manifest that he was dead indeed Mat. 27. 59 60. Acts 13. 29. Hâ—s humiliation went no further then his life his death was the last act of his obedience He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 7 8. In his humiliation his life was taken from the earth Acts 8. 33. Death put a stop to his humiliation it went no further then his life His lying in the grave was no part of his obedience therefore no part of his humiliation and therefore no part of satisfaction he had a command to dye but none to lie in the grave Joh. 10. 18. 12. 49. Also how could Christ obey when he was dead or did he suffer when he was dead if he did not suffer when he was dead he did not satisfie then when he was dead his humiliation and satisfactâ—â—n consists in his suffering you should have alledged for proofe the Word of the Lord the thoughts of men are vaine The record and testimony of God is truth and the highest authority and only will beare sway in the hearts and consciences of those that love the Lord. For your generall Orthodox Divines we thought they were more divine then other men we fell downe at your feet we thought we could not worship you enough unlesse we shut our eyes and suffered our understandings to be led captive by you if you said to us stand we durst goe no further we were content to see by your eyes and to call things after your names when wee did see any light if you told us it was darknesse wee beleeved you till we found you deceived us Know you not that matters of Religion are to be tryed by the Scriptures onely If an Angel from heaven teach otherwise we reject and detest it It s a poore shift in the want of Scripture to alledge the saying of men in Religion we are to heare none but God Isa 8. 20. The testimonies of men are no proofe all men are lyers in them we do not beleeve Psal 116. 11. Cease from men Isa 2. 22. They doe or may deceive Wee cry nothing but the Word of God in matters of Religion the word we imbrace without men if the Word say it we beleeve it and not else therefore speake Scripture we pray you doe no more scare us with such great words wee know many call you Orthodox and others that differ from you Heretickes you call your selves Divines but why is it because you are exercised in matters divine or because you are made partakers of the divine nature if so then many tradesmen may be called Divines as well as you seeing the Reason is the same Gods being is onely divine Concerning the Intercession of Christ he saith Intercession is an act p. 204. In his intercession he intreateth p. 194. It s his praying for us in heaven p. 176. 179. 185. 189. Intercession is asking p. 339. Christ by his own prayers seconds the cry of his bloud p. 253. Jesus shall intercede for the pardon of them p. 246. The 17. of John is a pattern and instance of his intercession for us in heaven p. 24â— Ans The 17. of John declares Christ spake words in his own person and then the summe of that you say is this That Christ in his person now he is glorified speaks words to God for us c. 2. If it be so then there is no perfection in glory for where perfection is there needs no words God is perfect so is Christ in glory and must Christ speak words to God that God might know his minde and so prevaile is this sutable to a condition of glory in which is perfection 3. Your words imply that God the Father loveth us lesse then Christ that he need to be prayed and intreated c. But Christ is so far from needing any to pray and intreat him that he prayeth and intreateth God for us which cannot be because they are one 1 Joh. 5. 7. Therefore equall in love God the Father is said to Elect us give us to Christ and send Christ to dye for us God is as well pleased with us as Christ is and he loveth us as well as he loveth Christ Christ saith Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Joh. 17. 23 24. The Father himselfe loveth you Joh 16. 26. 27. He of himselfe without intreaty loveth us God cannot love us more nor lesse then he doth his love is infinite without beginning or end that which is infinite is not capable of being greater or lesser and it s the more glorious because it is so his knowledge cannot be greater nor lesse then it is the same may be said of his love he never began to know to will to love they are one in God God is love it s his being 1 Joh. 4. 16. I can say in a holy reverence and confidence in the satisfaction of Christ in admiration and thankfulnesse if God can condemne me let him he cannot deny himselfe the eternity and certainty of the Saints happy estate lesseneth not his love when we conceive of him in the highest eminency we can still we come short we cannot reach it Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me it is so high I cannot attaine unto it Psal 139. 6. O the depth of his wisdome and wayes they are past finding out Rom. 11. 33. Christs bloud speaketh Rev. 6. 9. Heb. 11. 4. So the bloud of sprinkling speaketh within us better things then that of Abel Heb. 13. 24. It speaketh peace to the conscience But he saith Intercession is a praying for us in heaven p. 180. There be many heavens Deut. 10. 14. The kingdome of heaven is within you Luk. 17. 21. The Church is called Heaven Rev. 12. 7. Mat. 11. 12. The ayre is called heaven 1 Kings 18. 45. The heaven of heavens cannot containe God in him wee live move and have our beeing 2. Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us in us The Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us Rom. 8. 26 27. Christ the Father and Spirit are one The Spirit of Christ which was in them 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Lord is that Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17. The Spirit of your Father speaketh in you Mat. 10. 20. Rom. 8. 34. 3. Christ is our advocate and intercessor in respect of that which he did for us in his own person when he was upon the earth before he suffered when he poured out his soule unto death and made intercession for us Isa 53. 12. Holy Father I pray that thou keep them from evill I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. Joh. 17. 9. 11. 15. 19. to 26. 4. Christs intercession holds forth the continuation of the efficacy of the vertue and fruit of Christs sacrifice
deny himselfe Such as are often angry have but little â—udgement and consideration wisdome and discretion A foole is soone angry but not so soon pleased Concerning Books Books doe much good or much hurt There are too many Books and because there are so many there needs more It 's best for ordinary capacities to read but few books and such as are sutable to their conditions Many reade much to little purpose for want of wisdome in choosing books and wisdome to distinguish truth from error and for want of a serious consideration and meditation on that they reade There is more true knowledge and comfort in the study of the Scriptures then in all other books And seeing what God saith must stand it 's best and safest to minde what God saith in his Word and to sleight whatsoever any else say if they speake not according to them Of beleeving No joy and peace without beleeving Our beleeving in Christ is sooner discerned by us then our personall sanctification There is more reason to beleeve God then man but it 's easier to beleeve man then God Oft-times we are willing to beleeve that to be which we would have to be We beleeve more then we see and feele Concerning the body The beauty of the body is a vanity it will soone decay The more we prize our bodies the lesse we prize our soules To spare the body and keepe it tenderly spoyles it and makes it good for nothing He is an enemy to his body that gives it all it craves A moderate dyet is good for soule body The wise prize preserve health of body The most of the paines and diseases of the body are occasioned by excesse in eating and drinking Oft-times that we thinke best to preserve the body will soonest destroy it To pamper the body with costly fare will cause it the sooner to be diseased to perish and rott Many doe so feed and pamper their bodies that they cannot rule them it will end in sorrow The way to be sick is to fill the body with meat and drinke Many thinke that the costliest dyet and drinke is best for the body but it doth not alwayes prove it Sometimes water is better for the body then wine and fasting better then feasting That fasting sweats colds