and manifesting his greatest power in their greatest impotency Yea though sometimes he seems to leave them in their distress yet he giveth such sufficient strength as they are thereby enabled to bear it and well to pass it through This is evident by the Apostles holy triumph in this case We are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed The ground hereof is the assistance which God affordeth us and the strength which he communicateth to us IX All things shall work together for the good of the Regenerate And God will do them good by all in the latter end He will turn their losses into gain their crosses into comforts their sorrows into joy their cursing into blessings Those afflictive providences which seem to be most prejudicial unto them will in the issue prove most beneficial As we see in Ioseph The evil which his brethren intended against him turned to his good Their selling him as a slave to the Ishmaelites proved the means of his advancement How did Maâ—asses imprisonment work for his good For the text saith When he was in affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly and the Lord was entreated of him To know that nothing shall hurt a child of God is ground of exceeding great comfort and consolation But to be assured that all things even all cross-providences shall work together for his good is enough to fill the heart with joy Oh then how great is the happiness of every Regenerate person who may be assured that whatsoever befalleth him shall be for his good and doth work together for the best Certainly he may truly say Soul take thy spiritual ease for here is much spiritual good treasured up for thee X. A blessed death For so saith the Spirit Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord that is in the faith of Christ. Who are blessed both because then they rest from their labours from all their toyl and pains from all their griefs and sorrows As also because their works do follow them through free-grace in glorious rewards The souls of the Regenerate so soon as they are by death separated from the body go immediately into Heaven as is clear from that speech of our Saviour to the converted thief on the Cross This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice which place the Apostle expoundeth to be the third Heaven The word in the Original translated this day implyes that immediately after the breathing of his soul out of his body his soul should go to Heaven And thus it is with all the Regenerate unto whom death is like the red-Sea to the Israelites even a passage and thorow-fair into the Heavenly Canaan XI An happy Resurrection For at the sound of the last Trumpet all the Regenerate shall arise out of their graves like so many Iosephs out of Prison Whatsoever imperfections were before in their bodies as blindness lameness crookedness shall then be done away Though the body was sowen in corruption yet it shall be raised in incorruption not to be subject to any manner of aches pains diseases or imperfections Though it were sowen in weakness it shall be raised in power And though it was sowen in dishonour it shall be raised in glory Here it is many times deformed but then all deformities and defects shall be removed and the body made more glorious through the admirable beauty thereof Certainly if the Beauty of all the Men and Women in the World were concentred in one it would be far short of the Beauty of the Saints in Heaven whose bodies shall shine more gloriously than the Sun in the Firmament XII The last and highest priviledge of the Regenerate is That they shall have an Heavenly inheritance Fathers on earth use to provide inheritances for their Children And the Apostâ—e Peter Blesseth God who hath begotten us to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven The Regenerate in this life possâ—ss Heaven in Christ but hereafter they shall enjoy it in their own persons When they come to enjoy this heavenly inheritance they shall not only be freed from all evils both bodily and spiritual but likewise replenished with all good Their minds shall be inlightned their wills reformed their memories made blessed treasures their consciences purged their hearts purified their affections rectified their bodies glorified and all these perfectly There shall be a blessed communion of all the Saints together who shall enjoy the society of Angels and fellowship with Christ himself whose surpassing excellency they shall cleerly behold and partake of that glory wherewith he is arrayed What tongue can express what heart can conceive the excellency thereof If Peter Iames and Iohn seeing but some small glimpse of Christs glory and Majesty in his transfiguration were so ravished therewith that setting aside all worldly desires they wished only the continuance thereof Then how shall the Saints in Heaven be ravished with joy and comfort when they shall continually behold their Saviour Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father like a triumphant Conquerour having subdued his and his Churches enemies Thus have I shewed you some of the glorious priviledges of the Regenerate Oh happy day may that Man or Woman say as long as they live when God by his Spirit Regenerated them and made them new creatures Many keep their birth day as a day of rejoycing and feasting But they who know the day of their new-birth may well make that a day of rejoycing while they live in regard of the many glorious priviledges whereof they are thereby partakers CHAP. XVIII An Exhortation to bless God for the work of Regeneration And to walk worthy thereof II. A Second branch of the Use of Exhortation unto the Regenerate is To be thankfull unto God for this great mercy Admire the grace of God and bless his name for ever Art thou made alive Is the life of God begotten in thee And hast thou evidence of it O bless God whilest thou hast any being Let thine heart and mouth and life be filled with his Praises Take up the Psalmists words Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Wilt thou be thankfull unto God for thy natural birth And wilt not thou be thankfull to him for thy spiritual birth wilt thou bless him for that he hath made thee a reasonable creature And wilt thou not bless him for making thee a new-creature wilt thou bless him that thou art not a Toad And wilt thou not bless him that thou art not a Devil Is not Regeneration of all mercies the most necessary And wilt not thou be thankfull for that which is the one thing necessary If the Children of Israel praised God for their deliverance from the Aegyptian bondage how much more cause hast thou
Observ. Miracles cannot be wrought but by divine power For miracles alter the order and course of nature which none can do but he which hath appointed and set that order namely God I will not insist on this that I may hasten to that which I mainly intend in this Treatise CHAP. II. The Exposition and Observations arising out of verse 3. IN verse 3. follows Christs answer to Nicodemus which is continued to verse 22. In which Christ first declareth the necessity of Regeneration in these words Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot sâ—e the Kingdom of God Before we come to the substance of Christs discourse observe we his manner of entertaining Nicodemus You have heard from the foregoing verses that Nicodemus was both a Pharisee and a Ruler both which sorts of men most of all opposed Christ. And you have heard of his weakness how through fear and shame he went to Christ by night being loth to be seen with him Yet Christ reâ—ects him not but kindly entertains him and instructs him in such points whereof he was ignorant though they were fundamental points necessary to salvation Whence we may observe Observ. Christ is ready to entertain those that in truth and uprightness seek unto him though their weaknesses and inâ—â—rmities are many He rejecteth not such as are weak in faith for their weakness We read in the History of the Gospel that when Christ lived upon the earth he rejected none who came unto him in uprightness of heart Some indeed went away of themselves but he turned away none Only he seemed once not to regard the Woman of Canaan But why Surely not out of any purpose or intent to reject her or turn her away but only to make known the greatness and strength of her faith For in the close Christ saith unto her O Woman great is thy Faith And can any imagine that now Christ is in Heaven he hath not the same bowels of compassion towards those that come unto him which he had when he was upon the earth Questionless though he be there free from passion yet not from compassion towards weak believers That which was long before Phrophesied of him by Isaiah ever was and will be found true in him namely A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoaking flax shall be not quench that is He shall not deal roughly and rigorously with weak Christians such as are weak in grace but mildly and gently For the end of Christs coming was to seek and save that which was lost And can we imagine that Christ who seeketh after those who go away from him will reject any who do in truth seek after him Yea Christ is naturally very merciful and tender as he hath beams of Majesty so likewise bowels of mercy pitty and compassion His tenderness over weak Christians is set forth in Scripture by a Mothers compassion over her sucking child the Son of her Womb and by a fathers pittying his children So that I may upon good ground conclude that Christ will not cast away or reject such as are weak in faith because but children but most willingly and readily embrace them because Children What encouragement should this be unto all poor believers how weak soever their faith is to go unto Christ as for the strengthning their weak faith so for the subduing their strong lusts and for the reviving their drooping souls For your further encouragement you have Christs gracious invitation come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Hath he bid thee come and will he reject thee when thou comest Hath he called come ye holy ones come ye righteous ones come ye strong ones and you only shall have rest Hath he not invited the weak and the weary also the drooping and fainting soul Go poor weak soul go unto Christ behold he calleth thee go unto him and thou mayst expect thy cure Questionless one special reason why Christ shewed himself so willing and ready to hearken unto the cry of those who came unto him for the cure of their bodily distempers when he was upon the earth and to heal the same was to stir us up to go unto him for the healing of all our spiritual maladies and diseases For Christ came not into the world to heal bodies but souls And therefore when the name Iesus was given him the reason is said to be this Because he shall save his people from their sins Not their bodies from sicknesses but their souls from sins Art thou bound under any spiritual infirmities Do as those sick and diseased persons did when Christ was upon the earth who are said to go unto him in faith believing he was both able and willing to cure them whereby they drew vertue from him for their healing Art thou troubled for the weakness of thy faith complaining thou hast no assurance of thine interest in Christ no assurance of the pardon of thy sins Go unto Christ by prayer for encrease of faith believing that he is as able so willing to strengthen thy weak faith And fear not thou shalt find such measure of strength added to thee as Christ seeth best and as shall be sufficient for thee Art thou sensible of the working and stirring of corruption in thee fearing lest it should get dominion over thee Lay hold on that promise Sin shall not have dominion over you And in confidence of his faithfulness that spake it apply thy self to Christ by prayer for his making good that good word to thee and then stand still and see the salvation of God Lust as strong as 't is will not be able to stand before the prayer of faith only be carefull that when thou hast made thy Prayer thou set a watch Art thou assaulted with the temptations of Satan and fearest that he may get the victory over thee Go unto Christ by prayer for strength and support against them believing there is as a power in Christ so a willingness in him to succour and strengthen thee and thou shalt be sure to find if not deliverance from temptations yet grace sufficient to resist them and power to overcome them Lastly Art thou troubled with an hard and obdurate heart with a filthy and unclean heart with a worldly and covetous heart with a proud and barren heart Go unto Christ by prayer believing there is as a power so a willingness in him to mollifie thine hard and obdurate heart to purifie thy filthy and unclean heart to spiritualize thy worldly and covetous heart to humble thy proud heart to make fruitfull thy barren heart And doubt nor but thou shalt find thine hard and obdurate heart in some measure softned thy filthy and unclean heart in some measure purified thy worldly and covetous heart in some measure spiritualized thy proud heart in some measure humbled and thy barren heart in some measure made fruitfull And certainly one
