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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	body_n	soul_n	whole_a	1,004	5	5.1794	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71231	Enter into thy closet, or A method and order for private devotion A treatise endeavouring a plain discovery of the most spiritual and edifying course of reading, meditation, and prayer; and so, of self examination, humiliation, mortification, and such most necessary Christian duties, by which we sue out the pardon of our sins from Heaven, and maintain an holy converse with God. Together with particular perswasives thereunto, and helps therein.	Wettenhall, Edward, 1636-1713.	1666 (1666)	Wing W1495B; ESTC R217163	97,436	340

petition or praises must come in after what sort they be conveniently expressed and sometimes when my condition requires and my time will permit me to be more large or earnest in any part of prayer with what arguments I may strengthen my faith and plead with God touching what I desire to speed for or again with what circumstances of my sins or Gods mercies I may heighten my repentance for my sins or thankfulness for those mercies If I do not use my self to a set form then will it be necessary that I more deliberately meditate what I intend to confess to ask to praise God for how ● shall so call upon him or conceive of him as may suit with those main and principal addresses which I am to make to him Whether every particular expression or the just words be forethought it haply matters not very much but that some fit significant proper and quickning expressions for the several parts and substantials of my prayer be prepared it is expedient as well for the greater readiness of the soul in prayer which when it is much to seek in this case cannot do its duty with attention nor without disturbance and intermission of due affection as also that nothing unworthy of the nature of prayer and the worship of God may be offered up unto him And in this point it may be singularly helpfull to consider what of those expressions promises narratives experiences c. which I have at any time read in the Word of God may be useful to me in those my intended addresses to the Throne of grace God as already intimated loves to hear his own language from us and so it is that the very expressions of Scripture have a marvellous affecting power upon the devout heart beyond those which seem not to have been alike sanctified by the holy Ghost using them Chap. VI. Of Prayer and first of its substance and parts WHat I have read being thus digested through Meditation and by the like meditation preparation being made for Prayer that now remains as the third and most compleat act of my daily devotion touching which besides the precepts already given others yet remain to be given when the consideration of the nature of the duty hath a little made way for them Now Prayer is the seeking unto God and before him representing our Estates and Desires The general nature of prayer is a betaking or addressing our selves to God and therefore its first act is Invocation or calling upon him Now our condition who are dust ashes his Majesty being considered we cannot well be esteemed to seek unto him without adoration or worshiping of him in the beginning of these our addresses for that in all seeking to Superiours we ever begin with some acknowledgments of their being above us able to help us c. upon which accounts we use ordinarily some testimonies of reverence towards them If we therefore put both these together we have the first part of Prayer to wit An invocatory adoration of God that is an humble calling upon him accompanied with Worshipping and adoring his infinite Majesty And this in most compleat prayers extant is Scripture we may observe particularly in that for ever to be reverenced pattern our Lords prayer the first sentence contains what we speake of Our Father this is a calling upon God which art in Heaven these are words befitting one who adores his Majesty So in that prayer of Hezekiah I saiah xxxvii 16. O Lord of Hosts God of Israel that dwellest between the Cherubims thou art God even thou alone c. How evidently doth this beginning of his prayer carry in it a calling upon God accompanied with the acknowledgement and adoration of his Deity The first part of prayer we gathered out of those words expressing its general nature it is a seeking unto God The second we may gather out of them which follow it is a representing our estate before him Our estates naturally are sinful and miserable SO far forth as we retain any thing of our old nature so far are sin and misery inseparable adjuncts or attendants unto us The representing therefore our estates before God is the confessing our sins and laying open our grievances and wants before him A second part of prayer then is Confession That which all sinners should desire is pardon that which all miserable persons do naturally desire is help The representing then our desires before God is the begging mercy and grace to help in time of need that is 1. Pardon of sin 2. Deliverance from our misery Internal by the sanctification of our hearts Externall by meet supplies of our outward wants A third act of prayer therefore is Petition of Asking Somewhat more yet is considerable in our states here below which though naturally miserable as aforesaid yet are by the manifold grace of God made in several respects more comfortable by reason of variety of blessings Now he that receives a benefit ought to have at the least a will and desire of thankfulness He therefore who duely represents his state and desires unto God laies open also before him those several mercies which at his