Did we not even strip the very dead of their shrowds in stead of covering the naked In a word Did we not at our Fasts invite the Devil to a Feast Is it such a Fast that I have chosen saith the Lord Isa 58.5 Did ye at all Fast unto me even to me Zech. 7.5 This is a lamentation and must be for a lamentation Wherefore Fast of thy Fasts O Nation Repent of thy Repentance lest the Lord forbid his Prophets to pray for thee Reject thy Cry when thou Fast and consume thee by the Sword the Famine and the Pestilence Jer. 14.11 12. Next follows a word of Holy Feasting seasonable onely at the receiving of Benefits or removal of Evils wherein we are to have a special eye and regard to those Four Graces viz. Thanksgiving Fear Temperance and Charity without which it may be feared lest the Lord deal with us as he threatned Israel and turn our Feasts into mourning Amos 8.10 yea spread the dung even the dung of our Feasts on our Faces Mal. 2.3 For when we Feast do we not eat to our selves and drink to our selves Are there not spots in our Love-Feasts Do we not Feast with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness Is it with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth Wherefore though at such times a more free and liberal use of the Creature is not unseasonable yet ever remember that it is better to go to the house of Mourning then to the house of Feasting But if thou wilt make a Feast obey our Saviors command and call the poor the lame the maimed and the blinde Luk. 14.13 Lastly Ecclesiastical Discipline that keeps the Key of Life and Doctrine offers it self to our consideration Without which every man is at liberty to write act and speak according to the pleasure of his prophane and blasphemous Heart without which we may expect the fall of the Walls of the holy Vineyard and a breach open for the Wilde Bore of the East and the little Foxes of the West to devour the Grapes without which the Magistrate wears a Sword without point or edge without which Vice lords it and Vertue 's enslaved without which the Children starve whilest holy things are given to Dogs without which the desperate Wills of prophanest men establish Iniquity as a Law to be obeyed on pain of Martyrdom Submit thy self therefore to this and every Ordinance of God who hath sealed a Commission to his Church with an Amen to it That whatsoever they shall binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever they shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven Matth. 18.18 Thus Reader having shewed thee the way to this Holy Arbor the Door is open onely let me whisper this word in thy Heart at parting That thou take heed how thou Readest not knowing but the Trump may Sound ere thou arrive at the other end of this Arbor The Lord grant This may not then Rise in Judgement against either of our Errata's J. G. THE HOLY ARBOR CHAP. I. §. 1. The Trinity ONe of the deepest Mysteries of our Religion is That God is the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and again That the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are one and the same God So it is one of the most mysterious points of our Faith To believe in one God who is distinct in three Subsistances or Persons called The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost who are three in person and again they three are one not in person but in nature By Nature is meant a thing subsisting by it self that is common to many By Person is meant a thing or essence subsisting by it self not common to many but incommunicable In this Mystery of the Trinity the Divine Nature is the Godhead it self simply and absolutely considered and a Person is that which subsisteth in this Godhead as the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost If any man would conceive in minde rightly the Divine Nature he must conceive God or the Godhead absolutely if any of the Persons then he must conceive the same Godhead relatively with Personal properties Thus the Godhead considered with the propriety of Fatherhood or Begetting is the Father and conceiving the same Godhead with the propriety of Generation passively taken we conceive the Son and the same Godhead with the propriety of Proceeding we conceive the Holy Ghost Neither may it seem strange to any that the names of Nature and Person are used to set forth this Mystery by for they have been taken up by common consent in the Primitive Church and are contained in the Scriptures Heb. 1.3 Gal. 4.8 This Mystery may well be conceived by a Comparison borrowed from Light The light of the Sun the light of the Moon and the light of the Air for nature and substance are all one and the same light and yet they are three distinct lights The light of the Sun being of it self and from none the light of the Moon from the Sun and the light of the Air from them both So the Divine Nature is one and the Persons are three subsisting after a diverse maner in one and the same Nature The three Persons are one not simply but one in Nature that is Coessential or Consubstantial having all one Godhead because there is one God and no more in Nature considering that the thing which is Infinite is but one and is not subject to multiplication And as these three Persons are one in Nature so whatsoever agrees to God simply considered agrees to them all three They are all Coequal and Coeternal All most Wise Just Merciful Omnipotent by one and the same Wisdom Justice Mercy Power And because they have all one Godhead therefore they are not onely one with another but also each in other the Father in the Son the Son in the Father and the Holy Ghost in them both And we must not imagine that these three are one God in this sense as though the Father had one part of the Godhead the Son another part and the Holy Ghost a third for that is most false because the Infinite and most simple Godhead is not subject to Composition or Division but admits a Distinction without any Separation And whereas it is said That the Son and the Holy Ghost have their beginning from the Father we must know that it is not a beginning of their Nature or of their Godhead from the Father but of their Person onely for the Godhead of all three Persons is uncreate and unbegotten and proceeding from none So also whereas it is said That the Son and the Holy Ghost have received all their Attributes as Wisdom Knowledge Power c. from the Father we must know That that which the Son receiveth of the Father he receiveth it by Nature and not by Grace and he receiveth not a part but all that the Father hath saving the personal propriety So the Holy Ghost receiveth from the Father and the Son by Nature and
not by Grace Now the distinction of the Persons is notably set forth unto us in the Baptism of our Saviour Christ Matth. 3.16 17. where it is said that when Jesus was baptized he came out of the water there is the second Person And the holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a Dove there is the third Person and the Father the first Person pronounced from Heaven that he was his onely beloved Son in whom he was well pleased Again the Trinity is proved 1 John 5.7 This is the Mystery of all Mysteries to be received of us all namely The Trinity of the Persons in the Unity of the Godhead The Persons are they which subsisting in one Godhead are distinguished by incommunicable properties 1 John 5.7 Gen. 19.24 John 1.1 They are Coequal and distinguished not by degree but by order Divided they cannot be by reason of the infinite greatness of that most simple Essence which one and the same is wholly in the Father wholly in the Son and wholly in the Holy Ghost so that in these there is diversity of Persons but Unity of Essence The Communion of the Persons or rather Union is that by which each one is in the rest and with the rest by reason of the Unity of the Godhead and therefore every each one doth possess love and glorifie another and work the same thing John 14.10 Prov. 8.22 30. John 1.1 and 5.19 Again a Person is a distinct subsisting of the whole Godhead and an individual Understanding and an incommunicable Subsistence living of it self and not sustained by another So that the three Persons in the Trinity are not three several Substances but three distinct Subsistences or three divers maner of being of one and the same Substance and Divine Essence The Divine Essence is one and the self-same thing truly subsisting in the three Persons Now the Essence doth not beget an Essence but the Person of the Father begetteth the Person of the Son and the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son by an eternal and incomprehensible spiration And thus the three Persons make all one Divine Essence and one God being in Nature Coessential in Dignity Coequal in Time Coeternal in Greatness Incomprehensible in Power Irresistible in Will Unchangeable in Place not Circumscript every where present without sight the First and the Last without Time making all things mutable without any passive mutability in himself In this Mystery of the Trinity how in that most simple and single Essence of God there should be three in one and one in three Differing but not divided Several but not sundred All one for their Nature All distinct for their Persons is a secret of secrets rather stedfastly to be believed and reverently to be adored then over-curiously to be searched into Again in the Divine Essence there be three distinct Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost God the Father is indeed the beginning of the Godhead but yet in respect onely of the order of the Persons For in the Godhead we may not seek for any first or last in degree or dignity or time but onely in order of existing or working The Son is the Wisdom of the Father begotten of the Father before the world The Holy Ghost is the infinite Power proceeding from the Father and the Son The Scripture ascribeth to the Father the Beginning of working To the Son Wisdom and Counsel To the Holy Ghost Vertue and Power Notwithstanding they be alike in all things in respect of Eternity Dignity and Power because there is one most undivided Divine Essence common to them and so they be one God There be three which bear witness in Heaven the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and these three be one 1 John 5.7 And although the word Creator is given to the Father Redeemer to the Son and Sanctifier to the Holy Ghost yet in truth they are common to all three Persons in one Essence And though the Father is said to be the First the Son the Second the Holy Ghost to be the Third yet one is not more ancient then the other as the Father more ancient then the Son or the Son then the Holy Ghost but all of a like Coeternity for the Persons are one after another in order of Nature but not of Time John 1.1 2. Gen. 1.2 26. The things they have in common in regard of their work are to Create Gen. 1.26 John 1.3 to Redeem and to Sanctifie Isa 43.1 49.7 The Creation is given to the Father Redemption to the Son Sanctification to the Holy Ghost not as they are simply an operation or work for so should other persons be excluded from it but in respect for the order and maner of working which is peculiar and proper to every one of them in producing and bringing forth the same external work So that our Creation Redemption Sanctification are each appropriated to some one Person of the Trinity and yet all three Persons have their joynt working in them For the works of our Creation Redemption and Sanctification are the operations of the Godhead outwardly that is external operations which God worketh on his Creatures and they are undivided that is common to the three Persons which they by common Will and Power work in the Creatures by reason of that one and the same Essence and Nature of the Godhead which they have All the Persons therefore Create Redeem and Sanctifie Again Essence is a thing subsisting by its self the very Being of God Absolute and Communicable Person is a thing subsisting Individual Living Understanding not sustained in another neither part of another Essence is the Being of God Person is the maner of this Being which is threefold and so maketh three Persons The Essence is Absolute and Communicable the Person Respective and Incommunicable By the name of Trinity are understood the three maners of Being in God that is three not Essences but Persons of the same Divine Essence Now Trinity and Triplicity as also Trinal and Triple differ for that is said to be Triple which is compounded of three Essences or is distinct by three Essences but Trinal is in Essence but one and most simple though it hath three maners of Being God therefore is not Triple because there are not moe Essences but Trinal because he being one according to his Essence is three according to his Persons yet still but one God So that there is one Existence or Essence of the three which is from none but of it self because it is but one but the maners of the Existence are three Wherefore as concerning Existence Being or Essence it self the three Persons are of themselves as concerning the maner of Existing or Being the Father is from none but of himself the Son of the Father the Holy Ghost from both the Son begotten the Holy Ghost proceeding As it is one thing to be a Man another thing to be a Father or a Son yet one and the
viz. 1. The Father Createth but immediately by the Son and the Holy Ghost the Son from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son 2. The Father and the Holy Ghost Redeem us but mediately by the Son but the Son immediately from the Father by the Holy Ghost 3. The Father and the Son Sanctifie us but mediately by the Holy Ghost but the Holy Ghost immediately from the Father and the Son In this deep Mystery of our Religion we must be guided wholly by Faith and endeavor to believe this Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity though we are not able to reason the truth thereof by Natural demonstrations Behold the sacred Riddle of Divinity One Godhead in a holy Trinity Of Persons or three Persons all in one Most undivided Deity alone Distinct in Persons not in Essence no The Godhead's not divided think not so For it 's not subject to division Nor admits of any Composition But distinction without seperation As is most evident by Mans Creation Gen. 1.26 §. 2. Gods Word THe Word of God is the Wisdom of God James 3.17 concerning the truth which is according to godliness being given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 the original being from heaven not earth Joh. 3.27 and the Author thereof being God not man 1 Cor. 2.10 by which Word God alone doth onely binde the Conscience by causing it in every action to excuse for well-doing and accuse for sin Now this Word of God is the holy Scripture in which name are to be understood all and onely those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whose Authority was never any doubt in the Church which we receive as Canonical not so much because that the Church doth so receive and allow them as for that the holy Spirit in our hearts doth testifie that they are from God Touching which this is a Truth must be held of us That no part of the Canonical Scripture inspired of God such as was committed as the Lords Treasure to the Church for the perpetual instruction thereof in Faith and Obedience is lost and perished nor can be lost or perish so that no one Oracle or Sentence of God can fall away Indeed these sacred Books may be despitefully abused by men many ways but they can never be finally lost and wholly extinguished for the works of God remain for ever and ever And as for any sandy Supposition contrary to this Truth let the vain Supposer answer What Error more can be convinced what Comfort more can be received what Vice more can be corrected what Truth more can be published what Grace more can be commended to the Church out of those Books which he so fondly supposeth to be lost Beware therefore of doubting of Gods Providence herein shaking thereby the Faith of the Church Whosoever thus goes about to strike at the foundation thereof the least dust that falls from the Building will crush the presumptuous Underminer into bottomless destruction The Scripture is a Doctrine inspired by God to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Rom. 1.16 and containeth all things necessary to be known and believed for the salvation of man Joh. 20.31 2 Tim. 3.16 17. the whole being as it were compendiously comprised in the Decalogue the sum of the Law and in the Creed the sum of the Gospel As for all the fundamental Points of Christian Religion necessary to salvation they notwithstanding the darkness of some Mysteries herein contained are clearly and plainly set down so as the humble and obedient heart may distinctly without wavering and gainsaying conceive and believe them Thus not unfitly is the Scripture compared in regard of the perspicuity thereof to a Foord over which a Lamb may wade and in regard of the difficulty thereof to a Sea wherein an Elephant may swim Now though all things necessary to be known are herein contained yet are not all literally expressed as the Baptism of Infants and Original Sin which notwithstanding are distinctly and demonstratively inferred thence and so are all things that belong to Faith and Obedience whatsoever we are to believe or to practice So that the letter of the Scripture may be alledged and yet the word of God missed as by all Hereticks and a man may swerve from the letter yet alledge the true word of God therefore it is nothing less then necessary that we be diligently familiar and well acquainted with this word of God Josephus tells us The Jews knew the Scriptures as well as their own names many of us may tell the Jews We scarce know the names of the Scriptures Most inexcuseable Ignorance sad and lamentable for we are bound to know the Scriptures themselves that by them we may come to knowledge by knowledge to faith by faith to obedience and by obedience to salvation Touching the Apocryphal Books to which the Imps of Rome as to their own Traditions give power equal to the Canonical Scriptures they were not penned by the Prophets the Lords Secretaries as the Scriptures were nor ever committed of trust to the Israelites They contain certain things disagreeing from the true Scriptures of God and no proof that they were penned by the Spirit of God therefore there is no warrant for the equalling them in Credit or Authority with the Scriptures Besides one main property of the Books of the Old Testament is That every one of them was written either by Moses or some other of the Prophets in the Hebrew tongue the native language of the Jews but the Apocryphal Books were penned by some other in the Greek tongue which was not the language of the old Prophets so that they are no part of the Law or of the Prophets And yet as the presumptuous Papists make the Apocryphal Books of equal Authority with the Canonical so others have more blasphemously long since obtruded for Canonical the fatherless brood of other Books unto these as The third and fourth of Esdras An Appendix of Job A Preface to the Lamentation The third and fourth of the Maccabees a Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Book of Enoch The Gospel of Thomas and of Matthias The Acts of Peter and in the year 1120 a certain new Gospel called Evangelium Aeternum was found out being full of Blasphemies All which and the like are damnable presumptions plainly forbidden by the Lord Deut. 4.2 and most fearfully threatned Rev. 22.18 19. So then to withstand the Devils suggestion against the Divine Authority of the true sacred Seriptures it is very necessary to have our judgements well informed therein to pray for the Spirit of Revelation or Inspiration which may inwardly testifie to our Spirits That God is the Author of the Scriptures which Principle we must hold undeniable and give no place to doubting about these uncontradictable Truths The Scripture is said to be the Word of God in regard of 1. The Author who is God himself 2 Tim. 3.16 2. The Matter which is Gods
in the very Proeme of his prayer doth admonish us of mutual love 1. Because there is no true praying without the true love of our Neighbor neither can we be perswaded that God heareth us 2. Because without the love of our Neighbor there is no true faith and without faith there is no true prayer Christ willeth us to say Our Father not My Father for these Reasons 1. Thereby to raise in us a confidence and full perswasion that we shall be heard for because the whole Church doth with one consent pray unto him he doth not reject her for his Promise sake 2. To teach us that we hold each member of the Church as our brother Gen. 13.8 3. That in prayer we must consider Christ and his Church as one body and make him our Father who is the Father of Christ our elder brother his by generation ours by regeneration his by Nature ours by Grace 4. That we must pray as well in charity for others as for our selves James 5.16 Now they whom we are to pray for may be distinguished into this rank or order 1. All such as are effectually called by the preaching of the word 2. For all such as God in his eternal secret Counsel hath appointed unto life but are not yet called from their wandrings to be of one sheepfold under one Shepherd Joh. 17.20 3. For particular persons of whom we have received benefit under whose Government we live or which be more dear or near unto us in the flesh 2 Cor. 9.12 4. For such as whose necessity is more specially made known unto us as of danger or distress Jam. 5.14 5. For men generally of all estates and conditions 1 Tim. 2.3 as Jews Turks Heathen and seduced Papists 6. For our Enemies and those that hate us Matth. 5.41 God the Father is the Father 1. Of Christ 1. By Nature begetting him as he is the Son of his own Substance before all worlds by communicating unto him his whole Essence or Godhead 2. By the Grace of personal Union as Christ is Man for the Manhood of Christ doth wholly subsist in the Godhead of the second Person and therefore Christ as he is Man not his Manhood which is a Nature not a Person may well be called the Son of God 2. Of us not by Nature or in regard of personal Union but by the Grace of Adoption in Christ Gal. 4.4 5. And this Grace we receive when we truly believe in his Name Joh. 3.12 Gal. 3.26 The Name of Father in this place is taken Essentially for these Reasons viz. 1. Because the Name of Father is not here put with another person of the Godhead but with the Creature of whom he is invocated 2. The invocating of one person doth not exclude the others when mention is made of their eternal and outward works 3. We cannot consider God the Father but in the Son the Mediator 4. Christ hath taught us to invocate him also and he giveth the Holy Ghost For we have received not the spirit of bondage to fear again but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And the same Spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.15 16. Again God is called Our Father 1. In respect of our Creation Luke 3.38 2. In respect of our Redemption and receiving into favor by his Son our Mediator for whose sake we are adopted 3. In respect of our Sanctification or Regeneration by the Holy Ghost in Christ The Instructions arising from this Title Father here given to God 1. We must hence learn whom to direct our prayers unto not to Saints Angels or any other creature but to God alone for these Reasons 1. Because this is a perfect patern of true prayer wanting no direction for the right performance of this part of God worship 2. Because God onely is the Author and giver of all good things Jam. 1.16 therefore we must ask them of him alone 3. Because the Lord onely who is Infinite and Omnipotent can hear all mens prayers at all times and in all places 2. We may hereby see in what order we must direct our prayers unto God the Father in the Mediation of the Son by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost neither severing the persons from the Godhead nor the Godhead from the Persons whereof the Father is first the Son is the second the Holy Ghost the third in order though not in time or greatness Thus must we worship him even one God in three Persons and three Persons in one God 3. In this Title Father we see the true ground of that boldness wherewith Gods children come before God in prayer namely that interest in the Covenant of Grace in Christ in whom God is become their Father 4. We are hereby taught how to dispose our selves towards God when we come before him in prayer namely as children and this stands especially in four things 1. In due reverence both of heart and gesture 2. In true humility from our hearts renouncing our own merit and our own wills and relying wholly on Christs Righteousness and on the will of God in him 3. In true contrition and sorrow of heart for our own sins whereby we have offended God who hath been so gracious and merciful a Father unto us in Christ 4. In a sound purpose of heart to break off the course of all sin and to walk before God in new obedience to all his Commandments The Instructions arising from the words Our Father 1. We must apply to our selves all the Promises of God in Christ touching Righteousness and life everlasting for he that makes them is our Father therefore they belong to us that be his children 2. This teacheth us when we pray to be mindeful of Gods whole Militant Church and People 3. Hence we learn how we must come affected towards our Brethren when we pray to God namely lovingly and peaceably as to children of the same Father 4. Here we see that all true Believers whether high or low poor or rich are in equal condition in regard of God for here Christ teacheth every one to say Our Father Hence it followeth That wicked men living in sin cannot pray all their supposed praying is but a vain beating of the Air with a sound of words neither shall they speed otherwise then Esau did though they cry aloud with strong and bitter cryes yet pray they ought it being a common duty required of all men but pray they cannot yea they sin if they pray such a maze or labyrinth doth sin bring them into but true Believers with confidence approach the Throne of Grace and in an holy boldness say Our Father Father a word of Faith doth seem to be And Our no less importing Charity The one proclaims If thou wilt live Do this The other says Believe and thou hast bliss The Law and Gospel both comprised be In this most happy short Epitomy Bless'd Savior in two words thou hast taught us
of God being mightier then all our Enemies which joyned with his Soveraignty and Goodness we need not fear though we were in the paws of Lyons or the mouth of the Grave 3. From his Glory which is the end or final cause of our Requests for we desire these things for his glory therefore will he grant whatsoever in our prayers may redound to his honor and glory 4. From the eternity of his Kingdom Power and Glory being for ever and ever therefore he cannot be weary of our prayers no time can period his goodness 5. From our confidence expressed in the last word Amen for the Lord will grant unto us whatsoever we believe shall be granted when we ask The Kingdom of God is twofold 1. The Kingdom of his Providence whereby he rules and governs all things in heaven and earth even the Devil and all his Angels and Instruments 2. The Kingdom of Grace whereby he governs his Church by his Word and Spirit and both these are here to be understood Further Gods kingdom in this place imports 1. That he is All-sufficient of himself to do all things whatsoever needing no help or instrument beside his Soveraign will Gen. 17.1 2. That he hath an absolute Soveraign Right Title and Interest to and in all things in heaven and earth 3. That he hath Soveraign Rule and Authority over all things in heaven and earth yea over Hell it self and all the powers and principalities thereof governing all things whatsoever as he pleaseth and bringing them into an absolute subjection The kingdom is here called God's and appropriated to him alone for these Reasons 1. To shew that God hath his Kingdom of himself and from himself alone thus the Kingdom of Grace and Providence are both his 2. To distinguish God from earthly Kings for though they have a Kingdom Power and Glory yet they have all these from God not of themselves and onely for a certain limited time but God hath them all of himself alone not from any other and that for ever and ever Thine is the Power that is Gods Power is his own of himself alone not received from any other to distinguish the true God from all Creatures who have it not of themselves but from God By power is meant an ability in God whereby he can do whatsoever he will For the better conceiving whereof observe these two things 1. That God is not onely powerful but even Power it self in regard of his Nature as he is Goodness Wisdom c. Angels and men are called powerful as receiving power from God but God onely is Power it self because his Nature is Infinite in power as in all his other Properties 2. That Power and Will in God are one and the same for our better conceiving of them they may be distinguished but in themselves they differ not for Gods willing of a thing is the effecting doing of it It is not so in us for we will many things that we cannot do but whatsoever God willeth that he doth By appropriating glory to God is here meant 1. That God hath made all things for his own glory Prov. 16.4 2. That whatsoever we ask are means of his glory Joh. 12.28 3. That the things we ask shall be referred to his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 The Reasons why Gods Kingdom Power and Glory is said to be for ever and ever 1. Because in themselves they are everlasting Psal 45.6 102.28 145.13 2. Because of us they should never be forgotten Psal 145.2 3. 3. To distinguish it from earthly Dominions all which have their periods both in Government and Governors Psal 119.96 Isa 40.6 4. To shew forth the dignity of Gods Church and his Children who have a Father whose Kingdom is everlasting and everlastingly shall raign with their Father in his Kingdom of Power Glory and Eternity Of this word Amen there is a double use 1. To express our desire and wish that we may be heard 2. To testifie our faith in the assurance of receiving those things that we crave both which are to be practised in prayer and are expressed by Christ Mat. 11.24 From the union of the word Amen with our Petitions we learn 1. That every childe of God may believe particularly and certainly the pardon of his own sins and endeavor to attain thereunto if as yet he cannot 2. That all prayer ought to be made in a known tongue for else the Assent and Affiance of the heart cannot be given together This Conclusion of the Lords Prayer thus conceived and understood is useful to us many ways 1. For a ground of trust and confidence in God in all distresses for as the Kingdom is his we are his Subjects and he is willing to help as the Power is his we are assured he is able to help us and as the Glory is his he will shew mercy to his people and hear their prayers Psal 50.15 2. To teach us that Prayer and Thanksgiving must alway go together 3. To shew us a way how to obtain our requests in prayer we must confess our own unworthiness and give all Praise Glory and Honor to God 4. To let the proudest of us know that God is to be feared above all Creatures 5. To move us to love God and to yield all chearful obedience to him The Reason why there is here mention made onely of these three Properties of God is as some think to point out the three Persons For the Kingdom is Christs 1 Cor. 15.35 Power the Holy Ghosts Rom. 15.13 19. and Glory the Fathers Rom. 6.4 though indeed we may not limit our conceit of them but understand them in prayer as of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead so of the Unity of the Godhead in the Trinity of Persons Our Father which in Heav'n art Thy Name still Be hallowed Thy Kingdom come Thy Will Be done in Earth as 't is in Heaven Give us This day our daily Bread And forgive us Our Trespasses as those forgive do we That Trespass against us And let 's not be Into Temptation led but deliver Vs from all evil For thine for ever The Kingdom Power and Glory is Amen The Kingdom Power and Glory is Amen CHAP. IV. §. 1. The Creed THe sum of those things which are to be believed are comprised in the Creed commonly called The Symbole of the Apostles because it is a token or profession whereby the Church with her Members is discerned from all her Enemies and from all other Sects This Symbole is a brief and summary form of Christian Doctrine or a brief sum or Confession of the Points of Christian Religion or Evangelical Doctrine the Articles whereof are the Square or Rule whereunto the Faith and Doctrine of all Orthodox and right believing Christians ought to agree This self-same Symbole is called also Catholick because there is but one Faith of all Christians and though there were new Symboles made as that of Athanasius of Nice of
