will seek their temporal and eternal good relieve mine enemies do good for evil and overcome evil with good pray for them that despitefully use me bless them that curse me think none evil and have charitable thoughts till I have evidence of the truth to the contrary I will endeavour to reform such as do amiss and wander out of the right way I will do all the acts and good offices of love and will not do any thing contrary to true love and charity Thus I will love not only my private but my publick Neighbour and I will not deny it to strangers or enemies and out of this love will endeavour to do as I would be done unto and be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect and follow the example of my dearest Saviour These are the moral Laws of my Saviour which by my Baptism I am bound to observe By them I understand my sins to be many and grievous and my self guilty and liable not only to temporal but eternal punishments even the regenerate Children of God cannot obey them perfectly but have their failings and sometimes grievously fall so that by the works of the law no man living can be justified yet this is my comfort that my Saviour by suffering for these my sins hath made them pardonable and the punishments deserved by them avoidable And he not only dyed for mine offences but rose again for my justification makes intercession in heaven and pleads his blood for all penitent sinners These things I verily believe and according to this belief I rely upon my Savirous propitiation and intercession and renewing daily my supplications before the throne of grace hope to obtain remission of all my sins against this Law and his other commands I acknowledge it a great unspeakable mercy that my God hath made faith and not perfect obedience the condition of life As this Law doth discover my sins so it is a rule of my life and as I will renew my repentance daily and seek remission of sin past so I will daily pray for the sanctifying power of his Spirit to write thâ—se Laws more and more in my heart to strengthen me against all temptations enable me to observe them willingly and with delight beseeching him to accept my poor endeavours and to look upon me as washed in the blood of my Saviour There is another positive and ceremonial Law of my Saviour which I by Baptism am bound to observe together with these morals and that is the Sacrament of the Eucharist which is to be Celebrated by all Christians to the worlds end in remembrance of the Sacrifice sof Christ death Therefore I promise with an humble penitent and believing heart to come unto this heavenly Table when I am invited and called to eat the blessed Bread in remembrance of my Saviours body which was broken and offered for me and drink the blessed Cup in remembrance of his blood whereby the New Covenant is confirmed as being shed for the remission of my sins And as my God by his Ministers giving this Bread and this Cup doth seal and confirm anew his promises unto me to strengthen my faith and hope so I will by receiving these Elements according to the first institution solemnly renew and confirm my engagement for the performance of the conditions of the Covenant and thereby I will testifie my union with the Church my charity to all my thankfulness to Christ and will never forget his unspeakable love to my poor soul manifested in his sacrifice of everlasting vertue and will hope according to the integrity of my heart though my failings be many that he will increase my graces and heavenly comforts upon the receiving of the same Chap. 8. Of Prayer one of Christs Commandments Sect. 1. PRayer is a duty required in the moral Law of God especially as it is understood Evangelically and is to be used both by every Christian both in private and publick and also by the universal Church whilst Militant on Earth until it become triumphant in Heaven when all prayers shall be turned into praises and petitions into thanksgiving It s a part of Gods worship both moral and ritual for neither Word nor Sacraments can be rightly dispensed without it and this is the reason why it takes up so great a part of our Liturgies and Forms of Worship To pray alwaies is one of Christs Commandments and without prayer we can neither observe his Commandments nor persevere in our profession because without prayer we cannot expect grace which is necessary to enable us to do both And because it is continual a necessary and an excellent piece of service I intend to speak of it more particularly and distinctly And for order sake I will 1. Premise some generals 2. Expound the Lords Prayer 3. Reduce the matter of it into a form of Prayer 1. Prayer may be described thus It 's a part of God's Worship wherein we represent our minds unto God As it is a part of God's Worship it 's to be ranked amongst the duties of the first Table and in several respects to be referred to the several commandments of it It looks at God as supreme Lord of infinite and eternal excellency and perfection as all other religious acts do yet it considers in God some particular perfections more then others as shall be shewed hereafter The more particular nature of it is a presentation of our minds to God The matter thereof is something in our minds which we desire and propose to make known to God and the act of it is the representations of these to his glorious Majesty Therefore the School-men make prayer to be an act of the understanding presupposing the heart first affected with those things which are the matter of our prayers which were nothing to purpose without the affection of the heart which may be said to animate and give life unto them yet we must not think that we can inform God who knows our thoughts afar off of any thing which he is ignorant of Therefore the intention of prayer is not only to honour him but to move and affect him with the matter represented This is the nature of prayer largely taken so as to include in one continued Speech Petition Praise Thansgiving Therefore Praise and Thanksgiving are said to be parts of Prayer which in respect of the representation of our minds is said to be a speaking unto God and a conference with him For in all these we address our selves to God approach to his Throne and express our minds unto him and pour our hearts out before him Petition ascends mercies descend praise and thanksgiving are returned unto him again Prayer strictly taken is an humble presentation of our petition unto God as able and willing to effects them This may be made either unto a false God or the true God and to the true God either according to the Law of Nature or the Light of Grace and that either implicitly in the name
means of Conversion of the Word Sacraments Sabbaths Ministery of Information and Instruction Promises Threatnings Conmands Reproofs Exhortation good Examples Afflictions and many other things used by God in the vocation the power of the spirit accompanying these means and working upon the heart of the sight and sence of sin of godly sorrow fear hope prayers tears hearkning unto the word receiving it into the heart longing after Christ some beginning of comfort faith and conversion To this place also reduce the Scriptures which speak of the contrary as God passing by a people and denying them the means of conversion of such as to whom the means is vouchsafed yet they refuse to receive them despise them blaspheme rebel persecute Gods messengers and seek the abolition of Gods Laws and Kingdom Of such as seem to receive these means yet do not use them or if they use them yet not diligently and aright but are like to the high way the stony or the thorny ground Such places as speak of impenitency hardness of heart unbelief neglecting the day of Visitation unfruitfulness under the means of Salvation Hypocrisie Apostacy all neglect or resistence of any motives unto repentance deferring the time of conversion after conviction and falling off from any resolutions to repent or any degree of grace To that of Justification which presupposeth not only Gods mercy and Christs merit but also the sinners Repentance Conversion and sincere faith may be reduced all Scriptures which speak of Christs Intercession Remission Regeneration Reconciliation Adoption Manifestation of Gods special love hope of glory a right unto eternal life peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost freedom from condemnation removal of judgements the earnest and first fruits of the spirit abiding in us the guardance of Angels near communion with God Gods special care of the justified the turning of every thing to their good mortification of sin sanctification continued good works heavenly affections divine vertues patience and perseverance in Hearts Afflictions Persecutions Martyrdom Conflicts with sin Satan the world fastings falls recoveries increase of heavenly vertues longing desires to be with Christ watching praying providing for removal hence and the last account comfortable death conveyance into Abraham's bosom the secure expectation of the Resurrection freedom from all sin misery temptation and troubles of this life To this Head must be referred all such Scriptures as speak of the contrary as of Gods