That requires works to be performed by our own strength and ability received at our creation whereby we were sufficiently inabled to do the things required of us But the Covenant of Grace requires works to be done by the assistance of the Spirit of Christ Phiâ— 4.13 I can do all things sayes the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Therefore the obedience of the Gospel is called the obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 as following Faith and springing from it Repentance and Faith are not so in mans power now as Obedience was under the Covenant of Works And secondly it doth not require works for the same end For the Covenant of Works requires works as the way and means of our standing right before God But the Covenant of Grace doth not require works as the matter of our Righteousness and Justification before God but that thereby we should glorify God in this World be fitted for Heaven and should evidence and testifie our renewed nature 2. In the Covenant of Works there was no Mediator But in the Covenant of Grace there is Therefore the one is called Foedus amicitiae the other Foedus misericordiae 3. One sin broke the Covenant of Works but in the Covenant of Grace there is pardon obtainable for multiplied transgressions Isa 55.7 Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 4. The Covenant of Works gave unto man some occasion as it were to glory if he had stood But the Covenant of Grace cuts off from Man all pretence to glory in himself and engages him to give all the glory intirely unto God So saith the Apostle Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law of Works Nay But by the Law of Faith And 1 Cor. 1.31 The Apostle tells us Christ is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. So Eph. 2.9 By grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of Works lest any man should boast Having thus shewed the agreement and difference between these two Covenants I come now to speak more particularly of the Covenant of Grace Concerning which let us observe these things 1. The Covenant of Grace was for substance one and the same in all ages of the Church though diversly administred before and after the coming of Christ From Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham from Abraham to Moses from Moses to David and so on from David to Christ and from Christ to the end of the World the Covenant of Grace hath been one and the same without change or alteration Yet it was administred in a different manner under the Old and New Testament and thence it had the denomination of Old and New Covenant Yet both did agree in many things As Of the old administration of the Covenant of Grace of the new 1. They both lead to one and the same Mediator by and through whom the blessings promised are to be expected Christ at his Resurrection raised up together with himself many of the Saints who died under the former Covenant as we read Mat. 27.52 Whereby he shewed that the benefit of his Mediation Death and Resurrection did belong to them under the old Covenant as well as to us under the new But some will perhaps say that Christ is called the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9.15 Answ He is so in respect of actual and personal confirmation of it by his own blood which was not done in the old Covenant But he was Mediator of the old Covenant as may appear by the types that did prefigure him and in respect of the vertue and efficacy of his blood which was to be shed which did take away the sins committed under the old Covenant as to them that truly believed in him Hereunto agrees that in Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever that is as to the vertue of his death 2. The same condition is required under both administrations namely Repentance and Faith in the Messiah 'T is true many of the Jews under the old Covenant sought Righteousness by the works of the Law and not by Faith in the Messiah but this was their error and sin It was not the true Doctrine of that Covenant 3. Under both there was the same Law and Rule of Life to walk by viz. the Moral Law Jam. 28. This Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Royal or a Kingly Law because it hath a Kingly and authoritative power over all Mankind 4. They both propound the same Salvation God would not have called himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob if they had not been saved Neither would the place of Rest haâ—e been called Abrahams bosome if Abraham himself had not had part in that place of Rest But some will object Heb. 8.8 9. Where 't is said the New Covenant is not as the Old I answer We must distinguish betwixt the substance of the Covenant and the manner of its dispensation In respect of the dispensation the new is not as the old though it be as to substance As Rebecca vailed and unvailed was the same woman and yet not the same The same in person not the same in habit and attire That which brought the blessing to Abraham was this that he believed on that seed which was to spring from him looking for Righteousness and Life by him So then the old Covenant spoken of in the old testament and the new which is now published in the Gospel are for substance one and the same without any essential difference between them But though they thus agreed yet in many things they differed As particularly 1. The old administration of the Covenant of Grace was more burthensome the new is more easie this the Apostle plainly intimates Acts 15.10 Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear And Gal. 4.3 Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the World There were required under the old Covenant Circumcision costly Sacrifices and Oblations tedious journeys to Jerusalem at the three solemn feasts restraint from many liberties which we enjoy under the new 2. The one was more dark the other is more clear Eternal life was not so clearly discovered in the old Testament as it is in the new 2 Tim. 1.10 Yea Christ himself and his offices and benefits were then but darkly revealed Hence the Gospel is called the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the World began Rom. 16.25 not that it was absolutely hid or kept secret but comparatively in respect of the more clear and plain discovery of it afforded to us in these dayes Hence that of our Saviour to
