looking forward backward If we look forward Ver. 13. there is the blessed hope the full consummation whereof we receive at the glorius appearing of the g eat God the coming of Christ to judgment ver 13. Ver. 13. and there we have three grand Articles of faith asserted 1. Heaven 2. The day of judgment 3. The Godhead of Christ If we look backward we are obliged to obedience not only out of hope but from gratitude or the great benefit of redemption by Christ ver 14. and in that we have asserted 1. Christs willingnesse to dye for he gave himself Ver. 14. 2. The purpose or end of his death to redeem us from all iniquity 3. The foundation of an holy life in our regeneration And hath purified us unto himself 4. The nature of a Church to be a peculiar people 5. The necessity of good works in the last clause zealous of good works ver 14. So that in this short Map you have a compleat summary of all that fundamental doctrine which doth animate and quicken to the life of holinesse The next body of Divinity according to the exact method of the Palatine Catechisme is in chap. 3. ver 3.4 5 6 7 8. Chap. 3. where you have 1. Mans misery by nature ver 3. 2. His Redemption by Christ ver 4. set forth 1. By the spring or first moving cause the kindnesse and love of God ver 4. 2. The false cause removed not by works of righteousnesse which we have done ver 5. 3. By the effects justification justified by his grace ver 7. Sanctification Ver. 5. he hath washed us in the laver of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Ghost ver 5. Ver. 7. The consummation of all in glory heires according to the hope of eternal life ver 8. Ver. 8. 3. The thankful life in a fruitful course of holinesse and good works ver 8. Affirme constantly that they which believe in God may be careful to maintain good works Another systeme of practical divinity you have in the second Epistle of Saint Peter chap. 1. ver 5.6 7. Ver. 5. Adde to your faith vertue c. By vertue is meant the study of holinesse which there is set forth by its furniture and subjective parts or branches Ver. 5. 1. The furniture of vertue it is rooted in FAITH guided by KNOWLEDGE Ver. 6. armed on the Ver. 6. Right-hand by TEMPERANCE or an holy moderation in the pleasures and comforts of the world On the Left-hand by PATIENCE against the crosses and inconveniencies thereof 2. The branches or subjective parts of this vertue are Ver. 7. GODLINESSE a grace that guideth us in our immediate commerce with God BROTHERLY KINDNESSE a grace that directeth us in our duties to our fellow-Saints CHARITY helping us in the duties we owe to all men In many other places do the Apostles lay the Doctrine of God in one intire view before our eyes lest the minde should be distracted by various and dispersed explications or by dwelling too much upon one part we should neglect the other Second end of such Platforms to obviate errour A SECOND SORT OF MODULES Or A second end and design of such Modules is to obviate errors and to Antidote Christians against the poyson and infection of rotten pernicious principles for no sooner had the good Husbandman sowed his field with good seed but the envious man went out after him and began to scatter tares 2 Pet. 2.1 In opposition whereunto the Apostles in their several Epistles were careful to furnish the Churches with such Modules and Platforms of truth as might discover and confute those damnable heresies 2 Pet. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the Apostle Saint Peter calls them PRESENT TRUTHS that is Principles of the Christian Faith most seasonable for those times wherein they were writ as every Church and age had its present errors and false doctrines whereby the false Apostles did labour to undermine the truth and to seduce the Professors of it so the Apostles in that zeal to the truth and compassion to the souls of men did bestir themselves to Countermine those Seducers and to stablish the Churches in the faith of Jesus Christ by collecting some special heads and points of Gospel Doctrine opposite to those errors and sending them to the several Churches where they had planted the Gospel These the Apostle calls the Present truth Thus Saint Paul among other places in his first Epistle to Timothy chap. 4. from the first verse to the ninth verse The Apostle Peter in his second Epistle chap. 2. throughout St. Jude spends his whole Epistle upon the same design But above all the Apostle Saint John is very large and distinct upon this account His first Epistle consists specially of a two-fold Module or Platform i. e. 1. A form or table of Gospel Principles Admodum artificiosa est hujus epistolae methodus nâ—m ad modum catenae Christiana fidei mysteria axiomata connectuntur c. Dicson 2. A form or table of Gospel-Evidences both of them in opposition to the false teachers of those times those Antichrists of whose numerous increase he gives them that solemn notice 1 Epistle 2. chap. 18. verse Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there MANY ANTICHRISTS To Antidote Christians against the plague of the false doctrines which such Sectarian Antichrists had disseminated doth the Apostle lay down 1. An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or PATTERN of Gospel-principles Ex. gra 1. That God is a God of an infinite universal perfection and holinesse Chap. 1. ver 5. God is light and in him is no darkness at all This against them that most blasphemously asserted (a) The Carpocratians taught that men must sin and do the Divels will or else they could not enter into heaven Epiphanius Simon Magus and after him Florinus Blastus Apelles Hermogenes Valentiani Marcionitae c. Priscillianistae Deum affirmant mendacem Aug. de haerres c. 70. GOD TO BE THE AUTHOUR OF SIN c. against whom also Saint James contends Jam. 1. ver 13 14 15 16 17 18 2. That conformity to God is an inseparable concomitant of communion with God This against them that were not afraid to (b) Eo tempore fuerunt quà â—â—m diâ—imi societatem cum Deo propter peccata censebant The Gnosticks Ebionitae c. ambulantes in tenebris jactitabant se Deo placere falsitas doctrinae turpitudo morum tunc vigebat non solum in philosophorum scholiâ— sed apud haereticeos Cypr. affirm that justified persons being elected let them live never so impurely do remain in the favour of God c. as some amongst us and such as would be accounted Stars of the first Magnitude that a man might have as much communion with God in sinne as in the duties of Religion If any man say c. It
and off-spring we expected that the beauty of his mind the harmony of his will the holinesse of his desires the absolutenesse of his Soveragnty should have fallen to us as a Princely inheritance and therefore Adam falling it is but just that the entaile of sin and death should be fixed upon us 3. Now the third thing to be opened in the finishing of which the doctrinal part will be dispatcht is to shew that Adams sin is not propagated to us by imitation but by generation against the heretical Pelagian And this shall be briefly coucht under the evidence of a five-fold Argument Arg. 1 Arg. 1. As our Divines seasonably observe Christs righteousnesse is not only proposed to us to be imitated we should then all fall sho t in writing after the copy but those that lay hold on his righteousnesse by faith they are changed and renewed in their minds there is a physical communication of this righteousness they feele the power of his death in the crucifying of their lusts and the vertue of his resurrection in their newnesse of minde and life Rom. 6.5 Phil. 3.10 as the Apostle most pathetically So Adams sin is not only our Copy but our corruption it doth not only seduce but defile our natures not only entice but condemne our persons Adam was not only a sinful pattern but a sinful Parent the plague of his sin hath infected the humane nature not only me but man-kind Arg. 2 Arg. 2. Baptisme that is administred to little ones to our infants it cannot be thought to blot out sins of imitation for they are guilty of none then Baptisme would in vaine be administred to our infants and this raises the feud of Anabaptists against this great truth of Original sin They deny the sin of Infants that they may deny the Baptisme Now we cannot conceive that tha blessed Ordinance of Infant Baptisme should be administred for no designs and purposes and why doth the Apostle call Baptisme the Laver of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 were there no stain in Infants what need of a Laver or of washing Arg. 3. And as Ambrose observes David ait ante usuram lucis Ambrose se accipere originis injuriam David complains that he lay under the stain of original sin before he was blest with the first light of the Sun he was dog'd with native corruption when the womb bore him it bore a living but a leprous childe he was wrap't in sin before he was wrapt in swadling cloaths Arg. 3 Arg. 4. And how many offend in the world who think nothing of Adam they transgresse and look not on his Copy And what is murder so often acted in the world to the earing of an Apple What proportion is there between those two Sins Adams eating of an Apple and Cains shedding of his brothers blood How many transgressours are there in the world that ne-ever heard of his offence or that ever there was such a man in the world whom did Philosophers imitate in their sin that opinionated the world to be eternal as Aristotle and his followers Arg. 4 Arg. 5. And that Argument of a learned man is most considerable Si peccatum originis sit tantùm ab imitatione Paulus non dixisset ex Adamo fluxisse peccatum sed à Diabolo quia ipse peccandi exemplum dedit i. e. If original sin were only propagated in a way of imitation Paul would never have said that sin entred the world by Adam but by Satan for he set the first pattern of