of sinne As concerning those notions which were left in them and were in stead of a law they were onely enough to condemne them not otherwise The most ignorant and vicious among them easily blew out that dimme sparke they had by the blast of their strong lusts and were giuen vp to a reprobate sence and horrible lusts Their most morall Philosophers although to the shame of Christians it may bee spoken hatcht vp their sparkles of dimme light to some measure yet as touching the true knowledge of sinne they had it not they thought some sins no sins some sins vertues and some vertues vices and the sinnes they saw they neuer saw them by a word or in the curse due to them they saw a dimme twilight of an vnknowne GOD vertue vice punishment or reward and therefore were farre from any true enlighting Q. But what doth the Law worke in particular A. Two distinct things Knowledge and conviction For the first reade Rom. 7. I had not knowne sinne if the Law had net said Thou shalt not lust In which respect sinne is said to raigne from Adam to Moses yea and vnder the old Law in respect of any conuincement But since the Ministery of the Word of reconciliation came the Lord hath enlarged the power of the Ministery of the Law as a preparatiue thereto in the hearts of men As Paul saith 1 Cor. 10. Those that heare the word plainly preached and by name the Law in the true spiritâ—all sence and sauor of it they fall downe and say that God is in you of a truth Not that the Ministery of Christ is properly Legall for we are Ministers of reconciliation but not excluding it Christ came not to destroy the Law in the doctrine of it for it leades to Christ saue in the rigour and dominion of it The Law then first searches the soule it s the candle of the Lord and pierces the bowels of the spirit those secret windings corners shifts and euasions of it bee they neuer so colourable and subtill It is as a great torch-light in the dead time of night in the hand of an Inquisitour which searches an house for Papists and Iesuites and finds them in their Masse and takes them with all their bookes and trinkets As the persecutors of the Saints searched all vaults and priuy doores barnes and mowes of hay and corne with speares sharp spits and swords so is the Law acted by that spirit of conuincement and search Ioh. 9. the discouerer of the thoughts and Heb. 4.12 pierceth between the ioynts and marrow The Lord hath giuen it authority ouer the conscience as his owne Bayliff to hunt out and discerne sinne in the colours in the kinds of it open secret thoughts affectioÌ„s yea concupiscence not the bare letter of the Law but the spirit for Paul notwithstanding al Gamaliels teaching knew it not And the conscience of the vnregenerate being once thus stirred is as the light of the Law to bring God into ech priuy part Not a dimme twilight but a Sunne at noonetide which shines froÌ„ East to West all ouer the spheare of Heauen and makes euery soule come out as Adam from the bushes by the voyce of God so cleerly bewraying a man to himselfe that for the time hee thinkes all other men see him pointed at by the finger of GOD. Q. How is it that the Law of GOD is the reuealer of sinne A. That most Holy and wise God who first contriued and vttered it put the light of his owne pure Maiesty into it and enabled it to discouer sinne to the soule not as other Lawes to speake to the eare but to the conscience and although there is no commandement in the whole booke of God Psal 19 Psal 119. Heb. 4.12 Eph. 5.10 11. Ioh. 3.20 which comes not from the same Author and spirit of light and truth yet the Lord hath more peculiarly put this power of Enlightening into this his morall Law as conteyning a more full exact and cleer view of all sinne both in the Nature and penalties of the same and according to his ordinance so it worketh not by the bare ten words syllables but the effectuall Ministery thereof accompanyed with the Spirit And looke what I say of light the same I adde of coâ—uiction also and her worke both are put into the Law by the same GOD whose fingers wrote it Q. Is vnbeleefe of the Gospell discouered by it A. No The Law is a modell of the righteousnes of Creation in which there was no need of fayth therefore it onely reueales those sinnes which make vs guilty without a remedy that it might dryue vs to seeke a remedy Yet we must not thinke it an imperfect light for this cause For as no man calles the Rules of Grammar imperfect because the Rules of Rhetorique are not in it so none can call the discouery of the Law insufficient because it reueales not the sinnes against the Gospell Q What sinnes doth the Law discouer A. All sorts by name Actuall and originall Q. What need any more be sayd of thiâ— haue we not heard enough of the nature of Misery in the third Aâ—ticle both in Sinne and death A. Euen that we spake there flowes from no other spring then the Law of God onely heere we adde this Article to that for this cause In that we onely bounded misery within her Compasse shewing wherein it lyes simply considered But when wee adde The Law reueales sinne wee meane as sinne and the curse lyes vpon vs as we are guilty of it and cursed by it the Law doth set the saddle vpon the right horse and so shewes sinne in her colours to the soule that it might apply the knowledge of it to thee and me in particular and this is a further worke Q. Well proceed to the enlightning worke of the Law about Actuall sinne what is it A. First the Law in the spirituall Ministery thereof doâ—h disperse those mysts and skales of the blindeye that suffer not light to enter Secondly It opens and giues light to the eyes to see sinne in her true colors For the first According to the sorts of sinners so doth the Law take away their lets of knowledge Take three or fore Instances Put case CHRIST had purpozed to enlighten a Pharise in the knowledge of sinne he would haue remmooued all the corruptions of the Law and darknes of the text They had establisht a Corban which might free a child from the fifth Commandement as their heires the Papists at this day dispence with any murthers or villanies if for their Catholique cause and ends They had curtolled the law in point of her extent confining her to some grosse crimes and taken away the key of light from the people about particulars They had set vp an exposition of their owne inuention they had made what they listed to bee sinne and what they pleased to be none they had soothed the people vp in this course and sowed pillows vnder
serue the turne No. The Iudge calles the witnesse reades the confession sends out the Iury who bring in a verdict against him And how then Oh! then he is conuinced and cannot deny but grants I stole it my Lord I brake the house I shed blood Thus the Lord deales heere will not let the sinner alone but dogs him with his light dost not remember the time the place the odiousnesse of such a villany Canst thou deny it Spâ—acâ—â—ruth and shame the Deuill I know thou hast no power to dâ—ny confesse it then and discharge thy conscience giue God the Glory Oh! when the Lord meanes to go through y to worke hee will suffer no lust no sloth or falshood to kâ—â—pe â—ffâ—â— es ule from her light But will she nill she in shall not onely almost but altogether be conuinced Now to brâ—â—g the light and the soule close together is the great wisedome of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Law Sometimeâ— he first insinuates into the heart by slight and cunning â—nd traps the soule ere it be aware in his net Thus Nathan comes vpon Dauid with a parable of another matter that hee might the more freely speake his minde and haâ—ing so wound in falles vpon him vnauoydably Thou art the man Secondly Sometimes hee takes the soule napping in the midst and heate of her sin while the sent is fresh Thus hee dealt with Saul would not suffer him to lye three or foure tymes ouer First I haue obeyed Secondly These were reserued for sacrifice the rest slayne Thirdlâ— I feared the people c. None of his tricks would serue What then meanes the bleating of sheepe and lowing of Oxen Can dead cattell bleate and low He tooke him in the manner So thirdly by contesting with conscience and vrging her to speake truth vpon her experience Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed c. Now in all these insinuations the life of the conuincing Law is vnspeakably forcible especially the Lord presenting himselfe and speaking to a soule willing to learne A second course is Violence and Necessity when no other course will serue This the Lord doth both by his Threats apart and sometimes by the Addition of some workes Thus when Saul would hardly yeeld to Samuels words hee falls vpon him thus The LORD hath rent thy kingdome from thee c. this rent him from his base Colours So that sometime the subtillest hypocriâ—e must cry cut GOD hath gone beyond him Thus Iosh 7. No way to get out the sacrilegious thiefe but violence The Lord therefore causes the lot to be cast and first finds out the Tribe that he was of This would not search him Next hee casts a second for the Family in grosse neyther could this preuaile The third time he knocks at his Fathers doore that would not serue The last lot lights vpon Achaus necke And then My sonne confesse c. Iosh 7. But before there was no conuincing him So the Lord is fayne to cast a diâ—ect lot vpcn mens consciences so closely to sting them that they are forced to cry out and can forbeare no longer I am a man the lot is falne vpon mee Thus was it with him who was pulled out from his fellowes for want of his wedding garment Math. 22.12 Thus God dealt with the crazy consciences of those brethren of Ioseph they were fayne to bee arrested vpoâ—â—â—ew and cry as theeues bound and cast into prison threatned as spies ere they were meet to be conuinced for felling Ioseph and then they could say Gen. 42.21 This is because we heard the voyce of our brother in the pit and would not pitty him Thirdly the Lord sometimes is fayne to circumuent a sinner in his owne course and to bring forth the long-concealed markes of his sinne to his face Gen. 28 2â— bidding him deny if he dare Thus Tamar dealt with Iuda in his hypocriticall seuerity If I must needs bee burnt sayth she then goe carry him these tokens his Cloake Staffe and Signet asking whose they are and then Oh she is more righteous then I I instance not in these as if they were close examples of this kinde but to shadow out the truth So also sometimes by crosses Thus Manassâ—â— is sayd to bee taken in the bushes 2 Chro. 33.1 meaning that when God hampered him with sorrow and affliction he began to come home to himselfe So the prodigall And truly without such helpe the Word workes but little in these dayes in which the Spirit of Grace and mourning is streightned And lastly Ier. 31 1â— sometime by patience and long-suffring strange delyuerances great blessings euen in the worst estate the LORD workes some conuincement as Rom. 2.3.4 and thus Saul in a pang was conuinced by Dauids innocency Come againe 1 Sam. 24 19. Who will meet his enemy and let him goe And that poore blynd wretch ver 17.25.27 Iohn 9. by his cure when yet hee felt no mercy These I giue as a tast to shew how the Lord pierces the dead lazy and subtill heart of such as hauing knowledge yet else would vanish away in their owne misery By these aime at the rest Q. What vse make ye hereof ere we go to terror A. Very weighty Vse 1 First of sad mourning for the daies we are in in which this spirit of the law seemes to be lost euen as the Arke and Ephod were in the daies of the second Temple Oh It is heauy to ponder how few consciences are rowzed vp and gastred from their dregs vnder Ministeries of 7.10.20 yeeres But still the same men and change no colour We dreame that we shall one day meet with it as if it were some others error not ours that our hearts are so lockt vp but alas wee are closely imbarkt in a secure ease and as that woman who notwithstanding her vile life yet scorned and flouted away the conuincing of Christ till he pierced her to the quick Oh let vs looke to it in time in Gods feare Iohn 4.10 Tremble to thinke how thick conuiction is sowne and how thin it comes vpâ— Doubtlesse if conuiction must bee the picklock the body of people are fast locked vp in their sins men giue good words as Nephtals but as light and feathery as euer When Oh Lord shouldst thou say shall that showre come that shall fetch vp the graine of my light from vnder my dry clod Alas dayes of law conuiction are past long agoe we are for nothing but promises If wee should goe onely by sence wee might cease preaching And sure a good Minister should tremble to preach many promises seeing so little conuiction Admonition both to Ministers and people Vse 2 First to Ministers that they pray striue for the Spirit Branch 1 of conuiction It s Gods gift And one chiefe part is to be Ministers of the Spirit not the letter the maner of our dispensation is more then our
as soone as he liveth for hee must be perfected in the wombe and brought forth and so is a childe of the world hee lived before the life of the wombe but now he lives another life in the light feedeth sleepeth cryeth suckes the breasts So is it here Faith giueth the generation and life to the soule at the first quickning but the birth is not obtained fully till it be brought forth as a new Creature by Renovation then it is declared to haue the true life of God when his image of holinesse declares it Q. Well the Similitude may serue let vs now come to the three heades and first what is the Author of this creation A. The holy Ghost As almost all the Scripture prooueth Two places may serue 1. Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed purged sanctified hy the spirit of our God So Titus 3.5.6 He saued vs by washing of Regeneration and the renuing of the holy Ghost Coâ— 2.12 And the reason is plaine For euen as it was in the vnion of Christ our head with our flesh the holy Ghost most miraculously did concurre with the matter of conception and did vnite it to God so that one person was made of two natures and by this meanes the Deity infused into the humanity the most excellent purenesse of God and the quallities of light and holinesse so this beeing for vs lo the same spirit takes the same matter of the Lord Iesus his nature and properties and vnites the one and infuses the other into the soules of his people by the worke of the Gospell Not that wee made Christ as some dreame but vnited wholly to his person and thence partake the influences of his graces wisedome and righteousnesse c both in the habite of renouation and in all the holy properties of humblenesse patience loue feare zeale c. As 2. Peter 1.3 most sweetly saith His diuine power ministring all things fit for life and godlinesse and making vs partakers of the diuine nature and gifts of the Spirit And looke how it was in the old Law that the next kinsman to the deceased was both to redeem his lost inheritance if embezeled and then to raise vp seed to him Ruth 4.5 as vnto the first borne euen so in the Gospel the Spirit of God doth not onely recouer vnto vs our lost title and inheritance of Gods fauour by forgiuenesse of our sinnes but also raise vp an holy seed vnto God by begetting in vs his Image againe so that not onely hee becomes our righteousnesse of iustificarion but sanctification also Moreover it 's cleere by this that the Spirit of God concurres with the offer of Christ vnto the soule according as it lyes and neuer seperates the things which God puts together Now as I noted in Part 2. Artic. 4. the Lord offers his Christ wholly and at once not onely adoption and reconcilation to bring vs into fauour but also sanctification to make vt the workemanship of God Yea and in truth the Spirit lookes at this chiefly For although in this life faith to iustifie a sinner is the maine gift because it giues vs the right of grace and heauen and holdes it for vs yet that which faith armes at is the renuing of the Image of God in vs. Onely becâ—use we lost it by sin therefore faith in the first place brings and knits vs to God in pardon but the perfection of it is that our lost image in Adam might be restored Now therefore the Spirit doth come and vnite them both together in the soule at once because Christ is not nor cannot be deuided either wee haue him not all or else we enioy him wholly and at once as he is offered in the word Q. I would faine know what workes the Spirit doth for the soule in this new creation of nature and infusion of qualitiess A. He doth two things First perswadeth Secondly sealeth For the first he draweth the soule to be willing to take all Christ at he is offered and to reiect no part of him and succoureth the poore soule in her application of the offer and couenant of grace Hee presenteth to the soules view the meaning of God to keepe backe nothing of his Christ but hee will haue him wholly eaten as a passeouer no bone broken no part left Though perhaps the soule see not the extent of Christ at one view yet the Spirit attends the offer of God in the Word and ceazeth the soule with that gift which God giueth As if a man being to giue his seruant a bone doth not onely reach him a ring which the seruant thinkes enough but a ring with a rich pearle of price set in it The pearle is aboue the hope of the receiuer yet because it 's not aboue the Giuers loue both are taken at once So heere the Spirit shewes the soule what God beteemes wholy tels it there is nothing too much shee shall haue vse of all for one vse or other and therefore let none be refused And this iâ— doth by the tennor of Gods charter and couenant in the Word See that noted place Who is made of the Father all the 4 Wisedome Sanctification c. Marke the Lord offers not onely righteousnesse to accept but sanctification for image Take all therefore Secondly the Spirit sealeth these to the soule See Mat. 3.11 The Lord Iesus shall baptize with the holy Ghost and fire What is that the very diuine gifts of Christ which as fire do purge and clense our drosse Col. 2.12 and bring forth our mettall as pure and cleane So in Rom. 6.4.5 he tels vs we put on Christ in baptisme and that not onely to couer our nakednesse but to warme vs with holinesse We are not only partakers of the satisfaction of Christ to forgiue vs but of his death to mortifie vs and of his life to quicken vs in both to giue vs his image And by baptisme we are sayd to be ingrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection This baptisme of the Spirit seales vp the substance of the couenant to al purposes as a seale to a writing confirmes the writing in all points Now marke the tenor of the couenant not onely to pardon our sinnes and to remember our sinnes no more but to wash vs with pure water to write his Law in our hearts and inward partes to cause vs to walke in his wayes and to put his feare into our soules that we neuer depart from him any more And from this spirit of Renuing proceedes the infusion of all diuine graces issuing from his holy nature as loue compassion meeknesse feare confidence doing and suffering for Christ and betokening our conformity Q. I rest in your answer touching the first of these three now proceed to the second what is the inward instrument on the soules part to apprehend this Creation A. Faith sauing and effectuall As appeares in those texts Act. 26.8 To giue them an inheritance among them that are sanctified