Gods ordaining and Christs procuring and by faith is made ours which is Gospel righteousness and this righteousness we have before described 3. I come now to the third thing I propounded to inquire into namely How any come to partake of this great mercy and benefit viz. Justification before God I Answer This is obtained by performing the condition the Gospel requires which is Faith in Christ The Covenant of Grace is in the proposal of it conditional and Christ with all his saving benefits is proposed to us upon terms which we are to perform Our Saviour sayes He that believes shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned We are said in Scripture to be justified by Faith and the Gospel is stiled the Law of Faith and whatsoever is required of us by it is called the obedience of Faith 1. 'T is not a bare assent to the truths of the Gospel or to the Revelation or History of Jesus Christ That Faith that the Scripture calls a justifying Faith is an operative working Faith a Faith that includes in its nature a sutable acting and obedience This Faith is never spoken of in the Scripture as a bare believing and assenting to the truth of the Gospel in opposition to acting agreeably thereunto but as the grand principle of action and so it is in it self Since Abels time the spring of all religious actions has been Faith viz. believing God and his promises and threatnings The bare believing the truth of Christianity or the bare professing of it without answerable walking and sutable obedience is not enough to save any man And therefore to be a true believer is to be a sincere practical Christian The Apostle tells us that he that does righteousness is righteous and not he that reckons himself so without righteous acting upon the meer score of his believing or bare profession When Paul sayes Abraham was not justified by Works we must suppose him to mean either such perfect sinless works as would in strict rules of justice make the reward to be a debt And such works Abraham had not Or el e such works as were depended on by the carnal Jews as sufficient to procure their pardon and acceptance with God by their own inward work and merit These he disclaimes And when he opposeth works to grace he means such works as were supposed to justifie by their own merit and which put us out of need of grace But he knew that justification is not now so attainable but by Faith yet not by such a Faith as is not accompanied with good works as St. James proves For by works sayes he Faith is made perfect As if he should have said true saving faith comprises obedience in it and is not compleat and perfect without it nor such a faith as in Scripture is accounted for righteousness Now Abrahams Faith the Scripture tells us was accounted to him for righteousness But it was so accounted with reference to that obedience that was virtually comprised in it and naturally flowed from it And that his Faith comprised in it a sutable obedience is manifest else it would have been so far from being esteemed or accounted to him for righteousness that it would rather have been accounted to him for hypocrisie 'T is true Abraham could not pretend to a sinless perfection he had no such works to plead as were Gods Justice-proof He had no such righteousness as in its own nature and by its own intrinsick worth could justifie him and denominate him a perfect righteous man Had it been so it needed not any favour to have been accounted for righteousnâ—ss But God was pleased out of his free grace and favour so to reckon and account of it Abrahams faith therefore was a believing the revelation of the Messiâ—h to come and of pardon and salvation obtainable by him and acting sutably thereunto by a sincere though imperfect obedience This God did impute and account to him for righteousness Therefore Paul never intended to exclude Gospel works or such a sincere obedience as is naturally consequent to a true and saving Faith and which is accepted of meer grace and cannot pretend to any merit But he speaks against such works as were depended on and by vertue of which men pretended to claim justification as a reward justly due to them in opposition to free grace Now this Gospel justification we have described is so far from being such a justification by works as the Jews sought after and St. Paul disputes against that it is a justification that results wholly from grace and is the effect of Christs purchase and of another covenant and all merit and reward that can be claimed as a debt is utterly excluded thereby Abraham was not justified upon the terms of the Law viz. sinless perfection but he was justified as one that had sin and failings about him which needed forgiveness and so was justified by Faith in the Gospel-way but it was by an operative faith which was productive of good works Which works were not such as by any innate virtue in themselves did constitute him just but were the fruits and genuine off-spring of his faith which rested on the promised Messiah as the sole procurer of his pardon and forgiveness Sinless works therefore we see were necessary under the Covenant of Works to obtain the reward as a just debt but sincere works are necessary under the Covenant of Grace as the genuine fruits of faith without which it is imperfect For if it be without works 't is no true justifying Faith as the Apostle James abundantly proves 2. We must take heed we do not so apprehend of Faith as if it had in it self any justifying virtue or were of any innate worth to acquit us before God from the guilt of our sins The value of it is wholly from Gods ordination and its relation to Christ We are justified by Christ alone meritoriously and by what he has done and suffered Faith is but a conditional means by which we come to reap the fruit and benefit of Christs merits Faith therefore and believing being the Gospel condition let us further inquire what is comprehended in it 1. Then The way and method of Gods justifying a sinner being founded on the depth of his own infinite wisdom and no way suited to the corrupt reasonings of a carnal mind God expects we should fully believe it and firmly assent to the truth of it And this in it self is a righteous act and so accounted of God firmly to believe him and what he reveals to us 2. He expects we should thankfully accept and acquiesce in and rely upon this way of Justification which he tenders to us without quarrelling or disputing and that we should receive Christ in all his offices as our Prophet Priest and King 3. That we should subject our selves to all the Precepts of the Gospel and that our faith should approve it self to be of the right kind by a sutable obedience Objection
