thy self Directions to keep us from fainting under the Cross 1. We must not cast both eyes on our selves and our own weakness and the weight of the Crosses that lie upon us but lift up one unto God and unto his goodness and consider how ready he is to succor in all time of need 2. Call to minde his manifold Promises both those which respect his gracious Assistance of us in the Tryal and his mighty deliverance of us out of it 3. Remember Examples of former times how he never oppressed them that patiently endured his corrections The benefit the Saints have by their peace with God in case of Affliction 1. It keepeth many Judgements from us which fall upon the wicked yea which otherwise would fall on us for the Threatnings of God are made against such as hate God and are hated of him 2. It alters the nature of all Troubles which befal us the sting is pulled out the curse is removed they are not vindictive for revenge but rather medicinal for physick 3. By it we are assisted and supported in all to the great admiration of others 4. By reason thereof we obtain at length full freedom from all Troubles and Crosses according to Gods many faithful Promises made to his children Psal 34.19 Prov. 11.8 1 Cor. 10.13 The Promise of Comfort in Affliction is accomplished four ways 1. When God tempers and allays the Sorrows and Afflictions of them that mourn according to the measure of their strength 1 Cor. 10.13 2. When God removes the grief with the causes thereof thus he comforted Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.13 14. 3. When God gives inward comfort to the heart and conscience by his Word and Spirit Rom. 5.3 4. When God by death puts an end to all miseries bringing our Souls to eternal life Thus Lazarus was comforted Motives to Patience 1. We must know That as all Affliction is from God so he will be with us and have care over us under the Cross for he is present with his Servants in their Afflictions 2. This meditation must enter into our Souls and never depart from us that God will turn all our sorrows and sufferings unto the best and that every Affliction upon the Servants of God hath some special goodness in it 3. We must consider what we have deserved and how we may justly be punished not onely in that maner but in a greater measure 4. We are made to suffer here that we might not suffer elswhere 5. It is the Will of God that we should suffer to which we must willingly obey and humbly submit our selves Phil. 1.29 For all Afflictions come to pass not by accident chance or fortune but by the special Providence of God who hath commanded Obedience 6. We must consider that the party distressed hath partners in the Cross That God will assist us in the patient bearing of them That God promiseth a blessed issue That by means of them Prosperity is made more pleasant and delectable 7. That the Lord vouchsafeth us the Honor to be Martyrs Witnesses of his Truth made like unto Christ himself yea that while we are made partakers of Christs sufferings the Spirit of God resteth upon us wherewith we are marvellously comforted 1 Pet. 4.14 8. We must look upward to our reward which is great in heaven Mat. 5.12 The lets or hindrances of patience viz. 1. Self-love the very bane and poyson of all good and holy desires 2. The desire of Revenge that indeed which belongs not to us 3. Infidelity when we cast off all confidence in God who maintaineth the lot of all those that trust in and depend upon him 4. The want of premeditation and consideration how we may continue and go through all adversity without starting back in any kinde from our profession Means to procure Patience 1. To pray to God for it for he is the Author of it Rom. 15.5 2. Constantly to profess the Gospel to hear the Word and practise it Rev. 3.10 3. We must labor for the Spirit of God which may work patience in us for it is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 The Vices repugnant to Patience viz. 1. Impatience which is through the not knowing and distrust of Gods Wisdom Providence Justice and Goodness not to be willing to obey God in suffering but through grief to fret against him not expecting or desiring any help or deliverance from him but by yielding unto grief to be thereby solicited unto Despair 2. Temerity or Rashness which is through foolishness not knowing or not considering the dangers our own calling or the Will of God through a confidence in our selves to adventure on dangers without need or necessity 3. Too light regard of Crosses Prov. 3.11 So some despise them as matters not much to be regarded not looking to God who smiteth This is commonly caused either by stupidity of minde or stubbornness of will such endure many troubles but receive no good by any Into this fall the wicked sort 4. Too great fear of such Crosses as God layeth on men Heb. 12.5 Thus others faint and sink under the burthen of them as if they were unsupportable not to be endured fixing their eyes too fast upon the Justice and Wrath of God Into this Extreme fall the weaker sort yea many of the dear Saints and Servants of God Psal 6.6 Wouldst thou be Fire-proof in the midst of Flame Or burn a Martyr yet not feel the same In Chains more free then Kings on Thrones wouldst be Fetter'd and manacled to Liberty So great a pleasure done thee by thy pains Thou mayst be bound as by so to thy Chains Thrive by the Cross and have Affliction prove No Scourge of Justice but the Rod of Love If so put on this Armor of Defence This never-Conquer'd Vertue PATIENCE §. 5. Of Hope HOpe is an infallible and most comfortable expectation of all the Promises made by God unto the Faithful for Christs sake and so of an allaiment of present afflictions and of a final deliverance from the same and lastly an earnest looking for all those blessings necessary to salvation according to the good will and pleasure of God This Hope springeth from Faith for he that is certain of the present will of God towards him that is assured of his grace and favor hath also certain and assured promises of the time to come For God is unchangeable yea and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Now when we believe on true sound and undeceiveable grounds that Christ is ours that heaven is ours that our sins are pardoned and that we are the Adopted sons of God then comes in Hope and that passionately expecteth that which is to come yea though Persecution Fire Sword Famine Pestilence Bondage and thousands of other crosses and calamities involve us to eclipse our Faith this Hope holds us above the Waves makes us danger-proof roots us unanchorable and at length brings us safe to our expected haven The diverse Acceptation of Hope in
Artist they may fall within the ambit of your Charity to dictionate according to the Rule thereof The Civil man that looking through the crevice of Morality spies Religion afar off will doubtless pretend a Right to many precious Flowers in this Arbor as legally descended to him from his Pharisaick Parents under a Title of much supercilious Sanctity and no little Righteousness whilest the pestilent air of sulphur'd-mouthed Prophaners enhazard the fairest leaves of withering into waste paper But since neither the Vsurping Hypocrisie of the one nor the Malicious Satanity of the other was ever yet Prayer-proof Be it your delight to engage your interest with Heaven Be it your Spirits holy Rapture to wrestle with the Angel of the Covenant Mount Elisha's Chariot and travel a Prayers journey for a Flaming Sword Yours in all Faithful Observance J. G. To the Reader BY the late unseasonableness of the Weather thou mayest guess Reader what little cause there is to promise this ARBOR any assurance of a flourishing Condition the Air being still so generally distempered yea frozen to such an habit of coldness to every thing that is substantially good To tell thee what unwholesom fogs still poison the Judgements of men what blasphemous vapors are yet exhaled out of hell by the black Magick of a Reprobate Sense is not my purpose nor shall be thy entertainment In this Arbor thou mayest walk secure from those whirlwinds of Doctrines which in bryar-paths and ensnaring Pamphlets ravish the innocent and oft times hurry the humblest minde to the highest pinacle of Presumption Here blow no gusts of shifting Opinions to menace danger to the Vessel no ill dews of Pride Formality or Hypocrisie to stain the Flowers of this Arbor which are all so self-interestless as that they fade into a dead letter without the influence of a pruning hand When the late unseasonable showres of Blood had nigh delug'd Gods Vineyard this Arbor lay sheltered in the Ark of his special protection even in the bosom of his super-deluging mercies when the Land seemed to labor under Egypt's plagues in a Gospel-season when our Rivers were turned into blood and Lusts bred of our slimy affections came even like Frogs into the Closet of the hearts both of Prince and People when the dust of our carkases were turned into Vermine and the Lusts of all Nations monopoliz'd by this like Swarms of Flies multiplied and corrupted the whole Land when as if there had been a very grievous Murrain of Beasts we might reade Famine in the cheeks of the Land which were but lean though very sanguine and many of our Members touched with the plague of Boyl and Blayns when God shot the Arrows of his Vengeance like Hail-stones on man and beast and sent Armies of Locusts into our coast when Darkness which might be sadly felt seiz'd on our excommunicated Souls and many of our First-born fell by the sword even when the furious Pharaohs were unequipaged whilest the Servants of the Most High waded under his Canopy through a sea of blood when a general Apostacy from the Truth received back-clap'd the Demetrian Craftsman to shout Great is Diana of the Psudoprotestants when these and many other fearful violfulls were pouring out on this exceeding sinfully sinful Nation then even then in that lowring age were the seeds of these