ever did or will do in his humane nature He will therefore in doing it be arâ—â—yed with as much glory and Majesty as his humane nature is capable of and therefore the Apostle calls it the glorious appearing Q. If you ask wherein the glory of Christ shall appear A. His face shall shine as the Sun Bright clouds as a Canopy shall be over him A loud sound of a Trumpet shall be heard before him He shall sit on a glorious Throne He shall be attended with all the glorious Angels who are ready to do him service in this judgement These are present as so many Sheriffs and other officers attending on the Judge of that great assize If it be so terrible to guilty prisoners to behold an earthly judge in his scarlet Robes attended upon with the Iustices and Sheriff and other Officers Oh how fearful and terrible will the sight of this Judge be manifesting himself from Heaven with such a mighty host and glorious array of Angels certainly no tongue can express no heart can conceive that terrour of soul and horrour of conscience that fear and amazement which will seize upon thee when thou shalt see Christ in his glory sitting upon his Throne 2. As Christ will come in great glory so in great terrour For he shall come in flaming fire Yea the terrour of Christs coming to Judgement is noted in this that thereupon the very Sea shall quake and tremble and in its kind cry out and roar making a most dolefull and dreadful noyse Oh what shall become of the roaring Boys of the earth when all their rude roarings and rufflings and rantings on their Ale-bench shall be drowned and swallowed up of this terrible roaring of the Seas oh then what shall become of swearers drunkards whore-masters and such like in that dreadfull day Surely they will seek to creep into an auger-hole to hide their heads and will cry out in the bitterness of their souls Woe and alas that ever we were born surely it had been better for us if our Mothers wombs had been our graves and that we had never seen the Sun When Foelix heard Paul preach of this Iudgement-day and the terribleness thereof the text noteth that he trembled And sinner dost not thou tremble who goest on impenitently in thy wicked and ungodly courses in thy lying swearing drinking whoring Sabbath-breaking and other like abominations Ah sinner either thou knowest not or thinkest not as thou shouldst of this dreadfull and terrible day And therefore it is that thou goest on in the career of thy lusts giving thy self up to the gratifying thy sinfull affections and satisfying thine own hearts desire Oh that thou wouldst seriously weigh that advice of the Wise man Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes As if he had said Ah young man do what thou pleasest take thy fill of pleasure satisfie thy Lusâ—s deny not thy self any thing that heart can wish which expressions are to be taken as spoken ironically by way of derision as appeareth by the following words But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement as if he had said Though thou put from thee the thought of death and of judgement yet assure thy self that for thy mispent youth and for all thy sinfull lusts dye thou must thou knowest not how soon and after death thou shalt be brought before Gods Tribunal there to receive the just reward of all thy sins A serious consideration whereof would be an excellent means to abate the heat of lust and cause the hearts of young men to tremble at the thought of that great and terrible day when Christ shall come to judgement in glory and great Majesty with his mighty Angels in flaming fire CHAP. X. Sheweth the order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement IV. FOr the order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement at the last day I. There will be a Citation of all both dead and living men with the Devils to come to Judgement We must all appear saith the Apostle All without exception of any must make their appearance high and low rich and poor King and beggar male and female Oh what a great day will that be when the whole world shall be cited and summoned to appear together at once Q. If you ask how they shall be summoned A. By a shout from Heaven and the sound of a Trumpet which shall alarm this sleeping earth and at which Hell shall shake all graves shall open and yield up their prisoners which they have fast kept in the chains of death from all ages since the beginning of the World Yea the Sea shall give up her dead which are in it A dreadfull summons it will be unto all the wicked and ungodly whom this sudden noise will no less astonish than confound We read that when the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai for the delivery of the Law with the sound of a Trumpet the people of Israel quaked and trembled Oh then how will the wicked and ungodly quake and tremble when the Lord Christ shall descend from Heaven with the sound of a Trumpet to punish the transgressours of that Law II. Upon this Citation and summons there will be a resurrection from the dead and such a change of the living as if they had been a long time dead and were raised to life again And as the graves shall then give up their dead bodies so hell shall give up her living souls which shall enter into their old Carcases to receive a greater condemnation Oh what woful salutations will there be between that body and soul which living together in the height of iniquity must now be reunited to suffer the fulness of their misery III. After the resurrection follows a Collection and gathering together of all men and Devils in the World but with this difference The Elect being gathered together by Angels shall with great joy be caught up into the air to meet the Lord. But the reprobate together with the Devils and his Angels shall with extream horrour and confusion be drawn and dragg'd into his presence Ah sinner What terrour and amazement will then seize upon thee when like a malefactor thou art brought against thy will before the Judgement-seat of Christ IV. After this follows a separation of the good from the bad of the elect from the reprobate For Christ at the first appearing of all before his JudgementSâ—at to testifie his gracious favour and good respect to believers separates them from others and sets them on his right hand as a flock of sheep whom he intends to take for his own And then will he set the wicked and unbelievers on his left hand to testifie as his rejecting them so his purpose to pass a terrible doom upon them as himself expresseth Mat. 25.32
his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his Loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another How much more shall the wicked tremble and quake and their knees smite one against another for fear at the great day when they shall hear the sentence of condemnation pronounced by Jesus Christ How will they then run like men distracted to the Mountains and Hills for covert and shelter How will they then beg and yell again for mercy to a judge that is justly inexorable I say justly inexorable to them having scornfully rejected his many loving invitations and earnest beseechings by his Ministers to accept of that peace and reconciliation which he hath purchased by his blood Oh that men would consider that one tear or sigh of a penitent heart will now more prevail for attainment of mercy than all their bitter and importunate yellings in that day of Gods wrath VII After the promulgation of the sentence followeth the execution and sending of the persons judged to their everlasting estate as it is written And these shall go away into everlasting punishment So that now comes the eternal separation from Christ and possession of those torments which are easeless and endless For then shall they be hurried by the Devils as their Iaylors out of Christs presence and dragged into the bottomless lake of outer-darkness that perpetually burneth with fire and brimstone Oh the hellish cryes and horrible shrieks that then will be heard no heart can conceive or imagine what an hideous cry it will be When the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah felt the fire and brimstone falling from Heaven upon their heads And when the earth opened her mouth to swallow up Corah and his company and they saw themselves going down quick into the pit Oh the cryes which were then heard Oh the shrieks which then filled the air But alas what were these to the outcryes which will be made and to the scrieches which will be heard when the Devils and reprobate men and women shall be violently driven into Hell never never to return again For though they houl and cry to the judge for mercy and redemption pitty and compassion yet will they find no answer but too late too late Mercy and pardon and peace have been preached to thee but thou wouldst not hearken thou wouldst not accept Thy day is over the things of thy peace are hid from thine eyes henceforth no more for ever Ah sinner hadst thou now an heart to turn from thy sins unto God by true and unfaigned repentance and to pray unto him for mercy in and through the merits of Jesus Christ there were hope of mercy But at the day of judgement thy repentance and thy prayers will nothing avail The judge will not then be intreated by thee and no marvel seeing thou wouldst not hearken to him in the day of his merciful visitation But though he sent unto thee messenger after Messenger Ambassadour after Ambassadour to woe and beseech thee to abandon thy sins and to accept of him for thy Lord and Saviour yet wouldst thou not leave one beloved sin nor deny one fleshly lust for all his intreaties And therefore on that day will he not be intreated by thee notwithstanding thy manifold cryes and prayers If thou wilt not believe me hear Christs own words to this purpose Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But y e have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction as a whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Ah sinner time was when he called to thee turn from thy sins cast away thy transgressions accept of grace submit to mercy be wise be happy thou maist if thou wilt but thou wouldst not but hast sold thy mercy and thy peace and thy Saviour and thy soul for thy lusts and the pleasures of sin And therefore though in thy greatest extremity thou cry unto him for mercy he will tell thee that thy day of mercy is past and gone and the day of vengeance is come wherein he will no longer entreat nor no more be entreated Ah sinner how will it then wound thy very soul to remember thy folly in neglecting thy season and refusing so great salvation How will it make thee with anguish of heart to cry out Ah silly wretch where was thine understanding to sleight such gracious invitations to preferr every base lust before the Lord of life to turn aside from him that spake unto thee from Heaven and to turn after thy companions and the pleasures of this earth to put off the turning from thy sins and making thy peace with God till it was too late Oh now would I give a World if I had it for one offer of Christ more for one Sabbath more to make my peace with God and to make sure of Christ but alas it is now too late Oh the fears and distractions the tearing of the hair and wringing of the hands the gnashing of teeth and dashing of knees the weeping and wailing the crying and roaring that this will produce especially when thou shalt consider how God every Sabbath called upon thee by his Ministers to turn from thy sins unto him but thine ear and thine heart were shut against him And how Jesus Christ was offered and tendred to thee only upon these terms that thou wouldst cast away thy sins and cast thy self into his arms and yet thou wouldst not go unto him but refusedst and rejectedst him and his grace This sad reflection of thy soul upon its own wilful folly in neglecting and outstanding thy day will be the everlasting worm that will gnaw on thy heart World without end Oh the folly and madness of all wicked men who go on securely and impenitently in their sins till they drop into hell-fire Is this thy Wisdom to sin awhile and burn for ever to laugh a while and howle for ever for a little momentary pleasure here to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Ah sinner that thou wouldst now forethink of this dreadful time and woful misery which hangs over thine head that when thou art alone thou wouldst seriously consider with thy self as the certainty and dreadfulness of this day so what thy condition is like to be that thou mightest thereby be stirred up to make out after Christ by whom thou maist escape the wrath to come Now whilest Christ is Preached to thee in the Ministry of the Gospel mercy and salvation is offered and now if ever is the time to accept it Oh therefore that now even now in this thy time and day of grace thou wouldst know the things that belong to thy peace that thou wouldst now
