MAGNA CHARTA Ecclesiae Universalis THE Grand Charter Issued out and Granted by JESUS CHRIST FOR THE Plantation of the Christian Faith In all NATIONS Registred and Enrolled Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Chosen for the subject of the ensuing Discourse By GEORGE LAWSON Rector of More in the County of Salop. The Second Edition Corrected LONDON Printed by T. M. for Jeremiah Lawson And are to be sold by Tho. Newborough at the Star in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1686. IMPRIMATUR Caroulus Alston R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. Ã Sacris Martii 22. 1685 6 THE PREFACE THough it be no ways needful to usher in this little Treatise with a Preface or Epistle yet I will premise a few things concerning the occasion matter method use and end thereof When I considered the multitudes amongst us who profess their Faith in Christ own the name of Christian and seem to glory in that title and yet are ignorant not only of the original and ground of Christianity but of the very first Principles and Rudiments of Religion and also highly guilty of the breach of that Covenant whereby they solemnly in the sight of men and Angels bound themselves to be loyal and obedient unto Christ their Saviour I thought it might be a service acceptable to God and profitable unto the Church to mind them of their sin and give them some directions with an exhortation to amend betimes that so they may avert Gods judgments and escape the wrath to come therefore I took occasion to single out this Text compose this brief Treatise submit it to the judgment of the Church and upon approbation make it publick And first I bring the Reader into the sacred Arches where the Monuments of eternal saving truth are kept and shew him the very place where the grand Charter of our profession is enroled for we find it in the words of our blessed Saviour related by the Evangelist St. Mat. ch 28. v. 18 19 20. Where we have a commission issued out from Christ to his Apostles and Successors and the same grounded upon a far higher Patent whereby all power in heaven and earth is derived immediately from his heavenly Father and given unto him And seeing as Tertullian observes we receive our Christian Religion and Faith from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God it must needs be from heaven and here we should take special notice of and admire the excellent wisdom of Christ our Lord and Saviour as far above all the wisdom of men and Angels who could in so few words and in such excellent order contract so many high mysteries and matters of greatest weight and concernment for here ' in a very narrow compass we may find the Credenda all the Articles of our Faith and the Agenda all the commands of Christ Here we have the original Creed and perfect form of Confession which was the ground of all the ancient and Apostolical Creeds here we have the sum and substance of all that excellent Doctrine which is dispersed here and there through all the Books of Moses the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles Here we have the institution of sacred Orders for the dispensation of Word and Sacraments and the application of the benefits of Redemption Here we have the institution of Baptism with a certain form of words the Eucharist and Prayer as parts of Divine Worship are to be reckon'd amongst the commandments of Christ So that here is a Rule of Faith of Obedience of Worship and something of Discipline implied All these things I make clear then proceed to say something of that form of Confession we call The Apostles Creed and of the principal points of Scripture in order to the same teach the Reader how to refer the several parts and passages of Scripture unto the general heads of the Creed and reduce the matters of Faith into a form of a larger Confession This I conceived a ready way to understand the publick Catechism so much despised by many to improve our knowledge of the Word of God and of the particulars of that Faith which by our Baptism we are bound to hold and profess unto the end After this I go on to the Agenda the Commandments of Christ and shew how they are in several parts of Scripture contracted how all are performed in Love give a more full explication of the moral Law which is to be understood Evangelically as including Repentance and Faith in Christ and then bring them into the form of a Vow that so we may have a more explicite knowledge of the last part of our promise made to God in Baptism be more sensible of our obligation and more careful of performance and obedience formerly urged upon most effectual reasons Amongst the Agenda I reckon the Sacraments and Prayer and after I have declared the nature end and use of the Sacraments from the Institution I single out that Prayer of Prayers the pattern of all our Devotions which is commonly called the Lords Prayer and having explained it in all the parts I reduce the particulars into a larger form of Prayer The former makes it clear how comprehensive and methodical it is as being a wonderful abridgment of all Scripture Prayers the latter teacheth us how to reduce all the parts of our publick Prayers unto the heads thereof and to enlarge upon them in our private Devotions Something 's in my Theopolitica are here repeated yet they are but few and are here improved handled there more largely here more briefly there in one manner here in another and for another use and immediate end Here I single out a certain Text and confine my self unto it and fit it to the capacity of the common sort and weaker Christians for whom it was principally intended I further conceived that many who will not meddle with a greater Volume may yet buy a lesser Book or Manual such as this is and read it through Now if after these and many other helps we continue ignorant or if not ignorant yet impenitent we shall render our selves highly guilty of Rebellion against Christ's Power of Disobedience to his Commands and of perfidious violation of the Covenant of God but if we diligently use the means and exercise the power God hath given us and pray continually for Grace there is comfort and hope of mercy for here we have a promise That Christ will be present with the Church unto the end and assist us with his blessed Spirit to whom with the Father and the Son be given all Glory Honour Praise and Thanks for ever and ever Amen Matthew 28. 18 19 20. And came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you annd loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the
world Amen CHAP. I. Of Christ's Universal Power Section 1 THese are the words of our blessed Saviour which he spake unto his Apostles and Disciples when after his Resurrection he was ready to ascend into Heaven for they pre-suppose Man's Sin Christ's Suffering and his Resurrection Man by sin had made himself miserable and liable to temporal and eternal death yet God was willing to deliver him Sin and Satan cast him down yet God in his abundant mercy was pleased to raise him up again The way which his eternal Wisdom had contrived to effect this great deliverance was strange wonderful his only begotten Son even that word which was God and by which he made the world must be made flesh and assume the nature of man and in that nature must take upon him the form of a servant be obedient unto death the death of the Cross rise again and be advanced to the highest pitch of glory so that the means of mans salvation are the humiliation and exaltation of the Son of God By his humiliation and sacrifice of himself he expiates mans sin satisfies Divine Justice and merits all mercies and blessings necessary for the full and eternal happiness of man By his exaltation he makes his sufferings effectual and communicates the benefits he had merited for we read That he was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. To be delivered for our offences was his humiliation unto death for our sins to render them pardonable To be raised again for our justification was his exaltation for the obtaining of actual remission his humiliation begins his exaltation consummates our salvation For being advanced to the right hand of his Father he sends down the Holy Ghost reveals the Gospel causeth it to be preached to all Nations and by his Word and Spirit converts man and plants the heavenly vertue of Faith in his heart and upon Conversion and Faith makes intercession in Heaven and procures his actual pardon reconciliation with his God and in the end the enjoyment of eternal glory so that without his humiliation man is not savable and without his exaltation he is not actually saved And thus we must understand that of the same Apostle For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. where we must observe That the death of Christ is his humiliation his life is his exaltation 2. That reconciliation is ascribed to his death salvation to his life For the Death and Blood of Christ was the propitiation for our sins and the foundation of our reconciliation the life and exaltation of Christ by his Word and Spirit converting us and making intercession for us is the cause of actual salvation Sect. 2. As in the two former Chapters we may read of Christs suffering death and humiliation whereby he mirited incomparable mercies and blessings so in this we read of his resurrection and the manner how he will apply and communicate his blessings and that is by a commission and power received and a commission and power given for the subject of the words are a two-fold commission The first granted by God to Christ The second by Christ to his Apostles These agree in some things differ in others 1. They agree as commissions giving great power 2. As expressing an unspeakable love unto and a tender care of sinful man 3 As issuing from the supream and universal Lord. 4. As tending to the same end mans eternal salvation yet they differ in these things 1. The former commission is granted by God immediately to Christ the latter is granted from God by Christ unto the Apostles 2. The former is the cause of the latter the latter an effect of the former 3. By the former Christ receives an universal power in heaven and earth and by the latter the Apostles receive only a limited power on earth Sect. 3. I will not say much of the first commission expressed in these words Ver. 18. All power in heaven and earth is given unto me Wherein he signifies that he had large power and it was given him where we must consider 1. Power given 2. The party to whom it was given 3. The donor or the Donation of it from the Donour In the power we may observe 1. The nature and quality of it 2. The measure of it 1. For the nature and quality of it it is spiritual and divine for Christ said My kingdom is not of this world John 18. 36. That is it s no secular power like that of the Princes of the world it s far more excellent and above it in respect of the subjects the laws the judgments the end thereof The subjects besides Angels are men considered in a spiritual notion and as capable of an eternal estate The Laws also are spiritual and bind not only Angels but the immortal souls and consciences of men Such are the judgments which determine and accord not only temporal but eternal punishments and rewards The end in respect of all loyal and obedient subjects is eternal peace and felicity for God gave Christ power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as he had given him John 17. 2. 2. The measure of this power is extensive and intensive Extensive in respect of the territory which is very large even the whole world whereof there be two parts heaven and earth so that it extends to all places and all things and so is universal yet the principal subjects are Angels in heaven and men on earth both intellectual and immortal creatures Intensive for its all power one may have some power or all power on earth and none in heaven or some or all power in heaven and none on earth but this is all power in heaven all power on earth all power on both so that Christ is over all persons in all causes supream Governour without any created superiour without any competitour without any partner it s all in the highest degree invested and inherent in one This is concernig the power 2. The person invested with it is Christ For all power saith he is given to me it was not given to any Angel or Angels nor to any Monarch or Monarchs of the world but to Jesus of Nazareth a man nearer to God then any of the Princes of the earth or any Principalities and Powers of heaven one more beloved of God and who had done a greater service than any other for he had humbled himself at his Fathers command so low as to be a servant and a servant obedient unto the death of the Cross therefore he and none other was thus highly exalted and received a name above every name 3. The Donour was God the Father As none but Christ was capable none was worthy of this transcendent power according to that universal acknowledgment of Saints and Angels Rev. 5 10. The Lamb slain
was worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing And as he was only worthy so God his Father alone was able to give so great power for it was given which implies that Christ as man had it not of himself it was not an original and primitive but a delegate and derivative power 2. He was no usurper he did not glorifie himself he had a fair and clear title by donation from the universal supream and eternal Soveraign who might justly dispose of it as he pleased he was decreed to this place from of old designed to it from his Birth and Conception and began to act in it after his Baptism But upon his resurrection he was declared more solemnly to be King and Priest The words of the decree and patent were these Psal. 2. 7 8. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee for then God set him his King upon his holy hill of Zion gave him the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession And as by these words he was made King so by the same he was made Priest for so we read Heb. 5. 5. He glorified not himself nor took upon him to be high Priest but he was made such by him who said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee This day is the day of resurrection and for God to beget him that day was not only to raise him from the dead but to create him universal King and Priest When he was ascended into heaven he was set at the right hand of God took more full possession of his Kingdom and by oath was confirmed an eternal Priest and from that time began to exercise his universal power to command the Angels and to rule over men Sect. 3. The end wby Christ signified unto them the receiving of this power was 1. To let them know that now in part he had received his glorious reward for his deep humiliation and great service performed upon the Cross and the time of his full glorification was at hand and that suffering was the way to glory 2. That he had full power to grant them a large commission and therefore as his Father sent him so he sends them and as he could so he would make good whatsoever they did according to this patent for upon this universal power received by Christ depends the ministry of the Gospel and the efficacy of Word and Sacraments which must continue unto the worlds end and by vertue thereof the Apostles and their successours shut and open the gates of heaven and what they bind or loose on earth is ratified in heaven and this is the great comfort to the universal Church and especially to the Ministers thereof that the blessed Lord and Saviour who hath made so many and great promises is enabled by this great power to make them all good Chap. 2. Ver. 19. Of Christs mandate Sect. 1. NOw follows the second commission granted by Christ unto his Apostles wherein we have the institution of the Ministry for the dispensation of Word and Sacraments tending to the conversion edification and eternal salvation of sinful man and in the text with the words following three things are observable 1. The party granting the commission 2. The parties to whom it s granted 3. The parts of it 1. The party granting it is Christ as risen from the dead having received all power in heaven and earth and ready to ascend into heaven that he might send down the Holy Ghost to enable the persons commissioned more fully to discharge their trust 2. The parties to whom it was granted were first the Apostles and in them all Ministers lawfully called to succeed them in the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments 3. The parts of the commission are two 1. A mandate 2. A promise 1. The mandate we have in these words Go teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you This mandate in respect of the matter hath four parts 1. They must go to all