wilful contempt and carelesse neglect of this Ordinance when it may conveniently be had is dangerous and damnable and to such that threat belongs Gen. 17.14 that soule shall be cut off Thirdly the grace and mercy of God is free and not tied to the outward elements Joh. 3.8 the winde blows where it listeth i. e. God gives grace when where and to whom he pleaseth Fourthly Infants borne of believing parents are holy before Baptisme and Baptisme is but a seale of that holinesse 1 Cor. 7.14 yea to them belongs the Kingdom of heaven Mark 10.14 Object They which are sanctified have faith which Infants have not Answ. God saith I will be thy God and the God of thy seed By virtue of which promise the Parent layes hold of the Covenant for himself and his children and the children believes because the Father believes Object Infants are borne in Original sinne and therefore cannot be holy Answ. Every beleeving Parent sustains a double person 1. As descending from Adam by corrupted seed and thus both himself and his children are corrupted 2. As he is a holy and believing man ingraffed by faith into Christ the second Adam and thus by his faith his children comes to be within the Covenant and partaker of the benefits and priviledges thereof and by the same faith he being a believer the guilt of original corruption in the Infant is not imputed to him to condemnation Object Others that would make it absolutely necessary object John 3.5 Except a man be born of water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Answ. First If this be meant of Baptism then the word may carry one of these two sences 1. Christ directs his speech principally to Nicodemus who was a timorous professor who remained ignorant and had long neglected his Baptisme 2. That the Kingdom of heaven is not here put for everlasting happinesse but to signifie the visible state of the Church under the New Testament and then the meaning is that none can be admitted into the Church and made a visible member thereof but by Baptisme nor can any be made a lively member of Christ but by the Spirit Secondly or this place is not be understood of Baptisme but of regeneration wherein Christ alludes to Exod. 35.26 which speaks of clean water and then the meaning is thou Nicodemus art a Pharisee and usest many outward washings but unlesse thou beest washed inwardly by clean water i. e. regenerated by the Holy Ghost thou canst not enter into heaven Thirdly or the necessity of salvation lies not in both but only in the New Birth by the Holy Ghost Quest. Whether are not witnesses commonly called God-fathers and God-mothers necessary Answ. No. First For in the Primitive times the Parents of children which were Heathens and newly converted to the Christian Religion were either ignorant and could not or carelesse and would not bring up their children according to the Word of God and true Religion which they newly professed therefore persons of good knowledge and life were called to witnesse Baptisme and promised to take care of the childrens education But now parents being better taught and qualified the other is not necessary Secondly Christ in his Word hath taught all things that are fit and necessary about Baptisme amongst all which he hath not appointed the use of Sureties Thirdly the whole Congregation present do present the childe to the Lord and are witnesses of his admission into the Church and therefore there needs no other Fourthly that which is required of them to promise and performe may and ought to be performed by the Parents of the Infant baptized who by Gods command ought to bring up their children in the knowledge and fear of God therefore the other are not necessary Quest. Whether have children of excommunicated persons right to Baptisme Answ. Before this question be answered some grounds must be laid down As 1. There are two texts principally about excommunication Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.5 the scope of both which is to shew that the excommunicated person is debarred the Kingdome of heaven For he is not to be held a true member of the Church but as an Heathen and Publican 2. In excommunication there are three judgements to be considered 1. Of God 2. Of the Church 3. Again of God The first is when God holdeth any obstinate sinner guilty of the offence and consequently of condemnation except he repent The second is of the Church which follows Gods judgement pronouncing the party guilty and subject to condemnation which judgement is not to be given absolutely but with condition of repentance and so farre forth as man can judge by the fault committed as also by the Word which directs how to discern of the impenitency of the sinner The third again is Gods judgement whereby he confirms that in heaven which the Church hath done on earth So then the answer may be 1. That the persons excommunicate are in some respect no members of Christs body and in some other respects they are Quest. How are they not Answ. First in that they are cut off from the company of Beleevers by the sentence of excommunication and so have no participation with them in prayer hearing the Word or receiving the Sacraments and that because the action of the Church stands in force God ratifying that which