Ephesus of Calcedon yet is there not a diversity of Faiths for these are not other from this Apostolique Symbole but certain words are added as an Explication of this by reason of Hereticks by whom because of the shortness thereof this was depraved There is no change either of the Matter or of the Doctrine but onely of the form of declaring it as easily may appear by comparing them together This Creed is called Apostolique or the Creed of the Apostles for these Reasons 1. Because it containeth the sum of the Apostolique Doctrine 2. Because the Apostles delivered that sum of Doctrine to their Schollars and Disciples which the Church afterwards held as received from them not that the Apostles composed the form of this Creed but believed and preached the subject matter of it The ends why the Creed was penn'd by the Apostles left unto the Church were these 1. To be a Rule of faith and preservation from Heresie 2. That it might be a mean of distinguishing betwixt true Christians and Hereticks 3. That every man entring the profession of Christianity might continually have before his eyes that Faith for which he should suffer persecution and to the defence whereof he should stand unto the death 4. That every one of the Catechumeni which were new converted Christians might have in a readiness what to answer and believe at their initiation thereinto The principal parts of the Apostolick Creed are three 1. Of the Father and our Creation 2. Of the Son and our Redemption 3. Of the Holy Ghost and our Sanctification Though our Creation Redemption and Sanctification are each appropriated to some one person of the Trinity yet have all three Persons their joynt-working in them For the Creation is given to the Father Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost not as they are simply an operation or work for so should the other persons be excluded from it but in respect for the order and maner of working which is peculiar and proper to every of them in producing and bringing forth the same external work Or thus The works of our Creation Redemption and Sanctification are the operations of the Godhead outwardly that is external operations which God worketh on his Creatures and they are undivided that is common to the three Persons which they by common will and power work in the Creatures by reason of that one and the same Essence and Nature of the Godhead which they have but in respect of that order of working which is between them it is otherwise For the Father Createth but mediately by the Son and the Holy Ghost the Son from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son The Father and the Holy Ghost Redeem us but mediately by the Son but the Son immediately from the Father by the Holy Ghost So the Father and the Son Sanctifie us but mediately by the Holy Ghost but the Holy Ghost immediately from the Father and the Son The Christians Faith or Faith's Epitomy Or Ensign of true Christianity The Faith for which the valiant Martyrs fought With all the Princes of the Ayr and sought For life by losing it quenching the flame Not by their Blood but with new fire which came From their resolved Faiths Spiritual eyes From whose most zealous spicy flame did rise In Heav'n a Crown of Immortality On Earth the Phoenix of their Memory §. 2. I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth THat is I believe that God is my Father as by Generation and Creation so by Regeneration and Adoption able to do all things as it pleaseth him the Creator of the whole world and the Lord and Governor of the same I believe not we believe with the Papists as the Church believes but every man must so believe as to be able to give an account of his Faith when lawfully called thereunto Now it is one thing to believe God another thing to believe in God To believe God sheweth onely a Faith of knowledge or historical Faith To believe in God declareth true Faith or confidence that is to be perswaded That whatsoever God is and is said to be he is all that and referreth it all to our safety for his Sons sake that is to resolve that he is such an one to me in particular God is to be considered in the three persons Father Son and Holy Ghost a person being nothing else but a maner of being in the Godhead Now no man is able to know God according to the excellency of his own Nature Joh. 1.10 18. but the Scripture delivers us such a knowledge of him as is both necessary and profitable for us Rom. 1.19 20. We must therefore acknowledge God to be such as himself hath manifested himself to be and though he cannot be defined because he is Immense and because his Essence is unknown to us yet may he be described by his Attributes and Properties the persons and principal works which may be thus God is a Spiritual Essence a Spirit John 4.24 or simple Spiritual Essence Exod. 3.13 an everlasting Spirit 2 Chron. 3.17 Infinite Psalm 139. Jer. 23.24 most holy Isa 6.3 onely wise 1 Tim. 1.17 most just and most merciful Exod. 34.6 7. Almighty Rev. 1.8 And he is but one Exod. 10.3 Living Psal 84.2 True Jer. 10.10 without body parts or passions John 4.24 of infinite power Ezek. 10.5 wisdom Psal 147.5 and goodness Psal 106.1 The Maker Gen. 1.1 and Preserver of all things Mat. 10.29 30. other from all the Creatures Incomprehensible most perfect in himself Immutable of an immense Power Wisdom and Goodness True Just Pure Merciful most free angry and wroth with sin of whose days there is no beginning nor ending Rev. 1.8 And in the Unity of this Godhead there be three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.3.2 Cor. 13.13 Or which Essence is the eternal Father who from everlasting begot the Son according to his Image and the Son who is the Coeternal Image of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son And the Eternal Father together with the Son and the Holy Ghost hath created Heaven and Earth and all Creatures and worketh all good things in all And that in Mankinde he hath chosen unto himself and gathered a Church by and for the Son that by his Church this one and true Deity may be according to the word delivered from above acknowledged celebrated and adored in this life and in the life to come And lastly he is the Judge both of the just and unjust The Name Father as it is opposite to the Son is understood personally or it signifies the first person of the Godhead as here but as it is referred to or compared with the Creatures it is taken essentially signifying the whole Divine Nature which is the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost And Creation is here ascribed unto God
good things from him 10. That seeing the works of God were therefore created and placed before our eyes even for us to behold them we do not idlely but earnestly and as much as every mans ability occasion and vocation permitteth him contemplate and consider them and therein celebrate the wisdom power and goodness of the great Creator The Power of God is the very Essence of God it is an essential Property in God working and effecting all things in all things by determining and executing all things that he will And the Providence of God is a joynt-operation of his infinite Wisdom infinite Justice and infinite Mercy it is the Eternal most free unchangeable most just wise and good counsel of God whereby he worketh all good things and permitteth also evil things to be done and directeth all things both evil and good to his own glory and the safety of his chosen yea it is his Almighty Power every where present whereby he doth uphold and govern the world with all the creatures therein so that nothing cometh to pass by Chance Fortune or Destiny but by his Fatherly Counsel So that to believe in God the Creator is to believe that God who hath created all things and governeth them by his Providence hath created me and the faithful in the world to celebrate and serve him and all other things to serve for our safety All things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods Most Holy Just Spiritual Essence All Power all Mercy all Intelligence Thou Father of our Savior Christ whereby Thou daign'st thy Faithful ones Paternity By that most Free-grace of Adoption Or New-birth of Regeneration Thou Almighty wonderful Creator Gracious Preserver most wise Governor Of the world Help my Vnbelief in me Confirm thy Faith for I believe in thee §. 3. And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. THe whole History of Christ may be comprehended in his Divinity his Humanity his Office and his Theanthropeity Christ is very God Joh. 1.1 Mat. 1.23 and very Man Gen. 3.15 Isa 7.14 God and Man and that in one person Joh. 1.14 Phil. 2.6 7 9 11. 1 Tim. 2.5 6. and the Savior of Mankinde 2 Cor. 5.18 Joh. 1.20 1 Joh. 2.2 So that in Christ are two perfect Natures whole and distinct and double Properties also and operations natural but one person subsisting in both these Natures Divine and Humane for it was requisite that one and the same should be Mediator both by Merit and by Power Now Christ as concerning his person hath but one Father and one Mother a Father as touching his Godhead a Mother as touching his Manhood the Virgin Mary of whose substance he was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost Gal. 4.4 1 Tim. 2.5 So that though each Nature hath its property remaining distinct to it self yet are they so joyned as they make but one person in Christ who was whole God and whole Man whole God also with his body but not according to his body God whole Man also with his Godhead but not according to his Godhead Man So also whole Adorable with his body but not according to his body Adorable whole Increate also with his body but not according to his body Increated whole Formed also with his Godhead but not according to his Godhead Formed whole Consubstantial with God also with his body but not according to his body Consubstantial as neither also is he according to his Godhead Coessential with men but he is according to the Flesh Consubstantial unto us existing also in his Godhead For when we say he is according to the Spirit Consubstantial with God we may not say he is according to the Spirit Coessential with men And contrarily when we affirm him to be according to the Flesh Consubstantial with men we may not affirm him to be according to the Flesh Consubstantial with God The distinction and unconfoundableness of the Nature and Properties of the Word and the Flesh must thus exactly not with a running eye but warily be observed that we may avoid the bringing in of a Division of one most undivided person Touching Christ in the Creed we learn to believe these two things 1. His Humiliation whereof there be three degrees 1. His Incarnation not by turning the Godhead into the Nature of Man but by taking Mans Nature to the Godhead that so one person might be both God and Man 2. His Suffering death on the cross for our sins 3. His Descension into Hell that we might be delivered from Hell and everlasting death 2. His Exaltation whereof there are also three degrees 1. His Resurrection from death to life and his Ascension 2. His Honor Power and Authority in Heaven and Earth together with God the Father by sitting at his right hand 3. His coming at the end of the World to judge all that shall then be found alive and all that have dyed since the world began Christ 1. In respect of his Divinity is the Image not of himself neither of the Holy Ghost but of his eternal Father coeternal consubstantial and coequal with his Father in Essence in essential properties and works and is that person by which the Father doth immediately reveal himself in creating and preserving all things but chiefly in saving the Elect. 2. In his Humane Nature he is the Image of God and that of the whole Trinity because the three Persons together bestowed on Christs Humanity these gifts Properties and Majesty which are the Image of God To believe in Jesus is to believe 1. That he is the Savior of Mankinde 2. That the Son of God born of the Virgin Mary is this Jesus the Savior whom God will have us acknowledge hearken unto and worship Mat. 1.12 3. That he alone doth fully and perfectly deliver us from the evils of crime and pain 4. That he is not onely the Savior of other the chosen of God but mine also 5. That he is not our Savior by his Merit onely but also by his efficacy and effectual working Christ is called The first-born in four respects viz. 1. According to his Divine Nature being begotten of the Father before all creatures and of the same substance with him Coloss 1.15 Rom. 8.29 2. According to his Humane Nature even as he took upon him our flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary so he was also her first born Mat. 1.25 Luke 2.15 Not that the blessed Virgin had other after him but because she had none before him 3. Because he was the first that rose out of the grave and made a way for us unto everlasting life therefore he is called The first-born from the dead Col. 1.18 4. As the first-born was set apart and then sacrificed unto God so Christ was seperated from sinners Heb. 7.26 as the unspotted Lamb of God holy and acceptable and then made a perfect oblation of himself not for himself but for the sins of his people Heb. 7.27 Christ is said to be our Lord in
exceeding vertue of God 2. Perfect Glory perfect Dignity and full Divine Majesty What is meant by Christs session at the right hand of the Father 1. The perfection of Christs Divine Nature that is the equality of the Word with the Father which he did not receive but ever had 2. The perfection of Christs Humane Nature which compriseth 1. The personal union of the Humane Nature with the Word For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 2. The Collation or bestowing of gifts on him far greater and more in number then are bestowed on all Men and Angels 3. The perfection or excellency of the Office of the Mediator that is the Prophetical Priestly and Royal Function which Christ now as the glorified Head of his Church doth in his Humane Nature gloriously exercise in Heaven 4. The perfection of Christs honor that is the Adoration Worship and Reverence which is yielded unto him both of Men and Angels Heb. 1.6 The benefits we receive by Christs sitting at the Fathers right hand are all the benefits of the Kingdom and Priesthood of Christ glorified 1. His Intercession for us 2. The gathering governing and guarding of his Church by the Word and Spirit 3. His defending of the Church against her enemies 4. The abjection and destruction of the Churches enemies 5. The Glorification of the Church The difference of Christs Ascension and ours stands thus He ascended by his own power and vertue we shall not by our own but by his John 3.13 He ascended to be Head we to be his Members He to glory agreeable for the Head we to glory fit for Members Christs Ascension was the cause of ours but it is not so of the contrary Whom seek'st thou Mary What is Jesus he He goes before thee into Galilee This was the Angels voyce Nor was the news Less strange to his Disciples then the Jews Though herein for himself he did no more Then what he did for Lazarus before He 's now ascended and has verifi'd What Enoch and Elias typifi'd He sits at Gods right hand and has thereby In Earth all Power in Heav'n all Majesty §. 7. From thence he shall come to judge both the Quick and the Dead THe last Judgement shall be a manifestation or declaration and seperation of the just and unjust who ever have lived or shall live from the beginning of the world unto the end proceeding from God by Christ and a pronouncing of Sentence on these men and an execution thereof according to the Doctrine of the Law and the Gospel which Execution is not an annihilation or final destruction of the Body and Soul or a perpetual senslesness but an infinite and endless continuance of those Torments which the Wicked in this life despairing do begin to feel forsaken and abjected of God subject to all torments both of Body and Soul And in this last Judgement Absolution to the godly shall be principally according to the Gospel but shall be confirmed by the Law Condemnation to the wicked shall be principally by the Law but shall be confirmed of the Gospel Sentence shall be given on the wicked according to their own Merit but on the godly according to Christs Merit applyed unto them by faith a Testimony and Witness of which Faith shall be their Works Now the Judge shall be Christ John 5.22 neither yet are the Father and the Holy Ghost removed from this Judgement but Christ immediately shall speak and give Sentence and that in his Humane Nature and when he speaketh the Father shall speak by him so that the Judgement shall belong to all the three persons of the Godhead as concerning their Consent and Authority but unto Christ as touching the publishing and executing of the Judgement yea and the Church also shall judge as touching the Allowance and Approbation of this Judgement whereunto they shall then subscribe Luke 22.30 What Christs coming to Judge both the Quick and the Dead signifies 1. That at the second coming of Christ shall follow the renewing of Heaven and Earth 2. That the self same Christ shall come who for us was born suffered and rose again 3. That he shall come gloriously to deliver his Church whereof I am a Member 4. That he shall come to abject and cast away the wicked The Reasons why or causes for which Christ-Man shall be Judge are these 1. Because the Church is to be glorified by the same Mediator by whom and for whom it was justified Acts 17.31 2. That we may have comfort and consolation knowing him to be our Judge who hath purchased us with his blood 3. To deliver his Church and cast away the wicked 4. The Justice of God because they have dealt contumeliously with the Son of Man Zech. 12.10 5. Christ-Man must be Judge because he must judge men therefore he must be beheld of all But God is invisible 6. That he may the more confound the wicked his Enemies who shall be forced to behold him their Judge whom they have so much withstood so wickedly dishonored The Day of the Lord or the time of Judgement is twofold 1. General when Christ shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead in the end of the world 2. Particular at the day of our death when every particular soul must appear before the bar of Gods Tribunal and give an account of what it hath done How Christ shall come to Judgement 1. Truly visibly and locally not imaginarily Mat. 24.30 2. He shall come furnished and prepared with glory and divine Majesty with all the Angels with the voyce and trump of the Archangel and with divine Power 3. The dead shall be raised and the living changed 4. The world shall be dissolved with fire not annihilated but purified 5. He shall come suddenly to the great joy and comfort of all his How the Devil is said to be already judged yea and the wicked also 1. By the Decree of God 2. In the Word of God 3. In his own Conscience 4. As touching the beginning of his Condemnation For what causes the last Judgement shall be 1. The chief and principal cause is the Decree of God 2. A less principal and subordinate cause is both the Salvation of the Elect who are here vexed and the Damnation of the wicked who here do flourish 3. Because of Gods Justice whereof in this life is not a full and perfect execution The threefold effect of Christs coming to Judgement 1. A gathering together at the sound of the Trumpet both of the dead and the living Dan. 12.2 2. A seperation the Elect shall be set at his right hand the Reprobate at his left Mat. 25.33 3. The Judgement it self the Elect shall be with him the Reprobate shall be cast into Hell Mat. 25.46 The execution of the last Judgement shall be thus 1. By the force and vertue of the Divine Power of Christ 2. By the Ministery of the Angels 3. The World Heaven and Earth shall be dissolved
by fire at the execution of this Judgement there shall be a change of this present state and a purifying of the creatures but not a consuming of them 4. This change shall come suddenly 5. There shall be a casting of the wicked into everlasting pains and an advancing of the godly into everlasting happiness and glory Why God would have us certain of the last judgment viz. 1. In respect of his glory that we may be able to refute Epicures who account this heavenly doctrine of the divine Judgment to come for a fable 2. For our comfort that amidst our evils and miseries we may know there shall come a time when we shall be delivered from this corruption and rottenness 3. That we may retain and keep our selves in the fear of God and our duty and that others also may be reclaimed from evil 4. That the wicked may be left excuseless for they are warned sufficiently that they should be ready at every season For what Reasons God would not have us certain of the time of the last Judgement 1. That he might exercise our faith and patience 2. That he might bridle our curiosity 3. That he might keep us in his fear in godliness and in exercising of our duty Why God deferreth the last Judgment 1. To exercise Faith Patience Hope and Prayer in the godly 2. That all the Elect may be gathered unto the Church 3. That he might grant unto all a time and space of Repentance as at this time and that he might leave the wicked without excuse Rom. 2.4 There are a certain sort of people that superstitiously sit up all night at certain times of the year fondly conceiting that Christ will come to Judgement on one of these nights but such most grosly erre and that these four ways especially 1. In that they prescribe certain set times for Christs coming whereas no man knoweth it Mat. 24.36 42. 2. In that they conceit he shall come in the night from that Text Luke 17.34 which is uncertain the night being there taken as a part for the whole by the figure Synecdoche and he calleth it the Day Luke 17.30 3. In that they imagine That they which are asleep when Christ cometh cannot be well prepared to meet him whereas Repentance maketh the soul prepared at all times 4. In that they interpret the Precept of Watching to bodily watching of the Eye whereas it is not meant of that onely but of the heart also This Judgement shall be in the end of the world whereof there are three parts The one before the Law another under the Law the third under the Gospel or under Christ which is called The end of the world The end of days The last time because there shall not be so long space between Christs first coming and his second as was from the beginning of the world unto his first coming But of that day Christ himself as Man knoweth not Mark 13.32 Tremble O Earth Tremble and be afraid Behold the Son of God he that was laid At first in Swathing-bands then in a shrowd Comes with Thousands of Angels in a Cloud To judge both Quick and Dead Silence Who may Language the Joy or Horror of that Day When all from Adam shall be chang'd or rise To meet their Judge or Savior in the Skies To hear the Sentence of Eternal Rest Or that which is too sad to be express'd §. 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost WHich is as much to say As I acknowledge the Holy Ghost to be God and so confess him to be one with the Father and the Son also I acknowledge his Office of Sanctifying and making holy the people of God And as I depend upon God the Father as my Creator and daily Protector and upon God the Son as my Redeemer and daily Mediator so I depend upon God the Holy Ghost as my Comforter and the worker of Grace and all Vertue in me being of my self a lump of Sin and mass of Corruption yet I acknowledge not three Gods but one God a Trinity of persons in Unity of Godhead So that the Holy Ghost is the third person of the true and onely Godhead proceeding from the Father and the Son and Coeternal Coequal and Consubstantial with the Father and the Son and is sent from both into the hearts of the Elec◠to sanctifie them unto eternal life And though extraordinary Revelations are ceased yet the Holy Ghost in and by the Word revealeth some things unto men for which cause he is called and that truly The Spirit of Revelation Now that the Holy Ghost is very and eternal God appears from his creating of all things Gen. 1.2 Psal 104.24 29 30. And Christians are to be Baptized in the Name of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 as well as of the Father and the Son As God he chooseth assigneth and sendeth forth men for the Ministery of the Gospel Acts 13.2 4. As God he decreeth Orders for his Church and People Acts 15.28 As God he is to be invocated and prayed unto as well as the Father and the Son 2 Cor. 13.13 The Holy Ghost is of one Substance Majesty and Glory with the Father and the Son for these three the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost are one 1 Joh. 5.7 who proceedeth from the Father and the Son for the Father sendeth the Comforter in the Name of the Son Joh. 14.16 and the Son sendeth the Comforter the Spirit of Truth from the Father Joh. 15.26 And whereas we believe the Holy Ghost to have proceeded from the Father and the Son understand Proceeding is here a communication of the Divine Essence whereby the third person onely of the Godhead receiveth from the Father and the Son as the Spirit from him whose Spirit it is the same whole Essence which the Father and the Son have and retain Of God the Holy Ghost three things are to be considered by us viz. 1. What the Holy Ghost is viz. of the same Essence with the Father and the Son a distinct person proceeding from both 2. The Office of the Holy Ghost which doth sanctifie us many ways 1. Because he is the key of all heavenly Treasures illuminating our understanding to receive the Mystery of Faith 2. Because he is the Earnest of the Promises 3. Because he is the Seal wherewith the Truth of the Divine Promises is signed and sealed in our mindes 4. Because he is the Minister of Truth guiding us in the way of all Truth 5. Because he is the Author of light expelling the darkness gathered by sin 6. Because he is the Fountain of Wisdom and Understanding 7. Because he is the water that purgeth us from all filth consecrating us into the Holy Temple of God fertilizing us to bring forth the fruits of Righteousness 8. Because he is the Fire that purgeth away the corruption of our mindes enflaming our hearts with the love of Righteousness 3. Our Faith in the Holy Ghost 1. That we believe in God the
Holy Ghost 2. That we believe the Office of the Holy Ghost 3. That by our sins we grieve him not Concerning the Holy Ghost we believe 1. That he is true and coeternal God with the Eternal Father and the Son Gen. 1.2 1 Cor. 3.16 2. That he is also given unto us Mat. 28.19 to make us through a true faith partakers of Christ and all his benefits Gal. 3.14 To comfort us Acts 9.13 and to abide with us for ever Joh. 14.16 That the Holy Ghost is a person of the Godhead is proved by these Reasons 1. By his visible Apparitions Luke 3.22 2. Because he is called God 1 Cor. 3.16 Acts 5.3 4. 3. Because he is the Author of our Baptism and we are Baptized in his Name 4. The Properties of a person are all attributed unto him Luke 12.12 Joh. 16.13 5. Because he is plainly distinguished from the gifts and graces of God 1 Cor. 12.4 11. The Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son for these Reasons 1. He is called a Spirit and none is his own Spirit his own Father his own Son 2. The Holy Ghost in express words is called Another from them both Joh. 14.16 3. He is sent of the Father and the Son Joh. 15.26 therefore another from them both 4. The Holy Ghost hath distinct Attributes or Properties personally from them both That the Holy Ghost is equal with the Father and the Son is thus plainly manifested 1. The Essence of the Father the Son is communicated unto him 2. It appears by those Divine Attributes and Properties which are attributed unto him 3. The same Divine Works that are attributed to the Father and the Son are also attributed unto him Job 33.4 4. Equal and the same honor is given to the Holy Ghost as to the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 5.7 5. Those things which are spoken in the Old Testament of God or Jehovah are applied to the Holy Ghost in the New 6. The Holy Ghost is the Father and the Sons Spirit and there is but one God Why this third person of the Godhead is called Holy 1. Because he in himself by himself and of his own nature is holy 2. Because he is the immediate Sanctifier of others For what reasons this third person of the Godhead is called a Spirit 1. Because he is a Spiritual Essence or Substance Incorporeal and Invisible 2. Because he is inspired of the Father and the Son they move by this Spirit 3. Because himself inspireth and immediately worketh motions in the hearts of the Elect. 4. Because he is God equal with the Father and the Son and the same God and God is a Spirit The several Titles of Commendation given to the Holy Ghost in Scripture viz. 1. The Spirit of Adoption because he assureth us of the Fatherly good-will of God in Christ towards us 2. The Earnest and Seal of our Inheritance because he assureth us of our Salvation 2 Cor. 1.21 3. The Spirit of life because he mortifietli the old man and quickneth the new Rom. 8.2 4. Water whereby he cleanseth us refresheth us nigh dead in sin and maketh us fruitful to good works 5. Fire because he consumeth daily our concupiscence in us and kindleth in our hearts the love of God and our Neighbor 6. The Fountain because all celestial Riches do flow unto us from him 7. The Spirit of Prayer because he is the souls voyce in the chosen 8. The oyl of gladness because he cheareth and refresheth us in all our troubles 9. The Comforter because by working faith in us he causeth us to exult in afflictions 10. Intercessor because he maketh requests for us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 11. He is called The Spirit of Truth of Wisdom of Joy of the fear of God of Boldness and the like Joh. 14.16 Now some of the ungodly may have the Holy Ghost as concerning some gifts of the Holy Ghost as Saul and Judas had but they have not the Spirit of Adoption for the same Spirit doth not work the same things in all for he worketh Adoption and Conversion in the Elect onely The operations of the Holy Ghost are twofold 1. External common to all men for he illuminates every one that cometh into the world 2. Internal special and proper to the godly not onely illuminating their mindes but proceeding to their hearts moving the affections and becomes unto the whole man 1. A Spirit of Sanctification 2. A Spirit of Intercession 3. A Spirit of Consolation The Office and Operations peculiarly attributed to the Holy Ghost in Scripture viz. 1. To teach and illuminate Joh. 14.26 16.13 To enlighten mens mindes with the knowledge of the Gospel and to reveal unto them the good will of God and way to happiness whence he is called The Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1.17 2. To perswade their hearts of the truth of those things which he hath revealed to their understandings by the vertue whereof they taste of the good word of God Heb. 6.5 3. To Regenerate that is to work Faith and Repentance in the hearts of the chosen Joh. 3.5 4. To conjoyn us with God and Christ and to make us partakers of all his benefits 1 Cor. 6.11 5. To Rule and guide that is to instruct and encline us to all duties due to God and Man 6. To Comfort Joh. 14.16 in all perplexities and miseries whatsoever 7. To Confirm to make courageous and bold in and for the maintenance of the Truth being moved to acknowledge and profess the Gospel to be the Word of God Many other are the Works of the Spirit but that Unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost is committed against him in regard of these Operations of the Spirit so as it is against the Truth of God which the Spirit hath revealed to a man and evicted and perswaded his heart of the certainty thereof How the Holy Ghost is 1. Given 1. After an ordinary way by the Ministery of the Word and the use of the Sacraments 2. In manifesting himself unto us through the studying and meditation of the Gospel 3. He is given by working a desire of him in the Elect for he is given to them that desire him Luke 11.13 and is received by faith 2. Retained 1. By meditation in the Doctrine of the Gospel and by studying to prove it thereby Psal 1.2 2. By continuance and increase of Repentence and amendment of life that is by a desire of bewaring to offend against our knowledge or Conscience Matth. 13.12 3. By daily and earnest prayer and invocation Luke 11.13 4. By applying Gods gifts to their right use that is to his glory and our Neighbors good Luke 22.32 3. Ecclipsed in its present comforts 1. By neglecting the Word and Doctrine and by neglect of Prayer 2. By carnal Security and by giving our selves to commit sin against our Conscience 3. By abusing the gifts of the Holy Ghost as when they are not imployed
370 c. 371 a b. 372 c. Popish Fasting abominable proved 372 c. 373 a. Father how understood in the Lords Prayer 79 b. why Our Father 78 c. 79 a. Fear of God what 176 215 Doctrine thereof ibid. to 218. Signs and Evidences thereof 217 b. how the Fear of Gods Worship differs from all other Fears ibid. a. Feasting holy Feasting what 370 a. Rules touching the same 373 c. why permitted 370 a. 373 b. Flesh and Spirit the War betwixt them 330 c the Weapons of that Warfare and the Nature of it 331. Fornication Motives and Reasons against it 287 b c. Forgiveness of Sins what 160 b. Doctrine of it ibid. to 163 Signs thereof 161 b. Forgiveness 'twixt Man and Man fourfold 105 c. G GAmes threefold 375 a. what Games lawful to be used ibid. Ghost Holy Ghost third Person in the Trinity 1 to 5. Gifts of the Spirit twofold 328 b c. Gluttony Remedies against it 111 a. God his Attributes and Properties 120 c. 121 122. Godhead what 2 a c. Gospel what 23 c. Doctrine of it ibid. to 25. Why called the Gospel of Peace 24 c. the Effects thereof 25 a. Grace twofold 329. The operations and properties of Saving Graces 332 b. Tryals of Sound Grace 50 a. Grace distinguished from Hypocrisie 329 a. Grace Vniversal Grace Erroneous 24 a b. H HAllowing how many ways taken in Scripture 84 c. 85 b. Hallowing Gods Name what it signifies 83 b. how many ways Gods Name may be Hallowed 85 c. Hearing the Word aright what 33 a. Requisites to hear profitably ibid. c. Rules of Preparation ibid. the impediments of Effectual Hearing 34 a. 35 b. Preparative Helps before Hearing 34 b. Rules in time of Hearing ibid. c. Duties required after Hearing 35 c. Heaven how many ways taken in Scripture 81 a. Holy Ghost the Doctrine of Faith therein 145 to 149. why called the Spirit of Revelation 146 a. he is to be prayed unto as God ibid. his Godhead proved ibid. c. why distinct from the Father and the Son 147 a. his Equality with the Father proved ibid. why called a Spirit ibid. b. the Titles given to the Holy Ghost in Scripture ibid. c. his Operations twofold 148 a. his peculiar Offices ibid. b. how he is given retained and eclipsed ibid. c. the Duties of Faith in the Holy Ghost 149 a. Honor to Parents wherein it consists 265 b c. why Civil Honor is due to man 267 b. how many ways this is transgressed 268 b. Hope what 175 a. Doctrine thereof 203 to 207. how many ways taken in Scripture ibid. a. Hope twofold ibid. b. the Grounds of Hope ibid. c. the Exercise of it 204 a. why it must be stedfast ibid. c. why called the Helmet of Salvation ibid. The special Properties thereof 204 c. The way to get keep and use Hope ibid. the Necessity of Hope 205 a. how it is wrought ibid. b. how Hope and Faith differ ibid. c. how Hope and Presumption differ 206 a. Signs of Sound Hope ibid. b. Motives to Hope ibid. Means to attain it ibid. Vices repugnant to it ibid. c. Housholders Duties 269 c. Humanity of Christ 133 a. Humility what 174 c. the Doctrine thereof 194 195. Husbands Duties to the Wife 269 b. Hypocrisie what 236. Kindes thereof 237 b. Fruits thereof ibid. b c. why not always invisible 238 b. why sometimes charged upon the children of God 239 c. Marks to know an Hypocrite by 240 b. I IDolatry what 233 a. alway the destruction of the Idolater and why 234 a. Caveats to avoid it 235 b. Idolaters not to be Consorted with 234 b. Ignorance what 219. Kindes thereof 221 c. the Mother of what sins ibid. the Causes thereof ibid. c. Image of God in Man what 318 c. why God preserves the Remnants thereof 319 a. Images made to be Worshipped most abominable 231 a. why to be Abolished in all Christian Churches ibid. b. Incest wherein it consists 286 b. Infants to be Baptized 41 b. Infirmities of the Saints why recorded in Scripture 348 c. Intercession to the Father why proper onely to the Son 130 b. Joy of the Spirit how known from Carnal Joy 330 c. Judgement corrupted four ways 296 a. Reasons against Rash Judgement 305 b. Caveats in judging others ibid. Judgement-Day what it is 143 b c. Last Judgement twofold 144 a. how Christ shall come to Judgement ibid. Doctrine hereof 143 to 145 the Day hereof why concealed from us 145 a. why deferred ibid. Errors touching the last Judgement ibid. Justification what 324 b. Doctrine thereof ibid. to 326. Kindes thereof 325. Signs and Effects thereof 326 a. K KIlling lawful three ways 277 Kingdom of God what 88 89 a. Threefold ibid. c. Kingdom of Satan what Knowledge of God what 173 c. 177 a b. the parts thereof 176 c. wherein it consists 177 c. Tryals thereof 50 a. Means to attain it 178 a. Signs thereof ibid. b. Vices repugnant to it ibid. c. 179 a. L LAw what 15 b. threefold 16 c. 17. How the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law differs each from other 18. How the Moral Law the Natural Law and the Decalogue differ ibid. c. how the Law was given 170 b. why the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws are now ceased and how far 17 b. the use of them against Anabaptists ibid. c. Laws Judicial not necessary for any Common-wealth 16 a. Moral Law binding to all ibid. The use of the Law under the Gospel 19 c. how it differs from the Gospel 16 b. 19 a. how the Law is fulfilled by Christ 20 b. 130 a. Law written in Mans Heart 169 c. 170 a. how the performance of the Law may be said to be possible to the Regenerate 20 b. The use and ends of the Law 20 c. 21 a. how the whole Law is Abrogated 21 b. Errors touching the Law 23 a. The Error of the false Church of Rome touching the Law 22 c. Lending twofold 295 b. Life threefold 167 b. how many ways it may be said to be preserved ibid. c. Life Everlasting what 166 b. the Doctrine thereof ibid. to 168. Degrees thereof 167 b. why called a Rest 168 a. The Duties of Faith herein ibid. b. Love Gods Love to Man the Doctrine thereof 311 to 313. Degrees thereof 311 c. kindes thereof 312 b. the Commendation of Gods Love ibid. a. Duties from the Consideration thereof ibid. c. 313 a. Love Mans Love to God what 207 the Doctrine thereof ibid. to 215 the kindes of it 208 the parts of it 52 b. wherein it consists 175 c. Tryals thereof 52 a. The right order of Love 209 a. Assurance thereof ibid. b. how Love differs from Fear ibid. c. the right maner of Love 210 a. 213 b c. the Effects and Signs of Love ibid. c. 211 a b. The Properties of true Love ibid. 214 a. the Resemblance betwixt our Love to God and that to our Neighbor 213 b. Motives to love the Lord 212 b. 214 c. the main impediments to Love ibid. c. without Love no Salvation 209 b.