Nations 2. They must preach and disciple them 3. They must baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost 4. They must teach them to observe all the commandments of Christ. The promise also for the matter is twofold for Christ engageth himself unto them for 1. His presence and assistance I will be with you 2. The continuance of his presence and assistance for he will be with you to the worlds end The mandate did give them power and bound them to exercise it The promise did encourage to go on with the work and gave them hope of success The mandate bound them to Christ the promise bound Christ to them The words of the mandate and promise may be reduced to three propositions or divine axioms The 1. Christ grants a commission to the Apostles 2. In this commission â—se commands them to go disciple baptize teach all Nations 3. He promiseth certainly to be with them always unto the worlds end The 1. Christ grants a commission to the Apostles is to be handled briefly to make way for the enisung discourse A commission issuing out from some eminent power hath two effects for it 1. Gives authority and power to the party commissioned 2. Binds to exercise that power according to the instructions given This Authority and the obligation usually follow upon a Mandate for when God or higher powers command any under their power to do any thing expressed in the mandate then the party commanded hath not only power but is bound to do it when Christ therefore as universal Lord and Soveraign had signified his will and pleasure unto the Apostles and expressed what their work was this signification was not only a sufficient warrant for the dispensation of Word and Sacraments in the administration of his heavenly Kingdom but also bound to the performance of their duty And now if they do any thing specified in the mandate it must needs he valid according to the Constitution of the universal Empire and they must be indemnified as no ways guilty of presumptuous usurpation or intrusion into their Office And if they be diligent and faithful in their place and perform their duty they may make a good account and expect a reward By vertue of this mandate the Apostles received an extraordinary and all Ministers duly qualified elected approved an ordinary power And it s a great comfort and content unto a Minister when he can truly say and his conscience testifie it I did not go before I was sent and the word of the Lord came to me before I did presume to declare it to others I did not assume power before it was given me neither have I done any thing for which I have not my Masters command As Christ gave so the Apostles received this commission yet
this Chapter is to reduce the matter of these Commandments into the form of a more explicit vow that so every one that owns his Baptism may know what by vertue thereof he is more particularly bound to perform 1. I believe in one eternal infinite glorious Lord who hath by his Almighty power created Heaven and Earth and all things therein Redeemed mankind by the precious blood of his Eternal Word made flesh sanctifies his Elect people and by a Covenant of grace is become my God in Christ do renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and all false Gods and Idols and all Profane Irreligious thoughts I deny my self and wholly resign up my self unto him with all the powers and faculties of my soul and body I take him for my supreme Lord Lawgiver Judge Redeemer by Jesus Christ upon whom alone I depend for Salvation and for whom I am ready to bear the Cross and sacrifice my self at any time when called unto it He alone shall be the object of my great Love Fear Service Reverence Confidence Joy Solace and Delight To him alone I will present my Prayers Praises Thanksgiving Glory Honour as only eternally worthy of it and abhorring all Pride I will with greatest humility adore his glorious Majesty and be nothing in my self that I may be all in my God I tremble to think of Apostasie or denying my Saviour to whom I will be faithful to the end as I expect glory and life everlasting from my God by him 2. I will not make any Image or Likeness of any thing in Heaven and Earth or in the Waters under the Earth for to represent his glorious and eternal excellency and God-head but will abandon all false and base conceits and apprehensions of him and look upon him as represented in his mighty and wonderful works and his holy and most blessed word I will not bow down unto any Image or Likeness for to worship it nor perform any service unto it as though it had any Divine excellency or sanctifying power in it or were any sign of Gods special presence without his institution I renounce all Traditions Ceremonies Customs Inventions Practices of men in Religious Worship that are contrary to Gods Word or imposed and enjoyned as necessary parts of Worship I will serve and worship my God with that kind of worship which he hath instituted in the Gospel which shall be the rule according to which I will pray confess give thanks praise hear the word celebrate the Sacraments and perform all other Religious Service unto him in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ and not of Angels Saints or the blessed Virgin And this shall move me much because the Lord my God is a jealous God and will not endure Superstition in Worship the devices of men which pollute and debase his service tend unto and many times end in Idolatry which he will punish not only in the Fathers who begin it give examples to others but also in the Children unto the third and fourth Generation and will shew mercy to such as worship him with a pure Virgin love according to his institution unto a thousand Generations Both the fear and love of my God and the hope of Reward according to his gracious promises shall work much upon me 3. I will not swear vainly or falsly nor call upon my God to be a witness against my soul in affirming or denying any thing which I do not certainly know to be so as it is affirmed or denyed by me or in promising that which I know I have no power to do or no sincere intention to perform for so I should dishonour his glorious name deceive and disappoint my neighbour lose my interest in my God and bring his curse upon me for he will certainly punish and severely revenge all such iniquity I promise that when I take up the name of my God in swearing praying unto him praising of his name and in performing all other his religious service I will do it with humility reverence deliberation due preparation the sincerity of my heart that so I may be innocent before God just towards men and that my service may be accepted of him and effectually conducing to his glory I will abhor all prophane cursing all blasphemous thoughts and words against his Majesty his word and holy Institution 4. Seeing my God requires a set and determinate time to be set apart for religious worship and his more solemn service I will remember and have a special care to observe that holy rest and apply it to the performance of more holy duties converse with my God and prepare my self for that eternal sabbath and full communion with him which he hath promised and prepared to be enjoyned by his people in the place of eternal glory And seeing he hath granted mesix days for my wordly business and secular imployments I will endeavour in that time so to order and dispatch my business that I may not be distracted in his service upon that day which he hath appropriated to himself and in a peculiar manner made his own And I will have a care not only to rest and sanctifie that time in mine own person but I will command such as are under my power and use all means to cause them both to rest and sanctifie it with me And seeing according to the Gospel the first day of the week is honoured blessed hallowed by the Resurrection of my Saviour and the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon both which depends our eternal Salvation I will weekly observe and sanctifie that day in remembrance of the great benefits of Redemption by Christ and of sanctification by the Holy Ghost and of taking down the partition-wall and the shadows of Moses Law the body and substance whereof is Christ. And by the observation of this time I will renounce all Heathenism Mahometism and Judaism and testifie my self a Christian believing in Christ already come This day I will not neglect or profane by idleness or any works and so profanely mispend it to the dishonour of my God and the hindrance of my Salvation As for works of necessity of charity towards man or beast or such as tend to the sanctification of the day I will take liberty to do them according as my God hath allowed neither will I neglect those solemn times of prayer and thanksgiving appointed by Ecclesiastical and Civil Authority for the publick service of God And I shall account the free and quiet enjoyment of these holy times and the Communion of Saints to be a great blessing 5. Next unto my God I must love my Neighbour made in his image and redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and I must love him as my self These are natural Parents civil Powers and Magistrates in the State Ministers in the Church and all such as God hath set over us for our good These I promise to reverence and honour according to their excellency and dignity I will
the cause of our own eternal misery 4. If the benefit be so great and so redounds to us that we have a great part and share in it then our obligation to thankfulness is very great If we knew our own unworthiness and our woful condition the greatness of the benefit would more clearly appear and stir us up to thankfulness Therefore le ts consider these things more seriously and acknowledge the benefit with all humble thankfulness use the means of grace vouchsafed unto us and receive Christ upon those gracious terms he is offered unto us Shall God come so near to us and shall not we come near to him Shall he seek us first and we not seek him this were a grievous sin and the highest degree of ingratitude I must needs tell you that to receive a message of eternal peace from heaven and not acknowledge so great a mercy to enjoy the means of conversion and not use them to have Christ offered and resist him are the greatest sins deserve the greatest punishments make salvation impossible and damnation unavoidable Chap. 4. Of teaching all Nations and of teaching in general and the Matter to be taught and of Christian confession Sect. 1. The Second Proposition is this 1. Christ commanded the Apostles to teach all Nations AS they must go to all Nations so they must teach them except they go they cannot teach therefore this going as was formerly observed is subordinate to this work of teaching without which the former is in vain And as they were bound to the former so they were to this latter much more and the persons to whom they must go the same they must teach But for the better understanding of this Proposition we must enquire 1. What this teaching is 2. What 's the matter to be taught 1. Teaching is a communicating our knowledge to others and this done by certain outward signs and expressions which God hath appointed for that end For he hath given us the gift of speech and writing to signifie our mind unto others To teach in St. Mathew and St. Mark is to Preach which seems to be somewhat more But both imply that they were endued with certain and sufficient knowledge of such things as they must make known unto the Nations of the World and as their knowledge was certain so Christ had promised the Spirit for to guide them infallibly in their teaching and preaching whether by word or writing And there was a special reason why Christ should thus direct them for their doctrine must be the rule of Faith and practise unto the whole Church not only for a time but till time shall be no more But to teach in this place seems to be teaching with success so as to cause the persons taught to learn that is to receive their Doctrine understand it approve it be convinced of the truth of it and be converted by it so far as to be made Christians Therefore some have thought fit to turn the place thus Go and Disciple all Nations and the Persian translator so understands it For he makes this work to be a reducing of the whole World to the Religion and Faith of Jesus Christ. It s true that their Doctrine had not this success with all persons to whom it was sent For some opposed and blasphemed it some heard it and neglected it to some it was foolishness to others very offensive and a scandal but by vertue of the spirit it was to many the power of God unto Salvation This is teaching which must be not only private but publick they must Preach Preachers anciently were called amongst the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers from Heaven and also publick Officers imployed by their Soveraigns to signifie their Will and Pleasure unto their sujects Their work was to go into all parts of their Dominions and solemnly with a loud voice and sometimes with sound of Trumpet to publish their Edicts and let their subjects know their Princes mind But it its very likely the Evangelists took the expression out of the Old Testament and therein did allude to the Proclaiming of the year of Jubilee as may appear from the Prophet Esay 61. 1 2. where the word is used In respect of this act the Apostles might be truly denominated Messengers Cryers Publick Officers yet sent from Heaven and not from Earth From God and not from Men. They were eminent Officers of Christs kingdom Their works was to Proclaim and publish his Laws promise peace perswade men to Repentance and Faith and so make them Subjects unto their blessed Saviour and Redeemer This teaching both for the matter and mannor was extraordinary wonderful and plainly Divine was accompanied with the blessed spirit and wrought wonderfully upon the hearts of men and had rare effects and proved the mighty power of God unto Salvation This will be more evident from the 2. Thing which is the matter commanded to be taught which according to St. Mark is in one word the Gospel Mark 16. 15 16. Go ye unto all the World and preach the Gospel unto every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned The matter therefore in general is the Gospel in particular the Doctrine of Christ Faith Baptism and Salvation of Unbelief and Damnation According to Luke Luke 16. 46 47. its concerning Christs suffering Resurrection Repentance Faith Remission of sins In this Evangelist its the Doctrine of God the Father who made heaven and earth and so loved sinful man that he gave his only begotten Son for his salvation concerning Jesus Christ who was incarnate suffered died rose again for our Resurrection concerning the Holy Ghost by the word converting us making us capable of remission and sanctifying us to Eternal Life Sect. 2. Thus we understand what teaching and preaching is 2. What the Doctrine to be taught Now I will take the liberty to enlarge and manifest 1. That this is our Saviours Creed 2. That its the ground of the Ancient and Apostolical Creed 3. That that which is called the Apostles Creed is agreeable unto this of our Saviour 4. That it is the abridgement of the Scriptures 1. This is our Saviours Creed delivered in these words unto his Apostles as the substance of the Doctrine which they must teach and a form of Faith to be professed by all such as by Baptism are to be solemnly admitted into the number of his Disciples Not that he had not often and more at large taught the same as we may read in his Sermons and conferences related by the Evangelists I will instance in one passage of his discourse with Nicodâ—mus The words are these 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life This Text begins with God and ends with everlasting life as many confessions do And therein we may observe 1. God the Father who created the
