we were reconciled by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life that is to say by his Life whereunto he is risen again will he much more carry on the Management of every Branch of the Covenant which on his part is to be performed to the crowning of all his reconciled ones with eternal Salvation even as the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is an evidence of assurance unto all men that God will by the Man Christ Jesus judg the World Act. 17.31 so is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ a sure evidence of Confirmation that Jesus Christ ever liveth to perform every Branch of the Covenant unto Believers as aforesaid by vertue of his Offices Now as it is the Counsel ond Requirement of God that persons should through the Gospel-Ministration believe on Christ and conform to Christ as aforesaid so also is it the Counsel and Requirement of God that persons so embracing of Christ by Faith with purpose of heart to conform to him should visibly confess their Faith in Christ and visibly put on the Profession of Jesus Christ by Baptism in the way of Christ confirmed unto us in the Gospel Gal. 3.27 the which Baptism although with Water administred doth unto the Eye of Faith comprehend figuratively the Ark of Safety with the Mercy Seat also i. e. Christ Jesus with the Covenant of Grace in him which carrieth the Soul through Faith above the deluge of Sin and Condemnation for the same wherein the ungodly world do sink and perish while the Believer remaining in the Ark doth dwell in safety Would you know the Reason why the Eunuch when baptized went away rejoycing Act. 8.39.16.34 Surely he was by Faith gotten into the Ark wherein he did behold his security from the aforesaid deluge of Sin and Condemnation and set into a state of peace with God unto his consolation we joy in God saith the Apostle through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the Atonement Rom. 5.11 Noah in believing Gods Word and improving the Means by God appointed according to his Advice and Counsel doth therein answer a good Conscience towards God and answered his Conscience with peace and security to his great joy and consolation so a Believer in embracing Gods Word and improving it according to his Advice and Counsel doth therein answer a good Conscience towards God and God doth in the said Improvement answer the Conscience with peace and the Soul with preservation to its great joy and consolation A Believer by being baptized doth thereby visibly justifie God in the truth of his Word and God does by Baptism visibly signifie his justifying of the Believer unto a participation of all his Church-priviledges according to his Covenant The Publicans saith Christ justified God being baptized with the Baptism of John but the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of him Luk 7.29 30. The Publicans it seemeth did apply the Word of God believingly the Pharisees and Lawyers gave not so much credit thereunto Where the Word of a King is saith Solomon there is Power But the Administration of the Gospel of Christ is not only the Word of a King but it is the Word of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in whose Word Baptism standeth both by Command and Promise Matth. 28.19 to Believers by Command for their Observation and by Promise to their Consolation and Salvation He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 the Word of this King is a Word of Power it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 yea it is a Word of Power also to the Unbeliever for to judg him unto Condemnation for rejecting the same as saith Jesus Christ He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my Words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spoken the same shall judg him at the last day his Reason is for I have not spoken of my self but my Father which sent me he gave me a Commandment what I should say and what I should speak And I know that his Commandment is Life everlasting whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me so I speak Joh. 12 48 49 50. Here behold a faithful Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus he brings nothing to the Sons of Men but what is the Mind and Will of God the Father for them to believe observe and do accordingly and as Baptism is equally confirmed to us with the rest of Gospel-Doctrine for to be believed and observed in its place so it doth greatly concern all persons exercising Faith in Christ to observe it so as to answer the Will of God and a good Conscience in the Administration and improvement of the same in order to its End and Uses and withal consider that if it doth become a Shell without a Kernel to any persons it is for want of Faith in the Subject upon whom it is administred to behold the Kernel and to feed thereon and indeed it is the Wisdom and good Pleasure of Almighty God to order the preaching of the Word unto all people for to beget Faith in them and those converted to the Faith unto a visible Demonstration of the same to be meet Subjects for Baptism and visible Church-membership by the same And whereas some persons do pretend they are baptized with the Spirit and therefore slight Baptism with Water as too low an Ordinance for them to observe in the administration of it and rather plead the cessation of it than the observation of it In answer whereunto consider that if any persons might have been exempted from Baptism upon that Plea of being baptized with the Spirit then doubtless Christ and also those persons spoken of Act. 10. might have been exempted inasmuch as they were extraordinarily inspired with the Spirit and Gifts thereof yet these must put on the Administration thereof as an act of Righteousness in submission to the Will of God Whence note that the highest Attainments of the Spirit and spiritual Gifts of Grace we can attain unto in this Life doth not exempt or free any person from but rather obligeth the more unto and maketh them the more meet for action in those Ordinances of Baptism and Bread and Wine in their several places ends and uses And indeed it is a question whether those persons pretending the abovesaid Plea for their Omission and Opposition of the afore-recited Ordinances are at all pertakers of that Spirit whereunto they do pretend forasmuch as it is the Office of the Spirit of Truth to lead Souls into the Observation of all Truth and not into the Omission or Opposition of the same In the next place consider that although I have proceeded so far upon this point of Baptism in order to the Vindication of it and Believers in the Observation of the same yet have I not digressed from the Matter of Direction to the