and toile that are immoderate are ill for the body The bodies of many want necessaries because they overflow in superfluities Few men know what is good for their bodies till it be too late Bondage Liberty to sinne is the greatest bondage that can be Outward bondage is not much to a free and inlarged spirit Nothing can doe much hurt when all is well within What can be grievous to him whose eye is fixed on Heaven and knows it to be his own Of outward blessings It 's a great mercy to injoy outward blessings The more common and largely God bestows his blessings the less they are regarded In the want of blessings we come to prize them Of causes Every cause depends upon the first cause The cause and the effect are inseparable Naturall causes will have their operations So much as we judge of things by secondary causes so much we judge amisse Of comfort The immediate and divine comforts are the sweetest Those comforts are the greatest and sweetest that flow from the love of God to us He that lives by faith wants not comfort Full and setled comfort a beleever cannot have untill it be witnessed unto him by the Spirit Comfort without the Word is but false comfort and the Word without the Spirit yeelds but dark comfort Neither the Word nor the Spirit doth teach us to take comfort so much in the work of Christ in us as from Christ himselfe He that grounds his comfort upon a right bottom rightly his comfort will hold and be the same because God is the same To build our comfort upon the change of our lives is a sandy foundation which will fail There is no comfort that will last long but that which is drawn from or confirmed by the word of God We oft seek comfort from the creature which have no power to comfort God takes from his their comfort to give them comfort upon better grounds and for ever God mixeth crosses with comforts and comforts with crosses Soul-afflictions imbitter outward comforts Many consent with Satan to take away their comforts and then say they want comfort Loose walkers shall meet with sorrow in stead of comfort If a childe of God fall into a grosse sâ—nne it will so grieve the Spirit as he shall not injoy so sweet comfort in his soule sin will breake the bones of his comfort The Saints comfort is in Christ who will provide for them while they live and receive them when they dye Consolation After consolation look to meet with temptations and trialls of one kinde or other Crosses Crosses are sent by God to let out selfe Great crosses are good physick for great stomacks Even good men without some crosse are prone to grow corrupt and carelesse Selfe makes the crosse to pinch if selfe be removed the crosse is easie The more crosses a Saint hath the more they doe him good and make him more like Christ All the Saints crosses are appointed by God to doe them good Crosses that come onely by providence wee have most comfort in Though crosses be not pleasing to the flesh they are profitable to our spirits There are but few that make others crosses their own God crosseth men that they may rest on his providence When we are crossed and tempted we shew what mettle we are made on Of cares Cares cause feares and distractions Worldly cares doe greatly distract and make men drunke The cause we are so full of cares feares is because we have so little faith and selfe-deniall and are not content with a little The poore are more freed from care then the rich The consideration of Gods care and providence in providing for birds c. and the wicked besides the promise of God is a speciall means to prevent immoderate care for food and raiment for we are better then lillies or sparrows and our life is more then meate Custome Custome so shutts mens eyes that they cannot see the true visage of things Custome makes hard things easie and bondage no burden and addes delusion to blindnesse Custome without truth is but an old error Forme and custome are deadly enemies to spirituallnesse The rich observe customes and the poore pay deare for them they are starued by them for if that which is spent at burials were wisely bestowed upon the poor it would be much better and so in other needlesse customes Custome by degrees eats out and destroyes Conscience Delight and custome so wraps a man up in sinne that he cannot get free from it Men rock themselves asleepe in the cradle of custome Corruption Corruption cannot be teformed Corruption neither will nor can subdue corruption Concupiscence Concupiscence is strong and raging and hardly
mutable and subject to change Heaven The Saints enjoy heaven out of heaven Heaven and glory are ready for the Saints if they were ready for them No man can set his affections on things above untill he see a vanity and emptinesse in all things below Such as count heaven their home reckon the world a strange Countrey Humility The more we see our selves the more we loath our selves and stinke in our own nostrils worse then carrion Nothing huumbleth us more then the knowledge of our selves According as our humility is so is our knowledge of our selves One may be humbled but not humble Such as are content to be sharply reproved of their faults have humility Our ignorance coldnesse dulnesse deadnesse c. might humble us Heart The heart thoughts words deeds are of one and the same nature What the heart likes best the minde studieth most A man knows not what is in his own heart â—ill tryalls and temptations come Great joy in worldly things and little joy â—n things spirituall shew plainly what kinde of hearts we have for God We daily finde our hearts are worse then we took them to be The heart of man is ready to be glued to every poore contentment Many mens braines deceive their hearts Unlesse the Lord fix the heart on himselfe it will bâ—â—xed and fastened on things below and wander after vanities to fill it selfe withall O the vanity of the minde Watch. If we cease to watch our hearts they quickly become vaine A carelesse watching our own hearts will cost deare Hatred Hatred is irreconsilable That sinne that a childe of God most loved before conversion he hates most when converted Healing God sometimes healeth corruption by not healing it Hope The Saints hope is in heaven in God The naturall mans hope is to get riches honour costly apparrell good cheare ease and pleasure Habits In acquired habits the act goeth before the habit and prepares for it but in infused habits it 's contrary for as we have first the faculty of seeing before we see so we have first the infused habit before we exercise the operation of it Of infirmities No childe of God is free from infirmities errors falls and defects If we did live more by faith our infirmities would be lesse An infirmity is some weaknesse which hindreth us that we cannot doe the good we would but doe the evill we would not An infirmity is an impediment that one would faine remove but cannot A sin of infirmity is alwayes attended with griefe and sorrow if it be an infirmitie those in whom it is do desire to be informed of the evill of it and are willing to be reproved for it and would know how to leave it they plead not for it but complaine to God against it they are ashamed of it and are grieved and abased for it and use all the meanes they can against it Interest Interest blinds mens eyes Inclination Our inclinations declare what we love Idlenesse An idle person is fit for nothing but sinne and temptatation An idle life is much loved and entertained of most men Ignorance Ignorance is the cause of all evill Devotion with ignorance breeds superstition idolatry and persecution Hope with ignorance causeth presumption Feare with ignorance causeth desperation Ignorance causeth men to lay a plaister on a sound place Judgement True judgement stands not upon number nor multitude Impossible things It 's impossible to be conformable to Christ and the world to obey God and the world Joy Every heart seekes joy such as it is There is no sound joy in outward things they reach not the heart but the fancy Worldly joy and sorrow last but a night Outward joyes make a great noise but never truly heale and comfort the heart While we live here we have joy and griefe mixed not this life nor our bodies will admit of perfect joy Spirituall joy opposeth carnall and carnall spirituall the more we relish heavenly the lesse we relish earthly and the more we relish earthly the lesse we relish heavenly