of Boon Companions did indeed offer sacrifice and do solemn service unto Satan and his Angels the Authors the Favourers and Furtherers of all riot and excesse Now if any that cals himself a Christian or is a Christian by Calling or profession have been as long accustomed to the like riot or excesse or take as great delight in this Sin as they did which offered sacrifice unto Bacchus he is as true and proper a Servant unto Satan as they were For Satan did desire the sacrifice or other Service but as an Homage Rent or Tribute whereby he hoped to gain the possesion of their Souls or a right or interest in their actions or imployments a power of disposing or commanding their affections which offered him sacrifice or payed him tribute Now if he have gotten the like interest in their actions or imployments or the like command over their affections which professe themselves to be Christians they are his by possession or occupation He needs no Sacrifice or solemn Tribute from them which as we Say He holdeth in his own hands Briefly ☜ The Heathens which offered sacrifice unto Bacchus unlesse by this custome they brought themselves to be in Servitude unto the sin of drunkennesse were not more grievous sinners nor greater Bondmen unto Satan then Christians are which are in greater Servitude unto this loathsome Sin 5. Such of the Heathens as worshipped Venus as a supposed Goddesse or Pattonesse of Love and wantonnesse did indeed and in the issue Worship Satan and his unclean Spirits which are the Authors the Nourishers and Maintainers of all bodily filthinesse and uncleannesse If any which professeth himself to be a Christian be as much given over unto wantonness and uncleanness as the Heathens were which Worshipped Venus He is as true and absolute a Slave to Satan as they were and shall be sure to have his wages without repentance as truly and fully paid him as the other shall The least and best wages which he payeth for the use of their actions or imployments during this short and brittle life is an endlesse and never-dying death 6. Such of the Heathens as offered sacrifice unto Pluto whom they supposed to be the God of Riches or of wealth Lord Paramount of Gold of Silver of all kind of Metals or whatsoever else was contained under the surface of the Earth did indeed Worship Satan and his infernal powers And the sacrifice which they offered and other Solemn services which they did unto him shall be as evidences against them at the Last day that were his Servants as a pledge or earnest to bind them to accept his wages If any Christians how Precise or Devout soever they seem to be though daily Frequenters of Publick Prayers though diligent Hearers of Sermons be as Covetous as great Oppressors of their poor Brethren as unconscionable in their gettings as unsatiable in their desires of gain as the Heathens were which thought to purchase Wealth by sacrificing unto Pluto the bond of their Servitude unto Satan is altogether as firm and strong their Servitude or bondage it self altogether as hard as great and dangerous as the Servitude or Bondage of the Heathens were And whilest they are in Servitude unto Satan whatsoever they Profess or make shew of they cannot be the Servants of God or Christ For no man as our Saviour tels us Mat. 6. 24. can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon But what doth he mean by Mammon wealth or riches only Certainly a part of his meaning is That every covetous man that every one which is extraordinarily careful for gathering things of this Life Every one that minds most his gain or getting of riches is a Servant to his riches or to his desires of them The other part of his meaning is that He which is a Servant to his desire of riches is a Servant likewise unto him whom the Heathens called Mammon and worshipped as a supposed God of riches For Mammon in the Syriack Tongue is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Albeit we Christians know and believe that there is no such God or Lord of wealth and that there is but One God and One Lord who is the Lord and owner as well of the Earth and things in it as of the Heavens Yet have we no reason but to think that the Infernal Spirits have their several Wards or Quarters Some of them have better skill or more experience in humouring Covetous and Worldly minded men Others in humouring or enticing Wantons Others have more skill and experience in alluring men unto drunkenness Et quam unusquisque novit artem in eâ se maximè exercet They quarter themselves according their several skils or experience into several Regiments Some keep watch and ward over Covetous men and present unto them all opportunities of making unlawful gain or of over-reaching their Brethren in bargaining The chief of this ward or Regiment or perhaps the whole Regiment it self is called Mammon Other lye Leigers about such as are more prone to Wantonness Their chief care or imployment is to present them with all opportunities or allurements unto Pleasure Other lye as Agents in Taverns or Tipling houses And their care and imployment is to provoke men to Excess and to such other Enormities or breach of Gods Commandments as accompany excesse of drinking 7. Now this me thinks should be a Great Motive to deterre or dehort any man from yielding Obedience to his own Desire of what transitory Good or Pleasure soever if he would but consider That in yielding Obedience to his own desires he becomes the servant of some sin or other and that in becoming the Servant of any sin whatsoever he becometh the Bondman or slave of Satan who hath one bad propertie which no other Master how cruel or devilish soever besides himself hath and That is To Plague or torment them most which have done him most continual and faithful Service And yet even this Diabolical Disposition of his becomes the faithful Executioner of Gods Justice For every degree of their service done to Satan doth include in it a like degree or portion of Treason or Infidelity towards Christ And it is Just and holy on Gods part though Satanical and Devilish on Satans to recompence such as have done Satan in this World greatest service with the greatest portion or measure of vengeance in the world to come All of us have some one or other of this Infernal Crue daily attending on us hourly watching or dogging us in all our designs or projects throughout cur whole Course of life CHAP. XXI Of the manner How Satan brings men to be his Slaves 1. Plato IT was truly said by One had his meaning been as truly taken Nemo sponte malus No man is wittingly a naughty Man at least no man desires to be
of the Son of God is not by their doctrine of infinite value nor of force and vertue everlasting but infinite only secundum quid i. e. infinite in the Nature of a bloudie sacrifice not so simply infinite as to exclude all other sacrifice or offering for sin For if it had been of value infinite or All-sufficient to take away sin whilest it was offered up in a bloudy manner there had been no more offering either required or left for sin whether a bloudie or a bloudlesse offering whether after a bloudy or a bloudless manner for if Once offered it were in the nature of an offering infinite it necessarily took away all other offerings or manner of offering for sin A Note Relating to the precedent Chapter EUsebius Socrates and Theodoret amongst the Greeks Primasius and Austin amongst the Latines do not distinguish betwixt these two Ominous names Novatus and Novatianus But St. Cyprian in his 49. Epistle shews plainly that they were of two distinct persons though agreeing too well in Schism and Heresie Novatus was an African new Monster a Preshyter in the Church of Carthage where S. Cyprian was Bishop vir sui nominis for he was Rerum novarum semper Cupidus disobedient to his Bishop spightful against the Order unnatural to his Father who dyed for hunger and lay too long unburied unfaithful to the Orphan the Widdow the Church-stock unkind to his wife whom he made to miscarry with a kick Damnat sacrificantium manus ipse nocentior pedibus says S. Cyprian Thus qualified fearing Excommunication He fled to Rome and joyned with Novatianus a Roman Presbyter who was about that time brewing his Schism against Cornelius Bishop of Rome These Two were the Ring-leaders of the Sect of the Cathari See S. Cyprian Epist 49. and Epist 51. 52. with Rigaltius his Notes CHAP. LV. From the Text Heb. 10. ver 1 2 16 17. And from this Maxim That Christ's One Sacrifice of himself was of Value absolutely Infinite it follows not That such as worship God in Spirt or such as are received into The Covenant of Grace have their sinnes remitted before they do committ them That Doctrine makes Christ's Resurrection useless in respect of us and Baptism needlesse Legal worshippers Conscious and their sins remembred in such a sort as Evangelical worshippers are not The vast Oddes betwixt Christ's One Sacrifice and the Many Legal We must distinguish betwixt the Infinite value and Infinite vertue of Christs sacrifice The precious Effects of H. Baptism and the Eucharist flowing from the Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice and Priesthood How Legal Sacrifices c did prefigure Christ's 1. BUt unto men which have not their Senses exercised in the Prophetical and Evangelical Writings or in the Harmonie betwixt them the words of the Apostle in that tenth Chapter to the Hebrewes An Objection made ver 1 2 16 17. do minister some scruple His words ver 1 2 are these The Law can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the commers thereunto perfect For then would they not have ceased to be offered because the worshippers that is such as were observers of the Legal worship only should have had no more conscience of sin From this Opposition between the condition of Gods people under the Law and the Condition of his people under the New Covenant that is of such as worship him not by Legal Sacrifices but in the Spirit it may seem to be concluded that such as are within the Covenant of Grace or worship him in spirit have their Sinnes remitted before they can commit them or as soon as they begin to worship God not by Legal sacrifices but in the spirit For if the sins of men thus qualified were not remitted before they were received into the Covenant of Grace or at least at the time when they were thereunto admitted they should at least have as much if not more Conscience of sin as the Legal worshippers had 2. This Scruple or Question which the words of the Apostle ver 1 2. do minister may be fortified or Augmented from the same Apostles Inference ver 17. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more This is the Privilege of such as are within the New Covenant Fortified Now if according to the Tenor of this privilege God will no more remember their sinnes and iniquities who are comprized within the new Covenant the cause or Controversie may seem concluded that God will neither punish their sinnes nor question them for them For all punishment of sin all inquisition after sin doth include or presuppose a Remembrance or Cognizance of the sins for which men are punished or questioned Both these Scruples may receive strength or Countenance from that general Maxim unto which we willingly subscribe That the bloudy sacrifice whereby this new Covenant was made and ratified Reinforced was of value absolutely infinite for taking and putting away sinnes And how could it possibly be of value infinite for taking away sins unlesse the sins of all all their sins for whom it was offered were by it taken away or remitted So taken away that they should be no more remembred in Gods sight that They should have no more Conscience or horrour of sin 3. Answered The clear and unquestionable Points of Truth included in the Apostles words are but Two The Former That the Legal Worshippers were conscious of sin in such a sort as the Evangelical worshippers or men comprehended under the new Covenant are not conscious The Second that God did remember the sins of such as were under the former Covenant after such a manner as he doth not remember their sinnes who are under the new Covenant of Grace But for the Distinct meaning of the Apostle that is how farre the Legal worshippers had a consciousness of sin how farr the Evangelical worshippers have none In what sort measure or manner God did remember the sinnes of his people under the Old Covenant and not remember the sinnes of his people under the new Covenant of Grace we can have no better scantling no more indifferent standard than the words of the same Apostle in the same tenth Chapter ver 3. But in those sacrifices to wit which were offered by the Law there is a remembrance or commemoration of sin made every year But wherein did this Annual Remembrance or Commemoration of sin consist The Law as the Apostle elsewhere speakes was but a School-master unto Christ and the Lessons which this School-master did by the Annual or other bloudie sacrifices especially teach were these That the men by whom or for whom these bloudie sacrifices were offered had deserved and as often as they offered them did deserve to be tormented and mangled as these sacrifices were That the â—utchery of Them was but Favorabilis commutatio poenae a favourable exchange or diverting the punishment from themselves upon these bruit Beasts That whiles the fire under Gods Altar did continue Gods
Freedom in respect of divers Objects and degrees in Natural men 3090 SECT V. Of the great Duty of Mortification and of the use of Free-will for Performing it 3096 CHAP. 28. Of the General Contents which concern the Duty of Mortification and which be the especial works of the flesh we are to Mortifie 3096 29. How farr the duty of Mortification is Universal how farre Indefinite 3099 30. Containing the true Rule for examining our Perswasions concerning our Estate in Grace 3103 31 How the Flesh is Mortifyed by Vs How by the Spirit 3106 32. Whether Mortification and Conversion may be said to be ex pr visis operibus though God alone do properly Mortifie and convert us 3112 33. By what Spirit we are said to Mortifie the Deeds of the Body 3115 34. Containing the Manner and Order of the Spirits working or of our working by the Spirit 3120 35. Wherein the accomplishment of Mortification or of Conversion unto God doth properly consist 3124 36. Contâ—ining the Scope or Summe of what hath been said concerning Free-will and the service of it in the duty of Mortification 3129 Sect. VI. Concerning Election and Reprobation and That the Decrees of God be not terminated to the Abstract Entities or Substances of men 37. Concerning the Limitation of these Two Propositions Rom. 8. 13. 1. If ye live after the slesh ye shall dye 2. If through the spirit ye do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live 3146 38. A Sermon on St. Iude's Epistle verse the fourth enquiring who those men were which were of Old ordained to the Condemnation there spoken of and what manner of Ordination is there meant 3164 39. A serious Answer to Mr. Henry Burton who took exception at a Passage in this Authors Treatise Of the Divine Essence and Attributes about Objective Goodnesse c. 3175 40. A Paraphrase upon the Eleven first Chapters of Exodus with useful Observations and parallels 3190 41. Salvation only from Gods Grace or An Exposition of Romans 9. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth But of God that sheweth mercy 3210 42. An Exposition on Romans 9. verses 18 19 20 21 22 c. or a Treatise of God his just Hardening Pharaoh c. 3222 SECT VII Of the Acts or Exercises of Christs Everlasting Priesthood CHAP. 43. Concerning the Manner or meanes by which the Son of God doth now de Facto through the continual Exercise of his Everlasting Priesthood in his heavenly Sanctuary set Free indeed all such as seek for the working out of their own Salvation with fear and trembling pag. 3252. 44. The Coherence of the eighth Chapter to the Hebrews with the seven precedent and two following The exact Proportions or Parallels betwixt the mundane Tabernacle with the two Sanctuaries therein and the Caelestial with those in it betwixt the Manner or Rites in the Consecration of the One and the Other Betwixt the High-Priests of the Old Testament and Christ our onely High-Priest of the New intimated in this explicated in the following Chapters 3253. 45. That the soules of Righteous men Abraham c. Were in a Blissefull heavenly Mansion before But after The Kingdom of Heaven was perfectly set up and open to all Beleevers By Christs Placing As man at the Right Hand of God Their Condition was bettered 3255. 46. A Parallel betwixt the Rites of Dedicating The Tabernacle the vessels c. with Blood of Beasts And of Consecrating The Heavenly Places with the most Pretious Blood of Jesus Christ 3257. 47. Before the fuller draught of that Parallel If the Blood of Bulls and the Ashes of an Heifer much more the Blood of Christ treated on in the Two next Chapters The Apostles Translating the Hebrew word Berith by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is shewed to be not a meere Allusion but of strict Proprietie 3259. 48. The Parallel between the most Solemn Services of the Law and the One Sacrifice of Christ and The high Praeeminence and Efficacie of This in comparison of Those The Romanists Doctrine That in the Masse Christs Body is identically Carnally present and that there is a proper Sacrifice Propitiatorie offered derogates from the Absolute Perfection of Christs offering himself Once for all 3261. 49. That the Forraign mainteiners of the more then Fatal Irrespective Rigid Decree make Christ Jesus rather a meere Sacrifice Then a True Everlasting Priest acting for us and dayly working out our Reconciliation to God So do such as teach That the sinnes of some were Remitted before they were Committed Of the Superexcellency of Christs Priest-Hood and One Sacrifice in Comparison of the Aaronicall Pr. and the Many Servâ—ces thereof 3266. 50. The Raritie of That Rite of Consecrating the Water of Sprinkling by the Ashes of the Red Heyfer an Emblem of Baptism and the Singularitie thereof Our Churches meaning in some Expressions at the Administration of That Sacrament 3270. 51. Inordinate Libertie of Prophesying brought Errors into the Church and hindred the Reformation 3273. 52. That Justification Consists not in One Single Act. In what sense Fides est Fiducia is True 3276. 53. Christs Parable Math. 12. 43. c. applyed Two degrees of Reconciliation the First Active or but meer Grammatically Passive The Other Reall-Passive So Correspondently Two Branches of Justification The One from Christs Death the Other from the benefit of His Priesthood daily participated to us 3277. SECT VIII Of Errors disparaging Christs Priesthood CHAP. 54. Three Errors disparaging Christs Priesthood 1. The Novatian denying the Reception of some sort of sinners 2. Alate Contrary Error affirming That Every sin which some sort of Men Committ is pardoned before it be committed 3. The Romish Doctrine of the Masse giving Scandal to the Jew All of them respectively derogating from the infinite Value or Continual Efficacie of Christs Everlasting Priesthood 3280. 55. From the Text Hebr. 10. 1 2 16 17. and from this Maxim That Christs One Sacrifice of himself was of Value absolutely infinite it follows not That such as worship God in spirit or such as are received into the Covenant of Grace have their sinnes remitted before they commit them That Doctrin makes Christs Resurrection Useless in respect of us and our Baptism needless Legal worshipers Conscious and their sinnes remembred in such sort as Evangelical worshippers are not The Vast odds betwixt Christs One Sacrifice and the Many legal We must distinguish betwixt the Infinite Value and Infinite Vertue of Christs Sacrifice The precious Effects of H. Baptism and the Eucharist flowing from the Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice and Priesthood How Legal Sacrifices c. prefigured Christs 3292. 56. The Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice and the Vse of His Priesthood two distinct several things Wherein the Exercise of his Priesthood doth Consist How it was foreshadowed Ordinances Effectual by Vertue of Christs Presence Vertual Presence is a Real Presence 3301. A Table of the Texts of Holy Scripture Expounded or Illustrated in this BOOK Genesis Chap. Verse
extinguished before they cannot revive themselves Or if children by Baptism were restored unto that State of Innocency which our Parents once had this Innocency could not be lost without some Actual Transgression like unto that transgression by which our First Parents lost their Innocency or Justice Original Actually to transgresse after the similitude of Adam Infants whilest Infants cannot For such Transgression consists in a sinister choice of the Will or in the ill use of Reason And all ill Use of the Will or understanding presupposeth an Use of Reason which cannot be in Infants Again there is no Necessity that all Children should actually transgresse when they first come to the use of Reason if before that time they had been Freed from all Original Corruption or Reliques of the Old Man by Baptism For to lay a Necessity of sinning actually upon any that had been Freed from all Original sin or restored to the state of Innocency which Adam had were to make God the Author of such Actual Sin Adam himself did not actually sin upon any Necessity but Voluntarily and Freely If the First Sin had not been an Actual sin or if that Actual sin had been committed upon Necessity not Adam but God had been the Author of it Certain then it is that This Duty of Mortification is necessary in respect of ALL without any respect of Persons ☜ Every one at their first Arrival unto the Use of Reason or at their Passage out of Infancy into Youth are under This Yoke which is no Evangelical Counsel but a Peremptory Precept And if This Duty necessarily concern ALL at that time ALL must of necessity have Original sin or some Reliques of the Old man in them yea such strong Reliques as will impell them to some Actual Sin or other or to some transgression of some of Gods Commandments when they come unto the Use of Reason Otherwise This Duty or precept could not Vniversally concern ALL without Exception For by the Contrary Doctrine some at least when they first come to the Use of Reason should have no Deeds of the Flesh which they were bound to Mortifie Most of the Romans unto whom our Apostle here writes had been Baptized after they had come to years of discretion And Baptism without all question had been as Effectual in them as it hath been in any other since yet our Apostle supposeth some Deeds of the Flesh to be in ALL of them Even in such as had lateliest been washed in the Laver of Regeneration which were to be Mortified in them So that Baptism is rather a Sacramental Consecration of us to undertake this Flight with the works of our Flesh or corruption of our nature then an utter Extinction or absolute drowning of these Enemies 5. Another necessary Corollary or Consequence of this Doctrine there is not usually observed by Modern Controversors and it is This That the same measure of Regeneration which sufficeth Children or Infants dying