them for they know not what they do Eph. 3.14 For thâ—s cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in Him Joh. 17.5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 20.17 Jesus saith unto her Touch me not For I am not yet ascended to my Father Thirdly That Jesus Christ is God the Eternal Son of God and did prae-exist in the form or Essence of God having all the properties of the Deity before his Incarnation which was effected by voluntary actings of his own which could not be without a prae-existence in another Nature Let us consider the Divine Testimonies whereby this truth is confirmed and established Psal 45.6 Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter This is applied unto Christ Heb. 1.8 But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever c. Psal 102.25 26 27. Of old thou hast laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end This is declared by the Apostle to be meant of the Son of God Heb. 1.10 And Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth And the Heavens are the works of thine hands c. Prov. 8. from the â—2 to the 31. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was When there were no depths I was brought forth When there were no Fountains abounding with Water Before the Mountains were setled before the Hills was I brought forth * He is called the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 Angels and Adam were the Sons of God by Creation The Worshippers of the true God are called the Sons of God by profession Gen. 6 1. All true Believers are his Children by Adoption Joh. 1.12 But Christ is the Son of God by Nature by Eternal Generation Whilst as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields nor the highest part of the dust of the World When he prepared the Heavens I was there When he set a compass upon the face of the Depth When he established the Clouds above When he strengthened the Fountains of the Deep When he gave to the Sea his Decree that the Waters should not pass his Commandment When he appointed the Foundations of the Earth Then I was by him as one brought up with him And I was daily his delight rejoycing always before him Isai 9.6 For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder And his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellour The mighty God The everlasting Father The Prince of peace Jer. 23.5 6. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Judgment and Justice in the Earth In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely And this is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness Joh. 1. v. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God v. 2. The same was in the beginning with God v. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made v. 14. And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth v. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 3.13 And no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Rom. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Col. 1.15 Who is the Image of the invisible God the first born * As being from all Eternity begotten of the Father before any Creature was made or created and so Lord and Heir of all the Creatures as the First-born was among his Brethren Gen. 49.3 of every Creature v. 16. For by him were all things Created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him v. 17. And he is before all things and by him all things consist 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the Mystery of godliness God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory 1 Joh. 5.20 And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true And we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and Eternal life And thus much of the Divine Testimonies that prove that Christ is God The Socinians indeed acknowledge that Christ is God but they say he is not so by Nature but by Office They say He is not the most high Eternal God This therefore we shall labour to prove by several arguments First He had a Personal prae-existence unto the whole Creation And nothing can prae-exist * Quod ante omnem creaturam suisse dicitur simpliciter aeterrum est Gloss to all Creatures but in the Nature of God which is Eternal In the beginning the Word was God and so continues unto Eternity Joh. 1. â—â— In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Yet he was so God that he was distinct in something from God the Father by whom afterwards he was sent into the World The Word was with God and so distinct from him and was God and so one with him And he was so from the beginning before the Creation that he made all things even the World viz. All things in Heaven and Earth To which we may add our Saviours own Words Joh. 17.5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with the glory I had
with thee before the World was Secondly Let us consider this All the ways whereby we can come to know God are either by his Name or his Properties or his Works or the Divine worship given unto him Now all these belong to the Son He therefore is God or we cannot tell either who or what God is And First The proper Name of God viz. Jehovah is given to Him Jer. 23.6 This is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousness And Rom. 9.5 He is called The most high God who is over all God blessed for evermore * A Title peculiar to the most high God Secondly Divine Properties are ascribed to him and such Divine excellencies as naturally and necessarily appertain to the Divine Nature Particularly these Four First Eternity Joh. 1.1 2. In the beginning was the Word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic Mos Hebraeis aeternitatem populariter exprimare Grot. In the beginning when the World began to be created then was He. And so Prov. 8.23 24. I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth The Essential Wisdom of the Father was from everlasting Col. 1.17 He was before all things viz. All things created And Revel 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty That this place is meant of Christ may appear by comparing with it Chap. 2.6 22.13 of this Book Secondly Omnipresence Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are met together in my Name says our Saviour there am I in the midst of them viz. By my Eternal Spirit Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven And Mat. 28.20 And so I am with you always even to the end of the World Thirdly Omnipotency Philip. 3.8 'T is said of Christ that He shall change our vile bodies and make them like to his own glorious body according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto himself Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Heb. 1.10 And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thine hands Fourthly Omniscience Joh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things says Peter And Joh. 2.25 'T is said of our Saviour that He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man * De animis hominum certo judicare solius est Dei. Thirdly Divine actions or works are ascribed to him As 1. Creation Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him So that there must needs be granted unto Christ a prae-existence in his Divine Nature antecedent to his Incarnation 2. Providence Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the Word of his power And Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things consist He is not only before all Creatures and their Creator but together with the Father and the Holy Ghost their Up-holder powerfull Preserver and Governour Fourthly Divine Worship is given to him Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him The Angels themselves refused Divine Worship Rev. 19.10 See thou do it not says the Angel there that is See thou do not worship me I am thy fellow Creature Joh. 14.1 You believe in God says our Saviour believe also in me Now to be believed in and rested on is an honour or homage peculiar unto God alone Indeed the Socinians say that though Christ be not the most High God yet he ought to be worshipped with Divine and Religious worship But surely they do not well consider that only Divine and Essential excellencies are the formal Object of Divine and Religious worship and to give such a worship to one that is not God by Nature is plain Idolatry Where the Divine Nature is there is the true proper formal Object of Religious worship and where that is not it is Idolatry to ascribe it to or exercise it towards any other So that if the Word and Testimony of God be able to decide a difference among the Children of men I see not but that the Testimony given to the God-head of the Son are as clear and unquestionable as those which are given concerning the Deity of the Father And thus we have spoken to the Third thing viz. That Jesus Christ is God Fourthly It is delivered to us by Divine Revelation that the Holy Ghost is God This will plainly appear if we consider what is revealed to us concerning the Divine existence the Divine excellencies and the Divine Operations of this blessed Spirit Such things are ascribed to him in the Scriptures which do uncontrolably evidence him to be a voluntary Divine Agent an Eternal Divine existing substance a Person or intelligent subsistence the Author of Divine Operations and the Object of Divine and Religious worship There are some that hold he is a meer emanation of virtue or power from God and not a Person Others grant indeed his Personality and that he is a distinct self-subsisting Person but deny his Deity they deny him to be a participant of the Divine Nature A Created finite Spirit they will allow him to be and the chiefest of all Spirits that were created and the Head of all the good Angels But they will not allow him to be a Divine Person We shall therefore endeavour to prove from plain Testimonies of Scripture 1. That he is not a meer emanation of virtue or power from God but an intelligent subsistence or Person 2. A Divine Person 3. A Person distinct from the Father and the Son 4. A Person proceeding from the Father and the Son First It will appear he is a Person because he is endued with Personal properties and Personal actions such as are peculiar and proper to a person are Attributed to him As namely 1. To make intercession Rom. 8.26 The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities For we know not how to pray as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession for us v. 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God 2. To come to men being sent to them Job 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall teâ—tifie of me 3. Our Saviour says He shall receive of mine * That is communicate nothing to them bâ—â— what tâ—â—y râ—câ—iv d from him and shew it unto you Joh. 16.14 which is a personal action 4. He is such an one against whom a sin may be committed and therefore surely he is a person Matth. 12.31 Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto
Of good Angels and then of the Angels that fell There are Four things the Scripture holds forth to us concerning good Angels 1. Their Number 2. Their Titles 3. Their Nature and Properties 4. Their Functions and Ministery First Their Number The Scripture teaches us that they are very many Dan. 7.10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him Thousand Thousands ministred unto him and Ten Thousand times Ten Thousands stood before him the Judgment was set and the Book was opened Rev. 5 11. And I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the Number of them was Ten Thousand times Ten Thousand and Thousands of Thousands Matth. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently send me more then Twelve Legions of Angels Heb. 12.22 But ye are now come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels Psal 68.17 The Chariots of God are Twenty Thousand even Thousands of Angels 2 Kings 6.17 And Elisha prayed and the Lord opened the Eyes of the young man and he saw the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of Fire round about Elisha that is that a great multitude of Angels were sent from God to defend and protect the Prophet Secondly Their Titles Their general name is Angels or Messengers Sometimes they are called Cherubim and when they appeared in a visible shape or were pictured they had the resemblance of a young man in the excellency of his beauty vigor and strength and had Wings as we read Exod. 25.18 20. Sometimes they are called Seraphim importing their fervent Zeal in executing the will of God Sometimes Sons of God Job 38.7 When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy Sometimes Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers as we read Col. 1.16 And so much of their Titles Thirdly Their Natures and Properties 1. They are Spirits of great Knowledge and Wisdom 'T was said of David 2 Sam. 14.20 That he was wise according to the Wisdom of an Angel of God They are admirable in knowledge both natural experimental and revealed 2. Of spotless purity and integrity Our Saviour says Mark 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed â—f me and of my words in the adulterous and sinfull Generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the Holy Angels When they appear'd to the World their garb wherein they appear'd represented their innocency As at Christ's Sepulchre there appeared two Angels in white the one sitting at the Head the other at the Feet where the body of Jesus had lain Joh. 20.12 3. Of exceeding great power and strength Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength 4. Of great celerity and quickness of motion in which respect they are said to have wings Isai 6.2 Above it stood the Seraphims each one had six wings importing their chearfulness and readiness and celerity in the service of God Fourthly Their Function and Ministry which is of Three sorts 1. In reference to God 2. In reference to Christ 3. To the Saints and People of God I In reference to God 1. They attend his glorious presence They are his chief Servants and principal attendants the bright Courtiers of Heaven They are called the Host of Heaven 1 Kings 22.19 They are called the Chariots of God viz. Such as attend him for his service Psal 68.17 The Chariots of God are twenty Thousand even Thousands of Angels 2. They are especiall Instruments to praise and magnifie him Rev. 7.11 12. And all the Angels stoood round about the Throne and fell before the Throne on their faces and wâ—rshipped God saying Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen 3. They are Messengers to carry and reveal his mind and will By the glorious ministry and proclamation of Angels God delivered his Law on Mount Sinai Act. 7.53 Compared with Gal. 3.19 Christ the Head of Angels proclaimed his Law by the voice of an Angel as a Herald in presence of the King publishes his Proclamations And so on sundry other occasions God used to make known his will by Angels Dan. 9.21 Whiles I was speaking in prayer says Daniel the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the Vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly touched me about the time of the evening Oblation And Luk. 1.11 There appeared unto Zacharias an Angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the Altar of Incense and said unto him I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God And am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tidings And v. 26. in the Sixth Month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a City of Galilee name Nazareth to the Virgin Mary And Luke 2.9 10. An Angel was sent to the Shepherds keeping watch over their Flock by Night to bring the joyful tidings of the Birth of the Messias 4. They are Ministers to execute and perform what God will have done in the World Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commaâ—dments They bring Lot out of Sodom Gen. 19.1 They bring Israel out of Egypt Numb 20.16 They stop Balaams course Numb 22.22 They stop the Lyons Mouths Dan. 6.20 22. They execute the Judgments of God upon wicked men Thus we read how Two Angels destroyed Sodom and that an Angel defeated the Host of Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.35 And that an Angel smote bloody persecuting Herod Acts 12.33 And thus much of their Ministry in reference to God I come now to consider II. Their Ministry in reference to Christ 'T is said Joh. 1.51 That the Angels ascend and descend on the Son of man That place has relation to Gen. 28.12 Where Jacob dreamed of a Ladder set upon the earth whose to preached to Heaven and the Angels of the Lord ascended and descended on it by the Ladder Christ is meant who by his humane Nature touched the Earth and whose Divine Nature reached up to Heaven The Angels ascending and descending imported the continual service they are reâ—dy to perform unto him and that they are deputed thereunto of the Father as the Apostle proves Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first begotten into the World he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him But to dâ—scend to Particulars 1. They foretell his conception Luke 1.30 3â— And the Angel said unto her fear not Mâ—ry for thou hast found favour with God And shalt conceive in thy Womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus 2. They declare his Birth Luke 2.9 10 11. And lo the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid And the Angel of the Lord
so do ye Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come He ordains that their Collections for the poor Saints and oblations should be on that day And St. John sayes Rev. 1.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords day Thus the observation of the seventh day of the week which the Jews kept did cease and was buried with our Saviour And the observation of that day on which the Son of God rose by the practice of the blessed Apostles was transmitted to the Church of God and so hath continued in all ages of the Church ever since As God spake by Moses to the Israelites Exodus 31.13 Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you viz. that you profess your selves to be my people in an especial manner So they that belong to the Church of Christ are known by observing the first day of the week on which he arose and by this mark among others are distinguished from such who own not Christ nor his Gospel 6. And lastly Let us consider the ends for which Christ arose And those were such as these 1. for our justification Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification 2. To assure us of our resurrection If Christs body had not been raised how could we have expected the Resurrection of our bodies The Resurrection of the members depends upon the Resurrection of the Head 2 Cor. 4.14 3. That he might be declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.4 by his Resurrection from the dead Therefore says the Apostle Acts 13.32.33 We declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Christ was the Son of God before but then he appeared so to be against all contradiction For he arose by his own divine power which no meer man ever did or shall do 4. He rose again to encourage us firmly to believe in him as a most perfect Redeemer Our Surety is released and set free therefore Gods Justice is satisfied and so we are begotten unto a lively hope of eternal life by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead 1 Pet. 1.3 5. By his Resurrection he hath shewed us how we ought to imitate him and to rise from the death of Sin to the life of Grace This the Apostle intimates to us Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Let us consider therefore and seriously examine our selves whether we be risen with Christ or no Are our affections set on things above Acts 3.2 Do we delight in the Ordinances of God They that have a spiritual life will delight in that food whereby that spiritual life is maintained Do we delight in communion with God and exercise our selves in frequent meditation and the believing views of the Glory of the other life Those who are risen with Christ seek the things that are above SECT VIII Of our Saviours Ascension and sitting on Gods right Hand He ascended into Heaven THe words of the Creed are these He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty In treating of this Article I shall first shew that the promised Messias was to ascend into Heaven 2. That our Jesus did really and truly ascend thither 3. I shall shew what Heaven it was he ascended into 4. The reasons of his Ascension 5. The time when he ascended 6. The place from whence he ascended I begin with the First namely that the promised Messias was to ascend into Heaven This was typified of him by the High Priests going once a year into the Holy of Holies Heb. 9.11 which was a type of Heaven The High Priest when he had slain the Sacrifice did with the blood thereof enter into the Holy of Holies So the Messias having offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for us with his own blood went into the Holy of Holies viz. into Heaven there to intercede for us by the virtue and merit of that blood And as this was typified so it was also prophesied of the Messias Psal 68.18 compared with Ephesians 4.8 Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led Captivity Captive thou hast received gifts for men He was to conquer Sin and Death and Hell and triumphing over them he was to ascend to the highest Heaven and thence to send the precious and glorious gifts of the Spirit unto the Sons of Men. And accordingly he himself did foretell his Ascension John 6.62 and John 20.17 2. This was not only foretold of the Messias but really performed by him He who was the Eternal Son of God and by his Divinity present in Heaven while here upon the Earth did by local translation of his humane nature really and truly ascend from this earth below into the Heavens above as is sufficiently testified by these following Scriptures Mark 16.19 Luke 24.50 51. Acts 1.9 10. Christs Ascension was visibly performed in the sight of his Apostles They saw him when he ascended the holy Angels there present bearing also Testimony unto it Acts 1.10 11. 3. Let us consider the place he ascended unto which was the Heaven of Heavens he passed through all the regions of the air through all the coelestial Orbs till he came to the Heaven of Heavens the most glorious presence of the Majesty of God He ascended far above all visible Heavens to the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 that he might fill all things that is fulfill all things prophesied of him 4. Let us consider the reasons why he ascended 1. Having finished the work of our Redemption it was meet he should return thither from whence he came John 16.28 John 17.4 5. 2. After his Humiliation his Exaltation was to follow The first step of which was his Resurrection and his Ascension another step of it 3. Christ by his Ascension manifested his victory over Sin Satan and Death 4. He Ascended to make intercession for us Rom. 8.34 1 Joh. 2.1 Heb. 9.24 5. That he might send down a more plentiful effusion of the gifts and graces of his Spirit And accordingly he tells his Apostles John 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you John 7.38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy-Ghost was not yet