imaginable and to this end God usually designs it As he sayes by the Prophet Hosea 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face In their affliction they will seek me early Josephs Brethren are a great instance of this who when they were put into prison and brought into distress then their consciences began to tell them how they had used their Brother Joseph Gen. 24.21 Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 2. By sanctified afflictions he calls for the exercise of their Faith Patience Humility Self-denial and will crown and reward the exercise of these graces which he himself hath planted in them 3. Hereby he crucifies their hearts to the world As Nurses lay worm-wood or some bitter thing upon their nipples when they intend to wean their Children so God imbitters the world oftentimes to his own Children to wean them from it We read how Antigonus seeing a Soldier of his venture upon any danger and observing withal that he was very sickly took care to have him recovered to good health which done the man would not expose himself as before he had used to do alledging that now his life was of more value to him and not to be hazarded as when it was only a burden Thus we see how prosperity makes men love the World whilst afflictions wean them from it 4. Hereby he quickens their devotion and excites the spirit of prayer in them whereas before possibly they were too cold and formal in their prayers now they pray earnestly How did Daniel pray in the Lions den How did Jonah pray in the Whales belly How did the three Worthies pray in the fiery furnace People under afflictions pray at another rate than those do who are at ease and in prosperity 5. Hereby he conforms them unto his Son who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs And the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him 9. Take heed of all eager and inordinate desires There is scarce any thing in this world more dangerous to a man than such vehement desires Omnis inordinatus appetitus sibi ipsi poena est Commonly God crosses eager desires and there is not a more ready way to miss any thing we have a mind unto or to have it cursed to us than over eagerly to desire it Strong affections breed strong afflictions Alas we are very unmeet choosers for our selves We see not what that person or that place or that thing we so eagerly desire may prove Many have been ready with Rachel to say give me children or else I die when those children they have so earnestly desired have afterwards broken their hearts with grief and vexation at their ill-carriage Whenever therefore we find any eager desires or longings in our selves after any wordly thing we should be afraid of them and check them as foreboding ill to us And further we should consider how much our eager desires after worldly things do shame and aggravate the weakness of our spiritual desires We can eagerly long for this or that worldly accommodation can hardly sleep for thinking of it but for heaven or heavenly things how cold how indifferent are we 10. Seeing true Christian contentment is a lesson taught only in Christs School let us all be willing to be his Scholars and put our selves into his School Paul learnt this lesson here I know how to be abased and I know how to abound I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all these things through Christ strengthning of me Phil. 4.12 13. Philosophers have many precepts and directions about contentment but alass they are all short of teaching this lesson effectually Lipsius that had written a book de Stoica Philosophia and had gathered together many of their precepts of Patience when he came to dye a friend of his told him of that book and advised him to remember what he had there written yes sayes he but Domine da mihi patientiam Christianam Lord give me Christian Patience for that is it which I now need But if this lesson be only taught in Christs School you will ask me how does Christ teach it I answer he teaches it three wayes by his word by his example and by his Spirit 1. He teaches it by the Precepts of his word whereby he enjoyns and commands it Luke 21.19 In your Patencei possess your souls 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness Faith Love Patience Meekness Jam. 1.4 Let Patience have its perfect work that you may be intire wanting nothing 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to Faith Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness Because thou hast kept the word of my Patience saith the Angel to the Church of Philadelphia that is my word which I commanded thee to be Patient I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation 2. Christ teaches it by the Promises of his word He hath made many gracious promises in his word which are a great means to support his people and to frame their hearts to contentation in every condition In Heb. 13.5 He hath made a promise of provision for them Be content with such things as you have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Psal 34.10 The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing In Psal 91.11 He hath made a promise of protection unto them He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes Heb. 1.14 Are not they all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation In Jam. 1.5 He hath made a promise of counsel to those that are in perplexity and under trouble If any man lacketh wisdom that is to dirâ—ct him how to govern himself under any afflicted condition Let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not 2 Cor. 7.6 He hath made a promise of comfort to those that are undeâ— great fears and apprehensions of dangers There the Apostle tells us that He is a God who comforteth those that are cast down In Esai 41.10 He hath made a Promise to strengthen his People under great pressures Fear thou not for I am with thee Be not dismai'd for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness In Rom. 8.28 He hath made a promise to order all things for their good We know sayes the Apostle that all things work together for good to them that fear God 3. Christ teaches it by his own example Learn of me saith our Saviour Mat. 11.29 For I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest to your