desertion after disobedience to his heavenly call withdrawing the light of the Gospel taking away his blessed spirit leaving the parties thus deserted to the power of Satan delivering them up to a reprobate mind security in sin despair terrours of conscience loss of all the former mercies and graces or rather a dinial of them exemplary judgments as forerunners of eternal destruction abiding under Gods eternal displeasure a cursed death and a reservation of the parts thus dead unto final condemnation and that sad condition till that time To the last of Glorification refer such places as speak of the universal Resurrection of the power and spirit of God raising us the manner of this Resurrection the nature and excellent qualities of the body raised as being immortal uncorruptible glorious spiritual and like the body of Christ our final Justification and glorious reward of ejoyment of the blessed presence of God and Jesus Christ our full and final Sanctification by the spirit our Society with Saints and Angels our spiritual glorious pleasant Paradice our full joys eternal pleasure unspeakable content freedom from all sin temptation sorrow songs of praise and the certainty and security of the continuance and perpetuity of full bliss Here also must come in those parts of Gods word which speak of the contrary as of the resurrection of such as are designed to eternal death upon their final impenitency of the immortality of their bodies that they may eternally suffer in body and soul their appearance before the dreadful Judge their condemnation their ejection out of Gods blessed presence into utter darkness and unquenchable fire their society with the Devil and his Angels their everlasting and intollerable sorrows and pains and the certainty of the continuance thereof without any hope of ease intermission deliverance Sect. 7. After that I have first declared the substance of the Scripture abridged in the Creed and secondly given some directions how to reduce the principal particular places of the word of God unto the heads of the Creed I now proceed to reduce the former particulars into the form of a Confession in this manner I believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost who is only One Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal infinitely and eternally Wise Just Holy Powerful Glorious and every way Perfect and perfectly knows and loves himself from everlasting and is blessed in himself unto all eternity I believe that this One Glorious God did by his wisdom contrive and by his will decree to do many things out of himself and when he thought good he issued out with his Almighty Power to effect those things which he had before contrived and first he created Heaven and Earth and all things therein and the most glorious place which he made was the Heaven of heavens and the most excellent creatures were Men and Angels intellectual immortal free capable of Laws and of an eternal estate Man for his body was created of the dust of the earth and by the breath of God became a living soul and he was sanctified by the holy Spirit endued with heavenly gifts and virtues whereby he was righteous and holy and like unto his God and capable of eternal bliss tho his present estate was not immutable he might stand he might fall When this great work was finished by his Word Spirit without any pre-existent stuff any assistant any tool or instrument he continued by his Almighty power to support and preserve all things which do subsist by that word whereby they were created at the first By creation he manifested his eternal power and God-head became the absolute surpreme and universal Lord of all things and so continues by his preservation I believe that as he preserves all things created so he orders all things preserved in such a manner as that a Sparrow falls not to the ground without his will And as he created all things in an excellent order and gave them their inclinations power moving and tending to some end so he by his wonderful Wisdom directs every thing unto its several end and all things to the supream which is the manifestation of his glory In this ordination the government of his most noble creatures Men and Angels which he orders by certain Laws and Judgements unto an eternal estate as most excellent and wonderful to both he gave certain laws which they were able to observe and upon the observation they might certainly expect a confirmation in that blessed estate for which they were created many of the Angels sinned and were
the Earth did quake the Rocks did rend the Graves were opened the Veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom to signifie that the great High-Priest having offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot was entring with his own Blood into the Holy Place of Heaven to obtain eternal Redemption and the expiation of mans sin for ever The very frame of Heaven and Earth seem'd to be shaken in the time of this great suffering men were astonished women wept many beat their breasts the Centurion who had the charge of this execution was convinced that the party executed was the Son of God Our blessed Saviour suffered this death with unparallell'd patience meekness he laid down his life willingly in obedience to his heavenly Father and out of love and a longing desire of sinful mans salvation No man could take it from him till the hour was come and he was willing to part with it because he as a Priest and general head and representative of mankind offered his life unto his heavenly Father as supreme Judge as a ransom for sinful man therefore his death was the greatest Sacrifice and the highest piece of service and obedience that ever was performed and was so highly accepted of God that it made him propitious satisfied his Justice merited his favour to sinful man made his sin pardonable and his salvation possible upon fairest terms whil'st he was by his own blood entring the sacrary of heaven his side is pierced and out of the same issue water and blood His body is taken from the Cross decently interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was laid before his soul abides for a time separate and under the power of death and his humiliation did continue till the Resurrection and by his burial he hallows the grave to all believers By this Humiliation thus finished the foundation of our eternal salvation is laid and a way prepared and opened for a passage into heavens Kingdom I believe that Jesus Christ who was thus humbled who suffered cruel pains and was delivered to death for our transgressions was raised for our justification and so to communicate the mercies merited by his death converts us and procures the actuall remission of all the sins of such as repent and believe in him and by his life saves such as he had reconciled by his death He that did rise was the very same who died upon the Cross and the same body and soul which were separated by Death were united again by Resurrection as man he was raised as God he raised himself he rose never to die again but to live for evermore The time was the third day according to the predictions and prefigurations of old and the decree of God's eternal wisdom God did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption The manner of this Resurrection was glorious God then shook the Earth sent from Heaven an Angel appearing in great glory who terrified the Guard rouls away the stone which closed up the Sepulchre and made way for Christs Disciples to come freely and see that he was not there The Graves were opened divers of the Saints raised and appear'd in the holy City Death was conquered and divers of his Captives rescued out of his hands This his Resurrection was made manifest by testimony of Angels and of divers others who saw him spake with him and were assured of it he appears unto many and that many times and especially to the eleven Apostles who saw him heard him did eat and drink with him touched him with their hands To these he unfolds the Mysteries of his Kingdom gives them commission to go into all Nations and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till they received the Holy Ghost according to the promise of his Father God by thus raising him did manifest that he had accepted his Sufferings and Death as a full propitiation of the sins of men and by saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee made him universal King and Priest fully consecrated for ever He rose as head and representative of mankind especially of his Church and became not only the pattern but the first fruits and cause of our Resurrection so that as in Adam dying all died so in Him rising we shall all be made alive first to newness of life then to eternal glory The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall raise us from the death of sin unto newness of life and raise our bodies to immortality forty days he stays on Earth to comfort his Disciples strengthen their Faith make evident his Resurrection and give orders for the administration of his future Kingdom then he ascends from Mount Olivet in a Cloud up into the Heaven of Heavens Men and Angels being witnesses according to a