sinning And now the doctrinal part is dispatch't I shall only annex some few things for the clearer evidence of this truth Arg. 5 1. If the guilt of Adams sin be not imputed to us why do our Infants of en labour under the wracking torments of some distempers and why often is the Cradle turn'd into a Coffin why come they crying and moaning into the world why doth palenesse of face plenteousnesse of tears and a multiplicâ—ty of diseases seize upon them as the prisoners of sin Surely God cannot forget the bowels of a Father this could not befall our Infants were not the hand of justice armed with sin and guilt let us not conceive God trying practice upon poor moaning innocents 2. If Adams sin be not inherent in us why have we not free will to good why do we not naturally burn in love to Jesus Christ and flourish with all vivacity in duty why flye we not to the Sanctuary as to our Paradise but on the contrary why do we draw the Chain of a body of death after us Duty is our burden sin our Element Rom. 7.24 the world our beloved the creature our Idol How are we dragg'd to service we flye to sin but are drawn to duty And in a word how come our understandings to be prisons of darknesse our wills stages of rebellion our affections heaps of dung or drosse for naturally we love sin or the creature what was then the inoffensivenesse of infancy thus to envenome our natures how came in the evil heart of unbelief Hebrews 3.12 3. This Truth of original sin was generally held in the Church till Pelagius who liv'd in the fifth Century confirmed by divers Councels in the Primitive times Quis ante Discipulum Pelagii prodigiosum Cael estium reatu praevaricationis Adaegenus humanum negavit esse astrictum Concilio Melevitano Concilio Toletano c. and the sixth Council of Carthage This truth hath been acknowledged by Heathens Plato complained Homines naturâ suâ esse pravos induci non posse ut justitiam colant i. e. That men were naturally very evil and could not be induced to the embracement of what was righteous And Cicero lamentatus est homines à naturâ novercâ in lucem edi Cicero complains that men were brought into the world by nature their step-mother the Heathens themselves universally enjoyned a strict Discipline to curb the ranknesse and untowardnesse of nature Actus ille Adami quo ipse peccavit omnibus imputandus est censendus omnium esse proprius c. A lap Nay this truth hath been confirmed by the most learned of the Papists A lapide in his Comment on the Romans acknowledgeth that that one act of Adams in eating the forbidden fruit wherein he offended is to be imputed to all men and is to be reputed the sin of all men and from hence it comes to passe that every childe of Adam hath contracted a necessity of sinning even with his first breath Nay the very Rabbies have attested this truth and we finde it clearly though sadly witnessed by our constant and much to be bemoaned experiences and here we might suppena and summon two witnesses for the further verification of it our own aversenesse to good and our natural propensity to evil 4. Nor was this truth ever opposed but upon some designe The Pelagians opposed it to maintain the perfection and power of nature which is mans proper Idol The Papists have opposed
mistakes how they suit one with another Two faults are Christians usually guilty of Either they content themselves with warm affections without knowledge and then are like a blind horse full of mettle To rest in affection without judgement but ever and anon stumbling their wild affections misguide them not being directed and governed by an answerable light Or secondly they content themselves with loose Notions without seeing the truths of God in their frame and so are never stable and roâ—ted in the Faith In loose Notions without method therefore this should Christians first look after * Col. 2.2 the riches of the full assurance of understanding in the Mysteries of godliness Secondly Christians must keep such Models of truth in their memory the memory is like the Ark wherein the holy things of God are to be kept The Spirit of Christ Jesus is given not only to teach us all things but to BRING ALL things to our REMEMBRANCE 2. In their memories Joh. 14.26 and Scripture is written upon this occasion not to lay in new truths but to keep the old in remembrance 2 Pet. 3.1 This second Epistle I write unto you by way of Remembrance His first Epistle was like the Sermon the second as the Repetition the first to inform the judgement the second to help their memories so must Ministers pegge in one Sermon with another never leave repeating the same truths till they are fastened upon their Auditors Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to you to me it is not grievous but to you it is safe Mens understandings are dull to conceive hard to believe and their memories apt to forget therefore we should presse if not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes the same things which Hippius liked not yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much about the same matters as Socrates advised The memory is a leaking vessel therefore as the Apostle exhorts it concerns us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more abundantly to attend to give the more diligent heed lest we let them slip and thereby we lose the * 2 John 8. To live truth Ministers and our own labour Thirdly Hold fast the Models of Divine Truth in your pratice a practical mem ry is the best memory to live the truths which we know is the best way to hold them fast There are Heretical manners as well as Heretical Doctrines Infidelis disputat contra fidem improbus Christianus vivit contra fidem Aug. Prophane Christians live against the Faith whilest Heterodox Christians dispute against the Faith There be not a few that live Antimonianisme and Libertinisme and Atheisme and Popery whil'st others Preach it Apostates are practical Arminians a prophane man a practical Atheist Whil'st others therefore live Error do you live the truth whil'st others deny the Gospel do you live the Gospel As you have received the truth as it is in Jesus so walk in it to all well-pleasing without this a man forsakes the truth while he doth professe it They profess to know God Tit. 1.16 but in theiâ— works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work disobedient Yea to live the Truths we hear is the way not to hold them only but to hold them forth to others as the Apostle speaks To hold forth truth to others holding forth the Word of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a Metaphor taken either from Fire-lights upon the Sea-coasts burning all night Phil. 12.6 the use whereof is to give notice to Seamen of some neighbouring Rocks and Quicksands that may endanger their Vessel or else from Torch-bearers in the night-time who hold out their lights that passengers may see their way in the dark according to which Metaphor our Saviour calls true reall Christians the Lights of the world a City set on a hill Matth. 5.14 to enlighten the dark world with their beams of holiness It is a blessed thing when the Conversations of Christians are practical Models of Gospel-truths walking Bibles holding forth the graces or excellencies of him who hath called them out of darknesse into his marvellous light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 Fourthly To contend for the truth Christians are to hold fast Models of truth by contending for the Truth against all the opposition of the reprobate world in contending and publickly owning the truth whatever it cost them God ordereth the love which the people show to the truth not seldom to be a restraint to carnal Magistrates when they would introduce mischiefs into the Church by force and power Matth. 14.5 He feared the multitude Matth. 21.46 They feared the multitude because they took him for a Prophet Acts 4.21 They let them go because of the people Thus doth God make use of the people though contemptible for their quality yet considerabe for their number as a bank of sand to keep back the waves of furious and opposite greatness Yea when the flood of Persecutions is already broken in upon the Church their zealous owning of the Truth keeps it alive and is a means to propagate it to after ages We owe our present truths not only to the disputations of the Doctors but the death of the Martyrs who were willing to resist unto blood striving against sinne Heb. 12.4 By whose flames after ages see the truths of the Gospel more clearly VSE The first Use may serve for Lamentation We live in a frozen and dull age wherein men have learned to hold fast every thing but the Truth Rich men will hold fast their Estates though Christ his Church and Cause have never so much need of them Ignorant People will hold fast their Ignorance ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Superstitious people will hold fast their Superstitious Customes and Idolatries Vain people will hold fast their Fashions and Modes Seduced wrerches will hold fast their Errors Non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris yea they are bold and impudent in justifying and propagating their false Doctrines they bend their tongue like their bow for lies but they are not valiant for the Truth upon the Earth Jer. 9.3 while multitudes are outragious against the Truth few very few are couragious for it We may take up that complaint Isa 1.21 22. How is the faithful City become an Harlot how is our gold become drosse and our Wine mixt with water who would have thought England could have so quckly forgotten Jesus Christ and changed the truth of God into a lye have the Nations been guilty of such a thing Jer. 2.9 The World once wondered to see itself turnd Arrian England may wonder and be astonished to see itself turned Arminian Antinomian Socinian Anabaptist Quaker Papist Atheist any thing but a Christian This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Oh that mine head were waters and mine eys rivers of tears c. And now my Brethren to make some brief Application of what what hath