5.6 and unable to come up to the obedience the Law requires of us 6. Mans carnal mind is said to be enmity against God Rom. 8.7 For 't is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be till it be effectually changed Secondly Observe by what terms the Scripture expresses mans recovery out of this sad estate 1. 'T is called Regeneration Tit. 3.5 Joh. 3.3 5. 2. A Spiritual Resurrection A quickning and raising from the death of sin to the life of grace Joh. 5 24 25. Eph. 2.1 3. A new Creation and Gods own Workmanship Eph. 2.10 By all which it may appear that though mans misery be from himself yet his help is only from the free grace of God It remains now that we inquire what use we are to make of this Doctrine of our Fall in Adam 1. This should humble us for our Original Apostasie from God the Apostasie of our Head 2. We should take heed of imitating our first Parents in their disobedience and Apostasie Pride undid them and undid the Angels that fell let us take heed of falling into the condemnation of the Devils 1 Tim. 3.6 Therefore our blessed Saviour who came to undo the works of the Devil comes in the lowest humility imaginable even in the form of a Servant 3. A Third instruction we may gather from the consideration of the instrument of our first Parents disobedience The Devil having Apostatized himself from God was restless till he had drawn our First Parents into the like Apostasie and Rebellion While we live let us take heed of the Company of Apostates and such as are fallen off from God and the practice and profession of true Piety 4. If our first Parents fell from God by disobedience in Paradise how should we tremble that walk in a corrupt World and carry corrupt hearts about us How ought we to cease from trusting in our selves and to put all our trust and confidence in God If the Devil prevailed over Adam how much more easily may he prevail over us If he could deceive by a Serpent how much more easily may he deceive when he uses men for his instruments that are like our selves And this is further to be observ'd that the more godly any are the more will the Devil labour to foil them For if he can foil one of them he blurs their profession and by such a scandal makes others shy of it Oh do you not see will the World then say what kind of Saints these are They are all such Saints in profession but Hypocrites at the heart And thus by the falls of Professors the Devil mightily advances his own Kingdom 5. Seeing we were all involved in the guilt of our first Parents disobedience and seeing we have received from them by our immediate Parents a corrupt and depraved Nature let us consider that this is no estate to be rested in If we rest and abide in our natural and corrupt estate let us remember that the wrath of God abideth on us Oh let us think seriously on this and lay it to heart Joh. 3.3 Sayes our Saviour Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God If death seize thee before thou art regenerate and born again better thou hadst never been born 'T is not enough believe it to be a civil honest man or woman to live neighbourly and friendly though that is in it self indeed very commendable but I say that is not enough to secure our Souls against the Justice of God By Nature we are all Children of wrath bond-slaves of Satan and a great change must pass upon us if ever we intend to come to the Kingdom of God 6. Let all Parents and Masters of Families labour to convince those under their charge of their miserable condition by Nature and let them endeavour faithfully to acquaint them with the way and means how they may escape out of it Let them shew them that seeing they are undone by the First Adam they must labour to recover themselves by the Second 7. Seeing Christ hath done so much to redeem us let us consider how greatly our Damnation will be aggravated if we neglect the great Salvation tendred by him in the Gospel I come now to the Third thing to be considered concerning man and that is 3. The way and means of his recovery by Christ Man by his fall having made himself uncapable of life by this first Covenant viz. The Covenant of Works it pleased the Lord to make a Second Covenant with him namely the Covenant of Grace Of the Covenant of Grace wherein he freely offers unto sinners life and Salvation by Jesus Christ requiring they should repent of their sins and believe in him that they may be saved In treating of this Covenant that I may proceed more methodically I shall 1. Compare these two Covenants viz. of works and grace together and shew wherein they agree and wherein they differ 2. I shall open more particularly the Nature of the Covenant of Grace First I shall shew wherein they agree 1. They agree in the Author God is the Author of them both 2. They agree in the parties concerned God and men are the Parties concerned in both Covenants 3. They agree in this that in both there is a promise of life and blessedness 4. In both Covenants there is a condition required on our parts for the obtaining the blessedness promised Neither of the Covenants promise life and blessedness absolutely whether we obey or no whether we beleive or no but under the condition of Obedience and Faith 5. B th Covenants require a perfect Righteousness of us if we intend to obtain the blessedness promised No blessedness is promised in either Covenant but upon condition of bringing in a perfect Righteâ—usness either of our own or anothers And these are the things wherein thâ—y agree In the next place let us consider wherein they dâ—ffer 1. They differ in the condition required One requires Works the other Faith The one sayes do this and live The other believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.31 In the Covenant of Works there was indeed an act of Faith required viz. that God would give the blessed life promised upon mans performance of his duty and obedience but it was not such a Faith as is required in the Covenant of Grace which is the receiving and apprehending and trusting our Souls on the righteousness which is wrought for us by the active and passive obedience of Christ The â—ovenant of Grace also requires Works For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live Righteously Soberly and Godlily in this present world c. And Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people Zeal us of good works Tit. 2.11 12 14. But it doth not require works from the same principle that the Covenant of Works does