experience will be an evidence that thou hast attained unto a good degree in the ornament of holiness and hast an interest in the promises thereunto belonging But on the contrary if thy mind will affection desire delight and meditation is chiefly exercised on carnal and wordly objects with expectation of content therein but as to the things of of God which concern his glory and the eternal welfare of thy Soul thou hast but little affection thereto thy mind and meditation but little exercised therein thy love desire and delights but cold to the exercise thereof it is an evident sign thou art but in the Old Man and in thy corrupt Estate in the carnal mind earthly affections obstinate will worldly desires and vain delights thou hast not yet put on the New Man which after God is Created in Righteousness and true Holiness for look how far a man hath proceeded in the work of Mortification of the Old Man with his deeds and in putting on the New Man with the ftuits and effects thereof so far hath he attained towards the Ornament of Holiness Wherefore first Let us examine our selves and consider what sins we have cast off what Lusts we have subdued what Corruptions we have conquered through the holy means and Heavenly calling and divine assistance which we have Received They that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Secondly Let us examine our selves and consider how far we have proceeded in putting on the New Man what Works of Faith what Labour of Love 1 Thes 1.3 what Patience of Hope we have been exercised into the glory of his name that gives the means and commands obedience It may be some Soul may say within it self I have spent much time in hearing God's Word Preached I have been often in Prayer and Fasting and in receiving the Sacraments yea and have preached in Christs Name to others and many Alms have I given and many good deeds to my Neighbours and Brethren have I done as need required also many Sins and Vices which formerly I delighted in I have now cast off therefore I hope I have attained to a good degree in the Ornament of Holiness These Exercises of Preaching and Hearing Gods Word Prayer and Fasting Alms and good Deeds done to Neighbours and Brethren are all Duties belonging to a Christian which he ought to do according to the measure of the Gift given But let us examine our End in the performance of such Undertakings it is the End that crowns the Action if we perform these or the like Christian Duties to by and base Ends as to be seen of men to obtain the favour and applause of some persons with whom such Duties are in estimation or because it is the Fashion or Custom of the Countrey wherein we live at least of the better sort or for lucre of some temporal Benefit or that thereby we might deserve Gods Love or purchase Heaven These and the like Ends will be unto our performances but like unto the dead Flies in the Apothecaries Ointment it will destroy the sweet Savour thereof in the Nostrils of God and we shall be forced at last to lie down in sorrow with that doleful Sentence I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Matth. 7.22 23. But when Christian Performances do flow from an inward work of Grace received from a renewed Mind and sincere Love to God to the end we may thereby glorifie him in faithful Obedience to his Commands and obtain strength against corruptions and temptations that do so frequently assault us and that we may be instrumental to edifie and build up others also in the Knowledg of God and in obedience to his Will that they may set their hope in God and glorifie his Name by becoming obedient to his Commandments then the more active we are in those Christian Duties the more is our Comliness in the fruits of Holiness the more is our power and strength against our Corruptions the more increase of Grace the more communion with God the more we glorifie his Name the more peace of Conscience the more comfortable enjoyments of Gods Favour and the more rejoycing in his Promise of our eternal Happiness through Jesus Christ Wherefore let us examine our selves first whether we are moved or acted by a right Principle viz. an inward work of the Spirit of Grace quickening sanctifying and renewing the inward man Secondly whether we perform our Christian Duties in a right manner according to the Direction of Christ in his Word Thirdly whether we perform them to a right end viz. that God may have the Glory in all our Obedience through Jesus Christ and if we can experience these particulars we may have the comfortable assurance of Gods favourable acceptation of us upon the account of Christ as an holy people comely in his sight Objection arising through doubts fears But happily some Soul may say I have a long time pressed after the attainment of Holiness and I have thought it hath been from a right Principle in a right manner and to a right end and yet me thinks I cannot attain to the perfection of Holiness so as to be without many spots and stains of Sin by reason of which I am afraid my best and holiest Duties will not find acceptance with God Answer