In temporall things our joy is greater then the cause in spirituall the cause is greater then the joy Spirituall joy eats out carnall mirth and carnall mirth hinders spirituall mirth None can joy in God but such as injoy him The strength of our joy depends upon the infallibility of our hope Noâ— joy is in the Saints when they are in heaven they shall be in joy Knowledge Knowledge is better then gold and wisdome is better then understanding Knowledge is not given to keep but to impart Knowledge is good but the means of getting it is not alwayes good Knowledge onely in the braine will not subdue finne nor Satan He knows not himselfe that knows not that he is in himselfe as base as the Devill We know but in part It 's easier to informe the understanding then to subdue the will and affections Knowledge is to be reckoned by practice Such as know good things cannot but love and affect them That knowledge that is from God subjects the soule to God By neglect a childe of God may exceedingly decay in his knowledge in the truth In the use of the Scriptures knowledge is gotten Light Light causeth them that see it to follow it Many goe beyond their light The light of truth is knowne but to a few Life The most men seek life where it is not We live in that we minde and love Where our life is our hearts are Such as our life is such is the nourishment of it naturall or spirituall Every life is sed with that which is sutable to it the body cannot be satisfied with that which is spirituall nor the soule with that which is naturall It 's a poore life to live naturally and be dâ—â—d spiritually This life is a dying being we are borne crying and we live laughing and dye sighing The life of man is like a shadow something next to nothing This life keeps us in slavery at the best it 's but a variety of vanities Mans life is vaine and subject to many discommodities and miseries without number Mans life is folly and his death rottennesse Many have comforts few crosses frequent pleasures short and paines lasting God mixeth the life of man with prosperity adversity to shew they are both empty This life is beset with death tends to death and ends in death Love Love begets and kindles love Love disputes least and doth most Nothing is more active and stronger then love Love will venture upon great difficulties Love is strong and powerfull to carry on through all Love and labour goe together What will not one doe for that he loves Love may be perswaded but it cannot be compelled Love not begun upon good termes will end in hatred Love is the greatest Commander in the world Love will have i'ts way at the last Love built on beauty and wealth will not hold because the foundation is sandy Love is active when it is not knowne and cannot be requited Love
a right end meanes and time Untamed passion is the cause of unquietnesse The cause of anger and passion is ignoâ—ance and pride Contrary passions are cured with their contâ—aries as mourning is with joy As unhewen stones so unhewen spirits are uâ—fit for the house of God Of poverty Some to escape poverty run into greater poverty It 's better to be poore and weaned from the world then rich and covetous Many are much afraid of poverty yet it never did any hurt The poore are out of danger of being flattered The heires of heaven are oft pinched with poverty Saints who are Kings lie in prison Men spend their time in idlenesse and wast their estate in costly apparrell and fare and then say they are not able to supply the necessities of the poore people of God A childe of God in his greatest want of outward things is not poore because God is his God A slack hand in giving to the poore and a slâ—ck hand in labour each maketh poore Some have sweetly injoyed God when fed with bread and water and have had sweet smiles from God when they could not see the face of one friend In the want of outward comforts the Saints have injoyed sweet comforts from God they have more experience of Gods faithâ—ulnesse care and love see more of their own hearts are more spirituall and humble and live more upon God and are more weanâ—d from the world then those that are rich Prospeâ—ity Prosperity swels â—he heart with pride The prosperity of fooles destroys theâ— Prosperity causeth men to forget 〈◊〉 and themselves Many a childe of God hath found prosperity hath done him more hurt then good Outward peace begets plenty plenty begets security and idlenesse and idlenesse begets all evill It 's in vaine for those in prosperity to think it will last long Of pleasure Pleasure is a flattering delight The pleasures of the body are the poyson of the soule Those whose eyes are open see outward pleasures to be but meane things The more carnall the heart is the more it affects naturall pleasures In idlenesse delight and pleasures the Devill-easily intangleth men in his snares Theâ— mistake the time and place of pleasures that expect it in this world heaven is the Saints place of pleasure Sin is desired for the pleasure of it but there is more griefe misery then pleasure Sinfull pleasure ends in sorrow Such as delight in pleasure shall finde their greaâ—est pleasure become their greatest pains Such as thinke on the supposed pleasure and sweetnesse of sin are deceived and insnared Promises The promises of God are a great stay and comfort to a childe of God The promises of God are the foundation of the Saints comfort The promises of God are free full and firme The promises of God beares up the soule in all straights There was never any ashamed that did rest onely upon God in his promise The promises of God do not make His neither wicked nor carelesse but more fruitfull and serviceable The wicked desire promises for peace and not to strengthen them against sin One promise from a man pleaseth them more then ten from God Some men are freeâ— in promises then in performances Of praises of men He that prizeth others praises he injoyes not God nor himselfe Prayer Necessity teacheth to pray When the heart is filled with feares prayer powres them out Prayer puts the heart into possession of peace Prayer sweetens all troubles That which a man obtaines by prayer it inlargeth his spirit God by prayer supports his in the greatest troubles Verball prayer causeth great deadnesse There is no duty so counterfeited as prayer is Prayer is more of the minde and heart then of the mouth When prayer is wanting the action of fin is as ready as the tentation Some pray when they should sleep and sleep in prayer and pray when they should worke but wisdome divides to each their proper time and season By prayer we attaine a more sense and feeling of our wants and more strength to pray A good conscience nourisheth faith and faith prayer He that makes prayer the end of his praying rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose What many build up by prayer they pâ—ll downe by their practice by remisness â—lightnesse and frothinesse of spirit Princâ—ples When a principle of error is taken â—or a principle of truth the more it is relied on the worse it is Preacher He that doth not rightly distinguish between the Law and the Gospel is not a good Preacher nor a good Christian Quietnesse Man disquiets himselfe in vaine A quiet soule is the seate of wisdome In tâ—e worst times a Saint may quiet himselfe in God In quietnesse confidence is our strength Untill men be satisfied they cannot be setled quietnesse is the fruit of both Satan hath most advantage against us when we are troubled and disquieted He that is troubled because others words answer not his desires cannot injoy quietnesse They injoy most quietnesse of minde that most submit themselves to the providence of God Reason Naturall Reason cannot be satisfied in things spirituall because they are above the fight and reach of nature Religion The Saints finde sweetnesse in the bitterest things in Religion Where Religion is in truth it is in power and it enableth a man to practise it There are no people one indeed that dissent in Religion It 's not possible for all men to be of one Religion and judgement because their understandings and ends differ When a man differs in Religion those from whom he dissents load on him false things to make him odious thus many condemne as odious those whose arguments they cannot answer nor dare offer to answer Most men love that Religion best which best sutes with their lusts as honour pleasure ease and their bellies A forme of Religion with riches is imbraced rather then the power of Religion with poverty The Religion of many is to be irreligious In these dayes iniquity abounds and many depart from the faith to needlesse dispâ—tes and principles that destroy the foundation of Religion Most men take their Religion upon trust and hold it by the copy of mens countenances and certain reservations and the permission of their lusts Mens lives and Religions are commonly alike He that will not leave his sin for his Religion will leave his Religion for his sin A little Religion will goe a great way in great persons His Religion is to little purpose whose knowledge is not distinct and certain It makes much for the benefit and comsort of a Christian to understand the grounds and principles of Religion Rules When we come to the particular case if it concerne our selves we forget the Rule A weak mens Rules may be better then the best mens actions The Rules of many mens actions are onely tâ—eiâ— own wills Suâ—h as like not the Rules of God in his Word like the Devils and their own Of Ruling When a man comes to Rule he
