to their remembrance and doe so affright their conscience that their soules are much perplexed through despaire All these inconveniences would be avoided if they had asked forgivenesse of every dayes sinnes every day But of all men they are most too blame that make no care of obtaining forgivenesse till age death when often times death giveth them no warning or if it doe paines and sicknesse take up the whole man that as for the most part they have no heart because their hearts are hardened through long custome of sinne so they have time little enough then to attend and seeke ease and health for the body which is in the sense of miserie And then it shall be just with God to reject them in sicknesse and old age which in their health and youth would not accept of forgivenesse when he offered it Wherefore it shall be every Vse 4 mans greatest wisedom to aske pardon and to make his peace with God every day It is not safe to suffer sinnes to lye long unconfessed and unpardoned lest it fester Greene wounds are soonest cured with most ease to the Patient if David had â—akeâ— pardon for his adulterie that day he did 〈…〉 it he had not murthered Vriah for sinnes lying unpardoned beget other sins daily And if he had relented at the bloudie fact of killing Vriah and presently repented it would not have cost him so much horror of conscience as it did Aske pardon therefore every day then wâ— sinnes bee more particularly confessed and more distinctly and earnestly prayed against and pardon will bee sooner granted and that with lesse horror of conference Vse 5 Whereas committing of sin after knowledge and Falling oft into the same sinnes doth much affright and burden the heart of many of Gods deare children in so much that they are affraid to come so oft to God for pardon of the same sinne yea sometimes they doubt whether they be in state of grace This Doctrine doth serve to remove this doubt and these feares This salve which Christ hath prescribed to cure such sores sheweth that it is incident to his owne Disciples to have need of it And sith hee hath appointed a remedie for sinnes committed after conversion namely every day to aske forgivenesse more assurance of his favour let us daily use this remedy assuring our selves that this daies sinnes confessed and prayed against shal be forgiven as well as any committed and forgiven heretofore As the body hath relapses into the same diseases and the same physicke may be used to recure them so the soule hath relapses and the same remedy which before hath done good may and must be used againe to recover them Vs that is all such who in judgement of charitie now are or may bee Gods children Hereby our Saviour teacheth Doct 6 Every Christian ought to desire and indeavour that others may have their sinnes pardoned and their soules saved as well as their owne Our Saviour saith Father forgive them Luke 23.34 If a man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not unto death he shall aske and hee shall giue him life for them 1 Ioh. 5.16 Daniel he prayed for forgivenesse of the sinnes of the people Dan. 9.19.20 Reas 1 The like glory of Gods free grace doth manifest it selfe in their salvation as in the salvation of ones selfe Reas 2 Herein they shall shew their greatest love unto them by praying for the greatest good unto them namely forgivenesse of sinne and peace with God Love to the Church common Reas 3 wealth doth require it for while the sinnes of Gods people remaine unpardoned they doe decline and grow worse and worse and the whole Church and State is exposed unto Gods judgements This moved Ezra to pray for the people fearing lest God should bee angry with them till he had consumed them because they had married strange wives Ezra 9.10.14 Wherefore all that hinder Vse 1 those meanes of salvation which should worke in their neighbours a sight of sinne griefe for it and faith in Christ are much to be blamed whether they withstand the preaching of the Gospell that it cannot bee preached in the places where they dwell or whether they use all devices to keepe them from hearing the word where it is preached or doe use any inticing or compulsive meanes to draw them into sin Thousands there be of this sort grosse hypocrites as they are for they will say Forgive us when yet they take all courses to clogge others with the guilt and make them obnoxious to the temporall and eternall punishment of many sins if ever they had obtained pardon themselves they would not thus hinder the meanes of forgivenesse of the sinnes of their neighbours Vse 2 Let all that professe the name of Christ do what in them is to procure the salvation of their brethren pray for them shew them their miserie shew them Gods mercie use all meanes that they may beleeve and as for such as doe beleeve but yet are full of doubtings pray unto God that he would say to their soules that he is their GOD. Thus doing you shall honour God and give good proofe that your owne sinnes are pardoned you shall shew love to your neighbour and you shall be a meanes to convert a sinner and comfort a distressed soule Lastly whereas the sinnes of Vse 3 many fearefull and tender hearted Christians doe oppresse them that they as they think cannot pray for forgivenesse they onely can grone and sigh out requests but cannot expresse them such as these may take comfort and raise up their spirits by thinking on this Doctrine What though they cannot satisfie themselves in their owne prayers they must not be so uncharitable as to thinke that others cannot pray Yes they can pray and must and doe pray for the forgivenesse of your sinnes Live upon their stocke when yee have little of your owne The Papists talke of a Treasury of the Church wherein are reserved the overplus of the merits of Saints that when men lacke merits of their owne the Pope may furnish them with some merits of others This treasurie is but a fiction but this doctrine commendeth unto you the true Treasury of the Church First Christ Iesus who commanded all Christians on earth to pray one for another he did pray for you Ioh. 17. and he ever liveth to make intercession for you Heb. 7.25 Next him all faithfull Christians doe according to the will of God pray for you which prayers of theirs are daily offered up by Christ for you Out of this treasurie of others prayers you shall assuredly obtaine pardon for all their fervent prayers cannot but availe with the Lord because they pray for you by his appointment as you see in this text Vs that is such as were mentioned in the former petition for whom they aske bread namely their living neighbors whence note Forgivenesse of sinne is to be Doct. 7 asked for the living not for the dead If it were a
Scripture is that we should abhorre that which is evill and cleave to that which is good Rom. 12.9 Reas 1 For Iustification and Sanctification are so inseparably conjoined that no man hath his sins forgiven who hath not withall the fruit of it unto repentance and holinesse of life here in this life This I shall make evident by these arguments following 1 It is one part of the new Covenant of grace that men should be holy and for that cause God hath not onely required holiness to be shewne on their part but hath promised as well to write his Law in the hearts of his people Heb. 8.10.12 as to be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and not to remember their sinne 2. It is one end to which God hath chosen men in Christ to be holy Eph. 1.4.5 and without blame before him in love as well as to be adopted children by Christ to obtaine everlasting life 3. It is the end of the office and comming of our Saviour Iesus Christ and of the merit and efficacy of his death resurrection and intercession not onely that beleevers should obtaine forgivenesse of sinne and everlasting life but that so many as the Father gave unto him might beleeve repent and live holily and righteously in this present world Tit. 2.14 hee purging them to himselfe to be a peculiar people zealous of good workes 4. It is the end of the Scriptures not onely to lay the foundation of faith for the remission of sinnes that through consolation thereof Ioh. 15 4. Ioh. 17.7 Eph. 5.26 beleevers might have hope but also to sanctifie and cleanse them from the filthinesse of their sinnes that they might be holy and without blemish 5. It is the end of everie Christian mans profession and calling 1. Thess 4.7 not only to beleeve and hope to be saved by Christ but also to be holy and to become the servant of Christ 6. It is the end why God sendeth his Spirit into their hearts and causeth it to dwell in his children Rom 8.16 not onely to be a spirit of adoption to witnesse to their spirits that they are Gods children but also to be a spirit of sanctification to worke out the stony heart Ezâ—k 36.26 27. and to frame in them a new heart causing them to walke in his statutes and to do them 7. It is the end of the Sacraments the seales of the new Covenant not onely to signifie and seale remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ but also that by him all that beleeve in him being ingrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.4 5 6. should dye unto sinne and walke in newnesse of life These things considered it is most apparant that justification and sanctification are never severed in one and the same partie wherefore he that prayeth for and expecteth to be justified must also pray and indeavour to approve himselfe to be sanctified A second generall reason why all Christians should pray for and labour after holinesse is because if a man be not holy and righteous in this life he is not capeable of true glory and happinesse in heaven in the life to come and that whether we respect God or a mans selfe remaining in his sinne God will not admit him let him make what claime hee can unto the kingdome of heaven his put off shall be Luk 13.27 Depart from me I know you not ye workers of iniquity For without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 But suppose it were possible that a sinfull man might be admitted into heaven heaven would be no heaven to him The place persons and exercises there would be tedious and a vexation unto him For all things there are things of God holy and spirituall most contrarie to the disposition of a natural and carnall man 1. Cor 2.14 God saith The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him To whom Gods ordinances and presence in them as in hearing praying and praising God and to whom holy company and holy conference is tedious in this life the same heart and affections remaining even these and the