to the Objejecting or doubting Soul In answer whereunto we may consider that spots and stains of Sin may be and are in the best of Gods Servants by reason of our present state composed of Flesh and Spirit two contraries the Flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh which occasioneth much weakness and frailty in the best of Gods Servants by reason of which weakness and the strong temptations many times that do assault them for want of a careful watchfulness the poor Servant of God is overtaken with Sin although he approveth not of it nor delighteth in it but beholdeth it with sorrow and grief of heart And in this condition God sometimes suffereth his dearest Servants for good Reasons as first because they should not be exalted above measure with high thoughts and conceits of themselves but beholding their own Imperfections they might be the more humbled in the sense of their own weaknesses Secondly that they may be provoked to depend upon God and to seek unto him for his Grace and holy Spirit to comfort support and strengthen them upon all occasions Thirdly that seeing their own imperfect state they might be moved to prize Jesus Christ and that atonement made by him with the higher estimation The whole have no need of a Physitian Mar. 2.17 but they that are sick Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This is not spoken to encourage any to continue in sin that Grace may abound Rom. 6.1 but by way of support to that Soul that seeth it his duty to be holy in all manner of conversation and therefore
Soul-nourishment in holy and heav nly Attainments for the Glory of his Name and the eternal Consolation of the Soul yea although the Lord doth many times work and operate by his Word in the Ministery thereof upon the Mind Affections and understanding Faculties both to will and to do according to his good pleasure and that by his loving Invitations and perswading Arguments Exhortations and Promises yet notwithstanding what Ignorance of God and Fruitlesness in the things of God what little strength of Grace remains in the greatest part of the men of this Generarion And what 's the reason thereof Suâ—ely saith the Lord Wine and Musick is in their Feasts i. e. they give themselves up to the Vanities of this world in the Profits and Pleasures thereof to fulfil the fleshly lustings of a carnal Heart but they regard not the Works of the Lord neither consider the Operation of his Hands Surely would we seriously consider the great Work of God in Jesus Christ and the Operation of his Word and Works manifested in this our day how useful would it be unto us for Direction unto Holiness and to quicken our motion thereunto CHAP. VIII Containing some Directions tending to our better Attainment of that comely Ornament Holiness by putting on of Jesus Christ and abiding in him GReat Care and Cost is exercised by many for the putting on upon the Body not only such Raiment necessary for the Preservation of its Health and Modesty but also for such Attire that they think may most beautifie and adorn it to an esteem in the Eyes of Men mean while that Attire that is of greatest concernment for the adorning of both Body and Soul to make them comely and delightful in the sight of God is laid by disregarded as Ornaments out of fashion Holiness is the comely Ornament well becoming Gods House Gods People As I am upon a Use of Direction to the inquiring Soul for its Attainment to Holiness and in the foregoing Chapters have laid some Directions before you in order to that Attainment by an Act or Exercise of the Eyes of the understanding Faculties upon Jesus Christ in his Offices as King Priest and Prophet anointed and appointed thereunto by the Father Also an Act of Consideration to consider him in the prosecution of the said Offices with the Use End and Tendency thereof towards the Sons of Men as the Eye-Salve for the clearing the Eyes of the Understanding to behold the way of Holiness and the Excellency of its Attainments Now in further prosecution of this Use of Direction I shall propose a further Action in order to our perfecting Holiness in the fear and way of God The which is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Would we attain to an Estate in the Ornament of Holiness then our great concernment is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ It is a piece of Divine Counsel not mine but the Lords given by his Spirit whose Office it is to lead Souls into all truth But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 Three things are here liable to be proposed in way of Inquisition by the enquiring Soul as first wherein persons are concerned to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly how persons are concerned to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly why persons are concerned to put on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to that Attainment of Holiness To the first Proposal wherein Christ is to be put on and that is in a threefold respect in order to that Attainment First in respect to his Offices Secondly in respect to his Qualifications Thirdly in respect to his VValkings To the second Proposal how Christ is to be put on in respect to his Offices Qualifications and VValkings And First to his Offices And that is by an Act of Faith adheringly and dependingly as when a Soul beholding God the Father tendering his Son in all his Offices as King Priest and Prophet to the Soul the Soul is hereby moved to accept and take by Faith Jesus Christ with all his Offices so as wholly to confide in him and depend on him and on him alone for a free pardon and a full Remission of its sins and for its acceptation with the Father through his Atonement and Satisfaction made by Vertue of his Priestly Office Secondly to confide in him and depend upon him in order to his Kingly Office as the only Lawgiver unto whose Laws the