his Church hath done Secondly because by their sinne they have as much as in them lies deprived themselves of the effectual power of Gods Spirit which should rule and govern them Quest. How are they members Answ. First some are members not actually and in present but in the eternal counsel of God and so shall be in time when they are called Hence Gal. 1.15 Paul saith God had separated him from the womb and called him by his grace So Rom. 5.20 when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by Christ. Secondly some are members onely in shew and appearance as hypocrites Thirdly some are lively members which are united to Christ by faith c. Rom. 8.14 Fourthly some are decayed members who though they belong to Gods Election and are truly ingraffed into Christ yet for the present have not a lively sense thereof like a member in the body that hath the dead palsie such are excommunicated persons For in regard of their ingraffing they are true members and cannot be quite cut off from the body of Christ John 10.28 Yet they are not holden so to be in three respects 1. In regard of men because they are excluded from communion with the faithful by the censure of the Church 2. In regard of God because what the Church rightly binds on earth he binds in heaven 3. In regard of themselves because for a time they want the power and efficacy of the Spirit till by true repentance they recover life again Now though in these respects they be not esteemed members yet in truth they are not wholly cut off from the society of the
relation betwixt his sacred person and God the Father Christ is the Sonne of God and that not as Angels and men by Creation or regeneration but by eternal generation and the Father and the Sonne have the same individual substance The Father begets the Son without change or motion after a most glorious and wonderful manner within himself and essentially one with himself Yea this relation is coaeval with the essence as he is always God so he is alwayes Sonne Psal. 27. This day have I begotten thee this day is the day of Eternity Micah 5.2 the goings forth of him have been of old from everlasting For this reason he is said to be the proper Sonne of God Rom. 8.32 and God his proper Father John 5.18 He is called the only begotten Sonne of God John 1.18 and 3.16 1 John 4.9 then he is not created Hence he is called the first born of every creature Col. 1.15 As man he was a creature but as God he was before every creature He is called the image of his Fathers person Heb. 1.5 For as when we look our selves in a glasse our image like our selves is naturally produced So when God with the eye of his understanding beholds if we may so speak the glass of the divine nature from everlasting to everlasting there results the Son an essential image of himself So then he is the natural Son of God and by that divine way of the Fathers communicating of his divine essence by eternal generation as may be further proved by the titles that God the Father gives him by calling him his Son which is a title that advanceth Christ above all creatures and Christ calls himself the Son of God John 5.18 For which the Jewes charged him with blasphemy John 10.33 34. 5. Arg. We are enjoyned in Scripture to worship Christ with that religious adoration which is properly and solely due to the everliving God therefore he is God nor will the Lord give this his glory to any other Isa. 42.8 and 48.11 Hence John 5.23 He that honours not his Son which is sent honoureth not the Father which sent him There are divers honours which are Gods peculiars and they all belong to Christ as 1. Religious worship in Spirit which is the exhibiting of that reverence and worship which is due to the great God in all places at all times and in all things But this spiritual worship is to be exhibited to our Lord Christ Psal. 97.7 Worship him all ye gods and Rev. 1.6 Saint John ascribes to him Glory and Dominion for ever and ever So Rev. 5.13 and 14.7 and Rom. 9.5 He is over all God blessed for ever Again the high God alone is the object of Religious invocation Psal. 50.15 and they are idolaters which call on them that are not true gods Gal. 4.8 Yea religious invocation is Gods glory which he will give to none other Isa. 42.8 But it is to be given to Christ Acts 7.59 and 9.14 21. 1 Cor. 1.2 Rev. 22.20 Hence I argue That person that knows the hearts of all and hears the prayers of all in the world is the true God But Christ doth so therefore he is true God Again it s an honour peculiar to the true God to be the object of religious trust and confidence but Jesus Christ is the object of religious trust and confidence therefore he is the true God 6. Arg. To swear is a part of religious service when performed in truth in righteousnesse and in judgement which analogically is ascribed to Christ himself Hence the argument is That person that is the object of a religious Oath is God Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt swear by his name who is a most infallible witnesse judge and avenger of all perjured persons and such as use his name either rashly or falsly But Christ is the object of a religious oath because he hath no greater to swear by he sweareth by himself Isa. 45.23 I have sworn by my self