like things would be an hell to them even in heaven For to make a man happy even in heaven it is needfull that the faculties and powers of his soule be so fully rectified and perfected that hee may comprehend and enjoy the object that thing wherein mans happinesse doth consist Now though Gods presence in his glory and in his goodnesse which is the object of mans happinesse is alwayes in heaven yet if the understanding the will and the affections of a man be not sanctified and thereby made capeable of and suteable to the object what content and joy can he take therein It is with the reasonable soule in the apprehension of intellectual and spiritual things as it is with the senses in bodily objects Colours though never so orient and various yet they can give no delight to a blinde or ill-affected eye Sounds though never so melodious cannot delight a deafe or ill-affected eare Meat and drink though never so well relished and delicious cannot delight him whose pallat is out of taste nay the best do savour and taste ill with such a one Even so the most spirituall things in heaven would be so farre from delighting a carnall and unholy man that they would seeme to his fancy very foolishnes and they would be to him a very vexation Vse 1 It is therefore an intolerable fault for a man to professe the name of Christ and yet to live ungodly Num. 23.10 this is the fault of too many who desire to have their sinnes forgiven but desire not to have them mortified they desire to go to heaven like cursed Balaam when they dye but endeavour not to be holy while they live But as if this were not enough to be sinfull themselves many do make a jest at all conscionable living in others and a scorne of all that endeavour to keep a good conscience in all things and yet will expect that Christ shall save them How hath the devill deceived these men yet thousands are justly given over to this strong delusion If any of you shall happen to cast your eyes on these lines consider the Doctrine in hand and learne that for certaine he that is not holy in this life shall not bee happy in the life to come For whomsoever God justifieth Rom. 6. those he sanctifieth and whosoever have faith to partake of Christs merits do by the same faith partake of the vertue of Christs death to the killing of sinne and of the vertue of his life and resurrection to the quickening of the inward man And at the day of judgement all that professe Christ and yet obey not the Gospell of Christ 2 Thes 1.8 shall be burnt in flames of Gods vengeance as well as those which know not the Gospell and professe it not at all For
pardoned But when a man by a lively faith doth lay hold on Christ for pardon the same faith doth draw vertue from Christ whereby 〈◊〉 doth kill sinne and is quicknâ—â— in the inward man And nothing maketh man so fearefull to offend and carefull to please God for time present and to come as a firme perswasion of Gods love to him in pardoning his sinnes past Now this pardon must be sought for in Christ and must be applied by faith because Christ Iesus is the Mediator who hath satisfied for sinne and hath made a way for Gods mercy and faith is the onely instrument on mans part to apply this remission and redemption The particulars comprehended in this point may easily be gathered by that which hath beene said in the interpretation of forgive namely that in asking forgivenesse wee aske freedome from the guilt and punishment of all sinne wee aske eternall life together with reference to the meanes namely Christ therefore wee 〈◊〉 faith to apply Christ and a daily certificate by the spirit that our sinnes are pardoned Also wee aske assurance and the fruits of assurance of forgivenesse in this life viz. peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost The particulars being remembred the uses follow If forgivenesse of sinnes bee Vse 1 so desireable they are then to be held extreamely foolish and beyond measure sinfull that of all things care and look least after forgivenesse and the making of their salvation sure unto them If they have offended and are in danger of punishment by the lawes of man then if by petition or bribe satisfaction or by any other meanes they can procure either commutations releasements or pardons they will spare no paines this way Or if they can make sure to themselves and to theirs large temporall estates it is all that they doe labour to make sure in this life but they are altogether negligent in seeking remission of sinnes by Christ Iesus they have no thoughts of making their calling and election sure Nay because they would be thought to have reason for what they doe in not seeking for assurance of salvation they would make themselves and others beleeve that it is impossible to be attained and that to be sure of salvation is high presumption If they can provide for their bodies they will trust God with their soules they hope that he that made them will save them they confesse they bee sinners and who are not Thus sleightly they passe over their Iustification a matter of the greatest consequence of any thing that can concerne them But what doth this argue but that they are ignorant senslesse of their miseries for if they knew they were cast and condemned they would as in case of life and death begge pardon as a prisoner at the barre would beg for his life If these men did not love their sinne and flatter themselves presuming of God that he will be mercifull notwithstanding their abhominable sinnes they would never neglect that invaluable benefit of remission of sinnes But let them not catch hold and rest on these presumptuous hopes they will deceive them for they be but the hypocrites hopes like spiders webs the Beesome of death putteth an end to them all Then God will shew that he can be mercifull to the vessels of mercy and yet be just in the damnation of all that neglect so great salvation offered by such gracious meanes as by 〈◊〉 pardon if they would heartily aske it This should move all men to Vse 2 pray and used all means to obtaine remission of sinnes and assurance thereof to their conscience He that is in danger of an execution upon his body to imprisonment or to death or that hath not evidence for his lands and possessions cannot rest nor have any quiet untill he have a pardon and have gotten better evidence Motives inducing to the asking forgivenesse Were we but spirituall to apprehend the miseries that abide men untill sinne be pardoned namely that we are exposed to Gods eternall wrath and if we did prize heaven at so high a rate as it deserveth it being an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the heavens and if we did but well consider that if the pardon of the sins even of Gods people be not made knowne and sure to their hearts though their sins shall not damne them indeed and for euer Psal 32. Psal 51 yet they damne them in their owne sense and feeling for a time through horror of conscience as it was with David And if we did but consider that the peace of God passeth all understanding and that there is nothing would make us so comfortable to our selves nor so fruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as assurance of salvation and if we held him to be onely the blessed man whose transgression is forgiven Psal 32.1 and whose sinne is covered wee would use all meanes to have faith in Christ we would importune God and give him no rest untill hee had pardoned our sinnes and sealed the pardon to our conscience by his Spirit which is the seale of our redemption Forgive The person of whom Forgivenesse is asked is our Father which is in heaven wherefore it followeth It is God that forgiveth sins Doct. 2 Yea because our Saviour directeth us to aske forgivenesse of none but of God wee may conclude that it belongeth to God onely to forgive sinnes I Isa 43.25 even I am hee saith God which blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes Daniel saith To the Lord our God belongeth mercies and forgivenesses Dan. 9.9 With the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption Psal 130.7 And it was a true position among the Iewes that none could forgive sinnes but God onely Mark 27. Reas 1 To forgive iniquitie transgression Exod. 34 7. and sinne is a branch of his name therefore peculiar to God Reas 2 Every sinne is committed against God yea those sinnes which are committed against our neighbour David when hee had committed adultery and murther Psal 51.4 said Against thee onely have I sinned Reas 3 Sinne is of an infinite nature being committed against a perfect and most holy law and against an infinite God so that there must be infinite merit in the Mediator and infinite mercy in him which through the Mediator shall pardon sinne which infinitenesse is onely to be found in God Men are to forgive their brethren Ob. therefore not GOD onely Distinction must be made Sol. that in one and the same act there may be a trespasse against man because it wrongeth him also there is offence against God because it is sinne namely a transgression of his Law Men may and must forgive the wrong and trespasse against themselves but must not nay cannot forgive the sin against God Ministers are allowed by God himselfe to remit sinnes Ob. Ioh. 20.23 Sol. Ministers remit sinnes ministerially in Christs name pronouncing onely Gods forgiving of sinne as Nathan said to