Seal of the new Testament or Covenant which is to be ratified and confirmed by my blood * Heb. 9.15.16 Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is now to be shed for many for the remission of sins that is this wine in the Cup is a sign or representation of my blood and a seal whereby the new Covenant is confirmed with all the promises of it For without shedding of blood there is no remission * Heb. 9.22 Gods Justice being no other way to be satisfied Now the Sacraments may be said to be Seals in two respects 1. They are absolute seals to the veracity and truth of Gods promises and Covenant 2. Conditional Seals in reference to us They Seal the remission of sins to all that perform the conditions required and to none else As the tree of life did not seal or confirm to Adam that he should have life except upon condition of his perfect obedience To them therefore that perform the conditions required they exhibit confer and passover the blessings promised in the Covenant of Grace 3. To be an objective means to stir up excite and increase Repentance Faith Love Hope Joy Thankfulness in believers by a lively representation of the evil of sin the infinite love of God in Christ the firmness of the Covenant of grace the greatness and sureness of the mercies promised 4. To be a badge and cognizance of the Church before the world and a token that we solemnly profess that we own a crucified Jesus for our Saviour and that 't is Christ and his death that we depend upon and abide by for the remission of all our sins and reconciliation with God 5. To be a means of our renewing our Covenant with God Covenants in the Scripture were wont to be made by eating and drinking together Isaac and Abimelech Jacob and Laban concluded their Covenants with a Feast * Gen. 6.30 and Gen. 31.44 46. Hereby we have an advantage of entring into a stricter engagement to God and renewing the Covenant we made with him in Baptism 6. To be a means of procuring and advancing unity and love among the Saints A feast carries in it the notion of love and good will But this is more a feast of love than any ordinary feast can be because 't is a remembrance of the greatest love that that ever was manifested viz. of that love which the Lord shewed in dying for us 'T is a Feast upon Christs Sacrifice And it should be a means not only of uniting believers more firmly to Christ their Head but of uniting and endearing them more one to another The ancient Christians did notably express this 1. By their Agapae or love-feast Jude verse 14. 2 Pet. 2.13 2. By their kiss of Charity Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 16.30 3. By their collections for the poor made at these times 1 Cor. 16.1 Having thus spoken of the true and proper ends for which this Sacrament was instituted I come now to consider the mistaken ends for which it was not appointed 1. It was not appointed to turn bread and wine into the true and real body and blood of Christ For if sense be not to be believed concerning its own object and which tells all men that 't is still bread and wine how can we believe that Christ or any of his Apostles were ever in the World seeing they that saw them and conversed with them may on this ground for all that be deceived which were very irrational to imagine And the Apostle expresly calls it bread three times in three verses together and that after the Consecration 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of that Cup. And he tells us that the use of this Sacrament is not to make the Lards Body corporally present but to shew the Lords death till he come that is to be a visible representation and commemoration of his death till he come to judgment Indeed Christ is really present in this Sacrament but not in the elements but to the Faith of the worthy receiver When they eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup in a due manner exercising a lively Faith in him for the remission of all their sins Christ is then present to their Faith neither is he any otherwise present in this Sacrament 2. This Sacrament was not appointed to Sacrifice Christ really again to the Father to propitiate him for the quick and dead or to ease Souls in Purgatory to deliver them out of it For Christ having died once dieth no more but by once offering up himself hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified * Heb. 10.14 that is he hath made a perfect satisfaction to the justice of God and done all things needful to bring them to eternal life who are sanctified by his grace and brought to believe in him with a lively Faith 3. 'T is not appointed as a means to conveigh grace meerly by the work done or by the outward receiving of it only as charms are supposed to work neither are we to suppose that God will pardon or save any for their meer coming to this Ordinance though they strive not with their hearts to bring them to repentance faith in Christ sincere love to God and men and new obedience 4. 'T is not appointed as a means to wipe off the old score of sin that men may more freely and boldly encourage themselves to sin again as some ignorant people are apt to think but as a blessed means to mortifie sin in us and to engage us unto holiness And thus much concerning the first head I propounded to speak unto viz. The right informing the judgment and that concerning these four particulars 1. The author of this Sacrament 2. The time of its Institution 3. The nature of it 4. The ends for which it was appointed I come now to the second viz. to direct your practice and to shew you how you should receive it in a right manner In order to which you must know 1. There are some duties to be performed before you come to receive this holy Sacrament 2. Some duties in the time of receiving it 3. Some duties after There are two kinds of preparation necessary to a worthy receiver 1. The General which is that we look to it that we be in a state of grace for there are several graces that must be exercised in receiving this Sacrament and they that are not in a state of grace are utterly unfit for the present to approach this holy Table 2. The Particular which consists in a present actual fulness In order to the obtaining of this let me advise thee Reader to the