over thine eyes and ears and steps Is it thy care to please and in all things to walk worthy the Lord Look to thy self that thou be not deceived Cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light Cast off the old man and put on the new man which as it is created after the image So will it carry thee on according to the will of God in righteousness and true holiness Having shewed the Nature of Regeneration and the parts thereof I come now to shew what Causes concurr to the work of Regeneration 1. The efficient Cause or primary Author is God For in this respect we are born of God God hath begotten us Jam. 1.18 Even God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. The procuring causes are Gods will and Gods mercy There could be nothing out of God to move him It must needs therefore arise from his own meer will So faith the Apostle Iames Of his own will begat he us And there could be nothing in man to move God hereunto for man by nature is most miserable It must needs therefore arise from Gods meer mercy For misery is the proper object of mercy On this ground it is justly said that God according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again 3. The immediate worker of Regeneration is Gods Spirit In this respect we are said to be born of the spirit and regeneration is stiled the renewing of the holy Ghost For it is a divine work above humane ability 4. The ordinary instrumental cause is Gods Word Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth whereby is meant the Gospel In this respect the Word is stiled incorruptible seed The Gospel is that part of Gods Word which is most effectual hereunto and it is thereupon stiled the Gospel of salvation And the power of God unto salvation 5. Ministers and preachers of the Gospel are Ministerial causes of Regeneration who are in relation to their Ministery said to beget us and stiled Fathers All these are comprised under the Efficient cause and are so far from thwarting one another as they sweetly concurr to produce this divine work of Regeneration being subordinate one to another and may in this order be placed together It being the will of God to shew mercy to man he ordained Ministers to cast the seed of his Word into mens souls which being quickned by the Spirit men are thereby born again II. The material cause of Regeneration is the parts whereof it doth consist which are two I. Mortification 2. Vivification of both which I have spoken in the fore-going Chapter III. The formal cause of Regeneration is Gods Image planted in us which consists in holiness and righteousness After this Image we are said to be renewed This makes an essential difference betwixt a natural and a regenerate man IV. The final causes next and subordinate to the glory of Gods free-grace and rich mercy are especially two 1. To make men able to do good namely such good as may be acceptable and honourable to God profitable to other men and truly advantageable to themselves The Apostle therefore speaking of Regeneration which we have shewed to be a kind of Creation thus expresseth this end we are created in Christ Iesus unto good works 2. To make men fit for glory For corrupt flesh cannot partake of Coelestial glory Whereupon faith Christ Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God So far shall he be from being admitted into it as he shall not come so near as to see it God will not take a sinner reeking in his lusts and presently invest him with a Crown of glory And therefore that we may be fitted for Heaven the Lord is pleased by his spirit to regenerate us making us new-creatures and thereby making us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Behold the Riches of Gods mercy and goodness that he not only created us at first in a most happy estate even after his own image and likeness But when we wittingly and willfully fell from the same and plunged ourselves into misery wherein he might justly have left us as he did the evil Angels Yet he hath not only restored us again to that former estate by renewing his image in us but thereby fitted us for a more glorious and excellent estate wherein his goodness appeareth to be as his greatness infinite incomprehensible Who can sufficiently set it forth For as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy towards them that fear him CHAP. V. Sheweth the Reasons why Regeneration is necessary to Salvation HAving spoken of the point by way of explication I come now to speak of it by way of confirmation To this end I shall shew you the reasons of the point why Regeneration is necessary to Salvation Reas. 1. From the immutability of Gods purpose God who hath chosen us to life hath chosen us also to holiness as our way to it We are bound to give thanks to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through the Sanctification of the Spirit Whoever will pass into glory must take grace in his way You ask why may I not be saved unless I be regenerated Why because God is resolved on the contrary This is the will of God your sanctification first and then your salvation Now the purposes of God shall stand With him is no variableness nor shadow of turning All the world shall sooner be damned then the purpose of God shall be made void The Lord God must cease to be the unchangeable God if thou ever be saved who wilt not be sanctified Reas. 2. From the stability of Gods Word God hath said Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Is the word of God yea and nay doth he say and unsay Heaven and Earth shall pass away but his word shall not pass away Count upon it sinner as sure as God is true thou shalt never see the salvation of God unless thou be first made partaker of the renewing of the holy Ghost Reas. 3. From the respect that Regeneration hath to Salvation Regeneration is a degree and part of Salvation Grace is glory begun holiness is the beginning of blessedness the perfection whereof will be in Heaven hereafter where the image of God which consisteth in knowledge holiness and righteousness will be perfected in our souls where we shall perfectly love God and delight in him and be ever praising him with the Heavenly host Now how canst thou expect the participation and enjoyment of this blessed estate without regeneration and renovation here Unless the image of God be renewed upon thee in holiness and thou dost truly love God and delight in communion with him here Canst thou expect the consummation without
in any condition till you be renewed and sanctified by the spirit of God Aâ—as how many be there in the World who though in their natural and carnal estate yet live as securely and merrily as if their condition were as safe and good as the best Ask them one by one Whether the work of Regeneration be wrought in their souls and some will answer they hope it is others that they never doubted it though none of them know what Regeneration is nor ever minded any such thing And yet these men have not only read but do likewise believe the words of our Saviour who hath told them that except they be born again they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Ah sinner I beseech thee for the sake of thy precious and immortal soul to stir up in thy self an hearty desire and sincere endeavour after this blessed work As it is the one thing necessary to salvation so let it be the main thing of thy desire and endeavour There is nothing deserves precedency in thy thoughts aims and labours before this David resolved not to give sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids till be found out an habitation for the Lord. The habitation which pleaseth God most is thine heart but it must be a renewed heart Oh how darest thou sleep a night in that house where God doth not dwell and he dwells not in thee unless thou beest Regenerated by his holy Spirit In the fear of God therefore see thou give no rest to thy soul no ease to thy mind till thou find a blessed change wrought in thee till thou findest thou art brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace Neither sit down satisfied in the enjoyment of any worldly comfort without the enjoyment of this mercy And indeed how canst thou live merrily or sleep quietly so long as thou livest in thine unregenerate estate in which if thou shouldest die thou wouldest perish for ever even to all Eternity Especially considering the uncertainty of thy life whether thou shalt live a day or an hour longer For the more profitable handling this Use I shall 1. Give you some Motives to quicken up your desires and endeavours after the work of Regeneration 2. Shew you the Means to be performed for the better artaining thereunto The Motives may be drawn to these three heads 1. The Excellency 2. The Utility 3. The Necessity of Regeneration I. For the first the Excellency thereof will appear from these four particulars 1. Regeneration doth enoble a man raise him up towards his Original perfection Man was made the noblest of all creatures in this visible World in the image and likeness of God Sin defaced the Image of God and stamped the Image of the Devil upon him A sinner is a man degenerated into a beast Man being in honour abideth not but is like the beasts that perish He lives like a beast and dies like a beast not knowing whither he goeth Every man is brutish in his knowledge He hath a brutish heart lives a brutish life By grace man comes to himself is raised up from a beast to a man again renewed after the Image of God The spirit of glory and of God shines forth in him There 's more of the glory of God seen in a Saint than in all the works of God under the Sun nay than in the glorious Sun in the Heavens The Sun Moon and Stars fall short of the glory of the new-creature 2. The Excellency of Regeneration appears in that it makes a man a true Christian. A man is not really a Christian because he hath been Baptized beareth the name and frequenteth the ordinances of Christ but because he is Regenerated by the Spirit of Christ and thereby translated out of a state of sin and death into a state of life and peace For as under the law he was not a Iew who was one outwardly being circumcised in the flesh But he was a Iew who was one inwardly being circumcised in his heart and spirit as the Apostle expresseth In like manner he is no true Christian who is only outwardly Baptized but he who is inwardly Baptized by the Spirit and whose heart is changed and renewed 3. The Excellency of this new birth appears in this that it is the beginning of eternal life and happiness even of the same life which we shall live hereafter in Heaven with the Saints and glorious Angels to all Eternity Grace here is not only an evidence of glory hereafter but it is the beginning