same is both Man and Father but he is Man absolutely or in himself or according to his own Nature and Father in respect of another viz. his Son So it is one thing to be God another thing to be the Father's Son or the Holy Ghost and yet one and the same is both God and Father God in respect of himself or his own Nature Father in respect of the Son Now though this be alike in God and Man that both do communicate to another not his Person but his Essence yet is there an exceeding dissimilitude in the maner whereby the Divine Essence being infinite and the Humane being created and finite is communicated to another For in Men in the Father and the Son the Essence is as distinct as the Persons themselves the Father and the Son being not onely two persons but also two men distinct in Essences so that the Father is not that man which is the Son but in God the Persons are so distinct that yet the Essence remaineth common one and the same and therefore there are not three Gods but the Son is the same God in number which is the Father and the Holy Ghost Again in Persons Created he that begetteth doth not communicate his whole Essence to him that is begotten for then he should cease to be a man but onely a part but in uncreated Persons he that begetteth or inspireth communicateth his whole Essence to him that is begotten or proceedeth yet so that he who communicateth doth retain the same Essence and that whole And the Reason of both Differences is Because the Essence of Man is finite and divisible but the Essence of God infinite and indivisible and therefore the Deity may being the same and whole or intire be together both communicated and retained whereby the Persons are not any thing separated from the Essence but each of them are the very self-same whole Essence of the Divinity wherefore God or the Divine Essence is the Father is the Son is the Holy Ghost Thus the three Persons in the Trinity are all one one in Nature and Essence one in Will and Consent one in Vertue and Power what the one doth the other doth also the difference is onely in the maner of working This Mystery of the Trinity and Unity was taught from the beginning of the world howbeit the fuller revelation of it was reserved to the times of the Gospel when the light of this Truth outshined the Sun at noon Matth. 28.19 1 John 5.7 The Doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead must be held retained for these Reasons viz. 1. Because by it we may distinguish the True God from all false gods and idols 2. Because among all other points of Religion this is one of the chiefest being the very foundation thereof For it is not sufficient for us to know God as we can conceive of him in our own imaginations but we must know him as he hath revealed himself in his Word and it is not sufficient to Salvation to believe in God confusedly but we must believe in one God distinct in three Persons 3. This Doctrine directs us in the worshipping of God aright For Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped one God must be worshipped in the Father in the Son and in the Holy Ghost And if we worship God the Father without the Son and the Holy Ghost or the Son without the Father the Holy Ghost or the Holy Ghost without the Father and the Son we worship nothing but an Idol Again if we worship the three Persons not as one God but as three Gods then likewise we make three Idols The difference of Essence Person is to be observed and held for these Reasons 1. Lest the Unity of the true God be distracted 2. Lest the Distinction of Persons be taken away 3. Lest another thing be understood by the name of Person then the truth of Gods Word declareth That in one Divine Essence are subsisting three Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost each of which is one and the same true God or that one true God is three Persons truly distinct and those three Persons are one onely true God is proved thus viz. 1. By Testimonies of Scripture partly out of the Old Testament as Gen. 1.2 Isa 61.1 partly out of the New Mat. 28.19 Joh. 14.26 15.26 2 Cor. 13.13 1 Joh. 5.3 Tit. 5.3 Eph. 2.18 Gal. 4.6 2. By those places of Scripture which give unto those three the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost the Name of Jehovah and true God for those places wherein those things which are spoken of Jehovah in the old Testament are in the new referred expresly most plainly to the Son the Holy Ghost 3. By those places which attribute the same whole Divine Essence to the three Persons and shew that the Son is the proper Son of the Father most truly begotten of him and that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Father and the Son the Son therefore and the Holy Ghost have the same and that whole Essence of the Deity which the Father hath the Son hath it communicated of the Father by being from everlasting born of him and the Holy Ghost of the Father and the Son by proceeding from them 4. By the places which give unto the three the same Attributes or Properties and perfections of the Divine Nature as Eternity Immensity Omnipotency c. 5. By those places which attribute to the three the same effects or works proper unto the Deity as Creation Preservation Government of the World also Miracles and the Salvation of the Church 6. By those places which yield to the three equal honor and worship and such as agreeth to the true God alone The three in the Trinity are called Persons Because they have proper things to distinguish them in regard either 1. Of themselves as 1. Father to beget and to be of himself Joh. 5.26 1.14 1 Joh. 5.1 2. Son to be begotten and to be the second Person Joh. 1.14 18. 3. Holy Ghost to proceed both from the Father and the Son Mat. 3.16 2. Of the Creatures as 1. The Father worketh through the Son by the Holy Ghost Eph. 2.10 Rom. 11.36 2. The Son worketh from the Father by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 8.6 Joh. 1.3 3. The Holy Ghost worketh from the Father and the Son Gen. 1.2 Joh 33.4 The things wherein they communicate with themselvs are these viz. 1. One is in another and possesseth another as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father and the Holy Ghost in them both Joh. 10.30 38. 14.10 11. 2. They have glory one of another Joh. 17.4 5 22 24 26. 3. They delight one in another as the Son is a delight to the Father and the Father to the Son and the Holy Ghost to them both Mat. 3.17 Joh. 5.20 The order of working in the Three Persons of the Trinity
taken away God is as well in the field and in the private house as in the Church and yet Churches are ordained and used in a godly policy because a Congregation may more conveniently there meet to their mutual edification in the publike exercise of the Word and Prayer otherwise private houses were as good places for Gods worship as Churches if they were decent and convenient for edification for now in all places men may lift up pure hands unto God 1 Tim. 2.8 where it plainly appears That after the coming of Christ by whom the partition wall was broken down and both made one people to God all places were sanctified for prayer so as under the Gospel no one place is more holy then another yet it being Gods will to be worshipped publikely needful it is that there should be places fit for that purpose Thus the Corinthians had one place to worship God in 1 Cor. 11.20 though certain of the Inhabitants of Philippi went out to a Rivers side to pray on the Sabbath day Acts 16.13 but that was in time of persecution The Father Son and Holy Ghost is to be prayed unto we may pray unto the whole Trinity but more properly unto the first person God the Father in the Name of God the Son by the assistance of God the Holy Ghost So we pray unto the whole Trinity yet as the first person is the Fountain of the Deity we pray the Father by the Son through the Holy Ghost nor is it strange that we pray unto Christ for whose sake onely we are heard in our prayers for we pray unto him as he is the second person we have our prayers heard through him as he is our Mediator thus distinguishing his person from his office Prayer in general is twofold 1. Publike wherein words must be always used in a plain known distinct voyce 2. Private wherein the voyce is profitable but not simply necessary Two Rules of gesture in publike Prayer 1. It must alway be comely modest decent and uniform 2. It must serve as much as may be to express the inward sincerity of the heart without hypocrisie Again there is a twofold Prayer 1. One that is the voyce of our own spirit 2. Another that is the voyce of Gods Spirit in us that is when the Holy Ghost hath so sanctified the heart when he hath put it into such a holy frame of Grace that the heart comes to speak as it is quickned acted and moved from Gods Spirit This Spirit of Adoption makes us 1. Earnest and fervent in prayer 2. Bold and confident to God as to a Father so that we may know the voyce of Gods Spirit in our prayers by our boldness to and confidence in him for wicked men come to God as to a stranger the Saints as to a friend Prayer is one part of that holy worship of God called Invocation whereof there are four parts 1. Supplication when we intreat God to remove some evil from us 2. Prayer whereby we beg at the hands of God the gift of some good thing unto us 3. Intercession when as we intreat the Lord to grant some good thing unto our brethren or to remove some evil from them 4. Thanksgiving whereby we give laud and thanks to God for blessings received either by our selves or by our brethren The distinctions of Prayer in regard of the maner thereof viz. 1. Mental which is an opening inwardly of the desires of a mans heart to God without any outward manifestation of the same by word Neh. 2.4 Exod. 14.15 1 Sam. 1.13 2. Vocal and is that which is uttered with words 1 Kings 8.23 3. Sudden when upon some sudden occasion present the heart is instantly lift up unto God whether by sighs or words they are called Ejaculations of the heart and argue a holy familiarity with God yea a heavenly minde 4. Composed when a Christian setteth himself to make some solemn prayer unto God whether it be in the Church family closet field or any other place Dan. 6.10 to this kinde of Prayer preparation before-hand is very needful Eccl. 5.2 5. Conceived being that which he who uttereth the prayer inventeth and conceiveth himself which is very expedient and needful for these Reasons 1. It manifesteth the gift and power of the Spirit who can give both matter and maner words and affections who can suggest what to pray and how to pray 2. Every day we have new wants new assaults new sins and our petitions must be made according to our present wants our supplications according to our particular assaults and our confession according to our several sins 3. As God daily continueth and reneweth old blessings so also he addeth new to them 6. Prescribed when a set constant form is laid down before-hand and either conned by heart or read This is a good help to weak Christians if they endeavor to pray with the Spirit and with understanding 7. Publike when an Assembly of Saints publikely with one joynt-consent call upon God by the mouth of the Minister Joel 2.16 17. Neh. 8.1 6. For the maner of which publike prayer two things are very requisite viz. 1. Unanimity respecting the heart and affections for which an audible and intelligible voyce is necessary 2. Uniformity respecting the outward reverent carriage and humble gesture in prayer 8. Private which is made by one alone or by some few together 2 Kings 4.33 Luke 9.28 Acts 10.30 This especially belongeth to the Master of a Family 9. Secret which is made by one alone none being present but God and he that prayeth This may be in a close chamber or closet Mat. 6.6 or on a desolate Mountain Mark 1.35 or in a secret field Gen. 24.63 or on any house top Acts 10.9 or in any other place 1 Tim. 2.8 10. Extraordinary which after an extraordinary maner even above our usual custom is poured out before God consisting partly in ardency of affection as in Christ Luke 22.44 Heb. 5.7 in Moses Exod. 32.32 and in the King of Nineveh Jonah 3.8 and partly in continuance of time as Jacob a whole night Gen. 32.24 so did David 2 Sam. 12.16 and Christ Luke 6.12 Moses a whole day Exod. 17.12 so did Joshua and the Elders of Israel Josh 7.6 We must pray 1. For the glory of God always and that without any limitation or condition 2. For our own good 1. The salvation of Soul and that without any condition 2. In this present life but with this condition so far forth as it may stand with Gods glory and be for our own good The conditions and circumstances of true prayer viz. 1. A direction of it unto the true God and him onely 2. In the mediation of Christ not without a Mediator as Pagans nor in the name of any other Mediator as Papists 3. The knowledge of Gods Commandment in requiring us to pray else we doubt of being heard 4. The knowledge of those things which are to be asked else we mock
God 5. A true ardent desire of those things which are to be asked else we are hypocrites 6. A thorough sense and feeling of our own wants else we pray not at all 7. Lowliness of minde self-denyal impartially weighing our own baseness Humiliation that is true Repentance 1. Because God oweth us nothing 2. We are his enemies before our conversion 8. A considence and full perswasion of being heard for the Mediators sake Heb. 10.22 To this purpose meditate on the Promises 9. In fear before prayer meditating on the excellency and glory of God in prayer holding our hearts close with God that they wander not 10. With seemly words befitting the matter not strained nor careless 11. With reverent submiss and humble gesture 12. In holiness of life for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5.6 yea the prayer of a faithful man is more forcible then the power of a whole Army witness Moses against Amalek Exo. 17.11 13. In sincerity of heart and with fervency of Spirit even an hungring thirsting and longing desire Other conditions in an acceptable Prayer to be observed viz. 1. We must ask while the time of Grace and Mercy remaineth for if the day of Grace be once passed we shall be excluded with the foolish Virgins Mat. 25.8 9. Now the time whilest God offers mercy to us in his Word is the acceptable time this is the day of Grace 2. We must not ask as seemeth good unto our selves but according to Gods will and as his word alloweth lest we be denyed with the sons of Zebedee for asking we know not what Mat. 20.22 3. We must not doubt of Gods granting us those things which we ask according to his will for the wavering minded man shall receive nothing of God Jam. 1.5 6. 4. We must refer the time and maner of Gods accomplishing our requests to his good pleasure lest with the Israelites we seem to limit the Holy One of Israel Rules to be observed that we may conceive aright of God in Prayer 1. We must not conceive him in the form of any earthly or heavenly bodily or Spiritual creature whatsoever for thus not to conceive him is a degree of conceiving him aright We must not frame in our mindes any Image of God at all as that he should be like unto man or any other creature but we must conceive of him both in his works as our Creator Governor and Preserver and also in his properties as most wise most just most holy merciful c. Thus we may better conceive of him by his Works and Attributes then by his Nature 2. We must conceive that God is one in Substance and three in Persons We must not confound the Persons nor divide the Substance but conceive of one God in three Persons and three Persons in one and the same Godhead so he must not be conceived absolutely that is out of the Trinity but as he subsisteth in the Person of the Father Son and Holy Ghost 3. When we direct our prayers or any worship to any one Person of the Trinity we must include the rest in the same worship yea further we must retain in minde the distinction and order of all the three Persons without severing or sundring them The whole Trinity hath a work in this holy exercise of Prayer For The Holy Ghost frameth our Requests Rom. 8.26 The Son offereth them up unto the Father Rev. 8.3 The Father accepteth them thus framed and offered Rom. 8.27 The helps of preparation to Prayer viz. 1. Meditation 1. Of the Majesty of God to whom we pray 2. Of the matter of our prayers which are for Temporal things Spiritual things Eternal things 3. Of our own corruption and want of Grace 2. A stedfast belief to perswade our selves that there is a God one in Essence three in Persons rewarding those that call upon him and whereby we lay hold on Christ assuring our selves of the power goodness mercy and bounty of God Heb. 11.6 Before Prayer these things are necessary 1. Repentance and after sins committed a still renewed repentance 2. Reconciliation if need require to our brother 3. Preparation in heart and minde as one that is to speak familiarly with God in which preparation these things are required 1. The minde is to be emptied of all carnal and worldly thoughts 2. A consideration of the things to be asked 3. A lifting up of the heart to God 4. The heart must be touched with a reverence of the Majesty of God The impediments to be removed before we can pray 1. Pride for God abhors the proud Prov. 16.5 he hears them not Job 35.12 2. An absenting our selves from the word a careless and negligent hearing the same a deriding scorning and contempt of it Prov. 28.9 Zech. 7.13 3. Cruelty oppression and unmercifulness towards the poor Pro. 21.13 4. All corrupt affections as anger malice hatred discord wrath envy 1 Pet. 3.5 6 7. 5. A delight in sin taking pleasure in it and making a sport of wickedness Psal 66.16 Special Duties required in the act of Prayer 1. Our prayer must be the speech of the soul and heart not of the tongue onely Psal 25.1 2. In the minde the right understanding of what we ask Mat. 20.22 3. In the heart 1. Reverence in regard of Gods Majesty Mal. 1.6 2. Humility in regard of our own unworthines Gē 18.27 Ps 51.17 4. Every Petition must proceed from a lively sense of our poverty specially in Spiritual matters with an earnest desire to have them supplied Acts 237. 5. Every Petition must proceed from a saving and a justifying faith being fully perswaded in our hearts that God both can and will grant our requests Jam. 1.6 7. 6. Every Petition must be grounded on Gods word and not framed to the carnal conceit and fancy of mans brain and be onely for good things 1 Joh. 5.14 7. Our Prayer must in the name merit and mediation of Christ alone be presented to God alone not to Saints Angels the Virgin Mary or any other creature 8. We must pray by the help of the Spirit it must be the voyce of Gods Spirit speaking in our Spirit Rom. 8.26 9. We must pray for our brethren as well as for our selves for our enemies as well as our friends Mat. 5.44 10. Our Prayers must be without vain repetitions much babling and wandring thoughts 11. Every Petition must be made in obedience that is we must have a Commandment enjoyning us to ask the thing we pray for and a Promise to assure us that it shall be granted and yet here this Caveat must be remembred That we leave both the time and the maner of accomplishing our requests to the good pleasure and wisdom of God 12. There must be instancy in the act of Prayer and perseverance till the thing asked be granted 13. Every true Prayer must have in it some thanksgiving unto God for his benefits received It appears from what hath been said That in Prayer these
five things are necessarily to be looked into 1. The affection of him that prayeth viz. he must be sensible of his wants and sins 2. The causes of Invocation whereof Gods Command is the chiefest 3. Who is to be prayed unto viz. God onely not Saints nor Angels 4. In and through whose name and mediation we are to pray that is in the name and mediation of Christ onely 5. What we are to pray for viz. Blessings Temporal Spiritual Eternal To the affection of him that prayeth is required 1. That he divest himself of all vain thoughts of his own worth 2. That by a stedfast faith his soul be inflamed as it were all afire to pray 3. That he be truly sensible of his own wants 4. That he prostrate himself before the Lord in true penitence 5. That his prayer be serious and persevering The causes of Invocation are 1. The Command of God who hath required this service from us 2. The Promise of God for the hearing of the prayers of such as cry unto him 3. The sense of our own misery and wants with the distress of the whole Church 4. Our victory over temptations 5. That our heart by the use of prayer may be inflamed after the true worship of God 6. The example of Christ and all the Saints whose greatest care was to call upon God God onely is the true object of prayer and is alone to be prayed unto for these Reasons 1. He onely knoweth Jer. 17.10 whether our desires come from the heart or onely from the teeth outward and so knoweth whether it be true prayer or no. 2. He onely is every where present Jer. 23.23 in all places to hear the suits of all persons 3. He onely is Almighty Jer. 32.27 able to grant what suit soever we shall ask God onely not Angel Saint nor any other Creature is to be prayed unto and that for these Reasons viz. 1. We must pray to none but to whom we say Our Father Mat. 6.9 2. In whom alone we must believe to him alone must we pray Rom. 10.14 3. To whom alone and onely we can ascribe Omnipresence Omnipotency Omnisciency and the like to him alone must we pray 1 Tim. 2.8 4. It is the Commandment of God himself that we should serve and worship him alone Mat. 4.10 5. No creature can be helpful to any other further then God suffereth and enableth it 6. It is no sufficient ground to move us to call upon a creature because it may be helpful for then any unreasonable creatures might be prayed unto which is a most unreasonable thing for any reasonable man to do 7. Difference must be made between Civil and Divine religious prayer which is made to God alone with assurance of faith and perswasion of Divine Attributes in him together with religious Adoration which is proper to the Divine Majesty Rev. 19.10 and to be performed to no creature neither Angel Rev. 22.9 nor Man Acts 10.26 But Civil prayer is that which is made onely in civil respects requesting that of man which we are perswaded he is able to help us in This is not properly Prayer Christ must be prayed unto in a double respect 1. As God the giver of all good things together with the Father and the Holy Ghost 2. As a Mediator and Intercessor that in and through him we may be heard that he would pray the Father for us and that he would prefer unto him all our sighs and petitions For he is a Priest for ever Psal 110. The things to be asked in Prayer are 1. Spiritual which we are to pray for without any exception or condition 2. Temporal with this condition If it be Gods will and pleasure so also in things Spiritual less necessary to Salvation as Hope Joy in the feeling of Gods mercy in distress c. Though corporal and other things not simply necessary to Salvation are not simply to be prayed for yet conditionally for these Reasons 1. That the desire of corporal things may be an exercise of our faith and confirm our trust and confidence of obtaining things Spiritual and available to Salvation 2. That we may consider and confess the providence of God that nothing befals us by chance or fortune The Reasons why God would have us obtain by Prayer what he hath determined to give 1. That we may be kept in some fear reverence of him 2. That he may the more declare his love by hearing our complaints 3. That we may be the better acquainted with his excellent majesty 4. That we may give him the acknowledgement of all good things God useth to grant our Prayers two ways 1. By giving the very thing it self we ask 2. By giving something answerable thereto when not the thing it self God never grants some mens requests for these Reasons viz. 1. Because they make their prayers but not according to his will either failing in the time as did the foolish virgins Mat. 25.11 12. or in the thing they ask as did the sons of Zebedee Mat. 20.22 2. Because they doubt and waver in prayer for such shall receive nothing of the Lord Jam. 1.6 7. 3. Because they ask it for wrong ends as not so much to promote Gods honor thereby as to consume it on their own lusts Jam. 4.5 So God sometimes defers his answer for these Reasons 1. When we ask amiss which may be done though the heart be right as out of mistake or out of want of judgement though it may be the intention be good 2. When we are not fitted for mercies yet God then tenders us in the case we are in 3. To make us pray the more fervently and to make us prize his blessings the higher 4. When it crosseth some other secret passage of Gods providence 5. To keep us in humility and prevent Spiritual pride thus Paul was denyed the removing of the buffeting of Satan Though God knows our wants before we pray yet ought we to pray for we pray not to inform the Lord of our wants but for other causes as 1. To stir up our hearts to seek unto Gods presence and favor 2. To exercise our faith in the meditation of Gods Promises 3. To ease our woful hearts by pouring them out unto the Lord. 4. To testifie our obedience unto Gods Commandments and our trust in his Providence for the receiving every good thing we desire Our reverence in prayer must shew it self 1. In the holy disposition of the heart and affections toward the Lord when the minde is not carried away with by thoughts but applieth it self wholly and onely to the present service it hath in hand 2. In the comely gesture of the body beseeming so holy an action done to so high a Majesty 3. In the humble and reverent uttering of our requests having before-hand well considered the things we are to utter before God It is necessary that the Spirit should pray and so we pray in the Spirit for these Reasons 1. In regard of
we obeying the will of God do what he commandeth us 4. Give us c. that is all things which pertain to our sustentation in this life 5. Forgive us c. that is our sins and infirmities and here note That our forgiving others is not the cause but the consequence or effect of Gods forgiving us and the sign of our remission 6. Lead us not into Temptation that is 1. That God would not suffer us to be invaded or set upon by the wicked suggestions of Satan 2. Nor be drowned in the pleasures of sin 3. Nor by consent fall into the snares of Temptation But deliver us from evil that is generally all things hurtful to our selves the Church or State 3. The Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom c. which is added as a Reason of all the Petitions to strengthen our faith and therefore we adde a note of confidence and say Amen which particle is not as a part of the Prayer but as a note of our desire wherewith we wish we may be heard and of our faith whereby we believe we shall be heard The Lord used this kinde of Proeme because he will be called upon with due honor which consisteth 1. In the true knowledge of God 2. In true confidence in him 3. In obedience to him which compriseth 1. True love 2. True fear 3. Hope 4. Humiliation 5. Patience Again of the six Petitions in the Lords Prayer 1. The three former concern Gods glory 1. Hallowed be thy Name that is that the Name of God may be glorified in his Titles words and works 2. Thy Kingdom come that is that the number of true Believers may be daily encreased that Gods Kingdom of Grace being enlarged his Kingdom of Glory may be hastned 3. Thy will be done that is that all the people of God may upon earth as readily obey Gods will as the Angels and Saints in heaven 2. The three latter concern our selves 1. Give us c. that is all temporal things necessary for this life 2. Forgive us c. that is that God would freely forgive us all our sins as we do from our hearts forgive the offences of men against us 3. Lead us not c. that is that the Lord would not suffer us to be carried away by the Temptations of the World the Flesh or the Devil The excellency of the Lords prayer stands in these things 1. In the pithy shortness of it for in few words it comprehendeth endless matter 2. In the perfection of it for it containeth in it whatsoever is to be asked in prayer in which respect it is properly called the Abridgement of the whole Gospel 3. In the order thereof which is most exquisite 4. In the acceptation it hath with God the Father for it containeth the words of Christ his Son in whom the Father is well pleased The excellency of this Prayer sheweth 1. That if any set form of prayer may be used then this may being indited by the Mediator of the Church therefore let such as deny the use of it better consider hereof when as for the space of One thousand five hundred years after Christ there were never any that disallowed it 2. That the practice of such who conclude their prayers with this is commendable for hereby as by a most perfect and excellent prayer the wants and imperfections of our prayers are supplyed 3. That such who gather from the perfection and excellency of this prayer that it alone is to be used are deceived for Christs intent was rather to commend this prayer unto us for matter and maner then for the words 4. That though it be a most perfect prayer yet is it onely general but every true Believer needs particular prayers whereby in special form and maner his particular state and condition may be sent up unto the Lord yet so as they be always suitable unto this form here prescribed Two extremes are here to be taken heed of 1. Too much confidence in the words of this Prayer often repeated as some Popes of Rome have granted great Pardons to seven Pater-nosters and as many Ave-Maries said over every day or on some days and in some places which is gross and superstitious 2. Too much detracting from this Prayer by accounting it no better or not so worthy as a mans own conceived prayer which is derogatory and arrogant Our Saviour Christ having forbidden his Disciples all carnal and superstitious kinde of praying prescribed them this holy form Matth. 6.9 c. The use whereof is a form of Direction learning thereby what to ask what first and chiefly with what affections and assurance for if we were left unto our selves we should greatly erre in praying asking oft-times those things that are not good for us and against the will of God out of a fleshly minde therefore hath the Lord reduced all things which we may ask into these few short Petitions and out of any carnal presumption to transgress these bounds is not to offer a pleasing Sacrifice but as it were with strange fire to provoke him as did Nadab and Abihu Lev. 10. Some in a superstitious notion Suppose this Patern of Devotion Stands chiefly in the words and can expell Poyson and Counter-charm the Powers of Hell Blinde Idolist unless th' heart language shall The words the words are ineffectual Since thou hast giv'n us Lord compactly choyce Words and matter both give us too thy voyce Thy Spirits voyce in ours that so we may With Faith Love Zeal as thou hast taught us Pray §. 3. Our Father CHrist Jesus onely is the Son of God by Nature for which cause he is called the onely begotten Son of the Father Joh. 1.18 And we are Sons onely by Adoption and Grace and therefore when we call God Father we must not think any thing singularly of our selves as if he were our Father specially but the common Father of us all that believe And we say Our Father not My Father because we ought to pray for all the children of God as well as for our selves And here observe That here and always the Name of Father as also the Name of God when it is opposed to the Creatures is taken essentially not personally but when it is put with another person of the Godhead it is taken personally Our Father that is O Lord God thou art the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him our most merciful Father by Adoption and Grace yet here again observe That we do not here pray to the Father onely but to the whole Trinity yet as the first Person is the eternal Fountain of the Deity we pray to the Father by the Son through the Holy Ghost nor may it seem strange that Christ who as he is Man is our Brother and is not ashamed to call us his Brethren Heb. 2.11 is called our Father for as he is God he is our Father and therefore called The Father of Eternity Isa 9.6 Christ by this word Our