you judge not lawfull to be admit not to be thought to be and refuse to be called so Heb. 11. 24. Own that Church that owns the principles and doctrine of Christ unlesse there must be an agreement in the principles of faith wee cannot walke together Col. 2. 5. with Amos 3. 3. Follow not every one Luke 21. 8. Jer. 15. 19. Neglect not Christs discipline rest not in Ordinances slight not meane gifts Of your brethren judge and speake the best Mat. 7. 2. Rejoyce at their wellfare defend their credit expound doubtfull matters in the best part 1 Cor. 13. 7. give no offence Mat. 18. 7. Selfe-deniall Seeke not your selfe out of your selfe in the conceits of other men Admit of that which tends to selfe deniall deny selfe-opinion selfe reasoning selfe-counsell selfe excellency parts priviledges credit and all that is great in thy eyes or that which may make thee seeme so Selfe will selfe-comfort selfe ends deny all for the sake of God his truth and people Also you are like to see divisions and distractions use meanes to prevent them Isa 10. 26 27. see 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 2. 3. 1 2. The Sunne darkened Christ obscured heaven will shake and starres will fall from thence Mat. 13. 25. with Heb. 12. 27 28. When you see it be not you shaken Truth Contend earnestly for the truth and suffer for it Buy the truth and sell it not let not mercy and truth forsake thee betray not the cause of Christ Receive not any thing for truth unlesse iâ— appeare in the Scriptures If it be doubtfull what is truth consider which most opposeth the practice of the world which hath the least outward ingagements attending it which tends most to set forth the wisdome and love of God which are most for Scripture and whether their way be in the Scripture or alledge Scripture to prove their way which requires most selfe-deniall which most abaseâ—h man by these Rules yee may know which is the truth and way of God Temptation Trust neither your selfe nor Satan with any temptation Trouble Joy in trouble and persecution be content with any condition for a while it will not be long ere glory come Time Redeeme the time present to doe good in depend not on the time to come for it 's uncertain and not at thy disposing Of Usury It 's better to give usury then to take it but to doe neither is best avoyde both Word Regard nothing but the word of God in matters of Religion World Set aside the vanity of this world trust not in men Wrong Be more willing to receive wrong then to offer any to any Wisdome Be not wise in your own ' eyes Woman Many wise and strong men have fallen by women Fly young women admit no talke with them alone avoyde such persons places and occasions as may tend to insnare thee You cannot be too wary remember how David and Solomon were snared and fell greatly to the great dishonour of God and his truth and people and to their own great griefe and shame to the joy of their enemies and to the hardening of them in their sin Yeeld In things concerning your selfe be yeelding to others as much as you can but in the truth yeeld not in a little Remember Moses yeelded not a hoofe though it was but a small matter Zeale Take heed yee decay not in your love and zeale for God and so fall from your first love Counsell to the unmarried THinke not of marrying untill yee have 1. Sought God by prayer for strength and contentednesse to live a single life 2. Use such meanes as may best fit and inable thee to live a single life Observe a wary and temperate dyet and drinke Jacobs drink Joh. 4. 12. with 1 Cor. 9. 27. fit company fasting and prayer meditation on God diligence in thy calling c. It may please God to inable thee to live chastly a single life 3. Labour to know the conveniences and inconveniences which attend a married life Consider if yee be able and willing to drinke of the bitter cup of discontents which the married oft drinke off what cares and burdens attend that state 4. If upon the use of means for some space you finde your heart inclined to marry feare nothing cast thy care upon God be as wise as thou canst and venture upon a wife or husband in the way of the Gospel then 1. Pray to God to give thee a wise or husband that may be a meet helpe to thee a vertuous wife is the crown of her husband Crowns are rare and honourable every one hath not such a crowne her prise is far above Rubies Pro. 31. 10. No jewell is to be compared unto her shee is a gift of God worth asking 2. Doe nothing rashly snatch not the first that comes to hand prove she well or ill she may please for a moment and be a thorne in thy side for ever after 3. If thou art one of the Lords marry in the Lord love such as God loveth that which is desireable in a man is his goodnesse Pro. 19. 22. so 't is in a woman men seek wealth and beauty without Religion but these things cannot supply the want of Religion externall things will quickly blast and the most resolved loves vanish when the fuell of love faileth 4. Choose one sutable in Religion how can there be amity and love where divers Religions are no opposition is so strong as that which is for Religion contrariety causeth enmity Consider Deut. 22. 11. Job 1. 8 9. 2 Cor. 6. 15. and apply them Secondly Marry not as some doe one as old againe others as young againe such matches are unsutable and dishonourable Thirdly Choose one of a good disposition least yee smart for it a few odious qualities will in time weare off much doating delight Fourthly Sutable in respect of condition of life and ability of body to labour and fare as thy ability requires such as must fare and weare that which is costly and so weake not able to labour are fit for such as can beare it in respect of their states and minds 5. Take heed least yee wrong not any in not performing your promise also have a care of your carriage that yee expresse not your selfe in such a way as shall justly cause it to be interpreted love in that kinde a man may make such a profession of love and yet so expresse himselfe as he shall not be ingaged by promise when by his practice he is and so at pleasure depart to the great wrong and hazard of the other party without giving any sufficient reason of it It were well if the wrongs of this kinde were severely punished by the Magistrate to be an example to others 6. Marry with your Parents consent Deut. 7. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 36. unlesse they extend their authoritie to the hurt of soule and body in some cases the want of it is not sufficient to hinder as in case the party hath