but as a rich and bountifull Lord to his creature making his Sunne to rise on the evill and good Mat. 5.45 and sending the raine as well upon the unjust as upon the just These things God in his wise providence bestoweth upon wicked men knowing how to make use of them in humane society both in Church and Common-weale winning thereby to himselfe the glory of his patience and bounty drawing some to an admiration of his goodnesse leading some to repentance and leaving others without excuse at the day of iudgement Vse 2 Would any bee capable of making use of this invaluable benefit of praying acceptably unto God be they exhorted first to use all such meanes as God hath appointed by which they may be made the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 Rom. 10.14.17 as hearing the word preached prayer c. then they must get good evidence that they are in state of grace and then be exhorted to come as children ought to come into the presence of so holy a Father putting off every sinne that may offend him putting on every grace that may delight him regard not iniquity in your heart cleanse your hearts and wash your hands in innocencie lift up pure hands without doubting pray in humilitie for with such sacrifice your Father is well pleased he will not despise such for God hath promised saying If my people that are called by my Name Psal 51 17 shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare from heaven and will forgive their sinne and will heale their land 2 Chron. 7.14 Vse 3 All that with good assurance of faith can call God their Father may rejoyce in this that they are of the number of those who may improve this priviledge of praying unto God they are sure if they come not in their sinnes to speed For Iohn saith Whatsoeuer we aske we that is the children of God receive of him because we keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight 1 Ioh. 3.22 Our doth note also that communion which Christians have one with another in one Father therefore even when they were to pray to God in the closet they were to represent God to their mindes in a notion which hath reference to their brethren as well as to themselves whence wee may collect Doct. All that would pray acceptably must hold a communion and good agreement with their brethren as those that have one common father to them all If a man had not beene in charitie with his brother and held not good agreement with him he was not to offer his sacrifice untill he had reconciled himselfe to his brother Mat. 5.33 The Apostle requireth that men lift up holy hands without wrath 1. Tim. 2.8 Therefore Peter would have all love exercised betweene man and wife that their prayers be not hindered 1. Pet. 3.7 For this common interest Reason 1 which Christians have in God maketh them neare of bloud as we speake having all one Spirit one hope one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Ephes 4.4 5 6. If men do not hold peace Reason 2 and communion with their brethren they cannot come in assurance that they themselves are Gods children for by their love to their brethren they may know whether they be beloved of God or no and may assure their hearts that their prayers shall be heard 1. Ioh 3 19.22 If they love not their brethren they remaine in death 1. Iohn 3.14 Vse 1 Here all proud scornful persons that because of parentage wit wealth or some such complement of nature do disdaine their poorer and meaner brethren may see how much they forget themselves have they not one Father if God be their Father The Prophet Malachy reproveth those which deale not well with their brethren Mal. 2.10 saying Have we not all one Father There are too many of this sort which will hypocritically say Our Father and yet scorne to have any communion with his children Yea the more they approve themselves to be Gods by holinesse of life the more they hate them and reproachfully use them and wish all evil unto them If these thinke they have God to their Father they must know that as the Apostle Iohn speaketh they are liers 1. Ioh. 4.20 because they love not their brethren What may be thought of those tongues that can blesse God and call him Father and yet curse and raile upon those which beare the true image of the same Father These things ought not so to be my brethrē saith Iames 3.9 10. Hereby all that call God Father Vse 2 should enforce upon thēselves the dutie of love and friendship to their neighbours holding with them the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3.4.5.6 because the whole bodie is but one the Spirit one c. and one Father of all we must endeavour therefore to bee one in judgement and one in affection that there be no schismes and divisions amongst us Let us love heartily without putting difference in respect of persons for which fault the Iewes are blamed by Iames Iam. 2.4.1 Cor. 11.22.30 and the Corinthians were severely punished by the Lord. Wherefore whensoever we come to God let us come in love to our brethren For how can we looke our Father in the face and expect good things at his hand when he knoweth that there are jarres and falling out betweene us and his other children our brethren Father which art in heaven I will first consider the whole description of him that is to be prayed unto and then come to the severall parts thereof This description can be true of none but of God We have fathers on earth and friends in heaven but no father in heaven or heavenly father but the true God It followeth therefore Prayer is to be made to the Doct. 3 true God And because prayer is a religious worship which must bee given to none but God I adde this Prayer is to be made onely to God Offer to God thanksgiving and Call upon me in the day of trouble saith God Psal 50.14 15. The Angell which had the everlasting Gospell to preach to them that were on the earth who went before the Angel which foretold the fall of Poperie saith Feare God c. and worship him that made heaven and earth Revel 14.7 Our Saviour saith expresly Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Mat. 4.10 He to whom prayer may be made Reason must have those all-sufficiencies which are to be found onely in the eternal and infinite God First he must be able to heare all men therfore Iames biddeth us aske of God Iam 1.5 that giveth to all men He must be able to give all things 1. Ioh. 5.14 If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us He must be able to
borne againe by the Spirit of adoption whereby they have the image of God renewed in righteousnesse and true holinesse and so are become his children by the regeneration of his Spirit wherewith he hath sealed them for his owne Whereas the men of the Vse 1 world doe entertaine in them a base opinion of all that indeavour to keepe a good conscience in all things therein approving themselves to bee Christs Disciples indeed and the very children of the most high hereby they may see their errour their insolencie and their extreame malice and folly Can there be a more notorious folly and madnesse then this when the children of the bond-woman Ioh. 8.44 nay of the devill for herein they doe his lusts shall account of and use the children of the free-woman yea of the everliving God as the filth of the world and the of-scouring of all things 1. Cor. 4.13 How doe these men by defaming the children therein despise God their Father But let them take heed how they despise or misuse the least of those little ones that have indeed given their names to Christ Iesus It is hard kicking against pricks Act. 9.5 It is not safe touching the Lords anointed Psal 105.15 Zach. 2.8 the very apple of his eye And know as base as they be Their Angels and ministring spirits doe alwaies behold the face of their Father which is in heaven Mat. 18.10 Vse 2 Hereby all men should learn of whom to esteeme most honourably whom to make choise of for their yoke-fellowes their servants or their companions also in whom they should most delight and to whom they should shew most love and goodnesse even to true Christians whom David calleth The Saints that bee upon the earth Psal 16.3 and the excellent and well hee might for they have the God of excellencie to their Father If true Christians have God Vse 3 to their Father this should move all men to become Christians indeed to beleeve and to order their conversation aright for such onely the Doctrine meaneth It is the highest advancement and honour that man is capable of to bee called and to bee indeed the sonnes and daughters of God Almighty Iohn doth admire such love in God and such advancement of men that men should be called the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3.1 All Christians should be like Vse 4 God Holy as he is holy for it becommeth children to be like their father They should honour and obey him If I be a Father where is mine honour saith God Mal. 1.6 As obedient children they must not fashion themselves according to the former lusts of their ignorance but as hee which hath called them is holy 1 Pet 1.14.15 so they should be holy in all manner of conversation Disobedience of children to their Parents was in the law of the Iewes punishable with death disobedience therefore unto our heauenly Father is much more dangerous They should likewise submit themselves unto his fatherly chastisements Heb. 12.5.7.10 they must neither despise them nor faint under them but must indure them patiently because God therein dealeth with them as with sonnes for their profit that they might be partakers of his holinesse They need not carke and care but in all things they may and must with boldnesse and assurance of helpe repair to God being assured of his fatherly affection towards them for to whom doe children flie in their need but to their Parents We have seene those that bee evill give good gifts unto their children how much more will our heavenly Father give good things even his holy Spirit Luk. 11.13 to them that aske him Lastly it is the joy and comfort Vse 5 of every Christian to consider that they have this honor that they may call God Father and aske him blessing What manner of love hath the Father bestowed in this saith Iohn 1 Ioh. 3.1 that wee should bee called the sonnes of God That wee the sonnes of men of meane men of mortall men of sinfull men yea the very children of the divell should be advanced to bee the sonnes and daughters of God Almighty While vainglorious foolish men vaunt and brag of their gentry and earthly Parentage let us with an holy exultation of spirit rejoyce in this that wee have God to our Father This doth comfort the heart in povertie sickenesse paine disgrace and in all distresses when we know wee have a Father that will not forsake us though our naturall Parents should Psal 27.10 that though tender mothers may forget their sucking children and sonnes of their wombe yet God will not forget his Isa 49.15 hee is wise and almightie and will helpe in the best time he alwaies knoweth what we have need of If wee be children then heires of God and joynt heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 When we duely thinke of this no afflictions can dismay us for we hold them not worthy the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 wee shall by this helpe our selves against heart-eating cares for we have a father and wee know it belongeth to Parents to provide and lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12 13. When we think of this that we are Gods heirs it will keepe us from grieving at and enuying the prosperity of the wicked we will be well content God should give his moveables where he please so long as the birth-right and inheritance is ours for we are begotten to a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens for us 1. Pet. 1.3.4 Whatsoever our estate be in the world we may and ought to comfort our selves with these thoughts Which art in heaven God is described by his being in heaven not onely to shew where he is for he is a God at hand and a farre off Ier. 23.23 24. and filleth heaven and earth but as the majestie of Kings may be set out by their glorious palaces and thrones so heaven Gods most glorious throne doth here set forth his majectie and the perfection of all his infinite excellencies Whence learne Doct. 7 God to whom prayer is made who is Father to all true beleevers is an heavenly majestie invisible perfect and infinite in power goodnesse and all other heavenly excellencies one whose dwelling is in the heavens When God would set forth his owne greatnesse and goodnesse at once Isa 57.15 he saith Thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble c. The Church doth helpe her faith by casting her thoughts upon heaven the habitation of Gods holinesse and of his glory and thereby gathereth arguments of Gods perfect love to them and power for them when she saith Where is thy zeale and thy strength c. and from the same consideration doth preferre Gods