that to me every knee shall bow Here Christ swears by himself and the words immediately foregoing v. 22. I am God and besides me there is none other Saint Paul expounds those words of Christ Rom. 14.10 Before whose tribunal every knee must bow and by bowing of every knee he proves that we must all stand before the tribunal of Christ therefore Christ is God 7. Arg. Divine service is only due to God Deut. 6.13 repeated by Christ Mat. 4.10 Inward and outward service which is absolute illimited and universal is to be performed only unto God But this honour is due to Christ as he is the great Lord whom even the greatest Kings are bound to serve Dan. 7.14 Psal. 2.10 11 12. and this was foretold Psal. 72.11 All Kings shall fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him Hence also Luke 19.27 and John 12.29 Yea the holy Angels are bound to serve him Dan. 7.10 Heb. 1.6 therefore he is God 8. Arg. The maker of heaven and earth and all things in them is the true God But Jesus Christ is the maker of heaven and earth c. therefore he is the true God Gen. 1.1 Isa. 48.12 Exod. 20.11 Jer. 10.11 12. Now that Christ is the maker of heaven and earth is proved Joh. 1.13 All things were made by him and ver 10. there was nothing that was not made by him Col. 1.16 All things were made by Christ things visible and invisible c. 9. Arg. He that is the preserver of all things is God But Christ is the preserver of all things therefore he is God For preservation is a work equivalent to the creation Neh. 9.5 without him all things would fall back to nothing Rom. 11.36 Of him and for him and to him are all things Now that this conservation is the work of our Lord Christ appears Heb. 1.2 3. and 6.5 and 2.5 Col. 1.17 with v. 15 16. Joh. 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work 10. Arg. Infallible knowledge and prediction of future events which are meerly contingent and which in nature have no reason at all of their futurition is an argument of the Deity What is more contingent then to know our thoughts afar off but so doth God Ps. 139.2 Act. 15.18 Now that this is peculiar to God only appears Isa. 41.23 Hence he is called a God of Knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 and infinite in understanding Psal. 147.5 But our Saviour Christ foreknew and foretold things to come Luk. 22.8 Mar. 2.8 Joh. 24.25 therefore he is God 11. Arg. He that works miracles by his own power is God But Christ wrought miracles by his own power therefore he is God Now that miracles are Gods royal prerogative appears Psal. 78.17 the Lord above doth wondrous works This is implied 2 Kin. 5.7 am I a God to kill and make alive That Christ wrought miracles when and where he pleased appears in very many instances the Apostles could not do so as appears Act. 8.28 2 Tim. 4.20 they could not raise their
he hath hereby dignified and raised our natures above the Angels Oh what a mercy is this that the great God of heaven and earth should take dust into the unity of his person and marry such a poor nature as ours is Secondly for the great God of heauen and earth before whom the Angels cover their faces the mountains tremble and the earth quakes to take our flesh to save sinful man to free him from such misery and enemies and then to advance him to so great happinesse this indeed is admirable Thirdly hereby we are made one with God shall God then be God with us in our nature in heaven and shall we defile our natures that God hath so dignified shall we live like beasts whom God hath raised above Angels c. Fourthly as he hath thus advanced our natures so he hath put all the riches of grace into our nature in Christ and this for our good Fifthly our nature being ingraffed into the God-head therefore what was done in our nature was of wonderful extention force and dignity which answers all objections As 1. Object How could the death of one man satisfie for many millions Answ. Because it was the death of Christ whose humane nature was graffed into the second person in the Trinity and being but one person what the humane nature did or suffered God did it Quest. But how doth friendship between God and us arise from hence Answ. First because sinne which caused the division is hereby taken away and sinne being taken away God is mercy it selfe and mercy will have a current Secondly Christ is a fit person to knit God and us together because our nature is pure in Christ and therefore in Christ God loves us Thirdly Christ being our head of influence conveyeth the same spirit that is in him to all his members and by that Spirit by little and little purges his Church and makes her fit for communion with himself making us partakers of the Divine nature Quest. How shall we know that we have any ground of comfort in this Emanuel Answ. We may know that we have benefit by the first coming of Emanuel if we have a serious desire of his second coming and to be with him where he is If as he came to us in love we desire to be with him in his Ordinances as much as may be and in humble resignation at the houre of death desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ praying Come Lord Jesus Revel 22.20 Secondly whereas he took our nature upon him that he might take our persons to make up mystical