of that glory which hereafter we shall more fully enjoy in Heaven Grace and glory differ only in degree for grace is glory begun here and glory is grace consummated and perfected hereafter Now considering that this is such an excellent state how doth it concern you as earnestly to desire so industriously to endeavour after it in the use of all means God hath sanctified II. Another Motive may be taken from the Utility of Regeneration If it be demanded What is the profit thereof we may answer 〈◊〉 the Apostle did of Circumcision Much every way For this is that Godliness which is profitable unto all things having promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come that is it hath Heaven and Earth entailed on it and therefore must needs be profitable The Regenerate therefore are called heirs of the Promises Such only have the true riches being rich in faith as the Apostle Iames calleth them As Laodicea was poor though abounding in outward fulness So these are truly rich though destitute of many outward things having an interest in God who is the fountain of all blessings How should the consideration hereof stir you up as earnestly to thirst so sincerely to endeavour after this blessed state III. Another Motive may be taken from the necessity of Regeneration It is absolutely necessary to Salvation It had been better for thee never to have been born than not to be born again It is as necessary as Heaven and happiness For saith our Saviour himself Except a man be born again he cannot see much less enter into the Kingdom of Heaven So that there is no hope of the Salvation of any unregenerate man or woman but if they live and die in that estate their portion will be death and damnation with the Devils and damned to all Eternity And in regard of the uncertainty of their lives they are not sure to be out of Hell one day longer Ah sinner What dost thou mean then to continue in thy carnal and unregenerate estate As sure as the word of God is true if thou dye therein thou art shut out of all hope of mercy for ever and shalt pass into easeless and endless misery In the fear of God therefore when thou risest up in the Morning consider with thy self that thou art uncertain of being out of Hell till the Evening And when thou lyest down consider
in the fire So shall the wicked live for ever in the fire of hell Though they seek for death yet they shall not find it though they be alwayes burning yet they shall not be consumed though they be alwayes gnawed upon by the Worm of Conscience yet they shall never be devoured Which makes the misery of the damned in hell most exquisitely miserable Men in misery comfort themselves with hope of an end The Prisoner with hope of Goal-delivery the Apprentice with hope of a freedom and liberty the Gally-slave with hope of a ransome only the poor wretches in hell have no hope of freedom and liberty at all they are as far from an end of their torments as at their first beginning and entrance thereinto If there might be any end of their torments though it should be after so many millions of years as there are Sands on the Sea-shore or Stars in the Firmament it would be some comfort to those who endure them But Eternity is the very hell of hells and that which most of all breaks the very hearts of the damned The present sense of pain being not so grievous to the damned as it is to think that after thousands yea thousand thousands of years they shall be as far either from end or from ease as they were the first hour of their falling into it Surely if to a man tormented with the gout stone or collick one night seemeth exceeding long Oh how long do you think eternity that night which shall never know morning will seem to those who shall lye tormented and roaring in a bed of flame with wicked fiends and Devils about them daily and hourly adding to their torment If one short nights pain be so tedious and grievous what will that eternal night be Ah sinner thou art not now able to endure the sudden scorch of a fire nor to hold one of thy fingers over the flame of a Candle for a quarter of an hour How wilt thou then endure to lye in a fiery flaming Furnace not only an hour or a day but years yea millions of years Some have thus represented the eternity of hell-torments Suppose say they that all the vast space which is between Heaven and Earth were filled with Sands and God should command an Angel once in every thousand years to fetch away one small grain what an innumerable number of years would be spent before all those sands would be fetcht away yet shalt thou abide thus long in hell-fire and when they are expired continue as long again and again and a thousand times told for Eternity knows no beginning no middle no end but after a thousand thousand millions of years there are still as many more to come and when these many more are come and gone thy torments are as far from the last as they were at the first What heart can think of these things without horrour and amazement Suppose that for some high-treason against the Kings-person thou wert condemned to be cast into a fiery flaming Furnace or Caldron of boyling lead and there to continue a thousand years how sad would thy condition be yet this were a mercy to hell-torments For after thou hast layn ten thousand thousand years in a Furnace of fire kept up in the highest flame by the breath of Gods wrath there is full as much behind as there was on thy first-day Thou sinnedst in thine eternity and therefore must suffer in Gods eternity Thou sinnedst against an infinite God despising his infinite grace and mercy and the infinite merits of Christ and wouldst have drawn out thy sin to the length of eternity and therefore must suffer an infinite eternal punishment Thou never heartily repentedst of thy sins and therefore God will never repent him of thy sufferings This is the day of Gods-long-suffering and that will be the day of thy long-suffering when thou shalt suffer long for thine abusing the long-suffering of God Ah sinner sinner what stupidity hath seised on thee that thou shoulst be lyable to eternal torments in hell and yet live as carelesly and prophanely as if it did no way at all concern thee Know for certain that though thou dost not as yet feel these torments yet thou art every moment subject and hasting thereunto A cloud of fire and brimstone hangeth over thine head and the Lord knoweth how suddenly it may fall upon thee It is certainly decreed in Heaven that if thou turn not here from thy sins unto God by true and unfaigned repentance and turn over a new leaf leading a new course of life thou shalt lye in a lake of brimstone to all eternity and thou knowest not how soon God may seal the warrant for thine execution Oh sinner that I could prevail with thee once a day to steep thy thoughts in a serious meditation of the Eternity of hell-torments Certainly it would abate the heat of thy lusts and take off the edge of thy love to thy most pleasing vanities and stop thee in the eager pursuit of thy carnal pleasures For wouldst thou be content to run the hazard of such torments for thy present ease of such plagues for thy present pleasures of such thick darkness for the light of thine own sparks of such an Eternity for a few jocund hours Oh when wilt thou awake from this folly Thou who now givest thy self up to the gratifying of thy sinfull lusts to the satisfying of thy brurish pleasures who art sowing daily to the flesh sowing oaths and curses and lyes and adulteries c. without considering what a bitter harvest thou shalt have after such a black seed-time should I but ask thee how much pleasure thou wouldst take to lye but one day in such a burning Furnace as Nebuchadnezzars was after it was heated seven times more for the three Children I dare boldly say thou wouldst not lye therein one quarter of an hour for all the pleasures and riches in the World How is it then that for a little pleasure which endureth but for a moment thou dost so little regard the lying in the Furnace of hell-fire to all eternity In the fear of God therefore often think as of the extremity so of the eternity of hell-torments Me-thinks the very thought thereof should forthwith call off the drunkard from following the Ale-house with his vain companions and the swearer from taking the name of God so often in vain and the voluptuous person from his sensual delights and wanton dalliances and the worldling from his immoderate seeking after earthly riches and treasures and cause every of them out of hand to set upon another and a wiser course to mind the good of their immortal souls and bethink themselves in earnest how they might escape the wrath to come to cast away sin to cry after mercy to run over to Jesus Christ with their tongues with their eyes with their hearts full of prayers Lord save me or I perish Lord teach me what I must do to be saved Lord pardon me
believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Where by the World is meant indefinitely mankind of what Nation or Condition Sex or State Age or other Difference soever they be And therefore the offer of Christ is indefinitely to all without exception of any there being no state or condition of men which God hath excluded from Salvation by Christ which doth clearly evidence his willingness to save poor sinners Oh sinner seeing God doth freely offer Christ to all without exception of any do not thou except thy self limit not where God hath not limited say not I am unworthy or my sins are many and heinous cloathed with many aggravating circumstances but stir up thy self to adventure thy soul on Christ upon the general offer of him in the Gospel The first work of faith in many hath been to adventure their souls on Christ upon the free offer of him to all indefinitely Do thou in like manner adventure to cast thy self upon the free grace of God in Christ with resolution to abandon thy lusts for the time to come and to take Christ for thy Lord and Husband as well as for thy Priest and Saviour This is that which God requireth and if he hath perswaded thine heart to this it is a good sign that mercy is intended for thee 7. Gods willingness appeareth from his beseeching poor sinners to be reconciled to him as the Apostle expresseth We are Ambassadours for Christ as though he did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God Ah sinner rather than thou shouldst perish in thy sins God himself who is the God of mercy doth as it were kneel down before thee and beseecheth thee for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake to pitty thy poor soul and to accept of the reconcilâ—ation which Christ hath purchased by his bloody death and passion Oh the depth of the incomprehensible love of God to poor sinners that he should not only command and invite but likewise beseech and intreat them to turn from their sins unto him and accept of the reconciliation purchased by the blood of his Son Jesus Christ. Surely this must needs evidence his great willingness to save poor sinners 8. His willingness further appeareth by his sending Ministers as his Ambassadours unto poor sinners upon terms of peace and reconciliation as the Apostle expresseth in the forementioned place We are Ambassadours to beseech you to be reconciled to God As if he had said We are commanded by the Lord our Master to offer you terms of peace and reconciliation to profer you peace and pardon if you will heartily turn from your sins unto God We are sent as Ambassadours to acquaint you what Christ hath done and suffered for your redemption how he hath fulfilled the Law for you and offered up his life as a Sacrifice and satisfaction to Gods justice for your sins and how you may be happy for ever if you will rest upon Christs perfect righteousness and all-sufficient Sacrifice for life and salvation and give up your selves unto him to serve and obey his laws and commandments I do here therefore as Gods Ambassadour in his name proclaim to the worst of you to the greatest and oldest sinner that you may have mercy and Salvation if you will abandon your lusts and close with Jesus Christ upon the terms of the Gospel receiving him for your King Priest and Prophet Oh how can we but stand amazed at the riches of Gods mercy and goodness that when