hands he receives humbly blessing and praising him the author of them The last part of prayer then is Thanksgiving Now because all these may be done either for our selves or others therefore is prayer double or of two sorts That which meerly respects our selves That which we offer up for others called Intercession From all this it is evident that the first thing which he who would learn to pray must take care of is that he throughly know himself that is 1. Be acquainted with his own state with his sins his miseries and wants inward and outward otherwise he can never duly represent them unto God 2. That he well know his own desires and resolutions lest he play the hypocrite with God asking what he desireth not or vowing what he intends not These are the substantials of prayer Chap VII Of the right manner of prayer First of its inward manner Some considerations to quicken to sincerity and heartiness in Prayer What graces are to be exercised in each part of Prayer THe manner of the performing every duty is much looked upon by God Now prayer being such an immediate act of worship and it being most just reasonable and necessary that we should worship God with the whole man that is both with soul and body in the manner of prayer there can be onely considerable its Inward and Outward part The inward manner of prayer is unquestionably most respected by God for that according hereunto is the prayer and the man sincere or otherwise And the Consideration hereof should incite us cheifly to care herein I may pray in as good as many words in as devout postures and in a word after as pious a sort as to what there is outward in prayer as ever man did and yet he hypocritical in my prayers But it is impossible that I

ever take heed what matters here we do I would not choose this as a place of my vainer discourse or freer hours as some do who are ever severest in company and allow themselves liberty in private or amongst their confidents whom if they can but get into such a place where neither mens eye nor ear can reach them as the closet for the main is supposed to be their company shall be vain and srolick to as high a degree almost as any mens I take it and I am greatly deceived if I mistake it for a certain argument that the serious belief of a God and of the World to come is much wanting in his heart who dare be naught idle or sinfully merry if he can but get out of mans sight and cognizance PART II. Treating of Daily Closet-Duties Chap. I. That if I am a person of leisure I ought daily twice in the day to retire into my Closet for devotions sake It followeth now to be considered of my more solemn retirement or entrance into my Closet Now that I account a solemn recourse thither when my businesse there is purely devotion And such recourse is either ordinary or more speciall My ordinary retirement into my Closet should be daily and that if my condition will conveniently admit as most mens may twice a day oftener I may as at noon seldomer I well cannot I am bound thereto upon the same grounds upon which I am bound to pray twice a day and the sum of them is that the command saith Pray continually the meaning of which we cannot but take to be 1 either pray alwaies when you may for other duties that is so much time as thou canst spare from the work of thy calling and due care of thy body and other offices of Charity and Piety spend in that duty of prayer or else 2. parallel to that of the continual burnt Offering which was called Continual because ever continued in its course twice a day Keep a continuall course of prayer morning and evening And this the practices of the Saints in Scripture which we may look upon as Exempl●fications of that forenamed command to wit the Practice of David praying Evening Morning and at Noon of Psal 55. 7. Dan. 6. Daniel as many times and none that we read of less than twice cannot but enforce upon us as the least which can be our duty in this case If any think they are excused from private prayer twice a day by their praying twice a day with the Family of which they are a part They are to understand that there is no particular strict command touching the nature of our daily devotions prescribing them to be either publick or private or both but that it is most just and equitable that God should have a liberal part of our time as well as of our estates Dr. Ham Pract. Catech. Lib. 3. sect 2. that therefore if our condition be such that besides the time which we spend in prayer with the Family which no one who would have God to bless his Family can think he may neglect we have convenient leisure from other necessary matters it cannot be better bestowed than in our Closet and upon our Soules And it will questionlesse be a piece of very sinfull vanity to trifle it away and omit what it might so well have been imployed upon According as in matter of my estate if after sufficient necessaries and conveniences provided for my self and Family there do yet remain in my hand a portion of what God hath given me I cannot but look upon it as my duty to supply therewith the necessities of those who want and as my sin for me idly to squander it away which might have fild so many hungry bellies or cloathed so many naked or ragged backs Further God having in joyned me the duty of prayer but left the particular frequency of it after the nature of other freewill offerings to my Christian discretion I ought not to be therefore the more heedless but rather because I know my sacrifice will be ever accepted how often soever brought with an honest heart out of an holy ambition of pleasing God and sending up an odour of a sweet savour unto heaven to bring it as often as I can And surely twice a day I may