Flowers sown in hope of a better Resurrection Thou seest Reader in what a turbulent and improper season this Arbor received its first plant yea and from a hand which hath no other warrant to touch the Sacred Oracles then the general Calling of a Christian which to a sacrilegious Monopolist may seem no little piece of audacious Uzzaism more then an aliquantity of irresponsible Presumption by reason of such irregularity of Motion in so improper a sphear These Grapes thus unseasonably gathered in the Fall of more then the Leaf in the Autumn of true and sound Religion when the Sun of Righteousness withdrew his influence and stood as at a distance from our Horizon Wonder not if some seem even rotten-ripe though I dare promise thee none are juyceless And know that though here are few but happily thou hast had a taste of in thy Christian perambulation through the Church's Vineyard yet remember the same Vine oft times proves better in one soyl then in another and sprouts fairest when her unfolded arms are widest spread and if any disrelish thy gust impute it not to the sowreness or sharpness of the Grape but to the indisposition of thine own Pallate To say these Grapes came all from this or that mans Vine is a greater piece of Sacriledge then I would wish any unfrantick Minde to usurp And for my self if I challenge more then the Gathering and Digesting them into the method thou seest let me be numbred among the Pulpit-Diurnalists Nor was it ever intended that herein should be more then was sufficient for intimation to an industrious Genius what in this kinde might for the Church of God be compleated by a more skilful hand In a Medicinal sense this Arbor may not improperly be stiled The Souls Physick-Garden for the Flowers enamelling it contain most Soveraign Vertue for each Spiritual Malady What thine is let Conscience speak but say not thou art well for he who saith he hath no sin deceives himself And indeed never was Age more guilty of this Self-deceit then this wherein men say in their Hearts and proclaim in their Lives That there is no God whilest they mean-while become their own Idols by sacrificing to the Calf of the Lip and the Viper in the Brain Look we into the state of the Body Politique and wiser men then Empericks tell us Many Epidemical Diseases are too discoverable therein But where the Patient deserves our Prayers the Press hath no warrant for Invectives and 't is no improvident wisdom to be silent where our judgements are Non-pluss'd Sufficient for the Publique is the evil thereof Physitians tell us The Cure is half way home when the Malady is known but experienced Symptomes are oft-times very false Prophets otherwise he that is carried about with every wind of Doctrine might without breach of the least Link in Charities Chain be stiled Errors Weathercock 'T were not amiss to prescribe such the Word of Truth as a Pillow for their Faith to rest on till the Vertigo or Giddiness in the Brain be evaporated also to advise them what Doctrines they swallow till tryal be made whether the Spirit be of God or no. There are some within the Pales of Spiritual Bedlam that are in such a continual Burning Extasie as they can seldom or never repose their Thoughts in any Spiritual Rest but are ever and anon babling Scripture without sense or any feeling of the Power thereof Spiritual Expressions without Affection and Divinity without Sense Their Eyes are Blood-shot and the whole Creature is become so Self-resolved as no bands either Civil or Religious Natural or Politick can restrain not their Liberty but their
all the Faculties alike renders thee insensible of thy Malady and thence nigh incurable Be it either or all of these do but savingly Believe in the Physitian and thy Faith shall make thee whole but then be sure to persevere in the Faith and beware of Relapses Some say the Times are very Leprous and that the people are pestered with very venomous Botches That the Gangrene of Envy hath almost unbowell'd them and the Scurf of Hypocrisie strangely deformed them That the Ulcer of Injustice hath cast a perpetual Odium on them and the Appetitus Caninus of Covetousness hath made but one Morsel of them That the Wolf of Sacriledge hath devour'd the Breasts which gave Christendom suck in her old Age That though the Land hath had a Bloody Issue of nigh Twelve years running yet never could have so much as a touch at the Hem of Christs Garment That the belching of Blasphemy in a Convulsion of Will-worship is as common as the disgorging of Oathes to unsurfet the high stomacks of the proud and prophane If these or the like be the Epidemical Maladies of these latter days wherein the Devil is put to his Wits end then let me prescribe this Holy Arbor as a standing Pharmacopeia not for the shelf of every closet but for the closet of every heart wherein there is not a Drug that hath the least allay of any Poyson in it nor a dangerous or obstruse Ingredient for the cautious Artist considering how untowardly ruder hands have gone to Composition with Divine Truths what spurious Extractions have been thence drawn and what Mischief hath thence followed knowing also what rural judgements and tender Spirits may meet herewith his care was greatest how he might be plainest The first and rarest Flower as Portal to this Holy Arbor that presents it self to thine eye is The Sacred Mystery of the Holy Trinity indeed a Mystery visible onely to the eye of Faith The unhappy Jews and Turks glance at the sight of a Deity but to this day discern not Three Persons in one Godhead The Gnosticks and Valentinians have their false Multiplying Glasses to see more Gods then One but want the Prospective of Faith to descry a Trinity of Persons in one and the same Eternal Essence Such a Deceptio visus hath so falsly presented the Eunomians with Three Gods or Spirits not distinguished onely but divided also as that they could never see Three Persons in one onely Godhead The Apollinarians superacted their ridiculous Faith and grosly held a Quaternity not a Trinity of Persons was to be Worshipped The purblinde Noetians and Hermogenians had sight enough to acknowledge the naked Name of Three in the Godhead yet denied the Persons The Patripassians that blasphemously held the Father became Flesh and suffered never saw into this Mystery The sacrilegious Arrian Hereticks who make Israel to sin grant indeed the Names and Persons of Three yet deny the Son and the Holy Ghost their Divinity yea the whole Trinity their Properties The prophane Trinitarians acknowledge Three Persons with their Lips yet deny their Divinity by the Infidelity of their Lives Thus rendring themselves guilty of more knowledge then they practice and consequently not of fewer stripes then are menaced All these are excluded this Arbor and an entrance open onely for such as by the Heaven-piercing eye of Faith can see into the Mystery of this glorious Truth and stedfastly Believe That there are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One 1 Joh. 5.7 The next Flower in order is the Word of God Truths Standard the sacred Oracles of the Holy Scripture which while the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles penn'd the Spirit held their hands If there be any Wretch so much an Infidel under the notion of a Christian possessed with the spirit of Contradiction to this Basis of all Truths I conjure him by the Author of that parallelless Work That he haunt not this Holy Arbor whilest I leave this Memento with all selfless Christians Thou shalt put nothing to the word that I command thee neither shall ye take ought there from Deut. 4.2 The next concerns the Law and Gospel I dare not discouple what God hath joyn'd together The Law that Touchstone of all our works without which we had not known sin Rom. 3.20 Far be it therefore from all right by assed Christians to rebel in their hearts with the Libertines of any out-Lawed Generation That the Law is now totally repealed as if the Law were the transgression of the Gospel for though the Law of it self made nothing perfect Heb. 7.9 yet is the Law in it self a perfect and undefiled Law converting the soul Psal 19.7 whence the Royal Prophet in other places sets it down as a special character of a righteous man That the Law of his God is in his heart Psal 37.31 or that his heart is Gods Law-keeper Psal 40.8 yea Blessed are they stiled who sincerely walk in the Law of the Lord Psal 119.1 and ver 165. he proclaims Peace to them that love this Law you may guess then at the cause of War No marvel that notwithstanding our many Fastings and Prayers God still threatens us with War For he that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination Prov. 28.9 And though now the Righteousness of God which is by Faith is manifested without the Law Rom. 3.21 yet God forbid that we should thence make void the Law through Faith whereby we establish it Rom. 3.31 We acknowledge That by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God Rom. 3.20 nevertheless we must acknowledge That the Law is holy Rom. 7.12 and spiritual v. 14. And though Christ be ineffectual to them who expect Justification by the Law Gal. 5.4 himself being the end of the Law that is the Accomplisher thereof for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 And though as many as be led by the Spirit are not under the Law that is not under the Bondage or Curse of the Law Gal. 5.18 And though now Faith being come we are no longer like untuter'd Learners under a Schoolmaster that is the Law Gal. 3.25 All this premised yet know ye not that the Law hath dominion over a man for term of life Rom. 7.1 Know ye not that Christ came What to do to destroy the Law no but to fulfil it Matth. 5.17 and in the 18 Verse most pathetically asseverates us an Assurance That one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Wherefore let Heaven and Earth know That it is easier for them both to pass then one tittle of the Law to fail Luke 16.17 With the Law not improperly is joyn'd the Gospel that Olive Dove of Mans Salvation wherein Christ proclaims himself an Ark for all the Gospel Noachims against the Deluge of his Fathers Wrath. The light of this Gospel shines both on the