come desire that God will by his Son our Mediator 1. Preserve the Ministery which he hath ordained 2. Gather his Church by the Ministery of his Word and the working of the Holy Ghost 3. Rule his Church gathered and us the members thereof with his Holy Spirit 4. Defend us and his whole Church against our Enemies and Tyrants 5. Cast away his and our enemies into eternal pains 6. At length deliver his Church and glorifie us in the world to come Again The Kingdom of God is twofold viz. 1. General which is his absolute Power and Soveraignty whereby he ruleth all things in Heaven in Earth and in Hell even the Devils themselves Psa 103.19 This we acknowledge in the conclusion of the Lords Prayer but pray not for it in this Petition because nothing can hinder it 2. Special which is that whereby he Ruleth his Elect and chosen people working his will in them by his Holy Spirit And called special because it is not exercised over all the World but only over all the elect whō he hath ordained unto eternal life This special Kingdom of God is twofold viz. 1. Of Grace which is a Spiritual estate because 1. It is principally exercised in the Conscience 2. This Regiment in the Conscience is by the Spirit of God Wherein God makes men willingly subject to the written word of his Spirit which is a voluntary subjection of the whole man in soul body and Spirit to the Will of God reveal'd in his Word This subjection which indeed is perfect freedom stands in these 3 things especially Rom. 14.17 18. 1. In Righteousness that is 1. In Christs Righteousness imputed 2. In the Righteousness of a good Conscience the ground whereof is Sanctification by the Spirit which Christ gives to whom he justifies 2. In Peace that is Peace of Conscience towards God and peace with Gods Church yea with all Creatures so far forth as is needful for them Under which is comprehended love for as Righteousness concerns the person in soul and body so Peace respects all duties and actions of the life Righteousness is the Root whence springeth this Peace for when the heart is sanctified the life is reformed 3. In Joy in the Holy Ghost which is a fruit of both the former respecting especially the state of affliction for when a man is justified and sanctified and hath peace towards God then ariseth in his heart a Spiritual delight in God in all estates Now whosoever hath these three branches of this Spiritual subjection is a good Subject in the Kingdom of Grace 2. Of Glory which is the blessed estate of Gods Elect in Heaven whereby God in Christ becomes all things unto them immediately all things needful to the perfection of felicity The state of grace in this life is the beginning and entrance to the state of glory the state of glory in the life to come is the perfection of the state of grace And this special Kingdom of God in both these estates do we in this Petition pray for Understand therefore this Petition of the special Kingdom the coming whereof is in four degrees viz. 1. Let it be erected where it is not 2. Let it be confirmed and continued where it is Let it not be abolished by Persecution corrupted by Heresie vanish by Hypocrisie or degenerate and grow into the contrary by Prophaneness 3. Let it be restored where it is decayed or corrupted in doctrine or maners Restore such as are faln by weakness and purge the Errors of such as are seduced 4. Let it be perfected and made compleat by hastning the Marriage-day the eternal Jubile of Joy unconceiveable much more unutterable such as neither eye hath seen nor ear heard nor heart conceived and by finally destroying Sin Death the Devil and every enemy Thy Kingdom come that is to us men in the world then it cometh when God doth erect and establish the same in their hearts Now unto perfection it comes by five degrees viz. 1. When God gives unto men the outward means of Salvation wherein he doth reveal his grace and favor in Christ Thus the Gospel preached is called The word of the Kingdom Mat. 13.19 and The Kingdom of God Luke 11.20 17.21 2. When the word preached enlightens the minde so as a man knows and understands the mystery of the Gospel which is the Law of this Kingdom 3. When a man is thereby regenerate and so brought into this Kingdom for by Regeneration we have effectual entrance into the state of grace whereby Christ rules in us by his word and Spirit and we yield subjection unto him 4. At the end of this life when the body goeth to the earth but the soul to God that gave it being translated to the joys of heaven in the glory of this Kingdom 5. At the last Judgement when body and soul being reunited are both made partakers of this Kingdoms glory And this is the full and perfect coming of it In this kingdom are observable these things especially 1. That Christ is King Mat. 2.2 2. That the Subjects are true Christians Psal 2.8 Angels and Saints 3. That the Laws are the Word Psal 119.105 and the efficacy of the Holy Ghost 4. The enemies are Satan Sin Death Hell Damnation the Flesh the World and the Wicked Eph. 6.12 Rom. 6.12 8.1 1 Cor. 15.51 Gal. 5.17 Gen. 3.15 5. The Rewards are the good things of this life and eternal happiness in that to come Mark 10.30 6. The Chastisements are afflictions Heb. 12.6 7. The Weapons are Faith Hope Love the Word and Prayer Eph. 6.16 8. The Time of it is to the worlds end Mat. 28.20 9. The place is this world and the world to come Rev. 5.10 Mat. 25.34 10. The Officers are Preachers 2 Cor. 5.20 11. The Vice-gerents are Governors Isa 49.25 12. It is exercised upon the Conscience of man Rom. 14.17 Again the Head or King of this Kingdom is God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost There is but one King because there is but one God 1. The Father is King and Ruleth by the Son and the Holy Ghost 2. The Son is King because 1. He sitteth God at the right hand of God and Ruleth with equal power with the Father 2. He is Mediator by whom God worketh immediately and giveth the Holy Ghost The enemies of this Kingdom are 1. Partly in the Church as Hypocrites who challenge to themselves the Name and Title of the Kingdom when as they are nothing less 2. Partly without the Church as Turks Jews and all such as defend Errors against the ground and foundation of the true Religion It appears from what hath been said That the Kingdom of God cometh to us four ways viz. 1. By the Preaching of the Gospel whereby is revealed the light of the true and heavenly Doctrine 2. By Conversion when some are converted and are endued with Faith and Repentance 3. By making progress or encrease when the godly receive encrease or
viz. 1. Of Heart-atheism whereof there are 3 sorts viz. 1. When men through a Self-conceitedness affecting to be wiser then all the world do hold this That there is a God not really but in opinion or shew to keep simple persons in awe Of this sort of Atheism David complained of Psal 14.1 2. To conceive otherwise of God then he hath revealed himself in his Word for whatsoever is there spoken of God such an one he is yea every Attribute of God is God So that the heart conceiving a God without any of these is guilty of Atheism 3. When any shall conceive otherwise then he ought of God in regard of the persons of the Godhead viz. denying either the Son or the Holy Ghost as Turks and Jews for he that hath not the Son hath not the Father 1 Joh. 2.23 And must needs therefore be an Atheist 2. Of Prophaneness which shews it self 1. By living securely in open sins being without shame or regard of God or Man Isa 3.9 2. By bruitish living without all practice of Devotion little or no Praying Reading or Meditating upon the Scriptures 3. By following and professing one Religion so as that there is a disposition if need require unto the contrary A prophane heart causeth this for where it is otherwise there is the constancy of the Apostle It is better to obey God then Man 3. Of Inward Idolatry or of the heart And this is 1. By love joy and delight of the heart without measure Thus the covetous man the Epicure and the Proud man are Idolaters so are all such as unreligiously love their own Wills more then Gods most holy Will 2. By trust and confidence whereby the Creature is so relyed upon as that with it there is total Assurance and no fear but if that be wanting then nothing but fear and mournful despair 3. By praying unto it for it must hereby be supposed to be every where or to be able to hear at the least wheresoever it is called upon But this can onely the Lord do for it is a property of the Infinite alone not of Angel or Saint 4. Of Apostacy whereof there are five Degrees viz. 1. A consenting to sin being deceived with the Temptations thereof 2. Hardness of heart upon many practises of sin 3. The heart being hardned becomes unbelieving and calls the truth of the Gospel into question 4. By unbelief it becomes evil having an unworthy conceit of the Gospel 5. This evil heart brings a man to Apostacy and falling from God which is the extinguishing of the light of the Gospel To prevent this sin we must carefully practise the Counsel of the Gospel Ignorance of the Will and Word of God is a grievous sin also in it self Levit. 4.2 5.17 Isa 1.3 5.13 which may further appear by these Reasons 1. Because all the corruption that befel us through Adams Fall is sin now Ignorance and Blindeness of minde was a principal part of that corruption 2. Ignorance is contrary to the Image of God wherein we were first created for a part of Gods Image in man was Knowledge Col. 3.10 as well as Holiness and Righteousness Eph. 4.24 3. As Knowledge is the Foundation of all Piety and Obedience So Ignorance is the Mother of all Error and Prophaneness Mat. 22.29 The four main Supporters of Ignorance against Knowledge viz. 1. Envy whereby men grieve at the knowledge and good parts which are in others 2. Ambition whereby they seek to be eminent above all others 3. Policy whereby they seek a cloak for their own Ignorance 4. Covetousness whereby they pretend a strange kinde of secret Vertue in Ignorance that thereby they may with the less prejudice to their jugling in Religion the more securely Monopolize Idolatry These men are not of Moses his minde when he wished that all the Lords people were prophets Num. 11.29 neither of Pauls minde when he wished that all that heard him were altogether as himself was Acts 26.29 though indeed with these men Priest and People are all one but not in Pauls sense unless Darkness be Light The Ignorance that is excusable is onely such as is 1. In Ideots Natural Fools through some defects in Nature 2. In Lunatick persons violently bereaved of the use of Reason 3. In Infants and Children being not of years of discretion 4. In all men as touching such things as we are not bound to know Time was when Ignorance was not amiss When Innocence lay swadled all in Bliss But Man soon ' came proud to unscale his Eyes A learned Fool in nought but Folly wise Since which curs'd Fate the Twylight he has left Serves but to mourn for what he is bereft Thus he that dares aspire to dart his sight I' th' Sun looks himself blinde with too much light Even in those Gospel-days whose dawning Minde Hath one Eye open that can see 't is blinde §. 9. Of Desperation THe Diseases of the Body are many and many grievous but the Maladies of the Minde are incomparably more and more grievous those of the Body make us sick men those of the Minde make us miserable men The Minde can judge of the Bodies Diseases but how shall it declare the Diseases of it felf when it self is diseased if the judgement be sick how shall the sickness be judged The instrument of judging is the Minde the Disease whereof is not proper and peculiar onely to such as are troubled distressed and disturbed in Conscience but Epidemical yea most raigning in all unregenerate persons wanting a right reformed judgement to judge of themselves and therefore take or rather mistake Vice for Vertue Darkness for Light and Error for Truth Now of all sores the most dangerous is the wound of the Spirit therefore is that the necessariest Doctrine which relieveth and rectifieth the Conscience And as the Word of God is mighty in operation piercing the heart and discerning the thoughts and intents thereof So is it alone available and effectual to pacifie the Minde and to give full satisfaction to the Conscience In this case of Distress of Minde it is meet and convenient there should alway be used a private confession Jam. 5.16 not of our Faith so much as of our Faults For the Physician must know the disease before he can apply the remedy and herein the grief of Minde and scruple that troubleth the Conscience must be made known for man hath but two witnesses of his Thoughts God and his own Conscience by which man knows that thing of himself which God also knows of him and none else for mans Conscience is known to none beside himself but God Now the most special and common distress of minde ariseth from a Divine Temptation which is a Combat with God himself immediately which is when the Conscience speaks some fearful things of God and withal the party distressed feels some evident Tokens of Gods wrath Yet indeed Gods Mercy is never sweet unto the palate of the Soul until it be
And this way were we Redeemed by Christ for the Devil did hold us Captive by right for Sin till Christ paid his Blood Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Christ is said to Redeem us three ways viz. 1. Because he alone is both God and Man so is neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost which was necessary to the Work of our Redemption Acts 20.28 2. He alone was appointed of the Father to work our Redemption Heb. 3.2 3. In the Redeemer two things are required viz. 1. Power and ability to encounter and overcome the Enemy This power was in Christ 2. The right of Redemption which is twofold viz. 1. The Right of Propriety This Right Christ hath in us as True God it belonging to the whole Trinity 2. The Right of Propinquity and this Christ hath as True Man and this he hath alone Christ taketh away our sins three ways viz. 1. By Imputation whereby our sins become his and his Righteousness made ours 2 Cor. 5.21 2. By Expiation and Propitiation whereby he removed them out of the sight of God 1 Joh. 2.23 3. By Mortification thereby removing them from us in this life and in death by perfect Sanctification Or thus Christs Blood doth save us from all sin 1. By Expiation which is the satisfying of Gods Wrath due to sin by bearing the heavy burthen thereof Phil. 1.8 He laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 2. By Sanctification which is the virtual diffusing of his Blood in our hearts and in every corner thereof by the working of his Holy Spirit to the cleansing of them from sin so as it hath no more dominion over us Rom. 6.3 This Redemption by Christ is Eternal in two respects 1. In regard of Eternal Predestination which was before the Foundation of the world 2. In regard that the vertue of this Redemption doth extend it self from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof neither is there any other to be looked for In this doctrine of Redemption consider 1. Who are Redeemed and they onely the Elect of all sorts of people both before and since the coming of Christ 2. Who hath Redeemed us that is Christ alone the onely-Mediator between God and us as being the onely Head of the Church 3. That this Redemption is Spiritual from sin the cause of Death Eternal and from Satan the Author of Sin and all the ill consequents of sin 4. Onely by the Blood of Christ the onely purgation from sin 5. The cause moving Christ thus to Redeem us which was the riches of his Grace Christ Jesus hath made an Atonement between God and us by his Blood and is thereby become our Advocate and Redeemer 1. Because thereby God is well pleased and his wrath appeased so that he accounteth Christs Death as a full Price and sufficient Ransom paid for our sins Mat. 3.17 Eph. 5.2 2. Christ took the whole burthen of our sins upon his shoulders presenting himself before God in our person and offering us to God in his person So that he took upon him our Unrighteousness and imputed to us his Righteousness Isa 53.4 12. 3. There could otherwise be no Remission of sins So that it is the Blood of Christ in the Suffering of the Cross that purgeth away our sins Heb. 9.22 4. Nothing but the Death of Christ could quench the scorching wrath of God as a consuming fire kindled against us and countervail his severe Justice Heb. 9.5 In that Christ is said to be the lamb slain from the beginning of the world is signified 1. That he is in respect of the Application of his Merit a perpetual Sacrifice satisfactory although the slaying it self is at a certain time 2. He was slain typically from all Ages in Types and Figures which did shadow forth his Death to the life 3. He was slain from the beginning in his Members the Saints as Abel the Prophets c. 4. By the Eternal Decree of God the Father he should expiate the sins of the world The Doctrine of the Eternity of Christs Redemption is a threefold Use 1. Not to doubt of the Salvation of the Fathers in the Old Testament before Christ came 2. Not to Judge Censure or Condemn our Brethren 3. Not to despair of Gods Mercy The delivery we have by Christs Redemption is fourfold or Christ hath Redeemed us from a fourfold Bondage viz. 1. From the Bondage of Blindeness and Ignorance by the light of his holy Spirit Ezek. 18.2 Tit. 3.3 2. From the Bondage of Sin enduing us with a lively Faith and regenerating us From Sin which is the perfect both pardoning of Sin that it may not for ever be imputed and also abolishing of it in us by Regeneration or Newness of life which is begun here but to be perfected in the world to come 3. From the Bondage of Death and Corruption by the work of his Redemption Rom. 8.21 1 Cor. 15.54 From Death both from Desperation or the Feeling of Gods Wrath which being in the wicked here begun shall continue everlastingly and from Corporal Death and all Calamities and Miseries by our Resurrection and Glorification 4. From the Bondage of the Law by taking away the exaction and strict urging of perfect obedience Gal. 3.13 The use that we are to make of our Redemption 1. To hate loath and detest all sin whatsoever 2. To glorifie Christ both in Soul and in Body 3. To live wholly unto him not to our selves 4. To take heed of defiling our selves again with sin 5. To love Christ unfeignedly willingly perpetually 6. To live and walk as becometh those that are Redeemed The use that we are to make of the Freeness of Christs Redeeming us without any desert of ours viz. 1. Not to abuse Gods Mercy by Carnal Presumption 2. To accept of it and Repent more speedily 3. Never to Despair of this Mercy finally and totally 4. To give all possible Praise and Thanks for ever for this unspeakable Mercy V. VOcation is that General Calling whereby a man is called out of the world to be a Childe of God a Member of Christ and Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven This Calling belongs to every one within the compass of the Church not any one excepted for this General Calling is the Calling of Christianity which is common to all that live in the Church of God An effectual Calling or a Calling to Grace effectually is whereby a sinner being severed from the world is entertained into Gods Family Eph. 2.17 19. Now though all the Called are Members of Christ yet we must know That of the Members of Christ some are living some dying A living Member of Christ is every one Elected which being ingrafted by Faith and the Spirit into Christ doth feel and shew forth the power of Christ in him A dying or decaying Member is every one truly ingrafted into Christ who hath no feeling of the power and efficacy of the quickning Spirit in him he is like to a benumm'd Leg without Sense which indeed
no farther Such is the Secret Vertue Divine Power and inexpressible Efficacy of Christ that works by his Spirit on the hearts of the Regenerate being made New Creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 The will and ability to do a work pleasing and acceptable to God is no moâ—e in the unregenerates power then their Creation Now by our Regeneration we are assured of our Justification not as by the cause of the Effect but as by the effect of the Cause and though Regeneration be not perfect in this life yet if it be indeed begun it sufficeth for the confirmation and proving of the Truth of our Faith And though the Faithful fail in the measure of those Graces they have yet is it not such as can justly impeach the Truth of Grace It is true though it may be weak and their Sanctification is sound though imperfect the Perfecting is not a work so powerful as the Beginning of it for the very New-Birth and first act of Conversion is the most powerful work of Gods Spirit for then a Sinner is anew created of nothing in regard of Spiritual Being he is made something of a man dead in sin he is quickned and hath Spiritual life put into him As a Childe born of a Woman hath all the parts of Soul and Body so he that is born again of God hath all the parts of a New-man All the Faithful have all such Graces as are absolutely necessary to Salvation actually wrought in them no Saint wanteth any Grace that may hinder his Salvation though he should instantly dye the perfection of Sanctification is but the highest degree of that which was begun before and without Regeneration there is no attaining to this perfection Except a man be born again by Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Joh. 3.5 Hereby a man of a limb of the Devil is made a member of Christ and of a childe of Satan the childe of God Now the work of Regeneration in man is a proper and immediate work of the Godhead for to regenerate is to create and man in that he is regenerated is created again Nothing then can actively regenerate but God though Sacraments are said to regenerate as Moral Instruments because when they are rightly used God himself confers Grace by them We receive not new and Spiritual life from the Son but by the means of his Flesh apprehended by our Faith yet the power and efficacy of quickning or reviving is not in the Flesh as in a proper subject but in the Godhead And we are not in this Regeneration perfectly sanctified but onely in part not perfectly till death whence it is that a regenerate man restored by Grace is not by his Regeneration enabled to fulfil the Law perfectly yet of a meer natural man is made a new man in regard of Gods Image restored and renewed by Christ Eph. 4.24 This is the restoring of that new quality of Righteousness and Holiness lost in Adam which is as it were a new Soul for in a regenerate man there is a Body-Soul and besides the Spirit which is the Grace of Sanctification opposed to Flesh and Corruption of Nature Rom. 8.10 This is as it were the Soul of a Soul renewed without which we cannot see the Kingdom of God Joh. 3.5 And lastly he that is indeed regenerate hath this priviledge That the Corruption of Nature is no part of him neither doth it belong to his person in respect of Divine Imputation Rom. 7.17 In the work of our Regeneration these three Graces be required viz. 1. The Preventing Grace which is when God of his Mercy sets and imprints in the Minde a new light in the Will a new quality or inclination in the Heart new affections 2. The Working Grace which is when God gives to the Will the act of well-willing namely the will to Believe the will to Repent the will to Obey God in his Word 3. The Co-working Grace when God giveth the Deed to the Will that is the exercise and practice of Faith and Repentance The first of these gives the power of doing good the second the Will the third the Deed and all three together make up the work of Regeneration The Regerate man cannot do the evil he would for these Reasons viz. 1. Because he cannot commit sin at what time soever he would 1 Joh. 3.9 Thus was it with Joseph when he was assaulted by Potiphars wife to Adultery and with Lot when his righteous Soul was so vexed with the abominations of the Sodomites 2. Because the man regenerate cannot sin in that maner he would whereof there be two Reasons viz. 1. He cannot sin with full consent of Will or with all his heart because the Will so far forth as it is regenerate resisteth and dreweth back It is a Rule That sin doth not reign in the Regenerate for how much Grace is wrought in the Minde Will and Affections so much is abated proportionably of the strength of the Flesh 2. Though he fall into any sin yet he doth not lie long in it but speedily recovers himself by reason of Grace in his heart Two contrary Grounds or Beginnings of actions in man after his Regeneration 1. Natural Corruption of the Minde Will and Affections to that which is against the Law called the Flesh 2. A created Quality of Holiness wrought in the said faculties by the Holy Ghost called the Spirit These two are not severed but joyned and mingled together in all the faculties of the Soul Why the Wills of the Regenerate are enclined not onely to good but to evil also viz. 1. In this life the renewing of our Nature is not perfect neither as concerning our knowledge of God or our inclinations to obey him Rom. 7.18 2. The Regenerate be not always ruled by the Spirit but sometimes are for a time as it were left to themselves as if they were forsaken of God either for to try or to chastise or to humble them but yet are called to Repentance that they perish not Isa 63.17 for as the beginning so the continuance of our Conversion dependeth on God The work of our Regeneration is distinctly attributed in Scripture to each person in the Trinity To the Father 1 Pet. 1.3 To the Son Jam. 1.18 To the Holy Ghost Joh. 3.5 It is also attributed to the Ministery of the Word As thus 1. The Father as it were the Beginner of this work of his own will begat he us for this end he sent his Son into the world 2. The Son put in execution the Will of his Father Joh. 6.13 he took flesh upon him that we might be of his flesh being born anew Christ is not onely the Author but the Matter also of our New-Birth the new Spiritual Being which the Saints have encreaseth with the encrease of God Col. 2.19 Eph. 1.3 This cometh to pass by his Incarnation Zech. 13.1 Joh. 1.16 3. The Spirit applieth unto us the vertue and efficacy of Christs slesh