then every branch of the execution shall cease 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power and when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himsef be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all But though the Mediatorship of Christ be then resigned and the Regal Office as a part of that Mediatorship yet Christ shall not cease to be King or loose any thing of that power and honour he had before but as the Nicene Creed has it His Kingdom shall have no end 4. Let us now consider what improvements we ought to make of this Article 1. If Christ be set down on the right hand of God let this mind us of our duty which is humble subjection and obedience to him 2. Let us encourage our selves if we belong to him to expect protection from him God hath given him to be head over all things to his Church And all power is given him both in heaven and earth 3. Let us remember his intercession Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them to the uttermost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Doth the guilt of sin sting and wound our Consciences Let us remember what an Advocate we have Are we in want of any mercy Let us remember what our Saviour himself sayes John 16 23. Whatsoever you ask the Father in my name he will give it you Whatever trouble we are in let us not be dismayed considering Christ is at Gods right hand Heb. 12.2 4. Let all those that oppose Christ and his Kingdom think seriously of this His enemies must be made his footstool SECT IX Of our Saviours coming to judge the World THe words of the Creed are these From thence He shall come to Judge the Quick and the Dead From thence he shal come to judge the quick and the dead Concerning this Article we shall make these inquiries 1. How may we be assured there will be a day of Judgment 2. Who is to be the Judge at that great day 3. What will be the nature and manner of that Judgment 4. What will be the Consequents of it 1. How may we be assured there will be a day of Judgment The Scripture holds forth to us a twofold Judgment to come 1. Particular judgment which follows immediately upon every ones death Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it This is also held forth by that Historical Parable of Dives and Lazarus Luke 16.22 23. and Heb. 9.27 The Apostle tells us It is appointed unto man once to die and after this to Judgment * Unum sciâ—icet Nam ultimum judicium nihil aliud erit quam promulgatio solennis totalis executio sententiae semel in singulos cum moriuntur latae Jac. Capellus in loc 2. A General Judgement at the end of the World the certainty of which may appear to us from these Arguments 1. From the sence that even natural conscience seems to have of it Acts 24.25 and as he reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come Foelix trembled 2. From the Justice of God which requires it Here Barabbas a murderer is released and Christ is Crucified here Judgment is often perverted and the Righteous oppressed But there is a Judgment to come that will set all things streight 3. From the clear and manifest declaration of the will of God that it shall be so Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil And Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him up from the dead 4. From the representation made of it to some of Gods servants in Divine visions as 1. to Daniel Dan. 7.9 10. I beheld till the Antient of dayes did sit whose Garment was white as Snow thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him The Judgment was set and the books were opened and 2. to St. John Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened And another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were Judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 2. Let us inquire who is to be the Judge The Apostle assures us that this Jesus Christ will be the Judge Acts 10.42 He hath commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead John 5.22 27. For the Father Judgeth no man that is immediately by himself but hath committed all Judgement unto the Son and hath given him authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of man Now Christ is appointed the Judge 1. Because he is the Son of man * The authority of Judging is common to all the three Persons but the execution of this power is proper only to the Son The Father and the Holy-Ghost will Judge the World by Him who suffered so much for the sins of men and this as a reward of his humiliation 2. Because God intending to make a general and visible Judgement will have a visible Judge Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him that the Judicial proceedings may be in an outward and visible manner Christ indeed came not at first as a Judge but as a Redeemer John 3.17 but his second coming will be to Judge the World 2 Tim. 4.1 3. Let us inquire what will be the nature and manner of this Judgment And here 1. Let us consider the Preparations to it Scripture sets forth this by the Arch-Angels Trumpet by which all the World shall be as it were summoned to appear at Gods Tribunal 1 Thes 4.16 2. For the manner of it the Scripture represents it to us under the form of a judiciary process wherein 1. The Judge himself will appear exceeding glorious He will come with power and great glory even the glory of the Father Mat. 16.27 And when this his Glory shall be revealed then the Saints shall be glad with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4.13 2. His attendance will be very glorious Mat. 25.31 The Son oâ— man shall come in his â—lory and all the holy
men may acknowledge and own him for the only true God and may glorify him accordingly 2. Thy Kingdom come that is that his Kingly Power may be more and more manifested in the curbing and subduing of Satan and all his enemies that his Kingdom of Grace may be advanced and promoted by his word and Spirit that his Kingdom of Glory may be hastned Rev. 22.20 that the happiness of his people may be full and that Christ may resign up the Kingdom which he administers as Mediator to his Father and God may be all in all 3. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that is that we and all his people on Earth may sincerely chearfully and constantly do and submit to his holy will as Angels and glorified Saints do in Heaven 4. Give us this day our daily-bread wherein we acknowledge God the Author and Giver of all our Mercies and that we receive all from his free bounty That we ought dayly to depend on his Fatherly care and Providence and not to be over anxious and solicitous for to morrow neither inordinately to desire superfluities but to crave and pray for such necessary and convenient things as are daily needful and requisite for the sustentation and comfort of our bodily life and that what the Lord is pleased to give us may be by him blessed to us 5. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors wherein we acknowledg that our sins are debts binding us over to punishment and that our selves cannot satisfie for them We pray that in Christ these debts may be freely and fully forgiven and pardoned We profess we ought and do through his grace assisting us forgive our debtors that is such as have done wrong to us and thereby not only made themselves debtors to God but unto us that we do fully and freely forgive their wrongs and injuries done unto us though we are not alwayes bound to forgive the damage See Exod. 22.1 14. and from thence we gather an argument to confirm our hope and perswade our selves that God will forgive us 6. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil wherein we acknowledge our proneness to evil and weakness to withstand temptation that God hath power over all corruptions tempters and temptations We pray to be preserved from temptations to sin or from being overcome by them and at last to be wholly delivered from them all 3. The Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom the Power and Glory for ever Amen Wherein we have 1. The Doxology acknowledging and ascribing to God the perpetuity of his Kingdom Power and Glory and encouraging our selves from thence to expect from him what we have prayed for 2. The sealing up the Prayer with Amen Wherein we summarily testify our fervent desire of obtaining these our Petitions and our Faith in God for the granting of them THE Second Part Containing a serious Disswasive from the reigning and customary Sins of these Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Vncleanness Discontent Covetousness Malice Idleness CHAP. I. Of Swearing THat I may proceed methodically and clearly in treating of this argument I shall confine my discourse to these seven heads 1. I shall shew what an Oath is 2. Shall shew the lawfulness of taking an Oath when duly called thereunto 3. Shall answer the objections usually framed from Matth. 5. 33. c. and Jam. 5.12 against the lawfulness of any swearing at all 4. Shall shew in what manner an Oath is to be taken 5. Shew the great sinfulness of rash customary and unnecessary swearing 6. Shall answer the vain pretences and excuses that customary Swearers use to make for themselves 7. Shall give some directions and means for the avoiding of this Sin 1. I shall shew what an Oath is Perkins in his Cases of Conscience Lib. 2. Chap. 13. sayes an Oath is a Religious and necessary confirmation of a thing doubtful by calling God to be a witness of the truth and a revenger of falshood Doctor Saunderson in his first Lecture of the obligation of a Oath § 2. sayes an Oath is a Religious act in which to confirm a thing doubtful God is called upon as a witness Others from Numb 30.2 define it to be a sacred bond by which a man binds his Soul to the speaking of that which is in it self true or to the doing of that which is in it self lawful unto which the living and true God is (a) Juramentum est contestatio Dei in re gravi tanquam veritatis testis mendacij vindicis called upon as a witness or arbitrator Judge and Avenger in case of falshood 2. Having shewed what an Oath is I come in the next place to prove the lawfulness of taking an Oath when duly called thereunto And this I shall indeavor to do by these four Arguments 1. That which is morall and injoyned in one of the precepts of the Decalogue or ten commandments binds all persons whatsoever and is a duty to be continued and practised as there is occasion as long as the world endures for the glory of God and the good of our Neighbour But to Swear by God when duly called thereunto is a moral duy and injoyned in the third Commandment therefore it is lawful to take an oath when duly called thereunto The minor will easily be proved by that commonly received Rule of interpreting the Commandments viz. that where in any Commandment vice is forbidden there the contrary vertue is enjoyned and commanded So that the taking Gods name in vain being forbidden in the third Commandment the holy and reverent use thereof is plainly enjoyned and such is an appeal to God as the Searcher of hearts and calling upon him to be a witness of our truth and sincerity and an avenger upon us in case of falshood 2. What God injoyns and connects with other duties that will ever be in force ought to be practised by all Christians but swearing by his name is such Ergò For the proof of the minor See Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and swear by his name See also Deut. 10.20 where the same thing is injoyned That which hath been the practice of the Godly without reproof before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel is lawful But swearing by the name of God upon serious and weighty occasions hath been the practice of all the Godly in all those times Ergò 1. Before the Law See instances hereof in Abraham Gen. 14.22 23. And Abraham said to the King of Sodom I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord the most high God the possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take any thing that is thine even from a thred to a shoo-latchet In Isaac Gen. 26.31 And they rose up betimes in the morning and sware one to another and Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace In Jacob Gen. 31.53 The God of Abraham and the God of
Nahor the God of their Father judge betwixt us And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac 2. Vnder the Law See instances hereof in the people of Israel Joshua 9.19 But all the Princes said unto all the Congregation we have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel c. In David Psal 119. verse 106. I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments 1 Sam. 24.21 22. Swear now unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off my Seed after me and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my Fathers house And David sware unto Saul and Saul went home c. 1 Kings 1. ver 13 28 29. 30. Go and get thee in unto David and say unto him didst not thou my Lord O King swear unto thine handmaid saying assuredly Solomon thy Son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne c. In Elijah 1 Kings 17. verse 1 And Elijah the Tishbite said unto Ahab as the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand there shall not be rain c. In Micaiah 1 Kings 22.14 And Micaiah said as the Lord liveth what the Lord said unto me that will I speak 3. Under the Gospel See instances hereof in the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1.18 But as God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay verse 23. I call God for a record upon my Soul c. 2 Cor. 12.19 We speak before God in Christ c. Gal. 1.20 Now these things which I write unto you behold before God I lye not In the Angel Rev. 10.5.6 And the Angel which I saw stand upon the Sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever c. 4. That which is the most effectual way to end controversies between man and man in doubtful cases and is of so great use and benefit to humane society is not to be laid aside But such is an Oath Ergò The minor the Apostle confirmeth Heb. 6.16 For men verily swear by the greater and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife * 'T is true there is great d fference in the Oaths of men As is the person that sweareâ—h so is the Oath more or less credible The better and the more conscientious the man the more credible is his Oath There is no other way to end some controversies but by an appeal to God as a Judge and Avenger In the Old Testament in any doubtful case which could not otherwise be determined they were to accept the Oath of the Lord Exodus 22. verse 11 12. Seeing therefore by a lawful Oath God is glorified being appealed unto as the Supreme Judg of Heaven and Earth the Patron of truth and avenger of falshood seeing his Omniscience omnipresence truth justice and power is thereby acknowledged seeing it is the ordinance of God and a part of his worship by himself commanded and lastly seeing it is the most effectual way to end Controversies between man and man they that would have appealing to God in serious matters laid aside are injurious both to the honour of God and the good of man 3. I come now to answer the objections usually framed from Matth. 5.33 c. and James 5.12 against the lawfulness of any swearing at all The words of those two Texts are these Matth. 5. verse 33. Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths verse 34. but I say unto you swear not all neither by Heaven for it is Gods throne verse 35. nor by the Earth for it is his footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King verse 36. neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black verse 37. but let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil James 5.12 But above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation Now for the clearer understanding of these two Scriptures these two things must be premised 1. We must take notice of that rule which is to be observed in the sound interpretation of any Text that is difficult viz. that no one Scripture ought to have any other sense put upon it than what will fairly agree with other Scriptures and firmly stand with the Analogy of faith 2. We must have a special regard to the condition and manners of the Jews at this time when these precepts were given The Nation of the Jews as it seems were now commonly guilty of these three things 1. Of frequent familiar and customary swearing in their ordinary communication which they made light of provided they did not swear falsly or forswear themselves 2. They used much to swear by the creatures 3. They made a great difference of Oaths made by the creatures esteeming some of them to be binding and others not Now the words of our Saviour and the Apostle James must be supposed to be directed against these enormities Which things being premised I come to consider the words themselves Matth. 5. verse 33. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths Our Saviour having before shewed the corrupt glosses and interpretations which the Pharisees made on the sixth and seventh Commandments he comes here to shew how they did the like on the third also The Pharisees it seems taught that if men did not forswear themselves they did fulfill the third Commandment though they did swear familiarly by God in their ordinary communicatication and sometimes by the Creatures Both these our Saviour condemns verse 34. But I say unto you swear not at all that is in your ordinary communication as is plain from verse 37. no not by God which upon solemn occasions is lawful as we have shewed before much less by the Creatures which is alwayes unlawful So that these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) Non juretis omninò scil temerè lâ—vâ—â—er Praeceptum enim de juramento sic intelligebant Pharisaei quod perjurium duntaxat in eo prohibeatur interim temeraria juramenta in vita communi permitte bant _____ Glassius _____ Particula omninò cum restrictione est accipienda nimirum de juramento temerario quomodo Exod. 20.10 dicitur nulla opera Sabbaro facienda esse i. e. profana Freid lib. 3. pag. 12. not at all must be understood with some limitation and restriction As when God forbids doing any work on the Sabbath day it is to be understood only of the servile works of our callings and not of works of necessity or mercy So the prohibition of Christ