irrecoverably lost and are delivered into chains of darkness reserved for the judgment of the great day Man received Laws both moral and positive by which he was bound to perform perfect and perpetual obedience or else to suffer death yet man being tempted by the Devil fell and by one man sin entered into the world and by sin death and death passed over all men in that all men have sinned This was the just judgment of God who cursed the Serpent and the Devil punished man and woman yet promised them a Saviour the seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head and take away his kingdom and power over mankind This was the judgment of the supream Lord whereby many of the Angels continuing obedientin the day of their great trial were confirmed in an estate of holiness and bliss the apostate wretches were condemned to eternal death and so fell as never to rise again yet man had hope of recovery because God by his infinite mercy was willing to prevent his eternal ruine I believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life This Son who is our Redeemer is that word whereby all things in Heaven and Earth even the Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions of Heaven were created who is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person This word issued out of Eternity and in fulness of time was made flesh dwelt amongst men who saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace Truth So that he is truly God and truly Man in whom conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary we have One Person Two Natures eternally distinct and inseparably united He was conceived at Nazareth bornat Bethlehem saved in Egypt from bloody Herod and brought up in the place of his conception and his very birth was matter of joy and melody to the Angels of Heaven This Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ promised of old the seed of the Woman of Abraham of David according to the flesh and was anointed with the Holy Ghost above his fellows and was made King Priest and Prophet above all other Kings Priests and Prophets that he might govern us by his Power direct and teach us by his Wisdom and sanctifie us for ever by his own Sacrifice first offered for sinful men and then pleaded in Heaven 〈…〉 s all penitent Believers I believe that Jesus Christ the Word made flesh did humble himself very low took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient unto death the death of the Cross and both in life and death did manifest his Divine excellency and glorifie his heavenly Father In the day of his humiliation he did hunger thirst fast pray weep and took upon him the infirmities of man yet without sin and was mortal His conversation was holy and spotless and was so ordered that both in life and death he was a Mirrour of all heavenly Virtues His Doctrine whereby he revealed the Mysteries of Heavens Kingdom was pure and full of profoundest Wisdom and of sovereign power to save mens souls and his words such as never man spake and were confirm'd by signs and wonders and glorious miracles by which he declared himself to be the Son of the living God He by himself his Apostles and other assistants whom he had chosen and qualified for this work began to gather Disciples and lay the foundation of his everlasting Kingdom yet notwithstanding these so many Divine excellencies he suffers many indignities from his unworthy and ungrateful Brethren whom he loved above all other People in the world though he was a Son yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered For many did not believe in him many were offended with him The ambitious covetous corrupt hypocritical High-Priests Rulers Scribes Pharisees Sadduces being discovered unto the people and by him reproved for their sins and deserted by many of the people did envy him hate him persecute him revile him blaspheme him and designed his death which they often and many ways attempted and in the end prevailed In the last night of his mortal life on earth after the eating of the Passover the institution of the Sacrament of his blessed body and blood his consolatory speech unto his Disciples his heavenly prayer he enters into the fatal place and garden where his greatest sufferings began Then upon his serious consideration and lively apprehension of the bitter Cup he was to drink and the fearful passion and tempattion now at hand he falls into a grievous and extreme Agony wherein with earnest prayers tears and loud cries he desires his heavenly Father to spare him and to let the Cup pass from him yet so that he wholly resigns himself unto his will He desires his Disciples especially three of them to watch with him and to pray for an hour yet they fail him he falls upon the ground deprecates the Cup three several times sweats drops as it were of bloud and at length an Angel was sent from heaven to comfort the Lords of Angels so deeply was he humbled so greatly was he afflicted so much was he difcomforted while he prepares himself to encounter the powers of Hell and expiate the sin of man This woful fit was no sooner passed over but he is betrayed into the hands of sinners apprehended bound brought before the Council accused condemned as a plasphemer worthy of death and so the judg of Men and Angels was judged he is hoodwink't buffeted blasphemed spit upon and most fearfully aboused and being formerly betrayed by s and now with cursing swearing and forswearing denyed by S. Peter and forsaken of all his Disciples As for this he is brought before Pilate falsly charged with heinous crimes yet justified as having done nothing worthy of death The Judge is afraid to condem him willing to release him scourgeth him and at the importuniy of his bloudy enemies he at length condems him to the cruel cursed ignominious death of the Cross and delivers him to the Souldiers who deride him abuse him torment him and lead him to the place of execution There he is stripped crucified endures open shame cruel pains revilings bitter taunts from the High-Priests the People the Malefactors crucified with him and the Souldiers yet he reviles not again nor threatens but in respect of wrong received he is silent and dumb as the sheep before the shearer prays for his enemies provides for his disconsolate Mother comforts such as do bewail him and foretells their future misery In the height of his passion he cries out such was the extremity My God my God why hast thou forsaken me commends his Spirit into his Fathers hands and so dies This suffering and death was such as never any before it never any after it like unto it So much was signified at that time when the Heavens were darkned
Earth are effected was always in the Church to sanctifie the same and prepare it for eternal Glory and when Christ was set at the right hand of God came down upon the Apostles in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues gave them power to speak in all Languages enlightned them gave them full and perfect knowledge of the Gospel endued them with all gifts and power requisite for the laying of the foundation of the Christian Religion the plantation of the Church in all Nations and did direct them in the dispensation of the Gospel that both by word and writing they might publish and declare it infallibly By this doctrine accompanied with the power of this Spirit and convey'd to the hearts of men both Jews and Gentiles were called converted sanctified and made up the body of the universal Church which is the number of all believers in all Nations a community of Saints Militant first on Earth and then Triumphant in Heaven These are the best society in the world have the greatest priviledges are the Children of God the Members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost the Candidates of Heaven the Heroes of Eternal Glory baptized by one Spirit into one body and by Baptism admitted Subjects of an everlasting Kingdom Those tho' dispersed through several parts of the world and mixed with counterfeit Christians and profane persons are justified regenerated reconciled the adopted Sons of God have a title unto eternal Life the earnest of the Spirit and the first fruits of glory are guarded by Angels beloved of God enemies to Sin Satan and the World tempted often sometimes wounded and foiled yet sin reigns not in them and in the end they attain a full and final victory They suffer Persecution and bear the Cross with patience deny themselves are constant in the Covenant nothing can separate them from the love of God all things work together for their good they increase in heavenly Virtues abound in good works rejoyce in the hope of Glory watch and pray and with sighs and groans wait for the adoption which is the redemption of the body When they depart this world they commend their spirits into their Fathers hands who sends his Angels to receive them they are with Christ and secure of the resurrection unto eternal bliss rest from their labours and their works follow them when the number of these is finished Christ will come down from Heaven in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels and shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God Then all the dead shall rise the living shall be changed and made immortal all shall be summoned appear be judged the righteous shall be justified for ever receive the glorious reward of an everlasting Kingdom be admitted into God's presence behold his glory be filled with eternal joy and made fully and for ever happy such as know not God or obeyed not the Gospel being unbelievers and unrighteous shall be sentenced to everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels shall be cast out of God's presence imprisoned in Hell where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched and shall there be tormented in soul and body continually and of their extreme misery there shall be no end These things I believe to be most certainly true and as reveal'd from Heaven confirm'd by many signs and wonders and the rare effects of this Doctrine in the conversion and consolation of many souls This Faith of my heart I profess with my mouth and according to this belief and profession I rely for everlasting life upon God the Father who loved me and the Son who gave himself for me and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies and comforts me Sect. 8. After this enlargement I return again unto the Proposition That Christ commanded the Apostles to teach or disciple all Nations and thence infer some practical conclusions in a few words and so conclude this Chapter 1. If Apostles and so all Ministers of the Gospel who take the charge of souls upon them be subject to Christ's power and bound by this command then it is their duty to teach to teach this Doctrine to teach all this Doctrine they must teach this and none other because it is the only converting saving comforting truth if they teach other it will be either unprofitable or which is worse pernicious though they teach this and yet conceal some part thereof and declare not the whole counsel of God though it may be good so far as they make use of it yet it will be insufficient and never reach the end for which it was revealed from Heaven for it 's the Gospel the whole Gospel that is the power of God unto Salvation yet it must not be taught confusedly but as it was delivered by our Saviour in a certain and exact method so it must in the same manner be dispensed by the Man of God who must not only be perspicuous that his Doctrine may be understood but also methodical that it may be remembred therefore if we will manifest our love to Christ be faithful to our trust pity poor Souls redeemeâ— by the precious blood of Christ make â— good account at the last receive a Crowâ— of Glory when the great Shepherd shalâ— appear and escape that fearful Woe anâ— Judgment which shall fall upon such as a 〈…〉 guilty of the blood of other men let â—â— teach teach this Doctrine and teach 〈…〉 thus and in this manner as Christ's Command requires and directs 2. If this be our duty then the people whom we teach are bound to receive this all this Doctrine and thus as it is taught and if ever they will be converted unto God comforted by the Spirit attain unto eternal life and not be adjudged to eternal Fire for Ignorance or Disobedience to the Gospel let them hear this Doctrine attentively learn the whole counsel of God lay it up in their hearts remember it obey it and make it the joy and delight of their hearts and the subject of their constant Meditations let them reject all other Doctrine which shall not be agreeable to this our Saviour's Creed 3. It 's a matter of perpetual Thanksgiving and it 's our Duty to acknowledge God's wonderful mercy in this respect and give all Glory and Praise unto his Name in that he hath so well provided for our Salvation For he hath not only sent his onely Son from Heaven to redeem us by his precious Blood raised him from the dead and given him all Power in Heaven and Earth but Christ having received this Power gives Commission and Command to the Apostles and their Sucâ—â—â—â—ors to teach all saving Truth hath contracted it in so few words reduced it unto so clear a method endued them with the knowledge of it bound them to teach it to all Nations in their own Language fit it for the meanest capacities raise up a continual supply of faithful Ministers to instruct
The thing petitioned for in these words 1. The will of God is sometimes his decree sometimes his command or law this will here intended is not his decree but his law the matter of the decree is something that God will do the matter of the command is something that man must do and the effect of this will once signified is the obligation of man unto obedience or upon disobedience unto punishment and by this will here is meant the Laws of God Redeemer in force under the Gospel And these Laws by some are reduced to repentance faith obedience to Gods Laws continued after our first faith and conversion and this according to the parts of the vow made in Baptism All well ordered Kingdoms have their laws which all such as will be admitted subjects or will receive protection and enjoy the priviledges of that Government must observe And so it is in the Kingdom of God Redeemer and these Laws are moral yet Evangelically understood or positive and ceremonial The moral are fundamental or superstructive The fundamental is that which requires subjection aad fealtv to the Soveraign Christ Jesus and submission to his power the superstructive are such Laws moral as are grounded upon this such are all the Commandments following the first And whereas some understand this will as well of the Executive will as the Legislative yet that 's not proper though true in some sense 2. To do this will doth presuppose that the Laws be published and that by the same the will of God be made known that none but such as are negligent or wilful may be ignorant This being presupposed 1. We must have a certain knowledge of the Will of our heavenly Father For if in every action of a man as he is a man and a rational creature knowledge be requisite and necessary much more in this obedience To do that which is commanded by God and not to know its Gods command is no obedience unto God 2. After this Will is once known there must be a free and full consent and stedfast resolution for to conform unto it and that not only because the commands of God are just and holy the doing them is pleasing unto him and beneficial unto man but for this very reason because we know them to be the commands of God 3. Because neither of these can be done except we renounce our own conceits imaginations lusts and corrupt inclinations of our own hearts therefore we must resign up our understandings to the wisdom and our own wills wholly to the Will of God 4. This doing doth not stay and rest in knowledge and good affection but must proceed to endeavours and if our power fail not to the doing prosecuting and finishing of the things commanded for our obedience should reach to the full measure of the command 5. This will is observed not only in doing good but in suffering evil and that with patience and thankfulness 6. We must submit unto the executive will of God and be content therewith even then when the works of Gods providence do cross us and seem to be contrary to his Laws For they may seem sometimes to be so though they never are so yet they may be above these Laws and beyond the reach of our understanding No man can do this will by nature except he be regenerate by grace And because our knowledge is imperfect at the first and our spiritual ability poor therefore we must improve them more and more 3. The manner how this will must be performed and the measure of our obedience is expressed by a pattern given us in heaven For we are taught to pray Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven This implies that God hath Subjects in Heaven 2. That these do his will more perfectly 3. That we must follow this Example and aim at that perfection These Subjects are not the Stars and Lights of Heaven as some do understand the words Though its true that these observe a constant regular Motion according to an order preferred in the Creation and never were Exorbitant or swerved from the rule since the beginning Only if God do command them to stand they stand or go back they go back or withhold their light they refuse to give it But these are not intelligible creatures or capable of Laws yet they may be witnesses against us confound us and make us for ever ashamed of our disobedience Therefore the words are meant of Angels which are Spirits Intellectual and most noble creatures and their proper place is Heaven and therefore styled in Scripture the Angels of Heaven Of these its written That they do Gods Commandments hearkning to the voice of his pleasure Psal. 103. 20. The perfection of their obedience is in this that they never sinned but always obeyed God from the first moment of their creation They did Gods will 1. Always and in all times 2. They did it in all things 3. They did it freely readily and with joy and delight 4. They did it in the highest degree of their perfection So that their obedience was constant universal free and perfect This example we must follow striving to attain their perfection though we cannot reach it and never rest till God hath fully sanctified us and made us perfectly Righteous and Holy as they are This pattern doth not exclude that of Sanits and Martyrs though it come short yet we have a more excellent and glorious example of Christ which is more perfect then that of theirs because they never denied themselves and bare the Cross as he did 4. In these words 1. We confess our ignorance errours blindness corruption inclination to sin aversness to good and our impotency which by nature is such that of our selves we can do nothing 2. We pray for Gods preventing regene rating co-operating assisting and consummating grace and that he would enlighten us inspire and sanctifie us so that we may clearly unsterstand and effectually do his will from our hearts aiming at his glory 3. That we would sanctifie us more and more that we may dayly improve our knowledge and Obedience 4. That he would strengthen and assist us continually that we may persevere in an universal obedience to the end This sanctifying grace we desire as merited by Christ to be given us by the Spirit according to his promise yet we do not expect it so from him as though he should do all things and we do nothing we must use the means he hath appointed exercise the power he hath given us hearken unto the Doctrine of the Gospel meditate in the same and continually pray for his assistance we must be diligent careful watchful continually depending upon him To this position we may and must refer all the prayers of Gods Saints recorded in Scripture wherein they seek of God knowledge understanding wisdom faith charity and all other heavenly vertues with the increase of them and Gods perpetual assistance and direction And though our perfection be