is that liuely cause of cutting the â—imber but yet the saw or axe is the toole which this handworks by So here Take a similitude A maÌ„ buyes a pretious root of a rare flower that grows in few gardens giues it into the hand of the Gardner to set it in his garden The gardiner thrusts the root an pitches it into the earth giues it good mouldes waters and keepes it charily Euen so heere The spirit of sanctification is the purchaser of this roote but it plants and pitches it into the soile of the Soule by this hand of faith and there it nourishes and cherishes till the root bring forth a flower sutable to the nature of it Faith I say ingrafts this pretious signe of the righteous holy nature life death and resurrection into the soule or rather if yee will the twig of the soule into the stocke or soile of the Lord Iesus his holinesse and â—here it gathers strength till it produce fruit sutable Such corne as wee sow wee reape if we set a carnation wee looke the flowers shall bee sutable if wee set an apple into a stocke wee looke for no crab euen so this plant of loue brings forth loue againe and this roote of holinesse a fruit like it self That of Eph 3.16 is for this point That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Faith is the entertainer of Christ in this his holinâ—sse So then as in the former point faith sauours the truth in Iesus and tels the soule that Iesus comes into thither to sanctifie in for God as well as to saue it from hell so heere it 's the instrument of the spirit of Iesus to apply and to implant this roote of his in the soule it applyes the Couenant as well in the promise of renewing it as of forgiuing it and it embraces and claspes hold vpon the Lord her righteousnesse and till shee haue done both shee dares not say Thou art my God and I am thy child yea as the holy Ghost is that fire wherewith the new Creature is baptized when it comes to beleeue the Coeunant so faith is that hand which applies the soule to this fire to be purged thereby and that instrument of the Spirit whereby he refines the sonnes of Levi in the Ministry of the Word as Malachi speakes Q. What is the third thing to be noted A. The subiect wherein this new Creature is planted and that is the whole man Read for this 1 Thes 5.23 In body soule spirit meaning whateuer is in man Wee meane not a renewing of the Substance of either as if a Renued soule should be another soule or body but the same in point of the qualities or seruice of both It s corruption which is purged out and its grace is planted in The scurffe and poyson of each faculty is cast out mortified and consumed it s a new property is put in ignorance rebellion pride impatience is taken away and knowledge subiection humility and long-suffering put in And this subiect is the whole man Each part and power of body and soule is renued and if not all none at all The Spirit of Renouation is an entire workeman and purgeth all graceth all the minde with light the heart with heat the conscience with sound reflection and witnesse the will with free choyce and consent to holinesse the members with serviceablenesse to the soule in all her designes Q. Speake a little of the particulars What is renuing of the understanding and the powers thereof A Vnderstanding not only is corrupted in the light thereof but also in the prerogatiue of it It was set vp as a rule and directiue of the inferior soule will affections but it hath lost this bieth-right now and is become the vassall of the will and concupiscence therefore the renuing of it is partly a purging of it from the corruption and penalties thereof and chiefly a restitution of it to her integrity of light and soueraignty See Eph. 5.8 Light in the Lord. Q. What is the renuing of the will A. The Will being depraued in point of her loyalty and obedience to the minde and now having cast off the yoake and become rebellious the renuing of it is both the purging of it from the sinne and penalties of it and a restoring of it to her integrity of subiection to the verduit of the vnderstanding chusing refusing or suspending accordingly Q. What is the renuing of Conscience See 1 Pet. 1.22 A. Sinne hath depraved the Conscience in point of reflexion so that it cannot present any goodnesse of being or action to the soule with delight and contentment but is waxen defiled and either accusing or erroneous and peruerted therefore the renuing of it is both a cleansing of it from her contagion and a restoring of her to her integrity of faithfull accusing for evill and excusing for good See Tit. 1.15 by contraries Q. What is the renuing of the body A. The sences and members having lost their serviceablenesse to present obiect duly to the soule and to execute faithfully the purposes thereof the renuing of both is a restoring them to such integrity as that the senses doe duly offer to the soule the obiects of sense and the members become faithfull weapons of rightâ—ousnesse See Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies c. Q. But what part is especially the Subiect of Renuing A. Howsoeuer the holy Ghost doth renue all yet the immediate and cheefe subiect of her residence is the Spirit of man There are as I said sundry faculties in the soule but the spirit is the most inward and immediate actiuity of it and it stands in the directiue gift of the vnderstanding by which it fore-sees and deuises for the whole man as also in the free choise bent sauor and delight of the heart So then the frame streame and bent of the soule is the spirit of it See Eph. 4.23 Rom. 12.2 Rom. 7. vlt. that wherein this renuing or new creature stands As it is in the old man so in the new it is not a few thoughts or affections which make a man bad but the very frame and bent of all the thoughts and affections whereupon as vpon wheeles the whole man is carried And as a son hauing the liuely picture of his father to behold would not set it vp in a stable or out-house but in his best roome So the spirit of Christ sets vp the Image of God not in the eyes or eares or tongue which haue no power to worke vpon the soule but in the Priuie Chamber of the spiuit where the King lodgeth Q. And what is the fourth thing in this Renewing A. The parts of it negatiue and affirmatiue the former a destroying of the old frame the latter a setting vp of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renouation Both of them issuing from the Crosse and Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christ And thence it is that in the named place
is the chayn of the law and so are the words couched together that being by one and the same spirit ordained he that brakes one violates all as he that breaks any linke of a golden chaine breakes the coherence Men thinke otherwise But as hee who breakes his neighbours fence trespasses him aswel as if he ranged all ouer his ground because the bond is broken so heere It were strange to tell a drunkard he broke more then the seuenth Commandement But to tell him that he had broken all as indeed he hath were strange to him Not perhaps in actuall deed but yet in power and effect because he hath broken the bond of that God who hath made all the rest And yet there is a further thing in it then so for in a sort some actuall sinne breakes all As one hath described it in couetousnesse so might I doe it in drunkennesse For what drunkard makes not his cup and companions an Idoll what cares he for Gods worship daring to bee drunke in an Ale-house within the sound of the Preacher What conuersation toward man looks hee at in family neighborhood oathes vowes to God or men What Sabbaths doth he not breake What parents and Magistrates doth he care for but rather vndoes the estate of the one and contemnes the censure of the other What cares hee in his cups to breake the head of yea to stabbe his fellow What vncleannesse and bastardy is hee not guilty of What booty by the high way will he balke and perhaps with bloodshed to get money to drinke What lyes and slanders what colors and shifts to defend his villanies and couer his sin will he forbeare This is meet to thinke of to open the harmony of a law But howeuer this bee sure it is there is no sinner not onely grosse but euen secret who is not guilty of all the Law in the breach of any Commandement because his vndue carriage fights against the Lord of the whole Law The discouery of this light might bee as much as some mens soules are worth for what is the speech of men As for vnrighteousnesse I aske GOD no mercy As for stealing saith one or for adultery saith a second or slander or murther or vsury I neuer feare what GOD can alledge against mee Indeed such or such a sinne I aske him mercy for Well said but in the meane time it s no thanke to thee GOD and prouidence suffred thee not for thâ—â— wouldst haue broken all aswell as one thy heart was bad enough if hee had not limited thee Oh this light well receiued prepares way for conuiction Q. How thirdly A. The Law discouers it selfe to the soule in the point of her Royalty So Saint Iames cals it Chap. 2.8 That as a King is not prescribed against by the quality of any subiect offending why hee may not hold him guilty so in this No person is accepted with GOD in this kind Oh! it s a great discouery of errour the hearâ— of man is proud and soone exempts and dispenseth with it selfe by some priuiledge But this Royal Law is impartiall As a glasse will shew a Queene her spots aswell as a poore woman Paul labors this point Rom. 2. against the Iewes priuiledges No difference with God All both bond and free Barbarian Scythian Iew Gentile none excepted God hath shut vp â—ll vnder one disobedience Oh it s a great abating of a proud heart One sin one hell one wrath one Tophet for Princes for subiects for learned for idiots for noble and base for Pharises and Publicanes This cuts the combe of the sinner Psalm 149.8 He bindeth Kings in Cheynes and Nobles in fetters of yron Neither can the poorest scape at a little mash nor the richest at a great Againe his Lawes are no copwebs Apply this as it is the scope of the fourth Article supâ—Ã to thy selfe Q. How fourthly A. It discouers it selfe to the sinner in the point of integrity and soundnesse of her light That is opens sinne to the soule in one kinde aswell as another Such is the corruption of Adam that it will suffer much of the body of sin to vanish in the suruey If sinne bee either of knowledge or ignorance although knowledge shall bee of some note yet ignorance will vanish If other sinnes bee of omission or commission omission sinnes will faile in the reckoning If againe sin bâ—e of presumption or infirmity Sinnes of infirmity are nothing If presumptuous sins be either of particular presumption or or totall reuolt Particulars seeme nothing to a selfe-louing rotten heart But where God enlightens lo he discouers sin in all her sexes male and female strong and weake remembred forgotten ignorance or knowledge and in a word one and other And this also is a great discouery for want of which many a soule neuer comes to the bar of Gods conuiction But now this rule will not onely tell the soule the differences of these to wit that one is of greater crime then other one may both omit and commit sin and yet know neyther he may sin of knowledge yet not of presumption necessarily because he may be preuented by feare Satan violent lust and not voluntarily consent he may also presume with a different heart yet the least of these in their nature is damnable Q. How fiftly A. The Law reaches forth to the soule her key of knowledge in the poynt of her extent She who hath her Ladyes keyes knowes all and can fetch out of ech boxe So cannot the poor droile in the kitchin So this is the priuiledge of one that hath the Law to be hers It is a great piece of the light of the Law to extend it selfe in the soule to al parts and degrees of sinne First in poynt of Spiritualnes of the Law teaching vs not to rest onely in open grosse morall offences but to goe to spirituall wickednesses The Law is spiritually morall aswell as externally Thus Paul Rom. 7.12 The Law is holy and good I sold vnder sinne And 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandement is loue out of a pure heart good Conscience and fayth vnfeined Then it must be very spirituall and aswell meet with infidelity hypocrisy vnthankfulnes impiousnes profanenesse of spirit security hardnes of heart contempt of Word Sabbaths c. as open leudnes of life riot stealth or adultery And so also it enlarges the chiefe breach of a Law to all lesser degrees and steps to it As the seuench commandement reaches not onely to grosse incontinenty but to intemperancy drunkennes riot voluptuousnes of sences c. Secondly her Inquisition and Search For the Law Heb. 4.12 is very searching and piercing diuides betweene the ioynts and marrow dare and can go to any part of the whole man and fetch out any poizon out of any corner hath an vnlimited Commission from the Law-giuer to fetch out and bind any malefactor not onely seene and manifest words and deeds but also the most retyred and close