present even my private devotions If I be single and in my own power there is no question but I may If I be the Master or Mistris of a Family there is little question of it If I be a servant or one who works for my living there is indeed somewhat the more question for that not only I may be straightned in time but want the conveniency of privacy But yet even in this case what hinders but that being I cannot do so well as I would I may do so well as I can to wit rising one piece of an hour ordinarily sooner or lying down so much latter fall down upon my knees by my self at my beds side and privately poure out my confessions and prayers before God And what if my fellow servant be with me Why should I be ashamed to do before him what he cannot but acknowledg he also ought to do shall I not one day much more blush and be confounded at the omission of my duty before Men and Angels and God himself than here at the performance of it And which shame rather to be chosen That before God all Men Angels Devils than this before one or two That which is eternall or this which after I have once or twice despised I shall be troubled with no more Begin to do so and after the first or second time thou wilt never be ashamed of it I assure thee at least thou wilt never repent This then should be my ordinary retirement twice a day Our more special retirement ought to be upon Lords daies Holy-daies and our own private Fast-daies each of which will come hereafter to be considered In the mean time our daily retirement and devotions must be proceeded with Chap. II. Considerations to perswade to daily devotion and prayer in private ANd to the end I may be sure to keep such course as beforesaid let me sit down and seriously weigh First the concernment importance and vast moment of those things which by prayer I am to seek and may obtain above the other upon which most of my time is spent What is it of worldly goods which will not pass away at least as to me and my injoyment of it with my self I dying all dyes with me my estate my honours my friends and all such are no more comfortable to me when death once appears but haply a torment being that they are all now to be left It is therefore but to the end of my threescore years and ten if I should live so long or thereabouts that these can be good at all And of these my threescore years and ten which it is a thousand to one whether ever I reach how

in their hands that both themselves and others may be built up in our most holy faith to the perfecting thy Church and the eternal glory of thy name thereby through our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus Amen Chap. VIII Of the true manner of sanctifying the Lords day Sect. 1. Generally before I go to Church NOw as to my Closet duties upon this day least the sole consideration of them should breed any neglect forgetfulness or disturbance of the duties to be performed in the family and in the publick assembly it will be most expedient to consider the whole duties of that day both publick private and secret and set down each in their natural order First then as upon no day we suppose our Christian to be slothfull so least of all upon the Lords day but to be up in a convenient season both himself and if any are under his charge to see that they are so to A convenient season I call that which every mans health and occasions being considered will agree therewith and leave time sufficient for the discharge of the duties of the day And supposing the publick service to begin generally about nine of the clock between six and seven will be a good hour and all things being well ordered may consist very well with most mens health and occasions And of this time which passeth between my rising and going to Church if an hour and the odd parts be divided between the devotions of the family and the closet so that half an hour be spent in the one and the other half with the odd time in my closet it may do very well and the common occasions of most houses being considered so much time may be allowed If so much cannot be afforded to this work yet let some and what day soever I spend with double prayers I mean prayer in my closet and prayer in my family yet this day let me omit neither It is a bad omen to begin the sanctification of the Lords day by the breach of my ordinary course of devotion and an argument it is likely to be but negligently sanctified by me Besides many in my family may perhaps make no other preparation for the worship of God than what they make by joyning in the family-devotions it will be therefore the more necessary to make sure of thus much Sect. 2. Of secret devotion in the Closet before going to Church NOw my private devotions will be for the main the same this day as others Only in my Meditations it is to be remembred that I examine my self touching my preparations for the solemn worship of God that day and if any thing in my preparatory devotion be wanting any sin unconfessed unrepented of c. in these my morning devotions let that be done And how compleat soever I may conceive my preparations to have been yet let me not in my prayers in private that morning forget to send up some petitions for preparing and assisting grace to the end I may more spiritually go through the duties of the day for the doing of which I cannot Chap. 7. now want directions after a preparatory prayer already considered upon And these my closet devotions it will be necessary be first performed for that they will very well fit me to perform my devotions in my family with more fervency Sect. 3. Of Private devotion in the family before going to Church A digression touching what our devotion in the family is alwaies to consist