World loving sinful man 2. His only begotten Son given to redeem us 3. The Holy Ghost regenerating us and working Faith in us that by faith we may escape eternal death and attain eternal life For this is the true and genuine sense of these words we read of many forms of faith and confession some called Apostolical related by many of the Ancients and of the Nicene Ephesine Constantinopolitan Roman Athanasian and others yet this is before them all above them all the ground of them all immediately divine delivered by Christ himself recorded in holy Scipture and therefore no unwritten Tradition In this respect Tertullian might well say that the Apostles had the rule of Faith from Christ and Christ from God For from whom he received his power from him he received this Doctrine which he commands his Apostles to teach and all Nations to believe Sect. 3. This is the ground of the ancient and Apostolical Creed delivered by the Apostles to the Churches which they planted as by several of the first Primitive Writers we are informed For they for matter and method agree with this and in both are conformable unto it The matter of them all is God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost and the method is to begin with the Father go on with the Son and end with the Holy Ghost though not in express terms yet by consequence By which it appears they took their rise from these words 1. They begin with God the Father and under this part bring in that first great work of Creation 2. They proceed to the Son the eternal word of the Father who was made flesh and redeemed mankind created righteous and holy and faln in Adam 3. They speak of the Holy Ghost who as Tertullian expresseth it is Sanctificator fidei by whom Christ was conceived the Prophets inspired the Church comforted Divers of them conclude with the final judgment wherein Christ shall render to all such as being sanctified by the spirit do believe eternal rewards to the devil and wicked men eternal punishments where we must observe 1. That creation extends to all things for God created heaven and earth and all things therein 2. Redemption reacheth only man for Christ redeemed not the Angels nor any other creature but sinful mankind 3. Sanctification is confined to the Church and the Elect people of God So that the Spirit sanctifies not all men but the Church Christ reedeems man but not all creatures God the Father createth all things and all persons The first part of the Creed concerning one God is against all Atheists and Heathen Idolaters The second concerning the Son Jesus Christ is against all Mahumetans and Unbelieving Jews The third concerning the Holy Ghost is against all Pelagians enimies of grace and counterfeit Christians And here it is to be noted that the mystery of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost was never so clearly and distinctly made manifest as it was when the Father out of Love gave his only begotten Son and sent him into the World and when the Son and eternal word was made flesh and redeemed man and when the holy Ghost descended in the likeness of a Dove and rested upon our Saviour Jesus Christ and came upon the Apostles and sanctified believers Sect. 4. After it hath been manifested that in this Doctrine concerning God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost 1. We have Christs own Creed and 2. That this was the ground of the ancient Apostolical Creeds and Confessions it remains 3. that I say something of that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed which we find in Ruffinus with an Exposition and which is used in the Catechisms and Liturgies of the Roman and reformed Churches In this we may observe 1. That for the principal matter and method its grounded upon our Saviours Creed and exactly agrees with the ancient and primitive Confessions For therein we have three principal parts the 1. Concerning God the Father and the work of Creation of the world the 2. concerning God the Son and the work of Redemption of man the 3. concerning God the Holy Ghost and sanctification of the Church and the Elect people of God This appears by that brief contraction of it in our publick Catechism which is a prime peice in this particular of antiquity and gives great light how to understand the confession and implies that it was grounded upon our Saviours Creed 2. To understand this Creed the better we must observe 1. The object 2. The act of man about this object 1. The object is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost considered 1. In himself 2. In his works which are 1. Creation 2. Providence Providence where of there are two parts 1. Preservation 2. Ordination 1. General of all 2. Special of man especially as faln Of this special providence there be two principal branches Redemption Application Concerning the Redeemer two things are to be observable 1. Who he is 2. What 's his work 1. He is Jesus Christ who for person is the only Son of God for Natures God and man and as man he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary for Offices he is King Priest and Prophet 2. His work is that which we call Redemption whereof two parts His Humiliation His Exaltation His humiliation in that he taking upon him the form of a servant suffered under Pontious Pilate was Crucified dead and buryed descended into Hell His Exaltation in his Resurrection His Exaltation in his Ascension His Exaltation in his Session at the right hand of God His Exaltation in his Comming to Judgement The application of this Redemption hath three things considerable 1. The principal cause which is the holy Ghost by the word working Faith in us 2. The subject to which this application is made which is the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints which is the number of believers 3. The effects of this Redemption applyed Which are 1. Forgiveness of sins 2. Resurrection of the body 3. Life everlasting And here it s to be noted 1. That by the humiliation of Christ and especially the death and sacrifice of himself upom the Cross these effects and blessings were merited and in consideration of the same were promised 2. That God as loving us Redeeming us by Christ and applying this Redemption by his Spirit is the fountain and cause of salvation and eternal happiness 3. That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as considered in himself and in his works of Creation Redemption and Sanctification is the principal object of the acts of this saving faith 2. As these things are the object of our Faith and the Credenda so the act is to believe To believe is 1. To be certainly perswaded of the truth of these things as revealed by God and certainly known to be so For the ground of a divine infallible faith must be a divine Testimony known certainly to be divine 2.
is represented the universal and supreme and efficient cause of all things out of himself the Scriptures inform us of 3 things His Wisdom contriving All things His Will decreeing All things His Power effecting All things For God beholding himself and his Almighty power and knowing that he could do many great and glorious things out of himself and that nothing was impossible to him did before the foundation of the world exercise 1. His Wisdom in contriving all things he was pleased to effect 2â— His will in decreeing them according to his Wisdom 3. His power in effecting all things he had decreed In his Wisdom contriving we have the true Idea and model of all things in his Will decreeing the certain and unmoveable foundation of the future existence Thus all things being prepared before hand by the counsel of his will when he thought good he issues out of himself with his Almighty executive power and begins to effect what he had thus contrived and decreed And the works effected are two 1. Creation 2. Providence 1. Creation whereby he made and that by himself alone this vast stately magnificent and stupendious pile and Fabrick of Heaven and Earth and all the hosts thereof which in all Nations in all times and places proclaims his glory and his eternal power and Godhead The stuff and matter was nothing the workmanship most curious the work it self wonderful the beauty was pure and glorious and the order excellent and far above all expressions of the tongue of man The principal and most noble creatures amongst all the rest were Men and Angels immortal intellectual and free creatures created holy and righteous and capable of Eternity felicity when God finished this great work and saw that all every thing that he had made was very good he ceaseth from this work of Creation and kept his Sabbath which was a rest not from all working but only from this first for he did not leave his creatures to themselves but took care of all and every one and continued to work though in another kind and is working still For saith Christ Jo. 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work For he did exercise his power in preserving and ordering all things created Hence the works Of Preservation Of Ordination 1. He preserveth supporteth all things made and continues their being so long as he will have them to enjoy their being substance vertues For by him all things do subsist If he either withhold his hand or stretch out to destroy them they perish and cease to be what they were 2. Because all things were made in an excellent order and had their ends for which they were created therefore he doth not only preserve them but directs every thing unto its end The principal subject of this Ordination are Men and Angels and especially Men and in the Ordination of men the principal work of all was Redemption which God before the world did decree and in the beginning of the world upon the fall of man did promise and in fulness of time issued out of himself by his eternal word made flesh to redeem man performed And so we come unto the second part of our Saviours Creed infolded in the word Son For as we have the most glorious being of God his eternal acting upon himself with the great and excellent works of Creation and providence implyed in the word Father so we must understand by this word Son God the word made flesh redeeming sinful man In this part of providence the Scriptures inform us 1. Of the person Redeemed 2. Of the party Redeeming 3. Of the work of Redemption 1. The party redeemed is sinful man who being tempted by the Devil sinned and fell into a miserable condition yet God pitied him and entertained thoughts of his deliverance and did chuse one who was mighty to save 2. The party redeeming was the word made flesh anointed with the Holy Ghost so that for his person he was the eternal word and Son of God for his Natures nited in one person and eternally distinct which were his Godhead and his Manhood for his Offices they are three for he was made a Prophet a Priest a King who as man was coceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary This was the way whereby the word was made flesh 3. The work of Redemption which was begun in his humiliation and accomplished by his exaltation For the Scriptures tell us that it was the will of God according to the contrivance of his wisdom that his eternal Son made flesh should so humble himself in this flesh assumed as to become a servant and in that low estate be obedient unto death the death of the Cross which he suffered with greatest patience in obedience to his heavenly Fathers command for to expiate the sin of man This he did as a Priest sacrificing himself unto God the supreme Judge and by this offering he so pleased God and was so much accepted as that by his own blood he entred the holy place of heaven and obtained eternal Redemption purged the conscience from dead works and confirmed the new covenant for ever By this Bloody sacrifice of his Consecration he satisfied divine justice and merited all mercies necessary for the eternal salvation of man That this Redemption might be complete he that was humbled so low was advanced as high and the degrees of this advancement and exaltation were 1. His Resurrection 2. His Ascension into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God to exercise all power in heaven and earth till all enemies be subdued and then he shall come to the universal judgment of the quick and the dead When Christ was set at the right hand of God and confirmed in his everlasting Priesthood the Scriptures inform us that to make his sacrifice and death effectual and communicate the blessings which he thereby had merited he first sends down from heaven the holy Ghost God from the beginning and the first promise of a Redeemer issued out of Eternity to sanctifie sinful man but when the great high Priest had offered his great sacrifice and rose again and was established in his Throne at his right hand this spirit was poured out in great abundance upon all flesh reveals the Gospel makes it effectual upon the hearts of men converts them by faith ingrafts them into Christ upon his intercession regenerates them sanctifies adopts them raiseth them up at the last day makes them fully holy and fills them with eternal joy before the face and Throne of God for ever All this is to be understood in the last word of this Creed the Holy Ghost who is thus represented to us in the Scriptures of God Sect. 3. Yet here it s to be observed 1. That though Creation and Providence be attributed and as it were appropriated unto the Father yet the Father doth neither create nor preserve nor govern the world but by the Son by the Holy Ghost 2. That