former Vision that one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came unto the ancient of days and that the Angels brought him peace before him He ascended that he might fulfill all things send down the Holy Ghost enjoy full joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for ever make intercession for his Saints prepare eternal blessed mansions for them raise up their thoughts and affections to that heavenly estate he had merited and prepared for them that where he is our hearts might be also and that he might receive a place at his Fathers right hand so it was prophesied of old that when the Son of man was brought before the ancient of days there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd For his Father said unto him Sit at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool and gave him a name above all names and set him far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come He was solemnly invested with a supreme universal power above all men and Angels established in his Kingdom confirmed by Oath in his everlasting Priesthood sent down the holy Ghost the Gospel the rod of his power went out of Zion he reigned in the midst of his enemies and many thousands did willingly submit unto him and his people for number were like drops of dew which fall from the womb of the morning When all things are fulfilled all enemies subdued the number of his Saints finished he will come from Heaven to determine of the final estate of men and Angels and judg both quick and dead And then he will deliver up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all I believe that the Holy Ghost which is One God with the Father and the Son and is the Spirit of the Father and the Son by whom all things in Heaven and
submit unto their lawful power obey their just commands and give them and all others my superiours due respect according to their places If I my self be either Father or Mother or Master or Magistrate or Minister Tutor Guardian and Governour I will endeavour in these several relations to do my duty and seek the good of these that shall be under my power and committed to my charge I will not dishonour or disobey or resist and rebel against my lawful Superiours neither will I be perfidious unto them nor vex and discomfort them but so carry my self towards them as I desire my inferiours to carry themselves towards me that so my God may bless me in that place of my pilgrimage where he hath appointed me to live and sojourn on Earth For I know that upon the performance of these duties according to the promise of God the peace and welfare of Family Church and State and all other Societies do much depend and that God will curse and punish all disobedient rebellious and unthankful wretches and such as envy despise mock dishonour vex discomfort their betters 6. I will put away all wrath anger violent passion and will beware of all quarrels dissentions batteries wicked thoughts words deeds all secret plots designs and enterprises which may any ways prejudice or endanger the life limbs safety health of my Neighbour I will abhor hatred malice purposes to revenge my self and endeavor to keep my self innocent and free every way from the innocent blood of others even of mine enemies I will neither be principal or accessory either by neglect or doing any thing against any mans life The health peace safety life and blood of my Neighbour shall be as precious to me as mine own I will be patient meek loving kind peaceable ready to be reconciled forbear suffer long forgive and every lawful way seek to perserve and keep the life of my Neighbour as mine own 7. I will abhor all leud wanton unchast thoughts purposes words deeds gestures apparel books immodest company all adultery whordom fornication incest and other kinds of uncleanness And because idleness glottony drunkenness and all other kind of intemperance give advantage to the Devil to tempt us to this sin therefore I will take heed of them and all other things which may be causes and occasions of the same Marriage with me shall be honourable and the marriage bed undefiled My thoughts words deeds gestures and carriage shall be chast and seeing my body being redeemed with a price should be a member of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Ghost I will not defile and dishonour it I will endeavour chastity in body and spirit in marriage or single life I will not joyn with any other in this sin and so bring the judgments of God upon me 8. Seeing God hath made the Earth and the fulness thereof given it to the Sons of men disposeth and dispenseth of these Earthly goods as it pleaseth him maketh rich and poor and giveth to men something that is justly their own I do therefore renounce all unjust thoughts words deeds which tend unjustly to endammage and impair the estate of my Neighbour I will neither by fraud or force secretly or openly take away or detain that which is anothers right I will not be unjust to any man nor unmerciful unto the poor the fatherless the widow or any that are in need and cannot help themselves and I will endeavour to deliver them out of the hand of such as do oppress them And that I may be free from this sin of injustice I will shun idleness and prodigal courses and vain and unnecessary expences I will not be covetous and use any unlawful means to enrich my self neither will I be improvident or unbelieving orimmoderately orinordinately careful I will not be unjust or unfaithfull in my contracts commerce and dealing with other men nor carelesly waste my estate by gaming unnecessary law-suits or rash suretiship I promise to be just honest faithful in all my dealing give every man his due restore that which is unjustly taken away withhold no mans goods trusted in my hands I will rather lose then gain to the wrong and dammage of another man I will not only be just but merciful and charitable to the poor and needy and especially to the indigint and persecuted Saints of God and to them I will be liberal according to mine ability I will be careful that God the Church the State and every private person may have their due And that I be not tempted to injustice I will painfully labour in some honest way that I may maintain me and mine and will be frugal moderately sparing provident and use just and lawful means of getting and keeping a competent estate I will be content with little and trust in God for these earthly necessaries 9. God hath appointed in all Common-Wealths Courts of Judicature to relieve the oppressed right such as are wronged punish offenders and rightly judge all causes and determine all controversies And the end of all judgment is justice and one means and the same principal tending to that end is evidence which often depends upon witnesses therefore I promise neither as Party Plaintiff or Defendant nor as Witness nor Juror nor Sollicitour nor Atturney nor Advocate or Counsellour nor Judge nor Register to cause men to believe that which is false conceal the truth oppose a just cause or by forgery neglect infidelity out of malice fear favour partiality covetousness go about to hinder or pervert just judgment I will endeavour to discover the truth to oppose the unjust cause of a friend promote the just cause of an enemy or stranger I will use all means both by my self and others to do what I can to take away all needless and unjust delays help the helpless punish offenders right the innocent and endeavour to my power that justice and judgment may have a free passage and flow down like a mighty stream I will pray for just Judges and for integrity in all such as act in judicial proceedings 10. Many times it falls out that my Neighbour hath such things as I want or somthing better then I have is in a better condition then I am and in prosperity when I am in adversity and then such is or may be the corruption of my heart and self-love that I begin to envy him and covet that which is duly his and I have no right unto And out of this envy and coveting that which is another mans much wickedness if not prevented may be committed therefore I promise and vow by the help of Gods grace to mortifie and suppress betimes these envious thoughts and unjust covetings will be content with mine own estate though poor and mean I will neither envy anothers prosperity nor rejoyce in his Adversity But I will love my Neighbours as my self rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and mourn with them that mourn and will be inwardly touched with their misery I