By Consent or Assistance so Saul in keeping the garments of them that stoned Stephen 4. By Provocation this Paul forbids Eph. 6.4 5. By Negligence or Silence of this too many Ministers are guilty 6. By Flattery when men sooth up others in Sin 7. By Connivance or slight Reproof so Eli in rebuking his Son 8. By Participation so such as are Receivers of Thieves are guilty of Theft 9. By Defending another in his Sin Why the Infirmities of the Saints are recorded in Scripture viz. 1. Not to disgrace them but to keep us from a vain opinion of our selves that we presume not on our own strength 2. To make us the more careful to look to our steps that we slip not as they did for fear we cannot rise as they did it is easie to fall but hard to rise 3. Having faln as they did we should by their Example learn to rise as they did having like Sins we should have like Repentance that we may have like Forgiveness Now the Sin against the Holy Ghost whereof he is the object not in regard of his Essence or Person but in regard of his Office or Operation consisteth of these Degrees viz. 1. A rejecting of the Gospel Heb. 8.29 2. A spightful rejecting thereof under which are comprised Malice and Hatred of Heart Blasphemy of the Tongue and Persecution 3. A spightful rejecting of the Gospel against Knowledge Heb. 10.26 4. A spightful rejecting thereof after Knowledge against Conscience 5. A wilful Gainsaying and Opposition against the inward Operation and supernatural Revelation of the holy Ghost 6. A despighting of the Spirit in such things as he revealeth to them for their own good This unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost is distinguished differeth from many other sins which come very near unto it viz. 1. From many things against Knowledge yea and against Conscience also for they may be without malice of heart which this cannot be the Elect may fall into them but not into this David and Peter sinned against Knowledge and also against Conscience 2 Sam. 11. Matth. 26.70 2. From many sins committed on Malice against Christ and his Gospel which may be done out of Ignorance 1 Tim. 1.13 As Paul did before his Conversion 3. From Blasphemy and Persecution which may be done also in Ignorance or in Passion 2 Cor. 16.10 4. From Denial of Christ which may be done out of Fear like Peter or other like Temptations 5. From Apostacy from the Faith and Profession of Religion which also may be done not out of Malice but through the Violence of some Temptation like Solomon 1 Kings 11.4 5 6. And the Levites in Captivity who though barred from the Holy Things yet were admitted to do other Services in the Temple Ezek. 44.10 c. whereby it is manifest they fell not into this unpardonable Sin 6. From Presumption and Sinning with an high hand as Manasseh did 2 Chro. 33.13 7. From Hardness of Heart from Impudency and committing Sin with Greediness for so did the Gentiles which had not the Gospel Supernaturally revealed to them 8. From Infidelity and Impenitency yea from final Infidelity and Impenitency whereinto all the Reprobate fall which is not perfectly committed till Death but the Sin against the Holy Ghost is sooner otherwise in vain had Saint Johns Caveat been concerning the not praying for them 1 John 5.16 This Sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable not simply in regard of the Greatness and Hainousness of it as if it were greater then the Mercy of God and Sacrifice of Christ but rather in regard of that Order which God hath set down and that fixed Decree and Doom which he hath both established and revealed And though God is not bound to render man a Reason of his Orders and Decrees yet it hath pleased him to make known some reasons thereof in his Word for the better satisfaction of mens mindes and justification of his own proceedings 1. Because it is impossible that they who sin against the Holy Ghost should be renued again unto Repentance Heb. 6.4 5. 2. Because they utterly renounce and quite reject the onely Means of Pardon which is Christ Jesus offered in the Gospel Heb. 10.29 3. Because they have wittingly so wholly cast themselves into Satans power and utterly renounced to have to do with God having as it were subscribed to be Satans and ever to be with him and on his side being certified in their hearts that they are wholly forsaken of God and shall be damned And thereupon they like the damned in Hell blaspheme God whom they have renounced and with spight oppugn the Gospel through an inward hatred of God the Author of Christ the Matter and of the Holy Ghost the Revealer thereof Seeing this Sin against the Holy Ghost is not committed without malice of the Will we must know that of this malice of the Will there be two Degrees viz. 1. Particular when a man wittingly and willingly sinneth against some particular Commandment as Acts 7.51 The Jews were stiff-necked and always resisted the Holy Ghost that is the Ministery of the Prophets in some things not in all 2. General Malice when a man is carried wittingly and willingly to oppugn all the Law of God yea Christ himself true Religion and Salvation by Christ and so reverseth all the Commandments This is the sin against the Holy Ghost And this being a general and universal Apostacy of this degree the Apostle saith If we sin willingly after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins Heb. 10.26 The chief Points considerable in this Sin against the holy Ghost viz. 1. The Name it is called a Sin against the Holy Ghost not because it is done against the Person or Deity of the Holy Ghost for so he that sinneth sinneth also against both the Father and the Son but it is so called because it is done contrary to the immediate Action namely The Illumination of the Holy Ghost 2. The Efficient Cause of it which is a purposed and obstinate Malice against God and against his Christ 3. The Object namely God himself and the Mediator Christ Jesus for the Malice of this Sin is directed against the very Majesty of God himself and against Christ Heb. 10.29 4. The Subject in which it is This Sin is found in none at all but such as have been enlightned by the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the Gift of God Heb. 6.5 6. 5. The Elect cannot commit this Sin and therefore they who feel in themselves a sure Testimony of their Election need never to despair 6. This Sin cannot be forgiven not because it is greater then Christs Merit but because after the Commission thereof it is impossible for a man to repent 7. It is very hard to know when this Sin is committed because the Root thereof lurketh inwardly in the Heart That we may ever abhor the very thought of sin consider feriously these two most cursed
THE HOLY ARBOR CONTAINING A Body of Divinity Or the Sum and Substance OF Christian Religion Collected from many Orthodox Laborers in the LORDS VINEYARD For the Benefit and Delight of such as Thirst after RIGHTEOUSNESS First Methodically and Plainly Treated of Then Annalized and Applied at large By John Godolphin J.C.D. VVherein also are fully Resolved the Questions of whatsoever Points of Moment have been or are now Controverted in DIVINITY Together with a large and full Alphabetical Table of such Matters as are therein contained or occasionally handled Either by way of Exposition Controversie or Reconciliation LONDON Printed by John Field for Edmund Paxton neer Doctors Commons And William Royhould at the Sign of the Vnicorn in S. Pauls Church-yard neer the West-end 1651. The Curtain drawn OR The Front-Door of this HOLY ARBOR Unlock'd and laid wide open A Laughing Horizon a smiling Skie The rightside-Prospect of the Lefthand-eye First lights thee Reader to discover more Then Janus could had he four eyes before Though Lynceus wore a pair of eyes behinde Without this Spectacle he 'd be but blinde Here Wisdom's Monarch in his Marble chair By his acuteness can divide a hair Of the profoundest Notions and contain The world within the nutshel of his Brain Whose tow'ring Eagle-eye can never want The strength or cunning of the Elephant On this hand stands a Gospel-Prophet such As doth not care for Circumcising much Thy Praedial Fruits The world I hear him say But one Nights lodging by not in the way To heaven is The other side holds out A studious Artist musing he no doubt Is sounding What the depth of Humane things And findes them all but well-tun'd Fiddle-strings These hold forth Knowledge to the life then be Perswaded to become One of the Three Let fall thine eye one glance and thou shalt see The Church her Motto or Epitomy The staming Bush not burnt the Church indeed Is heart-whole though her Members ever bleed Truth 's Emblem in her HOLY ARBOR stands The Light of Sun and Scripture in her hands Tramp'ling on all the Harnesse of War ' Yond Archimedes reach a Virgin-star She lives lives chaste and from pollution free Maugre Romes Murder and Adultery The world her Pedestral in flames because It will no Loyalist be unto her Laws Idolater Iew Turk Insidel turn Any thing rather then a Martyr burn Hence flames the World indeed whose Fate that read Shall finde her in her ashes buried ' Cause from her Non-age to her riper youth Thence to her dotage she despis'd the Truth When Shilo's Scepter now breaks forth the Skies High time the Saints all pray Let God arise Thence downward cast thy fight exactly there Observe and then tell me if ever were More true Devotion in a Womans breast Then to the life is there by her express'd See how she prostrates all her self o' th ground As if she meant the Earth should down resound To sad Souls below what a Savior they Lost by their worship to a god of clay Her breast kisses the dust her heart the Skies Faith is compounded most of wings and eyes A Lowring Horizon a dismal Skie The leftside-Prospect of the Righthand-eye Hell-black night all over enough to fright An Eagle blinde or blinde men to their sight Ravens Batts Owls Shrich-owls what not that can Paint the Darkness of an unknowing man A Man-monster whose hollow head may pass For like but not so wise as Balaams Ass Claws that can wound corrode and scratch the best Yet hath not wit to feather his own nest That when his Claws are blunt rather then fail He can make use of the Scorpions tayl Scarce a Creature who when his tongue is loose Doth staulk and hiss and gaggle like a Goose That knows no more then Tom then he no more Whose brain leaks all out at his nose before Swear by his vast estate who onely can That sure he was intended for a Man He 's now become so to both Sexes knit An Epidemical Hermophrodite Old Superstitions blear-eyed Mother Schism's Error 's Heresie's Foster-brother A Demi-Signpost guilt or an empty Cask A Woodcocks brain that 's troubled with the Lask A man would think him something that were made For money to draw Custom to the Trade Of Ginns and Roadnets Scan this and great chance If all together spel not Ignorance Convey thine eye a little lower see The ghastly Draught of Hell's Epitomy Disgorging Error Heaven doth engage A branded sword lest it infect this Page Her twilights both are vayl'd she cannot see She 's so besmeard with foul Hypocrisie A pair of Spectacles in this hand goes For eyes which better would become her nose In that a Mole though Blinde can undermine Deep-laid Foundation then look well to thine She 's snar'd she that so much Liberty taught T'others is now her self in Engines caught May the snare prove strong may 't ne e be broken Till her mouth be stopt or her eyes be open Lastly Observe a Superstitious Ape Cas'd in a Fryars Frock without a Cape Which when his Zeal grows cold serves as a Charm To re-inflame 't and keep his Worship warm If this new Father were but at the Court Of Rome doubtless 't would make most exe'lent sport Are there not many such why not an Ape Like him as well as he i' th others shape Reader this Holy Arbor's door th' hast seen Wide op'n Be serious now and enter in The Holy Arbour Contayning the whole Body of Divinity or A Cluster of Spirituall Grapes gathered from the Vines of certaine Moderne Orthodox Laborers in the Lords Viniard Pressd For the Spirituall delight and benefit of all such as thirst after Righteousness By Jo Godolphin I. C.D Exumat Deus Ema nuoll Ad te Domine Ad te mi Jesu â— dissipentur inimici Printed by John Feild for Edmund Paxton neere Doctors Commons and William TO THE TRULY HONORABLE THE POOR in SPIRIT Right Humble THe mighty Nazarites Riddle Out of the Eater came Meat and out of the Strong came Sweetness Judg. 14.14 was the second Course served in at his Marriage-Feast which by way of Allusion may not unaptly be applied to you Came not the Spirit of God upon you at the Conquest of that devouring Lyon in the fierce Assaults of his ingenious Temptations At your return from which Spiritual Combat began you not to feed on the Peace of Good Consciences when the Word of the Lord became as Honey in your mouthes Is not this a Riddle to the Vncircumcised of the World In Congratulation of which no common Victory is this Address no less properly then humbly prostrated to you onely as the most faithful Guardians of this Holy Arbor whose unfenced Ambulage when spiced at your approach by the fragrancy of your Innocency craves the Subterfuge of your Prayers As for those extravagant Weeds which grow so far beside the Alley of your Conversation they are left to the Euroclydons of the Air But for the Errata's onely of the
all the Faculties alike renders thee insensible of thy Malady and thence nigh incurable Be it either or all of these do but savingly Believe in the Physitian and thy Faith shall make thee whole but then be sure to persevere in the Faith and beware of Relapses Some say the Times are very Leprous and that the people are pestered with very venomous Botches That the Gangrene of Envy hath almost unbowell'd them and the Scurf of Hypocrisie strangely deformed them That the Ulcer of Injustice hath cast a perpetual Odium on them and the Appetitus Caninus of Covetousness hath made but one Morsel of them That the Wolf of Sacriledge hath devour'd the Breasts which gave Christendom suck in her old Age That though the Land hath had a Bloody Issue of nigh Twelve years running yet never could have so much as a touch at the Hem of Christs Garment That the belching of Blasphemy in a Convulsion of Will-worship is as common as the disgorging of Oathes to unsurfet the high stomacks of the proud and prophane If these or the like be the Epidemical Maladies of these latter days wherein the Devil is put to his Wits end then let me prescribe this Holy Arbor as a standing Pharmacopeia not for the shelf of every closet but for the closet of every heart wherein there is not a Drug that hath the least allay of any Poyson in it nor a dangerous or obstruse Ingredient for the cautious Artist considering how untowardly ruder hands have gone to Composition with Divine Truths what spurious Extractions have been thence drawn and what Mischief hath thence followed knowing also what rural judgements and tender Spirits may meet herewith his care was greatest how he might be plainest The first and rarest Flower as Portal to this Holy Arbor that presents it self to thine eye is The Sacred Mystery of the Holy Trinity indeed a Mystery visible onely to the eye of Faith The unhappy Jews and Turks glance at the sight of a Deity but to this day discern not Three Persons in one Godhead The Gnosticks and Valentinians have their false Multiplying Glasses to see more Gods then One but want the Prospective of Faith to descry a Trinity of Persons in one and the same Eternal Essence Such a Deceptio visus hath so falsly presented the Eunomians with Three Gods or Spirits not distinguished onely but divided also as that they could never see Three Persons in one onely Godhead The Apollinarians superacted their ridiculous Faith and grosly held a Quaternity not a Trinity of Persons was to be Worshipped The purblinde Noetians and Hermogenians had sight enough to acknowledge the naked Name of Three in the Godhead yet denied the Persons The Patripassians that blasphemously held the Father became Flesh and suffered never saw into this Mystery The sacrilegious Arrian Hereticks who make Israel to sin grant indeed the Names and Persons of Three yet deny the Son and the Holy Ghost their Divinity yea the whole Trinity their Properties The prophane Trinitarians acknowledge Three Persons with their Lips yet deny their Divinity by the Infidelity of their Lives Thus rendring themselves guilty of more knowledge then they practice and consequently not of fewer stripes then are menaced All these are excluded this Arbor and an entrance open onely for such as by the Heaven-piercing eye of Faith can see into the Mystery of this glorious Truth and stedfastly Believe That there are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One 1 Joh. 5.7 The next Flower in order is the Word of God Truths Standard the sacred Oracles of the Holy Scripture which while the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles penn'd the Spirit held their hands If there be any Wretch so much an Infidel under the notion of a Christian possessed with the spirit of Contradiction to this Basis of all Truths I conjure him by the Author of that parallelless Work That he haunt not this Holy Arbor whilest I leave this Memento with all selfless Christians Thou shalt put nothing to the word that I command thee neither shall ye take ought there from Deut. 4.2 The next concerns the Law and Gospel I dare not discouple what God hath joyn'd together The Law that Touchstone of all our works without which we had not known sin Rom. 3.20 Far be it therefore from all right by assed Christians to rebel in their hearts with the Libertines of any out-Lawed Generation That the Law is now totally repealed as if the Law were the transgression of the Gospel for though the Law of it self made nothing perfect Heb. 7.9 yet is the Law in it self a perfect and undefiled Law converting the soul Psal 19.7 whence the Royal Prophet in other places sets it down as a special character of a righteous man That the Law of his God is in his heart Psal 37.31 or that his heart is Gods Law-keeper Psal 40.8 yea Blessed are they stiled who sincerely walk in the Law of the Lord Psal 119.1 and ver 165. he proclaims Peace to them that love this Law you may guess then at the cause of War No marvel that notwithstanding our many Fastings and Prayers God still threatens us with War For he that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination Prov. 28.9 And though now the Righteousness of God which is by Faith is manifested without the Law Rom. 3.21 yet God forbid that we should thence make void the Law through Faith whereby we establish it Rom. 3.31 We acknowledge That by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God Rom. 3.20 nevertheless we must acknowledge That the Law is holy Rom. 7.12 and spiritual v. 14. And though Christ be ineffectual to them who expect Justification by the Law Gal. 5.4 himself being the end of the Law that is the Accomplisher thereof for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 And though as many as be led by the Spirit are not under the Law that is not under the Bondage or Curse of the Law Gal. 5.18 And though now Faith being come we are no longer like untuter'd Learners under a Schoolmaster that is the Law Gal. 3.25 All this premised yet know ye not that the Law hath dominion over a man for term of life Rom. 7.1 Know ye not that Christ came What to do to destroy the Law no but to fulfil it Matth. 5.17 and in the 18 Verse most pathetically asseverates us an Assurance That one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Wherefore let Heaven and Earth know That it is easier for them both to pass then one tittle of the Law to fail Luke 16.17 With the Law not improperly is joyn'd the Gospel that Olive Dove of Mans Salvation wherein Christ proclaims himself an Ark for all the Gospel Noachims against the Deluge of his Fathers Wrath. The light of this Gospel shines both on the
it Must we never pray it because it may not always be absolutely necessary may it therefore be never expedient Hence then never let any sober Christian more undervalue this Form for Prayer for the reason onely of others thinking too highly of it nor admire it for the reason of others vain undervaluing it but pray it in Knowledge Faith and Fervency without which the words are as a dead letter This Form is compleatly Comprehensive of all things petitionable whether Spiritual Temporal or Eternal an exact Epitomy of what God hath promised to give or man hath leave to ask It is that Form of words for Prayer which our Savior taught his Disciples commanding them when they pray to say Our Father which c. Next follows that Creed which vulgarly is stiled Apostolical whereby we make Confession of that Faith which believes in one God even the true God one in Essence Deut. 6.4 Three in Persons 1 Joh. 5.7 The Father the Creator Psal 134.3 the Son the Redeemer Rom. 5.18 the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier 1 Pet. 1.2 which Believes that the Holy Eph. 1.3 4. and Catholick Church Isa 54.2 consists of the Faithful people of God which Believes that there is a Communion of Saints Eph. 4.15 16. Pardoned of all sins Isa 44.22 Appointed to Rise from Death and to enjoy Eternal Life both in Body and Soul Joh. 6.39 40. In the next a word of the Decalogue in general How in the Table of mans Heart it stood engraven before it was repeated in stone Also how and in what maner the Law was given How many ways the Decalogue's divided with Rules concerning the substance and meaning thereof in general Various and voluminous are the Expositions on the Commandments but here as in a Map quasi uno intuita thou mayest descry the whole Region of the Law of God The same may be said of the whole Work as it stands in relation to the subject it treats of Now because we are not under the Law but under Grace some have dream'd That the Enacting of the Gospel hath Repealed the Statutes made when Moses was Speaker the Lord awaken them Do we now make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 David a man in request with God a man after his own heart took the Testimonies of God for his Heritage for ever made them the joy of his heart and resolved to keep the Commandments of his God Psal 119.112 115. and in ver 126. he saith It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law and in the next Verse most passionately declares his affection saying I love thy Commandments above gold yea above fine gold A plain Discovery why others reject them But if thou wilt live keep the Commandments Prov. 7.2 keep them exactly universally constantly chearfully and sincerely Have no Gods but One and that the onely true God Worship no Created thing In vain do not take Gods Name in thy thoughts actions or otherwise Consecrate the Seventh day Reverence thy Superiors but not with Religious Worship Commit no Adultery by the eye or otherwise Do not play the Thief in thy Calling or otherwise Give no false Testimony and endeavor after that excellent gift of Contentation Thus with holy David have thou respect to all the Lords Commandments and that continually Psal 119.117 for the Lord sheweth Mercy unto Thousands of them that love him and keep his Commandments Exod. 20.6 The next is touching the Infinite Love of God to Man The Decree of Election according to the good will and pleasure of God from all Eternity The Creation of all things out of nothing without any Instruments Means Assistance or Motion onely by the Word of God alone The Redemption of Man by the Imputation of the sufferings of the punishment due for sin in the person of our Mediator Vocation whereby we are called from Darkness to Light from a state of Nature to a state of Grace from out of the World to the Kingdom of Heaven from being Limbs of Satan to be Members of Christ from Children of Wrath to become the Heirs of Heaven Justification whereby God absolveth true Believers from the guilt of sin by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ Sanctisication or the inward changing of a justified man purged from all the corruption of Nature and endued with inward Righteousness whereby the Image of God is restored in him Adoption whereby the justified through the Union they have with Christ are accounted of God as his own Children Regeneration or the repairing of the decayed estates of our souls the Holy Ghost actuating the hearts of Gods Elect to a free constant and faithful exercise of a holy life Conversion or mutation of a corrupt Minde Life and Will into a good stirred up in the Chosen by the Holy Ghost through the Preaching of the Gospel Repentance that inward and continual sorrowing and mourning for the Commission of sin joyned with Faith Humiliation and a constant turning from all sin unto God with a hatred and loathing thereof thus accompanied with both inward and outward amendment and New Obedience whereby a man is renewed unto that whereunto he was enabled by Creation whereby being endued with Faith and Repentance he doth according to the measure of Grace received endeavor to yield Obedience to all Gods Commandments with the whole man for which end even the Revelation of the Mystery which was kept secret since the World began was made known to all Nations Rom. 16.26 The next speaks of Fasting that holy and extraordinary Abstinence from the commodities of this life for our better humiliation and preparation to Prayer when any Judgement on our selves or Brethren is either threatned feared begun or executed How this part of Divine Worship hath been of late years prophaned in this Land may to this day be read in the Euroclydons of Gods fearful Judgements Insomuch as it s now necessary that we Fast for our Fasts For did we not Fast to Wrath to Revenge to Strife to Envy to Debate Did we not Feast our Lusts when nought but the posture of a Bulrush could denote our Fasting Did we not Fast at Noon to surfet at Night Did we not even then afflict our Brethren in stead of our Souls Did we not finde pleasure in the day of our Fasts and exact all our Labors Did we not draw Iniquity with cords of Vanity even then when we should have loosed the Bands of Wickedness Did we not even then load on weights grievous to be born in stead of undoing the heavy Burthens Did we not even then also receive the gain of Oppression in stead of letting the oppressed go free Did we not then likewise take the staff of Life from such as were half famished before in stead of dealing our bread to the hungry Did we not then also cast the poor out of their own Dwellings in stead of bringing them that were cast out into our own
and setting up the Opinions of their own hearts The three Heads whereby the Scriptures distinguish the true God from all false and feigned gods 1. That God is a Spiritual Essence Eternal of infinite power wisdom and goodness 2. That God did not onely make all things in six days of nothing but also that they are still preserved and governed by his wisdom and providence nothing coming to pass by Chance or Fortune 3. That God is perfectly just and perfectly merciful The whole Scripture may be divided into the Law and the Gospel somtimes called the Old and New Covenant both which make but one in substance though they are two in circumstances or administration So that the New agreeth with the Old in respect of God in these particulars 1. The same is the Author of both Covenants 2. The same parties are joyned in both Covenants that is God Man 3. The same is the Mediator of both Moses indeed is called the Mediator of the Old Testament but as a Type onely of the true Mediator Christ So that there is but one mean of reconcilement one faith one way of the salvation of all who have been or shall be saved even from the beginning of the world unto the end Heb. 13.8 4. The principal Conditions whereby we are bound unto God and which are called the substance of the Covenant are both before and after Christ all the same for in both God promises remission of sins to believing and repentant sinners in both men are bound to repent and believe Thus the Promise of Grace is in both the same that is Remission of sins the giving of the Holy Ghost or regeneration and life everlasting to be given by and for Christ the Mediator to those onely who believe understand it not in particular of the circumstances of grace but in general of grace it self which was promised How the old new Covenant differ in respect of God 1. In the Promises of Corporal benefits for in the Old they were special certain and definite in the New they are onely general 2. In a circumstance of the Promise of Grace for in the Old they were reconciled to God and for the Messias sake who should come or be exhibited we in the New are saved for him being come and exhibited 3. In the signs or symboles of the Promises in the Old were many and divers signs and Sacraments in the New few and plain even Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 4. In the old Covenant were types and figures of good things to come and so all things were the more obscure and dark in the new is an accomplishment and exhibiting of these things and so all things more clear 5. In the Old the pouring out and effusion of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is more narrow and sparing in the New more large and plentiful 6. The Old was but for a time during until the coming of the Messias the New is for ever How the old and new Covenant differ in respect of men 1. In the Old the Church stood bound to the obedience of the whole Mosaical Law Moral Ceremonial Civil or Judicial in the New we are bound onely to the Spiritual or Moral worship and the use of the Sacraments 2. The Old was made and tyed to one certain Nation the people of Israel but the New belongeth to all Nations the Church is Catholick and Universal Such things as may rightly be gathered from the Scriptures are even as if they were written therein For in the Scriptures 1. Some things are not indeed and yet are said to be as that God sitteth that he hath eyes ears hands mouth and such like 2. Some things are indeed and yet are not said to be expresly so that though the same words be not there yet the Doctrine is as that the holy Ghost is God that he proceedeth equally from the Father the Son That there are two Sacraments That Christ is God of himself Consubstantial with the Father and yet indeed these are there plainly enough expressed though not in the self-same and just so many words 3. Some things neither are neither are said to be as that an Image and an Idol are things different in themselves 4. Some things are and are said to be as that there is one God and one Mediator between God and Man As the Scripture is the pure word of God so this word is onely properly and truly the right sense and meaning of the Scripture For except that be warily observed and carefully found out there may seem in some words to be matter 1. Of Falshood as when it is said That the Son knoweth not the day of Judgement Mat. 13.32 that is as he is Man 2. Of Heresie as that the Father is greater then the Son Joh. 14.28 Christ being taken again in the same sense 3. Of Contradiction as betwixt that which Christ said My Father is greater then I and that which the Apostle said that Christ Jesus thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 in all which senses respect must be had to Christ either as he is Man or as he is God Hereticks and other wicked men falsifie the word of God four ways 1. By leaving out something of moment out of the Text. 2. By adding somewhat of their own which may make for them 3. By perverting it which they do two ways 1. By taking that literally which is meant figuratively 2. By taking that allegorically which was spoken properly 4. By misapplying or turning the places which they alledge to another thing then was intended by the Holy Ghost All sorts of men are bound to have knowledge in the Scripture for these Reasons 1. Because God hath appointed such as are Governors over others to be Teachers of them that belong to their charge therefore none ought to be without knowledge Eph. 6.4 Gen. 18.19 2. Ignorance is the cause of all error because the natural man perceiveth not the things that are of God 3. The want of knowledge is the cause of sundry fearful Judgements spiritual temporal Hos 4.4 6. both inward outward Is 1.3 7. The Scripture is difficult in four respects 1. In regard of the matter Many profound and deep mysteries are contained therein as the Trinity of persons in the Unity of the Deity and the Hypostatical Union of the two Natures of Christ in one person yet so plainly opened in Scripture as we may well believe these things to be so though we cannot fully conceive how they should be so 2. In regard of the maner of writing Many abstruse phrases are therein as divers Hebraisms Metaphors Allegories and other Tropes and Figures which by diligent study of the Scriptures and careful use of the means may be found out 3. In regard of the persons who reade them Natural men are not capable of the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 he that is Spiritual discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 for God