before they come to the use of Reason will not suffice such as attain to the use of Reason or years of discretion For if it did or could they might be saved as Infants are without performance of this Duty of Mortification One of these Two must necessarily be granted as Either that Children or Infants are not so thorowly sanctified or regenerated as is necessary to Salvation before the hour of their death which no man to my remembrance hath taught Or else he that affirms them to be truly regenerated or sanctified in their Infancy must yield to us in This That such Children or Infants as have been formerly regenerated in a measure sufficient to their Salvation out-grow this measure of Regeneration or Sanctification after they come to the use of Reason or years of discretion as they do their apparel or clothes which were fit for them whilest they were Infants And no question but the Old Man after we come to the use of Reason grows stronger and stronger in all of us untill we abate his strength and Mortifie his members by the Spirit Wherefore Leaving Children or infants unto the Spirit of God alone who doth Regenerate them by Baptism and preserve them in the State of Grace without our Ministery of Preaching This Precept is a Precept of Working Faith The Duty here injoyned is a Duty Necessary unto All that are of years fit to be instructed or of Capacity to understand the Scripture or Rule of Faith expounded to them Let us then take his words into a Second Consideration If ye live after the flesh Of the Nature of the Fight with our own Bodies in General ye shall die He saith not If ye have lived after the flesh ye shall die for this had been rather a certain Prognostick of death then any medicinal Advice or Prescript unto his Patients One man there was and no more who was First Good and afterwards Bad this was the First Adam Another there is and no more who was Never Bad alwayes Good this is the Second Adam Christ Jesus blessed for ever Of all the rest that is most true which a Father hath Nemo unquam bonus qui non antè fuit malus No son of Adam ever proved Good who was not sometimes Bad. The Apostles Saying is in this Case true First is that which is natural then that which is spiritual We Even the Elect themselves were the sons of Adam before they were the Sons of God in Christ All or most have lived after the Flesh before they come to live after the Spirit Thus much our Apostles Second Proposition will infer If ye though the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall Live Inasmuch as Mortification of the Flesh is necessary to All it is presupposed that All have a Flesh which may be Mortified or a Life of the flesh seeing nothing can be Mortified but that which hath Life in it 6. Again Our Apostle saith not If the Deeds of the Flesh be Mortified in you by the Spirit ye shall Live For so we might happily have dreamed of a Mortification already wrought in us or to be wrought in us without our Consent or Endeavours as well whilest we are asleep as whilest we are awaking Or we might conceive it to have been so wrought by the Spirit in our Cradles as we might presume to passe the time of our youth in play and pastime Or we might hope to have it so fully accomplished by the same Spirit alone in our youth or maturity as we might spend our Old Age in sleep without setting a Careful Watch over our Works or thoughts His words if we observe them are thus If ye through the Spirit do Mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh ye shall Live So then we see The Flesh must be Mortified and Mortified it must be By Vs Every man must Mortifie his own Flesh although he cannot Mortifie it but through the Spirit It is The Spirit alone which giveth Victory yet this doth not Priviledge us from
Work then our Assumption or minor Proposition is Good and the Conclusion will follow if not Certitudine Fidei by the Certainty or Full Assurance of Faith yet by Certainâ—y more then Moral by an Assurance of Hope But if we Mortifie the Deeds of the Body only Now and Then or by Fits Or if we intend this work but slightly or as it were upon the By Then our former Assumption I do mortifie the deeds of the Body is Impertinent and will sooner bring forth Presumption then any Assurance of Hope or Moral Certainty of our Estate in Grace For Conclusion of this Point Let every one of us take heed not to measure our Hopes of Regeneration or Degrees of Mortification by our readinesse or desire to hear the Word Preached until we have examined our selves Whether This Desire in us be a Desire of the Spirit or of the Flesh Or Whether it proceed from True Religion or from Humour or Fashion of the place Certainly if this desire in many were from the spirit or from true Religion it would be more Uniform and like it self in the Practise They would be as ready at least in some good Measure or Proportion to frequent Publick Prayers as to go often unto Publick Sermons For the Faith of Christ can be had no more With Respect of Christian Duties than With Respect or Persons And the same Authoritie whether Divine or Humane or Ecclesiastick from it derived which injoynes us to hear The Word Preached doth more strictly injoyn us to frequent Publick Prayers specially in seasons wherein we are specially required by Authoritie to thank God for our manifold deliverances from the Messengers of his wrath But from what cause soever our desire of hearing the word Preached proceedeth Our backwardness in frequenting publick Prayers without all doubt ariseth from some workes of the Flesh or Reliques of the Old man which must be Crucified 3. They that are Christs saith our Apostle Gal. 5. 2â— have crucified the flesh with the affections and Lusts Take we heed that none of us argue thus I am Christs therefore I have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts The Apostles meaning is that the safest way for us to know whether we be Christs or no is from this Experiment within our selves if We have crucified the flesh with the affections and Lusts But what doth he mean when he saith The Affections and lusts must be Crucified Doth he require an vtter Extinction or Total Mortification or absolute death of all carnal Affections and Passions before we can be assured that we are Christs No. Such a Total Mortification cannot be hoped for in this Life We are said to be Crucified to the world or to have the Flesh with the Affections Crucified in us First By Profession or Consecration So all that are Baptized into Christ Jesus are said to be Dead to Sin yea to be Buried with him by Baptisme Rom 6. 2. 4. Secondly we are said to be Crucified unto the world or to be Mortified to the Flesh not by Profession only or Resolution but by Practice and this Crucifying or Mortification admits of many Degrees 4. Mortification and Crucifying Termes not â—â—divisible but of Large Extent Crucifying taken in its proper Sense was a most Lingring kind of Death or Torture And men were said to be crucified from the very First Moment of their nayling to the Cross albeit the conflicts betwixt life and death were many and strong for divers houres after Now it is not to be expected that any of us will be as eager or violent in Crucifying our own Flesh as the Jewes were in crucifying our Saviour Seing the Partie to be crucifyed in us is Part of Our Selves we cannot but use it more mildly and gently then the Romans did such as they crucified for Malefactors whom they would not so violently have handled unlesse they had first adjudged them for no members or but for rotten and putrified members of their Body Civil The lesse violent the conflict is between the Spirit and the Flesh or between the Old Man and the New the longer will the Old man live in us the more frequent and sensible his motions will be And finally as he was born with us so he will die with us hardly before us Yet may we be truely said to have Crucified the Old-Man with the Affections and lusts from the verie First Time wherein we begun to nayl them to the Cross of Christ if so we still watch them and seek to quell their Motions by the Spirit They are dayly crucified by Gods Children and yet are daily reviving 5. As often as we receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist with due Preparation Every remembrance or Meditation of Christs Death upon the Cross if it be wrought or managed by the spirit will be as the fastning of A New Nayl into the Old Man or Body of Sin which we carry about with us We cannot think of Christs Death or of the Causes of his Crucifying aright but every thought will be a degree of weakening or enfeebling the Old-Man whom we must by this and the like meanes dayly weaken otherwise he will be our Destruction CHAP. XXXI How the Flesh is Mortified by Vs How by the Spirit This was the Second General Propounded Chapt. 28. And the parts of This Inquiry be Three First In what Sense WE whom this Duty concerns can be said to Mortifie the Deeds of the Body The Second By what Spirit we are to Mortifie them By the Spirit of God by our own Spirit or by Both The Third The Manner and Order of The Spirits Working or of our Working by the Spirit 1. Seeing to Mortifie implies an Action How Man can Mortifie his Flesh THe First Point is most Material and of most use in respect of Modern Controversors If Mortification be as I think none upon better Consideration will deny a True Part of our Conversion How can We be said to Mortifie the Body or Flesh unlesse we may be said to Convert Our Selves which is a Doctrine that Few will like of as being prejudiced by Contrary Tenents much imbraced by men deservedly well approved of by all or most Reformed Churches For Resolution of this Doubt we are in the First place to consider That Regeneration Conversion or Mortification are Termes in their proper Nature Indefinite and so used by the Holy Ghost The Actions or Qualifications comprehended especially under Conversion and Mortification are not of one Rank There is a Conversion Spiritual and a †Conversion or Mortification Spiritual and Moral See the Note at the end of this Section or of Chap. 36. Conversion only Moral There is a Mortification likewise either meerly †Conversion or Mortification Spiritual and Moral See the Note at the end of this Section or of Chap. 36. Moral or truly Spiritual The matter signified or imported by these words Mortification and Conversion whether Moral or Spiritual is not Indivisible Whence it is that we often