one entire Fabrick and Creation God saw every thing that he had made Gen. 1.31 and behold it was VERY GOOD Such a rare piece are Gospel-truths in their variety and uniformity not lesse glorious a d admirable than heaven and earth Sunne Moon Starres Elements in all their order and ornament Secondly 2. Help to knowledge Such types and Exemplars of divine truths are of great help to the understanding As the Collection of many beams and luminaries makes the greater light so it is in tne judgement A constellation of Gospel-principles shining together into the understanding fills it with distinct and excellent knowledge 2 Cor. 4.6 It gives us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. One truth doth irradiate and expound another The truths of the Gospel in their method and series are interpretative one to the other while the understanding by means hereof hath the advantage of dwelling upon them the object and comparing spiritual things with spiritual things as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2.13 The truth is he knows but little of the truth that knows it only within it self he understands it aright that knows it in its connexion and correspondence with other truths of the Gospel That Christ dyed to save sinners is a most precious truth 1 Tim. 1.15 but he knoweth TOO LITTLE of it that knows it alone as most of ignorant Christians do who perish with their knowledge he knoweth this truth to purpose that knows it in its connexion with a lost estate that knows it in its references to the fall the wounds and bruises and death contracted by it he knows Redemption by Jesus Christ aright that knoweth it in order to the GUILT and POWER of sin and mans total impotency to save himself from either He knows salvation aright that knows it in the extent and vertue of all Christs OFFICES King Priest and Prophet that understands salvation to be a saving of the poor creature from the REIGN of sin by the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ a saving of a man from IGNORANCE ERROR and those false rotten principles which are naturally radicated in the understanding by the Prophetical Office of Jesus Christ as well as a saving him from HELL and WRATH TO COME by the Priestly Office of Jesus Christ He knows aright the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ not that knows it singly and nakedly only in the story and notion of it but that knoweth it in the effectual application of it by the Spirit for mortification and vivification that knoweth it in its connexion with and influence into justification and sanctification c. He that thus knoweth Christ and him crucified knoweth him as the truth is in Jesus His understanding is full of light Alas the ignorance and misery of our times is not that people are totally destitute of the principles of Christian Religion but that they know them singly only and apart and so they know them but by halfes yea not so much for I dare be bold to say the better half of every truth consists in its method and necessary coherence with other truths without which therefore the knowledge men have of them must needs be but dark and lifelesse Thirdly Such Patterns and Platforms whether of larger or of lesser compasse Advantage help to memoâ—y are a great help to memory In all Arts and Sciences order and method is of singular advantage unto memory We do easily retain things in our mind when we have once digested them into order It is not so much multitude of objects as their variousnesse and independency which is burdensome to memory when once the understanding apprehends them in their natural union and fellowship one upon another the memory comprehends them with much more sweetnesse and facility Hence it is that NUMBER and PLACE are of such rare use in the art of memory The reason why people generally remember no more of the Sermons they hear is for want of Catechizing whereby they might come to know the principles of Religion in their order and methodical contexture Usually in Sermons truths are delivered single and apart and the ignorant hearer knows not where the Minister is nor what place the doctrine delivered obtains in the body of divinity nor how they are knit together and so the memory leaks them out as fast as they are dropt in order is the very glue of memory Method in a single Sermon when the hearer is acquainted with it gratifieth the memory as well as the understanding while it doth not only lodge things in their own place but locks the door upon them that they may not be lost When things are knit and linckt in one with another as in a chaine pull up one link and that will pull up another so that the whole chaine is preserved But we may have occasion to speak again of this point And therefore Fourthly such Modules serve to quicken affection 4. Advantage to quicken affection Sympathy and Harmony have a notable influence upon the affections The sounding of a single string makes but little musick let a skilfull hand touch them in their musical consent and symphonie and it affects the hearer to a kinde of ravishment So it is with evangelical truths place them in their proper rooms that a man may behold them in their mutual correspondencies and apt couplings together and truly the Seraphims themselves answering one to another and ecchoing to another make not a sweeter harmony in their celestial Hallelujahs Fifthly It is a marvelous Antidote against errour and seduction Gospel truths in their series and dependance are a chain of gold to tie the truth and the soul close together People would not be so easily trapand into heresie if they were acquainted with the concatenation of Gospel-doctrines within themselves As for instance men would not certainly be so easily complemented to worship that Idol of free-will and the power of nature were they well principled in the doctrine of the fall The design of God in permitting of it held out in Scripture in such large and legible Characters that he which runs may read Psal 51.4 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31 c. If they did with sobriety of Spirit observe what the Scripture prâ—claimes concerning the impotency of the lapst and ruined creature mans helplesse condition in himself Rom. 5.6 Ephes 2.1 Of the absolute necessity of the quickening helping and stablishing influence of the Spirit of Christ c. When a chaine of pearls is broken a single jewel is easily lost divine truths are mutually preservative in their social embraces and coherence Sixthly 6. Advantage growth in grace Growth in grace is one blessed fruit of such systems and tables of divine truths When â—oundations are well laid the superstructures are prosperously carried on want of distinct knowledge in the mysteries of Religion is a great obstruction to the growth of grace The great cause of the believing Hebrews non proficiency was
their defect in the foundation the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 unskillfulnesse in the word of righteousnesse made them that they were but babes in grace ver 13. Vse Use Vse 1. In the first place it serves to justifie the practice of the Churches of Jesus Christ which have their Publick Forms and Tables of the fundamental Articles of the Christian faith drawn up by the joynt labour and travel of their learned and godly Divines after much and solemn seeking of God by fasting and prayer in the solemn profession whereof they all consent and agree Such were those antient publick Creeds The Athanasian Creed The Nycene Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed which justly merits that title if not because compiled by the twelve Apostles every one casting in their Symbole or Article as tradition goes yet because collected out of the Apostles writings and is as it were a brief form or abridgement of the Doctrine taught by Christ and his Apostles An Epitomy of the Christian faith And such are the Confessions which most of the Reformed Churches have drawn up for their own use comprehending the most necessary and fundamental Articles of the Christian faith to be generally owned and asserted by all within their Associations and Jurisdictions whither Ministers or people That Confession of faith which was compiled by the Reverend and Learned Divines of the late Assembly at Westminster and presented to the two Houses of Parliament as their Advice in matters of Religion was of this nature and obtains the primacy amongst all the Confessions of the Reformed Churches in the judgement of many Learned Orthodox Divines Such Formes and Modules are of excellent use in the Churches Partly to be a bank or bulwark to keep error and heresie from breaking into the Church of God Partly to prevent dissents and dissentions which are very apt to rise amongst the Pastours and Teachers as well as amongst the private members of such Congregations where every one is left at liberty to preach and practice to hold and hold forth what is right in their own eyes Partly to preserve the truth in its integrity and beauty and the professors of it in unity and uniformity Isa 4.5 the glory of the Churches and the defence upon that glory Use 2. It serves to shew us the benefit and advantage of publick Chatechismes whither larger containing a more general collection of Gospel truths for the use of such as are of larger understandings young or old or lesser containing only some few of the most necessary principles of Religion in the most facile and familiar way for the help of meaner capacities amongst which although there be some hundred several forms extant in the Reformed Churches yet those two forms or