somewhat cut of our selues the imputation of the righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus remoouing our guilt and bestowing on vs pardon acceptance to fauour and right to eternall life as adopted heires thereof And in this respect we are regenerated and borne again by reconciliation Secondly by the estate of grace in somewhat within vs which is the Inherency of that Image of Christ infuzed into vs and abiding in our nature soule and body and all the powers and faculties of both purging out and killing old euils and planting good anew in the stead thereof In both these stands the new creature renewed in Christ to true righteousnesse and holinesse in this World and heereafter to the glorious image of God in perfection And this latter concerneth our Renouation Q. Doth the Text mention any more A. Yea the instruments of applying these good things to vs And that both outward and inward Outward the Word and Sacraments He nameth not the Word but yet includeth it For a seale is nothing without a couenant He meanes theÌ„ that by the word of truth the Couenant of Grace offring vs to be reconciled to God preached freely generally without exception to such as need it to all sorts ages sexes conditions the Lord as by an externall ordinance doth apply and conuey these good things of Iesus Christ to his elect And then hauing so done he sealeth vp and assureth them by the answerable seale of Baptisme Then the inward instrument of application without which the outward is barren is the worke of the Spirit of regeneration which attends the Word and Baptisme and washeth the soule by the power thereof euen the Spirit of Christ To the which end this Spirit doth ingender the grace of faith in the soule for the apprehending of our part in our particular Saluation and Regeneration Which grace of faith although it be not heere named yet is implied sufficiently in this worke of the Spirit For there is no other way for the Spirit to settle these benefits vpon vs but faith onely as in the Articles following shall appeare And thus we see how the Apostle doth in this text most pithily contriue the chiefe heads of this Part as in the Articles following appeares The Articles of the Second Part. Q. What is the first Article in this Second Part Article 1 A. That there is a Deliuerance ordained and granted to miserable man out of this his thraldome As the matter of Adams creation lay before the Lord at his free choise whether to create it or not so the obiect of Redemption fallen man lay at the Lords courtezie whether or no he would deliuer him If man had beene wholly left to himselfe his mends had beene in his owne hands in all outward miseries it s otherwise a man may be lost in a forrest and perish pursued by enemies assaulted by diseases oppressed by death perish without help Heere not so misery was the furthest from meriting but not occasioning mercy the Lord freely out of meere mercy beheld misery and when there was none to saue he himselfe did yea vsed this ruine as a meane of declaring himselfe to man the author of a farre more excellent estate then he lost by his fall And this purpoze of God the Father to permit the fall that he might worke his owne endes thereby viz. the setting forth of the riches and treasure of his grace of election in Christ by the meanes of calling and the Gospell is that which the Holy Ghost doth make the obiect of the admiration and astonishment of men and Angels Who pry into this mystery as the Cherubins into the Mercy seate So that first note In the most wofull mine of man there is a deliuerance See these texts Eph. â— 1 1. Thess 1. vlt. Luke 1.74 Esay 63.5 And secondly it s appointed by the Lord out of the vnsearchable treasure of his wisedome vsing it as a meane to declare himselfe to his Church in all those excellencies of his attributes especially the coniunction of mercy and iustice which in the creation could not appeare See Col. 1.27.28 Eph. 2.10 Q. What vse may be made heereof A. Singular vse and that many waies first To stay the heart of a distressed wretch in the sight of his misery by this light and dore of hope Although farre from beleeuing it yet by hope to sustain it selfe by from vtter sinking Oh blesse that fountain which could not bee dryed vp by sinne rather occasioned it selfe to mercy by misery Wonder why Angels were left remedilesse not wee Ponder it in our deepe feares and remember the Gospell of deliuerance is froÌ„ God as well as the Law of terror despaire not the Lord cuts off none who cut not off themselues Secondly let it teach vs to gather to our selues a Article 2 strong bottome against that slauish feare and enmity of our spirit against GOD. Why oh man If GOD were as thou framest him where had thy hope beene Dost thou not see that the LORD IESVS himselfe came from the mercy of an enemy Is then anger alone in God who against the cry of infinite iustice had a deeper mercy in store darest thou call him an hard Master or aduersary who of his owne will and loue cut off his owne plea and deuised a deliuery when no man or Angell could dreame of it Is hee like to reiect a poore soule who hath layd the foundation of his grace in such a foundation as Emanuel Thirdly let it teach the Ministers of the Gospell to looke to the order and substance of their teaching The order not to mis match these two doctrines of the first and second part of the Catechisme teaching this before the other be well grounded in the hearer For the substance taking heed least they defraude the soule of this point when shee is low brought but to offer it as an vpholder for a time till more come But fourthly and especially let this bee a meane to carry a poore heart that would faine beleeue quite beyond and out of her selfe The meditation of this freedome of Gods purpose first especially for the glorifying of himselfe in all his attributes should rauish the heart and carry it out of the basenesse of selfe and selfe-endes into the streame of this soueraigne will and glory of God It should bee aboue our owne saluation And it cannot be well conceiued how those preparatiues to sayth should be wrought in the hearer sauingly and not slauâ—shly as endeauours of our owne except this streame of Gods glory and ayme at his owne endes aboue ours be set before our eyes to abandon all selfe-respects in the matter of sayth and saluation Let vs diâ—â—gently try our owne spirit from the true Spirit of Grace by this marke Q What else doth this Article containe A. Besides this that God hath not left man to sinke in his owne misery but hath in his deepe wisedome found out the way of his deliuerance this Article aymes at a further end viz.
all the members the power of this satisfaction that it might worke Faith in those that want it and confirme it in those that haue it Esay 53. vlt. The Prophet adâ—eth this to the powring out of his soule that he prayed for the transgressors And S. Iohn giues him the name of our Aduocate with the Father for this cause that the Church may enioy the fruit of his death continually And the Au hor to the Hâ—brewes saith That hee euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The High Priest vnder the Law appeared once a yeere with blood in the Holy of Hoâ—ies to bring forth a generall reconciliation but the Lord Iesus for euer And as the ends hereof are many to wit to present the prayers of his people vnto God to hoâ—d them close to his Father and keep them in hâ—s loâ—e to couer their daily offences and continue their iustification and acceptance to vnite them one to another and to protect them from enemies so especially to blesse the Ministery of his Gospell for the breeding Faith â—n the soules of the elect by the preaching of this his blood and death As we may see clearly in Iohn 17. that Heauenly chapter where all these are described Marke then it is not enough for the Lord Iesus to procure the price of our peace but he plyes the Father with it and offers vp by his eternall Spirit the merit and valour of his satisfaction for the effectuall drawing of the hearts of his people to beleeue the Gospell His blood is the seed of the Church for what wete Word Sacrament but tor him but that which doth cherish this seed and giue a body to it in the consciences of men is the application of it by this intercession More fully thus As by fulfilling all righteousnesse the Lord Iesus hath pleased the Father and is so gracious to him that hee grants him whatsoeuer hee asketh so doth Iesus to the vttermost improoue this fâ—uour and applieth the comfort thereof to all his that they may vnderstand how powerfull and preuayling hee is to obtaine whatsoeuer hee desireth And hence it is that till his Ascension the Comforter could not bee sent but after when hee prayed then came hee and brought to mind and sealed to the hearts of the Disciples whatsoeuer they had heard preached before So that when wee see the preuayling power of the Word and Sacraments in the weake Ministery of flesh what shall we ascribe it vnto but the power of this applying worke of our Aduocate who conueyes sauor of life of brokennes of heart faith and Regeneration thereby into the soules of his And in this respect h is the Key of his Fathers bosome and fountaine to vnlocke and set it open beeing sealed before for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in as Zach. 13.1 Q. What be the vse heereof A. As it is singular for all vses to the Church in generall and all the liuely members thereof in all Concernements of it whatsoeuer as acceptance of their prayers beeing perfumed with the sweet incense heereof protection of their persons safegard against enemies sustentation of their soules in grace perseuerance and the like so especially that which wee read Heb. 10.19.10.21 Seeing by the blood of Iesus wee haue a liuing way made vnto vs by his flesh Let vs draw neere with a pure heart in assurance of faith Oh! it should bee as a welspring of Saluation for euery dry soule to come vnto euen in the greatest barrennesse deadnes and feare of heart that the merit of Christ should not belong to it Doe but consider this Aduocateship of Christ continued foreuer for thee Iesus Christ yesterday to day and for euer Heb. 13.8 to this end that the Gospell and the preaching of the promise might bee liuely Heb. 4. pearcing and powerfull to diuide the ioynts and marrow and to create in thy soule the fruits of the lips which is peace If thou hadst the Kings Sonne for thy Aduocate to the King for some suite wouldst not thou thinke there were life in it Therefore go not to the Word and Sacrament any more with a dead and sadde heart as if there were nothing in them saue an outside of mans voice and efficacy to perswade behold a Christ in them who by his applying power conueyes into them strength sauor perswasion and grace that his poore people may not heare his Word as a dead letter or receaue the Scales as dumbe elements but as diuine ordinances assisted with the Spirit of Christ and therefore able to breed faith in the soule and truly to carry it into the streame of his Satisfaction What is the vsuall complement of most people in their hearings and vse of meanes but this That the Minister is vneffectuall to them they heare with small light or quickening of heart The promise they grant to be faythfull and the Sacrifice of Christ full of merit but they are so to such as mixe them with sayth Why poore soule doth the Lord so offer thee Christ in his Gospell as if he lefâ— it to thee to shift for faith Is not faith his gift who gaue Christ Diuide not the things which God hath put together Deceaue not thy selfe in the condition of faith and assure thy selfe the Lord Iesus will giue thee both meat and appetite the obiect of his righteousnes Reâ—e and fayth to beleeue it also He is Alpha and Omega the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 and hee doth liue for euer with GOD to make good his Satisfaction to his people by giuing power to his word to breed faith that as it cannot be without it so it may subsist in it and our faith might not rest in man but in God Vse 2 Secondly let all such bee exhorted to deny their owne strength conceits hopes or feares and as oft as they go to the Word remember it is a Word of reconcilation And therefore looke vp to this grant Master of Requests and apply the worthines of this Prayer to thy poore empty soule say thus The cause of my vnbeleeuing hearing is my little respect to him who hath the Key of all grace if I could looke vpon him and say Lord Iesus conuey some part of thy Fathers fountein into my heart deriue it by a channell for then once into me Oh thou shouldst find the Spirit of perswasion to reuiue yea to fill thy soule in thy Vse 3 hearings Yea lâ—t all the faithfull Ministers of God coÌ„fort themselues in their weakenesse and defects of preaching in their deadnesse of heart to the worke of Faith in the little successe of their labors in the wofull hardnesse of heart in the people the Lord Iesus by his Spirit of intercession holdes them as his Candlesticks in his right hand hee doth as those two oliues Zach. 4 assist his Lamps and drop in this oyle of gifts and grace vpon them hee doth make them as Paul Zach. 4.5 able Ministers of Reconciliation that by them and out of
their nothing hee may create the fruit of the lips peace and he well vphold Gospell Ministery and the power of both in the midst of the enemies and although they be neuer â—o fâ—râ—â—us yet Mica 2.7 His Spirit shall not be streightned but his Word shall still bee good to such as walke vprightly And of these two Articles seuen Branches so much Q. What is the third Article of the second Part A. That the act of God the Father imput ng rhe merit of the Actiue and Passiue righteousnesse of our Satisfier to a sinfull soule is the true formall and being cause of his Iustification Q This Doctrine of Imputation is somewhat darke to me Rom. 4 6. 2 Cor. 5.17 therefore explane it and first the phrases vsed by the Holy Ghost for somâ—time he speakes of Imputing somewhat sometime of not imputing and againe in one place hee speakes of Imputiâ—g righteousnesse sometime of Imputing Faith to righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 Cleare these termes A. By the terme of not imputing Sinne and not imputing Righteousnesse he intimates in how many respects Châ—ist hath holpen vs to wit both to forgiuenesse in the one being made sinne for vs and to acceptation in the other by clothing vs with his righteousnesse yet so as by both Actiue and Passiue righteousnesse iointly not seueraâ—ly considered Conferre Psalm 32.1 with 2. Cor. 5.17 where both couering sinne and reconciling are made the effects of not imputing sinne By the second phrase we must conceaue one thing to bee meant For its familiar with Paul to vse these two phrases for one thing namely imputation of Faith and of righteousnesse Not that faith can in any sence be our righteousnes but because Christ apprehended by faith is the same thing with Faith it selfe in the Scripture Besides we know faith must euer concurre with imputation in the act of it and therefore the Holy Ghost honors it with the name of being imputed to righteousnesse That Faith must needs so concurre note three things in this worke First God enables the Soule to beleeue on the Lord Iesus by the promise and the spirit thereof Secondly the Soule yeeldeth and consenteth Thirdly God casteth heereby this righteousnesse thus beleeued vpon the Soule and imputes it to pardon and life Faith then alway concurres with imputation the life wherto may be said of iustification which it were blasphemy to ascribe to faith seeing its God that iustifieth but yet Faith is still said to iustify because of her necessary concurrence The which Phrase is tropicall the instrument being put for the principall agent Otherwise in proper speech alas How shall poore faith apprehend in the soule an infinite righteousnesse except we take it thus that God by faith as his owne instrument doth conuey all the obiect of Christ at once into vs And this I would haue the Reader to marke for two causes The first to decide that Question so much demanded whether faith apply Christ in each of his merits particularly or no To which I say that it is the worke of God the Father to proportion the merits of Christ Iesus in particular to the soules need its God the Father who accepts the merit and therfore he onely can proportion it Poor finite faith though it know neuer so much of the particular merit yet cannot do it because the merit is infinite Faith onely hearing the offer of God already reconciled and appeased by this merit to be freely tendred to her receaues this tender as God makes it that is all the Lord Iesus made by God to the soule wisedome righteousnesse and what else soeuer So that whether wee comprehend the thing offred or no it s no materiall if we beleeue the offer to be truly made to vs we receaue it in the kind wherein God bestowes it and in a word when we cannot comprehend it the Lord comprehends vs. So that faith is casting of the soule vpon the offer of Christ from the Father giuing him all at once in all his good things which the Spirit reueales and the more the better yet faith is not in this most to bee admired for particular applying each benefit but for her accepting of what the Lord hath couched in the offer that is whole Christ Secondly I say this answer is to be noted against a Schismaticall opinion of some that hold the Act of Beleeuing to be that which God accepts to iustification A dangerous conceit which makes Christ a meer seruant to faith and vnder the colour of ascribing honour to faith takes away all Christs preeminence For although this opinion exclude not Christ wholly from the reckoning yet in the act of iustifying it onely giues all to the worke of faith And they say As the act of Adams sin condemned him so the act of our faith iustifies vs. But the Paralell is foolish and absurd Adams sin might condemne himselfe and vs but our faith can neither saue ours nor our selues of it selfe that which it saues vs by is the obiect and merit which it apprehends and that by the act of Gods imputing it to vs. Q. You seeme to make imputation an act of Gods free grace but the word is vsed as an act of iustice for Paul saith To him who worketh righteousnesse is imputed by debt A. I answer Paul there opposing Iustification by works and iustification by Faith Rom. 4.4 5 for the more curâ—ant expression vseth one word in both cases but very improperly For it s as if a man should say to his debtor Pay me an hundreth pound and I will impute it as an whole discharge This we know is no proper speech for in such a case its small thanke to him to impute that for which hee is bound to giue acquittance so that imputing properly is gracious For it is such an act of God as comming betweene our beleeuing and his iustifying doth not legally take any discharge of debt from vs but doth graciously impute that which is not ours as if it were ours for the making of vs guiltlesse and accepted Q I conceaue you somewhat better Howbeit I still see that imputation is of such a thing as is our owne really why then not as well of a thing inherent viz. a righteousnesse of our owne as the Papists dreame A. Because these two haue a winde difference viz. to be really made ours and to be from or inherently in vs. The righteousnesse of Christ imputed cannot iustify vs except it be ours how be it it is so not because it comes froÌ„ within vs but because it s cast vpon vs and in a word it s not first in vs and then imputed but first imputed and then made ours Q. But can meere imputation make a thing really ours A. Yea. Nothing can be more reall then imputation The imputing of a man is reall when he imputes an vncertain and vndue payment as if certaine and due and this is good and firme among men 2 Sam. 19.19 23. Dauids not imputing Shemei's rayling