we upon the knees of our souls should have sought unto him for peace and reconciliation yet that he being the great Lord of Heaven and of Earth should condescend so far as to send Ambassadours unto us sinfull dust and ashes to intreat us to be reconciled to him to accept his grace and favour Oh how doth this evidence his great willingness that poor sinners should not perish but have everlasting life Certainly if God had taken more pleasure in your damnation than in your salvation he would never have sent his Ministers as Ambassadours to shew you the way and means of salvation by receiving Christ as your Lord and Saviour and giving up your selves unto him he would never have perswaded you by so many arguments and beseeched you to turn from your sins unto him that your souls might live in glory to all Eternity 9. Gods willingness doth likewise appear from the greatness of his patience in bearing with sinners For the Lord having used all means for the conversion of poor sinners he waits with much patience and long-suffering for their repentance to see whether they will turn from their sins unto him or no. He waits upon the Swearer the Drunkard the Whore-Master the covetous Worldling day after day week after week year after year crying after them as he did after Ierusalem Oh will ye not be made clean Oh when will it once be When wilt thou leave thy Swearing thy Drinking thy Whoring thy Covetousness and the like And when will thy prophane heart be sanctified thine unclean heart be purified and thy carnal heart spiritualized oh when will it once be oh sinner who art now grown old in sin how long hath the Lord waited on thee for shame let him wait no longer but turn thee turn thee from thy wicked wayes and courses that thou maist receive mercies from him This patience of God towards sinners must needs evidence his willingness to have them saved For if he had not been willing he would have cut them off long agoe and have dealt with them as he did with the Devils who had no sooner sinned but he clapt his chains upon them and still reserves them to the great day in chains of darkness 10. Gods willingness appeareth in that he hath made the way of salvation as easie as can stand with his honour For the way of salvation now is only believing in Iesus Christ for so runs the covenant of grace believe and ye shall be saved Whereas the Covenant of works ran thus Do this and live So that now whosoever believeth in Iesus Christ shall be saved that is whosoever receiveth Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour giving himself up to be ruled by him and resteth upon his perfect righteousness and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the pardon of his sins here and for eternal salvation hereafter Shall not perish but have everlasting life The covenant of works required perfect obedience in every mans own person But the Covenant of grace requireth only our sincere endeavour to keep the Commandements of the Lord and accepteth the obedience performed by our surety Jesus Christ for us For we being disenabled by the fall of Adam for performing obedience to the law Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God came down from Heaven took our nature upon him and therein became our surety and as our surety in our steed for us subjected himself to the Law perfectly fulfilled the same and his obedience is by God
Gods justice for thy sins for otherwise when either thy conscience or the Devil begin to aggravate thy sins and to set before thee the number and the hainousness of them thou wilt be at a loss and even ready to sit down in despair whereas if thou didst cleerly apprehend what a full satisfaction the death of Christ was to Gods justice for all thy sins thou wouldst not fear what either thy conscience or the Devil could object against thee In Rom. 8.33 We read how the Apostle from the consideration of Christs all-sufficient Sacrifice and full satisfaction to Gods justice by his death did triumph over sin and Satan For having treated thereof in the former part of the Chapter In the latter part thereof ver 33 34. he speaks as one ravished with abundance of comfort yea challengeth the Devil and all the World to object what they could against the pardon of his sins Who saith he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed As if he had said let Conscience and carnal Reason let Law and Sin let Hell and Devil object what they can let them object the number and hainousness of my sins what is that seeing Christ hath dyed even Christ the Son of God hath offered up his own life as an all-sufficient Sacrifice and thereby abundantly satisfied Gods justice for my sins Beloved the case between God and us and our Saviour Jesus Christ is not much unlike the case of a Creditor a Debtor and a Surety Though the debtor be altogether unable to satisfie his debt or to contribute any thing thereunto yet if his surety have fully discharged the debt and cancelled the bond the debtor is safe enough from imprisonment or danger of arrest In lâ—ke manner though we were much indebted unto God and were no way able to make the least satisfaction for our sins yet seeing our surety Jesus Christ hath taken upon him the debt of our sins and fully satisfied Gods justice for the same by offering up his own life as an all-sufficient Sacrifice upon the Cross we shall not need to fear the accusations of Conscience or of carnal reason or of all the Devils in Hell if we do apply the merits of Christs death unto our own souls comfort IV. That there is hope of mercy for the worst of sinners appeareth from Christs Willingness to receive and embrace all poor sinners who will but come unto him and receive him upon the terms of the Gospel 1. Christs Willingness appeareth from his frequent personal invitations of all sorts of sinners even the worst to come unto him for life and salvation as Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest In which we find no exception either of persons or sins but whosoever thou art rich or poor male or female how many and hainous soever thy sins are if thou art but sensible of them thou art invited to go unto Jesus Christ and to cast thy self and the burden of thy sins upon him And Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come And whoever will let him take the Water of life freely That is in whomsoever there is but an earnest will and longing desire to partake of Christ and of the benefits of his death and passion they are invited to come unto him Now these gracious invitations of Jesus Christ unto poor thirsty sinners to come unto him that their souls might live must needs argue his incomparable willingness to have them saved 2. Christ knowing our backwardness to come unto him to the forementioned invitations adds his awakening excitation or proclamation crying out Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters c. And because many poor souls are apt to say Alas there is nothing in me to commend me unto Christ I have no goodness no righteousness of mine own therefore Christ adds He that hath no money that is he who hath no goodness no righteousness of his own which is there meant by money let him come And indeed they are the fittest to go unto Jesus Christ for it is the empty soul that is most capable of Christ the soul emptied of all self-righteousness and self-goodness Whereas that soul which with the Church of Laodicea is rich and full with a conceit of its own righteousness hath no room for Christ. 3. Christs Willingness appeareth by the many sweet and gracious promises which he hath made in his Word unto all those who by faith come unto him As that known promise Come unto me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest that is I will ease you and refresh you I will comfort you with the assurance of the pardon of your sins I will give you peace of Conscience here and eternal peace and rest with me for ever in my Kingdom And questionless one special reason why many find so little peace and comfort in their souls is because they go not unto Jesus Christ they cast not themselves and the burden of their sins upon him who is the fountain of peace and comfort and from whom alone it is to be had And Mark 16.15 16. saith our Saviour He that believeth shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned that is He who goeth out of himself unto Christ for life shall be saved from the wrath of God from the curse of the Law from the guilt and power of sin yea from eternal death and condemnation and shall inherit eternal life and salvation But he that believeth not shall be damned that is He who refuseth to go unto Jesus Christ preferring his lusts and corruptions before him shall be cast into that burning lake where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Oh how earnestly doth Christ press sinners to come unto him that they might have life promising Heaven and salvation upon their coming and threatning hell and damnation upon their refusing And what more prevailing argument could he use to perswade sinners to come unto him Which must needs evidence his exceeding great willingness to embrace them with the arms of his mercy upon their coming 4. Christs Willingness appeareth from his eâ—d of coming into the World which was to save poor lâ—st sinners He left his Crown and Throne his Royal Court and glorious Robes and cloathed himself with the rags of our humanity for no other end but to seek and to save that which was lost as the Apostle expresseth This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners So that the Salvation of poor lost sinners was his great design in coming into the World He came from Heaven to Earth for this very end that he might send us from Earth to Heaven The Son of God became the Son of man that we the sons of men might become
he slew a man he that Sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck Though the Sacrificing of Oxen and Lambs were good and commanded by God himself yet because they failed in the manner of performing them they were no more acceptable to God than the killing of men or cutting off a dogs neck which things were forbidden by the Law and abomination to the Lord. 3. Failing in the manner of performance makes God not only to reject our duties but to pronounce a woe and a curse against the performers of them Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Though it be the work of the Lord that work which the Lord appointeth to be done yet notwithstanding if it be done negligently not after a right manner cursed is he that doth it 4. It is the right manner of performing duties that obtaineth a blessing from God It may be thou hast heard much and prayed much and fasted much and yet hast found little good or benefit thereby Examine whether thou hast not been dead and dull formal and perfunctory in them doing them as if thou didst them not If so no marvail that thou hast received so little good by them As therefore thou wouldst be loth to pray in vain or hear in vain or fast in vain as thou wouldst be loth to lose the things which thou hast wrought see to it that thou be as carefull of the manner as of the matter of them how thou dost them as that thou dost them Do what thou dost with all thy soul yea and with all thy might and then thou maist expect a plentiful and gracious return For the right manner of performing good duties take these few directions I. Be sure you take Christ with you both for assistance and acceptance 1. For assistance For without me saith Christ you can do nothing That is without Union with Christ and Communion with him you cannot perform any acceptable service unto God You may fall upon the duty of prayer and attend upon the Ministry of the Word but without assistance from Christ you can neither do the one nor the other as you should Whensoever therefore you set upon any good duty in the first place beg strength and assistance from Christ and rest and lean upon him for his help go not to pray or hear but in the strength of the Lord. 2. Take Christ with you for acceptance both of your persons and services Christ is the beloved Son of God with whom he is so well pleased that likewise in him he is well pleased with all those that come to God by him and look for neither audience nor