Nature to us And First He hath revealed himself to be a pure simple immaterial invisible Being a Spirit of transcendent glory Joh. 4.24 not having any matter or corporcity nor being compounded as bodies are And therefore we should not Picture him to our Eye-sight nor represent him to our Fancies under any bodily shape or figure whatsoever but should raise our apprehensions to the highest and holyest to the purest and most Spiritual conceptions of him that we can possible frame We should labour to see this invisible God by the eye of Faith and observe his power and efficacy working in all his Creatures 'T is He that enlightens us by the Sun and warms us by the fire and makes our food to nourish us and his other Creatures to do us good The Schoolmen say There are Three ways of knowing God First Per viam eminentiae when we ascribe all possible perfections to him Secondly Per viam negationis when we remove from him all imperfections whatsoever Thirdly Per viam causationis when we see and acknowledge that all things that are made are made by him and receive their being and all their powers and perfections from him Secondly God is an infinite Being for whatsoever hath no cause of being can have no bounds or limits of being set to it For the reason why any Being is bounded limited and confin'd to such a measure and degree of Being only is because the Author of its existence communicated and bestowed only so much being power and efficacy upon it and no more He that made it set limits and bounds to it that hitherto its Essence should go and extend and no further All things that receive their Being as all things Created do can have no more of being life power or vertue than is given them by the Author of their Nature And as they received their Being from him so they received their limitation to this or that set kind of Being also The First Being therefore that hath nothing to give it Being hath nothing to give it limits and as it were to confine it to this or that kind form and degree of Being As therefore the First Being could not be the cause of existence to it self so neither could it limit confine or bound it self And there was nothing else without it that could set bounds or limits to it It remains therefore that it must needs be an Essence unbounded unlimited and so absolutely infinite and immense Infinite in Life and so Eternal Infinite in Wisdom and so Omniscient Infinite in Power and so Omnipotent and infinite in Goodness and all perfections That Being therefore that hath more Power Wisdom and Goodness than all the World beside that is the Being we call God That Being that hath communicated to all things else the Being Power Life Virtue and all such perfections as they have is the God whom we acknowledg adore and worship We come now to consider the Attributes of God more Particularly which are those glorious excellencies Of the Attributes of God and proprieties of his Divine Essence which declare and manifest his Nature to us and whereby we are inabled in some measure to conceive aright of him And these are of Two sorts Incommunicable Communicable First Incommunicable which are such Attributes as agree to God alone and cannot belong to any Creature Such as are His Eternity Omnipresence Omnipotence Omniscience Secondly Communicable which are such Attributes which though they be infinite perfections in God yet some resemblances of them are found in the Creatures Such are His Wisdom Holiness Justice Mercy and Faithfulness I begin with His incommunicable Attributes And God is Eternal I. God is an Eternal Being and none is Eternal but himself Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God That which had no cause had no beginning and that which had no beginning is Eternal Time which is a duration that hath beginning and end is competible to man and other visible Creatures Aâ—viternity which is a duration that hath a beginning but no end is competible to good and evil Angels and to the Souls of men But Eternity which hath neither beginning nor end belongs only to God Isai 57.15 He is called The high and lâ—sty one who inhabiteth Eternity that is who alone is Eternal He speaks of Eternity as a House or Palace which a King inhabiteth or dwelleth in as his own peculiar Possession in which no other man has any right but himself And 2 Pet. 3.8 The Apostle says A Thousand years with him are but as one day and this is the first of his incommunicable Attributes He is Eternal Let us now consider what improvement we should make of this Attribute Gods Eternity should fill our Souls with admiring thoughts of him Who can think of Eternity without amazement Man is a Creature of few days and ere long shall be no more here Our Bodies are perishing but our Souls must last to Eternity Let us therefore mind things Eternal 2 Cor. 4.18 Whatever we neglect let us labour to secure to our selves Eternal happiness Zeuxiâ— that famous Painter said He did pingere aeternitati he drew his Pictures with such care that they might last if it were possible and be famous to Eternity Let us all so pray so read so live and do all that we do as those that desire to obtain a happy Eternity Nulla satis magna securitas ubi periclitatur aeternitas We can never be over carefull to secure our Eternal state in Bliss and happiness II. God is Omnipresent Omnipresent or every where present He is not confined or limited to any place Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill Heaven and Earth The sweet Singer of Israel Psal 139.7 8 9 10. Cryes out Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Or whither shall I free from thy presence If I ascend up to Heaven thou art there if I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there if I take the Wings of the Morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me if I say the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me yea the darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to thee Gods Omnipresence should imprint a constant awe of his Majesty upon our Souls We should always behave our selves as those that believed he stood by He is neither shut up in nor excluded out of any place nay he is beyond all place or space where any Creature is He is every where for his Essence is unbounded And further this should convince us that he is incomprehensible and that we cannot have a full adaequate and comprehensive knowledge of him (b) Non esset Deus magnus nisi esset major captu nostro Canst thou by searching
find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection sayes Zophar Job 11.7 We may as well think to take up all the Waters of the Sea in a Spoon as with our narrow understanding fully to comprehend God Stop then thy bold enquiries O vain man And remember that thou art a finite worm and God is infinite Do not go about to measure God by thy narrow apprehension nor to Question much less deny that of God which thou canst not understand Do not suspect what his word reveals of him but suspect thy own muddy understanding that can conceive no better of so an incomprehensible Essence III. God is Omnipotent Omnipotent Mat. 19.26 With God all things are possible His Essence being infinite his power must needs be infinite also His Omnipotency consists in things simply and absolutely possible not in things that are not possible to be done God cannot make contradictions true he cannot lye he cannot deny himself for these things do not speak perfection but weakness Convenientius dicitur ea non posse fieri quam quod Deus ea non posset facere says Aquinas warily 'T is more convenient to say That these things cannot be done than that God cannot do them Now Gods Omnipotency should make these impressions on us First We should stand in fear and tremble at his Judgments Shall the Lyon roar and shall not the Beasts of the Field tremble Shall Omnipotency shake his Rod over us and shall not we humble our selves The dread of the Heavenly Majesty of his infinite greatness and power should be still upon us Indeed we should not be under a slavish fear of God that is void of love as men fear an Enemy but we should fear sinning against or displeasing so great a God The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom Prov. 16.6 By it men depart from evil Secondly We may see from hence what ground we have earnestly to seek unto him in all our difficulties and distresses The ground of all the Petitions in the Lords Prayer is this For thine is the Kingdom Power and Glory Let the Enemies of the Church be never so strong God is stronger than they He has promised that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church Mat. 16.18 Nothing encourages more to fervent Prayer than a due apprehension of Gods Omnipotence Thirdly This Attribute should imprint upon our hearts a strong and stedfast confidence in God Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will trust in thee O what an encouragement is it to the Saints that they have Omnipotence engaged for them O what a shame is it that ever we should distrust an Almighty God He can supply our greatest wants He can mitigate or remove our greatest pains He can deliver us from our greatest distresses Dan. 3.17 What will vain man have confidence in if he distrust Omnipotence Where can we be safe if not in the hands of the Almighty Mat. 8.26 Why fear ye says our Saviour to his Apostles O ye of little Faith Remember O Christian in thy lowest estate and in the Churches greatest dangers the Almighty is able to raise his Church or thee again even in a moment Take heed of saying in thy heart Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Psal 78.19 Read and consider these Scriptures Prov. 29.25 The fear of man bringeth a snare but who-so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe Psal 56.3 4. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee In God I have put my trust I will not fear what Flesh can do unto me Jer. 17.5 Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh Flesh his Arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Fourthly Gods Almightiness should possess us with a holy admiration of him and cause us in heart and voice to magnifie him O what a power is that which made the World of nothing which hangs the Earth in the Air and upholds it without any Foundation What a power is that which stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and hath so bespangled with Stars that glorious Canopy What a power is that which at first placed and since maintaineth all things in their Order which causeth every part of Nature to do its Office which maketh the Sun and Moon constantly to keep their course Jer. 31.35 The Lord giveth the Sun for a light by day and the Ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night He divideth the Sea when the waves thereof do roar the Lord of Hosts is his Name Isa 4.22 It is he that sitteth upon the Circle of the Earth and the inhabitants there of are as Grashoppers it is he that stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in Fifthly and lastly God's Almightiness should be a great comfort and support to all that have an interest in him Wo to those the Almighty is against but happy thrice happy are they that have the God of Israel for their refuge IV. Gods is Omniscient Omniscient Psal 147.5 His understanding is infinite 1 Chron. 28.9 The Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts 1 Sam. â—6 7 Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart I try the reins to give every one according to his ways and the fruit of his doings And Chap. 20.12 He is said to see the reins and the heart Now if God be Omniscient how watchfully and carefully should we carry our selves in all places How should we fear to sin in secret against him whose eye is always upon us How sincere and upright should we be in all our duties How should this Motto be ever in our minds Cave Deus videt Take heed God sees If our Breasts were Crystal Glasses and men were able through them to see all the workings of our hearts how carefull should we be what thoughts we entertained Alas that we should be no more sensible that God always sees us He sees hearts as we see faces How many are afraid to commit a sin before men that are not afraid to sin before the all-seeing eye of God If God be Omniscient this should teach us to be sincere and upright and Conscientiously to endeavour both to avoid secret sins and to perform secret duties Mat. 6.6 When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hâ—st shut the door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father whiâ—h seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And thus much of Gods incommunicable Attributes I come now to speak of his communicable Attributes which though they be infinite perfections in Him yet there are some resemblances of them found in the Creatures I. God is infinitely wise Iâ—finitely wise 1 Tim. 1.17 He is called the invisible and only wise God He administers the World and the affairs of it with infinite wisdom
To look into the deâ—th of so great a Mysterie and cannot buâ— cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle did in another case O the unsearchableness O the depth of this Heavenly Oeconomy in matters of so high a Nature I believe more then I am able to understand the gift of Faith supplying the defects of my understanding as considered in this or that man which are not all absolutely against it We grant that nothing contrary to the reason of things must be admitted But reason as it is in this or that man may be very weak and imperfect and very short of a juâ—t and a full comprehension of the whole reason of things Therefore that is no fit measure to try this Divine Doctrine by Certainly it is the highest reason that in things of pâ—rely Divine Revelation we should captivate our understandings to the Authority of the Revelator Let us therefore earnestly pray unto God that it may be given unto us to know the Mysteries of his Kingdom The Apostle Peter knew Christ to be the Eternal Son of God which is a part of this Mystery of the Trinity and our Saviour tells him Matth. 16.16 17. That Flesh and Blood had not revealed it unto him but his Father A man ought not presently to desert his perswasion grounded upon Scripture because he cannot answer every Objection that the subtil Wit of man can make against it For though this or that private Person may not be able to Answer such Objections yet others more learned and knowing may easily do it and to them he ought to betake himself for satisfaction Thus I have shewed what is the Original Declaration or Revelation of this Doctrine of the Holy Trinity contained in the Scripture and how the same is explained by Pious and Learned men very sutably to that Revelation And it will not be amiss to give my Reader these two further directions First If at any he be attaqued by any adversary of this Divine doctrin I advise him in the first place to hold him strictly and peremtorily to the Original revelation and to put him to disprove if he can that God is one that the Father is God the Son God the Holy Ghâ—st God understanding by God the most High God Soveraign of all the World If he cannot do this as you may see by the Testimonies forecited he cannot with any shew of reason do then suffer him not to quarrel at the explanation and fall foully as their manner is upon the terms Trinity and Personality and such like expressions which though they be not literally aâ—d syllabically found in the Scriptures yet are agreeable to the Original Revelation of this Doctrine therein contained and fairly Expolitory thereof And having given this hint or admonition which I think very needfull at this time let me in the closing up of this Discourse advise all those that have any true desire to walk in the narrow path of Truth and Holiness which leads to everlasting bliss to labour in the first place judiciously to understand this Sacred Doctrine according to the Original Revelation thereof made in the Scriptures When this is done the explanation thereof as we have here delivered it will not seem harsh to them nor to contain any thing unsuitable to that Revelation And let me add this one word more that I fear the failing of so many mens profession as we have seen of late years has begun with their relinquishing this Foundation This has been the fatal miscarriage of those poor deluded Souls called Quakers and I am afraid of some others more learned than they If they could be brought to a right understanding of this Doctrine of the blessed Trinity as 't is in the Scripture revealed I suppose their other fond imaginations would quickly vanish and come to nothing SECT III. Of the Works of God I Have spoken of the Nature of God Maker of Heaven and Earth and his glorious Attributes and of the Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Divine Nature I come now to speak of his works Viz. Creation Providence And First of Creation The Apostle Heb. 11.3 Of Creation tells us that by Faith we understand that the Worlds namely the inferior middle and superior as the Jews were wont to distinguish them and all the Creatures in them were made and framed by the Word of God And certainly this goodly Fabrick of Heaven and Earth was not from Eternity as Aristotle that great Philosopher destitute of Scripture-light was inclin'd to believe but was created and made at that time when it seemed best to the infinite Wisdom of God And the special Motives as we may humbly conceive which inclined him to make it were a desire and purpose to express his infinite Power to declare his transcendent Wisdom and Goodness and to exercise his all-wise Providence all conducing to the manifestation of his own glory and praise Some Creatures he made immediately out of nothing as the terminus a quo by a proper Creation giving them a reall being which before they had not Other things he made out of some prae-existent matter which matter he had before made out of nothing by a mediate and improper kind of Creation As he made Adams body out of the dust of the earth * The remembrance of this should be an Antidote against Pride in all his Posterity Abraham Gen. 18.27 acknowledges himself but dust and ashes cum sis humillimus cur non es humillimus says Bernard and Eves of Adams Ribb When Solomon was to build a Magnificent Temple for God he needed many Materials * Ex nihilo nihil fit id est Physice a Creaturis Sod non vaâ—â—t regula si intelligatur iâ— Deo and many Workmen and they many Tools But God did not so He made all without any Coadjutor or any Instrument by the sole word of his command And when he looked upon every thing he had made behold all was very good Neh. 9.6 Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host the Earth and all things that are therein the Sea and all that is therein and thou preserved them all and the Host of Heaven worshippeth thee Colos 1.16 For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created The chief of the Creatures God created were Angels and Men. All the Angels were at first made holy and happy Spirits Some of them continued in their obedience to God and are still Angels of light others of them fell from God by pride and disobedience and are become Devils of darkness First I shall speak of the good Angels
not their first Station they sinned against God and by sin fell from their happiness 3. Let us inquire how they came to sin Being created pure they had no lust within to incline them to it and being in Heaven they had no Object without to draw or allure them to it neither had they any â—empâ—â—r before one or more of their own number fell to intice them to it Some late Divines conceive that the great Angel â—ow called Belzebub first fell and then drew others by his tâ—mptaâ—ion and seducement into the same rebellion and disobedience with himself For Matth. 25.44 we read of the Devil and his Angels and Matth. 12.24 of Belzebub the Prince of Devils From whence we may probably conjecture there was some Prince or Chief of the Apostate Angels who was the Ring-leader in this faction and rebellion against God And if any shall further inquire how sin came into the Angels at first all that we can say is this They were created good yet mutable and they voluntarily chose not to abide in their first estate 'T is Gods Prerogative only to be immutable All Creatures though never so pure if not assiâ—ted by grace are mutable and may sin Job 4.18 Behold he put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly The Angels being mutable Creatures might fall from their righteousness if left to themselves and some of them did fall and God charged them judicially with folly for it They were created in a blessed state and from that they might and some of them did fall But however it was we may assure our selves God was not the cause of their fall by infusing any evil into them Neither is he to be looked upon as consenting to their sin in that he did not hinder them from it or in that he did not support them by his Grace For he oweth his Grace to none and giveth it when and to whom he pleaseth And in the Angelical Nature as well as the humane he would discover his Justice and his Mercy and the freedâ—m of his dispensations 4. Let us consider the time when they fell How soon they fell we cannot certainly determine 'T is probable they fell very soon For Joh. 8.44 Satan is called a Murderer from the beginning and 1 Joh. 3.9 'T is said the Devil sinneth from the beginning that is soon after the Creation That these Angels were created plainly appears from Col. 1.16 And probably they were created on the second day when the Heavens the proper place of their residence were created 'T is certain they sinned before Man fell For the Devil in and by the Serpent seduced Eve Gen. 3.1.2 Cor. 11.3 5. Let us consider their number 'T is certain that the number of these Apostate Angels is very great and that there are very many of them going up and down in the World as may appear by this that an whole Legion of them was in one man Luke 8.30 * Legio apud Romanos continebat 12500 miâ—ites numâ—rus certus pro incerto ut ipse Daemon explicat But how great their number is cannot by us be certainly determined 6. Let us consider their Nature Properties and Employment 1. They are Spirits of great knowledge cunning and subtilty They are subtil by Nature and by long experience in tempting since the beginning of the World their subtilty is much increased They can transform themselves into Angels of light 2 Cor. 11.14 But this is observable they never move to good as 't is good but as it may have some evil consequent upon it And further they know how to suit their temptations to the several tempers of men They have much Natural and Experimental knowledge so as they can discern hidden causes and virtues which mans reason cannot reach unto They know how to apply actives to passives they can guess notably at future events but as for a certain knowledge of them unless of such things as depend upon necessary causes or have been some way or other made known unto them by God that they have not That knowledge is proper to God and accordingly he challengeth it unto himself Isai 41.23 Shew things that are to come hereafter that we may know ye are gods says he of the vanities and Idols of the Heathen They are of wonderful sagacity to judge of mens hearts by their outward gestures and carriage In a word they are wise enough to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge 2. Their malice is very great This is set forth to the life 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil like a roaring Lyon goes about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith His malice is so great that he goes about doing mischief though he knowes that he gets no good by it nay though his punishment will be so much the greater for the mischief he does His malice is great against all mankind but principally against the Saints and Servants of God First Because they bear the Image of God Secondly Because they through grace resist his temptations here and shall as approvers of Christs righteous sentence judge him hereafter 1 Cor. 6.3 3. They are Spirits of great Power though it be limited by God so that it cannot be exercised but when and where and how it pleaseth him The Devil doth exercise his power as far as he is able to the hurt of the Children of men but especially to the hurt of the Saints obstinately endeavouring to hinder them from enjoying that happiness which he lost 4. They are Spirits of great industry to do mischief as we may see Job 1.6.7 The Devil not only does all the outward mischief he can but he tempts also by inward suggestions For being a Spirit he hath communion with our Souls and Spirits and can dart evil thoughts into us thus he filled the heart of Judas to betray his Lord and Master Thus he provoked David to number the People 1 Chron. 21.1 His temptatioâ—s are many times suddain impetuous importunate And his suggestions may oftentimes be known from those that arise from our own corrupt hearts by the suddenness violence and unnaturalness of them Those that arise from our own corrupt Natures are usually pleasing unto us But if the teâ—ptation be against the light of Nature as for one to kill a friend whom he dearly loves and do fill the Soul with horror as blasphemous thoughts do those may be reckoned as Satans fiery Darts For they torment the mind as poisoned Arrows do the body And by an humble recourse to Christ for help we should labour to quench these fiery Darts Our Saviour himself was tempted by the Devil to most hideous things Matth. 4. And having been tempted himself he knows how to succour those that are tempted Heb. 2.18 The Saints of God therefore should encourage themselves from these considerations 1. A restraint is put on Satan in all his temptations 1 Cor. 10.13 He