by that first promise made to Adam that the seede of the woman should breake the head of the Serpent Gen 3.15 from that time it hath beene by Christ administred For though he were not actually incarnate and made man much lesse did he dye and rise againe Gal. 4 4. untill the fulnesse of time in the latter end of the world in the severall times appointed thereunto yet in Gods purpose and appointment as also in Gods promises and to the faith of Adam Abel Enock Noah Abraham and of the rest of the Patriarkes and beleevers the incarnation death resurrection and dominion of Christ had a being and was as effectuall to them that then beleeved in the Messias to be incarnate c. as they now are to any that beleeve in him now after that he is indeed incarnate c. For as the holy Ghost saith Rev 13.8 Christ was a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world so he may be said to have taken flesh and to have risen againe c. from the foundation of the world Therefore hee saith Ioh. 8.58 Ioh. 8.56 Before Abraham was I am and Abraham was glad to see my day and hee saw it that is he saw him in the promise by the eye of his faith made man Heb. 11.13 dead and risen againe and sitting upon his throne as King governing all things So did David when he said Psal 110.1 The Lord that is God the Father said unto my Lord that is to God the Sonne who was to bee made man Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Heb. 13 8. For Christ Iesus is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Thus our Saviour Christ was then Act. 10.36 and is now King Lord of all raigning by his power and working effectually by his spirit in the first times in the ministery of the Patriarches Prophets and Priests as he now in the latter times hath done doth in the ministery of the Apostles and ordinary Ministers both for the gathering and saving of his Church as also for the restraint and destruction of his enemies That the manhood of Christ should in the fulnesse of time Psal 2.6.7 Isa 9 6.7 Psal 110.1 be taken into the partnership of this government designed to the second Person as Mediatour the Prophets before Christ came in the flesh did clearely foretell our Saviour himselfe before his death told the Iewes that the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5.22 and hath given him authority to execute judgement because hee is the sonne of man that is by an excellency that sonne of man Ioh 5.27 who was ordained to be Immanuell God with us This sonne of man our Saviour who is God blessed for ever had his more solemne investitute and inauguration into this his absolute governement given him of God preseÌ„tly after that he had for the glory of his Father in the redemption of mankinde humbled himselfe unto the cursed death of the Crosse bearing his Fathers indignation to the full satisfying of his justice for the sinnes of all in whose stead he stood who should beleeve in him which was after that by his death he rising from the dead had destroyed him that had the power of death Hâ—b 2.14.15 that is the divell Of this more evident manifestation of Christs Kingship it is that hee himselfe spake to his Disciples when he said All power is given me in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 And of this exaltation it is of which the Apostle speaketh saying Phil. 2.9.10.11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that in the name of Iesus that is that to the power and soveraignty of Iesus Christ Isa 45.23 now manifested to be Lord all should bee subject for to him every knee should bow Rom 14.11 of things in heaven in earth and under the earth and every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father He is therefore said to have on his vesture and on his thigh a name written Rev. 19.16 KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS By vertue of this exaltation and dominion it is that triumphing over his enemies he ascended up on high Col 2.15 Eph. 4.8.11 12 13. and led captivity captive and gave gifts to men that is to those his officers which under him should erect and perfect his kingdome of grace here upon earth namely He gave some Apostles and some Evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministrie for the edifying of the bodie of Christ till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Christ Iesus being thus advanced it belongeth unto him to reigne as king untill he have perfected the salvation of all the elect and untill he have put all his enemies under his feet and have delivered up this kingdome to God even the Father This kingdome of Christ differs from all other kingdomes for though it be in the world and above all the kingdomes of the world yet it is not of the world Ioh. 18.36 it is a spirituall and heavenly kingdome bearing rule in and over the soules and consciences of men It is directly opposite to the kingdome of darknesse and of the devill the prince of this world for by his agents through his ordinances by the power of his Spirit 2. Cor 10.4.5.6 he pulleth downe strong holds casting downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie everie thought to the obedience of Christ having in a readinesse to avenge all disobedience when the obedience of his own subjects shall be fulfilled This kingdome of Christ is an everlasting kingdome Isa 9.7 Dan. 7.27 never to have end whether wee respect the subjects or king for at the last day all that were subject unto him in this world in the kingdome of grace shall in an holy and glorious subjection unto God reigne with him in the world to come in the kingdome of glory for evermore But this present administration and government of this kingdome by Christ as Mediatour is not everlasting for in the end of the world 1. Cor. 25.24 25. Christ shall deliver up the kingdome to God even the Father then the Sonne himselfe shall be subject to him that put all things under him 1. Cor. 15.28 that God may be all in all This giving up the kingdome is not a cessation of it but a delivering of it up to God to his immediate governing of it in a state more glorious than ever It causeth onely a cessation of that forme of government by Christ which was to
Gods childe and Christs brother Mark 3.35 Hee that doth the will of God the same is my brother sister and mother saith Christ Sixtly God will heare their prayers Ioh 9.31 If any man will doe his will him he heareth And seventhly to such belongeth the salvation of God Psalm 50.23 Be ye intreated therefore by the mercies of God to give your selves both in bodies and soules to GOD. Prove what is that good Rom. 11.1.2 that acceptable and perfect will of God Thinke thus with thy selfe It is sufficient nay too much that I have spent the time past of my life according to the will of men and of the flesh in all manner of wickednesse but now that I am quickned and professe better things now that I am redeemed from my former conversation I will therefore strive and pray that I may live according to the holy will of him that hath redeemed me Thinke thus God will have his will fulfilled by me in obedience or hee will have it fulfilled upon mee in his just vengeance Let every man therfore use all meanes to know and doe the will of God And as much as in us lyeth we must cause others to know and to doe it We have Christs example who also speaking of mans duty saith Ioh. 13.17 If yee know these things happy are yee if yee doe them Now that wee may doe the will of God Meanes inabling men to do Gods will wee must first be ingrafted into Christ and must abide in him drawing grace and vertue from him by the exercise of our faith as the branch doth from the Vine Ioh. 15.5 then wee shall doe Gods will bringing forth much fruit in him Secondly we must deny our owne wisedome and our own will Pro. 3.5 Pro. 23.4 and we must not consult with flesh and bloud but with the word of God and the inward man in which dwelleth the Spirit of God Gen. 22.3 Thus Abraham became able to doe as hard a piece of service as any man can be put unto in offering his onely sonne Isaack the sonne of his hope Rom. 4.19.20.21 who as he beleeved in God in a thing impossible to reason without reasoning against it so did hee performe a commandement of killing his sonne in naturall reason seeming unnaturall unreasonable and impious this he did by resting onely upo the word of God to which he was obedient Heb. 11.19 Thirdly wee must doe our utmost that we may know the will of God else how can wee doe it to this end wee must heare reade and meditate on the holy Scriptures which have the power of God working with them to inlighten the minde with knowledge and to incline the will to obedience Fourthly pray unto God who onely can and will informe the understanding Phil. 2 13. and give both to will and to doe at his good pleasure Thus Paul prayed that the Colossians might be filled with the knowledge of his will Col. 1.9 and that they might walk worthy of the Lord in all well-pleasing David likewise prayed saying Ps 119 8â— Quicken me after thy loving kindenesse so shall I keepe the testimony of thy mouth And the Church saith Cant 1.4 Draw mee and we will runne after thee If we will pray and seeke with all our might as we would for hid treasure Pro. 3.4 â— then shall we understand the feare of the Lord and then shall wee know Hol. 6.3 if we follow on to know the Lord. Then shall we also be able to doe the will of God Phil. 2.13 For he will worke all our workes for us and we shall be blessed in our deed Iames 1.25 As in heaven Observe here that the