he the same mind be in you that was in Christ who if hee had sought himselfe hee had left vs in our ruine and misery but he Rom. 15.3 pleased not himselfe but as it is written c. The contrary to this is selfe and selfeloue the bane of Communion when men seeke their own esteeme their own credit ends profit and prayse and if they fayle hereof they little look how the publike welfare goes forward We know a priuate Wealth is contrary to a Commonwealth So is Selfeloue to Communion So that where this threefold cord is knit there is a great qualification of the soule to Communion Q. What is the third grace A. Tendernesse and compassion Col. 3.12.13 A grace very essentiall to this communion of Saints And it concerneth the stronger members toward the weaker Gal. 6.1 If any be preuented by error ignorance Satan sudden temptation let him that is stronger set him in ioynt againe so the Word is and restore him in the spirit of meekenes It cannot be but offences pritches tetches distastes will fall out among Christians but tendernesse will handâ—e these matters as the Chirurgianâ— hand will handle the broken or spreynt ioynt till it haue settled it This is contrary to that rough and stiffe spirit which cannot interpret forbeare or long-suffer but would haue all brought to their owne leuell and scantling and rather then they wâ—ll yeeâ—d to the infirmities errors and mistakes of others they will ouerthrow Communion Who saith Paul 2 Cor. 11.29 is weake and I burne not I am all in all to winne some If I cannot eatâ— flesh but I must offend my brother I will not eate it while I liue This is a rare grace in our age wherein each one is a man of his owne bottome and condemues all who bee not of his owne frame Tender conscience is now called Singularity as if it euer had been so in the Church that in all cases of difference there could be established one consent Nay it s strange to see how custome and preiudice haue hardned men from all tendernes and compassion Q. Are there any more graces of Communion A. There is no one grace of the Spirit but makes much for Communion Phil. 2.2 3 4. Col. 3 12. Rom. 12.9 as iudicious wisedome to discerne things that differ stayednesse to ponder things without rashnesse and precipice sincerity and singlenesse of heart against all false brotherhood like mindednesse order and constancy in holding out in a good cause candor and ingenuity of heart fidelity and trustinesse teacheablenesse thankfulnesse cheerfulnesse and the rest of this kind prouidence also and forecast But these I leaue to the discretion of the Reader to conceaue of by those three maine graces before-named Q. I partly see what you meane by this first Generall viz. Qualification proceed now to the second Wherein stands the Exercise of Communion A. In three chiefe things First Graces Secondly Meanes or Ordinances Thirdly Seruices or duties of all which I will adde a word or two and so come to the vse Q. What is the Exercize of Communion in Graces A. As the commodity to bee sold is so is the market Looke of what accompt wares are in the traffique of men such are the graces of the Spirit in the Communion of Saints See 1 Cor. 1 4 6 7. and 2 Cor. 2.14 15. They are the chiefe commodity that the members of this body trade for As earthly men are some Merchants of Pearles or oâ— Gold or of Silkes and Veluets or of Spices c. So these are Merchants of Graces and if they raise to themselues an estate in these in Precious Faith in Liuely hope in Patience Thankefulnesse c. they compt themselues to haue made the best of all markets And as the greater the trading is among men and the more the returne the richer is the Merchant so heere the more plentifull the Merchants and the commodities to bee sold are the richer are the traders therein Q. How may the soule trade for Grace What are the Rules to be obserued therein A. First each member in this staple of Communion must get the gift of exchange He must not beare the mind to be for himselfe onely but must maintaine a due entercourse and exchange of Grace for grace Looke what the Lord Iesus our head is to all the body that the members by deriuation are to bee to each other Read Iohn 1.17 Bee sure then first that thou bring in thy stocke into this banke remembring that all the members of communion haue the same stock of sanctification giuen them to trade withall they are furnisht with Talents more or lesse for this encrease and aduantage by other Read Luke 19.13 and Matth. 25.15 Also Ephe. 4.13 Hence it is that they are all said to partake of one Spirit and 1 Ioh. 3.3 Euery one beleeuer hath this hope as if no grace ought to be a stranger to any member in this body for the kind thereof Now then hauing this stocke each must afford grace to other so Paul speakes Ephes 4.29 as one doth present his ware in the market to another And this is to be free of Gods market to be holy chapmen and customers therin As in the Prouerbs chap. 1.14 those lewd ones say Come cast in thy lot among vs let vs haue one purse so is it heere And this Peter calleth the Dispensation of the manifold graces of God See his 1. Ep. 4.10 Paul to Philemon verse 20. cals the Hauing ioy of him and refreshing his bowels in the Lord. Get then this treasure into thee first as the trader gets himselfe siluer which answers all things and then bury not thy talent but exchange and trade buy sell afford good penny worths liue by the gayne of all gracious examples speeches behauiours conuersings in this Communion Our Lord Iesus his speech was It is better to giue then receaue Grace was put into thee for vse euen the good of the body therefore conceale it not share with the Grace of Communion and out of the treasure of thy good heart bring forth good things Q. What other Rule do you giue for this A. Secondly humility is another excellent meane to exercise Communion in graces See Rom. 12.10 2 Cor. 12 5 6. Rom. 12.16 Which is To preferre others graces before our owne and to thinke no otherwise nor desire others should thinke of vs otherwise then as wee are condescending to them of meane degree Proud ones get little and doe little in the communion of Saints They get little First because euery one thinks them to bee such as need not prayer need not counsell example their great shew make men lesse tender of them but a good man desires his wants should rather draw forth the help of others then his gifts seeme to need none Secondly the proud man disdaynes to spy grace in any saue in some eminent paternes and men of note for learning wit or parts But humblenesse spyes grace euen
thorow the cloud of meane estate learning parts it lookes narrowly and spyes oftentimes great grace in a meane man for attire for carriage and fâ—â—hion The Spirit of Grace carries the eye of the humble to the treasure where it lyes lye it neuer so close and low Againe humble ones are both fitter to communâ—cate and to receaue The former because they thinke they can fall no lower nor lose any great credit for they haue no great thing to lose Hence it is that when selfeloue will chuze to haue no prayer at all then to forfeit her repute humblenesse will trust God with her selfe and pray The latter because being empty they are hungry and the hungry are glaâ— of any thing Eagles catch no Flyes but meane ones stoope to meane things They are truly seruants of the Seruants of God Not that an humble man denies the grace of God but because he conceaues that eyther hee is indeed the meanest of others in grace or else that his better graces dwell not so well as other mens because darkned with more corruptions then other mens smaller The humble Christian is in loue with the Graces of others and out of loue with himselfe Hee enuies not slights not others hee sees the vncomely parts often more graced then the comely and beholds a pearle as of patience wise speech cheerfulnesse mercy loue euen in the dunghill of the meanest outside Shee knowes her owne vilenes and wonders if any thing can come from such a one but others she knowes not and therfore what she sees vncomely she hides but beleeues that excellency in them which she sees not Q. What else is required A. Thirdly coueting of each others graces 1 Cor. 12.31 Couet the things that are most excellent Especially those wherein others excell vs most Appetite after the graces of coÌ„munion is the instinct of Gods Spirit for the growth of graces Many dwell much vpon any gift they haue to improove it but they see not where the hedge is lowest to amend it Coueting then is to esteeme the good for that which is precious in them and to seeke it earnestly Pro. 19.22 That which is desireable in a man is his goodnesse As Abraham said to the King of Sodom Gen. 14.21 Giue me the soules take thou the prey so the hungry heart couets communion for graces other things shee seekes in other places riches and pleasure and the like but Grace shee seekes where the Spirit of Grace lyes Men that hunt the Bezor seeke not her flesh but that which is precious in her the stone which is so cordiall Base respects are nothing to the Saints in comparison of this Iewell And this they seeke couetously as Paul Phil. 3. If by any meanes I might attaine c. And indeed it s the onely meane to procure it for who knowing the price of grace will helpe them to it who are indifferent whether they haue it or not The Lord Iesus when hee saw the poore woman would not giue him ouer till shee had her desire powred out all his treasure vpon her Matthew 15.28 And so importunity is a maine helpe to communion in graces Q. What is the last meane to attaine grace A. A gift to extract it out of such as haue it in them Salomon saith Pro. 20.6 There is wisedome in the heart of the Wise and a man of vnderstanding will get it out There must be a deep bucket to diue into a deep well to fetch out the water of it The skilfull Chymist or Apothecary knowes what Oyle what Salt what Qâ—intessence lyes in the Minerals Spices or Herbs and applyes his Art to extract and purchase them That Shunamite rested not in the staff which Gohazi had she would haue the skill of the Prophet So doth each Christian applyes himselfe to extract the gift of another as Elisha 2 King 4.30.34 Layed eies to eies and face to face of the child whom he restored Some excell in this more then others Delila lay at Samson till hee had told her his whole heart So shouldst thou that seekest the grace of others First by putting thy case in their peâ—sons whom thou tradest with As If thou wouldst learne what patience in sicknes and payne is or how thou mightst dye well aske others How would you doe in this case make mine your owne Secondly obserue wisely what falles from the godly in their communion and conuerse ouersee not their words behauiours affections zeale scopes Watch theÌ„ narrowly as Benhadads men did Ahabs Yea obserue the speciall seasons wherein such grace may be gayned and redeeme them eyther in publique or priuate ordinarily or extraordinarily Speciall opportunities affoord speciall enlargements Thirdly let faith be the chiefe Extractor Beleeue the graces of the body to be giuen for thy vse not onely in the ordinances but euen in priuate conuerse All things are yours 1. Cor. â— 21 saith Paul meaning all Graces in all the members it s a great help of profiting whenas wee beleeue all the Graces of others are ours allotted vs by priuiledge from Christ whose we are Fourthly Rest not onely in the outward obiect but pierce into the inward There is more in a Saint then a bare Sentence or carriage will expresse Looke into the bottome as the Cherub into the Mercy-seate The Spirit of faith 1. Pet. 1.12 humblenes hope in a Christian is a differing thing from prayer or Speech in the family the wisdome meeknes of a woman appears rather in the frame and spirit of her course and constant walking then in her words or outside Pro. 18.4 The treasure of the wise is in their hearts Begge of the Lord skill in this mystery till thou canst say I thanke God I discerne in sâ—ch a sicke man the spirit of patience susteyning him in another that prayeth the Spirit of humblenesse feeling in a third of Sobirety loue Compassion an heart aboue the Earth c. Fifthly Bee wise to chuse thy obiect Each man excels not in each grace or gift And when wee meete not with that wee looke for wee thinke meanly of meÌ„ as Naaman did being crossed by Elisha 2. King 5.12 But the Graces of God are to be marked as they be most eminent as in Moses his mickenes in Phinees zealâ— in Abraham fayth Rom. 12.4 The eye lookes not at the foot to reach a thing but at the hand nor at the hand to go but at the foote Acknowledge this peculiarnesse and profit by it Fiftly Although thou extract not at the first what thou desirest yet wayt still to see more But if thou get that thou seekest blesse God and be satisfied and thankfull as Paul I haue enough I am full I haue receiued the fruit of your loue a sweet sauour Phil. 4. And looke what wee freely receaue that freely beteame to others that the Graces of the Spirit may neuer lye dead in the banque of CoÌ„munion but still runne fresh and be of vse for the good of the body Yea vse
quckening worke of the spirit of which more in the third part and the last is Glorification Q Let vs proceed to the opening of their seuerall natures and vses breefly so farre as serueth for our purpose A. It were endlesse to wade into all onely to shew the realnesse of them and the vse of them to the soule that it may see how richly Christ is offred to the soule I will touch euery one of them The first of them is Vocation See texts Esay 55.5 Rom. 8 30.1 Cor. 1.2 Now this calling is a worke of the Spirit issuing from election whereby whom the Lord hath chozen to be his he brings to know it And that by the voyce and call of the outward word and inward spirit cryâ—ng to their soules thus Come out of her my people and returne to me Come out from thy former corrupt estate of sinne subiection to Satan curse misery lewd customes error of the wicked hell and returre to that blessednes which thou hast lost So then calling is that whole workmanship of GOD whereby he pulles the soule from a bad estate to a good be it longer in working or shorter darker or cleerer easier or harder it s the drawing of it from darknes to light Act. 16.18 That from whence it s drawne is an vnregenerate estate That whereto is faith Between these thee whole work of God is calling Q. Can you not breefly summe vp the parts of it A. Yes it may bee conceaued to stand in these two parts Eyther the preparing worke of calling or the finishing The former is that by which the Lord finding the heart vncapable of a promise brings it and prepares it to be such an one as may see it selfe capable and vnder condition of beleeuing such an one as may beleeue For as for the opinion of such as imagne that GOD breeds faith all at once without preparing the heart they ouerthrow that grace in respect of a soules triall of her selfe and in respect of Gods Glory which they would seeme to magnify And they strengthen the hand of sinful men in their error thinking there is no difference betweene men al may beleeue in Christ This by the way The latter is that by which the Lord doth finish the worke of faith and power which is the Condition of the Gospell without which no man can partake any of the priuiledges following Note For it succeeds the condition of the Law and in stead of Do this fayth Beleeue this and liue Note well these termes Preparation is the condition of faith and faith the condition of the couenant Q. What are those preparatiues A. Partly legall partly Euangelicall in a word when the Spirit of God by both leaues such an impression in a troubled soule vnder the spirit of bondage of which in part that it comes by the sight of the Gospell to so much hope as workes the heart to mourning and brokennes to desire of mercy to esteeme it and to bee nothing in its owne eyes in comparison of it together with diligent vnweariednes till it haue obteyned it All which are the