is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able 17. Consider the experiences of Gods faithful servants who have been so assaulted and how they have been delivered Scarce any of Gods Children but have been more or less assaulted at one time or other Let their experiences of Gods support and help be thy encouragement 18. Instantly repel the Devils temptations do not muse or think too much upon them Divert from them turn thy thoughts if thou canst possibly to something else 19. If the Devil still follow thee with his Temptations take the advice of some faithful friend or Minister to whom impart thy case keep not the Devils counsel If thy House be on fire call for help Climacus in Scala Paradisi makes mention of one who was tempted Twenty years together his mind being infested and turmoil'd with most grievous blasphemous thoughts who by revealing his condition at last to a faithful friend was suddainly delivered from them 20. If none of these ways will do then not in a proud manner but holily despise the Devil as Travellers use to do barking Dogs This is Gersons counsel who says he knew one suddainly cured thereby And adds this as the reason thereof spiritus quippe superbissimus non diu patitur se contemni For this proud Spirit the Devil will not long endure or suffer himself to be contemned Of Providence Of Providâ—nâ—e Having spoken of the first of Gods works viz. Creation I come now to the second viz. Providence concerning which I shall make these inquiries 1. What Providence is and wherein it consists 2. How it may appear there is such a Providence 3. What is the extent of this Providence 4. What are the Objections usually made against this Doctrine 5. What are the Vses and Practical improvements we should make hereof 1. For the First Providence is a work of God whereby he sustains governs and orders all the Creatures according to the good pleasure of his will to his own glory It consists in two things 1. Conservation 2. Gubernation 1. Conservation The Providence of God manifests it self in preserving the Creatures he hath made Col. 1.17 In him all things consist Heb. 1.3 He sustains all things by the word of his Power All the Creatures as they were made by God so they continually depend upon him for the supporting and continuing of their Being their Virtue and Activity Psal 39.6 Thou preservest Man and Beast Neh. 9.6 Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host and the Earth and all things that are therein the Sea and all that is therein and thou preservest all and the Host of Heaven worshippeth thee 2. Gubernation Gods Providence reaches all rules over all his Creatures Psal 22.28 The Kingdom is the Lords he is the Governour among the Nations Eph. 1.11 He worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Lam. 3.37 Who is he that saith it cometh to pass and I the Lord command it not Joh. 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work * Una eum Patre continue operor etiam Sabbatis mundum portans regens miâ—acula faciens cum eo hoc ipsum saenitatis opus efficiens But Secondly How may it appear there is such a Providence Answ 1. From Scripture 2. From Reason 1. The Scripture clearly bears Testimony to it Amos 3.6 Shall there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Isai 45.7 I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good James 4.15 For that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this and that Job 5.12 He disapppointed the Devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise 2. Reason plainly shews it There are several Arguments from Reason that may perswade us to the belief hereof 1. The Regular order and wise contrivance of all things in the World with their mutual reference and subserviency of one to another together with their exact fitness and commodious aptness for the several uses and purposes for which they were designed the beauty the elegance the regularity that appears in the several parts of the Universe the regular Motion of the Heavenly bodies the vicissitudes of day and night and of the Seasons of the Year Winter Spring Summer and Autumn the production of Minerals the growth of Plants the generation of Animals according to their sâ—veral species and kinds the gathering the Inhabitants of the Earth into several Nations under distinct Policies and Governments their mutual commerce for the supplying the necessities of each other with such things as their several Countries afford the giving to so many Millions of People a different face whereby the Husband knows his Wife the Father his Child the Master his Servant the Creditor his Dâ—btor the subject his Prince are so many Arguments to prove that there is an all-wise Providence that presides over and governs the World and to conceive otherwise must needs be extremely irrational 2. The Natural instincts that God hath put into unreasonable Creatures which direct and move them to do things very wise and rational for their own preservation is another argument of Providence Prov. 6.6 7 8. Go to the Ant thou sluggard consider her ways and be wise which having no guide Overseer or Ruler provideth her meat in the Summer and gathereth her food in the Harvest Jer. 8.7 Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming 3. The suitable provision that God hath made for all his Creatures is another argument to prove a Providence He provideth food for all Aves sine Patrimonio vivunt Minut. Fael and conveyeth it to them in that quantity and Season which is fittest for them Psal 145.15 The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet our Heavenly Father feedeth them Psal 147.9 He giveth to the Beast his food and to the young Ravens which cry 4. It cannot consist with the infinite wisdom and justice of God not to preside over and govern the World which he hath made To conceive this great ship of the World to be left without a Pilot to govern it and all things here below to be neglected and suffered to run at random without any wise Agent to superintend over them and to order and regulate them surely is very irrational 5. Gods manifest appearing sometimes in executing visible and remarkable punishments on bold and
for which justly to correct them 2. God may love his Children with a great love even then when he does sorely afflict them 3. Though godliness have the promises of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yet this is to be understood with this limitation so far for thas to the infinite Wisdom of God seems fit and good and convenient for his People and no further 4. The prosperity of the wicked is but a seeming prosperity 'T is many times really hurtfull to them Eccles 5.13 I have seen Riches says Solomon reserved for the hurt of the owners thereof Yea not only for their own hurt but for the hurt of many others round about them 5. The outward calamities of the People of God through his sanctifying of them tend to the prosperity of their Souls to the increase of their graces and furtherance of their glory 'T is good for me says David Psal 119 71. that I have been afflicted 6. Eternity is long enough to punish the wicked who most prospered in their wickedness and to reward the righteous who suffered most deeply for their righteousness Having thus spoken of the Nature of Divine Providence and the extent of it and answered the Objections usually made against it let us now considâ—r what improvement we ought to make of this Doctrine 1. Let us all own and acknowledge and take notice of the Providence of God actually working in the World Let us not impute events to chance or fortune or fate but labour to see and take notice of an all-wise and Soveraign Providence over-ruling ordering and disposing of all things here below God is King and Lord of the World and does and will govern the Creatures he hath made 2. Let us earnestly beg Gods Providential care over us and humbly trust our selves and our concernments to his disposal Let us stir up and excite our selves to depend on his Providence from such considerations as these 1. There is no better way to obtain any good thing we desire than by an humble depending on God for it and referring our selves to his holy will no surer way to miss any good thing we desire than to be peremptory and inordinate in our desire of it 2. Why should we not depend on God now who took care of us in the Womb and when we hung on our Mothers Breasts and hath all our life hitherto taken care of us 3. How easily can God help us in our greatest difficulties 4. Why should we not depend on God for accessaries on whom we must depend for the main 3. It the Providence of God governs the World let us not disquiet our selves upon any of these accounts 1. Because we are at present under many and various afflictions For let us consider First all afflictions have their commission from him Job 5.6 Affliction comes not out of the dust 'T is God that brings us and our afflictions together Secondly He suits and proportions our afflictions He knows the strength of the Disease and what Physick is necessary to remove it Successive afflictions are his câ—urse of Physick to remove a stubborn malady Thirdly He sanctifies afflictions to his Children and betters them by them and so they tend to their great advantage 2. Let us not disquiet our selves in reference to our Posterity We are apt to be very thoughtfull what will become of our Children which we shall leave behind us But let us consider though we must go hence yet the Providence of God never dyes Gen. 48.21 Behold I die says Jacob to Joseph but God shall be with you and bring you again to the Land of your Fathers Let us commit our Children to the care of that gracious Providence which hath watched over us for our good all our days 3. Let us not disquiet our selves in reference to the Church of God Let us remember what our Saviour hath promised viz. That the gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church Matth. 16.18 4. Let us labour to get an interest in the Essential love and favour of this God who governs the World by his Providence if he be our reconciled Father in Christ we need not fear what Men or Devils can do unto us 5. Let us study the promises especially those that are made to assure us of Gods caring for us Such as Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose See also Psal 84.11 And Heb. 13.5 6. And lastly let us reflect upon our former experiences of Gods merciful care over us and his gracious ordering our affairs and concerns for us when we humbly trusted in him and thereby let us encourage our selves to trust in him with a Holy confidence for time to come CHAP. II. Of Man SECT I. Of the happy state wherein Man was created Maker of Heaven and Earth COncerning Man we are to consider Three things 1. The happy estate in which he was created 2. His fall 3. The way and means of his recovery 1. The happy estate in which he was created This I shall labour to clear in several Propositions 1. God made man at first after his own Image The Image of God in man consisted principally in these Three things 1. In the Nature of mans Soul which being a Spirit represents God who is a Spirit And this I may call his Natural Image 2. In the gracious qualities wherewith it was at first indued viz. Knowledge Holiness Righteousness which I may call his moral Image So that mans Original moral rectitude may be understood to consist in these particulars 1. In the perfect illumination of his mind whereby he understood the Will and Law of God and whatever concerned his duty 2. In the ready compliance of his heart and will therewith 3. In the obedient subordination of his sensitive Appetite and his inferiour faculties to the guidance of his inlightned mind and holy will And every part of this Original righteousness was con-natural and con-created with the Nature of man and a qualification which fitted and prepar'd him for communion with his Creator 3. In the Dominion God gave him over the Creatures here below Gen. 1.26 Psal 8.6 7 8. Thou madâ—st him to have Doâ—inion over the works of thy hands thou hâ—â—t put all things under his feet all Sheep and Oxen yeâ—â—â—d tâ—e Bâ—â—ts of the Fiâ—ld the Fowl â—f the Air and the fish of the Sea c. Further his bâ—dy was so exactly framed at first as to be a habitation for so excellent a Sâ—ul a fit instrument for its Opâ—â—ions and in it there were some traces of the Divine Majesty 〈◊〉 â—orth as a body is capable of representing the Soveâ—aign of the 〈◊〉 viz. In the Majesty and comeliness of mans face and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—nance Therefore God says He that sheds mans blood by man 〈…〉 blood be shed For in the Image of God created be him Geâ— 9. â— Having thus shewed how God
his Disciples Matth. 13.16 17. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear for verily I say unto you that many Prophets and Righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them It was meet that the glory of a clearer discovery of eternal life should be reserved to Christ himself Now the veil is done away 3. A less forcible influence and efficacy accompanied the old administration than doth the new The spirit of Christ is now poured forth more abundantly since his Ascension and a more mighty operation of the Spirit accompanies the ministry of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 4. A more servile spirit acted in those who were under the old Administration they being drawn generally more by the terrors of the Law than by the promises of Grace 5. In respect of extent they much differ For the old was revealed but to few in comparison viz. to the Jews and their Proselytes whereas the grace of the Gospel is held forth to all Nations 6. The old Covenant was to last but for a time viz. till the time of reformation Heb. 9.10 but the new is to last unto the end of the world and shall never wax old or wear away 7. They differ in respect of their Sacraments Circumcision and the Passeover which were the chief Sacraments under the old Administration were bloody Sacraments for Christs blood was then to be shed But under the new our Sacraments are unbloody for Christs blood is shed 8. They differ as to the manner of their ratification The old was ratified by the blood of the Levitical Sacrifices the new by the blood of the Son of God Having thus spoken of the Covenant of Grace in the general and of the old and new dispensation thereof in particular let us now consider what use we are to make of this Doctrine 1. Let us bless God for making this Covenant with faln Man Let us consider the freeness of it There was nothing in us but our misery to move him to it And he made no such Covenant with the Angels that fell 2. Let us consider the sureness of it God hath confirmed it 1. by his word and promise 2. by his oath 3. by his sea 'T is indeed called sometimes a Covenant and sometimes a Testament A Covenant with reference to God the Father who hath made this gracious Covenant with the children of men and in it hath promised many great priviledges and blessings unto them that perform the conditions therein required He promises in this Covenant 1. That He will be our God Heb. 8.10 And that is a very large and comprehensive promise 2. That He will forgive all our sins And therefore when God shewed mercy to his people of Israel He is said to have remembred his Covenant Exod. 2.24 And the Saints of old did use in their approaches to God to plead this Covenant and to ground their Faith and Hope on it Psal 74.20 Jer. 14.21 3. That He will renew and sanctify our natures and write his Law upon our hearts 4. That He will put his fear into our hearts that we shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 and so will preserve us by his grace and power from total and final Apostacy 5. That no outward thing that He sees good for us shall be wanting to us 6. That He will give us Eternal glory in the other life And as it is called a Covenant with reference to â—od so 't is called a Testament with reference to Christ who by his blood and death confirmed it and as a Testator bequeathed life and salvation to all penitent Believers He having all power and authâ—rity given him both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 2. Let us bless God that we were born under the best dispensation of the Covenant of Grace 'T is an unvaluable mercy to be born under the new Covenant or Gospel dispensation This is called a bettter Covenant as being established on better promises Heb. 8.6 viz. more spiritual more clear and more extensive The old was a ministration of the letter 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. It literally declared what was to be done but comparatively there was little spiritual ability afforded for the performing of the things injoyned I say comparatively the old had but a weak operation in respect of the new Not that the old had no Spiritual efficacy For many under it were eminent in Grace as Abraham Moses Josiah Hezekiah c. but the more plentiful effusion of the Spirit was reserved till Christs Ascension 3. As ever we expect to injoy the priviledges and benefits of the Covenant of Grace let us make conscience to perform the conditions therein required which are these 1. Repentance which is a Grace necessary to prepare us to receive Christ 2. Faith in Christ We cannot become the Children of God but by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 3. Obedience which is a grace necessary to inable us to walk answerably to this holy Covenant Deut. 10.12 13. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul To keep the Commandments of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good CHAP. III. Of the Mediator between God and Man SECT I. Of the Titles of the Mediator I believe in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. JEsus Christ the only Son of God is the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace Concerning whom we shall inquire 1. What his Titles are by which he is called The Titles given him in the ancient Creed are four Jesus Christ the only Son of God our Lord of all which I shall speak in order 1. Jesus Jesus which signifies a Saviour God by an Angel gave him that name Matth. 1.21 He was designed by God the Father to perform for the Children of Men whatsoever is implied in his name Jesus denotes the work and business for which he came into the World The Angel told the Shepherds Luke 2.11 unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord so 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners and here let us consider how Jesus is a Saviour and why truly and properly so called This will more particularly appear if we consider the great evils he saves us from and the great benefits he hath purchased for us 1. He saves us from the guilt of sin By his exact Obedience to the Law and by his Sufferings and Passion he hath made satisfaction to the Justice of God for our sins He hath trod the Wine-press of his Fathers Wrath for us Rev. 19.15 He hath born our sins in his