Will Eph. 1.9 3. The End which is Gods Glory Eph. 3.10 4. The Efficacy which is Gods Power Rom. 1.16 Touching the Scriptures we are principally to consider these 4 things 1. Who is the Author of them that is as hath been shewed God himself Gal. 1.11 12. 2. Who are the instrumental Causes they are as hath been likewise shewed the Prophets and Apostles 2 Pet. 1.21 3. To whom they belong even to all sorts and degrees of men and women Psal 111.2 119.9 4. What is the property thereof viz. All-sufficiency without any patching of mens Decrees or Inventions to teach the true knowledge of God 2 Pet. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.17 〈◊〉 the Scripture is the Word of God and 〈◊〉 Doctrine of infallible Truth and certainty may be firmly proved from these unanswerable Arguments drawn from Scripturâ—it self 1. From the Causes thereof wherein consider 1. That the first and principal is the Author thereof even God himself to him do the Scriptures refer themselves and also shew how God is their Author Now nothing is falsly ascribed to God but God in time will bring the same to nought and therefore if the Scripture had not been Gods Word it would long ago have vanished 2. The cause Conservant for the Devil by wicked men and Hereticks hath labored to take away Gods Word from mens hearts and hands but yet it is still preserved in the Church which argues that it is kept by a greater power then is in all men and all Angels that is by the power of God 3. The causes Instrumental they were holy men of God Prophets and Apostles who for vertue und piety exceeded other Writers far beyond all comparison and if they had been meer Polititians their writings would have shewed it for the Penmen of holy Scripture have herein faithfully registred their own faults which no politick person would have done 2. From the Matter therof which stands 1. In doctrine which is The Law set forth in most excellent purity nothing being therein against it or common Equity The Law is perfect Reason the Gospel above Reason yet not contrary to Reason The Gospel wherein is set down Doctrine altogether above mans Reason touching Christs Incarnation and mans Redemption by his death and although these things be above Nature yet we finde them true wholesom and good in experience of conscience which also proveth that they are the Word of God Men may devise strange things above Nature but they can never be wholesom to the conscience 2. In stile the phrase is plain and familiar and yet in any one speech there is more majesty then in all the writings of men 3. From the End thereof for it sets up Gods Worship and mans Salvation and yet gives nothing to Men or Angels but all to the glory of God but for the writings of men they do either directly or by insinuation ascribe something to the writers thereof 4. From the Effects thereof For 1. Though it is against our corrupt Nature crossing and condemning the same yet it winneth men to the love thereof and to obedience thereto which could not be unless it were the Truth of God for we abhor and detest the words of men that be against our Nature 2. It serves notably to comfort a man in all distresses whatsoever even in the pangs of death when no word of any man can do him the least good but onely his word that is the Lord of our soul and the God of our life 5. From the two properties of Scripture 1. Antiquity Among humane writings we have none of certainty in things they record that go so high as the Creation but the Scripture sets down things done from the beginning 2. Mutual Consent for though the Books of Scripture were written by divers men in sundry Ages and Times yet all agree within themselves there is no contradiction in Scripture but the writings of men have not this consent no not in the same Author whom commonly we shall finde contradicting himself 6. From the signs and true miracles thereof as the parting of the Sea the staying of the Sun and Moon and many others yea the Incarnation of the Son of God the Miracle of miracles 7. From the Contraries Contrary to the word of God is the will of the Devil and mans corrupt Nature the Devil hates Scripture and mans corrupt Nature repines thereat when it is checked and controlled thereby Now that which is contrary to these two must needs be holy and true and that is the word of God 8. From Testimonies whereof there be 2 kindes 1. Of holy Martyrs who in all ages have sealed the truth thereof preferring the word of God before their own lives whence it is truly said Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae And though Hereticks have dyed for falshood yet there is great difference in their ends the true Martyrs have unspeakable joy in the Spirit in their torments but Hereticks have no such joy but a natural sensless blockishness whereby they undergo these torments 2. Of Gods Spirit which is the principal testimony for when men begin to learn and obey the word of God then the Spirit of God settles their Conscience in the perswasion of the truth of Scripture which is infallibility it self The Testimony of the Holy Ghost touching Gods Word is obtained and discerned from the Testimony of man by doing these two things 1. By resigning our selves to become truly obedient to the Doctrine taught John 7.17 2. By praying unto God for his Spirit to certifie our Consciences that the Doctrine revealed is the very Doctrine of God Mat. 7.7 8. Luke 11.13 Jam. 1.7 The Majesty of the Scriptures consisteth chiefly in these three excellencies 1. In the Majesty of the Spirit of God which shineth in them 2. In the Consent of all the parts among themselves 3. In the Fulfilling all the Prophesies delivered long before yet accomplished precisely each of them in their proper place The Authority of the Scripture doth not as the Papists affirm depend on the Church for these Reasons 1. The reproach of God by making the Testimony of mans voyce greater then the voyce of God 2. Our Comfort for Faith is grounded on approved witness therefore not on man 3. The truth of God is plainly exposed to the mocks and scoffs of the wicked if we affirm that our Religion is from God onely because our selves say so 4. Because the Authority of the Church depends on the Scripture 5. The Scripture it self is in many places against this opinion John 5. 1 Cor. 2. 1 John 5. The Popish twofold Scripture 1. Inward Scripture or a consent of Doctrine written by the Holy Ghost in the hearts of all Catholicks and this say they is right Scripture Unparalleld Blasphemy 2. Outward Scripture which is written in Paper or Parchment which hath no certain sense as they falsly affirm but as the present Church determines thereof but this is a devilish Doctrine abolishing the true Word of God
Christ Jesus who overcame the World by obeying the Flesh by suffering and the Devil by triumphing over him in his Cross Joh. 16.33 1 Pet. 4.1 Col. 2.15 The wants we bewail in this Petition viz. 1. The Rebellion of our wicked Nature by which we resist the Spirit of God Rom. 7.14 c. 2. Our readiness in each little Temptation to yield up our selves to the committing of sin Luke 22.45 46. 3. That we cannot enough mourn for the remnants of our bondage whereby we are kept in the power of Satan 4. That so many fall by Satans Temptations Psal 119.136 5. That we cannot here get mastery over our own Corruptions 2 Cor. 12.8 6. That we love so this Spiritual Sodom in which we are subject to and fall by Temptation Gen. 19.16 7. The Tyranny of Satan our Adversary going about each way to subdue us Mat. 9.12 This Petition being negative the Deprecation thereof is first to be considered which is 1. Against Temptation as it may be a means to draw men from God to sin 2 Cor. 12.7 8. 2. Against Afflictions as they are punishments of sin Curses from God motives to impatience or means to make us take Gods Name in vain Prov. 30.9 Against grievous afflictions long continuing to make us despair of Gods Mercy or hearing our prayers 3. Against Spiritual desertion or forsaking of Gods Spirit which if gone all power to stand and all Spiritual comfort is gone also for it is in us the new life the Spirit of the soul 4. Against Solicitations to sin either by the Devil the World or the Flesh 5. Against Sin even when we are most solicited and tempted because we shall meet with temptations yet that we may not be overcome and made slaves unto Sin 6. Against future relapse into Sin blindeness of minde hardness of heart through custom in sinning or through some notorious sins committed 7. Against backsliding from the Truth either in part or in whole all sorts of Judgements temporal or eternal and what hurt soever may befal either by prosperity or adversity 8. Against sudden death that we may not be prevented of Repentance for renewed trespasses and eternal death the greatest evil of punishment The Supplication of this Petition is for such things as are best for us preserving us from Sin damnation as 1. The Spirit of Grace which is threefold 1 Light of understanding of the holy Scriptures whereby we are able to use them 2. Stedfastness of faith whereby as by a shield the fiery darts of the Devil are repressed which also is of vertue to purifie the heart 3. Patience in bearing any cross or affliction whereby we are tempted at any time that in stead of sin the issue thereof may be hope Rom. 5.3 2. The helping hand of the Lord to turn evil into good unto us and this he doth 1. By Humiliation and casting us down under and for these things as Nebuchadnezzar the proudest and Saul the bloodiest Persecutor 2. By alienating and estranging our affections from the world and worldly things by affliction 3. By framing us by the Cross to a more careful obedience for the time to come Psal 119.71 4. By prevention the Lord punishing us in this world that we may escape in the world to come 1 Cor. 11.32 3. Everlasting life that God for his mercies sake in and through the meritorious satisfaction of our Savior Jesus Christ would bestow this infinite good upon us The Thanksgiving of this Petition is For that in the former things which we pray for God hath so enabled us to resist as that neither the corruption of Nature enticements of the World the policies of Satan nor present Affliction hath so subdued us but that we are able to rise again as also for good arising to us by Temptations and deliverance from the punishments by our sins deserved Since first the proud aspiring Angels fell There was no want of Policy in Hell The Devil knows by Observation The pulse of each mans Inclination The tide of all our Actions yea he knows How low our Graces ebbe how high Sin flows How the least spark of any Lusts desire Kindles the Heart and sets the Will on fire Help Lord let not the World the Flesh or Devil Prevail but still Deliver us from evil §. 