Modules drawn up by the late Reverend Assembly their larger and shorter Catechism obtain the general vote both abroad and at home for their excellency and usefulnesse And it is the wish of very learned and judicious men that there were yet some shorter and more easie form drawn up that might be reduced to a few heads of the first and most necessary points of Christian faith for the institution of babes The great advantage of such forms of Chatechistical doctrine is that thereby a Minister of the Gospel may acquaint his people with more of the necessary and saving truths of the Gospel in a few months than he can well preach over in many years and by the brief and frequent running over the principles of Religion people of all sorts and ages would be incomparably prepared for the Word preached and profit more by one Sermon than unprincipled hearers commonly do by twenty Use 3. Hence also I might commend to young Students in Divinity the reading of systems and compendious Abstracts and Abridgements as an excellent entrance and manuduction unto their Theological studies before they lanch into the larger tracts and treatises in that vast and immense ocean of Divine knowledge of which we may say almost to desparation Ars longa vita brevis The Shipwright that is to build a large and stately Vessel doth first shape his work in a very small Module And he that is to travel into the remote parts of the world shall render his labour much more fruitful by reading Maps and Globes at home for by that means he shall know where he is when he comes abroad his eye and his understanding will mutually interpret one to the other thus your curious workwomen do first make their borders and trails and then fill them Use 4. It serves to commend Methodical preaching that Minister that is wise and judicious to observe method in his Sermon and method between Sermon and Sermon a Scriptural connexion as much as may be between subject and subject doctrine and doctrine omne tulit punctum he is a Preacher indeed he shall not only profit but delight his hearers and make them not only knowing Christians but distinct and judicious Use 5. It commends not least constant and fixed hearing especially when people sit under a judicious and methodical Ministry Varia lectio delectat animum certa prodest Sen. loose hearing may please but the fixed will profit skipping hearing for the most part makes but sceptical Christians when people hear at randome have a snatch here and a snatch there here a truth perhaps and there an errour here a notion and there a novelty c. such mixt hearing makes up the garment of knowledge but just like a beggars Cloak full of patches they are never able to bring their knowledge into any form or method ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth their knowledge is like an heap of pebbles upon which a man can never raise a superstructure whereas they that sit under a fixed Ministry one that is Master of his Art they are acquainted with the way and course and project of his preaching as the Apostle tells Timothy 2 Epist 3.10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine purpose c. i. e. the designe and method of my Ministry Such hearers if judicious can follow their Teacher through the series and deduction of his Ministery from Subject to Subject and from Text to Text and from Head to Head till at length they have before they take notice of it an hypotyposis or collection of gospel-Gospel-truths formed in their understanding Such an hearer begins where he left the last time and so from time to time is still going on shining and growing and enlightning unto the prepared day Prov. 4.18 from faith to faith from knowledge to knowledge and from truth to truth till he comes in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 Various hearing makes variable Christians St. James his professors for the most part double-minded men unstable
in all their ways James 1.8 they are still beginning but never able to make any prosperous and successeful progresse in the knowledge of Christ Sixthly and lastly from hence give me leave to commend to you the benefit and advantage of THE MORNING EXERCISE which the good hand of Providence brings to your doors this ensuing month and begins to morrow morning in this place Truly God hath been pleased to make this morning Lecture a great mercy to this City ever since it was first erected which was WHEN LEYCESTER WAS BESIEGED The fruits of the morning exercise in the City it hath been like the Ark in the house of OBED-EDOM a blessing where ever it hath come a morning cloud which hath let fall sweet refreshing showres in every place In special God hath made it instrumental 1. For the strengthning of the weak hands and confirming the feeble knees of the people of God Isa 35.3 4. Comfort against fear who in this time of Englands troubles have been of a fearful heart and of a trembling spirit many poor Christians who in times of publick dangers and confusions have come to these morning Assemblies like the Maries to the Sepulchre of our Lord with their hearts full of fears and their eyes full of tears have been dismissed those Assemblies with fear and great joy their hearts have been revived Matth. 28.8 and their hands strengthned in the Lord their God 2. A preservative against Apostacy 2 Pet. 3.17 God hath made use of this exercise for the preserving of thousands from errour and damnable doctrines in these times of sad Apostacy While many ignorant and unstable souls being led away with the errour of the wicked have fallen from their own stedfastnesse there want not multitudes through grace who are ready to acknowledge that they owe their confirmation and stability in the truth under God in a very eminent manner to the labours of those godly Orthodox Divines who have bestowed their pains in these early Lectures from time to time 3. Conversion God hath commanded his blessing upon it for the conversion of many souls to Jesus Christ Blessed be God the morning exercise hath not been childless since it was set up some there be to my knowledge who have calculated their spiritual nativity from the time that this exercise was in the places of their habitation as in this place some can bring in their testimony to the honour and praise of free grace 4. It hath been a very choice instrument in the hand of the Spirit for the building up of Christians in their most holy faith Edification Many of them that have attended daily at the gates of wisdome waiting at the posts of her doors in this Ministerial course Prov. 8 34 35. have been observed to have made eminent proficiency in the School of Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 to grow in God in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To all which blessed ends these morning Exercises have had some advantage above other Assemblies Partly by reason of the frequency and assiduity of them Sabbath-day-Sermons and Weekly-lectures being distanc't with such long intervals of worldly incumbrances are for the most part forgotten before the return of their weekly course whereas these exercises treading so close upon the heels one of another they that have constantly attended them have as it were lived under a constant vision the Sunne of the Gospel arising upon them as assiduously as the Sunne in the Firmament whereby they have been carried on in a daily progresse of Gospel-proficiency And Partly the Preachers by a kind of secret instinct of the Spirit having been directed in their order to preach seasonable things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls it present truth truth most proper to the present state of things carefully obviating the errors of the times and not only so but sometimes as if there had been a designe laid by mutual consent they have been guided to preach methodical truths their Sermons have been knit together not without some natural connexion into a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Module of Evangelical doctrine at least so farre as it hath not been difficult to finde out not only consent but a kinde of dependance between their successive discourses that might be of more than ordinary help to their Auditors as in this a The morning exercise at Giles in the Fields May 55. printed for Richard Gibbs in Chancery lane near Serjeants Inne place about this time foure years and since in a b The word of faith at Martins in the fields Febr. 55. printed for Fran. Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet neighbouring Congregation by some short notes published for the help of weaker Christians may appear But now brethren behold I shew you a more excellent way That which sometime hath fallen out providentially and but in a very imperfect way is now de industria and by prae-agreement and consent intended and designed among you in this course of the morning Exercise viz. that which the Apostle here commends to Timothy his care and custody an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or FORM of sound words A Series or Delineation of some of the chief points and heads of Gospel doctrine methodically collected and digested as far as the narrow circle of so few days will contain AND THIS WE WILL DO IF GOD PERMIT What remaineth Brethren Heb. 6.3 but that you stir up your selves in the strength of Christ Cautions 1. Prize these opportunities 1. To prize such a precious season and opportunity as Providence puts into your hand God is bringing a very precious treasure and depositum unto your doors Psal 147.20 He hath not dealt so with every Nation c. See my Brethren that you put a due value and estimate upon it lest God challenge your contempt with that angry question Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdome seeing he hath no heart to it Prov. 17 1◠2. Frequen◠them 2. To frequent it Christians be afraid of losing a morning let not one such golden opportunity fall to the ground you do not know what you lose Borrow a little from your sleep and from your worldly employments if your Callings and Families shall not be too great sufferers by it and bestow it upon your souls will it not be fruit abounding to your account in the day of Christ While ye have the light walk in the light Jer. 6.4 Know ye not that the Shadows of the Evening are stretched out Redeem the time the days are evil Ephes 5.15 3. Stir up your selves to prepare your hearts for a solemn attendance upon God in them 3. Prepare for them Lev. 10.3 Remember what the Lord said to Moses I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me Oh profane not your accesses to such holy things I may bespeak you in the