stone rolled to the door of the Sepulchre Matth. 27.60 Thus the design of the Jews made his Grave with the wicked intending he should be buried with them who were crucified with him But the design of Heaven placed him with the rich in his death and caused a Councellor and a Ruler of the Jews to bury him So that we may interpret that place of Isaiah thus He was buried nigh to the wicked yet with the rich when he was dead Our Saviour notwithstanding the malice of the Jews being thus honourably buried The Chief Priests desired of Pilate that the Sepulchre might be made sure lest his Disciples should steal him away which was accordingly done the Stone being sealed with the publick Seal and then a watch was set upon the Sepulchre We come now to consider what improvement we are to make of this Article 1. Then seeing Christ did really die and was buried let us testifie our communion with him in his death by dying unto Sin 2. In his Burial by the burial of the old man 3. In his Resurrection by rising unto newness of life This the Apostle hints to us as our duty Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life SECT VI. Of that Article in the Creed Descended into Hell He descended into Hell AFter Christs Crucifixion Death and Burial the Creed subjoyns He descended into Hell In treating of which I must in the first place suggest this that this Article of Christs descent into Hell was not in the antient Creeds 'T is not found in the Rules of Faith delivered by Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 2. by Origen lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tertullian Adversus Prax. cap. 2. 'T is not in those Creeds that were made by the Councils as explications of this Creed particularly not in the Nicene where the words are these He was Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures It was not in the Roman or any of the Oriental Creeds This being premised we come to consider this Article which cannot with any shew of reason be understood of Christs Divine nature which is every where present and cannot be said either to ascend or descend It must therefore be understood of his humane nature And here it will be needful to enquire whether it be to be understood of his Soul or of his Body If it be to be understood of his Soul it must be meant either Metaphorically or really Some understand it Metaphorically and so by Christs descent into Hell they understand those inexpressible sufferings of his Soul a See Calv. Instit lib. 2. c. 16. which of all his sufferings were the most grievous by which he felt the wrath of God in his Soul for our sins But these sufferings were all antecedent to his death he having suffered part of them in the Garden and part on the Cross and all before he commended his Spirit into the hands of his Father and said it is finished and gave up the ghost But the descent into Hell as it now standeth in the Creed seems to signifie something done after his death Besides the torments of the damned are surely such as these 1. Remorse of Conscience or the never-dying worm 2. A bitter sence of an utter rejection from the favour of God 3. Despair of ever being eased of that unsupportable misery Now certainly none of these could befall our Saviour He did not endure so much as for a moment any of the Hellish torments Therefore surely in this sense Christs Soul did not descend into Hell Others hold that Christs Soul did really and by a local motion descend into Hell This they pretend 1. To prove and that from three places of Scripture And 2. To assign the ends for which he did thus descend We shall examine both First They say that though these words are not formally expressed in the Scriptures that Christ descended into Hell yet they are contained virtually in them which they will prove 1. From Eph. 4.9 Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth by which they understand Hell For answer by the lower parts of the earth I humbly conceive is meant the earth it self which is the lowest part of the World as Heaven is the highest For before Christ could ascend unto Heaven it was necessary he should descend to the Earth by his incarnation but there was no necessity of his descending into Hell And further the Grave may be called one of the lower parts of the earth in opposition to the surface or upper part of it on which we live And this is all that seems to be meant in this place 2. They pretend to prove it from 1 Pet. 3.19 where 't is said that Christ being put to death in his humane nature was quickned or raised up again by the power of his Spirit or God-head by which he preached to the Spirits in Prison whence they infer that he descended into Hell to preach to the Spirits there in torments Answer From these words it appeareth 1. That Christ preached in the dayes of Noah by the same Spirit by the vertue and power of which he was raised from the dead But that Spirit was not his Soul but something of a greater power 2. those to whom he preached were disobedient all that time the long-suffering of God waited for their repentance and return while the Ark was preparing And 3. Their Souls or Spirits for their disobedience are now in Hell and for refusing of that mercy that was offered to them by the preaching of Christ 'T is true indeed this was not performed by an immediate act of the Son of God as if he had personally appeared on earth and actually preached to the old world but it was performed by the Ministry of Noah who was guided and inspired by his Spirit and accordingly is called a preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 The third place they alledge for the maintenance of their opinion is Acts 2.25 26 27 a place that relates to Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell c. Therefore say they surely Christs Soul did locally descend into Hell I Answer Soul is sometimes taken properly only for the Soul or Spirit of a man sometimes improperly for the whole person as Acts 27.37 We were in the Ship two hundred threescore and sixteen Souls Sometimes the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nephesh which signifies a Soul doth also signifie a dead body as Levit. 19.28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead Levit. 21. v. 1. There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people Numb 6.6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no
and when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet 3. For a further proof of his Resurrection let us consider the manner of it and his several Appearings after it 1. Very early on the first day of the week with a great Earthquake our Lord arose and an Angel descending rolled away the stone and sate thereon The watchmen are frighted away 2. Mary Magdalen Joanna Mary the mother of James with others come to the Sepulchre with spices prepared to embalm him The Angel speaks to them not to be affraid but to come and see where Jesus had been laid but was now risen He bids them go tell his Disciples that in Galilee they should see him 3. The women go and tell the same to the Disciples but their words seemed to them as idle tales 4. Peter and John run to the Sepulchre and see the linnen cloaths in which Jesus was wrapped but his body was not there They return home wondring but Mary Magdalen still stayed there weeping and looking back she saw Jesus yet thought it had been the Gardner but upon his speaking to her she discerned that it was He. This was his first appearing after his Resurrection 1. Appearing She goes to imbrace his feet which he forbids but sends her to tell his Disciples whom he calls his Brethren which she accordingly does but they believe her not The other women run to the Sepulchre to try if they likewise could see him and being there told by the Angel that he was risen Christ meets them in the way and sayes All-Hail and sends them to his Brethren to tell them they should meet him in Galilee 2. Appearing This is his second appearing The affrighted watchmen who had fled into the City and had acquainted the Chief Priests with all that had hapned have money given them to say that his Disciples stole him away while we slept But how miserable a fiction was this For if they had stoln his body away which yet they did not could they have put life into it 3. Appearing And we see our Saviour is alive again His third appearing was to the Disciples that were going to Emaus His fourth was to Simon Peter 4. Appear His fifth appearing was to his Disciples met together Thomas being absent 5. Appear Here he shews them his pierced hands and side See these things morefully set down in the 8th Ch. of the 6th Book of my Harmony and eats a piece of a broiled fish and an honey-comb with them bids them tarry at Jerusalem till the gifts of the Holy Ghost should be poured forth upon them He gives them a new Commission and breaths on them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost adding whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained Thus he appeared five times on the day of his Resurrection His sixth appearing was to his Disciples on the eighth day after his Resurrection 6. Appâ—ar being the first day of the Week Thomas being present whom he condescends so far to satisfie that he cries out my Lord and my God 7. Appear His seventh appearing was to several of his Disciples at the Sea of Tyberias as they were fishing he helpeth them to a great draught of Fish having before caught nothing whereby they knew him Peter casts himself into the Sea to swim unto him The other Disciples come to him by boat He eats with them bread and fish He asks Peter thrice whether he loved him and commands him to feed his Sheep He foretelleth him of his future sufferings and reproves him for his Question concerning John 8. Appear His eighth appearing was on a Mountain in Galilee to above five hundred at once Where he gives commission to his Disciples to go and teach all Nations and baptize the Converted And promises that not only many shall be converted to the Faith but that miraculous gifts of the Holy-Ghost shall be conferred on them that believe as casting out Devils speaking with tongues c. and that he will be with them and their successors to the end of the World â— Appear His ninth appearing was to James His tenth and last was on the fortieth day after his Resurrection 10. Appear At which time having commanded them to wait at Jerusalem for the descending of the Holy Ghost upon them and answered their question whether he would restore the Kingdom to Israel at that time or no He led them forth to Mount Olivet and there lifting up his hands and blessing them he was carried up into Heaven a Cloud receiving him out of their sight Two Angels appearing to them assure them that he will so come to Judgment as they had seen him go to Heaven And thus much for our Saviours several appearings after his Resurrection Fourthly Let us consider how our Saviour arose The principal cause of his Resurrection was God himself For no other power then that which is Omnipotent can raise the dead as the Apostle intimates Acts 2.32 This Jesus hath God raised up Eph. 1.19 20. according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places This great work is attributed to the Father but not to him alone For to whomsoever that infinite power doth belong by which Christ was raised That Person must be acknowledged to have raised him The Son of God therefore being of the same essence and consequently of the same power with the Father and the same being true also of the Holy Ghost we must accordingly acknowledge that the Father Son and Holy Ghost raised up Christ from the dead John 2.19 21. Jesus said unto them destroy this Temple and in three-days I will raise it up he spake of the temple of his body So that not only God the Father raised the Son but also God the Son raised himself by the power of his Divinity which was never separated after his incarnation either from his Body or his Soul 5. Let us consider the time when he arose viz. on the third day from his passion This was foretold of the Messias not only that he should rise again but that he should arise the third day after his death it was typified by Jonas as we shewed before Our Saviour did rise properly on the third day after his death and he was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth synecdochically the whole time or space of three dayes being put for a part of it Our Saviour rose the first day of the Week and his Resurrection being so eminent a declaration that he had fully accomplished the work of our Redemption from thence the Sabbath was changed to that day Acts 20.7 And upon the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them 1 Cor. 16.1 As I have Ordained in the Churches of Galatia
given because that Jesus was not yet glorified 6. He ascended that he might prepare a place for his members John 14.2 In my Fathers house are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you Heb. 6.20 Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck 5. We come to consider the time when he ascended viz. forty dayes after his Resurrection Acts 1.3 The reasons why he continued so long we may suppose to be these two 1. to confirm unto his Disciples his Resurrection and assure them of the truth of it and 2. To instruct them in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God 6. Let us consider the place from whence he ascended viz. Bethany that part of Mount Oliveâ— which was near Bethany 7. Let us consider how he ascended viz. while he blessed his Disciples he was parted from them And while they beheld a Cloud received him out of their sight We come now to consider what improvement we ought to make of this Doctrine 1. Christs ascension confutes the Popish Doctrine of transubstantiation He is not really and corporally present in the Sacrament He is not there for he is ascended into Heaven 2. It makes for our consolation It may serve to encourage us to go to God in all our necessities seeing we have so powerful an advocate at Gods right hand 3. Seeing Christ is ascended it may assure us that if we be his members we shall ascend also The head being ascended the members must likewise in due time ascend John 17.24 Father I will that those also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me The Apostle speaks of the ascension of true Believers as a thing already effected by Christs ascension Eph. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that is having by that power by which he raised Christ from the grave quickned us and bestowed a new spiritual life upon us he hath also in assured hope raised us up from the dead in Christ our Head and hath set us with him in Heaven For He sitting there who is our Head we who are his members may at present not unfitly be said to fit there also in him and shall infallibly come thither in due time 4. It may take away the fear of death yea make it desirable to us if we be members of Christ seeing it will but carry us thither whither he is gone before to prepare a place for us Therefore the Apostle sayes Phil. 1.23 that though he was in a strait betwixt two whether he should desire to die or live considering the need the Philippians and others had of his Ministry yet as for himself he had a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better than to continue in this World Having thus spoken of Christs ascension to Heaven sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty it remaineth that I speak of the other part of the Article viz. his sitting on the right hand of God the Father Almighty Concerning this Article we shall shew these things 1. That the promised Messiah was to sit on the right hand of the Father 2. That our Messiah did after his ascension sit on the right hand of God 3. We shall shew the importance of this phrase 4. What improvement we are to make of this Article 1. The promised Messias was to sit on the right hand of the Father This was foretold Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool That those words were spoken concerning the Messiah may appear from Mat. 22.44 and Acts 2.34 35. 2. Our Messias after his ascension did sit at the right hand of God Mark 16.19 He was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God This was an honour never promised never given to any but the Messias Heb. 1.13 To which of the Angels said he at any time sit on my right hand The Angels indeed stand about the Throne of God but never any of them sate down on his right hand But our Saviour was so assured of this honour that before the Chief Priest and Elders when he saw his death contrived and his Cross prepared he expressed his assurance of it Luke 22.69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God And the Apostle Peter speaking of him after his Ascension 1 Pet. 3.22 sayes Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him 3. Let us inquire what is the importance of this phrase sitting at the right hand The intent of the Holy Ghost is not to shew what bodily posture Christ is in but what dignity he is in therefore in Scripture Christ is sometimes said to be at Gods right hand Rom. 8.34 1 Pet. 3.22 sometimes to sit on Gods right hand as Mark 16.19 sometimes to stand * Sedere judicantis est stare vero adjuvantis G egor at Gods right hand and thus he appeared to Stephen Acts 7.55 56. as ready to assist him as ready to plead for him as ready to receive him 'T is true God being a Spirit hath no material parts no right hand or left hand but he is pleased to condescend to our capacities and to speak to us after the manner of men among whom the right hand is the most honourable place Thus 1 Kings 2.19 Bathsheba was placed on Solomons right hand The right hand of God must therefore be taken here metaphorically not properly And so it signifies 1. The great honour given to Christ 2. The great Power and Dominion he hath obtained in Heaven It imports his Kingly Power and it was his solemn entry upon his Regal office as to the execution of that full dominion which was due unto him For worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 Therefore he said after his Resurrection all power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 And the Apostle tells us Phil. 2.8 9. To him every knee shall bow that is that all should be subject to him The principal end of this Regal Office of Christ is the effectual Redemption and actual Salvation of all those whom God hath given him And whosoever or whatsoever opposeth their Salvation is by that opposition become his enemy And seeing the Promise of God cannot be evacuated our Saviour must exercise this his Regal Power at the right hand of God till all such enemies be subdued 1 Cor. 15.25 For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet And when the whole Office of the Mediator shall be compleated and fulfilled
Angels with him 3. A Throne will be set a Tribunal a seat of Judgment erected Mat. 19.28 The Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory c. Rom. 14.10 For we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ 4. There will be a personal apearance of all men before this Tribunal He shall judge both the quick that is those found alive at his coming upon whom a change different from death shall pass and the dead viz. that died before * It was a singular extraordinary priviledge vâ—uchsafed to Enoch and Elias that they should not diâ— But according to Gods ordinary and usual dispensation It is appointed to all men once to die Heb. 9.27 Acts 10.42 5. The Actions and Works of those that shall be judged shall then be manifested 1 Cor. 4.5 He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsells of the heart Eccles 12.24 God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil The Books will then be opened viz. 1. The Book of Gods Omniscience and Remembrance Mal. 3.16 and the book of Conscience Jer. 17.1 6. The Statutes shall be produced upon which they shall be tryed and found guilty or not-guilty And they are two 1. The Law of Nature written on Mans heart at his creation which requires perfect obedience and which God gave man power at first to perform 2. The Law or Covenant of Grace Now we shall all be found guilty upon the first Statute Woe to us if we be cast by the second also To prevent this let us set our selves seriously to repent of all our sins and by a lively faith lay hold on Christ and take him for our Lord and Saviour and faithfully endeavour to conform our selves unto his precepts 7. The evidence or witnesses that will be ready to prove the indictment against all impenitent sinners especially such as lived under the Gospel are 1. God the Father whose mercy was by them so wretchedly slighted 2. God the Son whose blood they trampled under their feet 3. God the Holy Ghost whose blessed motions they so often resisted 4. All faithful Ministers who strove with all affectionateness to draw them to Christ 5. All good Parents Governors Masters or faithful Christiaâ— friends among whom they lived who gave them faithful counsel for the welfare of their Souls and a good example 6. All their sinful companions who were partakers with them in their sins 7. Their own Consciences which are a thousand witnesses 8. The Judge will pronounce sentence upon every one according to his works And this will be twofold 1. Of Absolution 2 Of Condemnation 1. Of Absolution to the Righteous in these words come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Matth. 25.34 The Saints of God shall first be acquitted before the wicked be condemned that they may afterwards joyn with Christ in Judging the World 1 Cor. 6.2 There the Apostle tells us that the Saints shall Judge the World that is not Authoritatively but by way of Approbation approving and magnifying Christs Righteous Sentence on Devils and wicked men and giving some such approbation probably as that of the Angel Rev. 16.5 Thou art Righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast thus Judged Thus all the Saints shall be Judges but some of them more eminently as Assessors with Christ as is intimated concerning the Apostles Matth. 19.28 ye shall sit upon twelve Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel 2. Of Condemnation upon the wicked Matth. 25.41 Then shall he say to them on his left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels 9. The execution of the Sentence and disposing of the persons Judged to their everlasting state according to that sentence Matth. 25.46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal The sentence is irrevocable no reprieve to be expected Then there will be an everlasting separation between the Righteous and the Wicked 4. What will be the consequents of this Judgment 1. Christs resigning up his Kingdom not his essential Kingdom but that which he administred as mediator to the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 2. The burning of the World of which we read 2 Pet. 3.12 By which fire some think the World shall not be utterly consumed but renewed clarified and refined I come now to the Application which I shall reduce to three heads This Doctrine of the day of Judgment may be useful 1. By way of exhortation to all 2. By way of consolation to the Righteous 3. By way of terror to the Wicked 1. By way of exhortation to all 1. Let us all labour to strengthen and confirm in our selves a belief of this great Article There is no Doctrine more certain in the word of God nor more clear and fundamental than this of the day of Judgment Heb. 6.2 2. Let us frequently meditate on it let us often think on those awakening places 2 Thes 1.7.8 The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Jude verse 14.15 And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him To think often of this great day may prevent many a sin Psal 58.11 Verily there is a reward for the Righteous and doubtless there is a God that Judgeth the earth 3. Let us all solemnly prepare our selves for this great tryal by setting up a Judgment Seat in our own Souls before-hand 1. Let us seriously examine our state towards God Every one is either a Child of Wrath and Perdition or a Child of God and an heir of Heaven Let us examine whether we are the one or the other We keep a great stir about Sects but the truth is there are but two great Sects or Parties in the World And those are either such as are for the present in the state of Nature or such as are in the state of Grace Let us therefore seriously consider to which of these two we do belong Let us consider what our present state is Have we the marks of a converted person upon us or no Has the work of sound conversion ever passed upon us or no Let us remember