wonders and glorifie thy name for ever and give all glory praise and thanks to thee that so all Atheists Idolaters prophane persons Apostates and rebellious wretches may be convinced or confounded 2. That thy name be the more hallowed and we sinful wretches eternally saved let thy Kingdom come that Christ at thy right hand may powerfully and gloriously reign till all his enemies be made his footstool O let thy word and spirit so mightily prevail that all Nations may be converted submit themselves to Christ their Saviour thy Church enlarged from Sea to Sea and from the river to the worlds-end till the number of thy Saints be finished and made perfect and thou mayest rule in our hearts till sin and the power of Satan be wholly and forever destroyed Raise up a continual supply of faithful and godly Ministers and good Kings and Magistrates which may be Defenders of the Faith and nursing Fathers to thy Church and pour down the gifts of thy Spirit in great plenty upon all flesh break in peices the power of Satan and all persecuting enemies let death the last enemy be destroyed make all thy Saints immortal and bless them with eternal joy and peace that so they may sing an eternal Hallelujah to thy name in the heaven of heavens where there shall be no sin no sorrow no pain but fulness of joy in thy presence and pleasures for evermore at thy right hand 3. That we may enjoy the priviledges and attain the eternal felicity of thy Kingdom we desire that thy will may be done on earth as it in heaven we do confess that by nature we are blind and ignorant and have no power to do thy heavenly will All our spiritual knowledge wisdom and power of obedience is from thee our God and the good spirit of Christ. Seeing therefore this is our condition as born of Adam and brought up in a wicked world and Christ hath given himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculier people zealous of good works we beseech thee open our eyes and enlighten our understanding that we may more clearly know thy heavenly Laws and sanctifie our hearts more and more that we may constantly and freely with joy and delight observe all thy holy and blessed Laws O raise up our thoughts and affections that we may seek that glorious and eternal estate which thou hath prepared for those that love thee and so renew our hearts that we may be zealous of thy glory mortifie sin bring forth the fruits of thy spirit abound in good works give good example unto others make our calling an Election sure manifest that we are born from Heaven that so following the example of thy blessed Angels and aiming at their perfection may in the end be partakers of eternal bliss together with them 4. Whil'st in this vale of tears we seek thy Kingdom and endeavour to do thy holy will we have need of many earthly comforts as food and raiment and such things as without which we cannot live we therefore pray thee give us this day our daily bread we acknowledge that we have neither life nor health nor a morsel of bread nor any place where to lay our heads but from thee our heavenly father Be pleased therefore out of our fatherly goodness to give us good government peace safety seasonable times a comfortable and competent Estate and a quiet enjoyment of the same If we should ask for superfluities dainties and abundance to spend them for to maintain our pride and seusual pleasures we confess it were just with thee not to hearken unto us thou mights justly deny them but we are contented with food and rayment and other necessaries and seek them from thee that we may without distraction seek thy heavenly Kingdom O pity the sick the poor the weak the widow and the fatherless the stranger and such as are in want and oppressed feed the hungry cloath the naked deliver poor captives and relieve thy persecuted and distressed Saints These mercies thou hast promised in order to our eternal happiness whil'st we are in this vale of tears until we come to our abiding city where we shall have no need of these things And we seek these at thy hands with hope to receive them because thou hast promised them yet we are resolved that howsoever thou shalt deal with us we will submit unto thy will and be contented 5. O heavenly Father tho' we should do thy will always and from our heart in all things yet we have often sinned and done evil in thy sight made our selves guilty and liable to eternal death and have great need of thy mercy in Jesus Christ therefore we pray thee forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us We do confess that both in the state of Nature of Grace we often offend thee and transgress thy holy laws and besides the guilt of the first sin which lies heavy upon us and our inbred corruption we are guilty of many actual transgressions And these have been committed not only out of ignorance or infirmity or upon surprizal or violence of temptation but many of them against knowledg and some of them are very hainous and of a crimson die some are publick some private som open some secret neither is this all but we harden our hearts in them against the light of thy Gospel the dictates of thy Spirit thy patience and long-suffering against thy mercies and deliverances against thy chastisements and many gracious invitations against thy dearest love and the bitter sufferings of our Saviour And these are the more hainous because committed by us who have received so many mercies enjoyed for a long time so many powerful means of conversion and have vowed better things O how much hath thou done to convert us and we are not converted how miserable have we made our selves what fearful punishments have we deserved Oh take away these stony hearts of ours give us hearts of flesh and make us sensible of our sins that we may loath our selves and that our hearts may inwardly bleed because we have offended thee so good a God Remember thy tender mercies the bitter sufferings of our Saviour and thy gracious promises in him unto poor sinners Shall he dye on earth and plead his blood in heaven and we confess our sins and yet not obtain mercy O pity spare forgive turn away thy wrath cast us not out of thy presence take not thy holy Spirit from us deny us not the joy of thy salvation And this mercy we desire with the greater hope because we desire to forsake our sins put our sole and whole confidence in our blessed Saviour and are willing to forgive and be reconciled to such as trespass against our selves 6. O Lord thou knoweth our frailty the great danger of temptation which is such that though we be sanctified and sin past pardoned yet we may fall into sin again and so contract
the cause of our own eternal misery 4. If the benefit be so great and so redounds to us that we have a great part and share in it then our obligation to thankfulness is very great If we knew our own unworthiness and our woful condition the greatness of the benefit would more clearly appear and stir us up to thankfulness Therefore le ts consider these things more seriously and acknowledge the benefit with all humble thankfulness use the means of grace vouchsafed unto us and receive Christ upon those gracious terms he is offered unto us Shall God come so near to us and shall not we come near to him Shall he seek us first and we not seek him this were a grievous sin and the highest degree of ingratitude I must needs tell you that to receive a message of eternal peace from heaven and not acknowledge so great a mercy to enjoy the means of conversion and not use them to have Christ offered and resist him are the greatest sins deserve the greatest punishments make salvation impossible and damnation unavoidable Chap. 4. Of teaching all Nations and of teaching in general and the Matter to be taught and of Christian confession Sect. 1. The Second Proposition is this 1. Christ commanded the Apostles to teach all Nations AS they must go to all Nations so they must teach them except they go they cannot teach therefore this going as was formerly observed is subordinate to this work of teaching without which the former is in vain And as they were bound to the former so they were to this latter much more and the persons to whom they must go the same they must teach But for the better understanding of this Proposition we must enquire 1. What this teaching is 2. What 's the matter to be taught 1. Teaching is a communicating our knowledge to others and this done by certain outward signs and expressions which God hath appointed for that end For he hath given us the gift of speech and writing to signifie our mind unto others To teach in St. Mathew and St. Mark is to Preach which seems to be somewhat more But both imply that they were endued with certain and sufficient knowledge of such things as they must make known unto the Nations of the World and as their knowledge was certain so Christ had promised the Spirit for to guide them infallibly in their teaching and preaching whether by word or writing And there was a special reason why Christ should thus direct them for their doctrine must be the rule of Faith and practise unto the whole Church not only for a time but till time shall be no more But to teach in this place seems to be teaching with success so as to cause the persons taught to learn that is to receive their Doctrine understand it approve it be convinced of the truth of it and be converted by it so far as to be made Christians Therefore some have thought fit to turn the place thus Go and Disciple all Nations and the Persian translator so understands it For he makes this work to be a reducing of the whole World to the Religion and Faith of Jesus Christ. It s true that their Doctrine had not this success with all persons to whom it was sent For some opposed and blasphemed it some heard it and neglected it to some it was foolishness to others very offensive and a scandal but by vertue of the spirit it was to many the power of God unto Salvation This is teaching which must be not only private but publick they must Preach Preachers anciently were called amongst the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers from Heaven and also publick Officers imployed by their Soveraigns to signifie their Will and Pleasure unto their sujects Their work was to go into all parts of their Dominions and solemnly with a loud voice and sometimes with sound of Trumpet to publish their Edicts and let their subjects know their Princes mind But it its very likely the Evangelists took the expression out of the Old Testament and therein did allude to the Proclaiming of the year of Jubilee as may appear from the Prophet Esay 61. 