11. For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever Amen THis Conclusion is added as a Reason of all the Petitions to strengthen our Faith that God being both able and willing doth grant all our Requests made unto him in the Name of Christ and therefore in the end we post-adde a note of Confidence and say Amen which is originally an Hebrew word yet used in all Languages It signifieth Truth or Faith the uttering of it after a Prayer implieth an Assent unto the Prayer together with carnestness of desire and Faith for the obtaining that which is prayed for Thus the people were commanded to say Amen Deut. 27.15 c. and accordingly was it practised Neh. 8.6 For thine is the kingdom that is both general over the World and special over thy Church and Chosen both thy Kingdom of Providence and of Grace And in this faith do we pray unto thee submitting our selves as thy Liege-people The Power that is The Almighty power whereby thou art able to do all things whatsoever thy people ask and beg of thee there is nothing out of thy power but we are without all power and might in our selves to help our selves therefore our eyes of Faith wait upon thy power And the Glory that is Thou shalt make thy glory shine more and more in being beneficial unto us thy Faith and Religion shall be the more esteemed and reverenced the end of all that thou dost for us shall be thine eternal praise thine is the excellency and majesty which Property rightly and onely belongs to thee thou alone having an absolute Soveraignty over all things and Power answerable to dispose and govern them at thy pleasure yea we give thee all glory in confidence of thy goodness and say Amen in token that we verily believe it shall be so with us as we crave and do with all fervency beg O Lord let it be so do thou subscribe to our desires and say So be it These words are a Reason of the former touching which we must observe two things in general 1. That they are not a Reason to move God whose will is unchangeable but to perswade the childe of God who prayeth thus that God will grant his requests 2. That this Reason is not peculiar to the last Petition but general belonging to them all The Reasons for the propping of our faith and assurance in our prayers contained in this conclusion are taken 1. From the Kingdom of God a good King delights in the welfare of his Subjects how much more doth the King of kings who is Goodness it self in the happiness of his He will hear defend and preserve his Subjects 2. From the Power
the Father because he is the Fountain as of the Divinity of the Son and of the Holy Ghost so also of those Divine operations which he worketh and performeth by the Son and the Holy Ghost Now that God is we know many ways but chiefly by our own Consciences accusing us for secret sins which cannot be but unto an infinite wisdom that knows the most secret thoughts of the heart such as is or can be neither Man Devil nor Angel but God onely All the Doctrine concerning God is either 1. Of his Nature which is taught in the Law and Gospel 2. Of his Will which is seen and made manifest in His Commandments His Threatnings His Promises 3. Of his Works which are The Benefits The Judgements of his Will which are to be beheld in the Creation Fall Restoring of Man The devils believe there is a God and tremble if any Atheist hath less faith then they and doubt the truth thereof he may believe it from these Reasons though as he is not worthy any so the truth hereof is above all 1. The beautiful and goodly order of Nature beheld in the Creatures and frame of the great body of the world Rom. 1.20 2. The preservation and government of the world created Acts 14.17 3. The Nature and excellency of mans minde the soul of man endewed with excellent gifts of Understanding and Reason 4. From the notions of general Rules and Principles naturally engendred in the minde of man yea the natural notion of this Principle That God is 1. Because every one hath experience hereof in himself 2. All wise men confess it 3. All Nations consent in it 5. From the terrors of Conscience which are stricken in the mindes of the wicked after that they have sinned 6. The punishments of the wicked which they suffer besides the torments of Conscience 7. From Bodies Politick which are wisely ordered and regulated by Laws 8. From the order and nature of efficient causes and from the final causes of all things 9. From certain and evident foretellings and clear significations of future Events 10. From heroical and noble instincts of minde For what Reasons the voice of Nature concerning God is not wholly to be rejected or contemned by reason of the insufficiency thereof 1. God will also out of the Church bridle the lewd and dissolute by the testimonies which their Conscience and punishments give of his will Anger and Judgement and according to them also will he have the maners of men regulated 2. He will have mans Corruption and his own Justice made more perspicuous and clear in punishing them who stubbornly withstand the known truth 3. He will by natural testimonies mens Consciences shewing the imperfection thereof have men stirred up to seek the true God in the Church Acts 17.26 27. 4. He will have also them who are converted to him to be more confirmed by the consent of Nature and the Word as the often alleaging of Natural testimonies in the Scripture declareth 5. He will the imperfection of Natural knowledge being considered have mens ignorance concerning God acknowledged and his mercy magnified who discovereth and openeth himself in his Word There is nor can be but one God for these Reasons 1. The sufficient testimonies of Miracles and Prophesies and other works 2. His own Authority and Majesty which admitteth no fellows 3. That which is greatest perfection can be but one for the whole is perfecter then any part thereof 4. There can be but one chief God but one Omnipotent but one Infinite 5. There can be but one chief Cause and more Gods would be unperfect or superfluous How God doth describe himself in Exod. 34.6 viz. 1. He is Jehovah that is he is a constant friend to whomsoever he is a friend he is alway the same that is I am that I am that is whatsoever the Lord was from eternity the same he is to eternity there is no change in him 2. He is strong that is Almighty that is he hath all Excellency in him and that in the highest degree 3. He is Merciful exceeding pitiful exceeding ready to forgive though our sins be many and exceeding great None so ready to forgive as God for if he were as man if he were not God could he bear with us as he doth Jer. 3.2 4. He is Gracious that is though there be no worth found in us yet he is ready to do us good Now to be gracious is to do things freely when there is no motive for Grace is nothing but freeness 5. He is Long-suffering that is though we provoke him out of measure he continues patient we cannot weary him out 〈◊〉 his mercy endures for ever though our sins are often repeated yet he as often repeats his Mercies 6. He is abundant in Kindeness that is though he be so great a God as he is yet he is exceeding ready to bear with us he is not harsh but ready to grant what we ask according to his will 7. He is abundant in Truth that is we shall finde him as good as his word he is engaged we have many Promises he hath made us nay abundant in Truth that is his performances exceed they run-over he will be better then his word whatsoever he hath said he will more then do it 8. He is a God reserving mercy for Thousands that is when any of us do him faithful service he cannot content himself to do good to our own persons but to our Children and to our Generation So Davids love extended not to Barzillai and Jonathan onely but to their posterity also 9. He is a God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Those three words are put in that we may know he forgives sins of all sorts and signifie That he is still and still forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin God is said to be 1. An Essence that is a thing which 1. Hath his Being from none but from himself 2. Is preserved or sustained of none but subsisteth by himself 3. Is necessarily 4. Is the onely Cause unto all other things of their Being 2. Spiritual 1. Because he is Incorporeal as being Infinite and Indivisible 2. Because he is Insensible as experience sufficiently manifesteth 3. Because both himself liveth and is the Author of all life both Corporal and Spiritual 3. Intelligent 1. Because he is the cause both of the minde of man and of the notions shining in it and also of the order which is in the nature of things and Common-weals 2. Because all intelligence or understanding of the Creature cometh from him both in respect of the faculty as in respect of the operation 4. Eâ—ternal without beginning or end of Being Psal 90.2 and is so to us that we may oppose the certain hope of eternal blessings grounded upon his Eternity against the shortness of mortal life and against the frailty of mans condition 5. Other from all his Creatures which we must hold 1. Against Philosophers who will have the World or Nature