unto Holiness 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The end of Christs gathering them out of the World to be his people is that they may be holy and a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works Thus Moses speaking of the Congregation of Israel Deut. 7.6 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God That is they were so by destination and engagement though many of them were not really soâ— 2. The Church may be called holy because it trains up people in the wayes of holiness and godliness 3. It may be called holy in respect though not of the greater yet of the better part of it whom God hath sanctified by the graces of his holy Spirit The other Attribute of the Church is Catholick Catholick as it is not in the Scriptures so was it not anciently in the Creed but inserted by the Fathers of the Constantinopolitan Council It signifies General or Vniversal Now the Church is called Catholick 1. In respect of place It being not now shut up in the narrow bounds of Judea but diffused through the World 2. In respect of persons All sorts of persons being promiscuously called to Faith in Christ Neither Jew nor Gentile neither bond nor free being excluded Gal. 3.28 3. In respect of times It comprehending all the Faithful that have been in all times and ages ever since the giving of the first promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head And to our Saviours dayes and since then to the age in which we live and is to contitinue from hence by a continual accession to the end of the world Nay it doth not only include that part of the Church is now militant on earth but that also which is triumphant in Heaven Both they with us and we with them make one body mystical whereof Christ is the Head And all together together with the antient Patriarches and other holy men of God which lived under the Law do make up that one glorious Church which is called in the Scriptures the general Assembly the Church of the first born whose names are written in the Heavens Heb. 12.23 Catholick then the Church may be called in regard of extent whether we consider time place or persons 4. In respect of Doctrine because it maintains the Catholick Doctrine quae semper quae ubique quae abomnibus credita est Adversus Haereses c. 3 as Lirinensis d sayes which hath allwayes and in all places by all sorts of real Christians been received as Orthodox Catholick in this sence is the same with Orthodox and a Catholick Christian the same with a true professor A private Christian may be called Catholick in this sense And thus the Fathers of the purest times made use of this word Catholick to distinguish themselves from Hereticks according to that famous saying of Pacianus Christianus mihi nomen est Catholicus cognomen Christian saith he is my name and Catholick my sir-name By the one I am known from Infidels by the other from Hereticks And so long as the main body of Christians retained the form of wholsom words and kept the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace it served fitly for a distinctive mark to know an Orthodox Professor from an Heretical But when the main body of the Church was once torn in pieces and every leading faction would be thought the true Church of Christ they took to themselves the name of Catholicks also And thus our great Masters in the Church of Rome have appropriated to themselves the name of catholicks accounting all men Hereticks that differ from them and do not hold communion with them in their errors And then they defend themselves by the name of Catholicks from having dealt unjustly with their fellow Christians men every way more Orthodox than themselves But let them talk what they will the Church which is truly Catholick containeth within it all those Congregations which are truly the Churches of Christ And all persons whatsoever who are true Christians belong to it So that whosoever is not of the Catholick Church cannot be of the true Church out of which ordinarily there is no Salvation 3. I come now to the distinctions of the Church 1. The Church of Christ may be considered either as Militant or Triumphant The Church Militant is that company of Christians here on earth who are in warfare warring against Satan the World and the Flesh 2. The Church Triumphant are those Saints who having vanquished and overcome those adversaries do now reign and triumph in Heaven This distinction is founded upon Ephes 3.14 15. Where the Apostle sayes I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family in heaven and earth is named The Family in Heaven is the Church Triumphant The Family on Earth the Church Militant of which the Apostle himself was one when he said 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith The Triumphant we may read of Rev. 7.9 After this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their hands Having thus premised this distinction of the Church Militant and Triumphant I come now to speak particularly of the Church Militant 1. Then we must know that the Churcrh Militant here on earth consists partly of such as are truly of it partly of such as only in respect of their outward profession belong to it As the Holy Ghost speaks Rev. 2.9 of some who professed themselves Jews I know the Blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan so we may say of some who profess themselves Christians that they are very far from being such in truth and reality For prophane persons and hypocrites are rather in the Church than of it The Militant Church is either visible or invisible The visible Church is a visible company of people professing the Gospel whether they do it in truth and sincerity or no. It doth consist of good and bad It is compared to a net cast into the Sea which gathered of every kind c. Matth. 13.47 And to a field wherein were both wheat and tares Matth. 13.24 And to a great house wherein are vessels of several sorts some to honour some to dishonour 2 Tim. 2.20 The invisible Church consists of such as truly are what they profess themselves to be It is called invisible because it is not visible to the eyes of men They can see the profession but whether it proceed from the heart or no they cannot see The Invisible Church therefore is hid in the visible and there is no more difference between them than between the whole and a part 3. The Church Militant is distinguished into Particular and Vniversal A particular
Church is a company professing the Faith in some particular place Thus we read of the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 1.7 that is Churches that were in seven Cities in Asia as appears verse 11. Yea we read of Churches in particular houses as in the house of Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16.5 and in the hâ—use of Nymphas Col. 4.15 The universal Church is the whole company of Believers that profess Faith in Christ throughout the world All Christians as Christians who profess and hold the essentials of Christianity are the Catholick or universal Church And all Congregations consisting of lawful Pastors and Christian people associated for personal communion in the worship of God and holy living are particular true Churches though they may also much differ in degrees of purity This is the universal Church as upon earth Otherwise as I said before the universal Church comprehends both the Saints on Earth and the Saints in Heaven The Church of Rome most absurdly affects to be called the Catholick Church yea Roman Catholick Cathotholick imports the universal Church and Roman but a particular The Church of Rome was once indeed an eminent part yet but a part of the Catholick or Vniversal Church But now she is so degenerate and corrupt that she is termed Babylon Rev. 1.7 And the people of God are commanded to come out of her Rev. 18.4 And I heard another voice from Heaven saying come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Did the Church of Rome in the Apostles dayes worship Images Did it pray to Saints Did it pray for the Dead Did it perform its Divine Worship in an unknown tongue Did it withhold the Cup from the Laity Was this the Primitive practice of the Church of Rome I suppose the Romanists themselves will not assert it We can make it appear that we hold the same Faith that was of old delivered to the Saints and that we have not departed farther from the Church of Rome than they have departed from this Faith and the truth of Christianity Yet the Papists notwithstanding use to ask us where was your Religion before Luther To which we answer wherever there were any true and real Christians before Luther among them was our Church This is the Church we profess our selves of And surely there were many more more Christians at that time in the world then those that were in the Cummunion of the Church of Rome 'T is true Christianity that makes any to be Christians and members of the Catholick Church it is not every inferiour truth that doth so neither doth every error cast a man out of it That Church then which comprehended all the true Christians in the World is the Church we were of before Luther We do not confine the Catholick Church to any Sect or Party Protestants we hold are the soundest part of this Church but not the whole Church All within the Communion of the Church of Rome that are true Christians we allow to be of this Church And the same we say of the Greeks Armenians Ethiopians Abyssines or any other professing Christianity And though the Papists talk much of Antiquity if they will try whether their Doctrine or ours be the sounder we are willing to appeal to Antiquity Let the eldest way of Religion carry it We are of a Religion that is not less then sixteen hundred years old For we hold the Doctrine delivered by Christ and his Apostles which they have shamefully departed from But the Papists farther ask us If their Church be not the true Church what is become of our Fore-fathers who died in the Communion of their Church We answer They might live and die in the Communion of that Church and yet be free from many of the gross errors in it And God might graciously pass by their ignorance and weakness who had not so great a light as we have to shew them the error of the Romish Church We do therefore in Charity think that some of our Ancestors formerly and some of the Papists at this day who hold and believe the main Articles of the Christian Faith and do live good lives according to their knowledge may be saved but not by their Popery but by their Christianity And thus much of the distinctions of the Church 4. I come now in the last place to speak of the notes of the Church which are these three 1. True and sound Doctrine preached 2. Right administration of the Sacraments For as those are more or less purely administred so the Church is more or less pure 3. Obedience to Christ and his Doctrine Discipline indeed is necessary for the preservation of the Church in purity of Doctrine and Manners yet it belongs not to the very being but to the well being of it But here a question may arise How is the Church said not to erre Answ 1. The whole doth not erre though some particular Church may 2. The Church doth not erre universally though in some points of Doctrine it may which are not essential or fundamental to Salvation Let us now consider what improvement we are to make of this Article 1. This shews us the admirable priviledge of every truly regenerate sanctified person who is most certainly a member of the true Catholick Church All true Christians are Catholicks in a better sense than the Romanists use that word But whosoever is wicked and prophane let them talk they are for the Church c. 't is manifest they are not members of Christs Holy Catholick Church 2. All that are true members of the Catholick Church should keep close to the Catholick Rule of Faith and Life which is the will of God revealed in the holy Scriptures 3. They should labour for a Catholick Spirit and Catholick affections which may incline them 1. To love all Christians as Christians for Christs sake though they may differ from them in some particulars A true Catholick Spirit is for union among all the People of God 2. To compassionate all real Christians in their sufferings and afflictions Rom. 12.15 16. 3. To pray earnestly for the prosperity of the Catholick Church and to be solicitous and much concerned touching the welfare thereof And all true members of the Catholick Chhurch may comfort themselves with this consideration that they have a share in the paayers of this Catholick or Vniversal Church now Militant upon the Earth SECT III. Of the Communion of Saints the Communion of Saints COncerning this Article we shall inquire 1. Who may truly be called Saints and wherein the true nature of Saintship doth consist and how the Saints are distinguished from others 2. Who are those persons with whom these Saints have Communion For the first 1. By the tenure of the Gospel we shall find that those are truly and properly Saints who being called with an holy calling have not been disobedient to it but are indued with a holy faith uniting them to
Christ and are purified thereby and are Sanctified by the holy Spirit of God and by vertue thereof do lead a holy life daily endeavouring to perfect holiness in the fear of God such persons are really and truly Saints and being true members of the Church of Christ are the proper subject of this Article 2. Who are those persons with whom these Saints have communion and in what doth this their communion consist 1. The Saints of God living in the Church of Christ have communion with God the Father praying unto him and praising of him trusting in him and exercising such acts of worship as he requires 1 John 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ David affectionately expresseth his desire of this communion Psal 42.1 As the heart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God 2. They have Communion with God the Son 1 Cor. 1.9 God hath called us to the fellowship of his Son For being united to Christ by faith they are thereby made partakers of his Righteousness and receive spiritual life and grace from him for the sanctifying of their natures and sincerely endeavour after conformity unto him 3. They have communion with God the Holy Ghost The Apostle hath two wayes assured us of the truth hereof one Rhetorically by a seeming doubt If there be any fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2.1 The other directly praying devoutly for it 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen This is the communion which the Saints enjoy with the three blessed persons in the Trinity John 14.23 If any man love me sayes our Saviour he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And the presence of the Spirit cannot be wanting where these two are inhabiting for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his The Spirit therefore with the Father and the Son inhabiteth in the Saints For know ye not saith the Apostle that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 4. The Saints of God living here in the Church of Christ have communion with the Holy Angels They are Ministring Spirits for our good Heb. 1.14 They rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner They do many good offices for the people of God which possibly they are not sufficiently sensible of And this their Ministry is exercised as 't is probable about the ordinary concernments of our lives and not in some extraordinary cases only 5. The Saints of God living in the Church of Christ have communion with all the Saints departed out of this life and admitted to the presence of God The Godly on earth do in heart and affection converse with the Saints in Heaven And 't is probable the Saints triumphant wish to the Saints militant the happiness they enjoy and possibly pray for them in general though their particular cases they may not know But we are not to think as the Papists fondly conceive that they interpose their merits for us and that for this cause we are to invocate them or perform any Religious worship towards them These are but inventions of mans brain wanting warrant from the word of God 6. The Saints of God living in the Church of Christ have communion with the Saints living in the same Church If we walk in the light sayes the Apostle we have fellowship one with another 1 John 1.7 And another Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit they are are all baptized into one body So that they have communion one with another in these offerings 1. They all joyn together in the use of and have benefit by the same ordinances and all partake of the same promises are all ingraffed into the same stock and receive life from the same root 2. According to their places and calling they teach and admonish one another 3. They endeavour to walk by the same Rule and to mind the same things * Acts 3.16 Heb. 3.13 4. They pray one for another Ephes 6.18 and Jam. 5.16 Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 5. They comfort and encourage one another in the wayes of God 6. In respect of temporal things they are ready to succour relieve and help one another according to their abilities Having thus opened the nature of this Article let us now consider what are the instructions we should learn from it 1. If we believe this communion of Saints which hath been before described then let us seriously consider whether we have a part and share in it or no. There are many instead of communion with God and with Christ have communion with Satan and instead of communion with Saints have communion with the ungodly and wicked and joyn with them in the practice of iniquity in swearing swaggering drinking revelling and scoffing at Saints and Saintship and this they account and call good fellowship But let no man deceive himself The Apostle tells us 1 John 1.5 6 7. That God is light and in him there is no darkness at all If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another c. 2. If we have a share and part in this communion it should inflame our hearts with an ardent love to all that are within this communion If similitude of shape or feature will beget a kindness if congruity of manners and disposition will unite affections what great love should there be among all the Saints who have the same image of God stamped upon them and are acted by the same spirit Surely all that are true members of Christ should heartily desire and pray for the welfare of all their fellow-members And should have their hearts touched with the miseries that befall either the Church of Christ in general or the particular members thereof See Amos 6.6 3. A belief of this Article should teach us that as we are to do good to all in our several places and according to our abilities so especially to those who are of the houshold of Faith SECT IV. Of Forgiveness of Sins the forgiveness of sins REmission or Forgiveness of Sins is a priviledge that belongs to them who are true members of Christs holy Catholick Church That we may the more clearly explain this Doctrine we shall consider 1. What Sin is 2. What are the kinds of it 3. What is the wages due to it 4. By whom sins are forgiven 5. Vpon what account they are forgiven 6. What forgiveness of sins doth contain in it
