage or hinder them in their way 7. Some tend to draw them to some particular sin 8. And some to draw them from some particular duty 9. And some tend to break and weaken their spirits by grief or perplexity of mind 10. And as the word is taken in the Old Testament the snares that malitious men lay to entrap others in their lives or liberties or estates or names are called scandals And all these wayes a man may sinfully scandalize another § 19. And that you may see that the scandal forbidden in the New Testament is alwayes of this nature let us take notice of the particular Texts where the word is used And first to scandalize is used actively in these following Texts In Matth. 5. before cited and in the other Evangelists citing the same words the sense is clear That the offending of a hand or eye is not displeasing nor seeking of ill report but hindering our salvation by drawing us to sin So in Matth. 18. 8. Mar. 9. 42 43. where the sense is the sâ—mâ— In Matth. 17. 27. Lest we should offend them c. is not only Lest we displease them but lest we give them occasion to dislike Religion or think hardly of the Gospel and so lay a stumbling bloâ—k to the danger of their souls So Matth. 18. 6. Mark 9. Who so shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me c. that is not who shall displease them but who so by threats persecutions cruelties or any other means shall go about to turn them from the faith of Christ or stop them in their way to Heaven or hinder them in a holy life Though these two Texts seem nearest to the denyed sense yet that is not indeed their meaning So in Joh. 6. 6. Doth this offend you that is Doth this seem incredible to you or hard to be believed or digested Doth it stop your faith and make you distaste my doctrine So 1 Cor. 8. 13. If meat scandalize my brother our Translators have turned it If meat make my brother to offend So it was not displeasing him only but tempting him to sin which is the scandalizing here reproved § 20. View also the places where the word Scandal is used Mat. 13. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all scandals translated all things that offend doth not signifie all that is displeasing but all temptations to sin and hinderances or stumbling blocks that would have stopt men in the way to Heaven So in Matth. 16. 23. a Text as like as any to be near the denyed sense yet indeed Thou art a scandal to me translated an offence doth not only signifie Thou displeasest me but Thou goest about to hinder me in my undertaken Office from suffering for the redemption of the world It was an Aptitudinal scandal though not effectual So Matth. 18. 7. It must be that scandals come translated Offences that is that there be many stumbling blocks set before men in their way to Heaven So Luke 17. 1. to the same sense And Rom. 9. 33. I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of scandal translated of offence that is such as will not only be displeasing but an occasion of utter ruine to the unbelieving persecuting Jews according to that of Simeon Luke 2. 34. This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Rom. 11. 9. Let their table be made a snare a trap and a stumbling block The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie a displeasure only but an occasion of ruine So Rom. 14. 13. expoundeth it self That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way The Greek word is or a scandal This is the just So Rev. 2. 14. Balaam did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay a scandal or stumbling block before the Israelites that is a temptation to sin exposition of the word in its ordinary use in the New Testament So Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause divisions and scandals translated offences that is which lay stumbling blocks in the way of Christians and would trouble them in it or turn them from it So 1 Cor. 1. 23. To the Iews a stumbling block that is a scandal as the Greek word is as before expounded So Gal. 5. 11. The scandal of the Cross translated the offence doth signifie not the bare reproach but the reproach as it is the tryal and stumbling block of the world that maketh believing difficult So 1 John 2. 10. There is no scandal in him translated No occasion of stumbling These are all the places that I remember where the word is used § 21. The passive Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be scandalized is used often As Matth. 11. 6. Blessed is Luke 7. 23. he that is not scandalized translated offended in me that is who is not distasted with my person and doctrine through carnal prejudices and so kept in unbelief There were many things in the person life and doctrine of Christ which were unsuitable to carnal reason and expectation These men thought to be hard and strange and could not digest them and so were hindered by them from believing And this was being offended in Christ So in Matth. 13. 57. Mar. 6. 3. They were offended in or at him that is took a dislike or distaste to him for his words And Matth. 13. 21. Mark 6. 3. When persecution ariseth by and by they are offended that is they stumble and fall away And Mark 4. 17. Matth. 15. 12. The Pharisees were offended or scandalized that is so offended as to be more in dislike of Christ. And Matth. 24. 10. Then shall many be offended or scandalized that is shall draw back and fall away from Christ. And Mat. 26. 31 33. Mar. 14. 27 29. All ye shall be offended because of me c. Though all men shall be offended or scandalized yet will I never be scandalized that is brought to doubt of Christ or to forsake him or deny him or be hindered from owning their relation to him So John 16. 1. These things have I spoken that ye should not be offended that is that when the time cometh the unexpected trouble may not so surprize you as to turn you from the faith or stagger you in your obedience or hope Rom. 14. 21. doth exactly expound it It