Christ he married our nature to marry our persons this is a ground of comfort that our persons shall be near Christ as well as our nature For as Christ hath two natures in one person so many persons make up one mystical Christ the wife is not nearer the husband the members are not nearer the head the building is not nearer the foundation then Christ and his Church are near one another which affords comfort in that 1. As he sanctified his naturall body by the Holy Ghost so he will sanctifie us by the same Spirit there being the same Spirit in the Head and members 2. As he loves his natural body so as never to lay it aside to eternity so he loves his mystical body in some sort more for he gave his natural body to death for his mystical body therefore he will never lay aside his Church nor any member of it 3. As he rose to glory in his natural body and ascended to heaven so he will raise his mystical body that it shall ascend as he ascended Doctor Sibs his Emanuel 4. Christ being in heaven and having all authority put into his hands Psal. 2.9 10. he will not suffer any member of his body to suffer more then is fit Object If all the power that Christ hath be given him as it is John 17.2 then he is Deus constitutus Deus creatus datus not Deus natus made and created God how then can he be of the same nature with God who hath all he hath given him in time Answ. First If Christ speaks there of his Divine Nature then though not as God yet as the second Person he is of the Father and so not in time but from all eternity he had all those divine properties communicated to him for he is therefore called the Son because begotten of the Father Secondly if the Text speak not of this Nature but the Office or reward rather of his Mediatorship then that Power and glory which is here said to be given him may well be understood of that Mediatory power and honour which God vouchsafed to him and though by reason of the personal union all honour and glory was due to him yet God had so ordered it that he should not have the manifestation of it till he had suffered and run through the whole course of his active and passive obedience In Scripture language aliquid dicitur fieri quando incipit patefieri a thing is said to be done when it manifesteth it self as Act. 13.33 This day have I begotten thee speaking of Christs resurrection because he was then truly manifested to be the Son of God Quest. Wherein consists the power of Christ Answ. First In that its universal in Heaven Earth and Hell Phil. 2. 10 11. Secondly That though he hath all power yet the administration of it is by his Spirit which therefore is called the Spirit of Christ. Hence Joh. 15.26 Thirdly That this power of Christ extends not only to the bodies and externals of men but it reacheth to their hearts and consciences also By it their mindes are enlightened their hearts changed their lusts subdued and they are made new creatures whence Christ saith He is the way the truth and the life Joh. 14.6 Fourthly As its the heart of man that this power of Christ reacheth to so the main and chief effects of this power are spiritual and such as tend to salvation as to give Faith and Repentance to men Joh. 12.32 To save that which was lost to dissolve the works of the Divel c. Fifthly This power of Christ must needs be infinite if we consider the ends for which it was given him For it s to gather and save a people out of the world to justifie their persons to sanctifie their natures and to judge all men at the last day But he cannot judge all mens lives yea and their secret sins without infinite knowledge and though Christs humane Nature be not capable of infinity and omnisciency yet the person that is the Judge must be so qualified Sixthly His power is arbitrary in the use of it He opens own mans heart and leaves another shut He cures one blind eye and leaves another in darkness Matt. 11.27 Quest. What are the remarkable particulars wherein Christs dominion over all flesh especially the Church doth appear Answ. First in appointing a Ministery for the conversion and saving
and joy Isa. 54.7 1 Sam. 12.22 Lam. 3.31 32. Psal. 94.19 God is an everlasting Father Isa. 9.6 So David assures himself Psal. 31.22 See more such promises Mich. 7.19 Joh. 14.18 and 16.22 Isa. 57.16.19 Phil. 4.7 Iob 34.29 Psal. 85.8 and 38.5 11 12. and 97.11 and 126.5 Matth. 5.4 Joh. 16.20 22. Acts 2.28 8. Set before them and apply to them two things 1. That grace may be hid for a time in the heart like sparks of fire in the ashes there is a difference between the being of a thing in it self and the discovery thereof to us As many things seem to be which are not so somethings are which seem not and that 1. Because the seed of God remains in them 1 Joh. 3.9 Grace may be to seek sometimes when we have occasion to use it but it can never be lost 2. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 God doth not give them and take them away againe from his servants 3. The perpetuity of grace is founded upon the immutability of God and his free love and good will so that as he is ever the same in his affection to them so he will continue them to be ever in the same relation to him Heb. 13.8 John 13.1 4. Both they and the grace of God in them are kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 none is able to pluck grace out of them no more then to pluck them out of Gods hand Joh. 10.28 29. 