acceptance but upon his account alone The truth is as our persons are vile and wretched and all as an unclean thing so our Services even our most holy Services are all polluted and tainted with the corruption of our natures and therefore they are odious and abominable in the sight of God who may justly reject both us and them and will do it unless covered with the worthiness of our Lord Jesus Christ but in him we shall not fail to obtain gracious acceptance Whensoever therefore we go unto God in prayer or in any other ordinance let us carry Christ with us in the arms of our faith Plut arch in the life of Themistocles reports that it was the usual custome of some of the Heathens namely the Molossiaâ—s that when they would seek the favour of their King they took his Son in their arms and so went unto him And questionless it would be the wisdom of Christians in seeking the face and favour of God who is the King of Heaven and of earth to take the holy Child Jesus with them without whom they may not see his face II. Stir up thy self and all thy strength put forth thy self to the uttermost strive to be lively active and stirring in Spirit Get the Spirit of faith and of power this will be oyle to the wheels and wind to the Sails which set all a going let this be wanting and thy best services will be lifeless and dead Services in which the Lord takes no delight There is a threefold strength we should labour to put forth in all our holy duties 1. Strength of Intention 2. Strength of Affections 3. Strength of Body 1. We must intend our work as if it were for our lives for so it is whether it be the work of praying hearing meditating or the like We must put forth the strength of our intention as well as of our attention not giving way either to drowsiness of body or distractions of mind But oh what light matters are apt to steal away our minds and thoughts in the performance of holy duties If one of our superiours were talking with us he would expect that we should mind what he saith and not turn aside to talk with every one that passeth by us But when God is speaking to us in the ministry of his Word or we are speaking unto him by prayer how ordinarily do we turn aside to every vain thought and trifling business which offereth it self to us Intend God more earnestly and this will fire your thoughts 2. Strength of affections is required in every good duty Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might saith the Wise man This may especially be applyed to the duties of Gods worship and service that we do them vigorously with all the strength of our affections Which the Apostle requireth where he bids us be fervent in spirit serving the Lord. The word in the Greek notes an ebullition or boyling up of our spirits to the height There is nothing in the World more unbecoming the Worship of God than flatness of spirit and coldness of affection when a man serves God as if he served him not It was Davids commendation that the zeal of Gods house did eat him up Which expression sheweth the vehemency of his zeal and strength of his affections as in reforming Gods house so in performing the duties of his Worship and service For this was Iacob honoured and called Israel because he prayed with the strength of his affections and is therefore said to wrestle with God in prayer whereby he prevailed As thou desirest to prevail with God in Prayer thou must with Iacob wrestle with him putting forth the strength of thine affections which will be a special means to keep away vain wandring thoughts So long as honey is boyling hot flies will not venture on it So if the heart and affections be boyling hot in prayer vain thoughts are not apt to enter in 3. Strength of body must likewise be put forth in every good duty For Col must be worshipped as with our spirits so with our bodies And blessed is the strength which is put forth in the service of God Carnal men are apt to lay out the strength of their bodies upon their lusts Why then should not we be as ready to
conception of all our actions and such as the seed is such will be the fruit As evil thoughts bring forth evil actions so Heavenly thoughts bring forth an Heavenly conversation 4. Readiness to discourse on divine mysteries As they who have layed up much riches have sufficient by them to bring forth on all occasions so such as by frequent meditation have treasured up many precious truths have sufficient by them to produce for the benefit of those they converse withall Whereas others who have spent much time in reading and hearing and have not by meditation made it their own we see how barren they are I will meditate saith David of all thy works and talk of thy doings It is there observable how good conference follows upon holy meditation 5. Cheerfulness of Spirit To be much in Heaven by a frequent contemplation of things above will exceedingly cheer up our Spirits and make us walk comfortably For the proof hereof I dare appeal to the experience of any Heavenly-minded Christian. When is it that your hearts are most cheerfull but when you have been walking with God and beholding his face and looking to those things that are within the vail Certainly this will leave such a savour upon the heart of a Christian that he cannot but confess that one hour thus spent doth afford more true real joy and sweetness than all the riches and pleasures in the World Hereupon David cryed out How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God! As if he had said How delightful and comfortable are the thoughts that I have of thee yea saith he when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness And who is there that hath seriously experimented this divine exercise who doth not find abundance of sweetness and comfort in it Certainly no comfort no joy is to be compared with it No marvail then that many Christians walk so uncomfortably when they live at such a distance from Heaven Where is joy where is comfort but in Heaven Who are like to taste of these Heavenly comforts but those who go often thither Strangers shall not meddle with this joy How can Heaven be matter of joy to them who are never there nor consider the glorious things which God hath there prepared for those who love him 6. Another benefit of divine contemplation is a profitable improvement of time For thereby all the chinks and crevices of our time will be filled up There need be no vacuity when we have work that is so proper for every season yea and that will whet and quicken us to what ever other work God hath for us to do The most contemplative Christians are the most active Our holy thoughts will set us upon our holy work the thoughtless are usually the most fruitless of men 7. Victory over our lusts and corruptions is another benefit of divine contemplation It is recorded of Noah that though he lived in wicked and corrupt times yet he was a just and upright man The reason thereof is rendred in the next words He walked with God continually eying him and meditating of him By his frequent conversing with God he kept himself from the iniquities of the times as well as from the corruptions of his own heart And certainly there is no better preservative against sin than to have our minds and thoughts thus holily imployed about spiritual things For 1. By looking into our selves and considering our own hearts and wayes we discern the evils that are there we see such Worldliness and Covetousness in our hearts the very sight whereof will make us look the better to our selves 2. By spiritual meditation we come to have such an insight into the evil of sin the vanity of the Creature the folly of fleshly sensual delights that temptations unto sin will have the less power over us 3. Divine contemplation is a preservative against sin because it keeps the heart imployed When the heart is taken up with better things it hath no leisure to hearken to temptations no leisure to be lustfull and wanton to be Worldly or ambitious When we are idle and empty of God we are sure to be pestred with evil thoughts whilest we are well employed we are safe When the vessel is full you can put in no more And when the heart is filled with Heaven there is no room for Earth and vanity What 's the reason most mens hearts are so full of wicked wanton thoughts but because God is not in all their thoughts 4. Divine contemplation is a good preservative against sin in that our understandings are thereby cleared to judge rightly of our sinfull lusts and pleasures When a Christian hath been seriously musing either on those everlasting joys which are prepared for the Godly in Heaven or on those everlasting torments which are prepared for the wicked in hell what then are his apprehensions of his lusts and iniquities Oh how doth he befool himself for them when he sees what he is like to lose and suffer by them How could he even tear his very flesh and take revenge on himself for his earthly mindedness and fleshly pleasures for his mis-spent time that he hath so prodigally lavished and wofully wasted his golden and precious time in vanity and pleasure in sin and wickedness How verily doth he think there is no man in Bedlam so truly mad as they who for the short fruition of a momentary pleasure and delight here do plunge themselves into everlasting burnings in hell where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth CHAP. XXV Of Mortification ANother singular duty incumbent upon the Regenerate is To labour in the use of all good means for the mortification of the whole body of sin with all its affections and lusts especially those we feel most predominant in us True mortification extendeth it self to the whole of sin body and members root and branch even every sinfull lust Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the Earth saith the Apostle Where by Members on the Earth are meant the sinfull lusts and affections which are as the Members of that monstrous body of sin which is evident by the particular instances in the Words following namely Fornication uncleanness inordinate Affections and the like These must be mortified that is killed and destroyed The Regenerate by the Spirit of God are enabled as to restrain the actings of sin so by degrees to deaden the root Indeed this is not done to the uttermost while here we live I mean sin is not here so mortified and destroyed that it hath no residence nor activity in our hearts yet may it be so weakned and subdued as to lose its vigor power and strength and languish away more and more Though corruption keep possession in us after we are Regenerate yet hath it not dominion over us though we may be sins Captives yet shall we not be