of THese therefore being done and it being now somewhat above half an hour till the time we usually go to Church I am to call all my family except in extraordinary cases of sickness c. together to prayer at which time all of them who that day can go to Church which should be as many as may be should appeare dressed as they are to go that so after the family devotions performed within a very short space we might all together resort to the publick place of Gods worship Now if question be made what the devotions of the family are to consist of the answer is they cannot well consist of more or less than these two parts Reading and Prayer By Reading here I understand chiefly the reading of the Word of God and that it is the duty of the head of the family either himself to read or cause by some other to be read the holy Scriptures in the hearing of the family none can question who considers those frequent Commands to the ancient people of God to teach their children the Law of God and his judgments and dealings Deut. 4. 9. c. with them Now how they can be taught those things by their parents from whom they never hear of them cannot be understood nor will any reasonable person think thefe commands fulfilled by the meer teaching their children the Belief Lords prayer and ten Commandements though this must be most sure to be done for we find of old they were to acquaint their children of Gods wonderful works in delivering them out of the Land of Egypt And in like manner we Christians to teach our children Gods Miracles of grace in freeing us by his Son out of the bondage of sin which how it can be better done than as God hath thought fit to teach it to the world to wit by the Holy Scriptures none will easily find out Now for the method to be observed in reading the Scriptures in our family that which was above commended for use in the Closet may haply be most proper And if I so order it that I read the same portion of Scripture in my family and in my closet it may be much for my edification the double reading it will set it deeper both in my memory and in my understanding But then least I read faster and more in my family than in my closet and for other reasons it will be necessary that either my Closet devotions go before my Family devotions or that at least I so contrive my readings that what I last read in my Closet I the next time read in my Family Instead of Meditation which was one part of my Closet devotion if in my family I use to examine my people what they have learnt or observed out of what hath been read and where none takes notice of what is mainly observable there suggest it to them it may not be amiss provided it be done soberly without a long deal of prate and medling with curious matters and without vain-glory The Prayers which I use in my family except upon some very eminent occasions may best be the Prayers of the Church These are easie and best understandable and the use of them in our families will sit the plainest people in our family to use them with more devotion and understanding in the publick Notwithstanding I confess my judgment in this case to be that the Injunction of them doth not in strictness reach to private families but there is a liberty le●st

observation that is the particular duties to be on them performed But forasmuch as most men keep them ordinarily no otherwise than by a little change of diet taking perhaps fish c. for flesh and feeding neither more sparingly nor much less deliciously than they do on other daies and so make them indeed no fasting daies we must consider both of the Setting apart of daies for private fasting and of their Observation when set apart But first of all it will be necessary to spend a few thoughts upon the nature and ends of Fasting Chap. II. Of the Nature and Ends of Fasting BY Fasting here is meant the Religious abstaining from our lawfull food Lawful food at present we will account that which according to the common practice of sober and discreet persons of our rank and quality is neither too much nor too dainty for us For we may account a man intemperate in his feeding as well by being too delicate and fine and eating constantly on things which are fit chiefly for persons above his degree as by eating overmuch Now not all abstaining from this my lawful food is that Fasting which is here intended for I may abstain for my healths sake or through business or by some accidents upon necessity and all it may very well be without sin and yet not fast as fasting signifies a duty or an act acceptable to God but it must be a Religious abstaining which I can duely call Fasting as at present that name is used Now it will be best discerned to be Religious by the ends which I design to my self therein and by my imployment of my self upon such my Fasting daies First as to the ends and designs See Dr. Hammon Pract. Catech. Lib. 3. Sect. 4. of him who abstaines or fasts religiously The chiefe of them are 1 Devotion or the performance of religious exercises when I fast that I may have more leisure and be fresher for Reading Meditation and Prayer 2. Mortification when I fast to tame my flesh to keep under and beat down my body that it may be in due obedience to the commands of God and reason 3. Liberality when I fast to deal my bread unto the hungry and either deprive my self or feed more slenderly that I may have the more wherewith to relieve others 4. Sympathising with the sufferings of others when I fast out of a fellow feeling of the afflictions of Gods people commiserating their condition and through an abundance of charity desiring as it were to partake with them in their sufferings 5. Exercising my self to the obedience of Christs commands when I fast out of self denial and when I both would and could eat by fasting as by one particular act of obedience to that generall command of denying my self exercise my self unto godliness 6. Diverting or removing Gods wrath and expressing my sorrow and humiliation for sin when Gods wrath either resting upon my country or friends or self or hanging over any of our heads I fast and deprecate it and beg pardon of all those evils which have brought us into such misery and danger 7. An holy revenge or punishment of my self when having repented of some sin for which I am 2 Cor. 7. 