Holy Ghost and so both also confirm and establish Faith 3. God instituteth both God offereth both 4. God accomplisheth both by the Ministers of his Church by whom he speaketh with us in his word and giveth those Signs in his Sacraments The Sacraments of the old and new Testament differ thus 1. In Rites whereof change and alteration was made at Christs coming that thereby might be signified the ceasing of the Ceremonies of the Law and the beginning or succeeding of the Gospel 2. In multitude and number under the Law were more in number and more laborious now are fewer and more easie Rites 3. In signification those signified Christ to come these Christ that was come 4. In binding and obliging men the Old bound onely Abrahams posterity ours binde the whole Church of all Nations and Countreys 5. In continuance the Old were to continue but until the coming of the Messias the New to the end of the world 6. In clearness they were more obscure and dark because they signified things to be manifested but these more clear and plain because they signifie things already manifested How the Sacracraments of the old new Testament agree 1. In the Author God alone can ordain Sacraments 2. In the things signified or in substance for by the Sacraments of both Testaments the same things are offered signified and promised unto us even Remission of sins the gift of the Holy Ghost and that by Christ alone who is yesterday to day and the same for ever The Sacraments work and confirm faith in us but not without us as the Holy Ghost doth For 1. The Holy Ghost worketh and confirmeth faith in us as the efficient cause thereof the Word and Sacraments as instrumental causes 2. The Holy Ghost wheresoever he dwelleth is effectual in working the Sacraments are not so The ends of the Sacraments are 1. To be Signs and Seals of the Covenant 2. The distinguishing of the true Church from all Sects whatsoever 3. The profession testification of our thankfulness duty towards God 4. The propagation and maintenance of the Doctrine for they may not be without the use of the Word and explication thereof 5. An occasion thereby given to the yonger sort to enquire what these things mean and so an occasion also of explicating and preaching the benefits of Christ unto them Exod. 13.14 6. That they may be the bonds of mutual dilection and love 1 Cor. 12.13 The right use of the Sacraments 1. When the Rites ordained of God are rightly and truly observed and not corrupted 2. When those persons use those Rites for whom God ordained them that is the houshold of Christ onely such Christians who by profession of faith and true repentance are the citizens of the Church Mat. 3.6 3. When the Rites and Sacraments are used to that end for which they were instituted Sacramental union consisteth in two things 1. In a similitude and proportion of the Signs with the thing signified 2. In the joynt-exhibiting or receiving of the thing and in the lawful and right use The Sacramental union consisteth not in a presence of the Sign and the thing signified in one and the same place much less in any transmutation or transubstantiation but it is when the faithful and they onely do in the lawful and right use receive the Signs of the Ministers and the things signified of Christ and when we so receive both that is the Sign and the thing signified the same is called Sacramental union whereby appeareth that this conjunction of things with their Signs or Sacramental union is not corporal or local Here Actions speak and representing Signs Language the Contents of the upper lines Words visible Th' one inducts us into Grace Th' other doth establish both run one race To man s Salvation both proclaim the Power And Goodness of our blessed Saviour That he which measures Heaven with a span Should yet descend to Covenant with Man And be so far beyond expression good As both to cleanse and feed us with his Blood §. 2. Baptism BAptism is a Sacrament instituted by Christ in the New Testament whereby we are washed with water In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost to signifie that we are received into favor for the Blood of Christ shed for us and also to binde us that hereafter we endeavor in our actions and deeds truly to testifie newness of life Baptism is necessary in part and respectively so as it is a mark of the true Church as it is a Seal of the Covenant and as it serveth to enter and admit Infants into the visible Church but it is not absolutely or simply necessary so as the party that dyes without it remains in the state of damnation and cannot be saved for the Seal of the Covenant differeth from the Covenant it self to which this Seal is but annexed and depending upon Indeed the Covenant of Grace and our being in Christ is absolutely necessary but the bare want of Baptism when it cannot be had or privation of it in this case is pardonable and doth not condemn the party unbaptized The thief upon the Cross was saved though he were never Baptized Luke 23. Infants born of believing Parents are holy before Baptism and Baptism is a Seal of that holiness 1 Cor. 7.14 The children of believing Parents are holy Rom. 11.16 therefore the children of the faithful are not to be denyed this Baptism because God hath promised in the person of Abraham that he will be the God of the faithful and of their seed as also for other reasons set down in the Scripture For seeing Infants belong as well unto the Covenant and Church of God Gen. 17.7 as they who are of full age and seeing also unto them is promised Remission of sins by the blood of Christ Mat. 19.14 and the Holy Ghost the worker of Faith Luke 1.14 15. as well as unto those of full growth they are by Baptism to be ingrafted into the Church of God and to be discerned from the children of Infidels Acts 10.47 as in the Old Testament was done by Circumcision in whose place Baptism succeeded in the New Col. 2.11 12 13. And though Infants have not indeed an actual faith yet they have an inclination to believe which the Holy Ghost as is fittest for their capacity and condition worketh in them So that we must judge of the Infants of the faithful according to charity who have interest in the outward Covenant until by infidelity when they come to years of discretion they shall cut off themselves grounding our selves upon the Promise of God made to Abraham Gen. 17.7 yea the resolution of Beza in his Tenth Epistle is That the children of Excommunicated persons may be Baptized And though to be Baptized actual faith be required in those of understanding yet in Infants born in the Church is required an inclination onely to this actual faith which they have after their maner potentially though
not actually and to be born in the Church of believing Parents is unto Infants in stead of profession of Faith and Repentance Hence may it appear how far from this Sacrament of Baptism the Anabaptists derogate by making it but an idle Ceremony acknowledging indeed some of the ends and uses thereof but restraining the efficacy thereof and so take away the chiefest comfort and truest benefit the Church reaps thereby Many indeed are Baptized which receive not the Graces propounded and offered therein but the fault is not in that no Grace accompanieth that Sacrament but in that they receive it not but afterwards when they come to years of discretion they reject the Grace which appertaineth thereto What if some believe not shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect God forbid Rom. 3.3 and Baptism is no natural means of working Grace as if the Grace which is sealed up thereby were inherent in the water or in the Ministers act of sprinkling it but it is onely a voluntary instrument which Christ useth as it pleaseth him to work what Grace or measure of Grace seemeth best to him so as Grace is onely assistant to it not included in it yet in the right use thereof Christ by his Spirit worketh that Grace which is received by it in respect whereof the Minister is said to Baptize with water but Christ with the Holy Ghost Mat. 3.11 So that unto true Baptism must concur a death unto sin in him that is Baptized and a new birth unto righteousness otherwise his Baptism is vain for it is not the washing away of the filth of the flesh but the stipulation of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 The use of this Sacrament without faith doth not save therefore with faith it doth save the want of this Sacrament doth not condemn yet so as that want be without contempt so some may be saved which are not Baptized but none can be saved which do not believe For the bare water in Baptism is not sufficient unto Salvation neither is it changed into the very Blood of Christ neither is the Blood of Christ present in the water or in the same place with the water neither are their bodies who are Baptized washed therewith visibly neither is the Holy Ghost by his vertue more in this water then elswhere but in the right use of Baptism he worketh in the hearts of them who are Baptized and Spiritually sprinkled and washeth them with the Blood of Christ and useth this external Symbole or Sign as an instrument and as a visible word or promise to stay and stir up the faith of them who are Baptized Now all they and they alone receive Baptism to the right use who are renewed or renewing and are Baptized to those ends whereto Baptism was by Christ instituted And as the Covenant once made with God is also afterwards after sins committed perpetually firm and of force to the Repentant So also Baptism being once received confirmeth and assureth the Repentant all their life time of remission of sins and therefore it ought not to be reiterated nor deferred neither yet are all those who are Baptized with water whether they be of understanding or Infants partakers of the Grace of Christ for the everlasting Election of God and his Calling into the Kingdom of Christ is free And as for the wickedness of the Minister Baptizing it makes not the Baptism void or of no effect and force unto them so Baptized so that it be administred into the Promise and Faith of Christ and therefore also the true Church doth not Baptize them who have been Baptized of Hereticks but onely must inform and instruct them with true Doctrine concerning Christ and Baptism Lastly touching the use of Godfathers and Godmothers it is not at all necessary nor by God required to the Sacrament of Baptism for Christ hath not in any of his Institutions so much as intimated the use of such Sureties and the whole Congregation are witnesses of the childes admission into the Church the Parents being bound to perform what is required for the childes education The words used in Baptism signifie 1. That Baptism was instituted by the Commandment and Authority of the three Persons in the Godhead 2. That these three Persons confirm unto us by their own testification that they receive us into favor and perform that unto us which is signified by Baptism which is Salvation if we believe and be Baptized 3. That he which is Baptized is bound to the knowledge faith worship trust honor and invocation of this true God who is the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Baptism comprehendeth 1. The Sign which is water 2. The Ceremony as the sprinkling of water 3. The things themselves which are 1. The sprinkling of the Blood of Christ and the imputation of his Righteousness 2. The mortification of the old man and putting on of the new 3. The quickning of the new man into a certain hope of the Resurrection to come by Christ 4. The Sign which not onely signifieth but also confirmeth 5. The Sign which hath that authority and power of confirming from the Commandment of God That Baptism testifies and confirms the will of God touching his bestowing Salvation on us may appear thus 1. Because we are Baptized in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is we are assigned deputed and claimed to be his own 2. Because God hath promised Salvation to him who shall believe and shall be Baptized 3. By several Testimonies of Scripture as Acts 22.16 Mark 16.16 Rom. 6.3 Tit. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.21 The use of Baptism is twofold 1. It serves to be a Pledge or Token of Gods favor towards us 2. It serves to be a notable means of our death unto sin Baptism is a Pledge of Gods favor to us principally three ways 1. It sealeth to us the free pardon and forgiveness of our sins Acts 2.38 2. It is a Pledge of the vertue of Christs death Rom. 6.3 4. 3. It is a Pledge unto us of the life of Christ and of our fellowship with him Baptism is also a means of our death unto sin three ways 1. By putting us in minde of mortifying the flesh and crucifying our own corruptions 2. It causeth us to dedicate our selves wholly unto God in Christ 3. It causeth us to labor to keep and maintain peace and unity with all men but especially with Gods people To be Baptized into the death of Christ is 1. To be partakers of Christs death no otherwise then if our selves were dead 2. To dye also our selves which is to mortifie the lusts of our flesh This mortification God promiseth us in Baptism and bindeth us unto it Baptism is a means of our sanctifying and cleansing in these respects viz. 1. In that it doth most lively represent and set forth even to the outward senses the inward cleansing of our soul by the Blood of Christ and sanctifying us by the
laying hold on those things which were not instituted for them but for the Disciples of Christ 2. Because they prophane the Covenant and Testament of God by taking to themselves the Signs and Tokens of the Covenant and so would make him the Father of the wicked 3. Because they tread under foot the blood of Christ by not receiving his benefits by faith when as they profess they do and so mock God 4. Because they condemn themselves by their own judgement for they accept of this Doctrine yet are conscious to themselves that they are hypocrites and so condemn themselves All deadness and hardness of heart must not keep us from the Lords Table for it is twofold viz. 1. Sensible which is in Gods children which they bewail this may not discourage the Communicant from approaching the Table 2. Insensible which is a great and dangerous Judgement and one proper to the Reprobate They onely are to be admitted to the Supper of the Lord who by their confession and life profess faith and repentance and the Reason is 1. Because the Church should prophane Gods Covenant if it should admit unbelievers and men impenitent for he that doth a thing and he that consenteth to it are both guilty 2. Because if such should be admitted the Church should stir up the anger of God against her self as of whom wittingly and willingly this should be committed The Supper of the Lord is often to be celebrated for these Reasons viz. 1. Because of the words of institution 2. Because in respect of the end and purpose of the institution for it must be done in remembrance of Christ The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is not to be omitted when it is administred in the Congregation whereof we are members for they were to be cut off from the people who neglected the Passover but this Sacrament is greater then it in two respects viz. 1. This Sacrament is more clear because it doth more lively represent Christ exhibited in the flesh but the Passover onely represented Christ which was to come 2. Because the mercy we are now to remember is greater then that of the Passover the one being our Redemption from Sin and Hell the other our deliverance out of Egypt though that was not all The resemblances between the Passover and the Supper of the Lord viz. 1. As one is called the Lords Passover Exod. 12.12 so this is called the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 2. God calleth the Lamb the Paschal Lamb because the Angel in the common destruction passed over the houses of the Israelites so Christ calleth the Bread by the name of his body that was broken for us Luke 22.19 3. In the Passover the Lord saith This shall be for a memorial Exod. 12.14 so Christ saith Do this in remembrance of me Luke 22.19 4. God saith of the Lamb Take ye Exod. 12.5 Christ saith of the Bread Take ye Mat. 26.26 5. God saith of the Paschal Lamb Eat ye Exod. 12.11 Christ saith of the Bread Eat ye of the Wine Drink ye c. Christ would at the last Supper of the Passover institute this his Supper for these Reasons 1. That now an end was made of all the old Sacrifices and he did substitute a new Sacrament which should succeed and be observed that Paschal Sacrament being abolished 2. That the same thing might be signified difference of time onely excepted the one signifying Christ to come and to be sacrificed the other come and sacrificed 3. That he might stir up in his Disciples and in us greater attention and marking of the cause for which he did institute it doing nothing before his death but what was of most weight and moment The absurdities following upon and Reasons against Popish Transubstantiation of the bread into the body of Christ in the Supper of the Lord some wherof are also against Consubstantiation 1. If the bread and wine be turned into the very body and blood of Christ then shall be no Signs in the holy Supper and then no Sacrament for Sacraments cannot be without visible Signs Thus it overthroweth the Sacrament consisting of two parts a visible Sign and an invisible Grace signified but if bread were really the body of Christ then there could be no outward Sign to represent the inward Grace 2. Christs blood should be seperated from his body which can never be 3. The body of Christ should be infinite and therefore he should not be a very man nor truly ascended for by making the body of Christ to be in more places then one at the same time the nature of a true body is destroyed 4. That then the wicked and hypocrites as well as the godly coming to the Supper should then receive Christ and be indeed partakers of the body and blood of Christ yea irrational creatures which is horrible Blasphemy to imagine and determine 5. It maketh two Christs one that giveth another that is given one at the Table another in the mouthes and stomacks of the Disciples 6. The Apostle calleth it Bread oftentimes even after consecration 1 Cor. 10.16 11.26 27 28. and Christ instituted this Supper before he was crucified 7. If the body and blood of Christ had been really in the bread and wine Christ should have eaten himself even his own body and drank his own blood and have given his dead body with his living hands 8. This communion is common to the Fathers and us but the Fathers could not communicate any otherwise with Christ then by faith in the Word and Old Sacraments 9. Christ is ascended really with his body into heaven which must contain him until his coming again Acts 3.21 1.11 John 16.28 Matth. 26.11 The great wide difference between the Lords Supper and the Popish blasphemous idolatrous Mass 1. The Supper of the Lord testifies to us that we have perfect forgiveness of all our sins for that onely Sacrifice of Christ which himself once fully wrought on the cross Heb. 7.27 But in the Mass it is denyed that the quick and the dead have remission of sins for the onely Passion of Christ except also Christ be daily offered for them by their Sacrificers 2. The Supper of the Lord testifies also that we by the Holy Ghost are grafted into Christ who now according to his humane Nature is onely in heaven at the right hand of his Father Heb. 1.3 and there will be worshipped of us John 4.21 22 23. But the Mass teacheth that Christ is bodily under the forms of bread and wine and therefore say they is to be worshipped in them So that the very foundation of the Mass is nothing else then an utter denyal of that onely Sacrifice and Passion of Christ Jesus and an accursed Idolatry 3. The Popish Mass changeth or rather abolished the Rite instituted by Christ for it taketh away the cup from the people and most presumptuously addeth many toys 4. The Mass transformeth the Sign into the thing signified for it denyeth that there
obedience towards his Father in offering himself a Sacrifice for us 2. Us 1. By imputing his own Righteousness 2. By a real communicating of his holiness which is wrought by the Holy Ghost When we desire that the Name of God may be sanctified or hallowed we desire 1. That God would enlighten us with the knowledge of his holiness 2. That he would give us a minde to profess the same in words and deeds or that he would give us Faith and Repentance whereby we may glorifie him and sever him from Idols or prophane things or that he would new frame and regenerate us By Knowledge By Profession By Conformity 3. That he would give us a minde to profess that holiness of his Divine Name to his own praise and glory Again to hallow or sanctifie signifies 1. The purifying of a thing which before was corrupt and unholy Thus mystically it was shewed to Peter that God had sanctified the Gentiles Acts 10.15 2. The seperating of any thing common to an holy use Thus Aaron and his sons are said to be sanctified and their vestments and the vessels of the Temple 3. The acknowledging of a thing to be holy and declaring it by giving all due observance and respect thereunto so that the holiness thereof may be made more famous and notable among all men And thus in this sense we do pray Hallowed be thy Name whether we do speak of thy Titles behold thy Creatures and works of Providence receive thy blessings or be conversant in the exercises of thy Word and Sacraments or of any other Divine Ordinances Gods Name is generally sanctified or hallowed by us these five ways 1. That we sing his praises read his word and speak reverently of him 2. That in adversity he be praised of us both in heart and mouth 3. That so oft as need shall require we make a free confession of his Truth and lead a life agreeable to the same confession 4. That we pray unto him and from our heart give him thanks 5. That when it shall be necessary we lawfully swear by his Name More specially thus Gods Name is hallowed by us 1. In himself and that by three actions 1. When we conceive of God in our mindes and acknowledge him as he hath revealed himself in his Word 2. When we love the Lord above all fear him above all and put our whole trust in him in all estates 3. When we praise and laud the Name of God for his infinite goodness to us 2. In his word and that three ways 1. When we acknowledge the Wisdom Mercy and Power of God in it 2. When we have a reverent estimation of the Word in regard of Gods Image therein 3. When we use it in a sanctified and holy maner giving our selves to be ruled and guided thereby 3. In his Creatures by three special actions 1. When we acknowledge the wisdom of God and his powerful hand in every Creature 2. When we have a reverent estimation of the Creatures and use them in Christian sobriety in regard of the stamp of Gods power and wisdom which appeareth in them 3. When we sanctifie the moderate use of them by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 This Petition in the Lords Prayer as every one of the other containeth 1. A Supplication That we and all the people of God may glorifie the holy Name of God in our affections loving him with all our hearts with all our souls and with all our might fearing him above all and putting our whole trust in him in our Devotion with pure mindes lifted up to him onely to pray and in our speeches swearing rightly and reverently by his Name when we are required thereto and never making mention of him but with high reverence and in all our natural and civil actions 2. A Deprecation against the sins contrary to the said Duties as Self-love and of the world Fear of men Trust in the Arm of Flesh Corrupt worshipping of God Neglect of his worship Errors in speech to the dishonor of his Name Cursings Swearings Perjuries Neglect of Vows Giving Gods honor to Creatures Swearing by them also Errors in action and lastly all thinking or speaking unworthily of the Works of God by murmuring cavilling objecting against them or slighting them as things falling out by Chance or Fortune and for strength to overcome all these Corruptions we pray Hallowed be thy Name 3. A Thanksgiving which is for these Corruptions mortified and purged and for the contrary revived and setled to the praise of Gods Name when in deed and in truth we finde them to our comfort in some measure in our hearts and for his grace in other men by whom his Name hath also glory whilest they consent together with us in things tending to the honoring of God All which in this first petition may be abbreviated thus 1. The Supplication we pray thee Let thy Name be hallowed 2. The Deprecation we pray thee Let not thy Name be unhallowed 3. The Thanksgiving we thank thee for disposing us to the manifying and giving glory to thy grace and goodness and so Let thy Name be hallowed that is Suffer not Sin Satan or the World to raign in us but by thy Word and Spirit rule in our hearts giving us grace to be guided thereby in all our ways The wants which we bewail in this Petition 1. Our own and others pride of heart that we labor more for our own credit then Gods glory Luke 18.11 2. Our hardness of heart that we cannot as we ought see Gods glory in his Creatures Mark 6.52 3. Our unthankfulness for his many favors to mankinde above all creatures Psal 51.15 4. Our impiety that in our lives we dishonor God Psal 119.136 In this Petition we are taught earnestly to desire of God those Spiritual Graces which enable us to glorisie his Name in our selves and others which are these especially 1. The true knowledge of God as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works 2. To sanctifie God in our hearts by loving fearing and trusting in him above all 3. The Calves of our lips which is a Sacrifice of praise to God for all his mercies Psal 50.23 4. To see Gods hand in all his Works how mighty wise just and gracious the Lord is 5. To reverence the works of God for his Mercy Justice Power c. appearing in them 6. To use all his Creatures reverently sanctifying the same unto our selves by the word and prayer As we pray that Gods Name may be hallowed so we must be careful to sanctifie the same in our Conversation For which end we must have regard to these three things 1. That our lives be unblameable not tainted with any sin Away therefore with Idolatry blasphemous Oathes cursed speeches with Sabbath-breaking and all other sins against the second Table 2. We must propound the right end of our life every day in our Calling and Conversation viz. Gods glory and not our own praise profit pleasure
or honor 3. When God offers occasion by any work of his Providence we must endeavor to glorifie and magnifie his Name therein whether they be acts of his Mercy or of his Justice We must thus labor to hallow Gods Name for these Reasons 1. Because it is an honor even due unto him Rev. 4.11 2. It is a credit to us also 3. We thereby testifie how we esteem of God 4. The contrary argues impiety Exod. 5.2 Isa 36.20 5. He hath severely punished the prophanation of his Name Exod. 14.28 2 Kings 19.37 Isa 37.36 37. Acts 12.23 6. He created us for this purpose Prov. 16.3 7. As all men account of their Names Eccl. 7.1 so God doth highly of his 8. It is not onely holy in it self but gives holiness to all other things that are holy 9. Moses and Aaron entred not into Canaan because they did not sanctifie the Word amongst the children of Israel Deut. 32.51 Num. 20.12 10. The Lord himself proclaims That he will be sanctified in them that come near him and that before all the people he will be glorified Lev. 10.3 If we say Hallowed be thy Name with our mouthes and prophane it in our lives we bewray a false heart and discover the rotten profession of most damnable hypocrisie by this unchristian contradiction rendring our selves more odious in the sight of God then base dissemblers are in our own estimation Let therefore the practice of our lives demonstrate the sincerity of our hearts keep tune with the Musick of our lips when we sing Glory to God on high and in an holy sympathy eccho forth the Devotion of our souls when we pray Hallowed be thy Name May all our Thoughts Words Actions sanctifie Thee Holy Father May this Prayer be In all our Thoughts in all our Words still pray'd In all our Actions still devoutly said And may our Hearts to this Petition be Joyn'd to make up this holy Harmony Touch thou the strings thereof and then no fear Of jarring discord to ascend thine ear Thy Servants with thy holy Spirit inflame Thy Church shall practice Hallowed be thy Name §. 6. Thy Kingdom come GOds Kingdom is the Rule that he doth exercise over his Creatures generally over all the whole world specially over his Elect over his Church howsoever now dispersed into many places yet making but one Kingdom which is partly in Heaven Triumphant partly upon Earth Militant till the last great Day when in Heaven onely it shall be everlastingly glorious Now besides this there is a Spiritual Kingdom an inward Spiritual Kingdom of God which is over all those in whose hearts his Laws are written to do them and the holy Spirit ruleth and beareth sway and happy is that man who is thus of his Kingdom Let thy Kingdom come that is Let it by continual encrease be augmented and always by a new enlargement and accession be extended and multiplied which thou O Lord in thy Church dost hold and possess wherein we desire That the number of true Believers may be daily encreased that Gods Kingdom of Grace may be enlarged and his Kingdom of Glory hastned Thus let thy Kingdom come outwardly thy Power and Providence being exercised and inwardly Grace being encreased and Glory hastned Let nothing hinder the coming of thy Kingdom neither the Devil nor wicked men neither in the Magistracy Ministery nor People neither infidelity impenitency any raigning sin or negligence but let thy Kingdom come to us that be pilgrims and strangers here on earth prepare us for it and enter us into it that be yet without renew us by thy Spirit that we may be subject to thy Will confirm us also in this estate that our souls after this life and both souls and bodies at the Day of Judgement may be fully glorified yea Lord hasten this glory to us and to all thine Elect. And here also implicitely we acknowledge our opposite disposition to Gods Kingdom and bewail it For this imports That there is another Kingdom even the Kingdom of Satan which is a Kingdom of darkness full of disorder and confusion through sins which greatly hindreth and annoyeth Gods Kingdom of Grace especially This is that Tyrannical Regency by which as the Prince of Darkness he by Gods just permission ruleth in the children of darkness and rageth against the children of light 2 Cor. 4.4 Rev. 12.3 erecting up two other Kingdoms the one of Sin Rom. 6.12.5.21 the other of Death Rom. 5.14 all which are Enemies to this Kingdom we pray for This Petition doth in order next follow Hallowed be thy Name because it is the first means by which Gods Name is hallowed and next to the hallowing of his Name we ought chiesly to pray That Gods Kingdom may come Mat. 6.31 And it is also placed before Thy will be done to teach us That no man can rightly do the will of God and please him unless he be of his Kingdom and delivered out of the Kingdom of Darkness by faith in Christ and the Spirit of Sanctification he shall do his will indeed as a vessel of wrath being over-ruled by his Almighty power but not as a vessel of mercy out of a good heart to be accepted Thus no man can ever do Gods will in any thing till such time as Gods Kingdom be erected in his heart because no man can do Gods will that is not Gods Subject Joh. 1.24 neither can any man keep Gods Law but by Gods grace Psal 119.32 Conclude we therefore That Gods Kingdom is that Spiritual Rule which God through Christ doth by grace begin in us in this life and by glory will accomplish in the life to come Dan. 2.37 Mat. 25.37.6.31 Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of God is threefold viz. 1. The Kingdom of Power Psal 99.1 By this he ruleth Satan and all his enemies Psa 2.9.145.13 commands all creatures and preserveth his own people This Kingdom is external and is a government of all 2. The Kingdom of Grace Mat. 3.2 By this he ruleth the godly and raigns in their hearts by his Word and Spirit Luke 17.20 This Kingdom is internal and a government of the Elect. 3. The Kingdom of Glory Luke 23.42 By this he crowneth the godly with Celestial happiness This Kingdom is eternal and a government of the departed out of this life into heaven The kingdom of God signifies these particulars viz. 1. The sending of the Son our Mediator 2. The ordaining and maintaining of the Ministery of Christ 3. The gathering of the Church by Christ out of mankinde by the voyce of the Gospel and the efficacy of the holy Ghost beginning in us true Faith and Repentance 4. The perpetual Government of the Church 5. The preservation thereof in this life and protection against her enemies 6. The casting away of her enemies into eternal pains 7. The raising of the Church unto eternal life 8. The glorifying of the Church in eternal life when God shall be all in all We therefore when we pray Thy Kingdom