they have had to the contrary Deut. 29.19 20. When they shall bless themselves saying I shall have peace though I walk after the imaginations of my heart adding drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare that man but his anger and jealousie shall smoak against him Where these black marks are found we have great cause to fear that such men have out stood the day of their visitation But whatever others do let us look to it that we carefully improve our day of grace And that is the first Direction 2. Dispatch in the first place and with the greatest care and diligence thy great work which must be done or thou art undone for ever Secure thy interest in Christ and the pardon of all thy sins in him thy state in grace and thy title to Heaven And when that great work is once well done thou may'st go quietly and chearfully about thy worldly affairs and businesses The generality of men are the veriest children and fools as to their main concernment imaginable They mind the world seriously but neglect the one thing absolutely necessary If a King should send his Ambassador and give him among the rest one principal instruction charging him above all things to mind and observe that which if he did he should be highly rewarded at his return but if he neglected it he should forfeit his head I question whether any instance can be give since the world began of any Ambassador so stupid and careless as to neglect a matter that so much concerned him But alas how oft is this done by the children of men in a matter of greater moment Thou that wouldest it may be severely have censured and condemned this Ambassadâ—r if he had so grosly neglected his duty de te fabula narratur thou art the man This thing is more than verified of thee who mindest the things of this life but neglectest the great business for which thou camest into the world and which above all other things thou shouldest have minded There is no necessity that thou shouldest be rich and leave such an inheritance to thy Son or so many hundreds in thy inventory but it is of absolute necessity thou shouldest be converted and repent of thy sins and get thy soul cleared of all thy guilt by faith in Christ and shouldst honour God in this world and should'st be in such a posture and frame of mind and heart that thou may'st be fitted to dye These things are necessary to thee the other are not Labour therefore to do thy great work in the first place and do not defer it and put it off God calls thee now to repent do not put God off and say thou wilt do it hereafter Ask thy self this one serious question whether thou ever dost intend to repent or no If not thou declarest thou intendest to damn thy Soul If thou dost intend to repent why wilt thou not now do it The longer thou delayest the more unfit thou wilt be Besides consider this thou in thy distresses and necessities cryest to God to relieve thee and to help thee presently When thou art in pain or under a grievous sickness thou wouldst think it hard if God should say I will ease thee of thy pain seven years hence why shouldst thou then put God off with delayes And 't is a sad observation that some make concerning those that wilfully delay to turn to God namely that few of them are converted at last Therefore upon all these accounts defer not thy main work thy conversion to God and securing thy peace with him whatever else thou neglectest 3. Labour to keep certain set times for thy private devotions and be constant to them Especially be careful to observe the Lords-day well From our conscienciousness and diligence in the duties of Gods worship and service on that day we may make a probable conjecture of the success of our worldly affairs and businesses the week after This a learned man * The renowned Jâ—dge Hale in his Meditations sayes he could not but take notice of in himself and as to his own concerns though otherwise he was not addicted to superstitious observations 4. Keep conscience tender and that will reprehend thee for wasting thy time or ill imploying it Thou wilt then be careful not to spend it in any thing that thy conscience will reproach thee for and which must be repented of afterwards Remember God and conscience must be pleased whoever be displeased 5. Promise not to thy self long life but live as one that is uncertain of another day The groundless expectation of long life makes people many times less careful rightly to improve the present time Men will spend prodigally out of a full purse who otherwise would be sparing if they knew they had but little 'T is observed of some that have promised themselves long life that they have been cut off very suddenly Thou reckonest possibly upon years whereas it may be thou hast not moneths to live However say this to thy self every morning I am now brought to the beginning of a new day O my soul let me improve this day well so as I may give a comfortable account of it unto God The Sun may return again after it hath set But this day when it is once gone I shall never see again 6. Take heed of those things that rob people of their time and watch carefully against them And they are such as these 1. A sluggish and sloathful habit of mind Spontanea lassitudo aspontaneous lassitude or weariness is a sign the body is out of order And a voluntary sloathfulness and sluggishness is a sign of a distempered Soul sloath is an averseness from that labour which is our duty through a carnal love of ease He is most sinfully sloathful who is most voluntarily sloathfull 'T is certainly a very dangerous life for any man to live out of a calling or to be idle and slothful in his calling But the worst kind of sloth is a backwardness and listlesness to our greatest duties The Apostle cautions us not to be sloathful in business but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 And if we would but take pleasure in the work God calls us unto we should not then be weary of it or slothful in it 2. Overmuch sleeping and drouzing and lying a bed Suppose there be two young scholars whereof one sleeps but six hours usually in a night and the other nine The one of these out-lives the other 21 hours in a week how much will he gain of him a year 3. Too long dressing and finefying the body Indeed neatness and cleanliness are very commendable but overmuch curiosity in dressing and adorning the body as it is a great vanity so it is a great and unnecessary expense of time 4. Long visits * Amici sures temporis and unprofitable and impertinent discourse of which I spake something before under the third head Indeed visits may be prudently ordered and spent in