the wealth and peace of their people like Mordecai 2. Of Ministers is to make themselves Servants unto their people not seeking their own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved as Paul 1 Cor. 9.19 10.33 3. Of Fathers is to educate their Children in the Fear of God taking heed that they give them no evil Example nor provoke them to wrath Prov. 4.3 4. 4. Of Husbands is to dwell with their wives according to knowledge giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel like Abraham Gen. 6.16 5. Of Masters is to do that which is just and equal to their Servants as the Centurion Luk. 7.2 for they as well as their Servants are bound to duty 1. By Gods Law for it expresly enjoyneth many Duties to Masters 2. By the Law of Nature which hath tyed as well the one as the other to do as well as receive good 3. By the Law of Nations as appears by divers particular Laws established for this purpose 4. By the Law of Equity for one good deserveth another 6. Of every one is to be of like affection one towards another by serving one another in love according to the Apoliles Rule Rom. 12.16 Gal. 5.13 7. Of our selves towards our selves is 1. To honor God in all our ways 1 Sam. 2.30 2. To keep our Bodies that they be not made the instruments of sin 1 Thess 4.4 5 The common Vertues of this Fifth Commandment viz. 1. That General Justice which is Obedience according to all Laws that appertain unto all in respect of every ones Vocation and Calling 2. The Particular Distributive Justice which keepeth a proportion in distributing of Offices and Rewards or which is a vertue giving every one his own Rom. 13.7 3. Sedulity or Diligence or Fidelity which is a vertue in a man well knowing and understanding those parts which belong properly to his own duty and office examining them and doing according to Gods Commandment those things that belong unto him constantly continually studiously willingly faithfully and chearfully 4. Gravity which is a vertue that observeth that which becometh a mans person and sheweth a constancy and squareness in words deeds and gestures that thereby we may maintain our good estimation or authority that our Calling be not reproached 5. Modesty being a vertue which hath near affinity whereby a man knowing his own imbecility and considering his place and calling wherein he is placed by God keepeth a mean and conveniency of person in opinion and in speech of himself in actions and in behavior that giving no more to our selves then becometh us we may give to others what is theirs Humility and Modesty differ onely in the end for as Modesty is towards men so Humility is towards God Gal. 6.3 6. Love or Tender Affection towards our Kindred or near Allies of Blood 7. Thankfulness which is a vertue consisting of Truth and Justice acknowledging from whom what and how great benefits we have received desiring to return mutual duties honest and possible 8. Equity which is a vertue mitigating upon good cause the rigor of strict Justice in punishing and taxing others offences patiently bearing with some such errors and defects as do not enormously harm the publike safety or the private welfare of our Neighbors and covering and correcting such vices of others or endeavoring to heal and cure them God annexeth a Promise of this Commandment for these Reasons 1. To signifie how greatly he esteemeth that Obedience and how grievously he will punish those who do against this Obedience 2. To signifie how Necessary this Obedience is and so much the more to invite us to the observing and keeping thereof This Commandment hath a Promise of Outward Temporal Prosperity annexed to the performance of it which though to the wicked does by meer consequence through the Abuse of it turn to evil yet to the godly it is a Blessing and Fruit of Gods Love as appears by these Reasons 1. It is good as it was at first made and ordained of God Gen. 1.31 2. It tends to mans good if it be rightly used 3. It was bestowed on man before he had offended Gen. 2.8 4. It is a Promise of God to them that fear him and keep his Commandments Levit. 26.4 c. 5. The Saints have prayed and been thankful for it Gen. 28.20 6. The contrary was first inflicted as a punishment of sin and is often threatned as a token of Gods wrath which accordingly hath been often inflicted on Transgressors Lev. 26.15 who meritoriously have incurred it This Promise of long life includes a Blessing of all earthly things Now there is a Right to earthly things two ways or the Right unto the Earth is twofold 1. Civil which stands good before men by their Laws and Customs Thus men are called Lords of their Land and so the Turk at this day is a mighty Lord of a great part of the whole World 2. Spiritual which is warrantable and approved with God himself Such Right and Title had Adam to all the World before his Fall which he lost by his Sin both from himself and all his Posterity but yet in Christ the same is recovered to all the Elect In regard of this Right the Meek are said to inherit the Earth Mat. 5.5 So that it is most evident the Turk and all Unbelievers and ungodly persons are but Usurpers of those things which otherwise Civilly they do lawfully possess For all our Right to the Earth was lost in Adam and is onely recovered by Christ so that till we have our part in him we cannot justly with a good Conscience possess any part of the Earth for he is Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 and the High Lord of all the World Though long life be here promised as a Blessing yet may the Righteous have their days shortned for their good as in these and such like respects 1. That they may be taken from the evil to come 1 Kings 14.13 2. That they might be made an example to others 1 Kings 13.24 3. That by a temporal death eternal Condemnation might be avoided 1 Cor. 11.32 4. That their chiefest and greatest Reward might be hastned Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 The Promise of long life and Prosperity is not so appropriated to this kinde of Righteousness as if it appertained to no other but in these and such like particular respects 1. Because Obedience to Parents is one of the surest evidences of our conformity to the whole Law and a good foundation for the performing of all duties to man 2. Because Performance of duties to Parents is a special means under God of prospering and living long whereas rebellious children hasten their own sad ends 3. Because Parents are a special means to procure the welfare and long life of their children partly by provident care and partly by fervent and frequent Prayer 4. Because Disobedience draweth down much mischief on the heads of children and many ways doth often
became obedient to the death even that ignominious death of the Cross and shall not we suffer an ignominious life by Poverty without making it more ignominious by Theft Usury is a main breach of this Commandment as being a Gain exacted by Covenant above the Principal onely in lieu and recompence of lending it and being thus considered it is quite contrary to Gods Word yet is it lawful sometimes to take above the Principal but with these conditions viz. 1. If a man take heed that he exact nothing but that which his Debter can get by good and lawful means 2. He may not take more then the gain nay not all the gain nor that part of the gain which drinks up the living of him which useth the Money 3. He must sometimes be so far from taking gain that he must not require the Principal if his Debter be by inevitable and just casualties impoverished and it be also plain that he could not make no not by great diligence any commodity of the Money borrowed Reasons why a man may sometimes take above the Principal viz. 1. That which the Debter may give having himself an honest gain besides and no man any ways endamaged that the Creditor may safely receive 2. It is convenient that he which hath money lent him and gaineth by it should shew all possible gratitude to him by whose goods he is enriched 3. It is often for the benefit of the Creditor to have the goods in his own hands which he lent whereby he is prejudiced by the forbearance and therefore may justly expect not exact reparation from the Rich not the Poor Lending is twofold viz. 1. Of Due which is the Loan of the Rich to the Poor when his Necessity compels him to borrow and for this a man cannot with good conscience take any encrease 2. Of Courtesie when one rich friend lends unto another this is left to a mans own liberty and discretion and hath not any particular Promise of Reward not in this case is all taking of Encrease simply condemned even for these Reasons in these cases 1. When the encrease is given onely in way of thankfulness for ingratitude is abhorred of all and the Law of Natures requires to do good for good and all Divines allow this kinde of encrease 2. When a man sustaineth damage by his lending he may receive encrease by way of Satisfaction for his loss 3. When a man is contented to adventure his Principal in the hand of him that borroweth it like as a man may receive hire for his Horse or other goods standing to the loss Exod. 22.14 Three general Rules set down by Paul Rom. 14. to direct us in all our actions that we commit not this or any other sin viz. 1. He is happy that condemneth not himself in the use of those things which he knoweth to be lawful This concerneth those that be strong 2. No man must do any thing with a doubtful Conscience for such a one woundeth his own Conscience and offendeth God though perhaps the thing be in it self good which he doth Rom. 14.23 Such a one doth many good things that do displease God which would please him if they were well and rightly done This Rule belongeth to the weak 3. Whatsoever proceedeth not from Faith is a sin committed against God and condemneth him that doth it forasmuch as without Faith its impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And this Rule engendereth two others viz. 1. Whatsoever proceedeth from meer Naturals whatsoever cometh from the force of any free will in us is sin in the sight of God 2. All the Vertues and actions of the Infidels and Unbelievers though in the substance of the works and as they are the gifts of God they are not evil but good yet in the Judgement of God they are sins Corruption of judgement being also another main breach of this Commandment See to it ye Great Ones and know That Judgement is corrupted four ways viz. 1. Through Fear when we dread to pronounce Truth for fear of offending great persons So did Pilate wrest the Law and sin against his own Conscience for fear of Herod 2. Through Covetousness when we are corrupted by Bribes and hired for Money which blinde the eyes of the wise So did Felix gape after gain and look for Rewards Acts 24.26 3. Through Hatred and Malice for as Naboths Vineyard was Ahabs Sickness so he dealt corruptly with Michaiah because he hated him and could not abide him 1 Kings 22.8 27. 