blesse it to thee eye the promise Job 7. 17. Mica 2. 3. to the end Isa 48. 17. Psal 119. 33 34. 86. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 31. 4. 3. 4. 22. Be humble The humble he will teach Psal 25. 9. Come empty of distractions of worldly thoughts and affections Exod. 3. 5. Pro. 27. 7. Luk. 1. 51. Pray shew me thy truth and blesse it to me Psal 119. 18. Pray for him Col. 4. 4. Omit not opportunitie Eccle. 11. 6. Take heed who yee heare and what yee heare In hearing the Word Attend diligently Isa 55. 23. Watch eyes eares hearts sleep not wander not gaze not doe as Acts 8. 6. Minde that which most concernes thee Heare with understanding and judgement put a difference between truth and error Prov. 14. 15. Matth. 13. 13. 15. 10. Job 21. 11. Heare it as the word of God else it profits not Heb. 4. 2. 1 Pet. 2 3. 1 Thes 2. 13. Pro. 3. 4 5. Let it sinke downe into your heart Neh. 9. 25. Luk. 9. 45. Psal 119. 11. After hearing If God hath blessed it to thee Joh. 14. 22. Mat. 13. 17. Psal 147. 20. 1 Cor. 14. 25. hold it fast let it not goe loose it not the ayre of the world Try what yee have heard 1 Thes 5. 21. Acts 17. 11. Acts 8. 34. Rom. 3. 8. Know He that planteth and watereth is nothing 1 Cor. 3. 7. Acts 8. 1. with 11. 19. 21. Acts 4. 13. It 's God that gives the increase give him the glory Thinke on what thou hast heard Phil. 4. 8. Deut. 3. 39. shee pondered Luk. 2. 19. meditation helps the memory and affection and works an inward feeling of it if God blesse it but if we meditate not on it it will doe us no good but come to nothing Apply what thou hast heard to thy severall occasions Practise it Deut. 5. 1. Mat. 7. 26. Jam. 1. 25. God looks for fruit Isa 5. 2. Mat. 21. 34. Luk. 13. 7. Where much is given much is required Luk. 12. 48. Joh. 8. 47. 12. 40. Practise presently I made hast and delayed not Psal 119. 60. Gen. 7. 23. with 22. 3. Abraham went presently they were not to stay but to step in presently Joh. 5. 4. Pro. 24. 33 34. Concerning Reading give attendance to it 1 Tim. 4. 13. To reade with profit requires diligence Pro. 2. 12. Mat. 13. 54. Wisedome in the choice of matters sutable to our necessitie and capacitie and fit time to reade in respect of others businesse God hath made every thing beautifull in it's time Eccle. 3. 11. Pray for a sound judgement and good affections so Pro. 17. 16. An honest heart Luk. 8. Wherefore is there a prise put into the hand of a foole to get wisdome â—eeing he hath no heart to it After reading meditate Psal 1. 2. it makes that we reade our own Confer on it pray and praise Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes Psal 119. He that profits by hearing and reading he must pray continually 1 Thes 5. and not be wise in his own eyes Psal 34. 119. and his ends good 1 Coâ— 10. 31. he must love the Word and hearken unto it Mark 7. 14. and resolve to obey John 7. 17. and search the Scriptures and compare them together John 5. 39. Isaiah 44. 20. He feedeth upon ashes a deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soule nor say Is there not a lie in my right hand THese words declare the dead and miserable estate of man by nature 1. He is without knowledge and understanding he cannot see he cannot understand as vers 18 19. 2. His food is ashes 3. He hath an appetite unto them he lives upon them he feedeth upon ashes 4. The end of his feeding is that he might deliver his soule 5. His mistake and delusion he is turned aside 6. The cause of this delusion is from his own heart a deceived heart hath turned him aside 7. The strength of his delusion is such that he cannot say Is there not a lie in my right hand 8. His soule is taken prisoner by Satan he is a captive to him and is kept by him he cannot deliver his soule 9. He sees and knowes his soule is taken and lost and he would faine redeeme it againe he useth meanes to doe it 10. The fruit of his labours are all lost all his labours and endeavours his best skill and his best actions will not doe him any good they cannot helpe him he cannot deliver his soule he would gladly deliver his soule he would doe any thing he can to doe it but though he doe his best it will doe him no good for he cannot deliver his soule By ashes is meant that which is not bread Christ is the true bread his flesh is meate indeed and his bloud drinke indeed other things may be taken for bread and in appearance have the same colour and forme bread hath but whatsoever it seemes to be it 's not bread indeed but ashes Christ is the living bread that came downe from heaven if any man eate of this bread he shall live for ever see Joh. 6. 32. 35. 48. 51. 55. So that groundlesse hopes false conclusions Idolatry duties ordinances comforts joyes ravishments and what else soever yee can name except Jesus Christ is ashes Christ takes from his all their ashes to give unto them beauty for ashes Isa 61. 3. The words opened By heart is meant the understanding and will Deceived heart mis-informed by Satan darkened so that he thinkes he is rightly informed concerning the salvation of his soule but he is deceived Aside from Christ in whom is deliverance rest satisfaction and salvation Turned him viz. the understanding and will hath a power to turne the soule Soule is meant the whole man a principle part is here put for the whole Deliver escape the danger he is in A lie viz. that which will deceive me in not being unto me that I take it for and that I need that which will never performe that it promiseth to me Hand that which holds viz. the understanding c. Right hand the most eminent for use viz. in those things which are most eminent and of greatest concernment the soule is deceived Obs 1. Naturall men are content to be at great cost to save their soules Thousands of Rammes ten thousands of Rivers of Oyle the fruit of their body for the sin of theâ—r soulâ—s Mica 6. 6 7. This is but ashes Obs 2. There is no life nor strength to be expected from ashes they are no food fit to eate naturally ashes corrupts and destroys the body so these fill the soule with corruption which kills and destroys it as they that have no bread must dye for hunger Luk. 15. 17. Obs 3. The food naturall men live upon is ashes bread they have none they know no better nor desire no bread Isa 52. 2. They like ashes best because they are sutable to their natures judgements
love thy law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 169. 3. Seeing they are the inspirations of God it should cause us to cleave to the Scriptures heare nothing against it prove all things by the Scriptures it will be a speciall means against errors and heresies Christ made use of the Scriptures Luk. 4. 17. to 22. and directed others to doe so Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life for they testifie of me Some deny that Jesus Christ is God The Scriptures prove that Christ is God 1. Because as the Father hath life in himselfe so hath the Sonne Joh. 5. 26. 2. Because the Angels ought to worship him Heb. 1. 6. 3. Because he laid the foundation of the earth Psal 102. Heb. 1. 3. He created all things Col. 1. 6. He made the worlds Heb. 1. 2. 4. He upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. 5. He is the first and the last Rev. 1. 8. 6. He was before the world Joh. 17. 5. 7. He is the everlasting Father Isa 6. 9. 8. The Scripture saith expresly He is God Christ is God The mighty God Isa 6. 9. Very God Joh. 5. 20. The Word was God Joh. 1. 1. 14. Christ who is God over all Rom. 9. 5. Unto the Sonne he saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Heb. 1. 8. That the holy Spirit is God the Scriptures declare the Spirit is eternall Gen. 1. 2. 1. Because God is a Spirit therefore the Spirit is God Joh. 4. 24. 1 Cor. 12. 4. God is truth the Spirit is truth 1 Joh. 5. 6. The Lord is that Spirit 2. We are baptized in the Name of the Spirit Mat. 28. 19. We are equally baptized in the name of the three therefore they are one equall in authority 3. The Spirit creats Joâ— 35. 10. Ps 104. 30. God the Spirit are one inseparably God creats 4. To be the Temple of God and to be filled with the Spirit are all one 1 Cor. 13. 16. with 1 Cor. 9. 19. Luk. 1. 67. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 5. To lie to God and to lie to the Spirit is all one Acts 5. 1. To lie unto the holy Spirit 3. v. Thou hast lied unto God v. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. with Acts 16. 6. The Spirit anointed Christ and sent him to preach Isa 16. 1. Luk. 4. 18. see Isa 48. 17. 7. If the holy Spirit were not God whence is it that a sin against him shall not be forgiven Mat. 12. 32. Shall a sin against God be forgiven and not a sinne against a creature therefore the Spirit of God is God 1 Cor. 3. 6. So for those that deny the Resurrection of the body try it by the Scriptures of them there are two sorts some deny the Resurrection because they beleeve it is past already and there is no Resurrection but that which is in us Ans Christ saith in the Resurrection there is neither marriage nor giving in marriage but are as the Angels in Heaven Mat. 22. 