Subjection and Obedience of the Creature is due and ought to be performed and as its great Protector to eternal Bliss Thirdly adheringly by applying and relying by confiding in him and depending upon him in his Doctrine teaching Advice and Counsel contained in his VVord as the only Rule and Guidance of a Soul into the paths of Holiness and way of Salvation by Vertue of his Office Prophetical Thus to put on Christ doth put a Soul into possession of most excellent Priviledges as First Christs Merits obtained by vertue of his Priestly Office doth become the Souls Righteousness and Justification unto the Fathers Acceptation Secondly Obedience to the Laws of Christ as King is attended with many Blessings from the Father who accepts it as Honour done as unto his Son so also unto himself Thirdly by a Souls putting on of Christ as its Prophet the Soul is put into possession of a sure word of Prophecy an infallible Counsel for Direction how to stear its Course both in Word and Action so as to please God and to possess his favour in whose favour is Life saith the Psalmist Psal 30.5 Secondly the second thing proposed wherein persons are concerned to put on Jesus Christ is in his Qualifications of Grace It is not enough for persons to hear the Word of Christ nor to act in the visible Ordinances of Christ but also to endeavour so to improve the Word and Ordinances of Christ by an Application of Christ in the same to the Heart through believing that by the Power of the Word of Christ in our Hearts we may attain to the Qualifications of Christ in their proper nature ruling in our Hearts by the Dominion and Power thereof to the enabling of us to subdue the Qualifications of Corruption and to bring our Thoughts Words and Actions our Minds our Wills and our Affections into a conformity unto Christ And for Testimony hereunto that persons are concerned to put on Christ in his Qualifications and wherein these Qualifications do consist I shall call in two or three Scripture Evidences among many which that infallible Spirit of Truth proceeding from the Father and the Son hath recorded Phil. 2.1 If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my Joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one Mind let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem others better than themselves let this Mind be in you
And shall we suffer Gods Treasury to be defiled and polluted with these filthy worms seeing God hath put a price in our hands for a remedy seeing he hath opened a fountain of living springs of water of life for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13.1 And seeing he hath commanded us to improve the same for cleansing O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4.14 Wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be Jer. 13.27 Motive the Twelfth Or A Use of encouragement to encourage us to a right and serious improvement of the aforesaid means to the breach of that affinity between our affections and self and the world and the subduing of those Lusts conceived in the heart thereby may be the consideration that they are the principal Enemies to true Reformation in Church and State The which Reformation hath been the subject of discourse in the mouths of many and in the prayers and desires of some for many years But until the Creatures affections be disunited from self and the world and really united to Christ and his Supremacy so that the honour of Christ and the promoting of his interest in his truth and people become in us the principle and only end and aime in all endeavours and self and the world denyed and cast aside We are unlikely to see either the birth or growth of that truly called Reformation in Church and State for self and the world retained in affinity with love and desire will assuredly hinder the work they are Enemies thereunto Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Whosoever will be a Friend of the World is an Enemy of God Jam. 4.4 And as Saint John saith Love not the world nor the things in the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 In Ezras time when they were upon the work of Reformation in Church and State it is said of Ezra that he had Prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it Ezra 7.10 And they the better to compleat their Reformation fell to reforming the strange Marriages as a great evil and the more to be lamented because the Princes and Rulers were chief in that Trespass Thence came in Idolatry and many abominations of the Heathen and until this was Reformed all was but to little purpose therefore in this work they put away both Wives and all Born of them So also except this unlawful conjunction of affinity between our affections and self and the world be broken and self and the world put away and all born of them there is like to be no true Reformation compleated because self-ends and worldly interests will assuredly hinder the work But if one hearts were but truly reformed and with Ezras Prepared to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it the principle part of the work in the furtherance of Reformation in Church and State would be accomplished Wherefore as it is written Set your affections on things above and not on things on the Earth Col. 3.3 Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you cleanse your hands ye Sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 5.8 Motive the Thirteenth Or A Use of encouragement to a careful and diligent Use of the means prescribed may be the consideration of that pollution and defilement that this disease aforesaid will bring upon our most Religious performances If we will be Religious except this affinity be broken i. e. self and the world put away and all those Lusts by their influence in the heart conceived and the heart prepared and set for God only all Religious exercises must be dedicated unto self and