1 2. where the word is used In respect of this act the Apostles might be truly denominated Messengers Cryers Publick Officers yet sent from Heaven and not from Earth From God and not from Men. They were eminent Officers of Christs kingdom Their works was to Proclaim and publish his Laws promise peace perswade men to Repentance and Faith and so make them Subjects unto their blessed Saviour and Redeemer This teaching both for the matter and mannor was extraordinary wonderful and plainly Divine was accompanied with the blessed spirit and wrought wonderfully upon the hearts of men and had rare effects and proved the mighty power of God unto Salvation This will be more evident from the 2. Thing which is the matter commanded to be taught which according to St. Mark is in one word the Gospel Mark 16. 15 16. Go ye unto all the World and preach the Gospel unto every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned The matter therefore in general is the Gospel in particular the Doctrine of Christ Faith Baptism and Salvation of Unbelief and Damnation According to Luke Luke 16. 46 47. its concerning Christs suffering Resurrection Repentance Faith Remission of sins In this Evangelist its the Doctrine of God the Father who made heaven and earth and so loved sinful man that he gave his only begotten Son for his salvation concerning Jesus Christ who was incarnate suffered died rose again for our Resurrection concerning the Holy Ghost by the word converting us making us capable of remission and sanctifying us to Eternal Life Sect. 2. Thus we understand what teaching and preaching is 2. What the Doctrine to be taught Now I will take the liberty to enlarge and manifest 1. That this is our Saviours Creed 2. That its the ground of the Ancient and Apostolical Creed 3. That that which is called the Apostles Creed is agreeable unto this of our Saviour 4. That it is the abridgement of the Scriptures 1. This is our Saviours Creed delivered in these words unto his Apostles as the substance of the Doctrine which they must teach and a form of Faith to be professed by all such as by Baptism are to be solemnly admitted into the number of his Disciples Not that he had not often and more at large taught the same as we may read in his Sermons and conferences related by the Evangelists I will instance in one passage of his discourse with Nicodâ—mus The words are these 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life This Text begins with God and ends with everlasting life as many confessions do And therein we may observe 1. God the Father who created the
Earth are effected was always in the Church to sanctifie the same and prepare it for eternal Glory and when Christ was set at the right hand of God came down upon the Apostles in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues gave them power to speak in all Languages enlightned them gave them full and perfect knowledge of the Gospel endued them with all gifts and power requisite for the laying of the foundation of the Christian Religion the plantation of the Church in all Nations and did direct them in the dispensation of the Gospel that both by word and writing they might publish and declare it infallibly By this doctrine accompanied with the power of this Spirit and convey'd to the hearts of men both Jews and Gentiles were called converted sanctified and made up the body of the universal Church which is the number of all believers in all Nations a community of Saints Militant first on Earth and then Triumphant in Heaven These are the best society in the world have the greatest priviledges are the Children of God the Members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost the Candidates of Heaven the Heroes of Eternal Glory baptized by one Spirit into one body and by Baptism admitted Subjects of an everlasting Kingdom Those tho' dispersed through several parts of the world and mixed with counterfeit Christians and profane persons are justified regenerated reconciled the adopted Sons of God have a title unto eternal Life the earnest of the Spirit and the first fruits of glory are guarded by Angels beloved of God enemies to Sin Satan and the World tempted often sometimes wounded and foiled yet sin reigns not in them and in the end they attain a full and final victory They suffer Persecution and bear the Cross with patience deny themselves are constant in the Covenant nothing can separate them from the love of God all things work together for their good they increase in heavenly Virtues abound in good works rejoyce in the hope of Glory watch and pray and with sighs and groans wait for the adoption which is the redemption of the body When they depart this world they commend their spirits into their Fathers hands who sends his Angels to receive them they are with Christ and secure of the resurrection unto eternal bliss rest from their labours and their works follow them when the number of these is finished Christ will come down from Heaven in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels and shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God Then all the dead shall rise the living shall be changed and made immortal all shall be summoned appear be judged the righteous shall be justified for ever receive the glorious reward of an everlasting Kingdom be admitted into God's presence behold his glory be filled with eternal joy and made fully and for ever happy such as know not God or obeyed not the Gospel being unbelievers and unrighteous shall be sentenced to everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels shall be cast out of God's presence imprisoned in Hell where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched and shall there be tormented in soul and body continually and of their extreme misery there shall be no end These things I believe to be most certainly true and as reveal'd from Heaven confirm'd by many signs and wonders and the rare effects of this Doctrine in the conversion and consolation of many souls This Faith of my heart I profess with my mouth and according to this belief and profession I rely for everlasting life upon God the Father who loved me and the Son who gave himself for me and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies and comforts me Sect. 8. After this enlargement I return again unto the Proposition That Christ commanded the Apostles to teach or disciple all Nations and thence infer some practical conclusions in a few words and so conclude this Chapter 1. If Apostles and so all Ministers of the Gospel who take the charge of souls upon them be subject to Christ's power and bound by this command then it is their duty to teach to teach this Doctrine to teach all this Doctrine they must teach this and none other because it is the only converting saving comforting truth if they teach other it will be either unprofitable or which is worse pernicious though they teach this and yet conceal some part thereof and declare not the whole counsel of God though it may be good so far as they make use of it yet it will be insufficient and never reach the end for which it was revealed from Heaven for it 's the Gospel the whole Gospel that is the power of God unto Salvation yet it must not be taught confusedly but as it was delivered by our Saviour in a certain and exact method so it must in the same manner be dispensed by the Man of God who must not only be perspicuous that his Doctrine may be understood but also methodical that it may be remembred therefore if we will manifest our love to Christ be faithful to our trust pity poor Souls redeemeâ— by the precious blood of Christ make â— good account at the last receive a Crowâ— of Glory when the great Shepherd shalâ— appear and escape that fearful Woe anâ— Judgment which shall fall upon such as a 〈…〉 guilty of the blood of other men let â—â— teach teach this Doctrine and teach 〈…〉 thus and in this manner as Christ's Command requires and directs 2. If this be our duty then the people whom we teach are bound to receive this all this Doctrine and thus as it is taught and if ever they will be converted unto God comforted by the Spirit attain unto eternal life and not be adjudged to eternal Fire for Ignorance or Disobedience to the Gospel let them hear this Doctrine attentively learn the whole counsel of God lay it up in their hearts remember it obey it and make it the joy and delight of their hearts and the subject of their constant Meditations let them reject all other Doctrine which shall not be agreeable to this our Saviour's Creed 3. It 's a matter of perpetual Thanksgiving and it 's our Duty to acknowledge God's wonderful mercy in this respect and give all Glory and Praise unto his Name in that he hath so well provided for our Salvation For he hath not only sent his onely Son from Heaven to redeem us by his precious Blood raised him from the dead and given him all Power in Heaven and Earth but Christ having received this Power gives Commission and Command to the Apostles and their Sucâ—â—â—â—ors to teach all saving Truth hath contracted it in so few words reduced it unto so clear a method endued them with the knowledge of it bound them to teach it to all Nations in their own Language fit it for the meanest capacities raise up a continual supply of faithful Ministers to instruct