transitu rather by giving them such a bad example of disobedience than by deriving on them any natural sinfulness doth thereupon infer that if this were true it would prove evacuatio baptismatis parvulorum a very nulling the Baptism of Infants Ambros lib. 10. Epist 84. Et lib. 2. cap. 11. Nec senex proselitus nec infans Vernaculus excipitur quia omnis aetas peccato obnoxia ideo omnis aetas sacramento idonea About the same time or something before flourished Gregory Nazianzen Greg. Nazianzenus 3â—0 who in his fortieth Orat. de bapismo sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. quid autem de iis dicis qui adhuc tenera aetate sunt an eos quoque baptizabimus ita prorsus si quod periculum urgeat Praestat enim absque sensu sanctificari quam sine sigillo initione abscedere Atque hujus rei ratio nobis est circumcisio die octavo peragi solita quae baptismi figuram quodammodo gerebat atque iis qui rationis adhuc expertes erant offerebatur Cyprianus 250. Ascend we now to Cyprian Bishop of Carthage who lived in the third century about the year 250 who was as great a stickler for Infant Baptism in his time as any who succeeded him In Epist ad Fidum lib. 3. Epist 8. Porro si etiam gravissimis delictoribus c. If saith he remission of sins be given to the greatest offenders none of which if they afterwards believe are excluded from the grace of Baptism quanto magis prohiberi non debet infans qui recens natus nihil peccavit c. How much rather should Infants be admitted to it who being new born have not sinned at all save that they have contracted from Adam that original guilt which followeth every man by nature c. Nor was this Cyprians opinion only but the unanimous consent of sixty six African Bishops convened in Council by whom it was declared as he there relates that Baptism was to be administred as well to infants as men of riper years Origen 120. Before him lived Origen about the year 220. who plainly tells us in Rom. cap. 6. Ecclesiam ab Apostolis traditionem accepisse etiam parvulis baptismum dare And further shews that it was administred to them in reference to original sin which if it were not in Infants gratia baptismi superflua videretur the grace of baptism might be thought superfluous Idem in Levit. Hom. 8. Irenaeus 1â—4 Before his time in the second Century flourished Irenaeus he seems c ear for Infant baptism Christus venit omnes per seipsum salvare I omnes inquam qui per seipsum renascuntur in Deum Infantes parvulos pueros Irenaeus advers haereses Lib. 2. 39. Upon which words the Glosser makes this observation Nomine renascentiae Dominica Apostolica phrasi baptismus intelligitur And thus far we can go to shew the antient practice of the Church concerning Infant-Baptism 5. We come now to the fifth thing we propounded to inquire into and that is whether baptism be of absolute necessity to Salvation Baptism is not of such absolute necessity that they that partake not of it must certainly and unavoidably perish The penitent Thief on the Cross who was then converted surely never was baptized And Baptism of it self does not confer grace For Acts 8.13 23. Simon Magus was baptized yet remained in the gall of bitterness God can confer grace as he pleases and when he pleases He ties us but not himself to the use of means Baptism is generally and ordinarily necessary to salvation both necessitate praecepti and medii surely Christ would not command a needless thing to all nations in the name of the blessed Trinity We cannot ordinarily expect grace but in the use of the means of grace which he hath appointed 'T is not therefore the simple privation but the neglect or contempt of baptism that is dangerous And so I come now to the sixth thing I propounded to inquire into viz. 6. What improvement should they make of their baptism who were baptized in their Infancy 1. They should reflect upon their Original corruption and how defiled they were from the Womb so that as soon as they were born they stood in need of a Saviour 2. It should mind them that long ago they were solemnly dedicated to Christ entred into his family listed under his banner engaged as far as could be done by their Parents to the sincere service and worship of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to forsake the Devil the World and the Flesh But now they are come to years of understanding they must renew their Covenant with Christ by their own actual consent And surely if things were regularly carried in the Church as they ought to be the passing out of the Infant state of Church-member-ship into the state of adult members should be very Solemn and by a serious understanding personal owning of their Baptismal Covenant and then they should be confirmed in the state of adult members and then and not before be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The infant baptismal Covenant will save none that live to years of discretion that do not heartily own it in their own persons 3. It should stir up Godly sorrow in them that being so long ago ingaged unto Christ and dedicated to him by their Parents they have walked no more answerably thereunto 4. It should stir up in them a vigorous exercise of Faith in Christs blood Did they need Christs merits and intercession when young and when they were under the guilt only of original sin how much more now do they need it when they have committed so many actual sins 5. The remembrance of his baptism should be a mighty argument to turn a sinner from the error of his way Say to thy Soul O Sinner I was dedicated to Christ in my Infancy and now shall I go on in sin serving the Devil I was listed under the banner of Christ and shall I now fight against him Ah wretch how can I do these things 6. It should be a great antidote against temptation whenever thou art tempted to sin say to thy self I am baptized I am solemnly ingaged unto Christ how can I do this great wickedness and sin against him 7. I come now to the seventh and last thing I propounded to consider namely What are the duties of Christian Parents in reference to their Children Their duties are these 1. To be sensible of their own sinful condition by nature and how they have been instruments of propagating a corrupt nature to their poor Children 2. To bless God for Christ who is the the only Physician who can cure them and their children 3. Seasonably to present their Children to this ordinance of baptism and professing their Faith in Christ and their consent to take him for their Lord and Saviour solemnly to dedicate them unto him And when they dedicate their children