sins subjects to yield a voluntary subjection of our selves unto the commands of sin Q. How may we know when corruption is mortified in us A. When it is not only restrained and kept from such ordinary breakings out into actual sins but the lusts and motions that issue from it are a grief to us yea we hate and detest them and groan under the burden of them we watch against them fight against them earnestly desiring to be delivered from them crying out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and corruption For the more profitable pressing this so necessary and difficult a duty I shall 1. Shew you some Motives and arguments to enforce the same 2. Some Means whereby it may be effected 3. The Manner how it ought to be performed The Reasons forcing this work of Mortification upon the Regenerate are these 1. After Regeneration there remaineth a body of sin and corruption in the best which if we endeavour not by the help of Gods Spirit to mortifie and subdue will gather strength and become mighty to the great hinderance of our duty and darkning all our comfort 2. Corruption doth not only remain in us as long as we live in this World but it is alwayes in continual work either stirring us up to evil or keeping us from that which is good or defiling our best actions In which respect saith the Apostle the flesh lusteth against the Spirit And from his own experience he cryeth out I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members so that I cannot do the good which I would but rather do the evil which I hate How doth it then concern us daily and hourly to fight and strive against these lusts which are continually working and warring in our members hindering and spoiling all our duties breaking our peace undermining all our hopes and comforts and seeking our lives we must either kill or be killed 3. By a conscionable performance of this duty we shall be freed from those hainous and scandalous sins into which other mens lusts do carry them Should corruption have its way and course without resistance in the best of us it would soon break forth into the most loathsome and disgracefull sins that are committed by the very worst of men as we see in David Solomon and others Is it not then needfull for us to keep down and withstand the first motions and risings of sin in our hearts before it break forth into such wicked and disgracefull acts which will blast our credit and reputation and bring a scandal upon our Religion and profession 4. Mortification of sin was one special end of Christs death who dyed to save his people from their sins not to save them in their sins but from their sins as from the guilt and punishment so from the power of them And indeed whom Christ delivers from the damnation of sin he first delivers also from the dominion of sin Whom he intends to save from hell he first saveth them from iniquity he saves their souls by killing their sins If thou findest any lust to remain unmortified in thee bearing rule in thine heart and sway in thy life thou hast just cause to question thy interest in Christ and his salvation They that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts II. The Means whereby the work of Mortification may be effected by us are these I. When thou feelest corruption working in thee and stirring thee up to evil then call to mind and lay to heart the ensuing considerations 1. Consider the shortness of the pleasure of sin with the length of the punishment following thereupon without true and unfeined repentance The one for a moment the other everlasting The pleasure is but short but the punishment is for ever and ever The torments of the damned in hell are intensively most grievous in themselves but that which mainly and infinitely adds to the greatness of them is because they are eternal They are tormented day and night for ever and ever The Worm is alwayes gnawing and the fire continually burning therefore called unquenchable fire Oh what a folly must it then needs be yea and madness beyond admiration for the short fruition of these perishing pleasures and transient contentments here to implunge our selves into everlasting burnings Oh how terrible is the thought of eternity in those tormenting flames where the damned would think themselves happy if after they had endured them so many thousand years as there are Sands on the Sea-shore or Stars in the Firmament they might then be assured of enlargement But when all that time is past and innumerable millions of years and ages are run out they are as far from an end as at their first entrance Why wilt thou then purchase a little sensual delight at so dear a rate for a moments pleasure to incurr everlasting woe and misery O the fire of hell if thou wouldst send down thy thoughts thither would burn up thy Lusts which otherwise will be the fuel to burn thy soul. 2. Consider thy extream folly in gratifying thy sinfull Lusts thereby thou hast chosen and preferred thy fleshly pleasure thy carnal content before the glory of God the everlasting joyes of Heaven and the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Oh monstrous madness and unconceivable folly at which the Angels blush and Heaven and Earth cannot but stand amazed 3. Call to mind and consider some of the threatnings in Gods Word as against sin in general so against that particular Lust which thou findest most working and stirring in thee and unto which thou findest strongest inclinations in thy self First Call to mind and consider sâ—me of the threatnings against sin and sinners in general Upon the wicked saith the Psalmist God shall rain fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. And saith the Apostle Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil Secondly When thou findest any inclination in thy self to a particular sin as unto drunkenness seriously consider that of the Wise man who hath woe who hath sorrow who hath contentions c. they that tarry long at the Wine they that go to seek mixt Wine When thou findest any inclination or temptation unto uncleanness seriously weigh that of the Apostle Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate shall inherit the Kingdom of God And again Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge When thou findest any inclinations unto Covetousness call to mind that of the Prophet Isaiah Wo unto them that joyne house to house and lay field to field till there be no place and that of the Apostle The love of money is the root of all evil which while some have
offering up a Morning Sacrifice of Prayer and thanksgiving Lord we acknowledge our great unworthiness to come into thy presence to present our Prayers and supplications unto thee But though we are unworthy yet Christ is worthy We beseech thee therefore for his sake to look graciously upon us to pass by our unworthiness and to strengthen our weakness To this end as we draw near unto thee so be thou pleased to draw near unto us enabling us to pray as with humility and sincerity so with zeal and fervency of spirit and with faith in Jesus Christ looking for audience and acceptance in and thorow him Blessed Lord God we cannot but acknowledge thou didst at first create us in a blessed and happy estate even after thine own image endowing us with true knowledge holiness and righteousness But we soon fell from that state of innocency and blessedness in the loynes of our first Father Adam and implunged our selves with him into a dreadfull gulf of sin and misery For O Lord besides the guilt of Adams sin we have contracted from him a Mass of corruption which hath poysoned our very natures polluted and defiled all the faculties of our souls with all the parts and members of our bodies So that we may more truly in regard of our spiritual uncleanness cry out Vnclean Vnclean than the Leper under the Law in regard of his bodily uncleanness And O Lord to this corruption of our natures we have added many many actual sins of our own which as they have been hainous in their quality so in their number and multitude have far exceeded the hairs of our heads and the sands on the Sea-shore which cannot be numbred The which we have committed through the whole course of our lives from our infancy to this present time So that we are now grown old in sin and overgrown with corruption Though the time thou hast allotted us here to live is very little even as a moment to Eternity yet alas how little of this little have we lived to thee our God or to the good of our own souls having mis-spent the greatest part of our dayes in vanity and pleasure We have continued ignorant of thee how much means of knowledge have we had and yet how little knowledge have we gotten oh how little have we done for our souls or the other World We have not considered what is like to become of us hereafter How little care and pains have we taken to make sure for Eternity we have taken the course to undo our selves for ever We have broken every one of thy most holy and righteous Laws ten thousand thousand times Yea we have sinned against thy Gospel in slighting the offers of grace Though thou hast sent unto us Ambassadour after Ambassadour to wooe and beseech us to abandon our sins and to receive Jesus Christ yet alas how have we slighted thy messengers and turned a deaf ear to all thy gracious invitations Though we are willing to take Christ for our Saviour to preserve us from hell and damnation yet alas how unwilling are we to take him for our Lord and King to yield obedience and subjection unto him Lord we cannot but acknowledge our great unthankfulness under those manifold favours and mercies thou hast in a plentiful measure conferred on us as also our unprofitableness under thy Fatherly chastisâ—ments laid upon us in love and for our good our discontentedness at our present state and condition And oh how careless and negligent have we been in the discharge of the duties of our places callings and relations Oh the multitude of worldly and covetous thoughts of proud and ambitious thoughts of wicked and prophane thoughts of wanton and unclean thoughts yea and of blasphemous and atheistical thoughts that lodge in the hearts of most of us and there revel it day and night And O Lord we cannot but acknowledge the deadness of our hearts the distractions of our minds in the performing holy duties We are active and lively about our worldly businesses but oh how dull and flat are we in our religious exercises praying as if we prayed not and hearing as if we heard not Lord make us truly apprehensive of our sins and misery that we may humble our selves under a sense of them and turn unto thee by true and unfained repentance Turn us O God and we shall be turned draw us and we will run after thee And O Lord whilest we are returning unto thee meet us we pray thee in the way and like a tender Father embrace us with the arms of thy mercy Our sins we confess are many and hainous yet we know and believe thy mercies are far more and the merits of Jesus Christ are far greater and therefore we are resolved to adventure our souls as upon the mercies of theâ— our God so upon the merits of Jesus Christ into whose arms we here cast our selves Oh be pleased to make us partakers both of the merit of Christs death in freeing us from the guilt of sin and of the virtue of Christs death in freeing us from the power and dominion of sin that it may not rule and raign in us as formerly Lord work in us a loathing and a true hatred of every sin especially of such we have been most addicted to and have most delighted in To this end convince us what a folly yea madness it is for the short fruition of a momentany pleasure here to implunge our selves into everlasting burnings Oh convert every unconverted soul among us bring us to Christ make us adventurers for the other World let us be resolved henceforth for an holy and righteous life instruct us in thy wayes and teach us thy Sâ—atutes Break the power of our sins subdue our rebellion and make us willing to be the Lord's Change our evil natures and give us another Spirit Help us sincerâ—ly to choose thee as our portion to love and fear and trust in thee and to walk humbly with thee all the dayes of our life Help us to set our affections on things abovâ— and no longer on this earth let us dye daily to sin and this World let us exercise our selvâ—s in keeping a good Consâ—iâ—nce towards God and men let us work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure and let not our labour herein be in vain Keep us O Lord from our iniquities keep us from the way of lying from all unrighteous and unjust dealing from wrath and evil speaking let us be true temperate peaceable and mercifull as the children of our heavenly Father Help us to be serious and savoury and tender and watchfull and hold us on constantly in our holy course to the end of our dayes Lord take us into thy keeping and protection this day keep us from all danger especially from sinning against thee To this end make us watchfull both against the occasions of sins and temptations thereunto Keep us we pray thee