11. holily angry with my self I choose thus to punish and chastise my self for my former it may be luxury wantonness or the like When I say out of any of these intentions or with these designs I abstain from my lawful meat I then fast in the sense that fasting ●is now taken for this is thus far Religiously to abstain and no doubt but such abstaining is acceptable unto God if all be as right as my intentions that is if suitable performances or devotions be added touching which rules will anon be considered when the nature of fasting is a little further looked into and it is evident that it is a duty and no such needless matter as men usually seem to take it for if we may judge of what they think by what they do Chap. III. That Fasting is a Christian Duty NOw that none either suspicion touching its necessity or excuse for its neglect may be left it will be expedient to consider what Evidence may be brought that Fasting is a Christian duty And 1. Indeed there needeth little more to be urged for the proving it a duty besides the recollection and summing up those excellent ends to which it serves and conduceth No doubt but to humble my self for my sins to pray earnestly for pardon and for the turning away of Gods wrath are duties No doubt but to keep under my body and make it subject to relieve the poor to sympathize with the afflictions of Joseph are duties now to all these is fasting a meanes and of some of them besides an expression No doubt but to deny my self and to take upon my self an holy revenge for my former extravagancies are duties Now of these is Fasting a part It may therefore hence sufficiently be concluded a duty 2. A further evidence of the same I take it to be that Fasting is Mat. 62 6 15. compared by our Saviour in that Sermon of his upon the Mount which delivers to us the sum of the Christian law or rule of Evangelical duties ranked with Prayer and Almes giving which are undoubted duties and rescued from the Pharisaical abuses of it the true manner of it being insinuated Insomuch that it may be justly demanded how comes it to stand in the Christian law to what end needed its practice to be vindicated from corruption and asserted as it is by Christ to its purity if it were not a Christian duty Besides 3. We find God in its season calling for it of old by his prophet Joel Sanctifie a Fast call an Assembly which place though it intend a publick Fast yet it is evident our Saviour Joel 2. 15 in St. Matthew spoke of those private Fasts which every one is by him supposed to consecrate unto God Who knows not that the Afflicting of the soul touching which we meet with so many commands and such frequent mention in the old Testament doth mainly intend fasting And as to the new Testament further yet though our Saviour once tell us the season for his Disciples fasting was not then come while the Bridegroom was with them Mat. 9. 15 yet at the same time he tells us its season would not be long too and then they should fast 4. Again the constant sense of the world and of all the Saints of God in all ages amongst whom by how much soever any have been more zealous by so much the more hath he been in the exercise of fasting is an argument no whit contemptible of its being a duty Not onely the Saints under the Law fasted and the pharisee too twice a week but the devout Christians have ever been to us ensamples hereof And 5. Which sets it off with more advantage we find not onely the commendation of them for this practice

forgetfulness should betray me into the breach of them Sect. 6. An exemplification of the former Rules in two sins NOw to the end that this most necessary practice may be as plain as possible it may haply conduce to set down some particular examples in which those general rules may appear practised And for asmuch as it was before said that all sins of which we shal find our selves frequently guilty are either such which are rooted in our particular complexion and so may especially be called our iniquities or such which by some outward occasion as converse or manner of living we fall into one instance shall be of such a sin which is commonly too too much rooted in mens natures or particular Crases to wit Vncleanness the other in such an one which though haply a man may be naturally inclined to yet commonly may be more truly referred to the head of contracted than of in-born evils and that is Trifling away our time or idleness First then suppose that upon examination of my self one sin where of I find my self guilty is uncleanness and this I find diversly to have run through a great part of my life Touching this certain it is that I repent not of it as I should if I set not my self to root it out Wherefore according unto the rules laid down I thus proceed Being come now so far in my devotions upon my fast day as to Meditation and having in my Meditations chiefly imployed my thoughts upon my self whereby I have found my self guilty of this sin I set upon the repenting of it To that purpose I endeavour to sorrow for it I therefore consider first how grievous a sin that is in it self And in this case it