the world If one in this affinity go to hear the Word yea if he Pray or Preach or perform any Religious exercise it will bring in self-Righteousness self-Justification or self-Pride in knowledg and gifts or for the praise of men yea all must be done to be seen of men and for worldly applause profit honour and advancement as our Saviour saith of the Scribes and Pharisees All their works they do to be seen of men and love the uppermost seats and to be called Rabbi and for a pretence make long Prayers Wherefore our Saviour compareth them to such as make clean the out-side and leave the inside filthy and to painted Supulchres beautiful outwardly in shew of Religious observations yet the heart full of pollution with these greedy worms to the devouring the Poor they devoured Widdows Houses as Christ seems to charge them And what is the Reason of this surely self and the world were retained in affinity with love and desire and therefore self-ends and worldly interests becomes the wheel of motion in all the actions of the unsanctified heart and is not this the cause and ground of that sad complaint that the Lord by the Prophet taketh up against the Priests and Prophets and Judges of Israel of old Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my people erre that bite with the Teeth and cry peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him therefore Night shall be unto you Micah 3.5 The Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof Teach for hire and the Prophets thereof Divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us ver 11. And what is the reason of all this surely the Horse-leach and her Daughters corrupt affections in affinity with self and the world do Monopolise all persons all places of dignity and honour all gifts all knowledge and all religious offices and performances unto themselves Where this affinity is retained as to have its lively residence in the heart all must be monopolised to self and worldly interests But I would present to consideration that more excellent way laid down by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians which is the way of Charity without which all is nothing in the Lords esteem as saith the Apostle Though I speak with the tongues of Men and of Angels and have not Charity I am but as sounding Brass and a tinkling Cymbal And though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge yea and all faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing and though I give all my goods to feed the Poor and my body to be burned and have not Charity it profits me nothing Whence Note that our highest actions will not reach to Gods approvance except Charity be a compound in the same Yea so excellent is the nature and vertue of Charity and of esteem with God that the meanest actions of it be but the gift of a cup of cold water where there is no better if compounded with Charity it hath the promise of reward so highly is Charity in
and conforming to him and herein God is just and the justifier of them that believe on Jesus Fifthly Believing and conforming to Christ is the product of the spirit The which power of believing and act of conforming was by the Father fore-appointed from Eternity to be produced by or the product of the spirit which through its operation upon the heart or inward man should enable the Sons and Daughters of men at least Some of them to believe on his Son and conform to him and thereby be made meet to glorifie God and enjoy his glory therefore is this believing and conforming in Scripture called a New Birth and the sanctification of the Spirit because wrought by the spirit somtimes extraordinarily by inspiration or more ordinarily in and by the Word and Ministry thereof The works of sanctification or New Birth by the Spirit enlightening the understanding quickening the apprehension informing the judgment rectifying the will renewing the mind regulating the affections and perswading the heart to take Christ to trust in Christ to relye upon Christ to obey Christ and to suffer for Christ It qualifies the heart with love to God and joy in God and zeal for God with patience to wait upon God with humility in its walking with God with sincerity in the worship of God sobriety in life temperancy in the use of the Creatures with kindness to the Brethren and a peaceable disposition and charitableness towards all men together with an hatred and loathing of sin but a love to and delight in all the ways of Righteousness Sixthly The Lord Jesus Christ in his working out the Redemption of man in order to the decrees and fore-appointments of the Father did take upon him the humane Nature by a Conception in the Womb of a Virgin through the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost as saith the Scriptures And in the Womb of the Virgin Mary was he nourished for the time and after the manner of Women and became both God and Man that the same nature that had sinned being assisted with the Divine might make restitution unto justification of life and so God be just and the justifier of them that believe on Jesus Seaventhly He taketh upon him the Execution of three offices imposed upon him by the Father as King Priest and Prophet And in the Execution thereof he doth accomplish and compleat the Redemption of man-kind unto justification of life according to the eternal purpose and fore-appointment of the Father Eighthly He invadeth the Kingdom of darkness and encountered the Prince thereof the Divel that captivated man-kind and brought them under his dominion and by his two-edged sword the word of God he obtained Victory and spoyled the Principalities and Powers of the dominion thereof Ninethly Effects of Christs obedience to the Law He answered the Law by a perfect obedience thereunto whereby he brought in perfect Righteousness unto life whereby he became the end of the Law for Righteousness