preuentions and assistance of the spirit of calling drawing the soule home to God by the steps and degrees that the soule is capable of Q. And what is the finishing worke A. That wherein Calling is perfected and wherein true conuersion of the soule begetting of it and bringing of it home to God for all these are the same doth consist For when the soule thus prepared sees that the promise belongs to her and she may and must beleeue it then the spirit stampes this gift of faith vpon the soule to receaue and tak it to her selfe from the promise Q. Passe by the vse of this now because wee shall come to it in the last Article and proceed to the second A. The second is Vnion Which is the first benefit in order I meane for else all are together in respect of the soules title and right to Christ and this oppozeth the cutting off of the sinner from GOD and all influence and Communion with his grace and by faith so bringeth the soule vnto God that its vnited made one and incorporated againe into him by the flesh of Christ vnited to his Godhead as Article 2. And it s the worke of the Spirit of Christ making the Lord and the soule one spirit and causing the soule to partake by vertue thereof all that power of this both in priuiledges and graces which follow And therefore I set it in the forefront of the rest for its sure the soule can no more receaue ought from God till it bee one with him by Christ then Christ could merit any thing for vs till the Deity and flesh were really vnited no more then the body and soule can impart or receaue to or fro till they be one See texts Eph. 5.31 32. Ioh. 17. often In all which its euident that till wee bee one with God in Christ wee are without him in the world the Lord abhorring all relations that want vnion But if once vnited then he is in vs wee in him Eph. 2.2 Iohn 1â— vlt. hee dwels in vs we in him as an inhabitant in his house and the soule in the body he is one with vs he is marryed to vs Hosc 2. Eph. 5. and we are his spouse and therefore hence issâ—â—th â—ll vertue vigor anâ— power into vs that is meete for our support eyther earthly or spirituall till our vnion bee perfected in glory To this that belongeth that is sayd we are ingrafted into him as a scien into a stocke which fetcheth all her nourishment thence As the two Seales of Baptisme and the Supper doe tipifie there being no possibility of the Communion of the latter without the vnion of the first Q. Proceede to the third Benefit A. The third is Iustification which is the second benefit of the poore beleeuer opposite to the estate of her guilt and punishment by sinne by which the soule stands in a full and perfect pardon of sin quietnesse and peace toward God through his discharging her from all guilt and punishment and esteeming her as fully cleared and acquitted therefrom as if she had neuer offended See texts Rom. 8.30 Rom. 5.18 Q. Why say you fully and perfectly can wee be perfect in this life A. No but for speciall cause to difference the benefit of Iustification from Sanctification the one being Christ made ours wholy for we cannot else stand before God except perfect by our selues or another the other in part our Sanctification being in this life imperfect But of this in second Article see more Q Seeing wee ayme onely at a view of the Article and cannot discourse about euery thing goe to the fourth and so wee will conclude all with the vses afterward together A. The fourth is Reconciliation which is oppozed to our estate of enmity and brings vs into amity and fauour with God as Eph. 1.5 Paul calls it our acceptation and belouednesse with
told them of a sonne for how could this and that stand together Nay wait vpon God and presse vpon him by prayer to performe his promise vpon this condition Elisha being to forgo his Master asked him that his spirit might be doubled vpon him Elia told him it was hard to grant howbeit if he saw him at their parting he should Now what did Elisha did he start from him Could any thing deuide him No he would be sure to keep the condition of the grant and so did For seeing Elia to ascend he cryed My father my father the Horsemen of Israel and the Chariots thereof and so in taking vp the cloake of his Master hee receaued his Spirit doubled Oh that this wisedome were in vs Rather the sinne of our hearers is after they haue spent a great part of their life in getting the condition they are so farre from heartening themselues to beleeue that God will perfect the worke of faith with power that they are ready to float betweene these two the Condition and the Performance If they be vrged to beleeue they fly to the condition saying yea if I had the condition but I am farre from mourning c. If they be vrged to the condition then they answer yea if I could beleeue as if these were works of our owne not the Lords rather the one contrary to the other then agreeable I end therefore with this caueat Let not the Deuill deceaue thee about thy condition and then hold what thou hast and let nothing so beguile thee as to deny Gods grace and so doing plead with the Lord humbly that he would not frustrate thy hope of which hee hath giuen thee such a pledge and in his best seasoÌ„ he wil assuredly answer thee Q. Now come to the latter branch What is it to cast the soule vpon a promise or to beleeue A. It is the last worke of the Calling Spirit of GOD wherby an humbled sinner doth cast himselfe vpon this Word of God Be reconciled come and drinke come and I will ease you or the like offer will charge or promise of God for pardon and life This point is of all others the chiefe and therefore I choze to refer it to this place as the vse of all that hath beene spoken ioyntly considered for wee know a fiuefold cord is not easily broken and yet no one twist thereof might well bee spared Fiue diuers grounds haue beene handled in this second part First God the Father our enemy hath cut off his plea and found out our deliuerance Secondly The Lord Iesus accordingly hath satisfied the iustice of God that mercy might haue free course by the procuring of a righteousnes Thirdly God the Father accepts this for a poore sinner as if hee in person had satisfied and therefore offers it to the soule most vnfeignedly without hooke or crooke Fourthly He offers him not nakedly but with all his rich furniture to draw the soule to fasten vpon him Fifthly He offers him to each poore member of his Church there to dwell for euer both in grace and Glory Now conclude I demand what one linke of all this chaine were not strong enough to draw the heart to settle it selfe vpon it And yet I must say this That the Word promise of God is the immediate thing which faith relyes vpon although strengthened with all the rest A little therefore of the nature of this promise Q. How many things are required to this consideration A. Two in generall The one to gage the promise and offer of God as a mariner would sound the depth of the Sea lest his ship should be on ground to see whether it be able to beare the weight of the soule or no and answer all her distempers and feares fully The second if it appeare that it is able to susteine it then to rely and cast it selfe vpon it confidently for her owne pardon and saluation Q. How shall the soule rightly gage the depth and strength of the offer and promise which it cannot reach A. Although the mariner cannot himselfe by his owne fadom touch the bottome of the Sea yet by his line and plummet hee can sound it as well as if hee could reach it with his hand and so fasten his Anchor vpon it so heere the plummet and cable of the Word wherein this strength and depth lyes will helpe vs to find it out so farre as may serue our turne The hand of fayth touches the depth of mercy conteined in the offer by the direction of the Spirit in the Word which tells vs what is contained therein Q How many things are conteyned in it A. Many things of which by the way I gaue a touch in Article three but heere I will open further Looke thither and see what I sayd of the freedome and Simplicity of the offer Now adde more touching the nature of the Word of promise which is Gods expression of the offer at the full Three things then the soule must looke at to bottome it selfe vpon the promise of Reconciliation and deliuerance First The wisedome of the Lord. Secondly The strength Thirdly The faythfulnes all which as sure grounds the Lord hath hidden in the promise of mercy to a poore sinner that is vnder the condition Q. What is the first the wisedome of GOD in the promise A. I may say of it as the Holy Ghost sayd of Salomon when hee called for a Sword to cut the Child All Israel sawe that God hath put the spirit of wisedome into him to doe iustice So God hath shewed all wisedome in the promise to settle the soule And that in two respects first of himselfe secondly of vs In respect of himselfe because in reuealing his heart of loue to the soule onely heerby and no other way he teacheth vs that he who is God onely wise 1 Tim. 1.17 could in the depth of his counsell find out no other way so wise and sufficient as this to ground the soule in sure peace towards him Christ and the promise in him was that which seemed the wisest of all wayes in the thought of God especially to vs vnder the Gospell See Heb. 1.1 After sundry wayes the Lord spake to our Fathers in darke times as dreames Vrim visions but now by his Sonne and Word the engrauen forme c. Note how this course is called the best and wisest and holdingest of all as hauing more in it then all the rest Oh! we would thinke in our shallownes that one from the dead Angels or reuelations were better But wisedome it selfe hath pitcht vpon this way all things considred as the wisest of 〈◊〉 Secondly in respect of vs For it is suche way as callâ—â— vs to fayth a promise hauing relation to beleeuing it without wch it cannot profit vs. Now if it bee without vs how wâ—â—e a way is it to quash and dampe our base spirit of Selfe-conceit and selfe endeauor and to abase our pride that he who boasteth might boast in the
Lord So that the promise is like the Map which a wise man shewed once to a foole that boasted of his Lands bidding him to point out his Lands in the Map which beeing narrow hee could not doe And so went away ashamed Note then for this first wee all would bee compted wise many in these daies chuze to be compted rather dishonest then vnwise Well let vs then be wise for our selues and wise to saluation in châ—zing this way of a promise to ground our soules vpon We see not the Lord but if this be a wiser way then that thinke there is somewhat in it more then at first might seeme and fasten vpon it Q What is the second bottome in a promise A. The Strength of God Read 1. Sam. 15. The strength of Israel cannot lye meaning in his Word So then in the Word of GOD is his strength also enough to beare vp the poore soule in beleeuing Heb. 1.3 He beares vp all the weight of the world by the Word of his power how much more the weight of a weake soule See Esay 27.5 Anger is not in mee there is a word What followes Or take hold of my strength and make peace q.d. If I bee reconciled there is strength enough in that for a sinner to take hold of eyther this or nothing Read 2 Cor. 1.20 for all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen that is sure and strong but marke how In him the words that I speake are Spirit and life But wherein is this strength Surely in the forenamed grounds of this second part Christs Satisfaction the Fathers acceptation are those pillers of â—â—rength to a promise Without which it would not auaile to go to a promise Weigh seriously that noted text 2. Cor. 5.20 21. The Ministers of God in his Name offer and seale vp in the Word and Sacraments that word Be reconciled to God What sayth the soule to this I dare not God is a consuming fire True sayth Paul but anger is not in him Why Because He hath made and accepted him that knew no sinne to be sinne that we might be the righteousnes of God in him he that sayd In him hee is well pleased Shall a poore soule be then as Noahs doue vpon the waters Why say ye to my soule Fly to the Mountaynes Psal 11.1 if God be his strong hold If thou be vnder the condition of the promise hee is no lesse in his promise Take a similitude A man lyes in prison for debt of a hundred pound A friend comes to him and bids him come out he answers I cannot I lye heere for the debt but beeing vrged he considers that it s not for nothing he is so pressed by his friend theâ—e is some Surety hath payed his debt and then there appeares a strength vnto him and laying hold on it he comes out Read that in Rom. 3.25 God hath set him forth to be a propitiation that he might be iust in iustifying him who is of the faith of Iesus What saith the poore sinner to this O! but it is iust with GOD to punish sinne wheresoeuer Nay hauing made and accepted him the propitiation for a broken soule it is euen iust to pardon him It was mercy to grant such propitiation but hauing so done it is also iustice to pardon euen as it is not iust to take one debt twice Therefore Dauid pleades Pardon mee according to thy Righteousnes Christ hauing turned iust wrath into iust mercy To conclude this note yet a second strength in the promise for the poore soule still cauils But this is to a beleeuer I beleeue not I answer but the promise by the power of the Spirit of our Aduocate is able to doe that which it requireth it s not a killing letter as the Law Do this and liue but a quickening one Beleeue and liue it giues that it commands the soule being vnder a promise is vnder the Authority of him that bids her be reconciled It is as with Naaman 2. Kings 5.15 Wash and be cleane So he washed and lo his flesh came as a childes Act. 2. that Cripple that beheld Iohn Peter beeing bidden to arise felt strength and streightnes to come into his lims how in the Name of Iesus Ver. 12. This Name of Iesus is much more in the promise of Reconciliation Marke then If the strength of a promise be such say not It is nothing but take hold of it Q What is the third bottome in a promise A. The faithfulnes and vndeceauable vnchangeablenes of it this is a strong bottome 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull speech and worthy all acceptance Christ came c. Read that sweet place Esay 55.3 The sure mercies of Dauid and the opening of it Hebr. 17.18 Surely blessing I will blesse thee Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew to the heires of his promise the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things Couenant and oath in which it was impossible for GOD to lye wee might haue strong consolation Why Because they are as two Cities of Refuge to a poore distressed fearfull soule in the pursuit of Satan and conscience to those auengers lay hold vpon Marke then if the LORD descend so low to a poore sinner as to answer all doubts by adding an Oath and a seale of his Sacrament and a pledge of his Minsters faythfulnes to assure the simplicity of his meaning g then doubtlesse it must bee his honour to performe it and hee that beleeues it not must needes make him a lyer Ioh. 3.33 as hee that beleeues sets his seale to the Word that it is true Numb 22.19 It came from a wretch yet by Gods Spirit God is not a man that he should lye Oh! then bottome thy soule vpon this faythfulnes Read Esay 54.9 Hauing made his couenant of mercy with the Church hee addes This is as the waters of Noa vnto mee for as I haue sworne that they shall no more destory so I will be wroth no more with thee with euerlasting kindnesse I will shew mercy vpon thee And againe If my Couenant with the Sunne and Moone and Starres shall faile then shall my Couenant faile with thee We rest vpon the promise of a man that neuer fayled vs much more his oath Heb. 6.16 An oath is among men a confirmation and end of all strife Oh! beware then of strugling against Gods promise because it carries the force of an oath with it Let me exemplifie it by a text 1 Kings 1.22 The Prophet Nathan and Bathsheba goe to Dauid and presse him Did not my Lord the King say Salomon shall surely reigne after me How is it then that Adonijah raignes What did Dauid Hee rowzing his weake body vp sweares As the Lord liueth who hath deliuered my soule out of all aduersity as I haue sayd so I will performe it this day Salomon my Sonne shall not reigne Was not Dauid as good as his word and durst any