30. If you be in this Resurrection why doe you marry c. or will you lay marriage waste make it needlesse to you and know who you please Gen. 4. 1. Heb. 13. 4. Are you like the Angels in Heaven Sort 2. Are those that deny the Resurrection of the body because they cannot see reason for it Ans The Scripture doth fully and clearly prove the Resurrection of our bodies after this life Marvell not at this all they in the gravâ— shall heare his voice Joh. 5. 28 29. At the 〈◊〉 of God the dead shall rise 1 Thes 4. 16. that sleep in the dust shall awake Dan. 12. 12 And the Sea gave up the dead that were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them Rev. 20. 13. Christ is risen from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 20. I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 44. Thy dead men shall live Isa 26. 19. 2. The dead shall rise because he that hath said it is able to doe it There is nothing impossible with God Luk. 1. 37. 3. The Saints have beleeved the Resurrection of the body Job saith Though worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Job 19. 26. I know my brother shall rise againe at the last day Joh. 12. 24. Our vile body shall be like his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. 4. If the dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine then they also which are fallen asleepe are perished 1 Cor. 15. 16 17 18. But Christ is risen therefore the dead shall rise Acts 3. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 14. 5. If the dead rise not and in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. It 's our comfort death cannot dissolve the union between Christ and a beleever Rom. 8. 38 39. If not any thing shall separate us from the love of God with then death shall not Whether we live or dye 1 Cor. 9. are the Lords Rom. 14. 8. 5. To Consider Acts 26. 8. 2 Tim. 2. 18. Mat. 22. is all one 31 32. Marâ— 12. 18. 26 27. Though it be incredible to reason yet we ought to beleeve it because God hath said it But some will say this is but the letter the mystery of it is no such thing I answer 1. The mystery was revealed to the Apostles Eph. 1. 9. Eph. 3. 4 5. Eph. 6. 19. 2. Christ is a mystery Col. 4. 3. Col. 1. 27. Christ in us by his Spirit Col. 2. 27. Col. 2. 2. Gal. 1. 16. 3. They speake the mystery of Christ Col. 4. 3. and made it knowne by the Scriptures Rom. 16. 25 26. Behold I tell you a mystery and 〈◊〉 written 1 Cor. 15. 51. c. Eph. 3. 7. Eph 〈◊〉 â—2 The mystery is made manifest to the 〈…〉 Rom. 1. 26 27. And seeing the myâ—◠〈…〉 â—clared in the Scriptures we are not 〈…〉 another mystery of the mystery 〈…〉 â—erstand the Scriptures They worâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—in the Spirit Phil. 3. 3. They were 〈…〉 of the mystery yea they knew 〈…〉 â—â—ese last times many would depart from the faith and bring in a mystery of iniquitie and call it the mystery of God and of Christ and the Spirit and so should deceive many Wee are forewarned and commanded to hold the forme of sound words and seeing the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and to furnish him for every good work 2 Tim. 3. We neither may nor need presume above what is written Rev. 22. 18. And so for other things bring them to the Scriptures to be tryed and beleeve nothing but what God faith in his Word and expect not to satisfie Reason in matters of Religion We beleeve God is without beginning and present in every place who knoweth and ordereth all things but what reason can be given that God is so is it not
thy sins are great this will not prove it consider what God saith I have spread out my hand all the day to a rebellious people that provoke me to anger continually to my face Isa 65. 2 3. I doe not beleeve I am elected and so nothing can doe me good 1. This is a secret meddle not with it Secret things belong to God and revealed things to us Deut. 29. 29. 2. It is a common deceit of Satan to tell a soule God hath no mercy for him when the soule hath obtained mercy or when it is not farre from him 3. It is certaine these thoughts come from Satan because they are contrary to God in his Word as Gen. 3. 2 3 4. 4. It s the nature of unbeliefe to be inquisitive and curious to finde out any pretence that he may seeme to doe well in not hearkening to what God saith in his Word Heb. 10. 14. 5. We must not yeeld to Satan nor hearken unto him trouble not thy thoughts with Election but minde Jesus Christ doe you waite upon him in the use of means till he give thee faith and then thou shalt know thou art elected Acts 13. 48. But I have used the meanes and I am worse and worse therefore God will not doe me good 1. Doe you know Gods meanes and the number of them have your ends been good and right placed have you used them in a right manner measure time in sincerity have you not rested on the means have you used them in faith expecting his blessing The word they heard profited them not for want of faith Heb. 4. 2. 2. It s no good reason to say Because God hath not as yet given me my request therefore he never will consider Isa 64. 4. Isa 8. 17. They which had not obtained mercy did 1 Pet. 2. 10. They shall not be ashamed that waite for me Isa 49. 23. 3. It is just with God to blast the meanes yea it s a mercy that we might looke more to Christ in the use of meanes to blesse them and be all unto us 4. If thou hast a will that Christ should save thee and rule thee he that hath begun this good worke in thee will finish it Heb. 12. 2. One day thou shalt know thy sinnes to be pardoned and subdued 5. Consider God may have mercy for thee though thou knowest it not for mens sinnes are first forgiven before they can know it or beleeve it or be assured of it therefore thy sinnes may be pardoned though thou doest not know it faith beleeves sin is pardoned but our beleeving neither pardons any sinne nor procures the pardon of it I have waited a long time and many others have receeved mercy but I have not 1. Some of the Lords have waited a long time at least they thought the time long David said I am weary of my crying my throat is dryed my eyes faile while I waite for my God Psal 69. 3. 2. If God hath given thee a heart to waite upon him thou art blessed Blessed are all they that waite for him Isa 30. 18. Waiting implies perseverance patience long suffering in holding out notwithstanding the tediousness of the time deferred courage in breaking through all difficulties that stand between waiting and to continue waiting though all things seeme contrary till we injoy what we waite for I waite for my God Psal 69. 3. But I am now old in yeares and if God had intended mercy for me surely he would have revealed it before this time and now death is ready to take me away 1. Yet mercy may come at last the theefe was saved upon the Crosse Mat. 20. Luk. 23. Oh how neere was he unto his end before mercy came to him 2. You must not set a time to God its mercy though it come at last God useth to call some the last houre as well as the third see Mat. 20. 1. to 10. There is nothing too hard for God If I were fitted with qualifications as humblenesse brokennesse of heart and tooke delight to heare and pray as others I could have hope but it s not so with me 1. This is nothing but a delusion for these things cannot fit thy soule for mercy while yee look and rest on such things as these yee seeke the living among the deid Luk 24. 5. If you had these things yee desire in the greatest measure ever any had they could nor procure thy happinesse nor stand thee in any stead to save thy soule nothing but Jesus Christ can doe that nor any thing but him truly comfort thee 2. What qualifications had they in Ezek. 16. 3. to 9. except sinfull ones and what qualifications had they who were enemies yet Christ dyed for them Rom 5. 9 10. Isa 65. 1 2 3. It s a certaine truth that all that are saved are saved freely without any cause or condition in man see 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. 3. What need yee Christ if yee have what yee need without him 4. As in nature none can worke before they have life so none can worke a spirituall worke before he live spiritually Christ must be in the soule before it can beleeve so the soule must beleeve before it can finde any sanctification or any good worke at all in himselfe consider there is nothing to be done by man to be a preparation to sanctification see Rom. 4. 