adversity because it cometh unto us by the will of God 5. That God would turn the hearts of all men from sin and bring them every where to the obedience of his will 6. That Events such as are not contrary to Gods will that is that such things may come to pass which so please him 7. That God would bless and prosper our actions and counsels that no other Events may follow them but such as himself knoweth may most serve for his glory and our salvation 8. That God would hasten that time and state unto us wherein we shall perfectly do the will of God that is our state of glory Rules of obeying Gods will 1. Obey Gods will absolutely and for himself obey man onely in God and for God 2. Obey God in the maner as well as in the matter which he commandeth 3. In doing the works of piety let them give place if unfaigned necessity require and calleth to a work of Charity 4. Let the works of thy private Calling give place to works of the publike calling and general as if thou be laboring on the six days the Lord calling to his House by his worship there thou must attend it Lev. 23. 5. The works of a general common calling must give place to the works of a special undoubted calling being contrary if a man at any time hath such That all our obedience to Gods will may be the better accepted of him it must have these three properties 1. Chearfulness and readiness God loveth the chearful giver 2. Sincerity which is heartily and from the Spirit approving our selves to God and not affecting the applause and praise of men 3. Universality which is in all and every particular thing thus Job is approved obediently professing his subjection to God though he should aggravate his misery and kill him The way how to become chearful doers of the will of God or the duties required by this petition to be practised by us that Gods will may be done 1. We must prove what is the good and acceptable will of God Rom. 12.2 that is we must by often tryal of our actions by the Word of God become expert in Gods will and esteem highly of it be it never so contrary to carnal Reason Thus Abraham did Gen. 22.3 2. We must lay aside our own wills and be possessed with a base conceit thereof not leaning thereon 3. We must labor for a true perswasion of Gods mercy in the pardon of our sins and for the salvation of our souls whereby we may shew our selves thankful to God for so great a mercy 4. We must consider that we are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is a wonderful dignity to sinful men and in regard hereof we must stir up our selves so to live that we make not sad the Spirit of God which dwelleth in us 5. We must consider the blessings of God bestowed on us both in soul and body one by one and this will move us to love God which love we shall shew in doing his will 1 Joh. 5.3 6. Let us consider the threatnings of God against sin and his Judgements upon them that live in sin and these will help to restrain our corruptions that they break not forth into action 7. We must be strict in the matter of sin making conscience of every evil way yea even of the first motions unto sin that never come to consent for this Petition for obedience respects not onely our words and deeds but also our secret thoughts for even they must be brought to obedience unto God 2 Cor. 10.5 8. We must seek to cut off all things that hinder us from doing Gods will we must use Spiritual means and pray for the Spirit to mortifie and crucifie the lusts of the flesh Rom. 8.13 which makes us rebels against God in transgressing his will Now the ground of this work is the death of our Saviour Christ applyed by true Faith to our corrupt hearts 9. We must not live inordinately but in that sort which God hath enjoyned Christians in his word every one godly in the general calling of a Christian and faithfully and conscionably in his particular calling whether of Church State or Family 10. We must endeavor to subject our selves patiently to the will of God in all afflictions whatsoever for it is the will of God that through manifold afflictions we should enter into his Kingdom This Petition teacheth us to bewail 1. Our natural disposition whereby we are prone to rebel against the will of God 2. Our natural hypocrisie even that which remaineth in us after grace received 3. Though we have never so much grace yet to lament and bewail our want of obedience in all good duties because the best of us all fail in the maner of doing them 4. Our impatience that when God layeth any crosses upon us we cannot as we ought endure them patiently and thankfully 5. Our slack and imperfect obedience yea privy pride proud presumption deadness of Spirit secret hypocrisie and other weaknesses incident to us even in our best services 6. The sins of others whereby they disobey the will of God and so rebel against him whereby he is dishonored and therefore must we be passionately grieved for the sins of others and labor to reclaim them In the supplication of this petition we pray 1. For grace to deny our own wills and ways 2. For understanding of the will of God which without it we cannot perform 3. For faith whereby to believe that the will of God revealed unto us is the will of God 4. For power to obey the holy whole will of God which is both active in doing and passive in suffering In the deprecation of this Petition we pray against 1. Rebellion or an obstinate offending against the known will of God 2. Prophaneness which is an undervaluing estimation of holy duties 3. Hypocrisie which is a drawing near to God with the lips but estranging the heart from him 4. Natural Corruption which draweth away to disobedience enticing to evil 5. Wea riness in well-doing a refusing to go forward and a turning back again 6. Impatience murmuring at crosses and discontent at Gods Providence The thanksgiving of this Petition is 1. For disobedience and sin in any measure mortified 2. For the knowledge of Gods will for faith and desires in truth to obey the will of God in all things all the days of our life In this Petition we are taught to frame our lives to an holy imitation of the blessed Angels which will not stand with their humor who account zeal in Religion affected preciseness But such as call God Father in sincerity must set before them the obedience of the holy Angels as a patern for their imitation to a like resemblance although not to a like equality of perfection Now in them we may observe these things for us to follow 1. They desired before Christs Incarnation to look into the mystery of our Redemption wrought by Christ 1
the Father because he is the Fountain as of the Divinity of the Son and of the Holy Ghost so also of those Divine operations which he worketh and performeth by the Son and the Holy Ghost Now that God is we know many ways but chiefly by our own Consciences accusing us for secret sins which cannot be but unto an infinite wisdom that knows the most secret thoughts of the heart such as is or can be neither Man Devil nor Angel but God onely All the Doctrine concerning God is either 1. Of his Nature which is taught in the Law and Gospel 2. Of his Will which is seen and made manifest in His Commandments His Threatnings His Promises 3. Of his Works which are The Benefits The Judgements of his Will which are to be beheld in the Creation Fall Restoring of Man The devils believe there is a God and tremble if any Atheist hath less faith then they and doubt the truth thereof he may believe it from these Reasons though as he is not worthy any so the truth hereof is above all 1. The beautiful and goodly order of Nature beheld in the Creatures and frame of the great body of the world Rom. 1.20 2. The preservation and government of the world created Acts 14.17 3. The Nature and excellency of mans minde the soul of man endewed with excellent gifts of Understanding and Reason 4. From the notions of general Rules and Principles naturally engendred in the minde of man yea the natural notion of this Principle That God is 1. Because every one hath experience hereof in himself 2. All wise men confess it 3. All Nations consent in it 5. From the terrors of Conscience which are stricken in the mindes of the wicked after that they have sinned 6. The punishments of the wicked which they suffer besides the torments of Conscience 7. From Bodies Politick which are wisely ordered and regulated by Laws 8. From the order and nature of efficient causes and from the final causes of all things 9. From certain and evident foretellings and clear significations of future Events 10. From heroical and noble instincts of minde For what Reasons the voice of Nature concerning God is not wholly to be rejected or contemned by reason of the insufficiency thereof 1. God will also out of the Church bridle the lewd and dissolute by the testimonies which their Conscience and punishments give of his will Anger and Judgement and according to them also will he have the maners of men regulated 2. He will have mans Corruption and his own Justice made more perspicuous and clear in punishing them who stubbornly withstand the known truth 3. He will by natural testimonies mens Consciences shewing the imperfection thereof have men stirred up to seek the true God in the Church Acts 17.26 27. 4. He will have also them who are converted to him to be more confirmed by the consent of Nature and the Word as the often alleaging of Natural testimonies in the Scripture declareth 5. He will the imperfection of Natural knowledge being considered have mens ignorance concerning God acknowledged and his mercy magnified who discovereth and openeth himself in his Word There is nor can be but one God for these Reasons 1. The sufficient testimonies of Miracles and Prophesies and other works 2. His own Authority and Majesty which admitteth no fellows 3. That which is greatest perfection can be but one for the whole is perfecter then any part thereof 4. There can be but one chief God but one Omnipotent but one Infinite 5. There can be but one chief Cause and more Gods would be unperfect or superfluous How God doth describe himself in Exod. 34.6 viz. 1. He is Jehovah that is he is a constant friend to whomsoever he is a friend he is alway the same that is I am that I am that is whatsoever the Lord was from eternity the same he is to eternity there is no change in him 2. He is strong that is Almighty that is he hath all Excellency in him and that in the highest degree 3. He is Merciful exceeding pitiful exceeding ready to forgive though our sins be many and exceeding great None so ready to forgive as God for if he were as man if he were not God could he bear with us as he doth Jer. 3.2 4. He is Gracious that is though there be no worth found in us yet he is ready to do us good Now to be gracious is to do things freely when there is no motive for Grace is nothing but freeness 5. He is Long-suffering that is though we provoke him out of measure he continues patient we cannot weary him out 〈◊〉 his mercy endures for ever though our sins are often repeated yet he as often repeats his Mercies 6. He is abundant in Kindeness that is though he be so great a God as he is yet he is exceeding ready to bear with us he is not harsh but ready to grant what we ask according to his will 7. He is abundant in Truth that is we shall finde him as good as his word he is engaged we have many Promises he hath made us nay abundant in Truth that is his performances exceed they run-over he will be better then his word whatsoever he hath said he will more then do it 8. He is a God reserving mercy for Thousands that is when any of us do him faithful service he cannot content himself to do good to our own persons but to our Children and to our Generation So Davids love extended not to Barzillai and Jonathan onely but to their posterity also 9. He is a God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Those three words are put in that we may know he forgives sins of all sorts and signifie That he is still and still forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin God is said to be 1. An Essence that is a thing which 1. Hath his Being from none but from himself 2. Is preserved or sustained of none but subsisteth by himself 3. Is necessarily 4. Is the onely Cause unto all other things of their Being 2. Spiritual 1. Because he is Incorporeal as being Infinite and Indivisible 2. Because he is Insensible as experience sufficiently manifesteth 3. Because both himself liveth and is the Author of all life both Corporal and Spiritual 3. Intelligent 1. Because he is the cause both of the minde of man and of the notions shining in it and also of the order which is in the nature of things and Common-weals 2. Because all intelligence or understanding of the Creature cometh from him both in respect of the faculty as in respect of the operation 4. Eâ—ternal without beginning or end of Being Psal 90.2 and is so to us that we may oppose the certain hope of eternal blessings grounded upon his Eternity against the shortness of mortal life and against the frailty of mans condition 5. Other from all his Creatures which we must hold 1. Against Philosophers who will have the World or Nature
direct all things to my safety The Power of God is twofold 1. Absolute whereby he can do whatsoever can be Infinite and yet will not hereby he could of stones raise up Children unto Abraham 2. Actual whereby he most powerfully doth all things which he willeth Thus his Power in saving us dependeth upon his Will not his Will upon his Power So also are the works of God of two sorts 1. General which are divided into the works of 1. Creation 2. Preservation 3. Administration 2. Special which are wrought in the Church and Company of Elect to justifie sanctifie and glorifie them and are either works Of Reparation and restoring or Of perfection accomplishment Again the Power of God is 1. Infinite 1. In its own Nature and of it self 2. In regard of the diversity of objects unto which it doth extend it self 3. In regard of the manifold effects it is able to do and bring to pass 4. In regard of the action of this Power by which it worketh and can work Eph. 1.9 2. Universal over all the works of God Mat. 28.19 3. Immutable everlasting to crown us if we obey to condemn us if we disobey 4. It is most certain for it is shewn in raising Christs body from death God is called a Father 1. In respect of Christ his onely begotten and natural Son 2. In respect of all Creatures as he is Creator and Preserver of them all 3. In respect of the Elect whom being adopted in his Son he regenerateth The duties to be performed by us to shew our faith in God the Father are these four 1. We must obey his Will he is our Father 2. We must be like unto him and bear in us some resemblance of his Majesty Eph. 5.1 3. To moderate our care for worldly things he is our Father 4. To look up to God upon every accident and to consider his anger against sin when we suffer any way whatsoever and if it falleth out well unto us to be thankful to him as from whom alone all good cometh That God the Father Almighty is the Maker of Heaven and Earth or that the World was Created by God may beside the Testimonies of Scripture be proved by Reasons such as these 1. By the Authority of God himself avouching the same 2. The Originals and Beginnings of Nations shew it 3. The novelty and lateness of all other Histories compared with the Antiquity of the Sacred 4. The Age of men decreasing shew a former and better strength and that not without some first Cause 5. The certain course and race of Times even from the beginning of the World to the exhibiting of the Messias 6. The order of things instituted in Nature 7. The excellency of the minde of Men and Angels 8. The principles or general Rules and natural notions engendred in our mindes 9. The tremblings of Conscience in the wicked 10. The Constitution and Founding of Common-weals 11. The ends of all things profitably and wisely ordained 12. The very order of Causes and Effects which cannot be carried backward or forward infinitely To Create signifies 1. To order or constitute 2. To make something of nothing without any motion with a beck or word onely 3. The continuating of Creation or Creation continued which is the Providence of God How God made the world 1. The World was Created of God the Father by the Son and the Holy Ghost Gen. 1.2 Joh. 1.3 Job 33.4 2. Most freely without any constraint not by any absolute necessity but by necessity of Consequence that is by the Decree of his Will which Decree though it were Eternal and Unchangeable yet was it most free 3. With his beck onely or will without labor wearisomness motion or any change of himself that is not by any new action of his but by his forcible Will onely which from everlasting would that things should on a sudden exist and be at such a time as he had freely appointed decreed Isa 40.28 4. God created the World and all things therein of nothing not of any pre-existent or fore-being matter but of no matter not of the Essence of God nor of any matter Coeternal with God 5. He Created it at a certain and definite time and even at the beginning of times not from everlasting 6. God Created all things most wisely very good that is every thing in its kinde and degree perfect 7. He did it all not in a moment but in the space of six days which if it had so pleased him he could have made in an instant The end or final causes of the Creation of all things 1. The first and chief End is the Glory of God 2. The manifesting knowledge and contemplation of his Divine wisdom and goodness shining in the very Creation of all things Ps 19.1 3. The Administration and Governing of the World which is his Providence 4. To gather a Church of Angels and Men who should acknowledge and magnifie this great and wonderful Creator 5. That all other things might serve for the safety both of the soul and body of man as also for the life necessity and delight of men Gen. 1.28 Psal 8.26 The use of the doctrine of the Creation of the world viz. 1. That the glory of the Creation be given wholly to God and his wisdom power and goodness therein acknowledged 2. That neither the Son nor the Holy Ghost be excluded but each have their own parts yielded them therein 3. That as the world was created of God by the Son and the Holy Ghost so also we must know that by them Mankinde is restored 4. That seeing God created all things of nothing we must know that he is able to restore them being corrupted and ruinated into their first state again 5. That we must not refer the original of corruption to God but know that it was purchased by the faults of Devils and men Joh. 8. 6. That knowing God as in the creating so also in the maintaining and governing of all things not to be tyed to second causes or to the order by him setled in Nature but that he may either keep or alter it we should with confidence and full perswasion look for and crave those things which he hath promised yea those things which in respect of second causes seem impossible 7. Seeing all other things were created for mans use profit or happiness we above all other creatures especially being Redeemed from sin and death to Righteousness and life should for ever celebrate the wonderful known goodness of God 8. That we knowing God in as much as of nothing and through his meer goodness he created all things to owe nothing to any but all his creatures to owe themselves and all that they have to him their Creator should confess that to be most just whatsoever he shall do concerning us and all his creatures Jer. 45.4 9. That we should refer the use of all things to the glory of God since that we have received all
three respects 1. By right of Redemption because he hath ransomed us from our sins 2. By the right of Conquest for he hath subdued the Devil who had us in his power Heb. 2.15 3. By the right of Spiritual Marriage because he is to the Church as the Husband is to the Wife So likewise Christ is our Head in three respects 1. In respect of his perfection because he is both God and Man and in gifts as touching his Humane Nature exceedeth all creatures Col. 2.9 2. In dignity order glory majesty power and authority which in his Humane Nature glorified he now openly sheweth forth and declareth Heb. 1.2 3.6 3. In respect of his Office for he is over every member of the Church he ruleth governeth quickneth nourisheth and confirmeth them We are also in three respects the members of Christ 1. Because by Faith and the Holy Ghost we are joyned unto him and also are knit together amongst our selves as the members to the Head and one with another 2. Because we are quickned and guided of him and from him as the Fountain we draw all good things so that except we continue in him we have not eternal life in us 3. Because as in mans body are divers faculties and functions of the members so are the gifts and functions divers of the members of Christ in the Church Jesus is called Messias or Christ or Annointed 1. Because he was appointed of his Father from everlasting the Mediator that is the chief Prophet Priest and King of the Church Joh. 7.28 2. In respect of the gifts of the Holy Ghost which were poured on him thick abundantly and most perfectly Joh. 3.34 The Anointing of Jesus signifieth 1. The ordaining of the Son of God to the Office of the chief Prophet Priest and King of the Church 2. The especial communicating of the gifts of the Holy Ghost necessary for this Office 3. Gods approbation and prospering of this Office Isa 53.10 Now we must not here understand Christs Anointing as if it were a Typical Ceremonial or Sacramental Anointing but real and Spiritual that is he received the thing it self which was prefigured and signified by the Ceremonial Anointing which was the Holy Ghost Psa 43.97 Heb. 1.9 Christ as touching his Office was Anointed of God to be 1. A King by his Divine Power delivering us from the Tyranny of our Enemies Devil Sin Death Making us Subjects to his Kingdom Ruling us and his whole Church By the Scepter of his Word By the Power of his Spirit 2. A Prophet by declaring all the Will of God unto us by his word giving us the Holy Spirit to understand consent to and obey it 3. A Priest by making an Atonement by offering up himself once for all by offering on the Cross his Body and Blood for us to God the Father that he might make satisfaction for our sins Christs Royal Office is 1. To Rule by his Word and Spirit his Church gathered out of all Nations from the beginning of the world 2. To defend and preserve this his Church in this life against all both inward and out ward foes 3. To make his Church partaker of the blessings of his Kingdom and to adorn her being raised up from the dead with everlasting glory and bliss 4. To overcome and rule his Enemies by his might and power and at last to thrust them down into eternal torments The Office of Christs Prophetical function for which he is called The Word viz. 1. To open and declare unto men God and his secret Will of saving Believers by and for him shewed unto him immediately of God himself 2. To refine and purifie the Law and Worship of God from corruptions Mat. 5.6 7. 3. To open the Promises of the Gospel concerning himself to be born to suffer and to dye concerning Remission of sins our Reconciliation unto God and of Salvation and Everlasting life 4. At length also assuming and taking to him Humane Nature to teach as by his voyce the will of God concerning us and towards us and to confirm this Doctrine of Miracles 5. Not onely to give Oracles and Prophesies to open the will of God by Prophets and to teach and expound it himself but also to ordain and institute the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments that is to call and send Prophets Apostles and other Ministers of the Church and to furnish them with gifts necessary to this Ministery Joh. 20.21 6. To give the Holy Ghost Mat. 3.11 7. To be through his own and others Ministery effectual in the hearts of the hearers that is to open and lighten our mindes by his Spirit that we may understand his voyce Luke 24.45 8. To effectuate also that which by the efficacy of his Spirit he speaketh in our hearts that is to move our will to yield assent and obedience to those things we learn and know Eph. 5.25 The four principal parts of Christs Priesthood 1. To teach men both outwardly by his voyce and the voyce of his Ministers and inwardly by the efficacy of his Spirit 2. To offer himself a Sacrifice and a Ransom full sufficient and acceptable unto God for the sins of the world 3. To make continual Intercession for us to the Father 4. To apply his Sacrifice unto all those for whom he prayeth Again the distinct parts of Christs Priesthood may be these two 1. Satisfaction which consisteth partly in suffering partly in obedience 2. Intercession in that he is become our perpetual and perfect Advocate that thereby God might be appeased and we reconciled unto him the fruit whereof is that we are Cleansed from the guilt of sin Redeemed from the wrath of God Ransomed from the curse of the Law Justified before God Delivered from the burthen of Ceremonies Freed from fear of condemnation How the Church of Rome doth endeavor to overturn both the Regal Priestly and Prophetical Office of Christ 1. His Regal Office by making the Pope the Head of the Church and giving him power to make Laws to binde the conscience as Gods Laws do 2. His Priestly Office by their Massing Priesthood wherein they daily offer up an unbloody Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead 3. His Prophetical Office by saying the Scriptures are imperfect without Tradition in giving liberty to the Pope to make new Laws and to expound the Scriptures as Supreme Judge These things they teach and therefore that Church is not worthy to be counted a Member of Christs Church How Moses is said to write of Christ 1. Because he recounteth the Promises concerning the Messias to come In thy seed shall all Nations be blessed Gen. 12.3 God shall raise you up a Prophet Deut. 18.11 A Star shall rise out of Jacob Numb 24.17 2. He restraineth the Promise concerning the Messias unto certain persons of whom he was to be born by which afterward the Promise of the Messias was more and more renewed and revealed 3. The whole Levitical Priesthood and