though the work of Redemption be appropriated to the Son and the word made flesh yet this work also was from the Father by the Son and not without the Holy Ghost to whom the Conception and Incarnation of Christ is ascribed 3. That though Sanctification and the eternal glorification of sinful man redeemed be appropriated to the Spirit yet this work also is from the Father and the Son both doing this by the Spirit The order of their working is evident the distinct manner is hidden and more Mysterious 4. The beginning of mans salvation is from the love of the Father giving Christê° the progress is in the Son given and made flesh the consummation is by the holy Ghost sanctifying man redeemed 5. If man had not been created he had never been if he had been created and then faln and not been redeemed he had been for ever miserable if he had been redeemed and not sanctified Redemption had been in vain to him and his eternal ruine hand been unavoidable This is the pith and marrow of the Scriptures as they who read them with due consideration may understand and the whole summe and substance of it is wonderfully abridged secretly couched and methodically disposed in these few words of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Sect. 4. Yet to make this more Clear I will proceed to the reducing of the principal Doctrines of the Scriptures unto these several heads of the Creed To this end I will 1. Take my Topicks disposed in a certain order out of the Creed 2. Inform you what places of Scripture must be referred to these heads and Topicks The general heads and Topicks according to this our Saviours Creed are three 1. Concerning the Father 2. Concerning the Son 3. Concerning the Holy Ghost The more particular Heads of the first part are 1. Gods Essence 2. Gods Subsistence 3. His Efficiency 1. To the first of these we must refer all those Scriptures which speak of Gods perfections and attributes representing this most excellent and perfect being as his unity infiniteness immensity eternity his infinite and eternal knowledge wisdom goodness holiness justice mercy power glory bliss 2. To the Subsistence must be referred such as speak of his eminent and wonderful acting upon himself as knowing himself loving himself delighting in himself of the Father begetting the Son who is the word and brightness of his glory the express image of his person produced and begotten from everlasting of the holy spirit breathed and proceeding from the Father and the Son and therefore called the spirit of the Father and the Son of their being one God of their union and inexistence whereby the Father is in the Son the Son in the Father both in the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost in both and infinitely contented one with another 3. Under efficiency we must bring in the exercise of his Wisdom Will and Power in the Creation of all things Preservation of all things Ordination of all things To the exercise of his Wisdom we must refer such places as speak of his excellent and wonderful contriving and ordering all things within himself to that concerning the acts of his will such as speak of his thoughts purposes decrees and amongst these decrees those especially of Election and Reprobation whereby he predestinated and ordered in himself according to his free-will yet in justice and mercy Men and Angels to their eternal estates to that of the exercise of his power such as speak of his mighty strength according to which all things are possible unto him nothing impossible 4. These began to be exercised first in Creation to which refer all such places as speak of the first beginning and effecting of these things in the first six days of the world the order according to which the end for which they were made the several kinds of creatures their variety their nature properties and perfections their unity whereby they make one body and systeme of the world consisting of two cheif places Heaven and Earth with all their ornaments and the hosts of them such as speak of the attributes and perfections manifested in this work of the good will and pleasure of God which moved God to make the world of the power of God acquired unto himself thereby of the subjection of all things created unto him and their dependance upon him of the use men must make of the doctrine of this creation which is to know God by the things made and to worship him But we must take more notice of such places as speak of the creation nature qualities place function imployment of Angels and most especially such as inform us of the making of man of his body soul and union of both the sex the image of God in him his excellency and dominion over the creatures the place prepared for his habitation and his imployment of the creation of woman the institution of marriage and all other things which did agree or belong unto men and Angels by vertue of their creation 5. To that Head of preservation we must reduce all such Scriptures as speak of Gods supporting upholding maintaining and continuing all things created in their being of the means which he useth to that end and the ordinary and extraordinary mediate and immediate ways he taketh in this work how all things live move and have their being in him who is in all creatures in all places providing all things necessary for the continuance of their exsistence of deliverance of his creatures from destruction by preventing danger or removing destructive causes The places which speak of wasting consuming destroying man beast or any other creature either in some ordinary or extraordinary way by powerful or by weak and inconsiderable causes or by withdrawing his hand 6. Under that Head of Ordination come such Scriptures as speak of the order wherein God created all things their ends and his disposing and directing every thing to his proper end and all to the supreme and last of the subordination of creatures and their several ends to which they tend of the changing of this order by his extraordinary power and wisdom when and how he pleaseth 7. In this respect the Sea doth not pass his bounds the Stars and Lights of heaven observe their order in their motion and do that service for which he made them and all and every creature are at his command and beck to effect what he requireth and so subject all things are unto him that when he pleaseth they must change their wonted order the Sun must stand still go back deny his light the fire must not burn nor the waters come together but must stand firm like a solid body The Scriptures inform us that this part of providence extends to all things the least to the falling of a sparrow upon the ground to the numbering of the very hairs of our heads But chiefly to this Head must we refer such places as speak of the government of Men and Angels of Laws
Obedience Disobedience Punishments and Rewards of the obedience of the blessed Angels and their Confirmation in a state of holiness and bliss of the fall of the rest and the wrath of God upon them and their irrecoverable misery Sect. 5. The second general Head and Topick iâ— that of the Son who redeems us The particulars considerable under this Heaâ— are 1. The party Redeemed 2. The Redeemer 3. The work of Redemption 1. To that of the party redeemed which is man as sinful and guilty we may reduce such places as inform us of the first Laws both Moral and Positive which God gave man upon his creation of mans obedience and comfortable condition and his hope of future happiness of the fall and first sin of man of Satans temptation and temptation and sin in general what it is what the aggravations or attenuations thereof what the consequents especially shame fear guilt punishment of the derivation of sin and death unto all mankind from Adam the root and head of all his posterity and of the sad condition of man in respect of the first sin upon which an inevitable ruine had followed if God had not prevented it 2. The Redeemer and hither refer such places as speak how God decreed and promised a Redeemer and Saviour and all the Prophesies Predictions Types Shadows of him such as inform us of his person as he is the eternal Word and Son of God of his God-head Manhood united and the eternal distinction of both of his Offices Sacerdotal Prophetical Regal of his Conception Birth Life of his Doctrine Miracles holy life and excellent vertues and the whole history of the same as delivered by the Evangelists 3. His work of Redemption which hath two parts Humiliation Exaltation In his Humiliation we have his low estate suffering To that of his low estate may be reduced the Scriptures which speak of the poverty and meanness of his Birth as he was born in stable and laid in a manger of the poverty and mean condition of his Parents his Circumcision Presentation in the Temple his Infirmities as Hunger Thirst Weariniss and the like which were without sin and his mortality To that of his suffering refer the Texts concerning his Persecutions dangers from the Contempt malice envy jealousie of Herod first then of the Pharisees Scribes Priests Rulers of the Jews of his Agony Judas treachery Peters denial and principally such as represent unto us his death upon the Cross and his continuing under the power of death for a time and in these sufferings of his Pains Cries Tears Complaints and inward sorrows of his Meekness Patience Humility Charity Hope of glory Considence in his Father of his obedience to the great command to suffer so many indigninities such shame and curse that by his death he might make propitiation for the sin of man and such as speak of this death as a sacrifice propitiatory offered unto God as supreme Judge offended by our sins and that out of dearest love unto us and a longing desire to save us of the eternal vertue and efficacy of the sacrifice so highly accepted of God and the rare effects of the same both mediate and immediate of the prodigies which fell out in the time of his passion and at his death of the Prophesies fulfilled in this humilitation even to the casting lots upon his seamless Coat the piercing of his side and the not breaking of a bone His exaltation follows in his Resurrection Ascension Session at the right hand of God Coming to judgment To this Head of Resurrection may be reduced such Texts as spake of the Prodigies falling out near unto the same the distinct time the manner the manifestation of it the persons to whom the time where the places where he was manifested his abode upon earth for forty days his converse with his Disciples his instruction given his commission granted to the Apostles who saw him The use which is to be made of this Doctrine to that of his Ascension may be reduced such places as speak of the time when of the places from which and to which he ascended the persons both Men and Angels who beheld it of the end of this part of this exaltatioâ— which was to be confirmed in his everlasting Kingdom and Priesthood and to exercise his power which he received more solemnly upon his Resurrection and to receive fulness of joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for evermore to make intercession for such aâ— come to God by him and to prepare eternal mansions for his Saints and so be fully blessed for ever To that of his sitting at the right hand of God refer those places which speak oâ— the super-eminency of his power above all men and Angels and all creatures of his being the head of the Church the administrator general of Gods spiritual kingdom of the exercise of this power and the wonderful effects thereof in heaven and earth and his abode in the place of glory and the continuance of his reign untill all enemies be subdued To that of his coming to Judgment refer such Scriptures as speak of the place from whence he comes the manner of his coming in the glory of the Father in flaming fire with the attendance of all the holy Angels the burning of the world the Archangel sounding his Trumpet the Resurrection whereby death the last enemy is destroyed the parties to be judged their summons appearance discovery of all their works even the secrets of their hearts the sentence of him the universal Judge the execution of the same in eternal punishments and rewards the delivering of the Kingdom up unto his Father Sect. 6. The third and last Head is concerning the holy Ghost in which we must observe 1. The Holy Ghost himself Vocation Justification Glorification 2. The effects of this Holy Ghost in respect of the Churches To the first reduce such places as inform us of his Divine Nature Properties perfections and the Worship due unto him of his relation to the Father and the Son of his working with them and from them of his apparitions of his resting upon Christ of the several Names and Titles given him As for the effects and works of this Spirit we must know that he with the Father and the Son is the universal cause of all things for the Father and the Son doth all things by his Spirit yet the Creed takes notice in this place only of those works and operations which tend to the eternal salvation of man The first whereof is Vocation To this Head refer all Scriptures which speak of the condition of man to be called as being blind ignorant senseless perverse guilty not thinking of any danger not desiring not seeking any remedy yet redeemed and by Redemption made saveable For Redemption found man in no capacity of salvation vocation finds the foundation of his salvation laid To this Topick also bring such places as speak of preventing grace and the
means of Conversion of the Word Sacraments Sabbaths Ministery of Information and Instruction Promises Threatnings Conmands Reproofs Exhortation good Examples Afflictions and many other things used by God in the vocation the power of the spirit accompanying these means and working upon the heart of the sight and sence of sin of godly sorrow fear hope prayers tears hearkning unto the word receiving it into the heart longing after Christ some beginning of comfort faith and conversion To this place also reduce the Scriptures which speak of the contrary as God passing by a people and denying them the means of conversion of such as to whom the means is vouchsafed yet they refuse to receive them despise them blaspheme rebel persecute Gods messengers and seek the abolition of Gods Laws and Kingdom Of such as seem to receive these means yet do not use them or if they use them yet not diligently and aright but are like to the high way the stony or the thorny ground Such places as speak of impenitency hardness of heart unbelief neglecting the day of Visitation unfruitfulness under the means of Salvation Hypocrisie Apostacy all neglect or resistence of any motives unto repentance deferring the time of conversion after conviction and falling off from any resolutions to repent or any degree of grace To that of Justification which presupposeth not only Gods mercy and Christs merit but also the sinners Repentance Conversion and sincere faith may be reduced all Scriptures which speak of Christs Intercession Remission Regeneration Reconciliation Adoption Manifestation of Gods special love hope of glory a right unto eternal life peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost freedom from condemnation removal of judgements the earnest and first fruits of the spirit abiding in us the guardance of Angels near communion with God Gods special care of the justified the turning of every thing to their good mortification of sin sanctification continued good works heavenly affections divine vertues patience and perseverance in Hearts Afflictions Persecutions Martyrdom Conflicts with sin Satan the world fastings falls recoveries increase of heavenly vertues longing desires to be with Christ watching praying providing for removal hence and the last account comfortable death conveyance into Abraham's bosom the secure expectation of the Resurrection freedom from all sin misery temptation and troubles of this life To this Head must be referred all such Scriptures as speak of the contrary as of Gods desertion after disobedience to his heavenly call withdrawing the light of the Gospel taking away his blessed spirit leaving the parties thus deserted to the power of Satan delivering them up to a reprobate mind security in sin despair terrours of conscience loss of all the former mercies and graces or rather a dinial of them exemplary judgments as forerunners of eternal destruction abiding under Gods eternal displeasure a cursed death and a reservation of the parts thus dead unto final condemnation and that sad condition till that time To the last of Glorification refer such places as speak of the universal Resurrection of the power and spirit of God raising us the manner of this Resurrection the nature and excellent qualities of the body raised as being immortal uncorruptible glorious spiritual and like the body of Christ our final Justification and glorious reward of ejoyment of the blessed presence of God and Jesus Christ our full and final Sanctification by the spirit our Society with Saints and Angels our spiritual glorious pleasant Paradice our full joys eternal pleasure unspeakable content freedom from all sin temptation sorrow songs of praise and the certainty and security of the continuance and perpetuity of full bliss Here also must come in those parts of Gods word which speak of the contrary as of the resurrection of such as are designed to eternal death upon their final impenitency of the immortality of their bodies that they may eternally suffer in body and soul their appearance before the dreadful Judge their condemnation