may be that good practical book which I have chosen to my self to read and study may much help me and discover to me the grievousness of it in its own nature This being done I consider how grievous my commission of it is what particular aggravations all my actions of this kind admit Here I open this my book and examine it by those aggravating particulars mentioned All which cordially employing my thoughts upon I endeavour to affect my soul therewith and to work in my self a loathing of such courses This sorrow will work repentance to wit First a resolution against what I loath and then an endeavour against it as well by consulting remedies and means against it as by putting my self into a way of using such means And the result of my Humiliation thus far I as breifly as I can register in mine Accomptal in some such sort as this A. D. Januar. Fasted I found my self guilty of Vncleanness This I considered to be in it self a very grievous sin 1. It defiles my very body makes me loathsome 2. It debaseth and dulls my soul 3. It is that which nature it self is ashamed of 4. God most perfectly hates it and therefore when he expresseth the vilest sins calls them Whoredom 5. It is one of those sins which God seldom suffers to escape unpunished here 6. I shall never be able to like my self or have any inward content in my self while I practice it 7. Perseverance in it will undoubtedly destroy my body and health as well as soul Each of these and more than these as God shall be pleased to assist me in my Meditations I am supposed to have attently considered My particular commissions in this case have the following aggravations They have been done so long 1. Knowingly 2. as I find it with my self 3. Against my vow of baptisme expresly c. Whereupon most humbly begging pardon of God I resolved with all my might to endeavour against it To that purpose I considered of these means against it 1. Spare diet frequent fasting avoiding high meats 2. Spare sleeping not lying down till sleep compel me rising early or at least as soon as sleep leaves me 3. Hard usage of my body lying hard using prostrations or tiring postures in my prayers c. 4. Praying often and much conversing with God in holy duties which will make me ashamed of such carnal delights and sordid injoyments 5. Avoiding light company light discourse gestures looks c. 6. Considering death and that in its pomp and terribleness looking much on Sceletons dead mens sculs bones or contemplating consumptive and gastly visages 7. Not venturing my self on any opportunities or temptations to it These I then resolved to practise and will therefore frequently r●●● over Amen But it may be this is not my sin however it will teach me how to deal in humbling my self for that which is Suppose then I find my self guilty of trifling away my time There is no repenting hereof without amendment But what course may I take to be truly penitent for it The answer is I must proceed as before Meditating Resolving Consulting and by all means confirming my self against it And the result of what I am to register in my accomptal may be thus Such a day Fasted I found my self guilty of trifling away my time I considored the grievousness hereof 1. This is truly idleness what name soever else I give it For idleness is not the doing nothing but the not doing what I should when I should Now idleness is undoubtedly a grievous sin ●● having not only its own guilt in it but the guilt of many more sins which it occasioneth 2. This is the frustrating the end of my being as far as in me lies a living to no purpose and that how unworthy it is of a reasonable creature 3. I must needs be unprepared for Heaven and my great accounts while guilty hereof Every hour stands on record in Gods omniscience and I cannot it may be give account of three hours in a day 4. How evidently do I ruine my self not onely as to the future but as to this present world hereby What might I do and be were I careful of my time Further for me to do this how grievous is it 1. I know it to be sinful 2. When I have remembred my duties to be undone I have yet neglected them against the present warnings of my conscience 3. How many waies have I been engaged against this So much so worthy work to do and so much of my time already spent c. Easie it is hereby to see how I may proceed according to my particular state These Meditations being finished and as briefly as I can entred it remains that I enter my resolution of endeavour against this sin as before and then study meet remedies thereto Now this sin not being alwaies natural to them in whom it is found but adventitious it concerns me to consider as before admonished how I came to be guilty hereof and to suit my remedies to those occasions 1. It may be I am busied about many things and so either neglect all or what chiefly concerns me my proper duties Perhaps I cannot endure that which should be my business but am fickle desultory and