that he may instruct him But we have the mind of Christ When He saith WEE have the mind of Christ he includeth ALL such as He was that is All Men truely Regenerated by the Spirit whom God hath instructed to discern the things of God By The Mind of Christ the Apostle meaneth the self same thing that he did by the Spirit of God Between the mind of Christ communicated unto us and the Spirit of God communicated unto Us and received by Us there is no difference or distinction The importance of both Speeches is the same Our mind being Changed from Evill to Good or from minding of Carnal things to the minding of Spiritual things is called The mind of Christ by Participation so likewise The Spirit of God by Participation But the Spirit of God which communicates this Mind or Spirit unto us or by which we are said to receive it hath not alwayes the same Importance Between the Importances there is no Dissention yet a Distinction Sometimes by the Spirit of God God the Spirit or God the Holy Ghost is meant who in a peculiar manner is said to sanctifie Us to Regenerate Us to Quicken Us to work Mortification in Us. Sometimes again by the Spirit of God is meant The Spirit which is in Christ which is the Fountain from whence all gifts of the Spirit are immediatly derived unto us though the derivation be immediately wrought by the Holy Ghost And when the Apostle saith that we have the mind of Christ this Mind of Christ which we have received supposeth a Mind or Spirit in Christ which participates it unto us or from which we receive it by Participation We may not imagine a Transmigration or Transmission of the Spirit which is in Christ from Him to Us but a Participation only God hath anoynted him with the Oyle of gladnesse above his Fellowes God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him From the fulnesse of this Spirit in him we receive Grace for Grace Albeit this Grace be distributed or Portioned out unto Us by the Holy Ghost Christ sends the Spirit of Mortification or Regeneration into our hearts as the Fountain or Conduit head doth the water into a Citie The Holy Ghost prepares our hearts to receive this Spirit of Christ and brings it unto Us after such a manner as He that makes the Aquaeducts or Conduit pipes doth convey water into a Town or Citie otherwise destitute of good water 6. But what doth the Apostle mean by the Spirit of man as it is Contradistinct or opposite to the Spirit of God the whole Reasonable Soul or Form of man by which he is distinguished from other Creatures Or some principal part which hath least commixture with the Flesh or Body that which we commonly call the Conscience This part of the Soul even in the unregenerate man oft times disallowes such things as are entertained by the Reasonable Soul and condemnes such Actions as are undertaken by Reason and mannaged with Extraordinary understanding When the Gentiles saith our Apostle do by Nature the things contained in the Law they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their CONSCIENCE also bearing witness and their thoughts accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 2. 14. 15. In this Accusation or Processe in the very Heathen there is a Combate or Conflict between the Spirit and the Flesh or between the Mind and the Affections 7. But may not the same part or Facultie of the Reasonable Soul disallow or Condemn at one Time the self same things which at another time it well approves If it may there is no Necessitie of Distinction between the Soul and the Spirit But if there be any Conflict between Reason it self and the Spirit at one and the same time there must needs be a Distinction betwixt them Now it seemes that even whilst the Reasonable Soul doth contrive mischief or give her Consent to things unjust or unexpedient whilst it Hatcheth Haeresie the Conscience doth secretly check it and endeavour to restrain it And this Conscience could not do unlesse it were in some sort distinct from that Reasonable part or Facultie of the Soul which is indued with Freedome of Will For there can be no Conflict but between two different Parties or Capacities 8. This is most Consequent to Plato's Philosophie and to true Theologie For as the Platonicks distinguish between the Soul and the Mind So our Apostle distinguisheth between the Soul of man and the Spirit of Man 1. Thess The Spirit of man is not said to be mortified but Quickened by the Spirit of God 5. 23. And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Our Sanctification is not entire or universal in respect of the Parts universal it cannot be in respect of all Degrees untill the Soul as well as the Spirit untill the Body as well as the Soul be thus Sanctified as our Apostle wisheth Every part of man must be in Part or in some good measure Sanctified But before this entire or whole Sanctification can be wrought there must be a Mortification of the Body or of the Flesh and under The Flesh as hath been observed before The Reasonable Soul with its best Faculties is usually comprehended by our Apostle Howbeit we do not read of any Mortification of the Spirit but of Renovation Vivification or Quickening of it 9. What shall we say then That the Spirit or conscience of man is altogether free from the Contagion of the Flesh that it stands in no need of Mortification 1. Cor. 8. 7. St. Paul tells us of some men whose Conscience being Weak is defiled But the Conscience in his Language perhaps is not altogether the same with the Spirit But the Synteresis in all likelyhood is And again He tells us that there be men of Corrupt minds and destitute of the truth which suppose that Gain is Godliness 1. Tim 6. 5. And we read of a Soundnesse of mind 2. Tim. 1. 7. But that defilement or corruption of the Spirit or mind Seemes by our Apostle not to be Ordinary However the mind or Conscience may be polluted by the Contagion of the Flesh yet are they not so radically polluted as the Flesh is The Flesh is the seat of the disease The Idiopathy as Physitians speak is in The Soul the Sympathy only in the Spirit or Conscience So that if the deeds of the Flesh be mortified there needs no peculiar Cure or Mortification of the Spirit So it falls out in diseases of the Bodie If the Protopathie be cured the Sympathy will fall of it self As many are vexed oft times with great Aches or pains in the Head Some with Fitts of the Epilepsie or Falling-Sicknesse when as the root of the disease is in the Stomack In these Cases there needs no peculiar Physick for the Head But cure the Stomack and the Head
will recover without further medicine From this Analogie or proportion betwixt the diseases of the Soul and of the body it is I take it that we are not injoyned to mortifie the Spirit For the Apostle supposeth that the Flesh being mortified the Cure is wrought without any peculiar Mortification of the Spirit distinct from it Or rather He supposed and knew that the mortification of the Flesh could not be wrought without Renovation or Quickening of the Spirit For though it be true which some Moralists say Mens deprecatur ad optima that The Spirit or Conscience doth as it were intreat and counsel Malefactors themselves unto that which is Good Yet the Spirit and Conscience of the best men before they be renewed by the Spirit of God doth perform this work but Weakly Sleightly or Cowardly And the Reason why the Spirit or Conscience of men of good men in respect of others is so defective in this performance of its proper Function is only because it is overborn or kept under or in part corrupted by Carnal Affections or contrary inclinations of the Body or flesh which for this Reason must be mortified Therefore the Apostle when He exhorts to put off the Old Man which is corrupt through the deceitfull Lusts injoynes them to be renewed in the Spirit of their Mind Ephe. 4. 22. 23. 10. There is a Twofold Mortification The One consists in the weakening deading or benumming of Carnal Affections or Desires The Other is alwayes wrought and perfected by a Positive Purification of the Heart or Fountain whence the Affections flow A man may cease to be unchast or Lascivious by age or other Casual Impotencie So may a man cease to be drunk by some disease or distast Another may cease to be Ambitious or have his Ambitious desires benummed or weakened as being either bereaved of opportunities to raise his Fortunes or disenabled to follow his Suites or hopes of Preferment Mortification is then perfect when the Affection it self is as it were rescued from the Carnal Desires or Delights wherein it was involved and is won or trayned to the Service of the Spirit CHAP. XXXIV Containing the Manner and Order of The Spirits Working or of Our Working by The Spirit 1. THe Question remaines How these Two sorts of mortification are wrought by The Spirit or by Vs To this Disquisition concerning the Cure of the Soul there is a Question very Pertinent amongst the Physitians of the Body Whether the Cure of mens Souls be wrought by Contraries or Symbolicals One sort sayes Omne Remedium fit per Contrarium The Others say Omne Remedium fit per Simile The Difference betwixt them may be easily reconciled with the Distinction of the Infirmities and Diseases which are to be cured or of the Subject whereunto the said Medicine may be said to be Like Dislike or Contrarie 2. The Medicine may be sometimes Contrarie to the Matter of the Disease but Like unto the Nature opposed Sometimes again the Medicine may be Contrary to the Nature but Agreeable with the matter of the Disease wherewith Nature is opposed Some Diseases properly consist in meer weaknesse of Nature or Languishment of Spirit and these must be cured per Simile by administration of such Diet or Receipts as may immediatly comfort the Fountain of Life which consists in Calido Humido in moderate heat and moysture As for this reason Hot-waters to men in Swounds are fittest and warm Brothes or Cordials to men otherwise Feeble or deprived of heat and moisture Other Diseases consist either in Excessive Heat or abundance of Blood and these must be cured by the Contrarie as by opening a Veine or by cooling Diet or medicines Too much fulnesse of Body cannot be holpen but by abstinence or Evacuation However both sorts of Physitians agree that when all is done Nature is the best Physitian and that is the best Physick which setts Nature Free to exercise her own strength or Strengthens her to expell noysom humours which cloy or molest her But oft times it so falls out that Nature cannot be thus freed of bad Humors which are setled in the Body without administration of some thing that is Contrary unto Nature but Consorteth so well with the Humors which oppresse her that Nature being inforced to expell this In-mate or New-Comer doth with the same force expell a secret or domestick Enemie which had associated himself unto it As sometimes the Law cannot proceed against secret Enemies of the state untill they be drawn to associate or joyn themselves to other apparent forrain Enemies with whom they perish or are expelled their Native Countrey together with them Again although the Conflict be alwaies most eager and keen between Natures most Contrarie yet that which every Contrarie Agent doth in the first place aym at is not utterly to destroy its Oppoâ—ite but to make it like it self albeit the one often come to destroy the other by seeking to make it grow like it self The heat of the fire doth not directly aym or strike at the cold in the water but seekes to communicate its own heat unto it and the heat produced in the water doth immediatly and directly expell the cold and at length consume the substance of water 3. For better explicating the Manner how both kinds of Mortification are wrought by the Spirit Or how they are wrought by the Spirit of God how by the spirit of man or by the spirit which is in Man Or how by Contraries How by Similitude we are in the First place to consider Three Estates or Conditions of Men How the Cure of the Soul is wrought in severall sorts or Conditions of men The First of the Natural Man that is of him which as yet is in no sort partaker of the spirit of God which hath had no touch or feeling of its Operation in him or upon him The Second is of men which have been partakers of the Spirit but as we say in Fieri not in Facto Such as feele the motions of Gods Spirit whilest it moves them that is they are partakers of its Motions or touches but not of its Residence in them or of any Permanent Impression made upon them The Third Sort is of men made partakers of the Spirit in Habit that is as the Apostle speakes they have the Spirit dwelling in them and are enlivened and enquickened by it The manner how Mortification is wrought in these Three severall sorts or Conditions of men by the Spirit is not the same In the First sort the Cure is Commonly Begun by the Contrary but alwaies Finished by Assimilation God sometimes weakens the inclinations of the natural man against his wil without Consent of his own Spirit Some men are prone to offend or to surfet of the flesh unto death by the abundance of health or too Lively plight of Body and these God in mercie sometimes visits with grievous sicknesses for preventing the diseases which would otherwise grow upon them