to Believers as they stand by faith in him and whereby believers are wholly freed from the Accusations Curse and Condemnation of the Law Tenthly The effects of Christs Priestly Office He answereth divine justice in his sufferings upon the Cross for mans transgression to a full satisfaction whereby Believers through saith in Christ are wholly acquitted as from the accusations of the Law so from the Executions of Divine Justice and brought into an estate of peace reconciliation and acceptance with the Father Eleaventhly He obtaineth a Conquest over Death and the Grave Christs Victories are the Saints Triumph but the Wickeds Woe those great Captivaters of man-kind by the power of his Resurrection whereby Death and the Grave are become subject to him to deliver up their Captives at his command which is a Priviledge to the Faithful but a Woe to the Ungodly Twelfthly He Ascended to the right hand of power into the glory of the Father Christ the Saints Prophet in his exaltation where he further executeth the aforesaid Offices as a Prophet he openeth the sealed book the misteries of the Kingdom and the great salvation that the Father from Eternity hath placed in him for all that by faith subject to him instructing and teaching the knowledge thereof Thirteenth Christs Priesthood a priviledg to his Saints for ever Christ further executeth his Priestly Office also now in the days of his exaltation by presenting the performances of his Subjects unto the Father in the golden censor of his own Merits making intercession for them unto the Fathers gracious acceptation and to the encouragement comfort and consolation of his Servants walking in his holy order of government contained in the Gospel Fourteenth Christ is in execution of his Kingly Office whose Laws Subjects are his Kingdom As Christ did invade the Kingdom of darkness and overcame the Principalities and Powers thereof that held fallen man in Captivity thereby Se he as a King is now in the execution of his Kingly Office in these days of his exaltation as is demonstrated not only by his ordination but also first in his giving forth his Laws Ordinances and Righteous order of Government with commands of obedience thereunto Secondly By defending and upholding his said Laws and Government against all opposers Thirdly By his sending and gifting his Embassadors with propositions of Pardon Peace Reconciliation and Protection unto the Sons and Daughters of men upon their receiving of him and conforming to him his Supremacy Crown and Dignity by subjection to his Laws and Government accordingly that man might become Servants to him in subjection to his Laws and be brought into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and Heirs of Glory according to the Fathers fore-determination from Eternity Fifteenth It is the order and design of Christ in the dispensation of the Gospel to gather Believers into Congregational Assemblies otherwise called Churches for the better accomplishing the fore-determined decrees and purposes of the Father that is that man might the better glorifie God and be edified and made meet for glory Sixteenth It is the way and order of Christ that Believers actively constitute imbody or congregate themselves into Church Assemblies by a personal confession of Faith and Baptisme answering the institution and order of Christ their supreme Head and King Seaventeenth It is the order of Christ and the liberty and priviledge of Christian Congregation so gathered so constituted as aforesaid to elect their Church-Officers men approved for gifts and qualifications sutable to the rule of truth as near as they can and to ordain them into Office by a solemn ordination of fasting prayer and laying on of hands of the Eldership for the better promoting of the interest of divine worship and that order of government that Christ hath left unto his Church upon Gospel-record and for converting of the unconverted and perfecting of the Saints in the Knowledge Faith and Obedience of Christ their King Eighteenth 1 Cor. 9.11 12 13
likewise David setteth forth the property and disposition of his Enemies by the Denomination of Lyons My Soul saith he is among Lyons I lye even among them that are set on fire even the Sons of men whose teeth are Spears and Arrows and their tongue a sharp sword they prepare a net for my steps Psal 57.1 6. So our Saviour Christ demonstrates the natural properties and dispositions of his Desciples or Believers as they are Regenerate by the denomination of Sheep and Lambs as in John 21.15 16. and John 10. and that in respect of their harmless nature and peaceable deportment which they bare or ought to bare towards all men even towards their Persecutors and in this sence Christ himself is sometimes called a Lamb and compared to a Sheep yea many Testimonies of like nature may we find in holy Scripture to evidence this that it is the method of the holy Ghost many times to illustrate the nature of one thing by the name of another of the like nature So now in the explication of this Text of Scripture I shall observe the same method according to what I have received now by this Horseleach my judgment is that the Holy Ghost doth mind to illustrate some other thing of the like nature yet more mysterious Now we know that the Horseleach is a certain Worm whose appetite doth much delight in blood and after it they naturally are very greedy and insatiable therefore Physitians make use of the Horseleach to draw blood from their Patients as they see occasion yea so insatiable and greedy is her appetite after blood that if she once fasten upon a man she would suck and drain all the blood out of every Vein and part of the body to the destruction of the life if possible she could contain it and suffered thereunto such is her natural properties Now that which this Horseleach doth in its natural properties to us resemble and