must be universal we must do whatsoever our Lord hath commanded us for though there may be an inequality of things commanded yet there is the same reason why we should obey one as well as another the least as well as the greatest and that is the will and command of our Saviour In this respect it 's said that he that offends in one offends in all because of the contempt of the will of the Lawgiver we must not pick and chuse to do what we please obey some and disobey other commands we must not expect from Christ any liberty indulgence toleration dispensation to transgress any of the least of Gods Laws 3. It must be constant and continued to the end for there are no days nor hours of intermission we must always be doing and we must not rest till we have finished our work that will not be till this mortal life is ended we must serve our God day and night whilst we have any being And as God did not rest till he finished his work of Creation so we must not expect our Sabbath till we have finished the work of our Salvation our obedience must be one line drawn out and continued from the first moment of our conversion to the last day of our dissolution 4. As we must be constant so we must be diligent zealous active watchful God loves not lazie servants and the work is great and difficult and we meet with many enemies much opposition and must wrestle with many difficulties which are the greater because of the Devil and the World without and the Relicks of corruption within us Therefore our Christian life is a race and a continual warfare therefore we must not only put on the complete armour of God but we must strive and fight and put forth all our power and never think of rest till we have obtained a final and ful victory And though we cannot reach yet we must aim at the perfection of Angels according to that prayer Thy will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven that is by those immortal blessed spirits who never sinned but do his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his word 5. Yet we must know that of our selves we are frail weak and without Christ we can do nothing and can do all things through Christ who strengthneth us Christ must give us his Spirit and strengthen us within and by this Spirit support us and assist us without Therefore must continually pray that according to his promise he would put his Laws in our inward parts and write them in our hearts and to do this more and more according to his promise we must not presume upon our strength but always humbly depend upon him who worketh both the will and deed of his good pleasure If he but a little desert us and withdraw his hand how suddenly may David and St. Peter fall and sin grievously 6. Yet though we may transgress and sometimes fall grievously yet we must not despair nor be secure but presently renew our repentance return unto God muster up all our power and fight and work and strive again and this with the greater force and power And this is our comfort we are not under the Law of Works which requireth perfect perpetual obedience or else threatneth certain and unavoidable death and destruction but under Grace which ministreth power and when we fall upon our repentance promiseth pardon life ane Christ will plead our Cause procure our Peace From all this it doth appear that baptized Christians must not be Soliâ—idians much less Antomonians and Lawless we must be loyal and obedient and not live like base earthly worldlings but like Citizens of Heaven for upon this condition we are admitted Subjects of an heavenly Kingdom Thus we understand that our duty is to submit to Christ our Law-giver know his Laws remember them observe them all out of Faith Love Fear with all our hearts carefully constantly depending always upon our Saviour and renewing our repentance daily For this obedience must be universal perpetual sincere free and we must obey not only in doing good but suffering evil if we be put unto it Sect. 3. By this time we know what our duty is now follows the reasons why we should perform it And lest any man should be discourag'd with the difficulty of the work or think it impossible I must first prove that it may be done It was a famous question of old Whether it be possible by Grace to observe and fulfil all the Commandmentâ— of God And it hath been determined in the affirmative that by Grace it is possible for what cannot Grace do Paul saith I can do all things A Christian hath a kind of Omnipotency in things necessary to Salvation and may truly say That these things which are impossible with men are possible with God and if God be for us who can be against us It 's true that to deny our selves to subdue our native and deeply-rooted corruptions and our sins confirm'd by custom to bear the heavy burthen of the Cross and suffer reproaches and bitter afflictions and persecutions for Christ's sake to forsake all and hate Father Mother dearest relations and life it self to offer an Isaac to rejoyce in the midst of fiery trials are very difficult things and far above the power of nature and so indeed they are Yet there is a divine power in Faith whereby all this may be done and hath been through the assistance of Christ And therefore let none of us despair but let us be assured that whil'st Christ sits at the right hand of God and his holy Spirit abideth in the Church we shall be enabled to remove Mountains subdue Sin and conquer Satan the great enemy of our Salvation Christ did never intend to bind us to impossibilities what we cannot do of our selves he will enable us to do neither did he ever require that we should observe whatsoever he hath commanded us by our own strength but as he hath merited Grace and Power for us by his Death so he will give it us by his Resurrection and then such things as are grievous to flesh and blood shall be sweet and delightsom to sanctified souls This being possible let us consider the reasons 1. We not only by God's command but also by our promise so solemnly confirmed by Baptism are bound to observe these commandments A loyal Subject will obey his Sovereigns command and will remember his Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity and an honest man will be as good as his word and promise made unto man and shall not we obey our Saviour's Laws written and confirmed with his own blood shall we promise and promise unto him and not perform shall we not only be disobedient but perfidious too and violate ouâ— sacred bonds This will make our sins most heinous and our punishment most grievous O therefore let us remember our Baptism and solemn Vows and prove faithful unto God and
Commandments of Christ whatsoever Christ had commanded his Apostles 4 As these and as these alone and all these must be taught so they must be taught and represented unto them as to be observed and that freely constantly and with delight out of love unto their dearest Saviour If they teach any other Commandments but these the knowledg of them will be in vain if they teach some and not all their knowledg will be imperfect if they teach all these so that their knowledg should be perfect and yet not effectually stir them up to obedience their knowledg will be in vain if they exhort them to observe some and not all their obedience will be short and not reach the end for which these Laws and Commandments were given Sect. 5. But because many may be ignorant oâ— these Laws I will 1. Premise some general observations 2. Note some places of Scripture where the morals are contracted 3. Shew how Love is the performance and fulfilling of them all 4. Deliver the Doctrine of the Eucharist 5. Reduce the matter of these Commandments into the form of a vow 1. The observations are these 1. That the Commandments of Christ are either moral as the precepts and the prohibitions of the moral Law or ceremonial as the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist which we call the Communion of the Lords Supper 2. That the morals are to be understood Evangelically in which respect they admit of divers additions whereby they differ much from the morals as given to Adam in innocency or to Israel in the Wilderness for they were given to Adam by God as Creator to Israel by God as choosing them and bringing them out of Egypt but they are given in the Gospel especially