pains and endeavours I beseech thee to help me to labour in the work of the Lord and to crown my pains and endeavours with a blessing from Heaven Make me more spiritual in Worldly businesses and less wordly in spiritual businesses Be pleased to put good meditations into my mind and holy desires into my heart Let no corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth but such as may administer grace to the hearers Help me to redeem time let me not lose one day more set me presently to work out my salvation with fear and trembling let me choose the good part and make sure for eternity let me never venture my soul on false and deceitfull hopes but let me make sure Good Lord let me not be deceived and found an hypocrite at last but let me be sound in the faith that I may have rejoycing before thee in the great day Neither pray I for my self alone but for thy whole Church wheresoever dispersed or howsoever distressed upon the face of the whole earth In special I pray thee to bless this Land and Nation with all blessings both temporal and spiritual And herein our Soveraign Lord and King make him an instrument of bringing much glory to thy namâ— and much good to thy Church and people Bless him in his Relations Counsels and Forces Bless the Magistrates and Ministers with the whole people of this Land the afflicted members of Jesus Christ let thy mercies be suitable to their several needs and necessities Vouchsafe to every one of us grace to live in thy fear to dye in thy favour and to raign with thee Eternally in Heaven And now O Lord in the name of Jesus Christ I bless and praise thy glorious Majesty for all those manifold favours thou hast in a plentiful manner conferred on my soul and body for my preservation as from manifold dangers whereunto I was subject so from many sins wherinto the corruption of my flesh and the perswasion of the Devâ—l would have thrown me headlong Blessed be thy name for thy good providence over me through the whole course of my life thou hast been my God from my Mothers womb supplyed me with all needfull good things But above all blessed be thy name for that foundation of all other mercies thy dearly beloved Son for those great things he hath done and suffered for me and those many good things whereof in and through him I have hope or am made partaker Lord pardon the manifold weaknesses and imperfections which have accompanied this holy service in and through thy beloved Jesus Christ. To whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit I do from my heart render all praise and glory both now and evermore Amen FINIS THE PRINCIPLES OF Christian Religion Explained to the Capacity of the Meanest By T.G. Minister of the Gospel John 17.3 This is life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright at the Globe in Little-Brittain 1668. THE PRINCIPLES OF Christian Religion EXPLAINED Quest. WHo is the Maker of all things Answ. God Gen. 1. 1. Col. 1.16 By him were all things Created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit of infinite perfection God is said to be a Spirit 1. Negatively to intimate that he is not a body or material substance 2. Analogically Spirits being the most perfect and excellent of all created beings are the fittest to represent the incomprehensible God to our narrow conceptions God is said to be a Spirit of perfection or perfect spirit thereby to exclude all manner of imperfections and including all manner of perfections and excellencies In that he is a Spirit of infinite perfection thereby is implyed that there is no measure or bounds set to his perfection Whereby he is distinguished from the glorious Angels and the souls of the Saints in Heaven which though they are perfect spirits yet their perfection is limited Whereas Gods perfection is beyond all measure being infinite Q. How many Gods are there A. There is one only God 1 Cor. 8.4 There is none other God but one Q. How many Persons are there in the God-head A. Three the Father the Son and the holy-Ghost Though there be but one God in substance and essence yet there be three distinct Persons subsisting in that one God-head This appeareth from Christs own testimony in Matth. 28.19 Where he gives commission to his Apostles to teach all Nations and Baptize them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost See likewise 1 Ioh. 5.7 That God should be one in essence and three in persons is a Mysterie not to be comprehended yet ought to be believed being so plainly revealed in the Word Q. How is God farther set forth unto us in his Word A. 1. By his Properties 2. By his Works The Properties of God are certain excellencies attributed to him as when he is said to be Eternal Almighty Merciful just c. Q. What are the kinds of Gods Properties A. 1. Incommunicable 2. Communicable Incommunicable properties are such excellencies which are so proper to God alone as in no respect they can be attributed or communicated to any other As Eternity without beginning Immutability not subject to any change All-sufficient not only for himself but for all others Omnipotency able to do all things Ubiquity to be everywhere present These and such like are excellencies proper only to God and cannot be communicated to the Creature Communicable Properties are certain excellencies in God communicated also to creatures as Power Wisdom Holiness Iustice c. Thus Sampson was a strong man Solomon a wise man Noah a just man c. But yet there is a great difference between these communicable properties as they are in God and as they are in the creature 1. They are in God Originally he is the primary fountain of them all who hath what he hath in and from himself Thus all these Properties in God are his very Essence 2. They are all in God infinitely without any limits or bounds He is infinite in power wisdom holiness justice c. But in the Creature they are 1. By participation they receive all their excellencies from God What hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 4.7 2. By Measure The Creature that hath the most and best excellencies hath but a stinted measure Eph. 4.7 Q. To what heads may the works of God be brought A. Creation and Providence Q. What is meant by Gods creating things A. A making them out of nothing To create is to give a being to things that never were and that out of nothing In this respect it is said Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth that is when there was nothing at all no not any matter out of which things might be made then God Created all things Which kind of making things out of nothing is proper to God
Thereby the Lord sheweth himself to be the true God Q. What things did God so make A. All things This the Apostle expresly avouchet Col. 1.16 By him were all things Created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Visible and Invisible If the excellency of many Creatures the greatness of others the multitude of all together be duly considered it must needs be granted that herein the Lord sheweth himself to be a God indeed the only true God None else can do the like Q. By what did God make all things A. By his Word Gen. 1.3 6. God said let there be light and let there be a Firmament and it was so And Psal. 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were things made By Gods Word we understand the manifestation of his will For God is said to speak not properly but after the manner of man Men use most commonly to express their mind and will by speaking When God did manifest and declare his will that such and such things should be instantly they were and they were so as God would have them Q. What was that estate wherein God made all things A. Very good The holy Ghost expresly noteth that at the end of every day God took a thorow view of the particular works which he had made and found them to be good Gen. 1.4 10 c. This is to be noted to justifie God against all the evil that is in the World Many Creatures are now evil But as God made them they were not so All evil hath risen from the Creatures Q. Wherein consisteth the Providence of God A. 1. In preserving Creatures 2. In well ordering them For the preserving of Creatures if God did not sustain and maintain them they would soon come to nought In this respect it is said In him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 Q. What doth God by his providence order A. All things whatsoever Psal. 113.6 The providence of God extends as far as his Creation as all things were Created by God so all things are ordered by him As the high and great things in the highest Heaven So the greatest things on earth Dan. 2.21 He removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Yea and the meanest things also as the very colour of hairs Mat. 5.36 Q. What is that end whereunto God directeth all things A. 1. His own Glory 2. His Childrens good Gods glory is the most principal and supream end of all At that he aimed in giving the first being to his creatures And at that also he aimeth in all things that are done at any time in any place Yea also as at the next subordinate end he aimeth at his Childrens good In regard whereof all things work together for their good Rom. 8.28 Q. In what estate did God make man at first A. In a very good and happy estate Gen. 1.31 It is said After God had made man he overlooked every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Q. Wherein did mans happiness especially consist in which he was at first made A. In that he was made after the image of God which consisted in perfect knowledge true holiness and righteousness Gen. 1.26 27. Col. 3.10 Man at first had knowledge of all things necessary for the glory of God and his own good and was likewise made holy and righteous and without sin Q Did man alwayes continue in that holy and happy estate A. No he fell from it by transgressing that commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 3.3 c. The sin especially lay in disobeying the command of God which commandment he gave him for the tryal of his obedience Many may possibly think this sin a light matter and are apt to charge God with severity for punishing man so sorely for so small an offence But if they shall consider the manifold sins infolded in that transgression they must acknowledge it a very hainous sin For 1. There was infidelity therein in that they believed not Gods word For though God had said In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 yet they believed not that they should dye but made some question and doubt thereof 2. Sottish credulity in giving credit to the Devil God had said ye shall surely dye And the Devil said ye shall not surely dye Yet the Woman and so also the Man thorow her perswasion gave more credit to the Devil the Father of lyes than to God the father of truth 3. Horrible Idolatry in doting upon and loving the creature more than God the Creator who is blessed for ever For this is one way of committing idolatry namely by Deifying the Creature and loving it more than God 4. Pride and Ambition desiring to be as Gods For when the Devil said ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil they were so puffed up therewith that they transgressed 5. Theft For they took that which was none of their own but by a special reservation kept from them For God had expresly forbidden them to eat of that tree Gen. 2.17 6. Murther Our first Parents by eating that forbidden fruit brought death not only upon themselves but upon all their posterity Yea as much as in them lay they thereby implunged themselves and all their posterity into hell fire By these you may iudge of the greatness of the sin of our first parents Q. Is Adams posterity guilty of that sin A. Yea Adams sin is imputed to all his posterity By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 That is by the transgression of Adam the first man many even all that have or shall come from him are justly accounted sinners Q. How can Adams posterity be guilty of his sin A. 1. Adam was a publick person in that business He stood not in his own room alone but in the room of all mankind He was the great representative of the world so that he sinning we sinned in and with him 2. We were all in the loins of Adam when he sinned And so by the Law of generation sinned in him and in him deserved eternal condemnation Q. What is sin in general A. Sin is a transgression of the Law Thus doth an Apostle expresly define it 1 Ioh. 3.4 The law is a manifestation of the will of God declaring what he would have man to do or not to do therefore to transgress the law is to offend God and to sin against his express will Q What are the kinds of sin A. Original and Actual Q. What is Original sin A. That corruption of nature wherein all are conceived and born It is the immediate effect of Adams first sin and the principal cause of all other sins In which respect it is called Original because it is the spring from whence all actual sins issue and flow Of this Original corruption did David speak in Psal. 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Never was any that came from Adam