that my sin Now the consideration how this restitution or reconcilement may be made and the Resolution to make it may be best done in my Closet and such consultation and resolution deserves a place to be registred amongst my other penitential devotions upon the same reasons as they do These rules in my repentance if I have observed though I cannot look upon any action of mine as compleat yet I may have hope I have not herein been slighty but that God through Christ Jesus will accept it Sect. 8. Of that faith which is requisite in order to pardon of sin BEsides Repentance it is commonly said that God requireth Faith of us in order to pardon of our sins and it is most certain if we understand faith as we ought But it is as certain that people are ordinarily very much mistaken in the nature of Faith as it is not unusual for us to be in such things the names whereof are takne in such different Dr. Ham. Pract. Catech. Lib. 1. Sect. 3. senses as the name of Faith is in Scripture Now faith we all of us know signifies Belief and therein doth the nature of it lye Him that we believe in is God that which we believe is his Word So then Faith is a full belief or credence of the whole Word of God and especially of the Gospel a receiving it and every part of it in a way suitable to the matter of it agreeing to whatever is therein affirmed as being true believing all the promises that God will never fail on his part unless we do on ours setting our selves to fulfil all the commands as believing all that is commanded to be our duty and of indispensible necessity to salvation trembling at all the threatnings as being perswaded God will be as good as his word and punish all impenitent sinners Faith I say is the hearty and sincere embracing and being perswaded of the whole word and these its parts after this sort and we must not single out the promises and believe them alone for all commands and threats are no less the word of God than are the promises and therefore must be as much believed nor shall any one ever be justified who doth not thus believe If it be asked whether it be not faith in the free promises of the Gospel or a trusting to God through Christ that he will pardon my sin which doth chiefly justifie me I say No and that the embracing the doctrine of the Gospel the receiving every command and threat so deeply into my heart as that the belief of the one turns forthwith into obedience and of the other into obedience and of the other into an holy fear which are the other parts of faith cannot be conceived to be either in their own nature inferiour unto that trust or less either valued or required by God I do not say that God accepts of any of them or all of them for their worth He accepts of them and of the person in whom they are purely through Christ through his merits doth he impute this faith to such person for righteousness that is reckon and accept of this his cordial and impartial receiving his whole Gospel after this sort as well as if he had performed perfect and unsinning obedience as he was first bound but this I say and that upon the evidence already hinted that justification or the pardoning of sin is no more appropriated to that one act of faith which we call trust than to those other and that I cannot if comparison in this case be made but account those other acts that impartial submitting and devoting the sould to obedience answerably to every command that true resting in the fear of God as the more principal worthy and I am sure less to be suspected acts of faith At the least I cannot conceive what we call a justifying faith to proceed any otherwise than as follows First I do believe the promise of pardon of sin to be true and God to be faithful and that without all doubt God will not fail on his part except I fail on mine God will not fail to give the promised blessing if I fail not to perform the condition upon which he hath promised it Secondly I therefore forthwith set my self about the condition or duty required as I expect the blessing or promised mercy from God I sorrow for my sins I endeavour amendment of life I cleave unto God with full purpose of impartial obedience Thirdly having done so I do not believe that all this is worth any thing in it self but that it is through the meer grace of God in Christ Jesus that I must be accepted pardoned and saved Wherefore I trust to God according to his promise the condition of which I have ●ndeavoured to fulfil that he will through Christ pardon all my sins and reckon this my faith to me for righteousness to trust for the pardoning of my sins upon any o●her terms is unbelief and presumption for it is a believing God will pardon my sins upon their terms than he hath said he would ever pardon sin and that is a believing God will be false But now let the case be put that some grievous sinner much humbled under the sense of his notorious wickedness doth as beforesaid believe the promise to be true as it is set himself about the fulfilling its condition sorrowing repenting c. believe all that he doth to be in its self worth nothing but yet Christs merits to be of infinite worth through which notwithstanding he dare not trust for the pardon of his sins as remembring them to be so great and doubting lest he hath not yet performed the condition which the promise of the pardon of sin through Christs merits requires and in this temper dies Put I say this case shall we think this man hath not a true and justifying faith He hath surely and it may be a truer faith than hath many an one who yet hath more of the trust But yet it is evident he hath not this trust for he durst not through sense of his own unworthiness animate himself thereto Seeing therefore that it is very possible a man may in such case be justified without that act of faith I conclude that justification is not appropriate unto it that is that a trusting in God that he through Christ will pardon my sin is not that act of faith which chiefly justifies me and that they are very much mistaken who take this by it self to be the true nature of justifying faith that they believe God will pardon their sin for Christs sake so then I now see the course which I am to take in my humiliation to sue out the pardon of my sin I am to believe that God will not fail on his part if I do fail on mine I am therefore to repent of my sins as before I have been taught and persist in amendment of life all the while trusting in the grace of God