since the exhibition of Christ by God as redeeming us by Christ already come therefore called Christ's Commandments and so obedience in them must be performed unto God not only as Creator but as Redeemer 3. The blood of Christ's death made the transgressions against these morals pardonable and the punishment due unto the transgressors avoidable upon certain terms but according to the Covenant made with Israel and the Law of Works neither was transgression once past remissible nor the punishment possible to be avoided 4. According to the Law and Covenant of Works perfect personal perpetual Obedience was the only condition of life according to the Gospel Faith in Christ is the condition so that though the sins of man against this Law may be many heinous yet upon Faith in Christ they are noâ— only pardonable but shall be pardoned 5. Obedience to this Law was to be perform'd by Adam according to that sufficient power which he had received in his creation and lost by his transgression buâ— obedience of Believers is performed according to the power of the Spirit restored in regeneration 6. Tho' our obedience under the Gospel be imperfect and therefore by it we cannot be justified yet it 's accepted of God and rewarded ugon the account of Christ's Merit and Intercession 7. We are strictly bound under the Gospel unto these morals and therefore the sincere and constant obedience unto them is so much urged and professed by Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament For Christ died not to free us from obedience to these Laws but to sanctifie us that we may keep them better and that upon our transgressions we should renew our Repentance and Faith 8. Though these moral Laws are more at large expressed and made known unto us by Moses the Prophets the Evangelists both in the Old and New Testament yet in many places they are contracted in a few words and reduced to a few heads Sect. 6. These things premised I will in the second place observe some places where they are contracted 1. We are informed thaâ— in the Decalogue published upon Mouâ— Sinai all moral Duties are reduced to towords or heads and that in an excelleâ— method and manner And indeed upoâ— due consideration it will appear that thâ— model of the Law was from God as beinâ—â—ar above the wisdom of men and Angeâ—â—â— Because every Commandment hatâ—â—egative and an affirmative consideratioâ— and consists of a Precept requiring gooâ— and a prohibition of the contrary ev 〈…〉 erefore we find this moral Law contrâ—câ—ed divers times to two Heads the 〈…〉 ewing of evil and doing good Psal. 14. Isa. 1. 16 17. 3. Because that maâ— whom this Law is given hath relation God and man his Neighbour thereâ—â— the whole is reduced to two parts the Ouâ— duty towards God 2. Our duty tow 〈…〉 Neighbour therefore the whole bâ— of the Law is reduced to these two heads according to that of the Prophet He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Micah 6. 8. Where to do justly and love mercy is our whole duty to man to walk humbly with God is our whole duty to God 4. But that contraction of the whole to one head which is Love is most excellent yet this Love is two-fold 1. The Love of God 2. Of our Neighbour For our blessed Saviour determined the first and great Commandment to be the Love of the Lord our God and the second which is like unto it is to love our Neighbour as our selves Yet though this latter be like unto yet it 's not equal with the first for there is so great an inequality between the love we owe to God and that which we owe unto man that if the love of man come in competition with our love to God so that they cannot consist together we must hate Father and Mother and nearest Relations for Christ's sake Our Saviour further adds that upon these two Commandments hang the Law and the Prophets that is all the moral Duties mentioned in the Law and the Prophets are comprized in these two Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. The Apostle tells us that love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 10. that is of the second Table 5. Because man is indebted to himself to his Neighbour to his God therefore some think the Law is contracted in the words of the Gospel which teacheth us to live soberly in respect of our selves righteously towards man and godly towards God Tit. 2. 12. 6. The Divine Apostle Disciple whom Christ loved comprehends all in two Commandments Faith and Love saying And this is his Commandment That we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he hath commanded us 1 3. 23. 7. And here we must observe that prohibitions reproofs threatnings examples exhortations dehortations promises denuntiations and executions of judgments belong and are to be referred to the Law of God 8. Repenâ—â—nce Faith in Christ Self-denial bearing Christ's Cross are duties not naturally but supernaturally moral and may be reduced to the first Commandment Evangelically understood Repentance as it hath God Creator
The thing petitioned for in these words 1. The will of God is sometimes his decree sometimes his command or law this will here intended is not his decree but his law the matter of the decree is something that God will do the matter of the command is something that man must do and the effect of this will once signified is the obligation of man unto obedience or upon disobedience unto punishment and by this will here is meant the Laws of God Redeemer in force under the Gospel And these Laws by some are reduced to repentance faith obedience to Gods Laws continued after our first faith and conversion and this according to the parts of the vow made in Baptism All well ordered Kingdoms have their laws which all such as will be admitted subjects or will receive protection and enjoy the priviledges of that Government must observe And so it is in the Kingdom of God Redeemer and these Laws are moral yet Evangelically understood or positive and ceremonial The moral are fundamental or superstructive The fundamental is that which requires subjection aad fealtv to the Soveraign Christ Jesus and submission to his power the superstructive are such Laws moral as are grounded upon this such are all the Commandments following the first And whereas some understand this will as well of the Executive will as the Legislative yet that 's not proper though true in some sense 2. To do this will doth presuppose that the Laws be published and that by the same the will of God be made known that none but such as are negligent or wilful may be ignorant This being presupposed 1. We must have a certain knowledge of the Will of our heavenly Father For if in every action of a man as he is a man and a rational creature knowledge be requisite and necessary much more in this obedience To do that which is commanded by God and not to know its Gods command is no obedience unto God 2. After this Will is once known there must be a free and full consent and stedfast resolution for to conform unto it and that not only because the commands of God are just and holy the doing them is pleasing unto him and beneficial unto man but for this very reason because we know them to be the commands of God 3. Because neither of these can be done except we renounce our own conceits imaginations lusts and corrupt inclinations of our own hearts therefore we must resign up our understandings to the wisdom and our own wills wholly to the Will of God 4. This doing doth not stay and rest in knowledge and good affection but must proceed to endeavours and if our power fail not to the doing prosecuting and finishing of the things commanded for our obedience should reach to the full measure of the command 5. This will is observed not only in doing good but in suffering evil and that with patience and thankfulness 6. We must submit unto the executive will of God and be content therewith even then when the works of Gods providence do cross us and seem to be contrary to his Laws For they may seem sometimes to be so though they never are so yet they may be above these Laws and beyond the reach of our understanding No man can do this will by nature except he be regenerate by grace And because our knowledge is imperfect at the first and our spiritual ability poor therefore we must improve them more and more 3. The manner how this will must be performed and the measure of our obedience is expressed by a pattern given us in heaven For we are taught to pray Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven This implies that God hath Subjects in Heaven 2. That these do his will more perfectly 3. That we must follow this Example and aim at that perfection These Subjects are not the Stars and Lights of Heaven as some do understand the words Though its true that these observe a constant regular Motion according to an order preferred in the Creation and never were Exorbitant or swerved from the rule since the beginning Only if God do command them to stand they stand or go back they go back or withhold their light they refuse to give it But these are not intelligible creatures or capable of Laws yet they may be witnesses against us confound us and make us for ever ashamed of our disobedience Therefore the words are meant of Angels which are Spirits Intellectual and most noble creatures and their proper place is Heaven and therefore styled in Scripture the Angels of Heaven Of these its written That they do Gods Commandments hearkning to the voice of his pleasure Psal. 103. 