simily forth is that mysterious Horseleach-Corruption that ceased upon mans heart and did take up its Residence there by the first transgression The which Corruption is Horseleach-like in her natural properties so insatiable and greedy that by her operation and powerful influence she will search into every Vein Member and faculty of Body and Soul and suck and draw out of the same all that spiritual blood and life of God and power of Godliness which man was invested with in his Creation until she hath wholly made the Creature like a dead man without life and motion as to the things of God but so enslaved under the dominion of her Laws that in conformity thereunto the poor Creature must run and go at every beck improve all Opportunities embrace all Companions and use all means tending to the promoting of Corruptions-Interest the law of Sin to the great decay and detriment of mans holy and happy State But Secondly The Text saith The Horseleach hath two Daughters crying Give Give It seemeth these Daughters of the Horseleach are for nature and quality like her self greedy insatiable Worms their cry is always Give Give they are all for themselves but nothing part from These two Daughters of the Horseleach do much resemble the Creatures affections as they stand in their Unregenerate state that is to say Unsanctified love and Carnal desire sometimes in Scripture called Lust and that they are the Daughters of this Horseleach-Corruption it may appear by these Reasons First They bare her name they are Corrupt Affections Secondly They bare her nature they are Inordinate Affections Col 3 5. And as they are Inordinate in respect of their being out of that order wherein God at first placed them which was upon himself to be unto him and to him only so are they Inordinate in their Insatiable Covetousness greedy dispositions after other objects as if they could never have enough always their cry is Give Give Thirdly That they are the Daughters of that Horseleach Corruption doth further appear by their subjection to the law of Corruption they are as obedient to the Law of Corruption as a Daughter can be to the Law of her Mother insomuch that they and the whole man steered by their course are by the Holy Ghost demonstrated to be the Servants of Corruption Yea as the Law of Corruption doth require these Daughters to Renounce God and break Covenant with him and joyn themselves in a conjunction of affinity with self and the world they readily submit and yield thereto and make the interest of Self and the World the only object of their delight And in order to the promoting of this Interest of Self and the World they unto every faculty of Soul and member of Body are always moving and crying Give Give Give your strength your abilities your motion and action your time and opportunities in our Service to Self and the World and to our satisfaction in the delights and pleasures thereof whereby the whole man is brought into Captivity and Slavery to these Horseleach Daughters these greedy insatiable Worms these Lusts to Self-advancement to worldly Vanities until the poor Soul be left as desolate as ever Nehemiah found Jerusalem plundred and ransacked of all its life of God and power of Godliness true peace and happiness and all its gates and doors of faith and hope and assurance in God burnt up and destroyed and its beautiful Ornaments of Righteousness and Holiness much defaced and all its Walls of Fortification broken down and the whole man laid open to the mercy of a merciless Enemy to its eternal ruine except a supernatural means be timely applyed and improved for a remedy to the breaking off the Creatures affections from this affinity and to the reducing them to their first Estate Now that there is such a conjunction of affinity as aforesaid is farther evinced by the name that the Holy Ghost hath put upon those persons in that contract as those persons that are joyned in a spiritual Conjunction or Contract with Christ are called Christians and as a Woman Espoused to a Man is called by his name So hath the holy Spirit of God put the name of the world upon those persons whose affections are joyned to the world as Christ said to those in a conjunction of affection with him Marvel not if the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you Whence note that by world he meaneth persons Espoused in affection to the world So the Spirit of God by Saint John saith the whole world lyeth in wickedness meaning all persons in their Unregenerate state whom Corruption hath drawn off their affections from God and situated them upon Self and the World So that in this discourse here is briefly and plainly set forth First That by the Horseleach is imply'd Corruption that ceazed upon the heart of man by sin in the first Transgression so considered from their natural properties and the two Daughters to be the Creatures of affections Unsanctified love and Carnal desire as they
stand in their Unregenerate state demonstrated by these four Reasons First They bare her Name Secondly They bare her nature Thirdly By their subjection to her Law Fourthly by their Conjunction with the world and self-renouncing God and his Covenant as not having any true love or desire thereunto and that by the influence of Corruption whereby they are brought forth into that Estate The Inference drawn from the words thus considered is briefly thus That Corruption hath brought forth a separation of the Creatures affections from God and joyned them in a Conjunction with Self and the World in which Estate the Creatures affections are very insatiable and greedy after Self and the Worlds interest by which conjunction God is dishonoured and every faculty and member of soul and body enslaved in such servil motions and actions as may promote the said interest in order to the satisfying of these greedy Worms until by their continual instigations