their ejection out of Gods blessed presence into utter darkness and unquenchable fire their society with the Devil and his Angels their everlasting and intollerable sorrows and pains and the certainty of the continuance thereof without any hope of ease intermission deliverance Sect. 7. After that I have first declared the substance of the Scripture abridged in the Creed and secondly given some directions how to reduce the principal particular places of the word of God unto the heads of the Creed I now proceed to reduce the former particulars into the form of a Confession in this manner I believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost who is only One Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal infinitely and eternally Wise Just Holy Powerful Glorious and every way Perfect and perfectly knows and loves himself from everlasting and is blessed in himself unto all eternity I believe that this One Glorious God did by his wisdom contrive and by his will decree to do many things out of himself and when he thought good he issued out with his Almighty Power to effect those things which he had before contrived and first he created Heaven and Earth and all things therein and the most glorious place which he made was the Heaven of heavens and the most excellent creatures were Men and Angels intellectual immortal free capable of Laws and of an eternal estate Man for his body was created of the dust of the earth and by the breath of God became a living soul and he was sanctified by the holy Spirit endued with heavenly gifts and virtues whereby he was righteous and holy and like unto his God and capable of eternal bliss tho his present estate was not immutable he might stand he might fall When this great work was finished by his Word Spirit without any pre-existent stuff any assistant any tool or instrument he continued by his Almighty power to support and preserve all things which do subsist by that word whereby they were created at the first By creation he manifested his eternal power and God-head became the absolute surpreme and universal Lord of all things and so continues by his preservation I believe that as he preserves all things created so he orders all things preserved in such a manner as that a Sparrow falls not to the ground without his will And as he created all things in an excellent order and gave them their inclinations power moving and tending to some end so he by his wonderful Wisdom directs every thing unto its several end and all things to the supream which is the manifestation of his glory In this ordination the government of his most noble creatures Men and Angels which he orders by certain Laws and Judgements unto an eternal estate as most excellent and wonderful to both he gave certain laws which they were able to observe and upon the observation they might certainly expect a confirmation in that blessed estate for which they were created many of the Angels sinned and were
the Earth did quake the Rocks did rend the Graves were opened the Veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom to signifie that the great High-Priest having offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot was entring with his own Blood into the Holy Place of Heaven to obtain eternal Redemption and the expiation of mans sin for ever The very frame of Heaven and Earth seem'd to be shaken in the time of this great suffering men were astonished women wept many beat their breasts the Centurion who had the charge of this execution was convinced that the party executed was the Son of God Our blessed Saviour suffered this death with unparallell'd patience meekness he laid down his life willingly in obedience to his heavenly Father and out of love and a longing desire of sinful mans salvation No man could take it from him till the hour was come and he was willing to part with it because he as a Priest and general head and representative of mankind offered his life unto his heavenly Father as supreme Judge as a ransom for sinful man therefore his death was the greatest Sacrifice and the highest piece of service and obedience that ever was performed and was so highly accepted of God that it made him propitious satisfied his Justice merited his favour to sinful man made his sin pardonable and his salvation possible upon fairest terms whil'st he was by his own blood entring the sacrary of heaven his side is pierced and out of the same issue water and blood His body is taken from the Cross decently interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was laid before his soul abides for a time separate and under the power of death and his humiliation did continue till the Resurrection and by his burial he hallows the grave to all believers By this Humiliation thus finished the foundation of our eternal salvation is laid and a way prepared and opened for a passage into heavens Kingdom I believe that Jesus Christ who was thus humbled who suffered cruel pains and was delivered to death for our transgressions was raised for our justification and so to communicate the mercies merited by his death converts us and procures the actuall remission of all the sins of such as repent and believe in him and by his life saves such as he had reconciled by his death He that did rise was the very same who died upon the Cross and the same body and soul which were separated by Death were united again by Resurrection as man he was raised as God he raised himself he rose never to die again but to live for evermore The time was the third day according to the predictions and prefigurations of old and the decree of God's eternal wisdom God did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption The manner of this Resurrection was glorious God then shook the Earth sent from Heaven an Angel appearing in great glory who terrified the Guard rouls away the stone which closed up the Sepulchre and made way for Christs Disciples to come freely and see that he was not there The Graves were opened divers of the Saints raised and appear'd in the holy City Death was conquered and divers of his Captives rescued out of his hands This his Resurrection was made manifest by testimony of Angels and of divers others who saw him spake with him and were assured of it he appears unto many and that many times and especially to the eleven Apostles who saw him heard him did eat and drink with him touched him with their hands To these he unfolds the Mysteries of his Kingdom gives them commission to go into all Nations and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till they received the Holy Ghost according to the promise of his Father God by thus raising him did manifest that he had accepted his Sufferings and Death as a full propitiation of the sins of men and by saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee made him universal King and Priest fully consecrated for ever He rose as head and representative of mankind especially of his Church and became not only the pattern but the first fruits and cause of our Resurrection so that as in Adam dying all died so in Him rising we shall all be made alive first to newness of life then to eternal glory The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall raise us from the death of sin unto newness of life and raise our bodies to immortality forty days he stays on Earth to comfort his Disciples strengthen their Faith make evident his Resurrection and give orders for the administration of his future Kingdom then he ascends from Mount Olivet in a Cloud up into the Heaven of Heavens Men and Angels being witnesses according to a former Vision that one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came unto the ancient of days and that the Angels brought him peace before him He ascended that he might fulfill all things send down the Holy Ghost enjoy full joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for ever make intercession for his Saints prepare eternal blessed mansions for them raise up their thoughts and affections to that heavenly estate he had merited and prepared for them that where he is our hearts might be also and that he might receive a place at his Fathers right hand so it was prophesied of old that when the Son of man was brought before the ancient of days there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd For his Father said unto him Sit at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool and gave him a name above all names and set him far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come He was solemnly invested with a supreme universal power above all men and Angels established in his Kingdom confirmed by Oath in his everlasting Priesthood sent down the holy Ghost the Gospel the rod of his power went out of Zion he reigned in the midst of his enemies and many thousands did willingly submit unto him and his people for number were like drops of dew which fall from the womb of the morning When all things are fulfilled all enemies subdued the number of his Saints finished he will come from Heaven to determine of the final estate of men and Angels and judg both quick and dead And then he will deliver up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all I believe that the Holy Ghost which is One God with the Father and the Son and is the Spirit of the Father and the Son by whom all things in Heaven and
must be universal we must do whatsoever our Lord hath commanded us for though there may be an inequality of things commanded yet there is the same reason why we should obey one as well as another the least as well as the greatest and that is the will and command of our Saviour In this respect it 's said that he that offends in one offends in all because of the contempt of the will of the Lawgiver we must not pick and chuse to do what we please obey some and disobey other commands we must not expect from Christ any liberty indulgence toleration dispensation to transgress any of the least of Gods Laws 3. It must be constant and continued to the end for there are no days nor hours of intermission we must always be doing and we must not rest till we have finished our work that will not be till this mortal life is ended we must serve our God day and night whilst we have any being And as God did not rest till he finished his work of Creation so we must not expect our Sabbath till we have finished the work of our Salvation our obedience must be one line drawn out and continued from the first moment of our conversion to the last day of our dissolution 4. As we must be constant so we must be diligent zealous active watchful God loves not lazie servants and the work is great and difficult and we meet with many enemies much opposition and must wrestle with many difficulties which are the greater because of the Devil and the World without and the Relicks of corruption within us Therefore our Christian life is a race and a continual warfare therefore we must not only put on the complete armour of God but we must strive and fight and put forth all our power and never think of rest till we have obtained a final and ful victory And though we cannot reach yet we must aim at the perfection of Angels according to that prayer Thy will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven that is by those immortal blessed spirits who never sinned but do his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his word 5. Yet we must know that of our selves we are frail weak and without Christ we can do nothing and can do all things through Christ who strengthneth us Christ must give us his Spirit and strengthen us within and by this Spirit support us and assist us without Therefore must continually pray that according to his promise he would put his Laws in our inward parts and write them in our hearts and to do this more and more according to his promise we must not presume upon our strength but always humbly depend upon him who worketh both the will and deed of his good pleasure If he but a little desert us and withdraw his hand how suddenly may David and St. Peter fall and sin grievously 6. Yet though we may transgress and sometimes fall grievously yet we must not despair nor be secure but presently renew our repentance return unto God muster up all our power and fight and work and strive again and this with the greater force and power And this is our comfort we are not under the Law of Works which requireth perfect perpetual obedience or else threatneth certain and unavoidable death and destruction but under Grace which ministreth power and when we fall upon our repentance promiseth pardon life ane Christ will plead our Cause procure our Peace From all this it doth appear that baptized Christians must not be Soliâ—idians much less Antomonians and Lawless we must be loyal and obedient and not live like base earthly worldlings but like Citizens of Heaven for upon this condition we are admitted Subjects of an heavenly Kingdom Thus we understand that our duty is to submit to Christ our Law-giver know his Laws remember them observe them all out of Faith Love Fear with all our hearts carefully constantly depending always upon our Saviour and renewing our repentance daily For this obedience must be universal perpetual sincere free and we must obey not only in doing good but suffering evil if we be put unto it Sect. 3. By this time we know what our duty is now follows the reasons why we should perform it And lest any man should be discourag'd with the difficulty of the work or think it impossible I must first prove that it may be done It was a famous question of old Whether it be possible by Grace to observe and fulfil all the Commandmentâ— of God And it hath been determined in the affirmative that by Grace it is possible for what cannot Grace do Paul saith I can do all things A Christian hath a kind of Omnipotency in things necessary to Salvation and may truly say That these things which are impossible with men are possible with God and if God be for us who can be against us It 's true that to deny our selves to subdue our native and deeply-rooted corruptions and our sins confirm'd by custom to bear the heavy burthen of the Cross and suffer reproaches and bitter afflictions and persecutions for Christ's sake to forsake all and hate Father Mother dearest relations and life it self to offer an Isaac to rejoyce in the midst of fiery trials are very difficult things and far above the power of nature and so indeed they are Yet there is a divine power in Faith whereby all this may be done and hath been through the assistance of Christ And therefore let none of us despair but let us be assured that whil'st Christ sits at the right hand of God and his holy Spirit abideth in the Church we shall be enabled to remove Mountains subdue Sin and conquer Satan the great enemy of our Salvation Christ did never intend to bind us to impossibilities what we cannot do of our selves he will enable us to do neither did he ever require that we should observe whatsoever he hath commanded us by our own strength but as he hath merited Grace and Power for us by his Death so he will give it us by his Resurrection and then such things as are grievous to flesh and blood shall be sweet and delightsom to sanctified souls This being possible let us consider the reasons 1. We not only by God's command but also by our promise so solemnly confirmed by Baptism are bound to observe these commandments A loyal Subject will obey his Sovereigns command and will remember his Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity and an honest man will be as good as his word and promise made unto man and shall not we obey our Saviour's Laws written and confirmed with his own blood shall we promise and promise unto him and not perform shall we not only be disobedient but perfidious too and violate ouâ— sacred bonds This will make our sins most heinous and our punishment most grievous O therefore let us remember our Baptism and solemn Vows and prove faithful unto God and