7. What is required of them who may expect this great priviledge 1. We shall consider what Sin is and what is the foul nature of it that so we may the better estimate the great goodness of God in pardoning of it The Apostle shews us 1 John 3.4 that Sin is the transgression of the Law The Law of God is the rule of the actions of man and any deviation from that rule is a Sin and brings us under guilt 2. Let us consider what are the kinds of Sin Sin is either original or actual 1. Original Sin is by the Church of England in her Articles described to be a fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is engendred of the off-spring of Adam whereby man is very far gone from original Righteousness and inclined unto evil In which description three things may be observed 1. Original sin is the corruption of the nature of every man descended from the loins of Adam 2. It is a departure from that original Righteousness wherewith the Lord enriched Adam and our selves in him 3. 'T is an inclination to evil So that the whole race and off-sping of Adam who were then radically seminally and potentially in his loins were infected with this contagion As the Scripture sayes of Levi that he paid tythes in Abraham to Melchisedec Heb. 7.9 10. For he was then in the loyns of his Father Abraham when Melchisedec met him So all we and the whole race of Mankind were in Adam when he lost himself And that we are all from the womb tainted with this original corruption * Unum illud peccatum fons est aliorum Becan and depravation of nature is plain and manifest from these Scriptures Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Ephes 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath even as others And that even Infants themselves are tainted with this original corruption may appear from this that they are liable to death Now Death is a wages no way due to Infants for actual sins for actually as yet they have not offended therefore there must need be in them some original guilt some birth-sin which makes them liable to death 2. Actual sin which is the fruit of original is any action or commission or any omission repugnant unto the Law of God 3. Let us consider the wages of sin The Apostle tells us Rom. 6. last The wages of sin is death The wages due reward and fruit of sin is death But life eternal is the fruit of righteousness not as its wages but as a gift freely given by God upon the account of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ Every sin therefore being a deviation from the Law of God brings us under guilt and guilt makes us liable to suffer the punishment which is due to our sins and proportional to our offences And our offences are augmented by the consideration of the dignity of the person against whom they are committed And being committed against God must therefore needs be very heinous and bind us over to suffer eternal punishment except we obtain a pardon and our sins be remitted 4. Let us consider by whom sins are remitted 1. Men may forgive offences committed against them so far forth as they concern them Luke 17.3 4. If thy brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him and if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him But as Sin is a transgression of Gods Law so God only can forgive it 2. 'T is God the Fathers Prerogative to forgive Sins Isaiah 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgression for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins 3. God communicated this power to his Son while he was here on the earth who had power of forgiving sins as part of that power that was given him both in Heaven and Earth Mark 2.5 and 7. When Jesus saw their Faith he said unto the sick of the Palsie Son thy sins be forgiven thee The Scribes ask who can forgive sins but God only Their position was good that God only can forgive sins but their supposition false that Christ was a meer man and not God as well as Man 4. Ministers may forgive sins not authoritatively but Ministerially and declaratively They preach remission in Christs name declare what persons they must be and what they must do who shall obtain it 5. Let us consider upon what account and for whose sake sins are forgiven The external impulsive cause inclining God to pardon us our sins and trespasses is the respect he hath to the obedience and sufferings of our Saviour Jesus Christ The Apostle tells us Rom. 3.24 that we are justified freely by the grace of God as by the internal impulsive cause of our justification by which he was first moved to forgive us our sins and then through the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ as the external moving or impulsive cause of so great a mercy The death of Christ is the meritorious cause of our forgiveness Mat. 26.28 For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Ephes 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Acts 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses 1 John 1.7 And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood God is indeed said to remit our sins but never to remit the price without which we had never been redeemed The Law promised life but upon perfect absolute uninterrupted obedience and the voice thereof was Do this and live But this we failed in we need therefore the interposition of the Sacrifice of Christ for us The atonement made by the Sacrifices under the Law clearly had relation to the death of the Messias and whatsoever vertue was in them did operate through his death alone As he was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world in Gods decree so all atonements which were ever made were only effectual through his blood So that no sin was ever forgiven but by vertue of that satisfaction and God was never reconciled to any sinner but by intuition of that propitiation Yet the general doctrine of remission of sins was never clearly revealed and publickly preached to all Nations till the coming of our Saviour in the flesh 6. Let us consider what forgiveness of sins doth import and contain in it Forgiveness of Sins doth comprehend in it reconciliation of an offended God and a
Resurrection of the just John 6.39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day verse 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day 1 Thes 4.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him Verse 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep verse 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ sholl rise first Let us now consider what improvement we should make of this doctrine 1. Let us take heed of erring about this doctrine Let us take heed of the leven of the Sadducees who said there was no resurrection Acts 23.8 There are two sorts of persons that exceedingly erre about this doctrine 1. Those that affirm that there is no other Resurrection but that which is Spiritual viz. that of the soul from the death of sin This was the error of Hymenaeus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.17 18. They acknowledged no other Resurrection but the renovation of the mind which passes upon a man in this life Now this Spiritual Resurrection is limited only to true Believers but the Corporal belongs to all that are in the Graves of whom our Saviour says John 5.29 They shall all come forth some to life and some to damnation which cannot possibly be meant of the Spiritual Resurrection and therefore there is another besides that 2. Those that say the same numerical body that died shall not rise again but some new airy body not flesh and blood bones and sinews as ours are made up of But this is a great error For 1. If the same bodies do not arise then 't is not a Resurrection but a new Creation I acknowledge 't is not necessary they should arise with every parcel and particle of flesh they ever had or had when they dyed but they shall rise with so much of their bodies as shall make them the same numerical bodies that died As a man in the Wars if he lose an arm or a leg yet we say and say truly he is the same man still that he was before So the dead shall rise with so much of their bodies as shall when reunited to their souls make them the same persons they were before 2. Our Saviour sayes all that are in the Graves shall come forth that is surely the same bodies that lay there and not other bodies for them Rev. 20.13 'T is said the Sea shall render up its dead surely not new bodies but the old bodies that were buried there 3. The Bodies of true Believers as well as their Souls are united to Christ and thereby made the Temples of the Holy Ghost as the Apostle assures us 1 Cor. 6.19 And can you think Christ will lose any one of his members he assures us to the contrary John 6.39 r 40. 4. The Apostle tells us this corruptible this mortal shall put on incorruption and immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 Therefore the same bodies that are now mortal and must die shall be raised And indeed the Apostle plainly shews all along in that excellent discourse of the Resurrection that he intends that the same body that dyed should rise again 5. It seems most agreeable to the Justice of God that it should be so viz. that the same numerical body that was the souls instrument either in good or evil actions either in works of Righteousness or Sin should partake with the Soul also in its rewards or punishments shall they that beat down their bodies and bring them into subjection or suffer Martyrdom in their bodies for the cause of Christ be rewarded in other bodies than those that thus suffered Or shall that body and flesh of a wicked man which was so great an instrument of his soul in sinning against God and dishonouring of him and hurting others be dissolved into dust and shall another body be framed for that miserable soul to suffer with it those exquisite torments that the damned must suffer for ever Surely this cannot be Therefore it seems most agreeable to the Justice and Providence of God that every one should receive either reward or punishment in his own body which he had here in this life 6. Christ himsâ—lf did rise with his own body viz. with that body that had been crucified And others that had slept in their Graves did come forth thence at our Saviours Resurrection and surely they came forth with those very bodies that slept there and not with new bodies Matth. 27.52 53. * We have here the first fruits of the resurrection to confiâ—m our faith And so much of the first use 2. Let us labour to strengthen our Faith in the belief of this Article And in order hereunto let us consider 1. This Article was that which many faithful Christians were ready to suffer Martyrdom for and to seal with their own blood 1 Cor. 15.29 else what shall they do or what shall become of them that are baptized that is that suffer Martyrdom * For so the word to be Baptized signifies sometimes as Mark 38. and the praepos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies for Acts 9.16 See Apost hist page 182. for the dead namely for professing to believe the Resurrection of the dead And why stand we in jeopardy every hour viz. of the like Baptism for the same profession either from persâ—cuting Sadducees who allow no Resurrection or from the furious Jews who deny Christ to be risen 2. This Article is a great foundation of a Christians hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead For if in this life only we had hope we were of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 3. This Doctrine tends much to the illustrating the infinite wisdom power justice and mercy of God 4. It teaches us how much we owe to our Lord and Saviour who hath redeemed our bodies as well as our souls and will save our bodies as well as our souls 3. If there will be a Resurrection let us not bewail the death of our pious friends with too much sorrow or concernment Their bodies are but laid up for a glorious Resurrection 4. The consideration and belief of the Resurrection should strengthen us against the fear of our own death As God said to Jacob Gen. 46.3 4. Fear not to go down into Egypt for I will go with thee and bring thee
lovely and amiable even in thine humiliation in this World but O how glorious art thou now triumphing in heaven O how beneficial are thy merits how desirable are thy graces O let that fulness of grace that is poured forth without measure on thee flow down to us thy poor members O my Soul imagine now thou sawest thy sweetest Saviour nailed on the Cross his body torn with the nails and his side pierced with a Spear Canst thou chuse but love him who endured so much to redeem thee from eternal misery The Apostle Paul ravished with the love of Christ cryes out If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha The penitent woman in the Gospel to whom much was forgiven loved much Luke 7.47 And shall it not be so with thee Now consider O my Soul Christ sayes if ye love me keep my commandments If thou love him love him in sincerity and delight to please him Love his person highly value his merits love his ordinances love his graces love his commands O my Soul canst thou upon all these considerations say with Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee 5. Excite in thy self love to all Christians to all the members of Christ Pray earnestly that the Lord would protect them and defend them that he would be pleased to perfect holiness more and more in their hearts and unite them more and more one to another in his truth and in the bond of love and make them more exemplary in a holy conversation and supply them with all needful outward mercies and conduct them safe to his heavenly Kingdom 6. Excite love in thy Soul to thy very enemies say to thy self O my Soul thou must forgive if thou expectest to be forgiven Thy dear Saviour requires this of thee Matth. 6.14 If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you Verse 15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses If thou expectest to be forgiven so many thousand Talents thou must not take thy brother by the throat for an hundred pence Matth. 18.28 Thou must labour to be merciful as thine heavenly Father is merciful Readiness to forgive injuries and wrongs is a great sign of a gracious state but malice and revenge is a black mark and character Therefore O my Soul pray for thy very enemies this day Lord convince them of their sins give them hearts to repent of them turn their hearts from them draw them to thy Son that by him they may have pardon and life give them such a frame of spirit that thou maist bless them O that I may meet their souls in Heaven where we shall always love and agree together and never fall out more 7. Awake and excite in thy self spiritual joy and thankfulness Say with holy David bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Hath Christ redeemed thee from the curse of the Law being made a curse for thee Hath he redeemed thee and that not with silver and gold but with his own precious blood Hath he made thy peace with God through the blood of his Cross Hath he vanquished death and Satan for thee Through his blood shalt thou have an entrance into heaven and eternal glory Oh transcendent mercy Oh how great is this Salvation which Christ hath purchased for us On the heighth and depth and length and breadth of the love of God in Christ Jesus Be astonished Oh my Soul at this love and never be forgetful of it call upon the holy Angels to joyn with thee this day in blessing God for these great and glorious benefits and never be unmindful of so transcendent mercies And thus much of the graces we must especially labour to excite and exercise in the time of Receiving There are some other directions also that it will be needful thou shouldst observe at this time 1. Employ thine outward senses so as to stir up in thine heart Spiritual graces For the work of the Communicant lyes not so much between the body and the elements as the Soul and Christ 2. When thou seest the bread broken think of these four things 1. The great pain and anguish our Lord endured when his Body was broken on the Cross Canst thou see Christs body broken for thee and thy heart not break with deep contrition for thy sins 2. Consider the great love of our Lord in submitting to such grievous pains and such disgrace for our sake Think thou hearest him say behold my friends how my flesh is torn and wounded for your sakes Was there ever grief was there ever love like mine 3. Consider the vile and odious nature of sin which brought our Lord to such miseries and required such blood to expiate it 4. Consider what the redemption of every Soul that shall be saved did cost It cost more than all the men and Angels in the World could ever have paid for it 3. When thou takest the bread into thine hands and eatest of it then say Lord thou art the bread of life thou art the only redeemer of lost Souls I freely take thee for my Lord and Saviour I freely consent to the Covenant I was entred into in my Baptism Lord save me and sanctify me O interpose thy merits this day for my pardon and strengthen me by thy grace that I may be faithful to thee to the end and so may at last receive a crown of life Lord behold the Sacrifice of thy Son For the sake of his obedience and sufferings be pleased to be reconciled to me to pardon all my transgressions and by thy grace so to sanctify mine heart that no sin may have dominion over me Fill me with joy and peace in believing If I have found favour in thine eyes give me more and more of the graces of thy holy Spirit and cause me to grow in grace daily and make me fruitful in good works 4. When thou takest the cup into thy hand think again of the wonderful love of Christ that he should purchase us to himself with his own blood Oh the infinite value O the infinite worth of this blood This was the blood that only could make expiation and give God ful satisfaction for our offences One drop of this blood is worth a World This is the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 that is whereby our Saviour ratified and confirmed the covenant which God made with fallen man which covenant shall never be altered O blessed Saviour wash my Soul in this thy precious blood from the guilt of all my sins and cleanse me from all mine iniquities and be to me all that which thou didst intend to be to those who shall be saved by thee By such prayers soliloquies and holy meditations thou should'st labour to Sanctifie thy heart when thou art about receiving this holy Sacrament 5. Joyn with all the rest of the Communicants in a hearty praysing God for
all must not be referred to the Oath it self but to the manner of the Oath that is we must not swear at all falsely rashly or in ordinary communication neither directly by the name of God nor by the creatures And to prevent this our Saviour adds Verse 37. Let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil As if he should have said what you have to affirm * Quod affirmatis vere affirmate quod negatis vere negate Rabbini dicunt Justorum etiam est etiam non eorum est non Ausonius ad Paulinum Cum multa loquaces Ambiguis sererent verbis contra onmia solum Est respondebat vel Non. affirm it simply without an Oath and what you have to deny deny it simply without an Oath * Christianos sui temporis repreâ—endit Tertullianus qui aut ignorantia aut consuetudinis vitio dicerent mehercule medius fidius quod post eum fecit Hieronymus for customary swearing by whatsoever it is that men swear cometh of Satan and the corruption of their own hearts A true and plain affirmation and negation in daily speech is sufficient and if you use any thing more you will be in danger of sinning and falling into the judgment * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heinsius verba Christi Mat. 5. verse 34. ad quae Jacobus sine dubio respicit conjuncta legit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Unde emergit sensus non quidem omninò non esse jurandum cum opus est sed nullum ex jâ—randi formulis tum usitatis usurpandum Heathenish Oaths also are not to be allowed except they will say they personate Heathens in the use of them as aedipol mehercule per Jovem immortalem Cursed be that elegancy that is joyned with Idolatry sayes the learned Downham and condemnation of God Further that our Saviour speaketh here only of private Oaths it is manifest in that the Jews did not in their publick oaths before the Magistrate swear by the creatures but by the name of God only And this may also be gathered out of the Text it self For he saith let your communication or ordinary speech one to another be yea yea nay nay 4. I come now to shew in what manner an Oath is to be taken The Prophet Jeremy instructs us fully as to this Chap. 4.2 Thou shalt swear saith he the Lord liveth in truth in judgement and in righteousness 1. In truth That is truly swearing nothing but the truth and not abusing the dreadful name of God to attest a falshood Zech. 5.4 God severely threatens him that sweareth falsly by his name 2. In judgment that is considerately well weighing what thou art to swear and by whom 3. In righteousness binding thy self to nothing but what is in it self just and right and having a full purpose to perform what thou by oath bindest thy self to and being careful to make it good accordingly Concerning the rites and forms of swearing I find these mentioned in the Scripture 1. Lifting up the hand to the most high God Thus Abraham swore Gen. 14.22 And Abraham said to the King of Sodom I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord the most h gh God c. And thus the Angel swore Rev. 10.5 And the Angel which I saw stand upon the Sea and upon the Earth lifted up his hand to Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever 2. Putting the hand under the thigh Thus Abrahams servant swore Gen. 24.2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house that ruled over all that he had Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh And I will make thee swear by the Lord God of Heaven and the God of the earth that thou shalt not take a wife for my Son of the daughters of the Canaanites And thus Jacob caused Joseph to swear Gen. 47.29 30 31. If now I have found grace in thy sight put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and swear unto me And he sware unto him Our rite of swearing for the Commons of England is by putting the hand on the book of the Gospels and kissing it which is to be understood as I suppose only to signifie our believing in God and expecting help from him through Christ according to the Gospel as we speak the truth Dr. Ames lib. 2. Med. c. 10. sayes that solemnity which in some places is used of touching and kissing the book is plainly of the same kind and import with the elevation of the hand that is it signifies a mans consent to swear and to the oath it self * In Solomons time when they took an Oath they touched the Altar which Ceremony was also used among the Gentiles Whereby was signified that they called him to witness who was worshipped with Sacrifices offered upon those Altars But if any scruple this rite and form of swearing and had rather use that other of lifting up the hand to the most high I see no reason if it may stand with the laws of the Land but that they may be indulged therein this form of swearing being every way as binding as the other 5. I come now in the next place to shew the great evil and sinfulness of rash customary and unnecessary swearing This is a sin very rise and common in our Nation and one of those for which the Land mourns I shall therefore present several arguments and considerations which may sufficiently demonstrate the heinousness of it 1. Consider how Sacred and Venerable the name of our great God ought alwayes to be unto us Every thought and mention of it should be accompanied with reverence 'T is a duty strictly injoyned Deut. 28.58 Thou shalt fear the glorious and dreadful name of the Lord thy God How great a sin then is it to vilify prophane and make it common How high a provocation must it needs be to the Almighty for poor mortals familiarly to toss his dreadful name in their mouths upon every slight occasion and to make it the ordinary expletive or filling up of their speech and language Surely some of the more civilized Heathens were of better minds and used the names of their gods with more reverence But O the impiety of our times How prophanely and irreverently do some who call themselves Christians use the name of the great God whom the Angels in Heaven continually delight to laud and praise crying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Heaven the whole earth is full of his glory Isa 6.3 2. Consider that the second and third Commandments of all the rest have several threatnings annexed to them to shew us how greatly God is provoked by Idolatry and taking his name in vain He threatens he will not hold such guiltless that is he will be so far from absolving or acquitting such transgressors that he will grievously punish them and they shall not escape his just Judgement