Sure then you will have reason to plead for and to hold fast this blessed book which we call the Bible if I shall be able to make it further evident that it is tha book which God himself hath writ An Argument which you need to hear and which you had need seriously consider for as I shall anon presse it upon you if you did believe the glory the Scripture speaks of and the dreadful misery that remains for impenitent sinners in hell if things as they are stated in the Scripture were looked upon as real truths it would cause you presently to return to God by godlinesse There were even in the Apostles time seducers so you finde in the beginning of this Chapter persons that would resist the truth as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses Not only in the present age which is like the dregs of the world in comparison of the Primitive times but even then also there were seducers and deceivers there are Comets among the Stars as well as ignis fatuus that creep upon the earth what must Timothy do ver 14. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom than hast learned them and that from a childe thou hast known the Scriptures c. From a childe Jos phus in his book against Apion tells us the children of the Jews were so instructed in their Laws that they could scarce name a Law to them but they could tell it more shame to us Christians that take no care to teach Religion that may much more easily be learned than the Jewish Religion could From a childe thou hast learned the Scriptures And it would be a shame for a person so long instructed not to continue in this doctrine a shame for an old professor well educated to desert the principles of his Religion and forsake the truths of Scripture do not forsake them why this verse gives two reasons first it is of divine revelation secondly it 's profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse A little to explain the words All Scripture is given by inspiration of God Scripture in the Text is the same with the Holy Scriptures ver 15. for you must know that in the Bible the word Scripture is commonly taken for the holy Scriptures so search the Scripture ye erre not knowing the Scripture John 5.39 Matth. 22.29 John 10.33 the Scripture cannot be broken so you must understand it here all Scripture that is not every thing that is written but the holy Scripture Is of Divine inspiration the meaning is that the things written are not of humane invention are not the contrivance of any mans wit or any mans fancy but they are the real revelations of the minde and will of God And yet those things which were thus reveal'd good men were excited to write them and assisted in it I say the inspiration of God comprehends in it these two things First the truths contained in this Scripture were not inventions of mans braine ot fancy Secondly that they who writ them were excited to it and were assisted in it by the Holy Ghost The Text is both explain'd and confirm'd by the parallel place 2 Pet. 1.21 Knowing this first that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost That you may a little understand this Text give me leave to glosse upon it In ver 16. the Apostle said we have not followed cunningly devised fables c. That which we have proposed and preached to you was nothing cunningly devised by us when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ we saw him transfigured we did not go about to tell you the story our selves but if you will not believe that ver 19. We have also a more sure word of prophesie There are predictions concerning Christ in the Old Testament whereunto ye do very well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts Not as some Enthusiasts would interpret this that men should mind the Old Testament till the Spirit of God should tell them the truth of this Scripture and then throw away the Old Testament No it 's a light that shines in a dark place untill the day dawns and the day-star arise in your hearts I 'le give two interpretations either first that this heart is the dark place till the day-star arise and so the word untill shall not refer to the word take heed but only to dark place mans heart is the dark place But I rather take it till they saw the accomplishment of those Prophesies till you see that really fulfilled which hath been Prophesied Take heed why knowing this that no Prophesie of Scripture is of any private interpretation c. so we read the word in the Greek it is they are not of any private incitation and impulsion for the word hath reference to the custome of Racers now you know Racers do not set out when they please themselves but when he watch word is given Now no Prophesie is of any private interpretation they did not go about nor set about it till God really put them upon it for it was not the effect of their own will choice or invention but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Say the Papists the Scripture is of no private interpretation therefore you cann't understand it but that is just as if I should say you must not put what meaning you will upon my words and therefore you cann't understand them The Scriptures being from God are not to any of private interpretation that is to put any other meaning upon them than what God means but it doth not follow what God means cannot be understood Luke 1.70 it s said that God spake by the mouth of the holy Prophets c. The Apostles before they preached were endued with power from on high as you read in the Acts. Paul saith of himself it pleased God to reveal his Sonne in him Gal. 1.15 16. by the Revelation of the Gospel 1 Cor. 14.37 If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. Quest The grand enquiry will be how may any man be truly satisfied that this book is the Word of God or that it hath Divine authority or Divine inspiration I confesse 't is an undertaking too great for me but yet sometimes you have seen a little boat follow a great ship That I may distinctly do it and offer my own thoughts in this great enquiry I shall give you what I have to say in these seven Propositions Sol. 1. Prop. That there may be a Revelation from God no man
take off the veile from the Text in a short explication By one man and him we may consider 1. His name Adam and this comprehends his person sex and kind 2. His order he was the first man 1 Cor. 15.45 3. His person in the individual And so Original sin properly is not derived from the proximate Parents but the prime-parent 4. His nature Adam was one non tantum in individuo sed in specie one comprehending the whole root representing the whole stock the seed and generation of man-kind so Adam is taken for the species of man Sinne The Apostle here speaks of sin not sins as if he would precisely determine it of that one root of sin distinct from those many following fruits this sin hath been the Original the incentive the cause of all sinne this sinne stained the world Entered into the world viz. by propagation sin entered like death Now death is actually propagated as he said scio me genuisse mortalem I know I beget a dying child a child subject to death sinne entered not by example but generation The World By the world we must not understand terrenam corpâ—ralem vitam the pleasure and delights of the world for the Saints are crucified to the world in this sense Gal 6.14 and so Original sin should not seize on believers Nor 2. In locum mundi for as Pareus observes the Angels first sinned and sin first entred by them into the place of the world Nor 3. In Paradisum into Paradise for sin was first committed by Eve in Paradise But 4. We must understand the inhabitants of the world Vniversum genus humanum all man-kind Martyr Gorranus as Mart. Gor. And death by sinne The query among Divines is what this death is Some suppose the death of the body as Ambrose some the death of the soul as the Pelagians but as Haymo observes mors animae corporis in omnes pertranstit the death both of soul and body passed on all for as Origen saith Orig. Mors corporalis umbra est spiritualis the death of the body is only the shadow of the death of the soul so that by death in the Text we must necessarily understand the death of soul and body with all the antecedents and consequents of both Willet sicknesse weaknesse corruption guilt horrour despair Death passed upon all men Corporal death on all the most holy most flourishing most probable to live spiritual and eternal death on all men in the sentence not in the execution Rom. 3.19 the sentence is reversed the execution for ever forborn to believers For all have sinned For the opening of this I shall only give you the glance of Musculus In Adam omnes fuimus in lumbis ejus c. we were all in the loynes of offending Adam from that masse we sprung and therefore as Levi paid tythes in the loyns of Abraham Hebrews 7.9 10. so it is no wonder if we being in the loyns of Adam are found sinners in him Doct. Now the mournful truth that the Text presents us with is this viz. That our first Parent by his transgression hath left an