4. Through Favor and Affection when we seek to gratifie or pleasure our Kinsmen or Acquaintance as Pilate did to please Herod In this sense it is that the Lord will not have even the poor man countenanced in his cause Exod. 23.3 The sins forbidden in this Commandment viz. 1. Inordinate living whether it be in no set Calling or idly wherein by neglecting their duties such persons mis-spend their time goods and revenues 2 Thess 3.11 Gen. 3.19 1 Tim. 5.8 2. Unjust dealing in heart which is called Covetousness Mat. 15.19 3. Unjust dealing in deed which is either in bargaining or out of bargaining Unjust dealing in bargaining hath many branches viz. 1. To sell and bargain for that which is not saleable 2. All coloured forgery and deceit in bargaining as using forged cavillation Luke 19.8 or when men sell that which is counterfeit for good as Copper for Gold and mingle any ways bad with good making shew onely of the good Amos 8.4 5 6. by mixture of base things of little or no value with things of price in the sale thereof or by setting a counterfeit gloss on imperfect Ware by sophisticating any Wares or using false lights or slights 3. By false Weights and Measures This is an abomination to the Lord Deut. 25.13 14 16. Lev. 19.35 36. Amos 8.4 4. By over-reaching the Buyer by dissembling lying and extolling speeches when the Ware is unworthy or when the Buyer concealeth the goodness of the thing or the Seller the faults of it and blindefoldeth the Truth with counterfeit speeches Mat. 7.12 Prov. 20.14 5. By Factions when as two or three compact together by offering to buy what they intend not to deceive him that intendeth to buy indeed 6. When in buying and selling the people are oppressed as by raising the just price of things by inhancing the price by reason of a set day for payment by Ingrossing or Monopolizing any Commodity by becoming Bankrupt to be enriched by the damages and goods of other men 7. By not restoring that which was lent pledg'd or found Ezek. 18.7 by delaying any kinde of Restitution from one day to another Prov. 3.18 Psal 37.21 or by practising Usury Psal 15.5 Exod. 22.25 or by detaining the laborers wages Jam. 5.4 4. Unjust dealing out of bargaining is likewise manifold viz. 1. To pronounce false Sentence or Judgement for a Reward either proffer'd or promised Isa 1.23 This is the Lawyers and the Judges sin 2. To feed or clothe stout
pleasures sake Matth. 12.36 4. Other under a colour of Love called Officious Lyes when one thinketh by them to do his Neighbor good 5. Dissimulation when one faineth that which is not or disguising when one hideth that which is to the end the contrary may not appear or seem to be Truth in speech is twofold viz. 1. Of the thing spoken when a mans speech is framed to the thing as it is indeed or as near as possible may be 2. Of the minde wherein it is conceived when one swears as he thinketh or is in Conscience perswaded of the thing The breach in speaking untruth is either 1. In lying which is against a mans knowledge judgement or 2. In speaking untruly which is upon error and rashly Men sin in lying 1. Publikely when being called to witness a Truth or matter they speak not the known Truth also when men go to Law for a light cause or no cause at all and so are the cause of Perjury when the Lawyer pleadeth an evil Cause and when the Judge maketh not diligent enquiry into the matter ere he give Sentence 2. Privately By prejudicing the good-name of their Brethren in reviling backbiting slandering c. By flattering when a man hideth the hatred of his heart with feigned words By false Witness we sin against 1. God whose Commandment is broken 2. The Judge who is deceived 3. The Hearers who are brought to have an uncharitable opinion of our Neighbor without cause 4. The Commonwealth which is disquieted 5. Our Neighbor who is hurt by being defamed 6. Our selves by corrupting our own Souls with a pestilent Lye The common distinction of Lyes viz. 1. An Officious Lye which is the telling of an untruth meerly to save a mans life or his Neighbors or their goods their freedom or peace without intending any hurt unto another And this kinde of Lye hath found some favorers but the least evil must not be done that good may come of it 2. A Pernicious Lye which is the telling of an untruth to deceive and to hurt our Neighbor for some base gain or out of malice or the like This is an essential property of the Devil 3. A Jesting or Sporting Lye which is the telling of things not true for the recreation of the hearers This is also a sinful vanity in all such as use it Rules to be observed that we may do our duty aright towards the maintaining of the credit and good name of our Neighbor viz. 1. We must have a good opinion in Charity of our Neighbor and a desire of his credit especially when he is well reported of 2. We must speak of what is good in our Neighbor to his praise and commendation 3. We must conceal and hide the infirmities of our Neighbor sparing to speak of them to his disgrace 4. If any thing be done by our Neighbor that may have a tolerable construction we must so construe it and not in the worst sense 5. To stop our ears against all slanderous Tales and Reports against our Neighbors credit and when he hath done ought amiss to grieve for it and endeavor to repair his credit by seeking to bring him to Repentance In this Commandment is forbidden 1. Unjust and false Accusations or suborning False Witnesses such shall perish Prov. 6.19 21. to accuse or witness against one falsly 1 Kings 21.13 2. To accept slight Witness against a man and proceed thereon to Sentence of Condemnation or to belye the Truth by giving false Judgement for Bribes or Affection 3. Envy Disdain of others desire of a mans own glory 1 Tim. 6.4 1 Pet. 2.1 4. Evil Suspitions 1 Tim. 6.4 1 Sam. 17.28 Acts 28.4 Here are condemned hard Censures and sinister Judgements against our Neighbor Mat. 7.1 2. Acts 2.13 14 15. 1 Sam. 1.13 5. A relation of the bare words onely and not the sense and meaning of our Neighbor Mat. 26.59 61. 6. A Lye whereby every falshood with purpose to deceive is signified whether in words or in deeds or concealing the Truth or any other way whatsoever be it for never so great a good to our Neighbor Lying is said to be the speaking of any thing contrary to Truth against knowledge with an intent or purpose to deceive because if unwillingly an untruth be told it is no Lye and if a Truth be told the person telling thinking it false it is a Lye in him for it is not that which a man speaketh but the maner how he speaketh that makes it a Lye Psal 12.2 Lying is expresly forbidden Levit. 19.12 Psal 5.6 101.7 Ephes 4.21 This Sin makes a man like the Devil himself Joh. 8.44 7. To pronounce unjust Sentence in Judgement to rest in one Witness to accuse another wrongfully to betray a mans Cause by delusion 1 Kings 21.12 13. Deut. 17.6 8. Openly to raise forged tales and reports of our Neighbor or privily to devise the same Rom. 1.20 Levit. 19.16 1 Tim. 5.13 to spread abroad flying tales or to feign and adde any thing unto them Prov. 26.20 21. 2 Cor. 12.20 To receive or believe those tales which we hear of others Exod. 23.1 1 Sam. 24.10 Slandering and backbiting Thou shalt not walk about with tales saith the Lord Lev. 19.16 9. To accuse our Neighbor for that which is certain and true through hatred and with an intent to hurt him 1 Sam. 22.9 10. Psal 52.1 2 3 4. 10. To open or declare our Neighbors secrets to any man especially if he did it of infirmity Mat. 18.15 Prov. 11.13 11. All babling talk and bitter words Eph. 5.3 Joh. 19.34 12. Flattery whereby we praise our Neighbor above that we know in him Prov. 27.6 Acts 12.22 This is a grievous sin in the Ministers of the Word 1 Thess 25. Jer. 6.13 14. Rom. 16.18 Dissembling against Truth with fawning insinuations for by-respects as by extolling him for Liberal who is vainly Prodigal or him for Frugal who is miserably Covetous Such will be cursed Prov. 14.24 13. Foolish and over-confident boasting Prov. 27.1 2. To be possessed with vain-glory and self-love which is the fountain of all Disgrace-doing unto our Neighbor 1 Tim. 6.4 14. To have ears open to false Rumors Thou shalt not receive a false tale faith the Lord Exod. 23.2 15. To be long-tongued more ready to blaze abroad the infirmities of others then to amend our own 16. In the heart to judge ill of our Neighbor without apparent cause or for some infirmities to pass Judgement against any man This is a most common vice though thereby we usurp Gods Office Rom. 14.4 and bring the Judgement of God upon our selves Mat. 7.1 17. False Records Ezra 4.19 18. Deriding and mocking the godly as the children did Elisha 19. To conceive a thought of prejudice wrongfully against his Neighbor 20. To envy the prosperity of our Neighbor 21. To seek onely our own good Report 22. To be suspicious 1 Cor. 13.5 23. To take mens sayings and doings alway in the