for who commits sweet liquor into a foule vessell and what communion is there betweene corruption and purenesse Secondly hee addes And put on c noting that the Lord accepts not of a naked absence of euill except there bee also the presence of gracious properties Q. What meanes he by the putting off the old man A. By putting off laying aside purging casting out he means forsaking hating renouncing and bidding farewell to lustes Not much differing from the former part of Sanctification standing in mortifying and crucifying of sinne By the old man he meanes old Adams corrupt properties as blindnesse vanity which heere is named insteed of all the rest profanenesse vnrighteosnesse c. These he would not haue put off as we doe our apparrell ouer night to bee put on againe in the morning but as our old rotten ragges wee cast vpon the dunghill Q. And what meanes he by putting on the new A. The same which else where Rom. 13. vlt. and in other places he calles Reade that verse putting on of the Lord Iesus that as wee are clad adorned and warmed with our apparrell so Christ should be our clothing not of body but of spirit dayes and nights and continually Putting on heere signifying application in the closest mannor of Christ to the soule in his reneuing power By the new man he meanes the Lord Iesus in his nature and qualities of all grace and goodnesse as before I named So that this is a putting on of a better apparrell then cloth of gold and therefore admitting a better putting on that is neuer to be put off againe Q. What is the third part of the Text A. The fruit of both For these are within this dresse attire is spirituall but the Lord will have his new Creature not onely all glorious within but also without All outward clouts and rags cast off he names lying as one that is as manifest and common a worke of the flesh as any but meanes all and he will have the outward attire of vertue also to be put upon the conuersation hee names truth which as it is a Girdle to gird all other garments close to us so it s one outward badge of goodnesse Psal 15. See Ephes 6. but by this grace of the tongue he meanes all other of the body sences life and conversation And this of a taste of the Text the rest in the Articles The Article of the third part Q. VVHat is the scope of this third part A. To shew that whosoever truly beleeves the pardon of his sinne must also giue up himselfe to God in all holy obedience both in the frame of his spirit and in his outward conversation Q. What is the first Article of this third part A. That who so is begotten to God by the gift of faith hath also the image of God begotten in him by the spirit or more briefly that he who is in Christ is a new creature Read these texts for it 2 Cor. 5 17 other texts shall occur in the particulars following see Ephe. 2 10. Q. How many wayes doth the Scripture expresse this A In sundry all tending to the same end which are well to be noted for better conceiving of the Scripture For as we see sundry writers use divers tearmes and call this third part of the Catechisme The doctrine of Thankfulnesse or of Obedience to the Commandemâ—nt or the like so the holy Ghost uses divers tearmes And all may be referred to these heads for either they looke at the maine Principle of the Spirit of Sanctification as when the tearmes of Renouation New man New Creature Regeneration New birth are used or at the operation of this principle as when the termes of Repenting casting off the old man putting on new purging forsaking denying unrighteousnesse or lusts are used and so of mortifying our lusts or rising up to holinesse c. are used or else at some actuall inward vertues as love feare obedience subiection and the like or at some outward performances as walking with God in all his Commandements or departing from iniquitie or abhorring evill or cleaving to good ceasing to sinne learning to doe well or the like these all although in phrase differing yet in sence are all one and they import this That the Lord requires of all beleevers in Christ that their hearts be renued that they purge themselues finish their Sanctification feare him for his mercy walke with God order their conuersation aright all is one thing get one and get all but the holy Ghost doth includ all in that golden sentence Hee that is in Christ is a new creature Q. How many things are to be considered for the better conceiving of this maine point A. It is indeede the maine of this whole part and the things are especially these foure first the Author of this Regeneration or new Creature the holy Ghost secondly the inward instrument of this author and that is Faith thirdly The subiect in which this regeneration is wrought The whole man Fourthly the parts these will prooue the chiefe For as for the other which are taken for granted wee neede not to dwell much vpon them to wit the seede whereof wee are begotten which is the Lord Iesus the immediate instrumen vsed to beget the word of God the seale by which the Spirit assures conveis this regeneration Babtisme Onely let vs take a Scripture for each for the first 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are we who is made c. that is of Christ Christ in his holy nature holy obedience and sufferings and resurrection is the matter of our sanctification For the second see Iam. 1.16 Of the word of truth he begate vs c. that is by the Gospell preached the eare receiues the seed of the word to beget vs. For the third See Mat 3.11 Where our Sauiour is said to baptize with the holy Ghost and fire noting that baptisme is the seale of this worke And so Rom. 6. The Apostle tels vs that by Baptisme wee are ingrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection which is nothing else but our sanctification Q. Well then let the former foure heads be a little opened yet before those answer one obiection that troubles me you seeme to imply that a beleeuer and a new creature are two things I had thought that seeing faith begets vs to God by reconciliation therefore it and a new creature differ not A. Briefely I answer that it 's true beleefe of the promise is Gods creation likewise Esay 57.18 But this prooues not that this article is needlesse For as shall appeare in the second of these points regeneration is either a begetting vs to God and making vs his or else a begetting God in vs and these two differ as life diffâ—rs from the exercise of it To vse a similitude the childe truly quickned in the wombe hath the life of a reasonable creature because he hath the soule put into him yet he is not said to be borne
by faith in me Note the phrase Iustification is much ascribed to faith As Act. 13.38 Rom. 5.1 Rom. 3.25 but heere sanctification also So Act. 15. Hauing purified their hearts by faith 1. Pet. 1.22 And Saint Peter Hauing purified your harts by faith to the obedience of the Gospell Yea the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.13 seems to make faith to bee the instrument of the spirit sealing the soule After ye had beleeued ye were sealed by the spirit of promise faith attending the Spirit in beleeuing the promise it selfe doth further attend also the seale of it and applies both to the soule The reason is because although the seale is aboue a word yet it 's by a word and with it and not else Q But here it a great scruple how faith should be the apprehender of both these at once viz forgiuenesse of sinne and renuing of the soule For who sees not how wide a difference there is betweene receauing a thing without vs as imputation of righteousnesse and a thing really inherent in our natures as the image of God and renouation A. I grant the point needeth due consideration yet as the Lord shall guide me I will endeauour to answer it And seeing the truth hereof is as cleere in the Scripâ—ure as any one therefore the manner thereof wil the better be found out To this end note that faith being the instrument of the spirit in both the acts of regeneration I meane reconciling and renuing doth of necessity attend the worke of the spirit in both If then it be true which I sayd that the spirit reades a lecture of the Couenant to the Soule according to the whole purpose thereof then needes must faith do likewise euen follow the direction of the spirit in applying them equally to her selfe for faith is as the eye of the handmaid to the Mistres that is do that which the spirit suggesteth and takes all which the Lord offers her euen the Lord Iesus at once and wholly If the spirit say take Christ both for pardon and sanctification lo it takes him for both together of the former there is no doubt Let vs see for the latter Eph. 1.18 the Apostle prayes that the eyes of the mindes being enlightned by faith they might ver 19 20. see the exceeding powerfull and mighty worke of the Lord Iesus in them that beleeue that is whaâ— hee can doe by the power of his death and resurrection So in Eph. 3. end he praies that they might haue Christ dwel in their harts by faith that so they might comprehend his length and depth that is take him as hee is to the soule and haue the knowledge of him that passeth all knowledge beeing filled with his fulnesse So that faith takes the Lord Iesus in his fulnesse that shee might bee compleate in him both for mercy and sanctification So if we looke Ioh. 17. vlt. As thou O Father art in mee and I in thee so thy loue may be in them and I in them Marke Christ is not onely offred to the elect to be for them in pardon but to be in them to dwell to rule to comand to exercise power ouercorruption and for gouernment to bee as a soule in the body to act guide and beare sway in them as the branches in the vine out of which they wither so that the promise offers Christ both for vnion of reconciliation and also Communion and influence of grace In both which she takes him for he is not diuided a pearle is little worth being broken Now then looke how the hand of the Prophet was vpon the Kings in shooâ—ing so is the hand of the Spirit vpon the soule in beleeuing and as the hand of the writer vpon the learner to frame it his way so is the spirit vpon faiths hand And as the wax takes all the whoâ—e print of the seale so doth faith of the promise by the hand of the spirit So that although its certaine that nothing is more vnlike than the things themselues which faith applies in the manner of apllication the one taking a grace onely imputed and resting onely in the act of God casting forgiuenesse vpon the soule without any addition of inherent goodnesse to it the other taking Christ as infused and dwelling in the powers of the soule yet this puts no difference vpon the apprehension of faith seeing with one hand and one act both the Lord offers them the Spirit ioynes them the soule beleeues them The spirit is that which doth order these two benefits and settles them vpon the soule and in the soule but faith with one hand and act doth receiue them according to the seuerall vse and seruice as the spirit pleases to apply them It pleases the law to conveigh a Copy-hold by Court roll and a free hold by other conveyance of writing seale deliuery and possession but the same hand takes the copy and receaues the liuery and season So heere Q. What doth faith in the application of this Gift of Reneuation or the new creature A. Two things It workes the heart to be renued by an argumentation See 2. Cor. 5.14 For the loue of Christ constraineth vs because wee thus iudge c. Marke faith iudges the matter aright and passes a sound verduict vpon it If Christ haue so loued vs how should our soules earne toward him in all conformity to his blessed nature faith is in this as in all other respects a deepe Logician shee argues for God strongly shee brings euidence vnanswerable for him that as a she carries about her the marke of a diuine cause beeing the most Divine worke of God that ever hee did since the Creation above all the gifts of Adam and ayming at a better end so she carryes also strong reason to move the soule to bee like to her workeman and to resemble his holy nature The word constreine vs signifies such an hemming in as of the beast in a Pound or Pinfold that is put into it and câ—nnot get out by any euasion so doth faith controll the heart that it cannot wind out must needs yeeld to bee as hee who hath imputed his righteousnesse to forgiue her that is righteous and holy The very savour and instinct of faith tends to holinesse she serves to abandon nature to set vp holines in the soule As she settles an imputed holinesse to iustifie from Christ so she cannot rest till she her selfe partake it within Such things as are alway lying among sweets cannot chuse but resemble and sauour thereof Faith comes from the divine breath of God and is his gift therefore cannot degenerate but as riuers flow from the sea and runne thither so doth faith come from God and returnes to him shee sins not till shee haue so pleaded for God that she haue drawne the heart to sauor him in his holinesse And secondly by infusion She is the Tunnel of the spirit to convey the renuing of the holy Ghost into the soule As the hand of the workman
in his Spirit This of all other things searches a false heart whatsoever part of him seemes to have some image of God sure it is it is not in his spirit In spite of him his thoughts purposes and affections are voide of him The streame the frame the bent of his soule warps from him and goes another way The most subtile hypocrite can but come to this to delude himselfe by the strength of knowledge and some dammings of the streame of his corruption but as for the turning of it by a strongâ—r to a contrary motion that can hee not attaine to there is no dissembling of a new Creature Once a Phylosopher in 30. yeeres made an iron frame of a man to speake but as one said of him Oh fine scull without braines so here may be said Oh faire out-side without a principle of life and spirit Let us consider this although an hypocrite may grow to this to delude himselfe and make himselfe not to see his defiled principle yet he can never purge it out while he is so For the Image of God is set up onely in some out-roome and when his lust comes in place there is no routing for this this must yeeld to his base ease pride lust which are set up in his inner man and beare sway And secondly the hypocrites image of God is onely a counterfeit of it it s no free principle acting him from within so long as some torrents and violent pangs are up in his passions so long as he is under some streame of powerfull preaching or deepe feares or sudden humours of affection he seemes some-body but when these are past he is like himselfe as dead as ever I may compare him to Davids old body in which there was no heate left they sought out Abishag to keep heate on him but more then he had from her he had not and therefore he dyed instantly notwithstanding her So is it here So long as the five is within the water it hold it but no sooner out but all is empty when the Word is gone and violent causes he wanzeth and discovers those corrupt evils of uncleannesse and prophanenesse which the word suppressed But with the new Creature it s otherwise he is borne of God and sinnes not with consent when outward props faile loe all failes not he mournes for the want of old helpes but in this want he abounds with the comfort of the inner man the principle of grace which is immortall and whose being is of God Secondly its use of consolation to a beleever the Lord esteemes Vse 7 him by his best part his bent and streame and not by his defects The Apostle Rom. 7. Not I but sinne in me I serve God in my spirit ver ult As a man cals a dunghill precious for a pearle in it and as a man would cal wine mixt with water wine and corne full of weedes corne because of the better part So here the spirit and bent of the heart denominates a Christian with God Thirdly Its use of examination for all that would be sure Vse 8 to know the new Creature to be formed in them Try it by the roome wherein ye place it the best things require the best place The image of God in Christ drawne by the spirit will endure no roome but the most inward spirit of the soule If the enemy besiege a King hee must breake thorough many doores and locks ere he come at him because hee is in his privy chamber Try thy selfe then by two or three marks If the new Creature be set up in thy spirit then wil the stream of thy soule goe with him and to him as the riuers to the sea Thy plotting thy diuising fore-casting and whole wisedome shall serue for him how his honour seruice Sabbaths and himselfe may be set vp where thou hast to doe The Spirit of a Drunkard or Mizer will not so plod about the pots or mony as thine for God Thy tongue eares and all will bee for him Thou maist step out of the way but still thy bent will be to serue him and speake for him in thy spirit If memory or great words faile thy spirit will bee for him as that poore man was for Christ Ioh. 9. read the allusion Againe the sauour of thy heart will be in and for him The bent of the soule commonly goes where it delights and to that which is precious to it try thy selfe by this What hath got thy heart Where is thy treasure If Christ in a new creature bee it lo the very instinct and ioy of thy heart will bee to him other things shall be vnsauory thou shalt stinke in the nostrils of an old man and he in thine And secondly try thy selfe by this The spirit of the soule is the chiefe part of it there is the whole streame If the new creature be set vp there God is serued withall the might the male not the female all the courage and strength Pro 23.26 no cost is too great The whole cost of all thy powers members gifts authority credit wealth experience shall runne in the streame of holinesse No vnbeteeming one can be a new Creature for hee is free borne The minde we say is the man If that be for God all the inferiour faculties will side with him as Iezabels Eunuches with Iehu as the lesser wheeles of the perpetuall motion did the first moouing Master wheele That engin when it was seene in the Court was not so admirable as this Q. Conclude the Article with the vse of the fourth branch Vse 8 A. It affords vs among many this onely one That wee learne to esteeme the Sacrament of Baptisme otherwise than most of vs doe Did wee know and beleeue it to be that Lauer of Regeneration and Channell of Christs divine nature and properties which are conveyed to the soule by it as Peter cals it The washing not of water but the Answer of the soule by the resurrection of Christ telling vs wee are washed by the Spirit of our God and ingrafted into the likenesse of his death and Resurrection by it surely we should make other vse of it then we doe And the doctrine of the Couneant would sinke the deeplier into vs by it if wee could vse it as the instrument to put on the Lord the holy Ghost and fire But touching the wofull contempt of Sacraments I shall elsewhere treat if God will Let this be sufficient for this Article The second Article Q. PRoceed now to the second Article A. The second is That the Lord requires that this new creature thus framed in the soule breake forth into the whole course and conuersation That is that holines be exercised and set on worke in the course of our life which sometimes in the Scripture is called the ordering of our conuersation aright See Psal 50. vlt. Gen. 5.24 sometimes our walking with God Gen. 17.1 Luk. 1.6 sometimes our giuing vp of our bodies as sacrifices to