of Give Give they have drained out of the poor soul all its spiritual blood or life of God and power of Godliness to its eternal ruine except a supernatural means be timely applyed and effectually improved for the reducing the said affections unto their first Estate Now for proof of this inference here asserted I think there needeth no further Testimony then what is contained in the explication of the words especially if Doctor Woful experience his evidence may be heard and credited by you yet for order-sake and lest I should be thought wanting in the case of evidence I would produce some further evidences that will give in their Testimonies to the separation and conjunction aforesaid as first Those many Testimonies of God in Scripture whereby God calls to the Sons of men to return unto him O Israel return to the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thy Iniquity Hos 14.1 Secondly Gods Expostulation with man about his Apostacy thus saith the Lord What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity Jer. 2.5 See Ezek. 18.23 32. Thirdly Those many Exhortations the Lord hath laid before us in his word Set your affections on things that are above not on things on Earth Col. 3.2 Love not the World if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 Yea the Lord calls for self-denyal and crucifying of the world to mortifie every member of the body of sin and to set our love and delight in him and that with all our hearts and soul and strength all which do imply and hold forth their evidences in witness of the aforesaid Conjunction Fourthly I would add one Testimony more among many that might be produced and that is the multiplication of that Succession or natural Generation that is conceived and brought forth by vertue of the aforesaid Conjunction of those Horse-leach Daughters corrupt affections in affinity with Self and the World as the off-springs thereof And for brevity sake I shall only name some few of this off-spring and leave the rest to Doctor Woful's experience his evidence to evince one part of the generation conceiv'd and brought forth by the said Conjunction is Pride Envy Mallice Hypocrisie Infidelity and Sloth in God's Service and Voluptuousness These as a part of that Brood and Generation of the Horseleach and her Daughters in affinity with Self and the World are by their influence conceived and nourished up in the heart of Unregenerate man where the said conjunction hath dominion These do evidently demonstrate themselves to be of that race by their natural qualities and language insatiable greedy Worms alaways crying Give Give as for Pride that is an insatiable greedy Worm of an aspiring nature insatiable and greedy after self-honour and the worlds applause It looks high and lofty as if it was one by whose influence that generation was steered by which Agur speaketh of Prov. 30.13 There is a generation saith Agur O how lofty are their Eyes and their eye-lids are lifted up Agur here seemeth as not able to express the Latitude of the aspiring nature of Pride and those whose course is steered thereby but stands in admiration at it as if by the influence of Pride those Creatures in whose heart it is predominant were carryed up into that airy Region with that Prince spoken of Ephes 2.2 as Retainers to his Court. But into the third Heavens where Christ sitteth at the Right Hand of God they have no inspection for saith the Spirit of God by the Prophet David The Wicked through the Pride of his Countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts Psal 10.4 Whence Note that Pride by its influence doth work the thoughts of God and his ways out of the minds of those in whose hearts it is predominant Yea This Brat bred and nourished in the heart of Unregenerate man by those Horseleach Daughters Unsanctified love and Carnal desire through their affinity with Self and the World doth not only plunder a soul of its thoughts of God but also of the qualifications of Humility Penitency Charity and all the peaceable habits of true Humanity as considered in its first estate Yea like a greedy heart-Worm it devours and eateth up the very bowels of tender Pitty and Compassion and Commiseration and yet like one of Pharoahs lean Kine is never the better This Brat is still crying Give Give always moving the Creature to satisfie its greedy Appetite in order whereunto the Creature must improve its Time and Opportunities Pains Labours and Meditations Considerations Moneys Lands Livings Lordships yea all must be improved and dedicated to the satisfying of this Brat in beautifying the Face powdering the Hair new fashions in Apparel sumptious Buildings delicious Fair places of Honour and worldly Preferments and honourable Greetings and to be called Rabbi Rabbi Mean while God and the power of Godliness and the souls happiness is little considered Yea where Pride is predominant in the heart and unsanctified love and carnal desire joyning therewith produceth very sad and dangerous effects to the Creature for it maketh Angels to become Devils and Men to become Slaves to their Lusts Enemies to God Persecutors of the Godly and themselves Subjects of Perdition The Wicked in his Pride doth Persecute the Poor Psal 10.2 It seems this greedy heart-Worm of the Horseleach brood is a great mover to and stirrer up of Contention so saith Solomon Only by Pride cometh Contention Prov. 13.10 Another greedy heart-Worm of the Horseleach-race and her Daughters is called Envy this is a bloody Brat as greedy after blood as the Horseleach and her Daughters by whose influence it is in mans heart conceived This Envy seems to be of a nature cruel and blood-thirsty of Countenance fierce and grim yea this Brat looks as if it would devour all the interest of God and Godliness with the Profession and Professors thereof Those persons whose course is steered by the influence of Envy through