And many Naturall men as a * I think he means Plinie Junior in that excellent 26. Epistle Lib. 7. See the note in the end of Ch. 36. Heathen confesseth being thus visited first begin seriously to think themselves but men subject to miserie and Mortalitie and that there is a God or Divine Power which is the Author and Giver of Life Others are prone to incurre danger of death by abundance of Wealth which the more it abounds the more it commonly increaseth the disease For Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia Crescit As money or wealth increaseth so ordinarily the Love of it increaseth And these God oft times in mercie visiteth with losse of Goods or with some other Crosse or Affliction which either deprives them of opportunities or deterres from the means of increasing wealth And this is a part of the Cure or a preparation to it and is usually wrought by Contraries Others are prone to incurre hardnesse of heart by Pride and overprizing of themselves And these God oft times visits with Disgrace with Contempt or Scorn of Others Now the Rule is General That if the Parties thus visited or cured in Part by Contraries duly compare their Visitation with their sinnes ☜ which in Justice have procured it the Spirit gets great advantage of the Flesh and is more capable and sensible of the Motions or Impulsions of Gods Spirit Howbeit man himselfe and the Spirit of man in this first Cure or Part of Mortification is meerly Passive And it is wel if by often ruminating or Reflecting upon what hath befallen him by the Providence of God and by the sense or feeling of the impulsions of His Spirit he can content himself to be meerely Passive or a Towardly Patient in the next Degrees of his Mortification or Conversion which are stil wrought by the Spirit of God as by the Agent or efficient Cause 4. From these Observations the Resolution of the Former Question so farre as it concerns the Man unregenerate is Easie and perspicuous The Question was How this Mortification is wrought by the Spirit of God which is without us but alwayes assisting us How by the Spirit of Man or by the Spirit which is in Man though partaker of the Spirit of God The Answer is So much of the Cure as is wrought is wrought by the Spirit of God as Present to man but not in Man as by the only Agent or Efficient Cause For that is the Efficient which begins and continues the motion The same Cure is wrought by the Spirit which is in Man as by the Immediate and Formal Contrarie that is it is Formally wrought by the Spirit which is in Man as by an Agent per Emanationem as it it moved by the Spirit of God So the Native Cold is expelled out of the water by the Fire as by the only Agent or Efficient And yet the same Cold is immediatly and Formally expelled by the Heat which the fire produceth in the water as by a Formal and Incompatible Contrary The only End or immediate Effect at which every Natural Agent directly aymes is the Assimilation of the Subject whereon it works unto it selfe And this Assimilation is wrought by introducing the like qualitie in the Subject unto that by which the Agent or Efficient worketh As the first thing which the Fire seeks to Effect is to produce Heat in the Water but the heat once produced expels the Cold as immediately and as formally as the depression or pulling down one scale lifts up the other The manner how this Mortification is wrought in us by the Spirit of God is the very same The immediate and direct Effect at which it directly aymeth is the Transformation of our Spirit into the similitude of the Spirit of Christ And this consists in the Production or Creation of the Spirit of Grace The Spirit of Grace being produced in us Or our Spirit being touched by the Spirit of Christ as the Steel is by the Adamant Formally expels or abateth the Lust of the Flesh And when the Flesh is thus truly mortified by the Spirit that Sanctification of which the Apostle speakes 1 Thes 5. 23. is wrought in us 5. The first Part of this Cure as was said is wrought by Contraries that is by Freeing the Spirit of the unregenerate Man from the burden of the Flesh which overmasters it or inticeth the Soule to such Practises as the Spirit dislikes And from this Burthen of the Flesh the Spirit of God or his peculiar Providence doth free the Soule or Spirit of Man by laying some one kind or other of Bodily Affliction upon him which is more displeasing to his Nature then the Former Motions of the Flesh were pleasant But the Spirit of Man thus Freed in part from the Burthen of the Flesh wherein it lay smoothered or much oppressed cannot so perfect Mortification begun as Nature freed by Physick from oppressing humours digests the Reliques or remainder and by digesting them recovers health and strength What Advantage then doth accrue unto the Spirit of Man by weakening the Inclinations of the flesh Much every way For the Flesh being thus weakened the Spirit doth hereby become more Towardly Passive then it was before more apt to be moved by the Spirit of God and by such motions more capable of Spirituall Cure Every Motion of our Spirit by the Spirit of God doth abate or weaken the Inclinations of the Flesh and every such Abatement or Degree of weakening the Flesh is a Degree of Mortification 6. These First Degrees of Mortification are commonly wrought by interposed Fits or Motions of the Spirit of Man produced by the Spirit of God The men that are partakers of them have Libertie or Respite in the meane time to Reflect upon them and by thus reflecting upon them or by taking them into serious Consideration are enabled to avoid such External Occasions as strengthen the Inclinations of the flesh and to cut off their Food and Nutriment For albeit the Spirit of man be in the first Cure meerely Passive yet it is not so Passive as stocks and stones or other senselesse Creatures are It hath a true sense or feeling of the Motions put upon it or produced in it by the Spirit of God Nor is the Spirit of man sensible only of such Motions in such sort as Flyes or Gnats or other imperfect sensitive Creatures are of bodily motion that is sensible only for the present without any remembrance of what is past or consideration of the like to come Partly from the Memory of former Motions which have been put upon it Partly from the Representation or Consideration of the like apprehended by it as Possibly Future or approaching the Spirit of Man though it cannot move or expell the inclinations of the Flesh by way of proper Agencie or Efficiencie is yet able so to Countersway them as that they cannot exercise their intended Motions or accomplish their Attempts 7. This is the Apostles
Doctrine Gal. 5. 16 17. This I say then walke in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh He doth not say ye shall not be opposed or assaulted by the lusts of the flesh for as in the next words is included the flesh will still attempt the Execution or Exercise of its Motion For the Flesh saith the Apostle Lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other So that ye cannot do things that ye would That is The Flesh can neither do the things that it intendeth to do nor the Spirit produce those Effects which it wisheth and much desireth no more then Heat can produce its proper Effects when it is overmatched in the same Subject with Cold or then Cold is able to produce the proper effects thereof whilest it is attempered or Counterswayed by Heat Now the Spirit whereof our Apostle speakes in this place is the Spirit of man at least the Spirit which is in man though in part renewed by the Spirit of God For as the Apostle speakes the Flesh and the Spirit here meant are Contrarie And it is the nature of Contraries to be in one and the same Subject And it is the true propertie of Contrarie Inclinations to move and sway upon one and the same Centre or Point of Rest or Dependence Otherwise how strong soever the one Contrary be it could not Countersway nor Counterpoyse the other The Point or Centre whereupon the inclinations of the Flesh and Spirit doe move or sway is the Soule which sometimes inclines more unto the Spirit sometimes more unto the Flesh or Carnall Affections The whole worke of Mortification is but a Putting off the Old man and Putting on the New The more the inclinations of the Flesh are weakened the more apt is the Spirit of Man to be moved impelled or strengthened by the spirit of God And the more apt it is to be moved by the Spirit of God the more easily and Readily will the inclination of the Flesh or Old man be weakened by it So that there is a Continuall Reciprocation betwixt the weakening of the Flesh and the strengthening or renewing of the Spirit In every severall Act or motion of Gods Spirit by which the Spirit in man is renewed or quickened the Spirit of man thus assisted by the Spirit of God gets a Double Advantage of the flesh First it directly weakens the inclinations of the Flesh or old man and by weakening them gains further possession or interest in the Affections wherein the lusts or desires of the flesh were seated Secondly The Spirit of man being revived and quickned by the Spirit of God doth not only Countersway or curbe the Flesh but withall doth Purifie the Soul or the Fountain of the Affections in the next Conflicts useth the Service of the Soule and inferiour Affections to Conquer and expell the Remainder of Carnal desires or Concupiscence or at least doth keep them under that they cannot make head or open rebellion as it were to depose the Spirit of its Soveraigntie after once it hath gotten it Specially if men which have proceeded thus farre in this Conflict be warie and vigilant alwayes remembring that their Greatest strength consists in imploring the assistance of the Spirit of God in waiting His Approach and attending His Motions But let no man think he hath got the victorie over the Flesh or hath performed this Dutie of Mortification as he ought until the Desires or Inclinations of the Flesh be Mortified by the vivification or quickening of the Affections wherein they were seated or until the Spirit Soul of man renevved as hath been said by the Spirit of God have vvon the Soul and Affections unto their side or part CHAP. XXXV Wherein the Accomplishment of Mortification or of Conversion unto God doth properly Consist 1. AFter this Preparative to Mortification thus begun by the Spirit of God or by his Peculiar Providence the whole Cure consists in the Assimilation or Transformation of our Spirit into the similitude or Likenesse of the Spirit of God Some Reliques of the Image of God in man which are not in Divells and this is wrought by the Renewing of Gods Image in us Some Reliques there be of Gods Image in the natural man the like whereof are not in Divells and these are seated in The Spirit or Synteresis Howbeit these in themselves are no better then dead stocks or rootes untill they be revived by the Spirit of God and secret Influence of his Graces but so renewed they naturally diffuse the influence of life into the stemmes or branches The soul and body of the whole man are so quickened by them as the branches or stemmes in the spring time revive by the return of sap from the root Both are quickned