patterne of perfect obedience is taken from heaven whence we may collect Doct. 2 In heaven is all perfect obedience there is no failing there no not in the least circumstance 1 Cor. 13.12 Now I know but in part saith the Apostle but then that is when hee should come to heaven I shall know as I am knowne Peter speaking of the new heavens saith that therein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 Reas 1 1 Cor. 6.9 For heauen is the holy place into which no unrighteous person can enter for when there were disobedient persons in heaven namely the divell and his Angels which kept not their first estate heaven did vomit them forth never to be burdened with them or the like againe In heaven there are no tempters Reas 2 for there are none but God Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 therefore also no temptations unto sinne The thoughts of this will moderate griefe for those our Vse 1 friends which die in the Lord. For the place whitherto death hath made a passage for them is the heaven spoken of in the Doctrine which doth secure us that they are there where they are made perfect where they shal neither offend nor be offended Doth not the meditation Vse 2 hereof worke in Gods children not onely contentment but a longing to lay downe this tabernacle to be translated hence when the Lord shall please sith the exchange will be so happy It is but a parting with a sinfull miserable earth for this heaven wherein dwelleth perfect righteousnesse It is leaving mortality for life sinne for grace and misery for glory in that place where they shall neither bee actors nor beholders of sinne where there is no sinne either to infect or vexe them Vse 3 When we are wearied and almost fainting in our combat against sinne and this wicked world if we would but consider that ere long if we do hold out manfully a while this sinne and flesh shall annoy us no more For when death commeth it is the portall to this heaven spoken of in the text which death doth as certainely separate sinne from soule and body for ever as if doth the soule from the body for a while For our place is this heaven where are the Angels the patternes of our obedience and when we come there we shall be as the Angels Luke 20.36 and shall ever be with the Lord. As in heaven Here Christ doth send us to the best and perfect examples whence note In proposing examples for imitation Doct. 3 men must propose the best such as are perfect and heavenly The examples of Angels and those that be perfect must bee imitated of men on earth Therfore when Paul would have the Corinthians follow him it was with this condition as hee followed Christ or because he followed Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 In the following such examples Reas 1 men shall alwaies have cause to proceed on and grow better and better and shall still be going forward towards perfection for such examples are perfect Reas 2 When men looke upon these perfect copies the sight of how much they come short of what they should doe taketh downe pride which else would arise from the sense of what they haue done
to his justice he knowing that no person in the Godhead was capable as God onely to performe any act of satisfaction to God knowing likewise that no meere creature could be of all-sufficient power and worthinesse to satisfie his justice or to stand as a Mediator betweene God and man they being at enmitie by reason of sinne He therefore in his infinite wisedome and of his rich and free grace did ordaine his onely begotten Sonne the second person in Trinity now Iesus Christ our Lord by whom he made man and all things else and in whom all things consist that he should become man by assuming into the person of his dietie the very nature of man consisting of bodie and soule to subsist in the dietie by a personall union being to be verie God and very man in one person who being thus qualified to be a Mediatour Rom. 5.17 18 19. 1. Cor. 15.45 he ordained him to be a second Adam as a common root and to stand as a suerty in the stead of all those whom he co-ordained should be ingrafted into him and which should be made members of him and be saved by him Wherefore he together ordained that with mans nature he should assume the guilt of sinne Isa 53.4 2. Cor. 5.21 Rom. 8.3 and to be accounted as a sinner and by God himself to be proceeded against as against a notorious sinner For which cause hee was to be accursed not only by being made subject to humane infirmities but to be arraigned condemned and withall to have the fiercenesse of the wrath of God due to sinners poured out and executed upon him And that hee should dye the accursed death that by death he might expiate sinne and through death hee might overcome death and destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 even mans greatest enemie which is the devill All this our Saviour took upon him and perfectly fulfilled Philip. 2.8 being obedient even to the death of the crosse upon which he made that one oblation by the merit and efficacie whereof Ephes 2 15 hee slew the enmity and made the attonement between God and us having obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 and became the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 perfecting for ever them that are sanctified in that by the power of his dietie he conquered and rose from the death Act. 2.24 it being unpossible that he should be holden of it Heb. 8.1 and is set downe on the right hand of the throne of majestie in the heavens Heb. 7.25 ever living to make intercession for them Thus you see the first of those requisites which go before remission of sinnes namely satisfaction of Gods justice by the merit of those things which Christ Iesus did and suffered in mans stead Hee sheading his bloud as he himselfe saith for many for the remission of sinnes Mat. 2◠28 The worth and efficacie of this satisfaction made and redemption purchase◠by the precious bloud of Christ was greater than onely to merit at Gods hands that now his justice being satisfied he might forgive sinnes and save men if he would upon any such possible condition as hee should please to appoint and accept for Christ by his death resurrection and intercession deserved and procured that God should actually forgive Iob. 17.19 1. Thes 5.9 10. and also give grace and eternall life to all those to whom Christ was ordained to bee an head and a Saviour Act 3.31 even to all those whō from before the beginning of the world Ioh. 17 2. God gave unto Christ and were ordained to beleeve in Christ and that should be united to him by his Spirit A second thing required before that a mans sinnes shall be forgiven Rom. 10. ◠10. is beleefe and faith in Christ Iesus For faith is the condition of the new Covenant published in the Gospell Ioh. 6.29 and i◠is the bond of our spirituall union with Christ on our part and is the meane and instrument whereby wee receive Christ and do relie upon him Ioh. 1.12 and whereby we do apply him with all his merits and benefits unto our selves unto our salvation Ioh. 6.35 This the Scriptures do hold so usefull and necessarie that they ascribe our justification by forgivenesse of our sinnes unto it Rom 5.1 God accounting our faith as he did Abrahams Ro 4.3 5. unto righteousnesse But how is our faith accounted for righteousnesse not as it is a gracious qualitie inherent in us and a part of our sanctification but as it hath relation to Christ who is our righteousnesse and is the sole object of our faith unto justification for which cause we hold against the Papists that we are justified by faith onely Of this it is that all both Prophets Christ himselfe Ioh. 3 16. Act. 10.43 and all the Apostles have witnessed namely that through Christs name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive forgivenesse of sinnes By faith in Christ I meane such a faith as is a sound a lively and an effectuall faith such a faith as hath faith in the Law unto conviction of sinne and unto penitence for sinne going before it and a faith in the precepts both of the Gospell and of the Law unto repentance of sinne and holinesse of life concurring with and following after it This condition of beleeving which doth qualifie a man for and which doth interest a man into the benefit of Christs redemption is not left as Adams standing or falling was in the hands of a mans free will for so there might have beene a possibilitie that all Christs sufferings might have been in vaine and none might have beene saved namely if none would beleeve But Christ dyed and rose againe not onely to satisfie Gods justice in the behalfe of all which were to be saved but also to give them faith that they might indeed be saved For it is apparant by the Scripture that the end why Christ dyed and gave himselfe a ransome for many was not Mat. 10.28 that onely hee might satisfie Gods justice in which satisfaction mans redemption doth virtually consist but that also God by him might give faith unto all which were ordained to eternall life Act. 13.47.48 by which their redemption and salvation purchased with Christs bloud might actually in the time appointed by God exist and take effect in them For faith is one of those blessings wherewith God blesseth Eph. 1.3.4.15 in and through Christ all whom he chose in him before the foundation of the world It was not enough for mans redemption and salvation Heb. 10.14.15.16.17 that Christ by his once offering of himselfe should onely beginne to save man but by the same he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Wherefore the promise of the new covenant is as the holy Ghost witnesseth that hee will put his lawes in their hearts and