unhappy portion of sinne and death to all his posterity thus much the Text expresseth thus much it confirms we have this unwelcome entail from our first Parent Concerning death I shall not dilate because the shade of death doth alwayes accompany the body of sin but I shall only insist on that part of our portion sin We are entituled to Adams sinne 'T is a derivation from the root to the branches as poyson is carried from the fountain to the Cistern as the children of Traytours have their blood tainted with their fathers Treason and the children of Bond-slaves are born in their Fathers condition Omnes in Adamo peccaverunt Aug. quia omnes unus ille fuerunt Aug. All were entangled in Adams sin because all were folded up in Adams person And the same Father in another place Traxit reatum homo quia unus erat cum illo à quo traxit Man drew down guilt upon himself because he was one with him from whom he drew it Greg. And it is an excellent observation of Gregory Genus humanum in parente primo velut in radice putruit Man-kind putrified in the first parent as in a root Adam is as the poysoned root and the clusters are envenomed because the root was poysoned had Adam stood and preserved his perfection his glory as a royalty had descended to his seed to man-kind but by his offence forfeiting his beauty and contracting on himself both guilt and an universal loathsomenesse both losse and loathsomnesse he transmits to his posterity and it is upon his breath that every child that comes into the world sucks in poyson with his first breach and is no sooner a living creature than a deformed sinner This truth we find early confirmed in the world so Adam begat Seth according to his own likeness Gen. 5.3 non ad similitudinem Dei sed ad similitudinem sui Brockman and it is very considerable the Original phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his image in his likeness the word is as it were redoubled to set the greater brand upon corrupt nature in his image nay in his likeness And to shew the necessity of our drawing corruptness from Adam holy Job expresses it by a quick and smart interrogation Job 14.4 Nay th s truth David seems to bedue with tears and deplore with sighs Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me In the times of the Gospel this spot is more clearly discernable and from whence we received the contagion Rom. 5.19 By God we are creatures by Adam we are sinners so that Text By one mans disobedience many were made sinners And so most remarkably 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have borne the image of the earthly c. Nor is that gloss of Cyprian upon the place to be over-passed Imaginem terreni portavimus Cypr. peccandi propensâ—â—nem mortem imaginem caelestis portemus constantiam in sanctitate instaurationem ex morte corruptione ad vitam immortalitatem i. e. We have borne the image of the earthly Adam a propensity to sin and death let us bear the image of the heavenly a constancy in holiness and instauration from death and corruption to life and immortality I shall only adde one Scripture more Ephes 2.3 We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Now there are three things which are considerable for the dispatch of the doctrinal part of the Text. 1. To demonstrate more particularly the transmission of Adams sin to us Now Adams sin is transmitted to posterity two wayes 1. By imputation 2. By inhaesion the guilt and the stain of his sin is propagated to all his posterity Particle 1 1. The sin of Adam is derived to us by way of imputation and that upon a double demonstration may be evidenced
God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now then seeing God being naturally gracious and perfectly righteous cannot will not be displeased with any without cause and Christ had in himself no cause There was nothing in him Joh. 14.30 and as you read he alwayes did those things which pleased him It remains therefore that the cause of this displeasure and of Chrsts death was our sins laid upon him and our peace to be procured by him And that brings in the 2. Head which is the procuring or meritorious cause of Christs death the guilt of our sins laid on him brought death upon him as the just punishment of them And this is written with so much clearness that he that runs may read it It is observed of the Ancient Writers of the Church That those of them which lived before the Pelagian heresie was raised spoke more darkly and doubtfully and carelesly in those things not being ob iged to stand much upon their Guard when they had no enemy in view and having to do with enemies of a contrary make while they avoided one extream 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it often happened they ran too near the other But in this point the Apostles who Writ so long before Socinus had a being have Written with as much perspicuity against that heresie as if they had lived to see the accomplishment of that Monster the conception whereof some of them saw in those Primitive Hereticks Two things are written with a Sun-beam 1. That Christ died for our good as the final cause Dan. 9.26 The Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself 2. That he died for our sins as the deserving cause Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered viz. unto death for our offences not only upon the occasion of our sins as the Socinians gloss it but for the merit of our sins To suffer for sin alwayes implies sin to be the meritorious cause of it 1 Kings 14.16 He shall give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam Deut. 24.16 The Father shall not be put to death for the children but every man shall be put to death for his own sin And many other places there are to the same purpose And it is sufficient to confirm any judicious man in this Truth to read the miserable evasions which the Socinians use to shift off the force of this Argument which as time will not give me leave to mention so they are neither fit for this nor worthy of any Assembly This is plain that Christ died for our sinnes and to stop all holes the holy Ghost useth various prepositions if one be more emphatical than another all shall concur to assert this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.18 And that all these should signifie the final cause or occasion only and never the meritorious cause when a man hath put out his eyes or God hath taken away the Scripture and other Greek Authours too he may believe it but very hardly before I shall strengthen this Argument with this consideration That Christ is said to bear our sinnes which is so evident that Crellius that Master-builder of the Socinian Fabrick confesseth That for the most part to beare sins is to endure the punishments due to sin And he said no more than he was forced to by the invincible clearness of Scripture-expressions Lev. 5.1 7.18 20.17 Notorious Offenders it is said of them They shall beare their iniquity It is said of Christ not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Socinians say may signifie to take away iniquity albeit a Learned man layeth down this assertion That it never signifies to take away sin as Socinus would have it but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to beare upon his shoulders as a Porter beares a Burden but never to take away Isaiah 53.4 He hath borne our griefs and carâ—yed our sorrows Object Which is one of the most plausible Arguments they have in this cause But Mat. 8.16 17. where Christ took away diseases which he did not bear it is said the saying of Esaias was fulfilled therein Answ To omit those many Answers given by others of which see Brinsleys one only Mediatour and Calovius his excellent discourse De satisfactione Christi in his Socinismus prostigatus A Scripture is said to be fulfilled either wholly or in part Now then you must know that although it be a truth which we conclude against the Papists That there are no more than one of literal and co-ordinate senses of every place of Scripture yet there may be divers of several kindes one subordinate to another and one typified by another and one accommodated to another And when any one of these senses are accomplished that Scripture is said to be fulfilled though indeed but one piece and parcel of it be fulfilled Thus the fulfilling of the same Scripture is applied to the spiritual preservation of the Apostles John 17.12 and to the temporal preservation of them John 18.9 And as it were false and fallacious reasoning for any man to infer that Christs keeping of his Apostles cannot be understood spiritually of keeping them in his Name and keeping them from Apostacy as it is said John 17.12 because John 18.9 it is said to be fulfilled in a rescue of them from a temporal destruction but rather it must be said it was fulfilled both wayes and the one was subordinate to the other and typified in the other So is it in this case This place in Isaiah that it may appeare to be exactly a parallel case was fulfilled two wayes The one expressed 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the Tree The other in this Matth. 8.17 In the former is expressed the cause Christs bearing the burden of our sinnes upon his shoulders In the latter the effâ—ct Christs taking off the Burden or part of that Burden of sin from our shoulders or from the shoulders of those diseased persons for it was laid upon his shoulders that it might be taken off from us So that Matthew rightly tells us that Isaiah was fulfilled and that the cause did appeare by the effect as by the dawning of the day we see the approach of the Sun And this may serve for the untying of that hard knot which I had almost said is the only thing of moment the Socinians have in this Controversie But to return Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed If it were lawful for the highest Antisocinian in the world to coyne a Scripture for his purpose he could not devise a place of a more favourable aspect to his cause than this And Ver. 6. The Lord hath plac'd on him the iniquity of us all But indeed the Arguments which might be drawn out of this one Chapter Isa 53. might