5. 5. 8. 10. 5. You goe a wrong way to worke you goe about to establish a righteousnesse of thy own therefore thou doest so much thirst after it but it must be renounced its hard to be taken off our own works selfe-concurrence strip a man of his own and yee take away his life he must and will have something some humblenesse teares good works something they must have they thinke it cannot be that one should be accepted pardoned and saved and to doe nothing at all for it yet it is so Many when they see they have not done well they goe about to breake their hearts to make God amends for all and thinke if they can but attaine to such a deep measure of humiliation and sorrow for sin then they thinke they have an evidence for heaven alas this is an evidence of great ignorance in that they doe not see death in their best duties the Lord may say to them who work so hard for life Thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou wast not grieved Isa 57. 10. And so Comfort themselves with their owne sparkes sorrow will follow such comfort Yee shall lie downe in sorrow Isa 50. 11. When we say our good workes are not the way to life men esteeme it a grievous error yet Christ saith I am the way Joh. 14. 6. Tell me are thy workes Christs or no if no then they are not the way if Christ say true as he doth also if Jesus Christ is to be unto us all in all Col. 3. 11. our best works are to be unto us nothing at all our workes
remission â—eb 9. 22. 26. None can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor give to God 〈◊〉 for him the redemption of the soul 〈…〉 89. 7 8. Rom. 7. 14. The cause of our being delivered from destruction and our eternall happinesse in heaven is ascribed to Christs bloud to his ransome God saith Deliver him from going downe into the pit for I have received a ransome Job 33. 24. see Zach. 9. 11. Our not being condemned is ascribed to Christs death It s Christ that dyed who now shall condemne Rom. 8. 33 34. Therefore Christs ransome his death is the thing which delivereth us from the punishment oâ— sin heaven is called our purchased possession Eph. 1. 14. All except election and the love of God is attributed to Christ Wee preach Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. Thus I have fully proved that Christ upon the Crosse did suffer the whole punishment of sin for all his Elect for ever if it were not so Christ did die in vaine or is not a full and a compleat Saviour if he suffered but part of the punishment of sin he had saved us but in part and not fully and perfectly but Christs dying for us was to free us from all the punishment due to us for sin Christ bare all in being made a curse for us for what he did bare he bare for us and that which he hath borne for us we shall never beare and therefore it is a most certaine truth that all the Elect are for ever fully freed from the whole punishment of sin and his death is our justification and freedome from the curse and punishment of sin and this is no small part of our happinesse and comfort Vse of this Doctrine Vse 1. To exhort all that are the Lords to ascribe their salvation to the free love of God and to the death of our sweet Lord Jesus Christ and Christ alone and to nothing but Christ Who was made sin for us but Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21 Who bare our sins in his own body but Christ 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who was ordained to take away sin but Christ Heb. 9. 20. Who hath redeemed us from all iniquities but Christ Psal 130. 8. Titus 2. 14. Who finished transgressions and made an end of sin but Christ Deut. 9. 24. Zach. 3. 9. Heb. 10. 4 5. 7. Who appeared to take away sin but Christ 1 Joh. 3. 5. Who came into the world to save sinners but Christ 1 Tim. 1. 15. Who washed us from our sins and purged them away but Christ Rev. 1. 5. Heb. 1. 3. Who gave himselfe for our sins but Christ Eph. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who was made a curse for us and delivered us from the curse but Christ Gal. 3. 13 14. Who laid downe his life for ours but Christ Joh. 10. 15. Who bare our griefes and carried our sorrowes but Christ Who was stricken and smitten afflicted and wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities but Christ Isa 53. By whose stripes are we healed but Christs 1 Pet. 1. 24. Who is that just one that suffered for the unjust but Christ 1 Pet. 3. 18. Who made peace for us but Christ by the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1. 20 21. Who reconciled us but Christ Rom. 5. 9 10. By what means are our trespasses forgiveÌ„ but only by him Col. 2. 13. Who hath so blotted out our sins that they cannot be laid to our charge Rom. 8. 33. Who could deliver us from the wrath to come but Christ 1 Thes 1. 10. What bloud could clense us from all sin but Christs Joh. 1. 29. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Who hath carried away our sinnes but Christ What could justifie us but Christ by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. What could make us compleat Col. 2. 10. and all faire Song 2. 10. Without â—ault Kev 14. 5. Without spot Song 4. 7. and perfect us for ever but Christ Heb. 10. 14. What could make us one with Christ Heb. 2. 11. his fellowes Heb. 1. 9. and make us the righteousnesse of God but Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. Who is our righteousnesse but Christ Jer. 23. 6. Job 33. 23. by whose obedience we are made righteous Rom. 5. What ransome could deliver us but Christs Zach. 9. 11. Job 33. 24. What could make us free from the law of sin and death but Christ Rom. 8. 2 3. What could make us free but Christ Gal. 5. 1. Who could present us holy to God but Christ Col. 1. 20. Who brought salvation but Christ Who â—ought our battell got the victory and delivered us from all our enemies but Christ Luk. 1. 68. What Redeemer and Saviour have we but Christ who is all in all And seeing all is attributed to his bloud 1 Cor. 1. 18. 18. 23. we may not attribute it to beleeving justification and salvation are proper onely to Christ to his bloud to effect it to attribute it to beleeving as some doe is to rob Christ to give it to beleeving And if the preaching of Christ in wisdome of words made the Crosse of Christ of none effect 1 Cor. 1. 17. this opinion of theirs doth much more Gal. 5. 9. 2. Prise this doctrine contend earnestly for it Jude 3. Be content to suffer for it 3. Fetch all thy comfort from Christ in this truth meditate on this truth and endeavour that others may enjoy it with thee 4. Thinke nothing too much for him that hath done so much for you walke holily as it becometh the Gospel obey Christs coâ—mands tremble at the thought of giving way to sin least ye dishonour Christ and his truth and open the mouths of the wicked against the people of God Of the excellency and benefit of this Doctrine 1. There is no doctrine in Religion more honorable to the Lord Jesus Christ then this is this is the doctrine that gives all to Christ and exalts him alone that God may be all in all this doctrine cryeth nothing but Christ for he hath done all for us and is all unto us Col. 3. 11. The maine thing the Apostle desired to know was nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. 2. This doctrine most magnifieth the free love of God in that he hath loved us justified and saved us freely many are not able to behold this light it is so great as when the Sun shineth in its strength weake eyes are not able to beare it onely the Eagle can behold it so none but the Eagle-eyed Christians are able to behold the Sonne of Righteousnesse shining in his glory therefore few receive it the Prophet speaking of this doctrine saith Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Isa 53. 1. So that unlesse the power of God causeth the soule to see this truth there is no beleeving it men are ignorant of the fulnesse of the perfection of Christs righteousnesse therefore they condemne it goe about to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. They reproach this doctrine