the person God is understood The third circumstance concerneth the persons prayed for us that is the same persons mentioned in the fourth Petition namely our selves and all our neighbours living upon the earth that belong to Gods election be they alreadie justified or not justified As we forgive These words containe an argument to encourage him that prayeth to aske forgivenesse The Evangelist Luke saith for we forgive which place in Luke doth interpret this in Matthew The particle as doth import a resemblance from an act of ours towards man of that which we would have God do for us but it doth not denote either the measure or manner how we would have God forgive us but onely a certaintie of the truth of their owne forgiving of others And although this as and for in Luke shew that these words are a reason and argument to move us to aske and expect forgivenesse from God yet it doth not imply that our forgiving of others is the cause why God should forgive us but arguing from the lesse to the greater argueth thus We do and can forgive therefore God can much more forgive us also This is but a proposing of their estate and condition unto God reasoning from a signe of Gods love and grace towards them that they have cause to expect forgivenesse In like manner for is used Luk. 7.48 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven for she loved much where the womans love was not a cause of great forgivenesse but a fruit and signe of Gods forgivenesse So that in these words he that prayeth doth represent to his owne thoughts and doth utter unto God thus much That sith he himself that hath but a drop of mercie yet could and did forgive and sith this power in them to forgive others proceeded from a reflexe of his mercy towards them and so was an argument that he already loved them therefore they are bold to aske and expect forgivenesse of him who is infinite in mercie and hath begun to shew mercie to them alreadie The sense of this whole Petition may be rendred thus O Lord God who art the onely forgiver of sinnes sith we cannot glorifie thy Name neither can our lives be pleasing to thee or comfortable to our selves so long as thou art unreconciled to us and so long as thou hidest thy loving countenance from us bee pleased therfore through Christ whom thou hast made to be our redemption to be reconciled to me and to all thine elect upon the earth impute not our sinnes to us but free and acquit us from the whole guilt and punishment of all sinnes small and great For this cause we confesse our sinnes and do beleeve thy promise of forgivenesse Lord helpe our unbeliefe Impute likewise the righteousnesse of Christ unto us and grant that thy Spirit of Adoption may daily make more and more application of forgivenesse to our hearts untto he fâ—â— assurance of hope that we may have peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost and in the end everlasting life Lord this thou canst easily and will readily do for even we that have but a small measure of compassion forgive those that wrong us And sith by this our forgiving of others we know thou hast begun to forgive us continue therefore thy grace and certifie daily to our hearts that thou art our salvation And forgive us our sinnes If it be observed how this Petition is joyned to the former intimating that natural life without forgivenesse of sinne will little availe a man and if it be considered that forgivenesse of sinnes in that sense as hath beene delivered is the subject of this Petition we may note It concerneth all men to desire Doct. 1 and endeavour after forgivenes of their sinnes through Christ with the application and assurance thereof to their hearts and consciences by the holy Ghost They must desire that God would not impute their sinnes but impute Christs righteousnesse unto them that they may be delivered from all guilt and punishment of sinne and may be heires of glorie and that he would daily passe the sentence hereof to their conscience Hoseah saith Hos 14.2 Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously The Prophet David to whom the Prophet Nathan had pronounced forgivenesse of his murder to his eares 2 Sam. 12.13 yet because God had not pronounced it to his heart but withdrew his countenance from him he is therefore earnest with the Lord saying Purge me with hysop Psal 51.7 to 13. make me heare joy and gladnesse Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities Renew a right spirit within me Restore to me the joy of thy salvation Vntill sinnes be forgiven Reason 1 they separate betweene God and man whether hee be converted or unconverted Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have made him hide his face from you that hee will not heare And We have transgressed and have rebelled saith Ieremie thou hast not pardoned Thou hast covered thy selfe with a cloud Lam. 3.42.44 that our prayer should not passe through If a man be not in state of grace his prosperity in this life doth but fat him against his day of slaughter and increase of his dayes are but a multiplication of his sinnes against the day of account And he may looke for death to arrest him every day which if it doe before his sinnes be remitted hee shall be found in his sinnes at the day of judgement to his everlasting perdition If a man be in state of grace yet if by new sinnes the Lord be provoked to withdraw his loving countenance and to shew tokens of his displeasure against him his life becommeth unprofitable and uncomfortable untill God speake peace to his soule againe He cannot come boldly into Gods presence to pray heare or receive the Sacrament or if he doe come he is very heartlesse in the performance of them and all that a man hath though it be a kingdome can give him no comfort Psal 32. Psal 51. as it was in Davids case But when God forgiveth sins God of an enemy becommeth a friend and of a displeased Father beginneth to looke graciously upon his childe from this pardon it is that a man is freed from all miserie and by the assurance and sealing of pardon to the conscience doe follow peace of conscience freedome and libertie of heart to come before GOD at all times and in the end everlasting life Vntill sinnes past be pardoned Reason 2 and the sinner is justified he cannot doe Gods will nor glorifie his name For Luke 7.47 â—7 untill much be forgiven no man can love much for to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little saith Christ A man is not sanctified untill he be first justified he can never repent and live holily in time to come untill hee have hope that all his sinnes past are
prodigall sonne saying Father Luk. 15.18.19 I have sinned against heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Such was the confession of the honest Publican who with a dejected countenance and humble gesture said Be mercifull unto me a sinner Luk. 18.13 5 It must be entire and unpartiall one particular must leade to the confession of originall sinne so did David Psal 51.5 And from originall sinne wee must ascend to particular actual sinnes and as neare as we are able unto all particulars be they secret or open among which bee sure that thou conceale not those sinnes to which thou art most inclined yea thy best beloved sinnes especially 6 Lastly confession of sinnes must be made with full purpose and resolution of heart to forsake them Whosoever shall in this sort confesse their sinnes shall assuredly be forgiven For he that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercie Pro. 28.13 Debts Sins are called debts because of the resemblance they have to debts by forfeit for not keeping the condition of the obligation Whenâ— note Doct. 9 Sinnes do cast men into debt and into arrerages with God Those that are called sinnes 〈◊〉 Luk. 11.4 are here called debâ— by Matthew And sinne is likened unto the debt of ten thousand talents Mat. 8.24 Sinne is a breach and forfeiture Reas 1 of that bond of obedience wherein man doth stand bound to God by the Law The consequences of sinne Reas 2 do argue it for when sinne is committed either paiment and satisfaction must bee made by the suretie Christ Iesus or else a man is lyable to the arrest of his own conscience and in certaine danger to be cast into the prison of hell untill hee have payd the utmost farthing that is for ever and ever This serveth to discover unto Vse 1 all sinfuâ— men that they are much in debt and in the state of bankrupts they are more in debt than themselves and all their friends they can make in this world can satisfie yet foolish men if they be so wealthie and withall so civilly honest as to owe no man any thing they are then proud and insult over their neighbours when yet they make no bones of any sin that may make for their pleasure profit or credit This doctrine doth give these foolish ones to understand that there is a debt of love to be payd to their neighbour and a greater debt of love and obedience to God which debt they must pay or else if it be not answered for they do forfeit their bodies and soules to the wrath of God to be tormented in flames of brimstone for ever Wherefore I wish all such to consider they are farre in debt it may be not of money but in a debt which is ten thousand times worse they are in debt to Goâ— into whose hands of justice it is a most fearfull thing to fall Heb. 10.31 If they were in debt to man it may be they have or may have wherewith to pay it or might by bribes or favour or cunning de vices or by hiding themselves or by running away or lastly by death quit themselves of their adversaries But this debt of sinne no man can pay for what shall a man give for exchange for his soule Mat. 16.26 What is the whole world to it it cannot buy out one soule Here is no shifting of the arrest of conscience sooner or later it will serve them with a writ to appeare and answer at the great Assises before Gods judgment seat there is no hiding of themselves though they call to the mountaines to cover them there is no running away Rev 6.16 Luk 23.30 Psal 139.7 for whither can they runne from Gods presence And whereas death freeth other debters this debt into which sinne hath cast them is most called for and most terrible after death when within a little while they must come to judgement where Gods justice is so exact and infinite that every particular sin with every aggravation thereof must be put into the inditement and into the plea and be proved against them then hee must passe sentence against them and then except it can be pleaded for them that Christ Iesus hath satisfied for them and unlesse they can shew an acquittance sealed by the Spirit of God in their life time before their death which seale leaveth alwaies an impression of holinesse in him that is sealed if they cannot doe this the exeâ—tion of eternall damnation is served upon them Oh fearâ— execution and oh miserable men that are in continuall daâ—ger of it yet make no care 〈◊〉 prevent it Vse 2 This should stop the mouthâ— of those that scoffe at such 〈◊〉 feare God for being so 〈◊〉 and so nice as they will ca◠〈◊〉 because they tye themselves so strictly to heare every Sermon which they can with any convenience and because they will not let a day passe without prayer nor will eate a meale but with prayer before and thankes after meate they will not sweare an oath nor runne to Wakes and dancing on the Sabboth day they will not drinke with good company as they call themselves nor be familiar with those that are not so precise as themselves for this they count them fooles and call them Puritans and any thing that may disgrace them This Doctrine giveth these scoffers to know that if these should not doe the things for which they twit them they should runne into the debt before spoken of and what though the omission of some things they doe be but a small sinne as they will account it yet many of these will make a great debt besides the least debt without forgivenesse will damne a man These men therfore might be wiser and should forbeare their scoffes and it were much safer for them to doe as the strictest Christians doe Vse 3 This putteth an apology into the mouthes of those who are excepted against for their precisenesse Are those things ye doe commanded and are the things you forbeare forbidden in the word of God you must looke to that then you have to answer your conscience and all that shall except against you and may say sinne 〈◊〉 a debt you are loath nay you dare not come into that debt which may forfeit your right and comfort in God and may cost you the losse of your soules If this answer may not be taken it is because they want grace true wisedome But howsoever let this comfort and confirme your owne hearts in well doing Let this provoke all men to Vse 4 avoid sinne and if it were possible not to commit it at all But because in many things wee sinne all therefore when wee have sinned let us conceive of it as of the forfeiture of our soules that it may humble us and cause us to seeke in time to get this forfeit wiped out of Gods booke by such meanes as are appointed by God himselfe in his word which are by beleeving and resting