the Jaylor the doors were opened to and fetters fell off from the prisoners and therewith the door of the keepers soul was opened and his fetters of ignorance and corruptions in which he was holden captive by Satan were broken At first poor man he was afflicted with fear of his Prisoners escaping so as to make attempt against his own natural life not knowing that God intended good by all and to make his Prisoners his Releasers and Deliverers But by and by his amazement and trouble strikes the right way and he is not only willing to keep a natural life but is desirous of and inquisitive after an eternal life Sirs what must I do to be saved And they said Believe c. My allotted work at this time is from this clear and full Text to speak of Saving Faith in the entry whereof let me once for all premise First I purposely wave Controversies as wanting both time and fitness to be an Umpire and give a final decision Secondly I shall endeavor to confine my discourse to my Subject without trespassing upon others ground by repeating what belongs to preceding or preventing what belongs to following Subjects Thirdly I am not solicitous about nor is it possible to please all in method and terms belonging to it those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Method and words I always account are servants to matter Fourthly In this great part of the Body of Christian Religion I can only shew the Sceleton without reading an Explanatory Lecture or give the bones and sinews without cloathing them with a due proportion of flesh for that would take up too much room To engage attention consider This is that great a Joh. 6.29 Work of God a main part of the b 1 Tim. 3.16 Mystery of Godliness a c Heb. 6.1 Principle and foundation at this when excelling d Mat. 8.10 Christ wondered by this e Rom. 4.20 Glory is every way given to God to this f Mark 9 23. Heb. 11.33 all things are possible it sharing with God in his otherwise g Mat. 19.26 incommunicable Omnipotency and accordingly the h Mat. 9.22 Effects of the Divine Power are attributed unto Faith i 2 Pet. 1.1 Pretious and k Jam. 2.5 enriching Faith though in it self and to its Subject the most indigent and emptying Grace Poor yet making rich having nothing yet entitling to all things This is that which all the promises types and prefigurations of the Messiah did lead the Patriarchs unto and by which they obtained a good report Heb. 11.2 This is the end of the Law subordinate unto Christ Rom. 10.4 and the sum of the Gospel commonly named and pretended to but little known and rightly understood Luk. 18.8 less enjoyed and exercised in the World I shall reduce all to these Six Heads The Nature Subject Causes Effects Properties and Opposites of Faith To open the Nature of it 1. Nature I shall remove the ambiguity of phrase and state what I shall prosecute by giving the Distinctions and Description of it Fides quae creditur Distinctions Faith which we believe is the Doctrine of the Gospel or any word of God yea the essential Word of God Gal. 3.23 the promised Seed the Object of Faith is by that word understood by learned persons 1. Fides qua creditur Faith by which we believe and this to begin at the remotest and meanest is either First Without knowledge the ignorant implicite Faith and profession of many owning Christ as the founder of their Order and way but this is not right which only distinguisheth Christians from others Secondly With some knowledge without assent which scarce deserves the name of Faith and this is a Profession of the Faith either customary following education and example or compulsive through fear or gainful for outward advantages as theirs that followed Christ for the loaves and Simon Magus's Thirdly With knowledge and assent of which some Faith respecteth the Truth of God for Doctrine sake I may thus distinguish which is called Historical Jam. 2.19 thus the Devils believe and tremble wicked men believe and sometimes tremble and sometimes rejoyce as if they had enough the only difference is the want of applicability to the Devils in neither is affection to the Revealer or things revealed This is not right though it believe never so rightly concerning Christs Person Natures Offices c. Some Faith respecteth the Truth and power of God and hath for its ground ordinarily some special Word Mat. 10 8. and this is called Faith of Miracles and this is either active Matth. 17.20 which is peculiarly the Faith of Miracles and that to which the special Word refers or passive Act. 14.9 and 3.16 and which the woman with the bloody issue had The Promises that were the ground of this Faith were peculiarly suitable to those times and now not improveable or not ordinarily and the Faith it self though grounded on a special word yet is but a common gift in it self as opposed to saving as appeareth in Judas and those that at last would cry Lord Mat. 7.22 Lord and in the nine Lepers Though sometimes indeed it had the actings of the best even Saving Faith twisted with it Mat. 8.10.15.28 Some Faith respecteth the Truth Power and Goodness of God and this grounded upon General Promises and words of encouragement of an unlimited truth and concernment to time and persons Mat. 6. from vers 25. Now this respecteth either the General love of God to his Creatures and Man as a peculiar one affording support preservation provision necessary or the peculiar love of God to man through the undertakings of Christ making man to look for better things than the effects of common providence even God himself for his portion and full happiness in him Now that bold affianâ—e is not true Faith whereby men carry it at that rate of confidence as if Christ died to save all from hell that are not willing to go thither for in some it is without savor and affections suitable which I may call altogether fained Faith as in the generality of Formalists now who presume all is well God loveth them and Christ died for them In others it is joyned with a savory gust and relish of the Word and Promise which in regard of its continuance and thereby usefulness to its end Salvation though I make not that the only difference is called either temporary springing from sleighty and perishing causes as that of the a Luk. 8.13 stony ground and the b Mat. 25.8 Virgins Or else lasting durable altogether true and c 1 Tim 1.5 unfeigned justifying and saving Faith This indeed is but d Ephes 4.5 one as well as the Object and therefore those Peter wrote to had e 2 Pet 1.1 obtained like precious Faith yet differeth in degrees and f Rom 12.3 measure in some it is g Mark 9.24 small and h Isa
shall * be joyned to the Lord and become one Spirit his mind and will perfectly taking place in us * Isa 48.18 our peace will be as a River when our righteousness shall be as the waves of the Sea No reflections upon sins or sorrows pass'd with bitterness of spirit as now we have in our greatest Triumphs and festivities as the Jews in their Feasts of Tabernacles Lev. 23.40 had their willow boughs among their Palmes while they remembred the dangers they passed in the Wilderness on their Festival Revolutions but every review if actual felicity can possibly give way to it will only widen and dilate the soul for a more ample fruition of the present state even * Si quaeris de visione Dei qualis est actio aut quies potius ut rerum di cam vescio Deciv 22.29 that peace of God which passeth all understanding So that as Augustine sayes if you ask what this enjoyment is of God what kind of action or rather rest to speak truth I know not and no wonder when that which is enjoyed here * Phil. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containes more than any understanding can comprehend 3. To make up the Kingdom there must be a Crown and so there is but this Crown is the King himself here the King of glory enters in at our everlasting gates but there we shall enter in to the King of glory * Gen. 15.1 I am thy exceeding great Reward But there are three wreaths in this Crown 1. God as considered the object of Vision the Chrystal Ocean of all Truth and there we shall be able to read every truth in the Original and see it in him as our faces in a glass not only those truths that are so mainly conducing to our happiness but those more speculative to * Etiam curiositas satietur Anselm the satisfaction of curiosity it self Luther discoursing at Supper the night before he died said That as Adam after his sleep knew his Wife to be bone of his bone and call'd all the Creatures by their names so after * Psal 17.15 we shall awake we shall not only be satisfied with Gods image but shall know one another yea all things to be known Philosophy will then be not a dead contemplation but a meditation of life and every idiot now shall then have the collection and pure extract of all the notions in the world while the book of life lies open and legible before his face the idea's and Representations of all beings in God the Father the mirrors of all grace and truth in Jesus Christ the beauty of all delights and sweetnesses imaginable in the holy Spirit and all these in all and all in one with infinite variety in unity transcendent to all imaginable reflections of glory But who of us * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aris dark creatures can bear this inaccessible light and therefore he * 1 King 8.10 11. appeared in the Temple in Divine darkness all the purest light in the world being but a shadow of God If an idolatrous Temple of Diana's was so bright that the door-keepers cryed always to them