and revived by the Spirit of God and by the sweet disposition of his Providence as trees as herbs grasse and other Vegetables are by the Sun by the sweet influence of Heaven and by the moystned Earth whereby the rootes are immediatly cherished 2. This Vivification or renewing of the Spirit in man is immediatly wrought Per Simile As our Animal or Vital Spirits in Swounds are revived by the Spirit of wine or other comfortable water First The Reliques of Gods Image or implanted Rules of Conscience have more immediate Similitude with the Spirit of God or of Christ than the inferior Faculties of the Soul or body have And yet these Reliques of Gods Image or Rules of Conscience being true parts or native branches of the Spirit of man symbolize better with the soul and body of man then this Spirit of God which worketh this Mortification doth So that albeit the Spirit of God or his preventing Grace doth alwayes begin this Mortification without any operation or Co-Agencie of the Spirit of man And albeit the Spirit of man be a Meer Passive in all the Motions by which it self is renewed and quicken'd Yet after it be not only moved but thus touched and quickened by the Spirit of God Actus agit it works not only by Countersway or Renitencie but it diffuseth the influence of Life and Grace which it self receiveth entirely from the Spirit of God throughout the inferiour Faculties of the Soul It takes the place or room of so much of the Lusts of the flesh as it Expells And as well in the Expulsion of the Lusts of the Flesh as in taking possession of the Body wherein they were seated it useth the Soul as the Medium deferens as the Mean at least for communicating life to the Flesh or Body And by this Diffusion of the Spirit of Life or influence of Grace throughout the Faculties or Affections of the Soul the second part or Accomplishment of Mortification is wrought which as was said before consisteth in the Rescuing or winning of the natural Affections from the Flesh unto the Spirit 3. For better understanding the manner how this Accomplishment of
Mortification is wrought We are to consider that albeit the Lusts of the Flesh are simply evill yet the Affections wherein they are alwayes seated are in their nature neither simply Good nor simply Evill but of an Indefinite or Indifferent Temper between Moral Goodnesse and that which is Morally Evill They become Good or Evill or at leastwise more or lesse evill according to the several marks at which they aym or the diversitie of the Objects on which they bestow themselves or of the Issues which they find True it is that the Fountain of our Affections is so tainted by Original corruption that no Affections or desires as they issue from the heart of the Natural collapsed man are pure or free from stain or sin yet they become more or Lesse filthy or criminous according to the Course or Current which they take The Fountain of the First Mans Affections was clear and pure yet were his desires polluted by the Vent or Issue which they took as a stream or Rivulet which takes its Original from a pure Rock doth instantly lose its Original Puritie by falling into a muddy Channel or running through a filthy sink especially if the Current by stoppage or other external cause do Reciprocate upon the Fountain or spring On the Contrarie the water which springeth out of a mosse or quagg becomes purer and clearer by taking its course through a Rock or Gravel It being granted then that the verie Fountain of our Affections or desires is polluted and unclean the Mortification whereof we speak is then truely wrought when the natural Affections wherein the Lusts of the flesh are seated are recovered or diverted from the Course of the Flesh and won unto the Conduit of the Spirit The Flesh or deeds of the Body must be Mortified But this mortification must be wrought not by mortifying or destroying but first by purifying then by quickening or reviving the natural Affection wherewith the Lusts of the flesh do mingle as mire or filth doth with water which falls into it or as bad humours do with the blood 4. Lasciviousnesse is reckoned by St. Paul amongst the works of the flesh And Mary Magdalen who had been Notoriously Wanton and Lascivious had this member of the Old man truely Mortified in her without enfeebling or benumming the Affection of Love it self which was as strong in her as ever it had been but set upon its right mark and imployed in the Service of the Spirit She stood saith the Text at our Saviours Feet behind him weeping and began to Wash his Feet with teares and did wipe them with the haires of her head and kissed his feet and annointed them with the oyntment Luk. 7. 38. Thus she did because she Loved much And she Loved much because many sins were forgiven her Her Wanton Love or rather the wantonnesse of her love was truely Mortified by the vivification or Quickening of Spiritual Love in her For the Love of the flesh was mortified by the Love of the Spirit 5. The accomplishment of Mortification consists not in deading but in winning the Affections unto the Spirit Amongst other Deeds of the Body amongst all the Lusts of the Flesh Pride or Ambition is the most dangerous and must be Mortified by the Spirit But wherein doth the true Mortification of it consist Not in Negatives not in an Absolute disesteem of all Honour or disclaiming all desire of praise or reputation For this may stand with Stoical stupiditie or Cynical sloth or nasty proud contempt of the world which kind of temper hath least affinity with that Mortification which becomes a Christian For This requires that the Affection it self remain entire for the service of the Spirit Rom. 6. 19. The Affection out of which Pride or Ambition groweth as a Wen out of a comely Body is a Desire of Praise or Honour Neither is all Desire of any Honour nor the Excessive desire of some Honour a work or lust oâ— the Flesh or any branch of Pride or Ambition which properly consists in the immoderate Desire of that Honour which is from men This indeed is a Lust of the Flesh or Carnal Concupiscence which must be Mortified And the best Method for the Mortification of this Desire is by raising the esteem or price of that Honour which cometh from God This Desire must have the predominant sway in our heart before we can be true Beleevers So our Saviour teacheth us Iohn 5. 44. How can ye beleeve which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God Only Now without true Belief there can be no true Mortification The same Spirit which worketh Faith or Belief in us doth with it and by it give us the true esteem of that Honour which cometh From God Alone The true esteem of this Honour being imprinted upon our soul and spirit doth increase the Desire of it And as the Desire of it is increased Pride and ambition which is but a desire of that Honour which is from Men or from the world must needes decrease and by thus decreasing be truely Mortified 6. Another most dangerous work of the Flesh is Covetousness The mortification of this work or member of the old man doth not consist in a Retchless Temper or neglective Content in Living from hand to mouth without any provident care for Times Future for this is Sottishness The desire of riches is not a sin but a natural Affection which must not be Mortified that is not destroyed but revived and quickened Wherein then doth Covetousness consist Not simply in the Desire of riches but in the Excessive desire of such riches as perish or of such other meanes or of necessaries of Life as are less worth then Life it self The Affection or Desire of riches is not to be quelled but to be diverted from its muddie Channel by the Spirit of Mortification This spirit of Life doth draw or conduct our desires that way which the Lord of Life commands them to take that is to seek after Riches but after Riches of another kinde Lay not up for your selves treasure upon Earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where theeves break through and steal But Lay up for your selves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves do not break through and steal Mat. 6. 19. 20. By the Parable Likewise of the unjust Steward and that other of the Talents we are commanded to imitate or rather to out-strip the Usurer or cunning Bargainer for worldly Commodities in diligent care and watchfull observance for increasing this Heavenly Treasure in being as wise and careful in doing good to others as Worldlings are in doing good unto themselves No man offends in being vigilant and careful but in imploying his witts and care for gaining Transitory Wealth which is less worth then his Life or soul whereas this bodily Life it self is well Lost or Laid to pawn for gaining Treasure in Heaven 7. Drunkenness is a work
of the Flesh which must be mortified The Affection whence this Loathsome stream doth spring is a desire of mirth or pleasure For no man directly desires to be Drunk All men naturally desire to be Merrie as having an internal spring of delight or mirth in themselves which naturally desires an issue or vent otherwise the Soul and Spirit becomes sodden in Melancholy Hence it is that many mens Affections detesting this Melancholy humour be drenched in this Filthy sink or puddle of Drunkenness which is but a Sinister or preposterous Issue of inbred Mirth The true Mortification of this monster is not to be sought by quelling or weakening the Affection whence it springs but rather by giving it another Issue or vent Thus much is implyed in our Apostles advice Eph. 5. 18. Be not Drunk with wine wherein is Excess but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymns and spiritual songs singing and making Melody in your heart to the Lord. Our Apostle here supposeth that the spirit of God which alone worketh the mortification of this sin and other Lusts of the flesh although he detests all drunken ryotous mirth is not a dull spirit of melancholy It delighteth much in its own musick alwaies desirous to hear pleasant songs of its own setting And there is no meanes so Effectual for drowning drunken mirth as a full consort of the musick of this spirit Beatus populus quiscit Jubilationem hanc Blessed are the People That can rejoyce in Thee O Lord. 8. The perfect Cure of the Soul is wrought Per Simile Thus it is plain how this Cure must be wrought by Contraries and yet per simile by the Like too The Lusts of the Flesh must be Mortified by the Spirit and yet these are Contraries But if we descend unto Particulars Ambition or desire of honour must be mortified by desire of Honour Covetousness which is a desire of Riches must be mortified by the desire of Riches Drunkenness which is a Desire of Mirth must be mortified by a desire of Mirth Immoderate carnal Love must be mortified by excessive Love of Christ and of things Spiritual Between the Desires themselves there is as true Similitude as is between the several currents of water which issue from the same spring or fountain but as perfect a Contrarietie between the Objects and issues of the desires as there is between the several waters of the same fountain whilest the One runnes in a pure rock or conduit pipe and the other into a sink or puddle 9. To Conclude then The spirit of God doth first purifie the Fountain of our Desires that is the spirit or Conscience of man The spirit of man being thus quickened and purified doth by direction and assistance of the same Spirit of God divert the current of his Desires and give a new vent or issue to his Affections And the Desires or Affections by this diversion of their Current receive a further Degree of Purification from the Ocean or Sea into which they empty themselves that is from Heaven and the heavenly Lights on which they are sett Between the Current of our Desires or Affections thus purified by the spirit of God and the Coelestial Objects whereon they are sett there is such Reciprocation or mutual recourse as it were between a stream of pure water and a Sea of Nectar the stream or spring still falling into the sea and the sea still sweetning the stream by reflowing upon it The spirit of Christ which knowes no bounds or Limits which is more boundless then the Ocean delights in our Desires or Affections whilest they are sett upon heavenly things And the more his spirit is delighted in our Desires and Affections thus emptying and pouring out themselves the more he purifies and sweetens them by the influence of his Gratious Spirit Yet are not any mans Affections so throughly sweetned by the Spirit of Grace in this Life as not to retain some permanent Tincture or mixture of the Flesh Howbeit every man is Throughly mortified in whom the spirit of Christ hath gotten the Soveraigntie over the Flesh and won the better part of the natural Affections to its service But whether this Soveraigntie being Once gotten may not Finally or for a time at least be lost Heave it to the determination of the Schooles My application for the present shall be from the words of the Son of Syrach Ecclus. 