spirit of God hath taught them to perform or would force men from that which the spirit of Christ is sent to draw them to this is to raise War against that spirit into whose name you were your selves baptized § 11. 4. Persecution endeavoureth the damnation of mens souls either by depriving them of the Preaching of the Gospel which should save them or by forcing them upon that sin for which God will condemn them Yea the banishing or silencing of one faithful Preacher may conduce to the damnation of many hundreds If it be said that others who are set up in their stead may save mens souls as well as they I answer 1. God seldome if ever did qualifie supernumeraries for the work of the Ministry Many a Nation hath had too few but I never read of any Nation that had too many who were well qualified for that great and difficult work no not from the dayes of Christ till now so that if they are all fit men there are none of them to be spared but all are too few if they conjoyn their greatest skill and diligence Christ biddeth us pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth more labourers into his Harvest but never biddeth us pray to send out fewer or to call any in that were but tolerably fitted for the work 2. Many persecutors banish all Preachers of the Gospel and set up no other to do the service which they were called to And it is rarely seen that any who can find in their hearts to cast out any faithful Ministers of Christ have hearts to set up better or any that are competent in their stead But it is ordinarily seen that when the judgement is so far depraved as to approve of the casting out of worthy men it is also so far depraved as to think an ignorant unskilful heartless or scandalous sort of Ministers to be as fit to save men souls as they And how many poor Congregations in the Eastern and the Western Churches nay how many thousand have ignorant ungodly sensual Pastors who are such unsavoury Salt as to be unfit for the Land or for the Dunghill Whilest men are extinguishing the clearest lights or thrusting them into obscurity Matth. 5. 13 14 15. Luk. 14. 35. 3. And there may be something of suitableness between a Pastor and the flock which may give him advantage to be more profitable to their souls than another man of equal parts 4. And though God can work by the weakest means yet ordinarily we see that his work upon mens souls is so far Moral as that he usually prospereth men according to the fitness of their labours to the work and some men have far more success than others He that should expell a dozen or twenty of the ablest Physicions out of London and say theâ—e are enough left in their steads who may save mens lives as well as they might notwithstanding that assertion be found guilty of the blood of no small numbers And as men have sometime an averseness to one sort of food as good as any to another man and as this distemper is not laudable and yet he that would force them to eat nothing else but that which they so abhor were liker to kill them than to cure them so is it with the souls of many And there are few who have any spiritual discerning and relish but have some special sense of what is helpful or hurtful to their souls in Sermons Books and Conference which a stander by is not so fit a judge of as themselves So that it is clear that persecution driveth men towards their damnation And O how sad a case it is to have the damnation of one soul to answer for which is worse than the murdering of many bodies Much more to be guilty of the perdition of a multitude § 12. 5. Persecution is unjustice and oppression of the innocent And what a multitude of terrible threatnings against this sin are found throughout the holy Scriptures Doth a man deserve to be cruelly used for being faithful to his God and for preferring him before man and for being afraid to sin against him or for doing that which God commandeth him and that upon pain of greater sufferings than man can inflict upon him Is it not his Saviour that hath said Fear not them that can kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Though Christianity was once called a Sect which every where was spoken against Act. 28. 22. and Paul was accused as a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among the people Act. 24. 5. and Christ was Crucified as a Usurper of the Crown yet innocency shall be innocency still in spight of malice and lying accusations because God will be the final Judge and will bring all secret things to light and will justifie those whom injustice hath condemned and will not call them as slandering tongues have called them Yea the Consciences of the persecuters are often forced to say as they did of Daniel Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God And therefore the net which they were fain to lay for him was a Law against his Religion or prayers to God For a Law against Treason sedition swearing drunkenness fornication c. would have done them no service And yet they would fain have aspersed him there verse 4. Jer. 22. 13. Woe to hiâ— that buildeth his house by unrighteousness c. Isa. 33. 1. Woe to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled Isa. 5. 20. Woe to them that call evil good and good evil Jer. 2. 34. In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents Prov. 6. 16 17. Hands that shed innocent blood the Lord doth hate c. § 13. 6. Persecution maketh men likest unto Devils and maketh them his most notable servants in Daemones ex hominibus fieri quidam opinatâ— sunt perpetua criminum licentia c. Quod ut forte tolerabiliter dictum sit malarum voluntatum similitudo efficit qua homo malus atque in malis obstinatus pene daemonem aequat Petrarch de injusto Domin the world Many wicked men may neglect that duty which they are convinced they should do But to hate it and malice men that do it and seek their ruine this if any thing is a work more beseeming a Devil than a man These are the Commanders in the Armies of the Devil against the Cause and Kingdom of the Lord Iohn 8. 42. 44. and accordingly shall they speed § 14. 7. Persecution is an inhumane disingenuous sin and sheweth an extinction of the light of Nature A good natured man if he had no grace at all would abhorr to be cruel and to oppress his brethren and that meeâ—ly because they are true to their