20. The perfection of their obedience is in this that they never sinned but always obeyed God from the first moment of their creation They did Gods will 1. Always and in all times 2. They did it in all things 3. They did it freely readily and with joy and delight 4. They did it in the highest degree of their perfection So that their obedience was constant universal free and perfect This example we must follow striving to attain their perfection though we cannot reach it and never rest till God hath fully sanctified us and made us perfectly Righteous and Holy as they are This pattern doth not exclude that of Sanits and Martyrs though it come short yet we have a more excellent and glorious example of Christ which is more perfect then that of theirs because they never denied themselves and bare the Cross as he did 4. In these words 1. We confess our ignorance errours blindness corruption inclination to sin aversness to good and our impotency which by nature is such that of our selves we can do nothing 2. We pray for Gods preventing regene rating co-operating assisting and consummating grace and that he would enlighten us inspire and sanctifie us so that we may clearly unsterstand and effectually do his will from our hearts aiming at his glory 3. That we would sanctifie us more and more that we may dayly improve our knowledge and Obedience 4. That he would strengthen and assist us continually that we may persevere in an universal obedience to the end This sanctifying grace we desire as merited by Christ to be given us by the Spirit according to his promise yet we do not expect it so from him as though he should do all things and we do nothing we must use the means he hath appointed exercise the power he hath given us hearken unto the Doctrine of the Gospel meditate in the same and continually pray for his assistance we must be diligent careful watchful continually depending upon him To this position we may and must refer all the prayers of Gods Saints recorded in Scripture wherein they seek of God knowledge understanding wisdom faith charity and all other heavenly vertues with the increase of them and Gods perpetual assistance and direction And though our perfection be
our wants defects and imperfections be many and our corruptions what by nature what by custom be great yet they are some ways from our selves And we make our selves guilty by consent so that our hearts are the chiefest subject and also either the sole or principal or accessary causes of our sins This consent appears by our continuance in them or return unto them and that especially when we contrary to the light of nature the law of God and other means and motives of repentance walk according to the imaginations and lusts of our hearts Therefore we must say Our trespasses that we may charge our selves and justifie God 3. The Forgiveness of Sins the freeing of the party sinning from the sad and woful consequents of sin and especially from the guilt and so from the punishment in this respect its called remission or absolution loosing because pardon takes away the obligation unto penalty This act of forgivness presupposeth first that sin is pardonable and that without any violation or breach of justice yet according to the rules of Gods proceeding with sinful man this cannot be without satisfaction made unto divine justice Therefore God to signifie that he was just and hated sin yet willing to shew mercy to the sinner required the bloody sacrifice of his dearest Son to be offered without spot unto his eternal Majesty before he would grant that any sin of man should be pardonable and this blood must be pleaded by Christ in heaven before he would actually pardon any Neither would this blood-shed pleaded be accepted for any but such as were penitent and believing and did rely upon this satisfaction and intercession And this freedom from guilt doth not leave the party pardoned under the dominion of sin which is the greatest penalty but is alwaies joyned with sanctification of the divine Spirit without which remission is to little purpose because the root of sin remains and will be a cause of new sin which will make man punishable again when man is thus pardoned and purified the greatest cause of shame of fear of grief is taken away Gods wrath averted the sinner reconciled adopted and in a state of salvation of peace and joy in hope of everlasting life There is no sin but is pardonable in respect of Christ death Gods mercy and the general promise yet upon impenitency and unbelief no sin not the least shall actually be pardoned There are some sins so hainous and so directly contrary to the blood of Christ and the holy Spirit and no benefit can be expected from the blood nor any hope of repentance to be wrought by that Spirit which was never promised to renew such persons These are sins to death for which we must not pray By forgiveness we are freed from the eternal punishment by way of prevention from present punishment lying upon us by way of removal 4. The party which can forgive and to whom we sue for pardon is God yet as atoned and propitiated by the blood of Christ. This is proper unto him for as he is the supreme Law-giver so he is the supreme Judge whose peremptory sentence is irrevocable from him lies no appeal who only knows the hearts of men seeking pardon who alone can free not only from temporal but eternal punishments and can execute his sentence to the full which none else can do He may make use of men to declare his sentence and apply his promises to such as by them being prepared may seem capable of pardon yet their sentence and absolution on earth is so far good and valid as he shall ratifie and make it effectual in heaven This absolution by some is said to be only declarative by others to be judicial yet if it be passed by vertue of their commission and according to the rules of that commission from Christ it s judicially declarative Therefore if man believe Christ plead the Church absolve and God justifie who can condemn who can lay any thing to our charge 5. The parties who being capable of remission upon their prayers shall obtain mercy are such as being conscious and sensible of their sins are grieved because they have offended God hate sin loath themselves are willing to amend their lives confess themselves guilty offer the sacrifice of an humble and contrite spirit rely upon the Death and Intercession of Christ the promise and mercy of God and are as willing to be merciful to their offending Brethren returning unto them as they desire God to be merciful unto them These and only these are they who shall be washed in the Blood of Christ and justified before the throne of God and being justified shall have peace with God and joy in the hope of glory In these words therefore we in all humility and godly sorrow confessing our sins and daily renewing our repentance do earnestly pray that God for Christs sake would forgive our many and grievous sins turn away his wrath receive us into favour look upon us as his children give us joy and comfort seal unto us a pardon by giving us his blessed Spirit of consolation and sanctification that so we being delivered from the terrours of conscience the accusations of the devil the danger of hell and fear of eternal death may magnifie his mercy and glorifie his name for evermore 6. We pray Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil This petition is against sin and respects it as to come and us as in danger to contract new guilt for as before so after our-penitent and believing Prayers made in this name of Christ we have obtained remission of sin past we may be tempted and overcom and so sin again therefore we pray to be delivered from temptation And here we must consider 1. What temptation is 2. What it is to be led into temptation 3. What we pray for in these words 4. What it is to be delivered from evil 1. To tempt in this place is taken in an ill sense and to tempt is to sollicite and perswade man to sin and disobey the just and good and holy Laws of God and seeing man is endued with understanding and free-will the way is to delude his understanding and pervert his will by representing that which is evil as good and that which is good as evil and by taking away the fear of punishment and promising some happiness to follow that so the understandding may assent to that which is false and the will consent to that which is evil Those suggestions are always false and contrary to the holy Scriptures and the thing perswaded unto is against the Laws of God which always should be the rule of our thoughts words and deeds So likewise the swasives and motives are contrary to the promises and the comminations of the word And if we be ignorant of the Scriptures depraved in our hearts or rash and inconsiderate the tempter will have great advantage against us The great tempter the devil that old subtle serpent who