38. 25 26. Though the book be Apocryphal yet his observation in this place is Canonical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wisdome of a Learned man cometh by opportunity of Leasure or as some read by right imployment of his vacant time And he that hath little businesse shall become wise How can he get wisdome that holdeth the Plough and that glorieth in the Goad that driveth Oxen and is occupied in their Labours and whose * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 talk is of Bullocks Or of the breed of bullocks His verdict concerning Handy-Crafts-Men is for the most part true of Men full of that which we call Book-Learning or imployed in matters of Government of Sate Would to God it were not too true of many that have little Business In respect of this private Learning Every one of us Especially in these times have Bookes enough of our own so we would sequester some competent times or vacant seasons for serious perusing them Every mans course of life and dayly Actions are the best Bookes for this Learning And no man can so well read them as his own Spirit and Conscience Herein then consists the Wisdom of him that is in part and desires to be A â—etter Christian First in careful Observing the Touches of Gods punishing or chastising Hand Secondly in Reflecting upon the motions of his Spirit Thirdly in duly Examining Every day What advantage the Flesh hath gotten against the Spirit or the Spirit against the Flesh All this being done the best imployment of all these Talents which God commits unto our trust must be in acknowledgeing our whole strength to be from God and in Consecrating our best endeavours by continual Prayer for the assistance of his Spirit In this Last Point we are Active yet Active only to the End that we may be Towardly Passive that we grieve not the Good Spirit of God by which our Sanctification must be wrought He will not forsake Vs unless we forsake Him first But as water which hath been heated by the fire congeales the soonest after it be taken off and removed from it So they ☜ which have felt the Motions of Gods Spirit and have been in some measure Mortified by it freez the soonest in the dregs and Lusts of the flesh and have their hearts extraordinarily hardened if once they forsake him or so grieve him that he cease to renew or continue his former Motions But he that will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him and will pray before the most High and will open his
the due Consideration of the Multiplicitie of the former sacrifices and the often Reiteration of them Of bloudie sacrifices some were reiterated Every day others Every year or in Sett Festivals or upon Special Occasions for private Persons And this last sort of sacrifices or Offerings were to be reiterated so often as Occasions or occurrences did interpose No one sacrifice could purifie the same party though peccant only against the Law of Ceremonies from his Legal Uncleannesse for any more Turns then One. Every Recidivation or Relapse into the same sin or error was to have a new Purification 6. Now if it were possible to calculate First The multitude of sinnes and of sinners against the Moral Law of God in comparison of such as did sinne against the Law of Ceremonies Secondly The excessive number of sinnes committed by every particular Christian man and bear this truth in mind that there needs no other sacrifice either for sinne or sinners besides That One of Christ himself upon the Cross the Influence of whose infinite value is daily and hourly communicated to all such as seek salvation by him The Superexcellencie of this our high Priest and of his sacrifice in respect of all Legal Priests and services will farre surmount the compasse of the Highest Heavens or Orbes imaginable in comparison of the least sensible part of the Earth 7. But some New-started Opinions there be which take away much matter of Admiration in this great Subject of Divine Meditation and dull the spirits of otherwise wel-minded men in the search after the virtue of Christs Everlasting Sacrifice and Priest-hood Of these new Opinions One special One is for I must not here touch upon the rest That the sinnes of some men of all the Elect were remitted before they could be comitted An Opinion voyd of all Reference to any pious use or practise A Speculation most untrue prodigiously absurd For no actual sin by whomsoever committed can be remitted to men living here on earth otherwise then by some new Influence from the Everlasting Sacrifice of Christ or as our Apostle speakes without the sprinkling of that bloud Which speaketh better things then that of Abel Heb. 12. 24. As much as I here intimate that passage of St. John if it be rightly scanned will clearely evince If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we ly and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Iohn 1. 6 7 8. 8. So then even such as walk in the light stand in need of Cleansing by the blood of Christ And with Reference to this place as I conceive that Maxim of S Austin well approved of by the best Reformed writers was first conceived by him Our Justification consists in the perpetual Remission of sin Justification Consists not in one indivisible Act. But an errour there is which I know not when it did first creep into the world but creep it did by the Incogitancie or indistinct Notions of some Late writers That Iustification is but one Act never to be resumed or reiterated This Assertion may be true in respect of That Justification Quâ Deus nos justificat or of Justification taken in the Active Sense as it concerns God For no act of his can be resumed or reiterated nor admitt any interpositions or Interims of time But if we speak of Justification in the Passive Sense or as it is an Effect wrought in our soules by the spirit of Christ there may be and are many Acts many Resumptions or Renovations of the same Act or Effect All being wrought in us by Interpositions or several Interims of time Our Natural bodyes do not require so many Refections of meat and drink for continuation of life of health and strength as the Faith by which the just do live and other spiritual Graces which accompanie Faith in the Purification of our soules do admitt yea require Refections spiritual Of these refections or refreshments of Faith or other Graces some are obtained by our dayly Prayers others being like extraordinary feasts or banquets are wrought in the participation Christs Body and Blood so often as we receive that blessed Sacrament as we ought to do But the most of us which enjoy the Libertie of Christian Lawes do not receives it so often as we ought Fewer as they ought And whosoever receives it unworthily receives it too often if he so receive but once Unto the worthy Receivers of the Sacramental pledges of Christs Body and Blood how often so ever and how many so ever receive them the Blood of Christ though but once shed becomes a Perennal unexhaustible Fountain of life everlasting But of the right interpretation of our Saviours Testament or Institution of this blessed Sacrament more at large by Gods assistance in the Article of the Holy Catholick Church In the mean time Two Prayers there be commanded by the Church our Mother to be used in the Uisitation of the Sick at the Administration of the Sacrament unto them Both which mutatis mutandis I would Commend to every piously minded Christan's Meditations or to every professed Christian that desires to be such both before and after he present himself at the Lords Table though he so present himself in perfect health of body and mind 1. O Lord look down from heaven behold visit and relieve this thy Servant Look upon him with the Eyes of thy mercie give him comfort and sure confidence in thee defend him from the danger of the Enemie and keep him in perpetual peace and safety through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen And 2. O Most Merciful God which according to the multitude of thy mercies dost so put away the sins of those which truely repent that thou remembrest them no more open thine Eye of mercie upon this thy servant who most earnestly desireth Pardon and forgivenesse Renew in him most loving Father whatsoever hath been decayed by the Fraud and malice of the Divel or by his own carnal will and frainess Preserve and continue this sick member in the unitie of the Church consider his contrition accept his teares asswage his pain as shall be seen to thee most expedient for him And forasmuch as he putteth his whole trust only in thy mercy impute not unto him his Former sins but take him unto thy Favour through the merits of thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ Amen CHAP. L. The Rarity of that Rite of consecrating the Water of Sprinkling by the Ashes of the Red Heifer an Emblem of Baptism and the Singularity thereof Our Churches meaning in some expressions at the Administration of that Sacrament 1. BUt although the frequent Use of the Sacrament of Christs Body and Bloud be needful or necessary by Precept and a