truth of heart be added and where truth of heart is there will be Truth of speech and action for sincerity in the heart will keep the Tongue from lying and the carriage of a man from dissimulation and deceit This Truth of Judgement is directly opposed to Error 2. Of Heart which is the singleness and sincerity thereof whereby a man seeketh to approve himself to God the Searcher of all hearts and to be accepted of him This is opposed to Hypocrisie whether open or secret 3. Of Speech which is an Agreement of the words of a mans mouth both with his minde and also with the matter which he uttereth Eph. 4.25 This is opposed to lying when a man speaketh against his Minde and Conscience and to Falshood when a man speaketh contrary to the thing it self 4. Of Action which is a plain faithful and honest dealing in all things whether we have to do with God or Man when men neither make shew of doing that which indeed they do not or of doing it otherwise then they do This was it Christ commended honest Nathaniel for Joh. 1.47 and is opposed to Dissimulation and Deceit Motives to stir up in us a desire of Truth viz. 1. The Excellency of it it maketh us like God himself for he is the Lord God of Truth Psal 31.5 his Son is Truth Joh. 14.6 17. his Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth Jam. 1.18 his Word the Word of Truth Psal 19.9 and his Promises Commandments Judgements Ways and Works all Truth Psal 119. 2. The Necessity thereof for without it no Grace can be of any use therefore the Scripture commendeth Faith unfeigned 2 Tim. 1.5 Love without Dissimulation Rom. 12.9 and Wisdom without Hypocrisie Jam. 3.17 3. The Benefit of Truth for the least measure of Grace seasoned with it is acceptable to God and in that respect very profitable to us There is no greater Ornament or Beauty to Religion then Soundness and Evidence of Truth This is the very Glory and Crown thereof as for Antiquity Universality Unity Uniformity Succession Consent Multitude Pomp Revenues and the like being separated from Truth are but vain glosses or so many Pearls in a blinde eye to make it so much the more deformed This is it made the Martyrs so valiant David a man after Gods own heart Nathaniel so gracious in Christs eyes Job so couragious patient and constant and Paul so unconquerable Truth is a comeliness in every thing God is the God of Truth no Lye can stand Vnpunish'd by his All-Revenging hand Who calls God Witness to what is not true Stile him we may The Crucifying Jew And does what in him lies to make thereby The God of Truth the Author of a Lye We say the Lye deserves the Stab Are men So tender of their Credit much more then Jealous is God of his who will not take The Lye of Creatures for his Honors sake The Tenth Commandment Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbors House thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbors Wife nor his Servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that thy Neighbor hath TO Covet is to think inwardly and also to desire any thing whereby our Neighbor may be hindred albeit there ensue no assent of the Will to commit that evil And by Coveting here is to be understood That not onely evil actually committed is sin but harboring in the heart although it never cometh into act So that this Commandment is as it were added for the explaining of the former because the more ignorant people seeing no punishments inflicted for evil affections would not otherwise have thought them to be sins And it might be added to convince every man of Sin for we all bear in us Lust the tinder of Vice And this coveting what is anothers doth always argue a minde either lustful or not contented which is against all true Piety By the words House Wife Maid Ox c. the Commandment is illustrated as by an Argument drawn from the distribution of the Objects of Concupiscence Whence it is apparent That onely evil concupiscence is condemned in this place Gol. 3.5 for there is a good concupiscence or desire as of Meat and Drink and that of the Spirit Gal. 5.17 So then here are rehearsed the Objects of all Lusts for the most part whereby we are stirred up to the transgressing of any Commandment of the latter Table In the other Commandments not onely wicked deeds but also counsels and deliberate consent of the Will is forbidden but in this is required somewhat more namely that we be not tickled with any kinde of Lust although our Will consent not yea also though it be against it For here are forbidden all first motions of the Minde unto sin springing from Original Sin though no consent be yielded unto them and we are here commanded to keep our very hearts and mindes free from evil motions and thoughts against any of the Commandments of God and to be well contented with our own Thus the motions unto sin forbidden in this Commandment spring from Original Sin or the flesh in us other evil motions we are subject unto that are suggested by the Devil which are not our sins unless by consenting we make them so And the Duty here commanded is our thorough Sanctification not onely in deed but even in heart and thought also as in 1 Thess 5.23 the parts whereof are Mortification the putting off the Old Man which is corrupt through deceiveable lusts Eph. 4.24 and Vivification the putting on of the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Joh. 3.5 otherwise called Regeneration or a New-birth The Sum of this Commandment forbiddeth all sins before consent and resolution all sins without us as Adams sin and all sins within us as the effect of the former The Scope and end of this Commandment is a Rightness and Inward Obedience of all our affections towards God and our Neighbor This Commandment is added to be a Declaration of the former and that Universal because this is spoken of the whole in general and is added to be as a Rule or Level according to which we must take and measure the inward Obedience of all the other Commandments Hereby not onely corrupt inclinations are sins but the thinking of evil is sin Unto this Commandment is Original sin or Concupiscence repugnant which is an inordinate appetite and a corrupt inclination and proneness in the Minde Will and Heart contrary to God and desiring those things that God forbiddeth in his Law which ensued upon the Fall of our first Parents Every Breach of this Commandment may be termed Covetousness Now covetous men the more they devour the more they covet like the Grave or the Barren Womb Prov. 30.14 15. like Dropsie men or Pharaohs lean Kine Thus Ahab that had a Kingdom at command covets a petty Vineyard which costs poor Naboth his Life and Living but withal covetous Ahab purchased more then he coveted the
Leaving man to the liberty and mutability of his own Will not hindring his Fall by supply of Grace and by Satans Tempting who being himself faln and envying Gods Glory and Mans Happiness subtilly addressed himself in the Serpents shape 3. Mans Yielding who being left to the mutability of his own Will voluntarily enclined to that evil whereunto he was tempted The Sins committed in the first Sin of Adam viz. 1. Discontent in not being contented with that estate wherein he was placed 2. Pride against God Ambition and an Admiration of himself 3. Incredulity Unbelief and Contempt of Gods Justice and Mercy 4. Stubbornness and Disobedience even when there was but one Commandment and man qualified to keep it 5. Unthankfulness for Benefits received at his Creation 6. To his Posterity Unnaturalness Injustice and Cruelty 7. Apostacy or manifest Defection from God to the Devil whom he obeyed and believed Man through the Devils instigation was the first Author of Sin the true Cause thereof therefore God is not the Author of Sin 1. Because he is of his own Nature Good the Chief Good no evil thing then can proceed from him 2. It is written Gen. 1.31 All that God had made was very good 3. The Law of God condemneth all evil things and commandeth all that is good 4. He were unjust if he should punish Sin in man if himself were the Author of it 5. The Description of Sin is a destruction of the Image of God in man 6. The many places in Scripture to the contrary Psal 5. Jam. 1. Eccl. 15. Rom. 3. The Causes of Gods Permission of the first Sin viz. 1. To shew his Justice and Power to the Wicked and his Mercy to the Chosen Rom. 11.32 Gal. 3.22 2. That it might stand for an Example of the weakness and infirmity of the Creatures even the most excellent of all the rest The greatness of Adams sin viz. 1. He regarded not the Promise of God whereby he was willed to hope for Everlasting Life 2. He despised the Commandment of God restraining him from the forbidden Fruit. 3. He brake out into horrible Pride and Ambition whereby he would be equal unto God and seek an estate higher then that wherein he had set him though it were most excellent 4. He shewed an unfaithful Heart to depart away from the living God his Creator so that he did not believe or not regard the Threatning of God that he should dye if he sinned 5. He brake out into foul and fearful Apostacy from God to the Devil from his Maker to the Tempter giving more credit to the Father of Lyes then to the God of all Truth of whose Goodness he had such great Experience Other Sins in Adams sin of eating the forbidden Fruit 1. Disloyalty in being content to hear his Maker blasphemously discredited and in his heart consenting to the Blasphemy in charging God of Envy for forbidding him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge 2. Intemperance in that he was carried so far by his Appetite as to exceed the Bounds set him 3. An Inordinate Love to his Wife swaying him to eat more then the Love of God to refrain 4. Curiosity in that he would try what Vertue lay hid in the Fruit. Our former state and condition by Nature is oft and seriously to be thought on and that in respect 1. Of Christ the more to magnifie his Love Psal 8.1 4. 