except against any thing herein whether we respect Gods negative acts in not willing to hinder sinne but to permit it as also in his not giving grace to some men to rise out of it or whether wee respect his affirmative acts thereabouts as his concurrence to the substance of the act or his determination of the meanes whcreby sin should be committed and of the ends to which sinne should serue after it should bee committed Which I will make to appeare thus as followeth God intending to glorifie himselfe in the manifestation of his manifold excellencies in the attributes of his goodnes wisedome power mercie and justice he decreed and determined with himself to create man and to make him good even after his owne image and withall to give him power to persevere in that goodnesse if hee would Moreover hee decreed to leave him to himselfe even to the liberty of his will and to permit him to fall into sinne decreeing withall to raise some of mankinde out of their fall and sinfull condition through Christ by giving them faith repentance and grace to persevere in the way of holinesse and in the end to give them everlasting life notwithstanding that by sinne they had deserved everlasting death and that for the manifestation of his glory in the way of mercie mixed with remunerative justice likewise hee together decreed to leave the other some of mankinde fallen into sinne and not to vouchsafe them the grace of faith and repentance and withall hee decreed that for their sinne hee would punish them with eternall death and this for the manifestation of his glory in the way of justice vindicative This I conceive to be but one formall decree of meanes not subordinate one to another but ordained together tending to one maine end namely to the end of all ends even to the glory of God though in different wayes to wit in the way of mercy in the way of justice namely Rom. 9.22.23 to the making knowne of the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared to glory and also to the shewing of his wrath and making of his power knowne on the vessels of wrath fitted or made up to destruction For God made therefore it must needs be that he decreed to make all things for himselfe Pro. 16.4 not onely the godly who are the vessels of his mercy for the day of salvation but also the wicked who are the vessels of his wrath for the day of evill even for the day of destruction God decreed that sin should be by his permission through Adams fall God did not leave it to be as a fortuitous or casuall thing which perhaps might come to passe perhaps might not come to passe but fore-saw it as a thing certaine that sinne would bee through Adams transgression of his Law in as much as he determined to permit him so to do Vpon this permission it did infallibly follow that Adam would sinne For this permission being granted the thing permitted must needs follow because Gods will can neither be changed nor resisted And without Gods will nothing can be The event also and mans woful experience doth too wel prove that sin is in the world God likewise decreed to leave some men in state of sin not giving them of his saving grace and also determined for sinne to condemne them as appeareth clearely by the Scriptures For Saint Peter saith that some stumbled at Christ the corner-stone and at the Word 1. Pet. 2.8 being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed 2. Pet. 2.9 And hee saith also that God knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished The Apostle Paul saith We are not ordained to wrath 1. Thes 5.9 implying that God hath ordained some namely the wicked unto wrath Saint Jude saith of certaine men that were ordained to this condemnation Iude 4 13. to wit to bee left to their owne hearts lusts turning the grace of God into wantonnesse and also for that their wickednesse to have the blacknesse of darknesse reserved for them Thus we see what it is which God hath decreed touching sinne Now lest God should have any the least imputation of unjustice or cruelty cast upon him or of being the author of sinne which were blasphemous to conceive I will therefore in the second place shew how and in what manner hee hath decreed sinne to be and to be punished whereby it shall appeare that God is holy and blamelesse even in this as well as in all other his wayes and will bee every way justified when he is judged It is most true that God decreed that sixe should bee but how He did not decree that sinne should be as he decreed that all good things should be namely by his operation hee producing them but he decreed that sinne should be onely by his permission It must also be considered how sinne came to have a being by Gods permission Permission either is a midle thing betweene command and prohibition and in that sense it imports a kinde of allowance in this sense God never did nor will permit sinne for he hath most straightly forbid iâ— or else permission is taken for a middle thing betweene furthering the being of a thing and impedition or hindering of the being of the said thing in this sense it is taken in Gods decree of sinne he willed it to be but so as he did not further the being of it as it is sinne nor yet did he hinder the being of it onely hee did permit it Great difference must be put berweene Gods decreeing the things that be good and the things that be morally evill For the decree that good things shall be is accompanied alwaies with an effectuall operation of God which causeth them to be but the decree that evill shall be by Gods permission is not accompanied with any effectuall furtherance or operation of God in the way of a cause to effect it God is truly the cause of every thing that is good but he is not at all truly the efficient cause of the evill of sinne yet there was good cause why God might decree to permit man for to sinne For he knew it could be no wrong done to the reasonable creature if he should leave him to his owne nature to do according to the nature and freedome of his will especially he having made it onely disposed to good and able to hold it selfe onely to that which was good if he would Besides he knew that to leave the creature made in such perfection to its owne nature was in it selfe not against but according to the common good of the creature Wherfore sith God knew how sinne might be without his causing of it to be and knew also that for the manifestation of his further glory it did belong to his omnipotent wisedome and goodnesse rather to draw good out of evill then not to permit it why might not he
or as a bird touched with lime-twigges it taketh away the life and comfort of spirituall exercises as of hearing praying and receiving the Sacrament he cannot set about them with any nimblenesse of spirit while he lyeth in any sinne Sinne unrepented of taketh Reas 3 root and infecteth further and further it will increase it selfe and beget other sinnes Reas 4 While a man lyeth in sinne he may look every houre when God shall inflict some fearefull judgement or other and then the remembrance of a sinne unrepented of proveth more heavie and more stinging then the judgement it selfe Whereas though a man have sinned yet if God have given him repentance and have recovered him out of his sinne he may come before God with boldnesse and can performe exercises of Religion with chearfulnesse and shall either prevent crosses or remove them or they shall do much good to his soule while they lye upon him Vse 1 This is to reproove all such who as they care not how they fall into sinne so they care as little how they be delivered out of it yea though God call them to repentance and give them space to repent yea though sometimes God awake them by his judgements and by checks of conscience and doth offer them his Spirit to turne them unto him yet neither his patience nor bountie doth leade them to repentance They will say Lord deliver us from evill but refuse to be delivered This their hypocrisie aggravateth their impenitencie and their impenitencie aggravateth all such sinnes as are not repented of for it is a fault to commit any sinne but when it is not repented of this sinne is continued yea doubled and multiplied for everie day they should turne from their sinne as ordinarily as they seeke their daily bread No sinne so dangerous as impenitencie for therefore the sinne against the holy Ghost is unpardonable not in it owne nature but because they that commit it cannot be renewed unto repentance Heb. 6.6 Impenitencie therefore though it be not the sinne against the holy Ghost yet it must needs be a fearefull sinne For he that liveth and dyeth in impenitencie is as sure to bee damned as he that sinneth against the holy Ghost Let all that refuse to forsake their sinnes looke for Gods visitation Ier. 5.3.7.9 as he saith in Jeremy They have refused to returne c. How shall I pardon shall I not visite for these things and shall not my soule be avenged on such c. Vse 2 It doth therefore concerne every man having fallen into evill for who is it