of God ver 1 2. And again more fully ver 8 9 10 11. God commendeth his love towards us in that whilest we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being now justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the attonement The Ground then of our Hope or of such Certaintie as we can attain unto in this life is our Reconciliation to God of which our Apostle speakes more fully and divinely 2 Cor. 5. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Old things are past away behold all things are become new and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministerie of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation ver 17 18 19. But if this Reconciliation were sufficient for our Certaintie of Salvation what need were there of a second Reconciliation or a second part at least of the same Reconciliation which our Apostle presseth upon us ver 20. 21. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him The first part of Reconciliation is Active or at the most part but a Grammatical Passive As a man is said to be Called when he is summoned to appear though he make no Personal Appearance so are we said to be Reconciled to God when pardon for our sins is proclaimed though before we could take notice of it The Second Reconciliation is a Real passive and includes a Turning unto the Lord by Acceptance of our Pardon and by serious pursuing the Allowance of it The former part of Recenciliation is wrought by meer Imputation of Christs death and merits The second is wrought partly by Imputation but especially by Real Participation of Grace from Christ and gifts of the spirit These are They that must defend and guard our soules against the Re-entry or Re-possession of Satan and wicked spirits whether by fair or forcible means 3. Answerable to the Two Sorts or Degrees of Reconciliation there are Two Sorts or two Branches of Iustification The One by meere Imputation of Christs Death and Passion which was once wrought for all at his Consecration to His Everlasting Priest-hood The Other by Participation of his Grace or Operation of his Priesthood since his Resurrection and Ascension During the time of Legal Sacrifices whether for sinnes against the Ceremonial or Moral Law the People were bound upon new occasions to bring new Sacrifices unto the Priest and he bound to offer them up unto the Lord for their Reconciliation or Attonement For us Christians to think or conceive of more Sacrifices for sinne then One that was Once offered for all were to deny Christ or the Efficacie of His Everlasting Priesthood But as for the Sacrifices of prayers prayses or thanksgiving for what is past or supplications for the assistance of Christs Spirit for the time to come These we are bound to offer up to God by Christ more frequently then the Jews could offer up their bloudy Sacrifices or then the Priests could attend this service which they were to attend only at certain houres or Solemn Times because they were but mortal men and could not perform their Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Christ since his Resurrection and Ascension is not only an Everlasting High Priest but doth exercise this his Function without Intermission Every Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins But this Priest after he had offered one Sacrifice for sin sate down on the right hand of God For ever So the Syriack reades Points it much better then the Ordinary English doth or the Greek as may appear from a Parallel place Hebr. 7. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He remaineth a Priest for ever 4. Briefly though every sin perhaps every Gross sin which we commit after our Justification by the Resurrection of Christ and reall Participation of his Grace doth not work a Total Interruption in our Estate or Interest in him yet every such sin doth work a decay or diminution of Grace or some extinguishment of the Spirit of Life both which must be repayred by the Efficacy or Exercise of his Everlasting Priest-hood None is so just whether by Imputation of his merits or by Encrease of Grace but may and must be dayly more justifyed So that the Son of God doth set us free First by his sufferings upon the Cross Secondly by the Laver of Baptism and by Participation of his Life and Spirit and Lastly he will set us Free indeed at the Resurrection of the Just when we shall be translated into that heavenly house or mansion wherein he abideth for ever 5. Thus much of the Knowledge of Christ and of him Crucified and of the exercise of his Everlasting Priest-hood Points wherein I could wish to take more pains though to the wasting of my bodily Spirits upon Condition I could perswade a great part of the Clergie of this Kingdom not to make Christ Crucified and raised from the Dead a meer By-stander in most of their Disputes concerning Election c. as if he had shed his precious bloud to no other purpose save only the purchase of their own Salvation or the Eternal Excommunication or Damnation of others Now whether I have justly charged them with denyal of Christs Everlasting Priest-hood or of his Absolute Dominion or Final Judicature I here solemnly appeal unto Him in that great Day when he shall come as I verily believe He shall to judge the Quick and the Dead To reward every man according to all his workes whether his Writings Sayings or Actions C. Reader THE main Work of the sixth Section was to prepare and clear the way for The Exercise of Christs Everlasting Priesthood by amoving that Great Mountain of the Rigid Decree which in the Authors judgment did obstruct the general approach to the Throne of mercy and the issues of Grace flowing thence It making Christ a meer Spectator at most an Instrument to Execute a Decree passed before all Worlds and no Actor Advocate or Intercessor This following eighth Section treats of Certain Errors which though some of them do not wholly Evacuate or null yet do all of them disparage and Entrench upon the vertue and Efficacie of Christs Priest-hood Some of them were toucht before here they are more fully handled SECT
reason then why the Body of Christ is not or ought not to be often offered is not because all our sinnes were actually remitted by the once offering of it or remitted before they were committed but because the substance or matter of the sacrifice is of the same force at this day to remit sinnes that it was of whilest it was offered For his humane nature was consecrated by death and by his bloody Passion to be a sacrifice of everlasting Vertue to be the continual propitiation for our sinnes 7 If either the actual sinnes of all men Christs Resurrection our baptism needless if sinnes be remitted before they be committed or the sinnes of the Elect in speciall had been so remitted by Christs death as some conceive they were that is absolutely pardoned before they were committed there had been no end or use of Christs Resurrection in respect of us no need of Baptism yet was Baptism from the hour of his resurrection necessarie unto all that did beleive in his death and resurrection The urgent and indispensable necessitie of Baptism especially in respect of actual beleivers is not any where more Emphatically intimated than in St. Peters Answer to the Jewes Whose hearts were pierc't with sorrow that they had been the causes of Christs death They in this stound or sting of Conscience demand Men and brethren what shall we do and Peter answered them Repent and be Baptized Every one of you In the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And they that gladly received the word were Baptized the same day Acts 2. 37 38 41. These men had been deeply tainted with sin not original onely but with sinnes actual of the worst kind guiltie they were in a high degree of the death of the Son of God yet had they as well their actual as their original sinnes remitted by Baptism It is then an unsound and imperfect Doctrin that sin original onely is taken away or remitted by Baptism for whatsoever sinnes are remitted or taken away by Christs death the same sins are in the same manner remitted and taken away by Baptism into his death actual sinnes are remitted in such as are guiltie of actual sinnes when they are baptized though onely sin Original be actually remitted in those which are not guiltie of actual sinnes as in Infants No mans sinnes are actually remitted before he be actually guilty of them 8. The Question is how either sin original is remitted or how any work of Satan is dissolved by Baptism And this Question in the General is righly resolved by saying They are remitted by faith But this general Resolytion sufficeth not unless we know the Object of our Faith in this particular Now the particular Object of our Faith of that faith by which sinnes whether by Baptism or otherwise are remitted is not our general Belief in Christ even our belief of Christ dying for us in particular will not suffice unlesse it include our Belief of the Everlasting Vertue of his bloudie Sacrifice and of his everlasting Priest-hood for purifying and cleansing our soules No sinnes be truly remitted unless they be remitted by the Office or exercise of his Priest-hood and whilest so remitted they are not remitted by any other Sacrifice then by the sole vertue of his body and bloud which he once offered for all for the sinnes of all It is not the Vertue or Efficacie of the consecrated water in which we were washed but the vertue of his Bloud which was once shed for us and which by Baptism is sprinkled upon us or communicated unto us which immediately cleanseth us from all our sinnes From this everlasting Vertue of this his bloudy Sacrifice Faith by the ministerie of baptism is immediatly gotten in such as had it not before And in such as have Faith before they be baptized the guilt of Actual sinns is remitted by the exercise or Act of Faith as it apprehends the everlasting Efficacy of this sacrifice and by the prayer of faith and supplication unto our High Priest Faith then is as the mouth or appetite by which were receive this food of Life and is a good sign of health but it is the food itself received which must continue health and strengthen spiritual life in us and the food of life is no other then Christs Body and Bloud and it is our High Priest himself which must give us this food Baptism saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 3. 20. doth save us what Baptism doth save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh yet this is the immediate effect of the water in baptism but the answer or stipulation of a good conscience towards God But how doth this kind of Baptism or this concomitant of Baptism save us The Apostle in the same place tells us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ The answer or stipulation of a good conscience includes an illumination of our spirits by the Spirit of God a qualification by which we are made sonnes of Light being before the sonnes of darkness But That by this qualification we become the sonnes of Light That this qualification is by baptism wrought in us That by this qualification however wrought in us we are saved from our sinnes All this is immediately from the vertue of Christs Resurrection That is as you have heard before he was consecrated by the sufferings of death to be an everlasting Priest and by his resurrection from death his body and bloud became an everlasting Propitiation for sinnes an inexhaustible Fountain of Grace by which we are purifyed from the dead works of sinne 9. It is true again that in the Sacrament of Christs Body and Bloud there is a propitiation for our sinnes because He is really present in it who is the propitiation for our sinnes But it no way hence followes that there is any propitiatorie sacrifice for sin in this Sacrament He becomes the propitiation for our sinnes he actually remits our sinnes not directly and immediately by the Elements of Bread and Wine nor by any other kind of Local Presence or Compresence with these Elements than is in Baptism The Orthodoxal Antients use the same Language for expressing his Presence in Baptism and in the Eucharist they stick not to say that Christ is present or Latent in the water as well as in the Elements of Bread and Wine Their meaning is that neither of these Elements or sensible substances can directly cleanse us from our sinnes by any vertue communicated unto them or inherent in them but only as they are pledges or assurances of Christs peculiar presence in them and of our true investiture in Christ by them We are not then to receive the Elements of bread and wine only in remembrance that Christ dyed for us but in remembrance or assurance likewise that his body which was once given for us doth by its everlasting Vertue preserve our bodies and souls unto everlasting Life and that his bloud which was but once shed for us doth