unto Christ they should address themselves unto it as one of the solemnest works in the world They should do it with due preparation reverence and seriousness as beseemeth those that are transacting a business of such unspeakable importance 4. They should ingage to bring up their children in the principles of the Christian Faith They should imagine God said to them as the daughter of Pharoah said to Moses's Mother Exod. 2.19 Bring up this Child for me Bring up this Child in my fear and for my service 5. They should be very earnest in prayer to God for their children O that Ismael might live in thy sight sayes holy Abraham Gen. 17.18 So should pious Parents pray for their children O that this child of mine may be a real member of Christ O that he may have the Image of God stamped upon his Soul O that he may honour God here and be for ever happy with him in his Kingdom hereafter 6. They should be early instilling good and wholsome principles and documents into them precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little as they are able to bear it Isa 28.10 And the Mother as well as the Father should make conscience to do this We read that Bathsheba the mother of Solomon did so Prov. 31. which chapter contains her wise instructions to him * And if it be the duty of Parents thus carefully to instruct their Children then surely 't is the duty of Children carefully to observe and lay to heart and practice the instructions of their Parents 7. They should check the first appearings and buddings forth of sin in them endeavouring to make them sensible of the great evil and danger of it 8. They should labour to make them in love with the beauty and excellency of Holiness and Vertue 9. They should bring them to the ordinances of God expecting the spirit of God will move upon those waters 10. They must be sure to set them a good example Children are more led by example than precept * Exemplum concionatoris concionibus validius Et exemplâ—m Parentis praeceptis validiuâ— 11. They must encourage all good beginnings of vertue or ingenuity they see in them 12. And lastly they must labour to give them a good education and put them into a good way of living in the World and make such provisions for them as God in his Providence shall inable them And those Parents that do these things whatever the success be will have comfort in so doing Of the Lords Supper I Come now to treat of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper In the handling of which I shall 1. Indeavor rightly to inform your Judgments concerning the true nature use intent and benefit of this holy ordinance 2. Direct your practice that you may know how to receive it in a right manner and to your spiritual benefit That you may therefore be rightly informed concerning the nature of this Sacrament you must know that the Jews had two ordinary standing Sacraments viz. 1. Circumcision to which Our Baptism do answer 2. The Passover to which The Lords Supper do answer Theirs were bloody Sacraments for the blood of Christ was to be shed Ours unbloody for the blood of Christ is shed Now that I may speak more distinctly and plainly concening the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it will be requisite that I speak something 1. concerning the Jewish Passover which we shall consider either as it was first instituted or as it was afterwards celebrated wherein divers rites of the first Aegyptian Passover were not exactly observed The first institution of the Passover we find Exod. 12. When Israel after long servitude and bondage was to go out of Egypt God commanded them in their several families to kill a Lamb to roast it whole to eat it within doors that night to sprinkle the side and upper door-posts with the blood thereof and so doing they should be safe from the destroying Angel that rode circuit that night to destroy all Egypts first born but he was to pass by all the houses of Israel sprinkled with blood And hence the name Passover Exod. 12.27 This was to be greatly observed on the fourteenth day of the first moneth at Even In the treating therefore of this Passover we shall first consider the things that were proper to the Jewish Passover in Egypt and then shew how they prefigured Christ our Passover 1. They were commanded to take a Lamb. A Lamb the emblem of innocency So our Saviour was stiled John 1.19 The Lamb of God being of a Lamb-like humility and meekness John his beloved Disciple often stiles him so as being exceedingly delighted with this similitude 2. A Lamb without blemish So was our Saviour 1 Pet. 1.19 3. One of their own flocks and folds Christ was of the Jewish Nation Rom. 9.4 5. Like in all things to his brethren sin only excepted 4. It must be slain So Christ was put to death on the Cross 5. Not a bone of it must be broken which was verified in Christ John 19.33 36. 6. It must be roasted So our Saviour suffered the scorching heat of his Fathers wrath sweating drops of blood for our sakes Luke 22.44 O Sinner how little art thou sensible of what thy Saviour hath suffered to redeem thee 7. The blood of the Lamb must be sprinkled on the side and upper door-posts of their houses if they intended to be preserved from the destroying Angel So must the blood of Christ be sprinkled by Faith on our hearts if we intend to be delivered from the wrath to come See 1 Pet. 1.2 and Heb. 12.24 There is no escaping the wrath of God but by the sprinkling of Christs blood on our consciences 8. They were to eat this Paschal Lamb with sower herbs and unlevened bread 1. With sower herbs to mind them of what affliction and bondage they were in in Egypt We must have contrition and remorse wrought in us for our sins and be in bitterness of soul for them ere we can reasonably expect relief by Christ 2. With unlevened bread The succeeding Jews that they might shew their exactness in observing this precept did at this Passover-time use great diligence to rid their houses of all leven yea they were so strict about it that they searched with candles to see if there were any remaining in any corner or hole And lest after all their diligence any should remain with them yet unfound out they passed a solemn execration upon it in these or the like words All the leven that is within my possession which I have seen or which I have not seen which I have cast out or not cast out be it accursed be it as the dust of the earth The Apostle shews us that by leven is meant malice and wickedness by unlevened bread sincerity and truth He intimates what manner of persons they must be that intend to feed upon Christ by Faith They must not think to eat of