submit unto their lawful power obey their just commands and give them and all others my superiours due respect according to their places If I my self be either Father or Mother or Master or Magistrate or Minister Tutor Guardian and Governour I will endeavour in these several relations to do my duty and seek the good of these that shall be under my power and committed to my charge I will not dishonour or disobey or resist and rebel against my lawful Superiours neither will I be perfidious unto them nor vex and discomfort them but so carry my self towards them as I desire my inferiours to carry themselves towards me that so my God may bless me in that place of my pilgrimage where he hath appointed me to live and sojourn on Earth For I know that upon the performance of these duties according to the promise of God the peace and welfare of Family Church and State and all other Societies do much depend and that God will curse and punish all disobedient rebellious and unthankful wretches and such as envy despise mock dishonour vex discomfort their betters 6. I will put away all wrath anger violent passion and will beware of all quarrels dissentions batteries wicked thoughts words deeds all secret plots designs and enterprises which may any ways prejudice or endanger the life limbs safety health of my Neighbour I will abhor hatred malice purposes to revenge my self and endeavor to keep my self innocent and free every way from the innocent blood of others even of mine enemies I will neither be principal or accessory either by neglect or doing any thing against any mans life The health peace safety life and blood of my Neighbour shall be as precious to me as mine own I will be patient meek loving kind peaceable ready to be reconciled forbear suffer long forgive and every lawful way seek to perserve and keep the life of my Neighbour as mine own 7. I will abhor all leud wanton unchast thoughts purposes words deeds gestures apparel books immodest company all adultery whordom fornication incest and other kinds of uncleanness And because idleness glottony drunkenness and all other kind of intemperance give advantage to the Devil to tempt us to this sin therefore I will take heed of them and all other things which may be causes and occasions of the same Marriage with me shall be honourable and the marriage bed undefiled My thoughts words deeds gestures and carriage shall be chast and seeing my body being redeemed with a price should be a member of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Ghost I will not defile and dishonour it I will endeavour chastity in body and spirit in marriage or single life I will not joyn with any other in this sin and so bring the judgments of God upon me 8. Seeing God hath made the Earth and the fulness thereof given it to the Sons of men disposeth and dispenseth of these Earthly goods as it pleaseth him maketh rich and poor and giveth to men something that is justly their own I do therefore renounce all unjust thoughts words deeds which tend unjustly to endammage and impair the estate of my Neighbour I will neither by fraud or force secretly or openly take away or detain that which is anothers right I will not be unjust to any man nor unmerciful unto the poor the fatherless the widow or any that are in need and cannot help themselves and I will endeavour to deliver them out of the hand of such as do oppress them And that I may be free from this sin of injustice I will shun idleness and prodigal courses and vain and unnecessary expences I will not be covetous and use any unlawful means to enrich my self neither will I be improvident or unbelieving orimmoderately orinordinately careful I will not be unjust or unfaithfull in my contracts commerce and dealing with other men nor carelesly waste my estate by gaming unnecessary law-suits or rash suretiship I promise to be just honest faithful in all my dealing give every man his due restore that which is unjustly taken away withhold no mans goods trusted in my hands I will rather lose then gain to the wrong and dammage of another man I will not only be just but merciful and charitable to the poor and needy and especially to the indigint and persecuted Saints of God and to them I will be liberal according to mine ability I will be careful that God the Church the State and every private person may have their due And that I be not tempted to injustice I will painfully labour in some honest way that I may maintain me and mine and will be frugal moderately sparing provident and use just and lawful means of getting and keeping a competent estate I will be content with little and trust in God for these earthly necessaries 9. God hath appointed in all Common-Wealths Courts of Judicature to relieve the oppressed right such as are wronged punish offenders and rightly judge all causes and determine all controversies And the end of all judgment is justice and one means and the same principal tending to that end is evidence which often depends upon witnesses therefore I promise neither as Party Plaintiff or Defendant nor as Witness nor Juror nor Sollicitour nor Atturney nor Advocate or Counsellour nor Judge nor Register to cause men to believe that which is false conceal the truth oppose a just cause or by forgery neglect infidelity out of malice fear favour partiality covetousness go about to hinder or pervert just judgment I will endeavour to discover the truth to oppose the unjust cause of a friend promote the just cause of an enemy or stranger I will use all means both by my self and others to do what I can to take away all needless and unjust delays help the helpless punish offenders right the innocent and endeavour to my power that justice and judgment may have a free passage and flow down like a mighty stream I will pray for just Judges and for integrity in all such as act in judicial proceedings 10. Many times it falls out that my Neighbour hath such things as I want or somthing better then I have is in a better condition then I am and in prosperity when I am in adversity and then such is or may be the corruption of my heart and self-love that I begin to envy him and covet that which is duly his and I have no right unto And out of this envy and coveting that which is another mans much wickedness if not prevented may be committed therefore I promise and vow by the help of Gods grace to mortifie and suppress betimes these envious thoughts and unjust covetings will be content with mine own estate though poor and mean I will neither envy anothers prosperity nor rejoyce in his Adversity But I will love my Neighbours as my self rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and mourn with them that mourn and will be inwardly touched with their misery I
will seek their temporal and eternal good relieve mine enemies do good for evil and overcome evil with good pray for them that despitefully use me bless them that curse me think none evil and have charitable thoughts till I have evidence of the truth to the contrary I will endeavour to reform such as do amiss and wander out of the right way I will do all the acts and good offices of love and will not do any thing contrary to true love and charity Thus I will love not only my private but my publick Neighbour and I will not deny it to strangers or enemies and out of this love will endeavour to do as I would be done unto and be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect and follow the example of my dearest Saviour These are the moral Laws of my Saviour which by my Baptism I am bound to observe By them I understand my sins to be many and grievous and my self guilty and liable not only to temporal but eternal punishments even the regenerate Children of God cannot obey them perfectly but have their failings and sometimes grievously fall so that by the works of the law no man living can be justified yet this is my comfort that my Saviour by suffering for these my sins hath made them pardonable and the punishments deserved by them avoidable And he not only dyed for mine offences but rose again for my justification makes intercession in heaven and pleads his blood for all penitent sinners These things I verily believe and according to this belief I rely upon my Savirous propitiation and intercession and renewing daily my supplications before the throne of grace hope to obtain remission of all my sins against this Law and his other commands I acknowledge it a great unspeakable mercy that my God hath made faith and not perfect obedience the condition of life As this Law doth discover my sins so it is a rule of my life and as I will renew my repentance daily and seek remission of sin past so I will daily pray for the sanctifying power of his Spirit to write thâ—se Laws more and more in my heart to strengthen me against all temptations enable me to observe them willingly and with delight beseeching him to accept my poor endeavours and to look upon me as washed in the blood of my Saviour There is another positive and ceremonial Law of my Saviour which I by Baptism am bound to observe together with these morals and that is the Sacrament of the Eucharist which is to be Celebrated by all Christians to the worlds end in remembrance of the Sacrifice sof Christ death Therefore I promise with an humble penitent and believing heart to come unto this heavenly Table when I am invited and called to eat the blessed Bread in remembrance of my Saviours body which was broken and offered for me and drink the blessed Cup in remembrance of his blood whereby the New Covenant is confirmed as being shed for the remission of my sins And as my God by his Ministers giving this Bread and this Cup doth seal and confirm anew his promises unto me to strengthen my faith and hope so I will by receiving these Elements according to the first institution solemnly renew and confirm my engagement for the performance of the conditions of the Covenant and thereby I will testifie my union with the Church my charity to all my thankfulness to Christ and will never forget his unspeakable love to my poor soul manifested in his sacrifice of everlasting vertue and will hope according to the integrity of my heart though my failings be many that he will increase my graces and heavenly comforts upon the receiving of the same Chap. 8. Of Prayer one of Christs Commandments Sect. 1. PRayer is a duty required in the moral Law of God especially as it is understood Evangelically and is to be used both by every Christian both in private and publick and also by the universal Church whilst Militant on Earth until it become triumphant in Heaven when all prayers shall be turned into praises and petitions into thanksgiving It s a part of Gods worship both moral and ritual for neither Word nor Sacraments can be rightly dispensed without it and this is the reason why it takes up so great a part of our Liturgies and Forms of Worship To pray alwaies is one of Christs Commandments and without prayer we can neither observe his Commandments nor persevere in our profession because without prayer we cannot expect grace which is necessary to enable us to do both And because it is continual a necessary and an excellent piece of service I intend to speak of it more particularly and distinctly And for order sake I will 1. Premise some generals 2. Expound the Lords Prayer 3. Reduce the matter of it into a form of Prayer 1. Prayer may be described thus It 's a part of God's Worship wherein we represent our minds unto God As it is a part of God's Worship it 's to be ranked amongst the duties of the first Table and in several respects to be referred to the several commandments of it It looks at God as supreme Lord of infinite and eternal excellency and perfection as all other religious acts do yet it considers in God some particular perfections more then others as shall be shewed hereafter The more particular nature of it is a presentation of our minds to God The matter thereof is something in our minds which we desire and propose to make known to God and the act of it is the representations of these to his glorious Majesty Therefore the School-men make prayer to be an act of the understanding presupposing the heart first affected with those things which are the matter of our prayers which were nothing to purpose without the affection of the heart which may be said to animate and give life unto them yet we must not think that we can inform God who knows our thoughts afar off of any thing which he is ignorant of Therefore the intention of prayer is not only to honour him but to move and affect him with the matter represented This is the nature of prayer largely taken so as to include in one continued Speech Petition Praise Thansgiving Therefore Praise and Thanksgiving are said to be parts of Prayer which in respect of the representation of our minds is said to be a speaking unto God and a conference with him For in all these we address our selves to God approach to his Throne and express our minds unto him and pour our hearts out before him Petition ascends mercies descend praise and thanksgiving are returned unto him again Prayer strictly taken is an humble presentation of our petition unto God as able and willing to effects them This may be made either unto a false God or the true God and to the true God either according to the Law of Nature or the Light of Grace and that either implicitly in the name
wonders and glorifie thy name for ever and give all glory praise and thanks to thee that so all Atheists Idolaters prophane persons Apostates and rebellious wretches may be convinced or confounded 2. That thy name be the more hallowed and we sinful wretches eternally saved let thy Kingdom come that Christ at thy right hand may powerfully and gloriously reign till all his enemies be made his footstool O let thy word and spirit so mightily prevail that all Nations may be converted submit themselves to Christ their Saviour thy Church enlarged from Sea to Sea and from the river to the worlds-end till the number of thy Saints be finished and made perfect and thou mayest rule in our hearts till sin and the power of Satan be wholly and forever destroyed Raise up a continual supply of faithful and godly Ministers and good Kings and Magistrates which may be Defenders of the Faith and nursing Fathers to thy Church and pour down the gifts of thy Spirit in great plenty upon all flesh break in peices the power of Satan and all persecuting enemies let death the last enemy be destroyed make all thy Saints immortal and bless them with eternal joy and peace that so they may sing an eternal Hallelujah to thy name in the heaven of heavens where there shall be no sin no sorrow no pain but fulness of joy in thy presence and pleasures for evermore at thy right hand 3. That we may enjoy the priviledges and attain the eternal felicity of thy Kingdom we desire that thy will may be done on earth as it in heaven we do confess that by nature we are blind and ignorant and have no power to do thy heavenly will All our spiritual knowledge wisdom and power of obedience is from thee our God and the good spirit of Christ. Seeing therefore this is our condition as born of Adam and brought up in a wicked world and Christ hath given himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculier people zealous of good works we beseech thee open our eyes and enlighten our understanding that we may more clearly know thy heavenly Laws and sanctifie our hearts more and more that we may constantly and freely with joy and delight observe all thy holy and blessed Laws O raise up our thoughts and affections that we may seek that glorious and eternal estate which thou hath prepared for those that love thee and so renew our hearts that we may be zealous of thy glory mortifie sin bring forth the fruits of thy spirit abound in good works give good example unto others make our calling an Election sure manifest that we are born from Heaven that so following the example of thy blessed Angels and aiming at their perfection may in the end be partakers of eternal bliss together with them 4. Whil'st in this vale of tears we seek thy Kingdom and endeavour to do thy holy will we have need of many earthly comforts as food and raiment and such things as without which we cannot live we therefore pray thee give us this day our daily bread we acknowledge that we have neither life nor health nor a morsel of bread nor any place where to lay our heads but from thee our heavenly father Be pleased therefore out of our fatherly goodness to give us good government peace safety seasonable times a comfortable and competent Estate and a quiet enjoyment of the same If we should ask for superfluities dainties and abundance to spend them for to maintain our pride and seusual pleasures we confess it were just with thee not to hearken unto us thou mights justly deny them but we are contented with food and rayment and other necessaries and seek them from thee that we may without distraction seek thy heavenly Kingdom O pity the sick the poor the weak the widow and the fatherless the stranger and such as are in want and oppressed feed the hungry cloath the naked deliver poor captives and relieve thy persecuted and distressed Saints These mercies thou hast promised in order to our eternal happiness whil'st we are in this vale of tears until we come to our abiding city where we shall have no need of these things And we seek these at thy hands with hope to receive them because thou hast promised them yet we are resolved that howsoever thou shalt deal with us we will submit unto thy will and be contented 5. O heavenly Father tho' we should do thy will always and from our heart in all things yet we have often sinned and done evil in thy sight made our selves guilty and liable to eternal death and have great need of thy mercy in Jesus Christ therefore we pray thee forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us We do confess that both in the state of Nature of Grace we often offend thee and transgress thy holy laws and besides the guilt of the first sin which lies heavy upon us and our inbred corruption we are guilty of many actual transgressions And these have been committed not only out of ignorance or infirmity or upon surprizal or violence of temptation but many of them against knowledg and some of them are very hainous and of a crimson die some are publick some private som open some secret neither is this all but we harden our hearts in them against the light of thy Gospel the dictates of thy Spirit thy patience and long-suffering against thy mercies and deliverances against thy chastisements and many gracious invitations against thy dearest love and the bitter sufferings of our Saviour And these are the more hainous because committed by us who have received so many mercies enjoyed for a long time so many powerful means of conversion and have vowed better things O how much hath thou done to convert us and we are not converted how miserable have we made our selves what fearful punishments have we deserved Oh take away these stony hearts of ours give us hearts of flesh and make us sensible of our sins that we may loath our selves and that our hearts may inwardly bleed because we have offended thee so good a God Remember thy tender mercies the bitter sufferings of our Saviour and thy gracious promises in him unto poor sinners Shall he dye on earth and plead his blood in heaven and we confess our sins and yet not obtain mercy O pity spare forgive turn away thy wrath cast us not out of thy presence take not thy holy Spirit from us deny us not the joy of thy salvation And this mercy we desire with the greater hope because we desire to forsake our sins put our sole and whole confidence in our blessed Saviour and are willing to forgive and be reconciled to such as trespass against our selves 6. O Lord thou knoweth our frailty the great danger of temptation which is such that though we be sanctified and sin past pardoned yet we may fall into sin again and so contract