force a good iury to bring in a false answer that he may sin by preuiledge Lastly and especially through the neighbour-hood that good hath with euill oft-times who would not commend the pity of him that refused to smite the Prophet 1 King 20.36 or the fact of the good midwiues that saued the women of Israell Exod. 1.19 and who would not at first discommend the Leuites for slaying their brethren Exod. 32. But wee must doe no good that euill may come of it and where God discharges the conscience from a Law there is no transgression as in the borrowing and robbing the iewels of the Egiptians appeares Therefore let vs cleaue to our grounds abhorre all doubtfull generall erroneous ones take paines to discerne betweene the colors of good and euill and beware we be not lead by the errour of wicked as 1 Pet. 3. end and Ephes 4.14 Q. What is the right mannor of actions A. So necessary is this rule that it reaches to all our actions yea the most indifferent in her nature and such as wee are not tyed to but are arbitrary yet when they are done are to be done in a right manner or else we sinne And this manner of doing requires two things First that they be done in the estate of well pleasing Secondly well pleasingly for the former it is an assurance that the person pleases God Heb. 11.4 for the latter it is a cleauing to the quality of performance that it be pure To the pure al things are pure in their lawfullnesse yet euen pure things must be done purely also as I noted before in the Beauty of Conuersation each action hauing in it a peculiar quality to commend it as there I noted in diuers instances And therefore next to knowledge the eye of the soule must call for this true mannor that withall closenesse entirenesse humblenesse faith wisedome loue cheerefulnesse resolution it may performe that which is good But I repeate nothing Q. VVhat is the due measure of Actions A. That the Lord be served with the best of us within by the best bent of our soules without by the best extent of our abilities and that wee keepe no false measure within vs. Our course is to deale with God as buyers and sellers doe each with other buy by one measure and sell by another So we when we trade with God are content hee should sell to vs by the largest bushell heaped thrust and running ouer but we repay to him by a cut scanty one But as we doe or would fare at Gods hand so should we measure out vnto him and in all that we doe to him or for him call forth the best of our spirit and bent of heart all our courage and might and also enlarge our actions to the greatest extent we can in number and in degree that our goodnesse may be as diffusiue and exemplary as without hypocrisie and within within our compasse may be But I haue spoken of these two before of the one in the Subiect of Regeneration of the other in the grace of Measure Looke backe to them Q. What is the true end of all good actions A. It is one of the maine of all the rest For as the end and scope of a thing giues it the being so a childe of God is more properly obedient in his end then in any hee may faile through ignorance or weake carriage or measure but in this is his glory That the desire of his soule is towards the Lord and that he may approoue himselfe to haue had an vpright ayme at the Lords ends the glory of his name good of his brethren and peace of his own heart whatsoeuer else he failes in in preaching in prayer in mercy and compassion in Sabboths in example yet that in this he is voyd of guile See Pauls boasting 1 Cor. 1.12 we haue had our Conuersation in sincerity c. This was Abimeleck's praise for the moral of it that he had done it with a pure intent It is that God lookes at Psal 51.6 It was Dauids reioycing that he walked in the perfect way Psal 101.2 and Asa his prayse that in all his distempers he still held vpright in heart Oh this a dâ—fficult worke As hucksters deale with their milke honey and wares they mixe them with waxe water and trash for the vantage so doth our heart seldome any action but some dreg and dead flye of our owne aymes and ends is ready to defile it Beware therefore and let a true end steere all the actions of our life But of this before in the grace of vprightnesse Q. Proceed to the third branch of the substance of conuersation concerning the obiect thereof what is it A. It is two fold either our Spirituall Conuersation with God himselfe or our Conuersation with man in our common life Q. What is our conuersation with God A. Godly conuersation as Peter calles it is that communion which a renued soule hath with God or in a word it is the soules enioying of God so farre as here may be and it is either inward or outward Q. What is inward conuersation how manifold A. It is twofold either the life of faith or the exercise of the Graces of the spirit within the soule Q. What is the life of faith A. The soules enioying of God Christ our Sanctification by all his promises concerning life and godlinesse And a faith at the first drawing neere to God did cleaue to him in Christ by a promise for reconciliation as in Article 6. of the second part so it proceedes and improoues Christ her sanctification for all needes and vses of this present life For as Paul saith if being enemies wee were reconciled to him by his death much more by his resurrection wee shall partake his life And againe If he haue not denyed vs his owne Son how much more shall hee not with him denie vs any thing Now saith vnderstanding whole Christ in sanctification to be made hers 1 Cor. 1.30 doth draw as a man would draw lines from a Center to the circumference on each side so particuler promises of vpholding the weake soule in each condition that so she might say in all Now liue I yet not I but Christ in me And the life I liue I liue by faith in the Son of God and againe The iust man liues by faith not as some inuert it The iust by faith shall liue Q. What promises doth faith liue by in Christ A. To speake of all were endlesse for a draughts sake I referre them to foure heads First estates Secondly meanes Thirdly duties Fourthly graces which may serue for the rest The sum is Iesus Christ is the life of the soule throughout and as before and without Christ the soule liued a naturall and common life of selfe world pleasures vanities so shee now liues the life of Christ in all those foure And shee is thus said to put on Christ that as a man in his apparell doth all the workes of this
perfect freedome yea meate and drinke Ier. 31.33 Eze. 36.27 according to that Ierem. 31. I will write my Law in their hearts and cause them to walke in my Statutes that is put strength of mine owne into them to agree with my Rule and stoope to my Scepter Kings command their people but serue themselues upon their strength cannot put any into them but Christ is serued by his owne Q. What hath he done for vs as our Prophet A. His Prophecy commeth yet neerer to the matter in hand for although all that I have said be to be supposed ere the Law can direct vs yet the actuall worke of direction issueth from his Prophecie And first by a Declaring and secondly by a Reuealing Worke. The Declaring worke is a witnessing to the soule that he is the true Lord and Comman-of his People Esay 55.4 that he rules his law as by his scepter that all his Preisthood and merit ends in his kingdome and obedience that it is his honour that all knees bow to him and that they kisse the Sonne that hee is the obiect of it through whom the Father is honoured that true Liberty stands not in hauing our wil but in putting on this yoke and who so doth otherwise deceives himselfe But secondly by his Reuealing worke by this hee directs the soule and sets the steps of it as Luk. 1.79 in peace by this he vses the tenor of his Law to be a liuely finger to point out duty for euery occasion and to frame the soule to draw his Law to euery need and vse in the life according to that 1 Ioh. 2 20.27 Ye haue an vnction from the Holy one who telleth you all things And in Esay 30.21 Their eares shall heare a voyce behinde them saying This is the way walke in it This is a Revealing with direction by which the soule sees the vse of Christ in euery Commandement and is led on by him as her Guide thereby as if an Oracle should speake from heauen Esay 55. A Leader and Commander to his people vers 4. And thus a Christian may see how the Commandements of the Morall Law are the directions of Christ and how he is the Law-giver of the soule in them all and till this bee conceiued it is no wonder if we account them as a strange thing Hos 8.12 But by this meanes familiar Q. I conceiue now how Christ hath made his Law a direction to godly life now come to the directions themselues what are they A. They concerne either God himselfe in the 1. Table as his inward worship of feare confidence and setting him vp to be our God alone in the first Or our outward reasonable seruice and worship of him in pure manner in the second Or our faithfull abearing our selues in all holinesse in such actions of common life as are not immediate worship in the third for I referre oathes and vowes to the second which I desire wise Readers to thinke of or the set day of our Worship vpon one day of seuen since the eighth day was turned into Gods day or the Christian Sabbath and that in the fourth Or else our neighbour and our selues in the other six Subiection to all Superiority in the fifth Maintaining his pretious life as being better than all that follow in the sixth Of his Chastity in the seuenth His Estate in the eighth His Name in the ninth The tenth forbidding not onely that Concupiscence which reaches to the detriment of our neighbor but vnder that as most sensible to vs all that wicked propension and bent of nature before actuall sinne whereby originally we are prone to all vnâ—ustice and impiety and intemperance Concerning which as hauing said enough in the second Arâ—icle of Conuersation and it being no part of my purpose to repeat what hath been written by so many learned faithful Writers I omit to say any more only contenting my selfe to lay downsome briefe rules how the Law is to be conceiued the Minister of Christ for righteousnesse and so to conclude the Article with breefe vses Q Mention then some of these Rules A. First that all the Lawes of Christ must be vnderstood to be of another manner of force and authority than the Lawes of men euen the greatest for they are limited with exceptions in all kindes and doe but reach to the outward man and penalties thereof But these doe reach to the conscience and they binde the inner man God whom wee haue to doe with seeing the soule in her vtmost retirednesse as a thing naked Heb. 4.13 and his word being pure as himselfe and piercing betweene the ioynts and marrow Heb. 4.12 and therefore there he sets vp his Throne and there is no evasion from him Secondly Let vs know that his Commands are not idle things and arbitrary which we may obey at our curtesie or if not yet God is as a weake King for whom his Subjects are too strong as Ioab and Abisâ—ai for David but reall Lawes from an authority that both knowes offenders and can punish them yea which accurseth all transgressours and will not hold them guiltlesse Heb. 12. ult a consuming fire as the manner of his uttering them Exod. 20. in earthquakes and thunder shewed and therefore be we afraid to provoke him and yet he is a God able to gratifie his obedient ones in ample manner even to a thousand generations and it s not to be neglected that both kind of sanctions are expressed in so short a view Thirdly obserue that the commands of the second Table are the edicts of the same God whose the first are Iam. 12.11 and therefore in which the Lord takes himselfe as much either honoured or not as the first which I speake lest any should cavill and thinke that 1 Sam. 2.25 If man sinne against man a man may iudge but if against the Lord who shall entreat to be meant of morall offences No but onely of common discurtesies and offences or breaches which are in mens power to release For even those sinnes of Eli's Sonnes were against women and yet he tels them the Lord tooke them as against himselfe So that although men be the object of the second Table yet not the last into which the morrall offence is carried and therefore it is not in man to release any more of it then his owne damage the rest the Lord onely can remit as the sinne is of equall guilt so the forgiver must be of equall power Fourthly the Law must be alwayes understood according to the scope even as every other part of the Word as promises and threats Wee must not rest in the bare letter and so destrow the life and spirit of the Law How shoud ten words include all our conversation except the letter of the Law be enlarged to the meaning of the Law-giver The Law then rests in the true intent of it Therefore as for all Pharisaicall licentious or prophane wretches who doe limit this Law and acknowledge no more