that sinneth not to use all means to repent and recover himselfe of his fall and then do his best to hold on a steadie course of new obedience Have not men in prison cause to seeke for deliverance and if any man be fallen into a lapse after a sicknesse hath he not cause to seeke for recoverie of his former health such is the estate of every sinner untill he have repented But let this repentance bee true and sound proceeding from griefe for sin and hatred of sinne not turning from one sinne to another or a bare leaving of sinne but it must be a conscionable turning from evill to good It must be in the bent and intention of the soule and in our whole endevour a turning from all sinne as well as from any one even from as many as wee can come to the knowledge of as well from secret as open as well from beloved sinnes and such as are in credit in the world as from any other Ezek. 8.31 We must cast away all our transgressions saith the Lord. It must be speedie while it is to day lest our hearts be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne It must be constant Heb. 3.15.16 as daily as we aske daily bread If we would but enter into our hearts and consider what wee have done when wee have sinned how wee have transgressed an holy commandement thereby have grieved the holy Spirit disgraced our holy profession and have offended a mercifull Father and a severe Iudge who yet if we will turne will have mercy but if we refuse to turne he will punish and wil not pardon the thoughts of these things would worke griefe and hatred of sinne and hope of pardon from whence would follow repentance never to be repented of if withall we pray heartily saying Deliver us from evill for with all the meanes we do use prayer must be one for as we cannot repent without Gods helpe so he will not helpe and give us repentance except we aske it From evill By evill is meant sinne Our Saviour would have his Disciples pray against sinne under the name of evil Whence we may learne Sinne is evill and God would Doct. 8 have all men when they thinke of sinne represent it to their minde in the name and notion of an evil yea of the most evill thing It is called evill Rom. 12.9 where it is said Abhorre evill Ioh. 5.19 The whole world lyeth in evill Thus David in confessing his sinne unto God doth affect his heart with shame and remorse saying Against thee have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Psal 51.4 Sinne is absolutely contrary Reas 1 unto God who is goodnesse it selfe yea enmity to him Rom. 8 7. therefore it is the evill of evils Sin doth separate a man froÌ„ the Reas 2 greatest good Isa 59.2 It doth separate a man from God No other evill bee it imprisonment poverty disgrace in the world sicknesse death doth separate a man from God he may enjoy God and may have a blessed communion with him notwithstanding the worst of these evils which he cannot do while he lyeth in his sinne Wherefore sinne must needs be the greatest evill Reas 3 Sinne is the cause of all the evill of punishment that any creature is subject unto for sin brought man under the curse and will hold him under it except the mercy of God through the merit of Christ do deliver him Reas 4 Sinne doth give denomination unto all things that are truly evill causing them to be called evill Gal. 1.4 the world is therefore called evill because it is a sinfull woâ—ld Men are called evill men 2. Tim. 3.13 because they be sinfull men And because the devill exceedeth all other in sinne he is called the evill one Matth. 13.19 Vse 1 Is sinne evill how then hath it bewitched and deceived most of the sonnes of men for they account nothing evill but what bringeth losse to their estate and shame to their name and paine to their body or some other misery to their outward man as touching sinne many are so farre from judging it to be evill that because they conceive it serveth for their pleasure gaine or credit of all courses they thinke none so good as those that are sinfull What man so vile but thinketh his course good and thinketh all are fooles that are not of his minde The Papist is
so well conceited of his Poperie as he looketh to winne heaven by it Ioh 16.2 The persecutour thinketh he doth God good service in molesting such as feare him The swearer thinketh his speech doth not sound well and is without all grace if it be not filled up with oathes The covetous the voluptuous the vaine-glorious all of them applaude themselves in their wayes as if they were good though as Solomon saith the issue there of is the way of death Pro. 14.12 It standeth sin upon that the devill and wicked men should transforme themselves and transforme sin and put some goodly painting upon it to make it seeme good else no reasonable man could be brought to commit it for the will of man doth by vertue of its meere nature so perfectly abhorre evill it being the proper object of detestation that it would alwayes shunne it therefore there is put an appearance of good upon it wherby it may deceive But woe be unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Isa 5 2â— Vse 2 Doth Christ call sinne evill then let us beleeve him and not our owne lying hearts nor yet the father of lyes who would beare us in hand that sinne is not evil But let us alwayes conceive of every sinfull act as 〈◊〉 evil naughtie hurtfull act and let it be our greatest care to avoid sinne Oh if we could represent the acts of sinne under the name of an evill act unto our apprehensions our will would at the first motion loathe and detest it more then it doth a toad and a serpent and would either kill it or runne from it Whensoever therefore wee are tempted unto sinne let us see it as it is a most evill thing let us account of it as it is a most evill thing And whatsoever colours be set upon it or whatsoever good meanes it is called by if the thing so called be a transgression of Gods law let us call it a most evill and most abhominable thing Yea we must conceive of every sinfull action and must account it a greater evill then the eternall torments of hell For the least evill of sinne is greater then the greatest evill of punishment for the greatest punishment is an effect of Gods righteous hand but the least sin is contrary to God it is very enmitie unto his holinesse If sinne might appeare to everie reasonable soule to be as it is such an evill as hath beene said it would worke griefe and repentance of sinnes past and hatred and departing from sinne for ever afterward Vse 3 Lastly how thankfull should all Gods children be to him because he doth preserve and deliver us out of sinne out of the great evill every day and wee have his word that he will continue this grace untill we shall be presented to himselfe without any spot of this evill in the day of the Lord He doth not only pardon us and free us from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes but which is no lesse mercy he doth deliver us from the power of sin he delivereth us from evil We must therefore magnifie the Lord and say Who is a God like thee Mica 7.19 who doest not onely pardon but wilt subdue our iniquitie And with David let us call upon our soules to praise God because as he forgiveth all our iniquities so also he healeth all our diseases that is Psal 103.3 he doth sanctifie us delivering us from all evill For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for ever These words containe the reason of all the petitions it is delivered in an exact forme of thanksgiving so that it doth excellently serve both to confirme the faith of him that prayeth and to give glory unto him that is prayed unto The Evangelist Saint Luke doth not mention this clause It is probable that when our Saviour did teach his disciples in private at the request of one of his disciples he did onely teach them how to make petitions but when hee taught them in publicke he did adde this clause to teach them as well how to praise him and give him thanks as to pray unto him and make requests It is sufficient for our learning that any one Evangelist hath recorded it In this clause wee have the note that sheweth that these words are a reason of the former requests in the word for Then wee have the arguments or grounds of the reason which are taken from certaine respeâ—â— in God which do minister matter of faith assuring them that they had cause to aske and expect of God all the former petitions and do also minister matter of praise shewing what cause there is why all glorie should be given unto him These respects of God are three Soveraigntie Power Glory which are set forth by the appropriating particle thine whereby these three Kingdome Power and Glory are ascribed as proper to God Thine is kingdome c. and also with the copulative and conjoyning the two latter respects or priviledges in God with the former and the power and the glory All which three are illustrated by their continuance for ever Kingdome signifieth Gods absolute soveraigntie over all things to whom onely it appertaineth of right to forgive and to give at his pleasure therefore they make their suite unto him Power signifieth that all-sufficiencie in God whereby he is able to do all things according to the good pleasure of his will Many have kingdome so that it pertaineth to them to help their subjects but want power as it was with the King of Israel who said in the famine 2 Kin. 2.27 If the Lord do not helpe whence shall I helpe But as it belongeth unto God to heare the petitions of his subjects so he hath power to grant whatsoever they shall have need of hence the petitioner gathereth assurance that he shall have his petitions granted Glory is that high estimation honour and praise which is due to any person for their worth and goodnesse this is originally in God as well as soveraigntie and power and in that respect is appropriated to him Wherefore when it is said Thine is the glory thus much is implied that as all glorie and praise is due to him so they do now give it to him And if he shall grant their requests it will be for his glory therefore they are bold to make these petitions and hope to speed in their suites whereas though it appertaineth unto God and he were able yet if the things asked were not for his honour and glory he would never grant them For ever is to be applied unto kingdome power and glorie namely it doth now and shall alwayes belong to his prerogative royall because kingdome is his to heare the petitions of his people He is now and shall for ever be able to helpe them he now hath and shall for evermore have glorie and praise ascribed unto him for granting their requests