new guilt therefore we humbly beseech thee Lead us not into temptation Satan is cruel subtle raging temptations many times very violent we live in a wicked world weich is full of snares there is no time or place of absalute safety O therefore strengthen our faith arm us with thy compleat armour from heaven support us assist us watch over us continually that we mast stand firm against all assaults of the enemy keep the faith and being watchful and humbly depending upon thee our God may obtain a final victory by the power of our blessed Saviour who hath overcome the world and triumphed over the powers and principalities of hell Desert us not at any time especially not in the day of fiery persecutions bloody conflicts and the hour of greatest trial Order all occurrences and events by thy wise providence in such a manner as that in greatest straits we may find a way to escape and tho' we cannot avoid always the evil of afflictions yet we may be delivered from the evil of sin Sanctifie all conditions both of prosperity and adversity unto us so that Satan by them may not gain any advantage against us Tread him shortly under our feet and put an end to all our troubles and hasten to give us eternal peace and safety Lord hearken unto these our prayers which we offer unto thee in the name of Jesus Christ to whom with thee and thy Spirit all praise glory honour and thanks be given now and for evermore Amen This Prayer may be contracted into four words yet retaining the principal matter or more enlarged in the several heads according to which if we consider the mercies pray'd for once received we may compose a form of thanksgiving and the same may be reduced to order so as to render thanks for blessings and deliverances which may be considered as publick of Church or State or private as of Congregations Families persons the blessings are either spiritual or temporal the deliverances are so too for they are from sin or guilt or from temptation or from the miseries of this life And here it is to be observed 1. That all the Prayers in Scriptuer may be reduced to the several heads of this form which tho' it contracts the matter of Prayer unto a few heads disposed in an excellent order yet leaves it indifferent whether we will begin our more general Prayers with Thanksgiving or Petition and in presenting our petitions whether we shall begin with supplication for blessings or with deprecations for deliverance from evil The principal thing is to pray to God alone with an upright heart in the name of Christ for such things as God hath promised that we may be accepted and heard CHAP. IX Of Christs promise to the Apostles Sect. 1. YOu heard before that there were two parts of the Commission granted by Christ unto his Apostles the first was a mandate to go to all Nations to disciple them to baptize them discipled to teach them baptized to observe all his Commandments the second a promise of which I will now speak in a few words and so conclude And we must observe 1. The reasons why Christ made this promise 2. The words of the promise partly exprssed here partly Mark 16. 17 18. There were several reasons which moved Christ to add this promise For 1. as the death of Christ did trouble them much so did his departure he must go and leave them behind him he was their dearest Lord whom they loved he was their joy their solace their guide and their protector and to part with him went near their hearts All this Christ understood and therefore to comfort and revive their sinking spirit that so though he withdraw his bodily presence yet they may be encouraged to go on with the work he adds this promise because he would be present with them in another and more effectual way 2. The work was very difficult and seemed to be far above their power and they should be encountred with many fearful enemies from whom they should suffer very much the devil and the world would oppose them with all their strength lest therefore they should be terrified dejected and depsair he lets them know he will be with them not only to strengthen and assist them but to preserve them in the midst of greatest danger and deliver them out of all their troubles 3. They might doubt of the success of their labours and fear lest their doctrine seeming to be new and contrary to the received opinions both of Jew and Gentile would not be received he therefore promiseth so to be with them as that he would confirm it outwardly by glorious miracles and make it effectual by the Holy Ghost to the end Sect. 2. In the words which are Loe I am with you always unto the end of the world we may consider 1. The person to whom this promise is made 2. The person promising 3. The thing promised 1. The persons to whom this promise is made are first the Apostles for to whom the commission is granted to them the promise is made and these are easily known to be all such as Christ intended to trust with the dispensation of Word and Sacraments These were of two sorts 1. Extraordinary 2. Ordinary The extraordinary are the Apostles to whom the promise was made immediately and principally for their place was high and extraordinary their power great and of large extent their work very difficult their sufferings greivous their enemies many potent cruel these must lay the foundation and plant the Christian Church in all Nations confirm the doctrine of the Gospel preached by them with many signs wonders and gifts of the Holy Ghost they must be infallible in word and writing and leave their doctrine upon record to be a rule of doctrine faith and life unto the worlds end yet these must die and when they had finished rhe great work leave the world and the Church which they had planted must continue and must have her pastours and teachers who must dispence both Word and Sacraments in the generations following till time shall be no more Therefore the promise must be understood as made to all their lawful successors in the Ministry till the number of Gods Saints be made up for what can those do except Christ in their successive generations be with them how should they go through with the great work without him His presence thefore was necessary unto them also without this promise both made and performed unto them their Ministry cannot be successful and effectual for the conversion edification and salvation of the Church yet here we must observe that though Christ promise his extraordinary presence to the Apostles yet his ordinary presence will be sufficient for their successours Sect. 3. The person who made this promise was Christ otherwise the promise of Man or Angel had been to no purpose he that had all power in heaven and earth and had given the four fold mandate
did give the promise and he was only fit to do it for there can be no doubt either of his fidelity or power as he was able so he was resolved to make good what he had said and his word was his deed and will be so unto the end He and he alone could procure the Spirit and send him down from heaven the Angels were at his command all creatures at his beck and as he had begun so he was resolved to finish the work of mans salvation This his purpose he might have concealed or reserved to himself a liberty yet he was willing to promise and by a promise not only to signifie his mind that they might know it to their comfort but also to bind himself unto them And now he cannot go back This promise is a ground of unspeakable comfort and encouragement to all faithful Ministers and doth assure us the Church shall continue to this worlds end Sect. 4. The third thing to be considered is the thing promised and that is Christs certain presence with them to the worlds end where we have 1. His presence 2. The continuance 3. The certainty of it 1. His presence is signified in these words I am with you which implies that he will not be against them nor will he be absent from them for there are enemies who are against us and there are friends which are absent and far from us but Christ will not be an enemy or a Friend at distance 2. It 's Christ that will be present I will be with you and that 's more then if all men and Angels should be for us and ever present with us 3. This presence is not bodily for Christ was justly after this promise taken up into Heaven bodily and the Heavens must contain him till the restitution of all things 4. It s a spiritual presence and the same far more excellent than that of his body for though a body may at several Times be present in many places yet it cannot be present in more places than one at one time but Christ by his Spirit might be with them in all places at all times for he promised before his death and passion to send the Comforter which should comfort their hearts in his absence teach them and lead them into all truth and upon Penticost he sent down his Spirit upon the Apostles which hath continued and will continue in the Church for ever 5. This is not a bare or meer presence for so this Spirit is present in all places at all times neither is it a presence with some general power for so he is with all things to preserve them But it s a special presence with a special active power for spiritual ends to produce spiritual and supernatural effects It is a presence not only to comfort strengthen assist and deliver them but also a powerful presence to make their Ministrry effectual for the eternal Salvation of mens Souls This Holy Ghost discended and rested upon Christ when he was ready to preach the Gospel and execute publickly his Offices When he first sent these Apostles he gave them the gifts of this Spirit After his Resurrection he breathed on them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost commanded them to stay at Jerusalem and wait for this Spirit upon the day of Penâ—ecost as before this Spirit came upon them By this Spirit all the Members of the Church are sanctified the Ministers qualified the Word and Sacraments made effectual and sentence of the Church so valid and of such mighty force Take away this spirit you take away the life and soul of the Church the power of the Ministry the efficacy of Word and Sacraments and without it all the Preaching Praying and other works of the Ministry will not be able to convert or comfort one Soul It s said I will be with you that is with you mine Apostles and your Successors in the Ministry to assist and bless and guide you in the discharge of your trust and execution of your office Dispense you the Word and Sacraments by the faithful observance of my mandate endeavour to save poor Souls and in that work I am with you no ways else so that such as are most faithful and diligent are most certain of his gracious presence Here is no promise made unto any particular Church or Ministers more than to others here is no express mention or intimation of the Bishop or Church of Rome or Jerusalem or Antioch or Constantinople The promise is made to the Church in general and their Ministers especially to such as are most faithful in their place and office Sect. 5. This is the presence the continuance of this presence is the second thing observed and is expressed in two words 1. Always or every day 2. To the worlds end 1. Always signifies that there shall be no intermission or interruption of Christs presence and assistance He will not absent himself or neglect them or desert them for a day so that they shall never have any cause to complain or say where is my Saviour now whether is he gon why hath he forsaken me There may be sad and woful times wherein Christ may seem to hide his face and to have forgotten them for a certain time yet even then Christ is with them and his faithful Ministers though he doth not appear and instantly manifest himself He must be with them always or else he breaks his promise and that he will never do Let us therefore do our duty always and Christ will be always with us 2. He will be with us to the worlds end this may be a longer this may be a shorter time Some understand the last period and end of that present generation the destruction of Jerusalem and the death of the Apostles and the reason of this opinion may be because some take the promise to be personal and to be made only to the Apostles for their lives yet this is rather a conceit than any solid well grounded truth especially seeing the end of the world in other places signifies either a far longer time than the life of a mortal man on earth unto the consummation of the creatures and to all eternity So the person or the time of the final judgment when the world shall be no more but Christ shall raise the dead deliver up the Kingdom to the Father and God shall be all in all for when the number of Gods Saints is finished there will be no need of Word or Sacraments or Ministers and then this promise is performed to the full But whilst these continue as they shall continue to the end Christ is bound and will certainly be with them that he may make his redemption effectual by them in the 〈…〉 sion and salvation of poor sinners 〈…〉 3. The certainty of this perp 〈…〉 seems to be implyed in the note of attention Loe and in the verb of the present tense for Christ doth not say I will be but I am with you for nothing is more certain than that which is present Besides some Copies have Amen added which is a strong confirmation of the promise But this certainly doth chiefly depend upon the power and fidelity of Christ who hath made the promise and hath kept it in all times unto this day And the particle Loe doth require as their so our special attention and serious consideration both of the person promising and the thing promised that they might be fully assured of performance to the utmost By vertue of this promise it is come to pass that in the midst of the tumults and confusions of the world and af ter the ruine of so many glorious kingdoms of so many potent Empires and of so many flourishing Churches of particular Nations yet an universal Church with Word Sacraments and Ministry do continue to this day and the gates of Hell could never yet prevail against it so that we may take up the Words of the Psalmist Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth the Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge for this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide unto death Amen FINIS