meere Idol God iustly blasting that which opposes his glory Vse 2 Secondly how precious and adored should the Wisedome of our God bee in appointing so many and neither more of these nor lesse than the need of his Church required neither pampering nor steruing them but nourishing them Oh I say how should these lift vs vp to God As once an holy man riding by the Meddowes in the Spring seeing and smelling such variety of flowers said Oh sweet Creatures but how sweet then is your Creator If this foot-stoole bee so set forth what is his Throne So let vs say Oh sweet Ordinances oh beautifull Assemblies oh vsefull varieties but then how sweet is your Ordainer Could we thus meditate hereof for euen the workes of God deserue it how much more these how should that harmony which riseth out of them rauish vs What compound of odours what consort of Musicke should be like them Who should keepe vs from them or what lustre of a Princes Treasure and Wardrobe or sight of exquisit beauties should draw from vs those words which Dauid vpon this Meditation vttered Psal 84.1 Oh how amiable are thy Tabâ—rnacles If we be held from them how should our soules mourne for them till the Lord gather vs to them Zephan 3.18 and how should our spirits and flesh both together loâ—g for them desiring the Lord to restore them to vs with more power aâ—d vs to them with more thanks than euer Nay how ought this wisdome of God to teach us holy wisedeme to discerne and make vse of each flower in this garden of Ordinances How lamentable is it that to this day most of vs are so blinde in this point Who sees the vse which the Law serues for apart from the Gospell to be as a needle to draw the thread after it Who blesses God for the seuerall power of the Word conuerting and building vp the soule Who perceiues the difference of Baptisme the Seed and the Supper the food of the Church or maketh vse of both in their diuers temptations Who knoweth with the Bee how to flye to each of these flowers for the vertue of euery one Who goeth to singing of Psalmes when hee is merry or to pray when afflicted or to fasting in his streights or against such Deuils as no other will expell Oh how were this wisedome to be desired that seeing these manifold graces we might in nothing be wanting So wee sing or read we doe the worke and all salues serue for one sore we see not but reading may conuert as well as preaching and so any thing be walking what care we Not to speake of those phantasticke spirits who forsaking Gods Ordinances blessed by his month runne into their owne corners to compasse themselues with the sparkes of their owne fancies and reuelations Let such know there is no wisedome in them Esay 8. Thirdly let this bee exhortation to all beleeuers first to vse secondly to liue by faith in the use of the meanes First Vse 3 to vse them all closely constantly wisely despise not the sillinesse simplicity of them iudge them not by man or outsides of appearance seuer not the things which God hath vnited hee hath ordained both their coherence and vse seeke him in all if by any meanes Phil. 3.11 we may attaine our desire not knowing in what box our cheefe health consisteth let not one eclipse and staine the other affect not priuate to exclude publike honour not publike to weaken the esteeme of priuate extraordinary to despise ordinary or ordinary to exclude them These are the vsuall humors of men if they take a toy in their head no other Ordinances shall bee in price saue such as they list Let not the difficulty of meditation of hasting dismay thee from it but be afraid that any one of Gods Ordinances should be a stranger to thee Reiect none as thou wouldest be sorry to want the vse of any the contempt of any will accurse all because the charge equally concernes all And for the neglect of the publike which is a common sinne with most to hunker at home when the Word or Sacrament might be enioyed I say it is an ill marke of a thriuing Christian Grace is as fire it must haue fuell else it vanishes No meanes no grace little vse of them little grace great vse of them as before qualified great grace I will speake boldly The Lord in this case sells grace for labour to an honest heart If thy conuersation be so poore and thou so barren in the vse of all meanes standing vp to the chinne what wouldst thou proue if thou shouldst quite neglect them Euen stinke where thou goest Set not any Ordinance aboue God but tempt not God in refusing or scant vsing of any Looke not to grow alone without Word and Sacraments And lastly to remember my promise in the point of the life of faith in the second Article let this teach vs to liue by faith in the vse of his Ordinances I haue already vrged it in euery of the particulars almost Fasting Hearing Sacraments c. This in generall I adde Therefore the Lord hath not trusted vs with outward shewes and glory of the world but with meane and foolish Ordinances to the eye of man that our senses might not pore vpon the face of things but diue into the substance and flye aboue them to him that made them and filled them with Spirit and Life that wee might sucke it out by a promise As once an old man being asked if hee grew in goodnesse said Yea doubtlesse I beleeue it to be so for God hath said it So let the Ordinances be no obiect of our sense but of faith and let vs say Lord I beleeue thy Word can helpe me to beare my crosses thy Sacraments will leaue mee better than I came to them strengthen mee in the inner man not because I feele it as I would but because thou hast said it Therefore by faith let vs cry out as the Church in the Canticles Arise O North-wind and blow vpon these flowers and spices that they may come into my nostrils Else thou maist bee in the midst of the Garden and sauour nothing onely that breath which put in this smell into them can draw it forth againe and let it in to thee that so thou mayst say The word which others heard as the sound of many waters hath beene the savour of life to me to breed me to a liuely hope Not the words vttered not the bare Elements but the promise belonging to both is the obiect of my soule He that saith I will bee in the midst of two or three Mat. 18.20 and Mica 2.7 My Spirit is not streightned but my Word is good to them that walke uprightly The Word is pure as the Lord himselfe yea piercing the soule c. is still able to make good his promise And so I may say of all promises made to the Sacraments My Flesh is meat indeed and my Bloud is drinke
and circumstances according to Christian rules of which see Phil. 4.6 Finally brethren whatsoeuer is pure good of good report c. Also it s a grace teaching him that hath it to keep a decorum in religions and outward conuersation as knowing what his person cōdition wil beare or refuse Lastly how to carry himselfe in the vse of things indifferent without excesse or defect how to vse Christian policy with simplicity purenes of conscience Q. What is Simplicity A. It is a grace of a renued soule looking at truths in the naked nature apprehending and iudging of them without all mixture or corruption of fleshly conceit and wisdome and accordingly desirous to be informed of them as they are and to loue embrace and ensue them accordingly neither looking at the right hand or left I feare that as Satan tempted Eue so he tempt and lead you from the simplicity of the Gospell Q. What is Sincerity or Vprightnesse A. It is a grace of the Soule looking at the actions of Conuersation in respect of their right and true ends and therefore as it oppozeth al hypocrisie which is to do good with a squint look and mixture of our owne ends of credit gaine ease or content so it doth good with a pure ayme at Gods glory the honest discharge of duty and the good of others so as a man may haue good conscience in all things See 1. Cor. 1.12 and Act. 26.1 Iob 1. he abhorred to be an hireling This is called perfection viz. of parts not degrees Q. What is faithfulnesse A It properly respects the due manner of conuersation that it be holy and approouing what is accepted howbeit properly it hath a respect to opposition For as we say of a good and faithfull seruant wee dare trust him with vntold gold meaning although we see them not so this grace is such an honesty as puts God in security not to reuolt from him or warp notwithstanding baytes to allure or terrors to discourage or dangers to deferre either by threats error of the wicked collapsed times or provocations from our own false hearts Reu. 2.13 and Reu. 3.8 Thou hast kept my word and not denyed Mat. 25. Well done good and faithfull seruant It 's also taken for sincerity Act. 16.15 Q. What is integrity and what grace of the soule is it A. An equall and whole vprightnesse of it towards all the Commandements of God without partiality or taking exception Psal 119.6 When I haue respect vnto thy commandements It is contrary to that halting of spirit with God and patchery of a false heart whereby it affords God a maymed sacrifice in some duties forward that come on the right side but such as finde not fauor in our eyes reiecting them Q. What are the Graces of quantity or measure A. They may be referred to two Prosperity and Constancy Q. What is Prosperity A. A grace of the soule compounded of many in a word the welfare of a soule in respect of degrees and measures of grace And it hath three parts first Rootednesse secondly Fruitfulnesse thirdly Growth Rootednesse of the soule is a grace contrary to staggering and slightnesse whereby it is both grounded wel in knowledge for direction of life and setled in grace for full purpose and resolution of obedience See that of 1 Cor. 15. ult unmoveable So elsewhere the word of stablishing and setlednesse in the grace of the Gospell is used Also 11.23 That with full purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord. Secondly Fruitfulnesse is a grace issuing from rootednesse whereby the soule is abundant in the worke of God and full of the fruits of weldoing The contrary is barrennesse and emptinesse when the soule scants the Lord in his due as if he were an hard Master The effect of it is to auoid unprofitablenesse in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus 2 Pet. 1.8 Read for this grace 1 Cor. 15. ult The third is the fruit of both to wit Groth and encrease For as wee see it to be in trees when they are once well fastned in the earth rooted we looke they should beare fruit and then that in so bearing they waxe and grow in height and bredth and fruite so is it here Groth is a grace of the soule by which it encreases by due steps degrees to that fulnesse of the measure of Christ according to the proportion of the part Ephe. 4.15 Pet. ult Luk. 8.8 And it commonly is the effect of the meanes of grace blessed to the beleeving soule as 1 Pet. 2.2 Now then of these three stands Prosperity which is the spirituall gladnesse and laughter of the thriving soule 3 Iohn 2. Thy soule prospereth that is apparently is fat and well liking in goodnesse as those three children Dan. 1. and as we say the corne and hops laugh upon the ground and poles that beare them And it is a grace of the soule rooted fruitfull and growing whereby it beareth marke in the sight of all Act. 15.23 that it goes well with i◠to Godward and is cheerefull full of health vigor and contentment saying thus What I am I would be and wish no better Q. What is Continuance A. A grace of measure in the soule whereby it gives not in nor is faint or weary in weldoing and its contrary to staggering sloth and ease It hath two branches the first is firmenesse and resolution in the truth Col. 4 12. The other respects the course or wheele of conversation and it is either a going on and on from duty to duty with strength and purpose Psal 119.57 and long-breathednesse Psal 84 7. and Heb. 12.1 Run the race with patience set before thee taking alwayes in good part thicke and thin and not fainting in affliction and troubles Or else it is small Perseverance the fruit of the former for by a continuing in well-doing Rom. 2.7 and accounting each day a peece of our journey home at length we attaine the end of our hope and the issue of our faith and combat This grace hath the honour of all the rest not because the rest are inferiour to it but because it hath the lot above all the rest to stand next to the doore of salvation and to let in the soule thither See Mat. 24.13 14. Revel 2.10 And thus much of the Graces qualifying good conversation generally Q. What are the particulars that immediately helpe conversation A. All the sanctifying graces of the spirit of God according to the peculiar use they have in conversation as some are more proper for one use some for another and all for some or other Thus faith is a grace for the just to live by to God in the world hope is a grace to beare up in streights patience in an affliction thankfulnesse in blessings moderation in lawfull liberties innocency and righteousnesse in the common life of men love generally helpes all in a word each grace doth more or lesse serue for the enabling of the soule
to a well a bearing of it selfe towards God man or selfe Of these I speake no more onely I would adde one thing That graces of the spirit serve not onely to take up the residence within and no more but mightily to strengthen the soule to all spirituall or externall conversation see that Col. 1.11 Strengthned by the might of his power unto all long-suffring with joyfulnesse and well pleasing c. Hence it is that Eph. 6. Paul reckons up speciall graces of the spirit as the compleat harneis of a Christian I will open this by a similitude I told yee that Conversation is like a wheele Note then As in a Wheele there be three parts the nave the spokes and the round so here the nave is compared to the spirit of regeneration or the new creature of which in Article 1. the spokes are these graces I have named issuing from the nave and fastned to the round for as these staves doe unite the strength of the nave to the round and carry the strength thereof to each part of the wheele which else would breake and split in sunder so these graces of the spirit of Christ are the staffe of our life and the very support of our conversation and wheele of our course As for example Take away knowledg from the use of our liberties faith from the Sacraments or Word love from visiting the sicke mercy from almes where shall these parts of conversation become And thus much of this first part of the substance of conversation in graces Q. What is the second part of the substance hereof A. It is the consideration of the Subject who is to lead this conversation that is the regenerate person Now looke what the severall instruments are by which a Christian doth and must ordinarily converse those are the subject in which it stands and therefore had neede to be accordingly qualified Q. What are they and how many A. Three Thoughts Affections and Actions Q. What are the Thoughts and what rules are there for the frame of their conversation A. Thoughts are the first movers in the soule and from them issueth either good or bad life see Pro. 4.23 so our Saviour That which defiles a man comes from within as evill thoughts Mat. 15.19 They are the master-wheele If a man be envious and malicious Psal 36.4 his thoughts devise mischiefe upon his bed if the course be covetous the thoughts first set them on fire they pierce them through with cares 1 Tim. 6.10 So in the rest Therefore it being granted that we speake of the new Creature who hath purified already his soule to obedience let these rules serve to frame his commonwealth of thoughts aright First let our continuall care be to keepe the through-fare of the soule free from them as by pardon of them Acts 8.22 so by purging of them daily from that vanity prophanenesse disorder endlesnesse and other sins thereof which makes the conversation vaine 1 Pet. 1.18 Eph. 4.24 put off the old man of deceitfull lusts Secondly Iere 4.14 Mica 6.5 labour to season thy imagination and the doores of thy sences eyes and eares with holy meditations of God his Church his Will and Promises Psal 1.2 In the Law of God he meditates day and night Psal 19. ult Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be alway acceptable Thirdly watch over these thoughts as men doe for theeves and aske whence they come and whither they will ere they passe yea keepe the whole prison the streighter for the sake of thy thoughts because if the ringleaders breake loose all the rest follow them Pro. 4.23 And the doore of the thoughts had neede be kept as well as the tongue Psal 141.3 yea and keepe in holy thoughts that they goe not out as fast as they come in Eze. 46.9 So fourthly attend seriously upon holy objects to fixe the imagination upon good things Esay 26.3 which is the way to beat off the swarme of these flyes Above all looke to the maine worke of Renuing and let all thy springs be in the Lord Psal 87.7 even the root of thy whole conversation which is the spring of thy thoughts and this will cause the branches and streames to be holy and cause thee to dwell upon meditation and to be heauenly minded Q. How is the wheele of Affections to be guided A. The Affections are the wheeles of the soule indeed anâ— upon them the soule is either hurried to evill or led to good Little doe most men thinke how they are carried by these their passions by each object Sometime by love by joy by hope on the right hand otherwhiles by feare by sorrow by anger pitty or the like rare is that man who venters not upon the sea of conversation with the broken barke of Affections It may be said of them as of that ancient Where they doe well none better where ill none worse Heathens were faint to abandon them quite the Stoicks I meane for the pudder they found by them and to deny all affection and so put out their eyes and cut off their hands and feete for feare of offending them But the Scriptures afford more grace than so therefore first weigh well how hardly the best escape the violence of them Note how Dauid disguizeth himselfe suddenly in swearing Nabals death vpon his defeate 1. Sam. 25.13 Ioh. 18.10 how soone Malchus his eare is smitten off by Peter in his passion how soone fire from heauen is sent for by the discontenâ—ed disciples Luk 9.54 So also Dauids rashnesse to Nathan 2 Sam. 12.5 which he must needes blush for So by the beholding of Bathsheba how soone was a fire kindled but long in quenching How suddenly Iosh 7. did the babilonish garment fire the heart of Achan The newes of Absoloms death pierce and disguise Dauid 2 King 5.20 Not to speake of Gehazi his sudden following Naaman Felix his hope of a bribe from Paul the disciples excesse of sorrow vpon a word speaking by Christ that foolish pity of Ahab vpon the men of Benhadads errand the extreame feare of the women vpon the Angels words All these Cloudes of witnesses shew the vnbridlednes of the passions and therefore should prepare vs with earnestnesse to preuent them Secondly yet note how affections are as soone vp in armes if the heart be well seasoned and stablished with grace How soone was Peter mooued with holy feare vpon the draught of fishes Luk. 5.8 How easily was the poore blind man rayzed vp in the depth of loue to the Lord Iesus how soone was sorrow wrought in the hearts of three thousand murtherers at once by Peters preaching how presently was compassion mooued in Peter and Iohn toward the cripple Act. 3.4 how quickly was zeale stirred vp in Phineas against Zimri and Cosbi Numb 25.11 and so may bee said of the rest Thirdly therefore let vs nourish the fire of the holy Ghost kindled in vs in our first regeneration and apply it