our Mediator is a Pacifier and Reconciler of God and Men as well by merit and desert as also by efficacy and forcible operation that is a middle person between God offended and angry with and for sin and mankinde offending and subject to the wrath of God To reconcile men unto God restoring them into favor causing men to love God and God men and that by making intreaty and satisfaction to Gods Justice for them and applying forcibly and effectually unto them his Satisfaction or Merit Regenerating them that they may cease from sinning and hearing their groans and petitions when they call upon him And it was necessary that our Mediator and Deliverer should be such a one as was very Man and that perfectly just too because the Justice of God requireth that the same Humane Nature which hath sinned do it self likewise make recompence for sin and because he that is himself a sinner cannot make recompence for others 1 Pet. 3.18 And that he should be also very God that he might by the power of his Godhead sustain in his flesh the burthen of Gods wrath Isa 53.3 and might recover and restore unto us that Righteousness and life which we lost 1 Joh. 1.2 You that Believe in Merits of your own And Sacrifice unto the God Vnknown That think a Pardon sent from Rome can make A Sin no Sin even for Saint Peters sake That do believe in Antichrist and hope To finde or make a Savior of the Pope Fall down before your Dagon But let all That profess one Faith Apostolical Believe in God and by one Faith accord In Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. § 4. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary CHrists flesh was conceived by the Holy Ghost not that he transfused or passed his substance into the flesh begotten but because in miraculous sort he formed in the Virgins womb of her substance the body of Christ so that it should not be contaminated or polluted with Original sin for he could not be conceived in such sort by the Holy Ghost that his flesh should issue from the Spirits substance And this blessed Virgin descended of the Linage of David to answer to the Divine Oracles as also for that our Faith might be the mor◠confirmed to believe he was the very Messias promised to descend from the loyns of Abraham and David And in that this hapned in the Reign of Augustus very observable is the completion of the Divine Oracles and justly to be condemned the blindeness of the Jews Nor less deceived are they which hold the Virgin Mary to have been conceived without Original sin contrary to the tenor of the Scriptures and her own confession who acknowledged her self to have needed a Savior Luke 1.47 for she was born after the common course of the Nature of man and what need was there that Christ Jesus should be conceived by the Holy Ghost if he might have a pure conception free from Original sin without it Neither is it necessary to Salvation to believe it as an Article of Faith That Mary the Mother of Christ lived always a Virgin In the Humanity of Christ six things are principally considerable viz. 1. His Conception and Nativity 2. His Death and Passion 3. His Burial and Descension into Hell 4. His Resurrection 5. His Ascension into Heaven and his sitting there at the right hand of the Father 6. His coming again to Judgement Touching the conception or Nativity of Christ these six things are to be observed 1. That the News thereof was brought by an Angel 2. That he was conceived by the Holy Ghost that is by the power and vertue of it 3. That he was Born of a Virgin 4. That the Mother of our Lord was espoused to a man 5. That the blessed Virgin was of the Linage of David 6. That he was born in the time of the Reign of Augustus In the Angels Annunciation observe these three things 1. The Salutation which declared the free love of God to the Virgin 2. The delivery of the Message That of her should be born the Son of God 3. That she should be overshadowed by the Divine Power of the Holy Ghost Christs conception by the Holy Ghost signifieth three things viz. 1. That the mass of his Humane Nature was created or formed in the womb of the Virgin miraculously and beside the order of things disposed of God in Nature by the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost without the substance of man 2. That the Holy Ghost did in the same moment and by the same operation cleanse this mass and from the very point of the conception sanctifie it that is he caused that Original sin should not issue into it 3. The Union of the Humane Nature with the Word or the uniting of his flesh unto his Godhead Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost for these Reasons 1. Lest being born of flesh he should not be clean 2. That he might be a pure Sacrifice and sufficient Ransom for our Redemption 2 Cor. 5.12 3. That being pure and holy he might purifie us of all sin that he might also sanctifie us by his sanctity and holiness 4. That we may know he spake the very will of his Father that whatsoever this Son speaketh is the will of God and the Truth Christ was born of the Virgins substance chiefly for these Reasons 1. That we may know Christ our Mediator to be the true seed of David 2. That the Prophesies might be fulfilled Gen. 3. 49. Isa 7. That it may certainly appear unto us That this Jesus born of the Virgin is that Messias promised to the Fathers 3. That this Christs birth of a Virgin might be a Testimony that he is pure and without sin sanctified in the womb of the Virgin by the vertue of the Holy Ghost 4. That it might be a sign or figure of our Spiritual Regeneration which is not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 For what Reasons the Mother of our Lord was espoused to a man 1. That hence the honor of marriage might be commended unto us 2. That the chastity and good name of the Virgin might be provided for 3. That Joseph might be as a Guardian to the Virgin as a foster-Foster-father to the childe 4. Lest the blasphemous enemies should say That the Christ of the Christians was unlawfully born To believe in the Son of God conceived by the Holy Ghost is to believe 1. That he was made man after a marvellous maner and that he was made one Christ of a Divine and Humane Nature 2. That he being so holily conceived and born doth purchase for us the right and power to be the Sons of God In this Article of the Creed we believe 1. That there be two Natures in Christ our Mediator that in one and the same Christ are Properties diverse and contrary Divine and Humane Finite and Infinite Passible
that is he is a person equal to God in Power and Glory by whom the Father worketh immediately or to sit at Gods right hand is to raign in equal Power and Glory with the Father for Christ doth all things likewise as doth the Father and is endued with the same Power with the Father which also he exerciseth He is that person Omnipotent by which the Father governeth all things immediately but especially by which he defendeth the Church against her Enemies and this indeed is the proper meaning of Christs session at the right hand of the Father How Christ rose again 1. He rose by his own power even by his Godhead John 2.19 2. He being truly God and Man rose according to that Nature according to which he suffered Luke 24.39 3. He did rise truly and indeed so that his soul did truly and indeed return into his body 4. He rose the third day as it was foreshadowed in Jonas Why Christ rose again 1. In respect of the Prophesies which were uttered of him Psal 16.10 Mat. 17.23 2. He rose for his Fathers and his own Glory Rom. 1.4 3. For the worthiness and power of the person that rose being Author of life it self 4. In respect of the Office of the person which rose his Meadiatorship 5. He rose for us and that in three respects 1. For our Justification Rom. 4.25 2. For our Regeneration 3. For our Salvation and Glorification In the Resurrection of Christ observe these 2 things viz. 1. His victory and triumph over Death and Hell 1. He declareth himself to be very God rising again by his Divine Power 2. By his Resurrection he subjecteth to himself all things both in Heaven and Earth 3. He manifested himself to be that blessed Seed that had broken the Head of the Serpent that is had overcome the Kingdom of Satan 2. The fruit and benefit which accrews unto us by it viz. 1. Thereby we know him to be the Messias in whom the Prophesies were fulfilled 2. We are confirmed and warranted by Christs Resurrection 1. Of his Merit that he hath fully and perfectly satisfied for our sins 2. Of the application of his Benefits which could not have been bestowed if he had not risen 3. The Gift whereby we are justified he vanquished Death that he might make us partakers of that Righteousness which he had gotten us by his death 1 Cor. 15.16 Rom. 4.25 4. The Gift of the Holy Ghost by whom Christ regenerateth us and giveth us eternal life 5. The Vertue which is conveyed into all Believers enabling them to rise from sin 6. A President or Seal of newness of life we are also stirred up by his power to a new life Rom. 6.4 7. Our continued Preservation by his perpetual and applyed Righteousness 8. The Resurrection of our Head Christ is a cause and pledge unto us of our glorious Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 Rom. 8.11 9. The consummation and perfecting of all his benefits and the final glorifying of his Church For what causes the Resurrection of our Bodies is the fruit of Christs Resurrection 1. Because Christ is our Head and we his Members 2. Because he hath abolished our sin the cause of death 3. Because as the first Adam received blessings for all and lost them all so the second Adam received gifts for others and communicates them with us 4. Because the same Spirit dwelleth in us which is in Christ Rom. 8.11 5. Because Christ is Man for by Man came the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.21 But here take notice That there are other causes for which the wicked shall rise again even the just Judgement of God whereby he hath appointed them to eternal pains for the same thing may have more effects and diverse causes as it relates to several respects The Duties arising from our Faith in Christ touching his Resurrection 1. To live as those that be at peace with God for as he dyed for our sins so he rose again for our Justification Rom. 5.25 and being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 2. To rise up to newness of life The Signs of which spiritual life are chiefly these four viz. 1. An heavenly minde Col. 3.1 2. An holy and innocent life Ephes 4.24 3. Greater joy in the Grace of God through Jesus Christ then in any thing either of pleasure or profit in this world Phil. 3.8 4. Growth and encrease in Sanctification 1 Pet. 3.18 In Christs Ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father consider these three things viz. 1. His Command to his Apostles at his Ascension whereby the glad tidings of his Resurrection and Ascension was not to be confined within Judea 2. The Consequents thereof 1. He opened for us a way to heaven before shut up by our sins 2. Being now gone into Heaven is yet present with us even to the end of the world 3. We have au advocate with the Father 4. That now sitting at the right hand of the Father he hath so established his Kingdom as the Gates of Hell in vain oppose it 3. The Use hereof That we being conversant here upon Earth should have our conversation in Heaven whence we expect the return of our Judge Why Christ ascended viz. 1. For his own and his Fathers glory 1. For he was to have a celestial Kingdom Eph. 4.10 2. It was meet that the Head should be glorified with excellency of gifts above all the blessed as being Members of that Head 2. In respect of us 1. That he might gloriously make Intercession for us by his vertue efficacy and will 2. That we might also ascend and be assured of our Ascension John 14.2 3. That he might send the Holy Ghost and by him gather comfort and defend his Church from the Devil and all her Enemies unto the worlds end John 16.7 The benefit we receive by Christs Ascension viz. 1. He maketh Intercession to his Father in Heaven for us 1 John 2.1 2. And this his Intercession signifieth 1. The perpetual vertue and strength of Christs Sacrifice 2. Both wills in Christ both Humane and Divine propitious and favorable to us whereby he will that for his Sacrifice we be received of his Father 3. The Assent of his Father approving this his Sons will and accepting the value of of his Sacrifice as our sins Ransom 2. Our Glorification or Ascension for seeing Christ our Head is ascended we are certain that we also shall ascend into Heaven as being his Members having a sure pledge that he who is our Head will lift up us his Members John 14.2 3. He sendeth us his Spirit in stead of a pledge between him and us John 14.16 4. It is a Testimony 1. That our sins are fully pardoned us who do believe 2. That Christ is indeed Conqueror of Death Sin and the Devil 3. That we shall never be left destitute of comfort 4. That Christ will for ever defend us What the right hand of God signifieth 1. The Omnipotency or
with God set down in the first Epistle of John 1. Remission of sins 2. The sanctifying Spirit 3. Holiness and uprightness of heart and life 4. Perseverance in Knowledge and Obedience of the Gospel What is meant by Gods communicating himself to and dwelling among his Saints and people 1. The effect and efficacy of his Presence whereby he possesseth and governeth the Faithful which are his Temple to dwell in enlightning them to know and guiding them to practice his Will 2. That his Presence is perpetual permanent and continual 3. The maner of his Presence not by the infiniteness of his power as he is present with all his creatures to sustain and uphold them but by his Grace and gracious effects uniting us to Christ Regenerating us to be lively members of his body The presence of Gods grace is twofold viz. 1. Privately after a secret maner hid from the eyes of the world This is in crosses and tribulations wherewith God suffereth the Elect to be afflicted and exercised 2. Publikely when as God doth declare and manifest the presence of his grace in the Elect so as the wicked are compelled to acknowledge his Divine Power and Presence in them The Duties required of the Saints by vertue of their communion with Christ and among themselves viz. 1. Confidence in Christ Heb. 3.6 2. Subjection answerable to his maner of governing us Matth. 6.10 3. A cleansing of our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Cor. 6.15 4. A conformity unto the Image of Christ in true holiness and righteousness Eph. 4.24 5. Heavenly affections Col. 3.1 2. where our Head is there ought our heart also to be 6. Courage against death Luke 12.4 Heb. 11.35 seeing that in death we are Christs what cause have we to fear it 7. Love to the Brethren without which it is impossible to have any communion with the Saints 8. A mutual sympathy and fellow-feeling as fellow-Members of that body whereof Christ is Head Motives to be Spiritually united unto Christ viz. 1. The Excellency of it we shall live with him as our elder Brother perpetually in the heavens 2. The Profit of it we are freed thereby from Sin Hell Death and Damnation Rom. 8.1 3. The Necessity of it For 1. Without this Union we are strangers from God 2. All our Happiness and Salvation dependeth on it 3. Without it the Redemption by Christ doth us no good 4. We cannot be saved without it but must necessarily and unavoidably perish for ever The Signs to approve this Union are the effects of it viz. 1. To deny our selves 2. To mortifie the deeds of the flesh 3. To raise us to newness of life 4. To be weaned from this world and to seek Christ 5. To knit our selves in the Unity of Faith and Hope towards Christ and love towards men This Union of Christ with his Members and of his Members mutually among themselves is confirmed by many places of Scripture as Joh. 15.5 1 Cor. 6.17 12.13 1 Joh. 4.13 whence appears the gross absurdity of those men who fancy this Communion to be a Subsistence or personal being of Christs body among our bodies or of our bodies mingled with his which is also sufficiently refuted by that frequent comparison of the Head and the Members for those are coherent and grow together but are not in a mixture nor mingled one with another Whence also we may easily judge of that Communion which is in the Sacraments Rome makes this Spiritual Vnion A Carnal Corporal confusion The Worldling thinks this Holy Mystery A Paradox of too much Piety But all the Saints who sympathize in Faith Know what th' Apostle to the Corinths saith How by one Spirit we are all Baptiz'd Into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 which must be agniz'd By all the Faithful for it paints The sweet Communion of the blessed Saints §. 11. The forgiveness of Sins BY which Article is understood That all our sins wants and imperfections Original and Actual as well in the committing of evil as in the omitting of good in thought word and deed are covered healed and released through the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us which being apprehended by faith and applyed unto us doth not onely make them as if they had never been but also justifieth and dischargeth us causing us to appear blameless and spotless in the sight of God This forgiveness of Sins comprehendeth under it as it were in a short sum all the Mercies of God Isa 40.1 Psal 32.1 2.7 it being the Will of God which to the Faithful and Elect imputeth not any sin and therefore doth in like sort love them as if they had never sinned and delivereth them from all punishment of sin and giveth them Eternal life freely for the Intercession and Merit of Jesus Christ the Son of God our Savior and Mediator So that Remission of sins is from God onely the Ministers indeed and the Church are said to remit sins but onely as they are signifiers and declarers of Gods Remission when according to the Commandment of God the Church denounceth to the Repentant And one Neighbor remits Trespasses unto another as concerning the personal pardoning of the offence but God onely freeth us from the guilt of sin by his own Authority and that freely in respect of us though it cost Christ full dear Now the onely ground upon which we are perswaded of the forgiveness of our sins should be That we have Christ For he that hath the Son hath life This is the greatest of all the Promises in laying hold whereof the understanding must be rightly informed what ground a man hath to do it not in a confused maner without a clear knowledge of the progress of Faith and then it is the work of God onely to draw the will to take the Promises after that the understanding rightly apprehends them for both these are required in a justifying Faith From all which it appears That it is not a Doctrine of Pride and Presumption as the Synagogue of Rome teacheth to believe the Remission of our own sins for generally to believe that God forgiveth sin or that some men have their sins forgiven is no Priviledge of the Church but the common faith of the Devils James 2.19 All the Articles contain the confession of a special Faith and a particular application to our selves As I must believe God the Father to be my Creator the Son my Redeemer the Holy Ghost to be my Sanctifier so I am bound to believe the Remission of my own sins the Resurrection of my own body and that life everlasting shall be given to me This special Faith must be the Faith of us all Gal. 2.20 The forgiveness of our sins is known by these two signs viz. 1. By an humble and hearty Confession of our sins unto God wherein we must acknowledge all our main sins both Original and Actual our guiltiness before God and our just desert of Damnation for the
which are the windows of the heart 2 Pet. 2.14 Isa 3.13 3. Of the Ears when we listen unto unchaste talk and shew no dislike to nor hatred of it 4. Of the Tongue when we take delight in unchaste speeches and filthy Ribaldry by which the hearts of others are corrupted and our own manifested to be so before Eph. 4.29 1 Cor. 15.33 5. Outward in Fact and this is called Sin finished whereunto all the former are as steps or degrees and in the end bring it forth as an end which they have conceived The hainousness of this sin of Adultery may appear by these particulars viz. 1. We sin against God by withstanding his Will in prophaning the holy Ordinance of Matrimony by making the members of Christ the members of an Harlot most ungraciously defiling those bodies which should be the Temples of the holy Ghost converting them into Stews 2. We sin against our Neighbor because this sin is not committed alone but we draw others to it also 3. We sin against the Wife or Husband of the married party by a most ungodly particular wrong 4. We sin against the fruit of our own body whom we brand with a Note of perpetual infamy Gen. 21.10 5. We sin against our own Families which are ruined by being defiled Beggery waits on Lust Job 31.12 6. We sin against the Places Societies and Kingdom where we live because we defile the Land and cause it to vomit out the Inhabitants Gen. 34.27 7. We sin against the Church of God by hindring the propagation thereof and causing it to be evil spoken of by others 8. We sin against our selves because we make our bodies the instruments of Sin and Satan infecting them with loathsom diseases here and plunging them together with our Souls into Hell hereafter 9. It is a sin committed against each person of the Trinity as 1. Against the Father whose Covenant is broken Prov. 2.17 2. Against the Son whose members are made the members of an Harlot 3. Against the Holy Ghost whose Temple is defiled and polluted 1 Cor. 6.19 10. The hainousness of this sin appears by the fruits thereof viz. 1. The Alienation of conjugal Affection which ought to be inviolable 2. The Devastation of the goods and estate of the Family 3. Provocations to unnatural wishes and practices of clandestine Murther 4. If not a gauling terrifying conscience then a seared one a hard heart a reprobate sense 5. The procuring of many loathsom diseases to the body 6. The execution of the fearful Judgements of God denounced against it if unrepented Adultery though never so secretly committed is surely punished of God and that for these Reasons viz. 1. Because the wrath of God is kindled against all such unclean persons Eph. 5.6 2. Because it appears to be a most grievous sin worse then Theft Prov. 6.31 32. 3. Because it defileth the Land not onely persons and houses but whole cities and countreys till all are become abominable Lev. 19.29 4. Because of our calling being Redeemed by God to serve him in purity and holiness all our days 1 Thess 4.3 4 5 7. The Reasons and Motives to avoid Fornication and lust viz. 1. Our Bodies are the Lords and must be serviceable unto him the body is not for fornication but for the Lord 1 Cor. 6.13 2. We thereby make void the glorious work of our Redemption The Lord for the body 1 Cor. 6.13 but Fornication and Sanctification can never stand together 3. Those Bodies shall Rise again not to glory but to shame if we here defile them with beastly lusts 1 Cor. 6.14 4. The Members of Christ that is the bodies of the faithful may not be made the members of an Harlot 1 Cor. 6.15 by profession we seem to be the members of Christ but by unchaste lust we pull our hearts from Christ and knit them to an Harlot 5. This sin is against the body whereas other sins are without the body 1 Cor. 6.18 but the Fornicator both useth and abuseth his own body and leaveth a proper blot and stain upon it making it both the instrument the subject and the object of sin 6. Consider the state and condition of mans heart by effectual calling it is the dwelling place and Temple of the Holy Ghost but by unclean lusts we make it a cage of all unclean Spirits Our body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost and destruction is threatned to the defilers of this Temple 1 Cor. 3.17 So that a Fornicator is also a Sacrilegious person 7. We are wholly Gods and not our own to do what we list or to dispose of our selves 1 Cor. 6.19 20. 8. We all desire to see God and to know his love in Christ for our comfort in this life and Salvation but without holiness and purity of heart we can never see God Heb. 12.14 9. If we suffer our hearts now to burn with fleshly lust we make an entrance in them for the burning of Hell fire for ever for these two alway go together Burning lust and Hell fire unless Repentance come between General Preservatives against this sin or the way to prevent Adultery viz. 1. To consider the near Union betwixt God and us so great is his Love as that he hath married us to himself and made us his Spouse therefore is he most jealous over us and in the very instant of impurity or uncleanness casts us off as the members of an Harlot 2. To consider that God is holy and pure and the Devil an unclean Spirit to whom he is joyned in fellowship that sinneth by uncleanness 3. To tye and binde our selves by Covenant and Vows from the occasions which as sparkles of fire do light upon the tinder of our corrupt Nature Job 31.1 4. Set a watch over thy heart that lustful thoughts proceed not thence Prov 6.25 5. Shut thine eyes Job 31.1 that they wander not after the beauty or properness of any ones person or on lascivious Pictures or on any other like allurements 6. Stop thine ears that they listen not to any enticements of others Prov. 7.21 7. Lock fast thy Tongue that it utter no unchaste and corrupt communication Eph. 5.3 4. 8. Seal up thy Lips that they delight not in wanton kisses Prov. 7.13 9. Manacle thy Hands that they use no wanton dalliance Prov. 6.29 10. Fetter thy Feet that they carry thee not near the place where filthiness may be committed Prov. 7.25 11. Have a care of thy company that thou be not defiled with others wantonness and uncleanness Eph. 5.7 12. See to thy Dyet that it be not inordinate and luxurious Gen. 19.33 13. Moderate thy Apparel that it be not garish and lascivious Ezek. 23.6 15 40. 14. Mis time not thy precious hours that they be not vainly and idly spent 2 Sam. 11.2 Special Preservatives for single persons against this sin viz. 1. To beat down the body and bring it into subjection to abstain from such meats and drinks as inflate and provoke to
Fish of the Sea 4. That have all as Substance Life Sense and Reason as Man Every Creature is good 1. Partly by Creation as Sun Moon Water Earth Meat Drink c. 2. Partly by Ordination Thus the Evil Conscience Hell and Death are good because they are ordained of God for the execution of his Justice though in themselves and to us they are evil In Creatures there is a twofold goodness viz. 1. A general and natural goodness whereby God accepted and approved all Creatures 2. A more special and moral goodness Revealed in the Moral Law Or thus 1. Uncreated which is God himself being absolutely and perfectly good 2. Created whereby the Creature is made good being the fruit of that goodness which is essentially in God What the Image of God in man is viz. 1. The Soul it self together with the faculties thereof endewed with Reason and Will 2. In the Soul Wisdom and Knowledge of God his Will and Works even such as God requireth of us 3. A conformity with the Law of God or Holiness and Righteousness under which are comprehended the heart and all affections 4. Felicity without misery and corruption perfect Blessedness joy and abundance of all good things and glory wherewith the Nature of man was adorned 5. The Rule and Dominion of man over the creatures The remnants of the Image of God in man viz. 1. The Incorporeal Substance of the Soul together with the Powers thereof 2. Many Motions as of those things which we know by Sense as are Natural Principles some Motions also of God his Will and Works 3. Some prints of Vertues and an ableness concerning outward discipline and behavior 4. The Fruition of many good things 5. The Dominion also over the creatures is not wholly lost God hath preserved those Remnants of his Image in us for these Reasons viz. 1. That they might be a Testimony of the Bounty of God towards those who were not worthy of it 2. That God might use them to the restoring of his Image in Man 3. That they might leave the Reprobate without excuse The Repairing of the Image of God in us is the work of all three Persons and is in this maner viz. 1. The Father restoreth it by his Son 2. The Son by the Holy Ghost immediately regenerating us 2 Cor. 3.18 3. The Holy Ghost by the Word the Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 4. In this Life it is onely begun in the chosen augmented to their lives end and perfected in the end as concerning the Soul but as concerning the whole man at the Resurrection The use of the doctrine of mans creation viz. 1. We must know That man was created without sin lest God be imagined the Author of sin 2. Whereas mans body was fashioned of clay let us think of our frailty to abhor Pride 3. Seeing Gods workmanship in man is so admirable let us not make it a Sty of Devils 4. Seeing God would have Mankinde consist of two Sexes let each have his due place and honor 5. Since man was created the Image of God let his glory be acknowledged and let it not be made the Image of Satan 6. Since Gods Image in man is impaired by sin let us bewail the greatness of this unthankfulness 7. Seeing the glory restored us by Christ exceeds our loss by Adam let us much the more exceed in thankfulness profit and encrease in godliness 8. Seeing the creatures were created for mans use let us use them as the Creator hath commanded and not abuse them to the satisfying of our Lusts 9. Seeing the Soul is created more excellent then the Body let our chiefest care be for the good of our Souls 10. Seeing the end and blessedness of man is the participation and communicating of God his Knowledge and Worship let us thither refer all our life and actions to the glory of our Creator 11. Seeing part of Mankinde are vessels of Wrath let us magnifie the goodness of God that we are vessels of Mercy 12. That we may learn and begin these things in this life tender and help forward the common Society and Salvation of others for which we are born 13. Since we were created higher then other creatures little lower then Angels let us shew forth this excellency by an answerable holiness IV. REdemption is a Deliverance from our Sins by the Imputation of the Pains and Suffering of the due punishment thereof in the person of our Mediator For Redemption is ascribed unto the Son because he is that person which executeth the Fathers will concerning the Redeeming of Mankinde and doth immediately perform the Work of our Redemption for the Son onely was sent into the Flesh and hath paid the Ransom or Price for our sins not the Father nor the Spirit Now Christ is called the Redeemer of all Mankinde not because all are actually Redeemed by him but because no man is Redeemed by any other but Christ onely the meaning is he is the onely Redeemer of all men who attain this great benefit of Redeemption and Salvation Or he Redeemed all men that is in regard of the Sufficiency of that he did and suffered for his Passion being suitable to his Person his dying was more then equivalent to all the Worlds perishing everlastingly in Hell So that wicked men and unbelievers are not hereby secured but more justly and deeply damned as treading under foot the Son of God and prophaning his Blood For though Redemption be virtually Universal yet the Faithful onely have their part in it being ineffectual to them as have not the grace of God to receive it Thus the Sun giveth light generally to all the World yet are there many particular persons that enjoy it not But all that are eternally chosen out of the World into the Church and continue using the means of Salvation are Redeemed it is otherwise in respect of all chosen temporally to a certain Office in the Church as it was with Judas Thus Christ in his Passion and Death offereth himself to all but is given onely to the Elect to all by the Preaching of the Gospel but he is the Savior onely of the Faithful Rom. 1.16 Now the cause that moved God to send this Redeemer was not any foreseen Faith or worthiness of man nor any merit or desert by good Works nor any inherent Righteousness in us but the Free-grace and Favor of God his own Infinite and Incomprehensible love and goodness Redemption is twofold viz. 1. Corporal such as that of the Israelites from Egypt 2. Spiritual which is understood of our deliverance by Christ typified in the former Redemption may be four ways viz. 1. When the Captive is sent away freely and voluntarily Sin and the Devil would never let us go so 2. When one Captive is exchanged for another No creature could be an exchange for man 3. By a violent taking away of the Captive by force Thus onely man was not delivered 4. By paying a Ransom