5. The golden chain of salvation cannot be broken and all the links in it are inseparable Rom. 8.30 Perswade such poor souls that grace hath its seasons of hiding it self and of appearing as the Sun hath his time of setting and rising and to conclude the non-existence of grace from the not appearing of it is all one as to say the Sun will never rise because it s set Perswade them to deferre passing sentence upon themselves till they be in a calme estate and capacity of making a right judgement of themselves Whilest their spirits are in a perplexed estate perswade them to hearken to the counsel of Christian friends who at such a time can better judge of them then they of themselves 2. That desire of grace is grace and that 1. Because true desires have the nature and truth of grace in them though in a small measure as there is true fire in a spark true water in a drop the least of any thing partakes of the nature of the whole 2. Desires are the seeds and beginnings of grace in the soul out of which grace grows to its full measure and stature as corn sowen in the earth So desires are grace in the seed Habits are grace in the blade Acts are grace in the ear and perfect works are full corn in the eare 3. Good desires are accepted and rewarded by God as well as deeds yea for deeds when power to actuate them is wanting 2 Cor. 8.12 God estimates his people rather according to their affections then actions as 1 King 8.18 with 2 Sam. 11.7 so in Abraham Gen. 22 1â— 16. and the poor widow Mar. 12.42 c. therefore Gods servants have pleaded their wills and desires before God rather then their deeds as Nehemiah chap. 1.11 David Psal. 38.9 and Paul Rom. 7.16 to 21. 4. Good desires are the work of God in us as well as deeds Phil. 2 1â— and he will perfect them in us Phil. 1.6 God doth not his work by the halves 1 Sam. 3.12 Psal. 138.8 Christ is the authour of our Faith in desires after it Heb. 12.2 they are the smoke of the flax which Christ will not quench Matth. 12.20 5. God hath made many promises to desires 1. Of acceptation 2 Cor. 8.12 2. Of supply and satisfaction Psal. 145.19 God stirs up desires for this end that he may satisfie them 3. Of blessednesse Mat. 5.6 4. Of water of life and of the spirit John 7.37 39. 5. Of spiritual wine and milk Isa. 55.1 2. Luke 1.53 Object But how shall we know that our desires are true and such to whom these promises do belong Answ. First by the root For true desires of Christ and grace do spring and grow 1. From an heart humbled before God in the sight of its sinne and misery of its own vilenesse and unworthiness Hence Psal. 10.17 2. From a soul sensible of its spiritual necessities as of Christ grace the things that accompany salvation pardon of sin power over it c. 3. From a minde enlightned to see as the want so the worth and necessity of these things Secondly by the fruits or effects True desires put forth serious and sutable endeavours in the use of means to obtain the things desired So Ps. 27.4 they will watch daily at wisdoms gates Prov. 8.34 Thirdly by the properties of them which are foure 1. They are sincere and that 1. For ground when they are carried out after Christ and spiritual things as well for their sakes as for our own 2. For ends when desires have spiritual aims as the mark they shoot at viz. to make us humble obedient serviceable conformable to Christ and acceptable to God through Christ. 2. They are stirring vigorous and vehement for temper and measure therefore called hungring and thirsting So Psal. 42.1 and they must needs be so because they proceed from the bottome of the heart and from the whole soul Isa. 26.18 such shall finde God Jer. 29 13. now the strength of holy desires appears 1. In preferring spirituals before temporals Christ and Grace before Riches Honours c. in being willing to part with any thing to get Christ. To sell all to buy him Luke 18.18 22 23. 2. In exceeding all other desires in us in heat and height and in swallowing up all desires after earthly things 3. True desires are seasonable for time whilest the things desired may be obtained they will seek God early Indeed true desires are never too late yet late desires are seldome true as we see in Esau and the five foolish Virgins Matth. 25.1 c 4. They are constant for duration not by fits and starts when stirred upon some special Emergencies or occasions they are restlesse till they are satisfied Psal. 119.20 and 143.6 In the next place First Caution them against four evils to take heed 1. That the do not dishonour God in the time of their desertions by unworthy thoughts of him or hard speeches against him by murmuring at him or quarreling with his dispensations This was the Psalmists fault Psal. 77.2 7 8. but he checks himself for it ver 10. the contrary was Jobs commendation Job 1.22 with 2.10 2. That they do not destroy their own souls either 1. By denying what God hath done for them in the beginnings of grace saying that they are reprobates c. whereby they beare false witnesse 1. Against themselves which is unnatural 2. Against the grace of God and against the God of grace which is most