that entred in Take heed to your eyes 't is difficult to imagine how even an immortal * Exod. 33.20 eye should see him and live Therefore * Rev. 2.28 to him that overcomes he will give the morning starre a * Lumen confort ans uti Scholastici loquuntur light to strengthen the eye to behold this glory as all the Starres can look upon the Sun we shall then not only have all the Riddles of providence unfolded seeing how one Politician was used to crack anothers Crown and one Serpent broke the head of another but the glorious Majesty of God shall be reflected to us in the all-glorious body of Jesus Christ as the rain-bow about the Throne Rev. 4.3 nay some think the very Angels shall assume aery bodies to feed the eyes of the Saints with all and to be in a nearer capacity of conversing with them Yea Saint Augustine sayes De civit Dei lib. 22. c. 29. we shall see God in his Saints and their glorious actings as well and as manifestly as we now see mens bodies in the vital actions of the bodies 2. The next wreath in this Crown is the perception of Divine goodness to the satisfaction of our love as all other desires this is the great Sabbath of loves and the soul like a Phaenix shall lie down in a bed of Spices and live like a Salamander in those * Cant. 8.6 Coals of Juniper desiring exstatically to be in its best self and archetypon God himself Isa 33.14 But who of us can dwell with devouring flames who of us can lie down with everlasting burnings even the love wherewith God loveth himself and loveth his Saints but then we shall find his love strengthening of us to love him with his own love and these dull earthly hearts of ours by beholding of that Sun shall be converted into fixed Stars reflecting back his own glory we shall then feel the sweetness of Gods Electing love from all eternity the love of our blessed Jesus which was * Cant. 8.6 stronger than death yea we shall then enjoy the Spirit of love who is 1 John 4.8 love it self and whose * Psal 63.3 Sicut ferrum immissum in ignem totum fit lignis sic Paulus accensus charitate totus fit charitas loving-kindness is better than life And as one sayes of Paul that as Iron put into the fire becomes all fire so Paul enflamed with charity and love becomes altogether love If The Philosophers say the reason of the Irons cleaving to the Loadstone so constantly is because the pores of both bodies are alike and so there are effluxes and emanations that slide through them and unite them together now this will be the magnetism of heaven that our wills shall perfectly fall in with the Divine Will and nothing seem good to us but what is good in Gods esteem so that we shall then need no threatnings to drive us nor promises to lead us but Divine goodness will so perfectly attract us that we shall be naturalized to God and goodness and be no more able to turn off from that ineffable sweetness than the Loadstone is to convert it self to the West 3. The last wreath is the result of both the former from vision and fruition of infinite truth and goodness reflected in the Center of the soul springs up delight to all eternity Heaven is nothing but * Gaudium de veritate Aug. Alicubi the joy of truth After a tedious Racking of our braines on a knotty probleme if we discover any satisfaction with what an exultancy do we break out into the Mathematicians phrase * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archimed I have found I have found what I a long time studied for What joy will it be then
delivered unto you so you may be delivered into it Rom. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Form of doctrine into which ye were delivered Efficacius vitae quam lnguae testimonium Ber. Confession Bernard What a sore judgement will abide such as suffer all these morning influences to passe away as water over a swans back that come the same from these morning visions they came to them How shall we escapt if we neglect so great salvation Hold it forth I say Christians in your lives the Conversation is a better testimony to the truth then the confession I have met with a general vote in the Auditory that attended this morning Ordinance that these Sermons might be Printed that so what hath once past upon your ears might be exposed to your eye whereby you might stay and fix upon it with the more deliberation Whether I may prevail with the Brethren or no for their second travel in this Service I know not There is one way left you wherein you may gratifie your own desires and Print these Sermons without their leave though I am confident not without their consent and that is PRINT THEM IN YOVR LIVES AND CONVERSATIONS Live this morning Exercise in the sight of the world that men may take notice you have been with Jesus You have been called up with Moses into the Mount to talk with God Now you come down oh that your faces might shine that you would commend this morning Exercise by an holy life that you may be manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by VS 2 Cor. 3.3 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 To that end Take along with you these two great helps in the Text FAITH LOVE Hold fast the form of sound words in FAITH and LOVE I know some Expositors interpret these as the two great COMPREHENSIVE HEADS of sound words or Gospel-Doctrine in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith and Love Faith towards God and Love towards men Faith the summe of the first Table and Love of the second or Faith in Christ and Love to Christ or Faith as comprehending the Credenda things to be believed Love as comprehending the Facienda things to be done But I am sure it is not against the Analoge of Faith or the Context to improve these two as Mediums to serve this command of holding fast sound Doctrine And so in the entrance it was propounded as the fourth Doctrine scil Faith and Love are as it were the two hands whereby we hold-fast the Form of sound words 1. Faith First then Christians look to your Faith that is an hold-fast grace which will secure your standing in Christ As unbelief is the root of Apostacy and falling back from the Doctrine of the Gospel Heb. 3.12 So Faith is the spring of Perseverance 1 Pet. 1.5 Kept by the power of God through faith to salvation Faith keeps the Believer and God keeps his faith Now faith keeps the believer close to his Principles upon a two-fold accompt Faith realizeth Gospel-truth 1. Because faith is the grace which doth REALIZE all the Truths of the Gospel unto the soul Evangelical Truths to a man that hath not faith are but so many prettie Notions which are pleasing to the fancy but have no influence upon the Conscience they may serve a man for discourse but he cannot live upon them suffering Truths in particular are pleasing in the Speculation in times of prosperity but when the hour of temptation cometh they afford the soul no strength to carry it through sufferings and to make a man go forth unto Christ without the Camp bearing his reproach Heb. 13.13 But of Faith saith the Aposte it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen faith makes all Divine Objects although very Spiritual and subtile in their own nature faith makes them I say so many realities so many solid and substantial verities it gives them a being not in themselves but unto the believer and of invisible it makes them visible as it is said of Moses he saw him that was invisible How by faith verse 23.24 that which was invisible to the eye of nature was visible to the eye of faith Faith brings the object and the faculty together Heb. 11.27 Hence now men yet in their unregeneracy though haply illuminated to a high degree of Gospel-Notion in time of tribulation will fall away and walk no more with Jesus because through the want of Faith Divine Truth had no rooting in their hearts all their knowledge is but a powerlesse notion floating in the brain and can give no reality or subsistence to Gospel-verities Knowledge gives lustre but Faith gives being knowledg doth irradiate but Faith doth realize knowledge holds ou◠light but faith adds life and power It is Faith my Brethren whereby you stand 2 Tim. 1.12 Faith is that whereby a man can live upon the truth and die for the truth I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Look to your Faith Christians For again Faith fetcheth strength from Christ Secondly Faith will help you to fetch strength from Jesus Christ to do to suffer to live to die for Jesus Christ and the truths which he hath purchased and ratified by his own blood Phil. 4 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Faith invests the soul into a kind of Omnipotency I can do all things Other mens impossibilities are faiths triumph Faith is an omnipotent grace because it sets a work an Omnipotent God In the Lord I have righteousness and strength is the boast of faith Isa 45.24 Righteousnesse for Justification and strength for Sanctification and for carrying on all the duties of the holy life this is insinuated in my Text Hold fast c. in FAITH which is in CHRIST JESVS So that if it were demanded How shall we hold fast the answ is by Faith how doth faith hold fast in Christ Jesus scil as it is acted by and as it acts upon Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is a Fountain of strength Psal 71.16 and that strength is drawn out by faith hence Davids Resolve I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy Righteousnesse even of thine onely 2. Love The second grace which you must look to is LOVE Love is another hold-fast grace I held him and would not let him go said the Spouse of her Beloved Cant. 4.3 I tell you sirs Love will hold fast the truth when Learning will let it go the reason is because Learning lieth but in the head but Love resteth in the heart and causeth the heart to rest in the thing or person beloved I cannot dispute for