3. Consider our tongues should be our Glory The proper end for which God hath given us the use of speech is to glorify and honour him our Creator and to profit one another Our words therefore should be good sound and savoury Let no corrupt communication sayes the Apostle Eph. 4.29 Proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers And our Saviour tells us Mat. 12.36 that of every idle word which is frivolous and fruitless we shall give an account in the day of Judgment And therefore a much more severe account surely men shall give of their wicked swearing blaspheming and cursing which are no proper works for them to imploy their tongues in but a horrible depraving perverting and defiling of so excellent a member 4. Consider what a high pitch of wickedness it is for any to deprave such an holy institution as an Oath is which should always be used reverently and only upon great and serious occasions and to prostitute it to the venting of every base passion and uttering of Pride and Presumption and fearlesness of God and to make that which should be a tremendous Ordinance to us a common slight and familiar thing 5. Consider how dishonourable it is to our Christian profession that those that call themselves Christians should live in such a flat contradiction to the Laws of Christ and should make nothing of familiar and customary swearing which he so severely prohibits Matth. 5.33 James 5.12 Is not this one of the sins for which the name of our Lord Jesus is blasphemed among Turks Jews and Infidels 6. Consider this is one of those sins for which God hath a controversie with a Nation and which hastens down Judgment upon it Hos 4.1 2. Hear the word of the Lord ye children of Israel For the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood Jer. 23.10 Because of swearing the Land mourneth see also Zech. 5 1 2 3 4. Amos 8.14 Zeph. 1.4 5. 7. Consider how highly this sin is aggravated and the guilt of it inhaunced in that there is so little temptation to it Other sins have an external bait and motive either pleasure profit or credit but in swearing and cursing there is none of these O the unreasonableness of this sin What sence is gratified by it or what is there to incite or move a man to it but meerly pride and audaciousness of spirit presumtion and fearlesness of the Almighty Now the less temptation there is to any sin the greater is the contempt of God in the committing of it This sin is therefore much worse than Epicurism * Take not his name who made thy mouth in vain It gets thee nothing and hath no excuse Lust and Wine plead a pleasure avarice gain But the cheap swearer through his open sluce Le ts his Soul run for nought as little fearing Were I an Epicure I could bate swearing The cheapest sins most dearly punish'd are Because to shun them also is so cheap c. Herberts Church-porch for though that be more bestial yet this is more diabolical and proceeding from an obstinate pride and wilfulness more conforms a man to the Devil than other sins do O what a height of wickedness is it for men to sin meerly because they will sin and to transgress the more audaciously because God forbids it 'T is a dreadful doom passed by the mouth of the holy Prophet on such persons Psal 25.3 Let them be confounded that transgress without cause Blessed Lord How infinite is thy patience to bear so long with those hellish Oaths and direful imprecations that the tongues of wretched mortals daily belch out against thee To what a strange pitch of wickedness is the world come that it should be counted a point of bravery and gallantry to swear stoutly and to interlace their language with broad and full mouthed oaths Nay the daring fellows of our dayes as if they were loath to go to Hell the ordinary way have invented new wayes of sinning and such dreadful forms of swearing as may make the heart of any serious Christian to tremble at â—â—e very mention of them These Sons of Belial if they be but crossed in their business or pleasure many times curse and swear like Devils and swear so madly that when they are reproved for it they will swear they did not swear Who is there now that walks abroad especially in our great Towns and Cities but shall here these hellish oaths God damn me or sink me belched out of the mouths of men whose tongues are set on fire of Hell O should we rend our garments every time we hear the name of God blasphemed as the Jews did of old how few sober serious Christians would go in whole apparel Ah besotted Wretches that you should thus sell your selves to do wickedly that you that are but crawling worms should dare thus to set your mouths against Heaven and impudently affront as much as lyes in you the Majesty of the most High Let me speak to you in the language of the Prophet Isay 57.4 Do ye know against whom ye make a wide mouth and draw out the tongue What could your wit wit said I I mean your madness find no cheaper way to undo your selves Are you resolved to try the patience of God and to see how long he can forbear you Are you affraid you shall miss of hell except you sin at a higher rate than ordinary and therefore are resolved by your damning provocations to force your entrance into it and take it by violence Do you fear the Devil will not torment you enough except you do supererogate of him by being more wicked than you had any temptation to be that so you may have a double portion in Hell Could you find out no other way of Damning your selves but by sinning directly against that precious blood and wounds of the Son of God by which others are saved Do you thus perform your Baptismal Covenant whereby you stand ingaged to renounce the Devil and all his works and to fight faithfully under Christs Banner all your dayes What aileth you ye blind wretches Are you in such hast to be with your everlasting companions the Devils and the Damned that you will needs hasten your Judgment and bring on your Damnation with a swifter pace Are you now inuring your selves to the language of Hell and the infernal Tophet that you may not have it to learn when you come thither Poor Wretches what will become of you how soon to your sorrow will your imprecations fall on your heads The Devil whom you have so often wished might fetch you stands eagerly waiting for his commission to do it and then you shall know to your cost whether Gods
imaginable and to this end God usually designs it As he sayes by the Prophet Hosea 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face In their affliction they will seek me early Josephs Brethren are a great instance of this who when they were put into prison and brought into distress then their consciences began to tell them how they had used their Brother Joseph Gen. 24.21 Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 2. By sanctified afflictions he calls for the exercise of their Faith Patience Humility Self-denial and will crown and reward the exercise of these graces which he himself hath planted in them 3. Hereby he crucifies their hearts to the world As Nurses lay worm-wood or some bitter thing upon their nipples when they intend to wean their Children so God imbitters the world oftentimes to his own Children to wean them from it We read how Antigonus seeing a Soldier of his venture upon any danger and observing withal that he was very sickly took care to have him recovered to good health which done the man would not expose himself as before he had used to do alledging that now his life was of more value to him and not to be hazarded as when it was only a burden Thus we see how prosperity makes men love the World whilst afflictions wean them from it 4. Hereby he quickens their devotion and excites the spirit of prayer in them whereas before possibly they were too cold and formal in their prayers now they pray earnestly How did Daniel pray in the Lions den How did Jonah pray in the Whales belly How did the three Worthies pray in the fiery furnace People under afflictions pray at another rate than those do who are at ease and in prosperity 5. Hereby he conforms them unto his Son who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs And the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him 9. Take heed of all eager and inordinate desires There is scarce any thing in this world more dangerous to a man than such vehement desires Omnis inordinatus appetitus sibi ipsi poena est Commonly God crosses eager desires and there is not a more ready way to miss any thing we have a mind unto or to have it cursed to us than over eagerly to desire it Strong affections breed strong afflictions Alas we are very unmeet choosers for our selves We see not what that person or that place or that thing we so eagerly desire may prove Many have been ready with Rachel to say give me children or else I die when those children they have so earnestly desired have afterwards broken their hearts with grief and vexation at their ill-carriage Whenever therefore we find any eager desires or longings in our selves after any wordly thing we should be afraid of them and check them as foreboding ill to us And further we should consider how much our eager desires after worldly things do shame and aggravate the weakness of our spiritual desires We can eagerly long for this or that worldly accommodation can hardly sleep for thinking of it but for heaven or heavenly things how cold how indifferent are we 10. Seeing true Christian contentment is a lesson taught only in Christs School let us all be willing to be his Scholars and put our selves into his School Paul learnt this lesson here I know how to be abased and I know how to abound I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all these things through Christ strengthning of me Phil. 4.12 13. Philosophers have many precepts and directions about contentment but alass they are all short of teaching this lesson effectually Lipsius that had written a book de Stoica Philosophia and had gathered together many of their precepts of Patience when he came to dye a friend of his told him of that book and advised him to remember what he had there written yes sayes he but Domine da mihi patientiam Christianam Lord give me Christian Patience for that is it which I now need But if this lesson be only taught in Christs School you will ask me how does Christ teach it I answer he teaches it three wayes by his word by his example and by his Spirit 1. He teaches it by the Precepts of his word whereby he enjoyns and commands it Luke 21.19 In your Patencei possess your souls 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness Faith Love Patience Meekness Jam. 1.4 Let Patience have its perfect work that you may be intire wanting nothing 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to Faith Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness Because thou hast kept the word of my Patience saith the Angel to the Church of Philadelphia that is my word which I commanded thee to be Patient I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation 2. Christ teaches it by the Promises of his word He hath made many gracious promises in his word which are a great means to support his people and to frame their hearts to contentation in every condition In Heb. 13.5 He hath made a promise of provision for them Be content with such things as you have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Psal 34.10 The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing In Psal 91.11 He hath made a promise of protection unto them He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes Heb. 1.14 Are not they all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation In Jam. 1.5 He hath made a promise of counsel to those that are in perplexity and under trouble If any man lacketh wisdom that is to dirâ—ct him how to govern himself under any afflicted condition Let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not 2 Cor. 7.6 He hath made a promise of comfort to those that are undeâ— great fears and apprehensions of dangers There the Apostle tells us that He is a God who comforteth those that are cast down In Esai 41.10 He hath made a Promise to strengthen his People under great pressures Fear thou not for I am with thee Be not dismai'd for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness In Rom. 8.28 He hath made a promise to order all things for their good We know sayes the Apostle that all things work together for good to them that fear God 3. Christ teaches it by his own example Learn of me saith our Saviour Mat. 11.29 For I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest to your
themselves to consider what kind of life that is that is there lived They savor and relish earthly things but spiritual things seem to them to have no tast in them But the true Christian exercises himself in the meditation of things invisible and lives in the believing views of the excellency and reality of those things and by faith ascertains them to himself The Martyrs had their hearts set on things unseen The invisible comforts and recompenses of the other life bore up their hearts against the terrors of visible and present torments And so much of the causes of Covetousness 4. I come now to shew what are the marks and characters of such as are Covetous and Earthly-minded and who may be stiled men of the World 1. Men whose knowledge and skill lyes only or chiefly about the things of the world They are shrowd understanding men in worldly matters but in the things of God and such as concern their Souls and their everlasting welfare meer Children In the things that concern their trades or professions they are notable men but talk with them about the Covenant of Grace about Conversion and Regeneration about the true nature of Repentance or Faith and they know little 2. Their hearts are chiefly set on these things The things of the World they love and affect as being sutable to their spirits The Apostle commands us 1 John 2.15 Not to love the World nor the things of the World for all the things of the World may be reduced to these three heads the lust of the flesh or sensual pleasures the lust of the eye or riches and such things as are seen with the eyes and the pride of life that is preferments and honours But though the Apostle commands we should not set our hearts or affections on these things yet this is the Worlds Trinity and more adored by them than Father Son and Holy-Ghost 3. Their discourse is chiefly about these things 1 John 4.5 They are of the World therefore speak they of the World Their breath is earthy which they say is a sign of death Talk with them about worldly things none more free to discourse than they But speak to them of matters that concern their Souls they have nothing to say Such discourse is usually unpleasing to them 4. Their pains and endeavours * Rem Rem quocunque modo Rem Ocives querenda pecunia primum est Virtus post nummos are only or chiefly for the things of the World They take little pains about their own Souls or the souls of those under their care but are mighty industrious about the things of the World They rise early and sit up late to acquire them but a short attendance upon religious duties and exercises what a weariness is it to them and they are ready to snuff at it as the Prophet speaks Mal. 1.13 They take a great deal of care and pains how they may live here it may be ten or twenty or thirty years but they take no thought how they should live a thousand years hence when they have left their bodies in the earth Oh were the endeavours of these men for the saving of their immortal precious souls but any thing answerable to the pains they take to get the World how happy might they be God is not always pleased to bless and succeed the endeavours of men who are very diligent in their calling and painful and laborious to get wealth God sees it best to keep them low But what man ever was diligent and serious in seeking the things of eternal life and working out his Salvation that did not find God assisting of him and prospering his endeavours 5. They are very careful to secure to themselves those temporal things but use no answerable care to secure to themselves things eternal They are very careful about the Titles of their Lands and Purchases and hardly ever think themselves secure enough Let a Minister come to one of these men on his Death-bed and ask him concerning the evidences of his estate he will tell him they are all safe in such a trunk or chest But let him ask him what evidences he has that his Soul is in a safe condition Alas He has nothing to say He has not minded those things His Soul is left upon miserable uncertainties He has taken no care to secure to himself erernal * Nulla satis magna secuâ—itas ubi periclitatur aeternitas happiness He has taken care to leave a clear estate to his children but no care to clear his Soul of guilt or to deliver himself from the wrath that is to come 6. They are commonly very solicitous about their own private interest but little or nothing concerned about the interest of Christ or his Church They are wholly and only for themselves We read 1 Sam. 4.13 that old Eli's heart trembled for the Ark of God which was the symbole of his gracious presence among them But how little are worldly and earthly-minded men concerned how it fares with the Church of God provided their own private worldly concernments be safe and secure 7. These outward things they make their trust and confidence They set their prime affections of love and trust upon them in that measure which is only due to God The rich mans wealth is his strong City Prov. 10.16 They make Gold their hope and fine Gold their confidence Job 31.24 Their wealth is the Idol upon which they dote Their confidence and trust is taken off from God and placed upon their riches As the Psalmist speaks Psal 52.7 Lo these are the men that make not God their strength but trust in the abundance of their riches And this their way is their folly and a course very injurious to God who should be the only object of our trust and can only help us in a day of trouble The Scripture doth frequently disswade men from such carnal confidence 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that be rich in this World that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God Psal 62.10 If riches increase set not your hearts upon them And our Saviour himself gives us this precept Matth. 6.19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal For where your treasure is there will your hearts be also And so much of the marks and characters of such as are earthly-minded 5. I come now to shew the great evil of Covetousness and earthly-mindedness 1. 'T is a sin the Scripture testifies very much against 1. 'T is called Idolatry Ephes 5.5 Col. 3.5 because the Covetous man loves * Amor tuus Deus tuus his money more than God and more trusts in it 2. 'T is called the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 'T is the cause