1 Tim. 1.12 2. Of our selves to humble us and to keep us from insolent boasting in those Priviledges whereof through Christ we are made partakers 1 Cor. 4.7 3. Of others to move us the more to commiserate their woful estate who yet remain as we once were to conceive hope and use means of their alteration Tit. 3. The heinousness and grievousness of obstinate sinners viz. 1. Obstinate proceeding in sin keepeth all Mercy from us as a thick Cloud that suffereth not the comfortable Light of the Sun to shine in our faces Rom. 11.25 28. 2. It maketh the least sin that a man committeth or can commit to be like to that Sin against the Holy Ghost that shall never be forgiven neither in this world nor in that to come Mat. 12.32 for it is not so much Sin simply that condemneth a man for then all men should be condemned insomuch as all men have sinned as Obstinacy and Wilful continuing in sin 3. It is a Sin against the Gospel it self and the very Doctrine of Salvation If then we believe in earnest that we shall come to Judgement if we take not Heaven and Hell the Eternal Joys of the one and the Everlasting Torments of the other for meer Fables if we think the Blessedness of the holy Angels worth the having or the condition of the infernal Spirits worth the avoiding Let us not continue in sin Rules how to perceive the grievousness of our sins viz. 1. Compare them with other mens sins as with Adams sin for doubtless we have many sins considered in the fact come after his onely in time and yet by that sin Adam brought not onely on himself but on all his Posterity Mortality and Destruction the first and second Death 2. Let us consider our sins in the Punishment thereof that is Subjection to all Wo and Misery yea and to Death it self in this life and to Death Eternal after this life with the Devil and his Angels This is the Reward of every sin in it self 3. Consider these thy sins as they were laid on the holy Person of our Savior Christ which he endured not onely outward bodily Torments on the Cross but inwardly in Soul apprehended the whole Wrath of God due unto us for the same which caused him to sweat Water and Blood and to cry My God my God why c. 4. Have recourse to the last Commandment which forbids the very first Thought and Motions in the Heart to sin though we never give Consent of Will thereto nay though we abhor the Fact it self How God doth punish Sin viz. 1. Most grievously for the greatenss of sin because the Infinite God is offended thereby 2. Most justly because every sin violateth his Law and therefore even the least sin meriteth Eternal Death abjection and casting away 3. Most certainly as in respect 1. Of his Justice which punisheth whatsoever is not agreeable to it 2. Of his Truth because he had before denounced That he would punish men if they obeyed not his Commandment The degrees of the Punishment the wicked do and shall suffer for sin viz. 1. In this Life when the Conscience for their misdceds doth gnaw vex and punish them then beginneth their Hellish and Infernal Worm 2. In Temporal Death when they departing out of this life without comfort go into the place of Torment and Vexations Luke 16. 3. At the Day of Judgement when again to every of their Bodies reunited to their Souls the Pains of Hell to both shall be consummated The Effects of Sin viz. 1. Sins that follow are the Effects
excellency of Gods Gifts 7. If our Works should merit Christ should not be a perfect Savior nor Heaven purchased for us by his Blood onely which now to affirm is To Crucifie him worse then the Jews did Good Works cannot justifie us for these Reasons viz. 1. Because our best works yea the works of the Saints are not perfectly good and pure and that for these Reasons viz. 1. We do many things we should not and omit many things we should do 2. We mingle evil with the good we should do or we do good but we do it ill The thing done may be good but not the maner of doing it 3. The Saints which do good works do many things which are sins in themselves and so deserve to be outed of Gods favor Deut. 27.26 4. Because there is not that degree of Goodness in these good works that proceed from the Saints which ought to be or as God requireth 2. Though they were perfect yet are they due and debt so that we cannot satisfie by them 3. They are Temporary and bear not proportion with Eternal Blessings 4. They are Effects of Justification therefore no Cause thereof 5. They are excluded that we might not have whereof to glory 6. If they were part of our Justification our Consciences should be destitute of stable and certain Comfort 7. Christ should have dyed in vain and have risen in vain not to our Justification if we could have been justified by Works That justifying Faith which is required in every good work hath a double use in the causing thereof 1. It gives the beginning to a good work renewing the Minde Will and Affections of the worker whence the work proceedeth as pure water from a cleansed Fountain 2. It covereth the wants that be in good works for the best work done by man in this life is imperfect but hereby both the person of the worker is accepted and the imperfection of his work covered in the sight of God All these are excluded from being good works viz. 1. Which are sins in themselves and repugnant to Gods Law and his VVill revealed in his most sacred VVord 2. VVhich are not repugnant to the Law neither in themselves good or evil but which may yet by an accident be made good or evil 3. VVhich are good in themselves and commanded by God but yet are made sins by an accident in that they are unlawfully done or not as they ought to be How the works of the Regenerate and Unregenerate differ viz. 1. The works of the Unregenerate proceed not from Faith as those of the Regenerate do 2. The works of the Unregenerate are not joyned with an inward Obedience and therefore are done dissemblingly and are meer Hypocrisie but it is far otherwise with the Regenerate 3. As the works of the Unregenerate proceed not from the right cause so are they not referred to the chief end which is Gods Glory but in both these the works of the Regenerate are rightly and truly qualified Though the works of the most Regenerate yea his best works are good onely in part not perfectly because he is not wholly Spirit and no Flesh yet God approves of them And therefore we must again consider Good VVorks two ways viz. 1. In themselves as they are compared with the Law and the rigor thereof and so they are sins because they answer not to that perfection which the Law requireth for there be two degrees of Sin viz. 1. Rebellions which are Actions flatly against the Law 2. Defects when a man doth those things the Law commandeth but faileth in the maner of doing and so mans best works are sins 2. As they are done by a person Regenerate and reconciled to God in Christ and so God accepts of them for in Christ the wants of them are covered The Benefit of putting and keeping on the Holy Spiritual Brest-plate of Righteousness which is Good VVorks viz. 1. It keepeth us from being mortally wounded for so long as we retain a true purpose and faithful endeavor answerable thereto we shall never give our selves over to commit sin and iniquity 2. It bringeth great Assurance of our Effectual Calling and Spiritual Union with Christ yea even of our Election and Salvation Eph. 1.4 1 Joh. 2.29 3. It procureth us a good name in Gods Church while we live 2 Cor. 8.18 and a blessed Memory after we are dead Prov. 10.7 4. It confirmeth the Truth of Religion and so it may be a means to win such as are without 1 Pet. 3.1 to strengthen those that stand 1 Thess 1.6 7. and to stir up all to an holy emulation 2 Cor. 9.2 5. It doth highly honor God and occasion others to glorifie him Mat. 5.16 That we may be moved to the doing of Good Works and to live righteously observe here the blessed fruit and issue thereof as it is declared in Scripture viz. 1. Generally that the Lord loveth Righteousness Psal 11.7 that verily there is a Reward for the Righteous Psal 58.11 that Blessings are on the head of the Righteous c. Prov. 10.6 2. Particularly for the Righteous person himself viz. 1. In this Life the eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous Psal 34.15 God will grant their desire Prov. 10.24 he delivereth them out of all trouble Psal 34.19 they shall never be forsaken Psal 37.25 they shall flourish like a Palm-tree Psal 92.12 c. 2. At their Death when they have hope Prov. 14.32 and are taken from the evil to come Isa 57.1 3. After Death their Memorial shall be blessed Prov. 10.7 in everlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 4. At the Resurrection they shall go into Life Eternal Mat. 25.46 They shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Matth. 11.43 5. For their Posterity The Generation of the Righteous shall be blessed Psal 112.2 Their seed shall not beg their bread c. Psa 37.25 XIII REpentance is a constant turning from all sin unto God or an inward sorrowing and continually mourning for sin joyned with Faith and Humiliation and both inward and outward amendment It is an aversion or turning from all a mans sins and a reversion or turning again unto God with all our Hearts Or Repentance is an unfained sorrow for and hatred of sin with an earnest Love of Righteousness by the which we are continually stirred up to abhor our Vices and are moved to do good Works not for fear of punishment or hope of reward but for that love we bear towards God that with a joyful heart we are moved to his Obedience and with grief go astray from his Commandments A Godly sorrow whereby a man is grieved for his sins because they are sins is the beginning of Repentance and indeed for substance it is Repentance it self So a desire to repent and believe in a touched Heart and Conscience is Faith and Repentance it self though not in Nature yet in Gods acceptation for in them that have Grace God accepteth the will for the