that it doth for ever remaine in force a full satisfaction for all the sinnes of the Elect. This is very sweet and full of divine consolation to satisfie the discouraged soule which is the maine thing intended by such expressions it is a figurative speech as the Scripture ascribes to God eyes hand arme the Anthropomorphites conclude that God the Father hath a body with eyes like unto us So the Papists picture him to be an old man c. If one should say God is capable of forgetfulnesse because he saith he will remember our sinnes no more These conclusions are unreasonable and so is your position that Christ speakes words now in his person c. But he saith Christ doth as much worke for us in heaven at this instant as ever he did on the earth p. 214. Ans You confesse that a Surety is more then an Intercessor and is it not more to dye for one then to speake for him if so Intercession is not so much see you not how you contradict your selfe in your discourse Christ is said to be set downe at the right hand of God to declare to us that his work is done while the Priest was executing his offices he was to stand Heb. 10. 11. Which declared that Christ the substance of those Priests was not to sit untill he had finished in his person his offices of Priesthood He saith That none of his offices should lie idle he appoints this full and perpetuall worke in heaven that as a Priest by praying and interceding God would have Christ never to be out of offices or out of worke for ever Heb. 7. Ans If the end of Christs praying and interceding is that he might not be out of offices or out of worke then it s not because of our sinnes That he doth execute any offices in his person in glory or that he doth any worke there is still to prove doe the Angels pray for us c. or are they idle oâ— out of worke He saith He lives but to intercede p. 208. Ans Then it seemes after this life when all the Saints are gloried Christ must continue praying and interceding for us or else he must cease to live I hope you will not say when we are in glory that he shall need then to intercede for us if so then it seemes he shall be out of office or out of worke by your exposition you have run your selfe upon a rock I shall be glad to see you get off againe I have afforded you my helpe He saith His living to intercede is said to keepe God and us friends that we may never fall out more though pardoned by his death Intercession is principally intended for sinnes after conversion p. 208. God saies to him now doe you looke to them that they and I fall out no more not but sinnes after conversion are taken away by his death and sinnes before it by intercession also p. 209. Ans God saith no such thing you vent your vaine conceits and father them upon God and say he sayes so I wonder at your boldnesse sure you either know not what you say or thinke you may say any thing When you write againe tell us in what place wee may reade that God says so it is better to say lesse and prove more 2. Can you tell that ever God fell out with his Elect and was not their friend or that it is possible for God not to love us or not to be a friend to us you insinuate both but are able to prove neither 3. Tell me what is God liable to fall out with us for if for sinne you confesse that is pardoned by his death and those sinnes after conversion taken away by his death to what purpose is it for Christ to pray and intreat for that which he knows is pardoned before and what hath God granted Christ in granting the pardon of that which was pardoned before Suppose I pay to one all that I owe him all that he can desire and require need I pray and intreat him to forgive me the debt but if I doe and he grant my desire he forgives me nothing because I owe him nothing is not this the case also how are our sinnes pardoned if we be liable to suffer for them 4. You present God to be a friend but a very uncertaine one in that he need to have one to be continually praying and intreating him to keep him friends with us that we may not suffer for that which is pardoned hath God pardoned us and is he now ready to destroy us he said he would remember our sinnes â—o more Heb. 10. 17 18. And doth he now remember them You present God to be changeable who is immutable and changeth not 5. You present God to be an angry God yet God saith Anger is not in him Isa 27. 4. How can I or Christ say thy will be done if his will be to fall out with us it seemes he hath a great will to it if he must be continually prayed and intreated to forbeare and to be â—acified and not to fall out with us 6. The Father needs no more intreating then Christ doth and that is none at all for these Reasons There is no place for Intercession for 1. Because satisfaction is made for the sinnes of the Elect for them it was that Christ suffered death it is an act of injustice for to suffer for that which is satisfied for or to require any thing of me for that which before full satisfaction hath been made 2. We are reconciled therefore need none to reconcile us also his death is that which reconciled us therefore not his praying and intreaty Rom. 5 10. Before Christ suffered he made intercession also there is no place for intercession for that which is pardoned by his death 3. If Christs bloud clenseth from all sin praying and intercession clenseth us not from any sinne 4. If Christ blessing his Disciples blessed all those that shall beleeve to the end of the world as you confesse p. 42. and that the offering of himselfe once made so full a satisfaction as he needed to doe it but once p. 242. Why may not this intercession when he was upon the earth though if it were but once be as effectuall to serve for ever as the rest especially when we consider that in the 17. Of John Christ prayed for all that were given him that shall beleeve Christs prayer was granted Father I know thou hearest me alwayes What benefit have we to the end of the world by that prayer in John 17. if it was not sufficient and effectuall for us if it was sufficient and granted there is no need of his continued praying for it if Christ had intended in his person to pray and intreat for us now what needed Christ to have prayed for us when he was upon the earth so many hundred yeares before we were borne if he prayes so for us now would not they be sufficient for
our Righteousnesse Ezra 9. 15. 7. All that fallen man needed was onely a perfect righteousnesse to justifie and save him if beleeving could have been that to them Christ might have been spared 8. That which is our righteousnesse causeth us to be accepted and that is Christ Eph. 1. The Saints expect not any acceptance for any thing in them or acted by them Dan. 9. 18. Isa 71. 10. 16. It s most evident that Christ he is made unto us Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Therefore beleeving is not made our Righteousnesse Therefore our Righteousnesse is not in any thing but Christ in and by whom we are more righteous then Adam in his puritie and greatest glory Geree Beliefe makes us the children of God Ans Men are sonnes first by creation secondly by generation or thirdly by adoption A fourth way we know not The Elect are Sonnes before they beleeve which appeares by these Reasons 1. We are children and sonnes by adoption Eph 1. 5. We were sonnes when elected for Election is nothing else but our adoption by adoption Christ and the Elect became sonnes to God adoption and choice is one the Elect were chosen before the world Eph 1. 4. Adoption is acceptation of us in Christ therefore we were children before we beleeve before God declares mercy to Ephraim he calls him his Sonne Ephraim my Sonne I will surely have mercy upon him Jer. 31. 20. 2. The action of the Father is before the action of the Sonne adoption is attributed to the Father therefore it must in order be before Redemption which is the worke of the Sâ—nne so that the Elect were chosen before Christ did redeeme them by his death Rev 5. 9 Therefore adoption is before our redemption Eph. 1. 3 4 5. And our Redemption was before we beleeved Rev. â— 10. And therefore wee were sonnes before we beleeve 3. If we were not sonnes before Christ suffered he could not have brought sonnes to glory through suffering Heb. 2. 10. If not sonnes before he suffered how could we be his brethren It behâ—ved him to be like unto his brethren vers 17. But if they had not been children they could not be his brethren also Christ by his death justified children 4. We were given to Christ before he suffered for us then we were heires sonnes If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires c. That is children of God Gal 3. 29. So that our being Christs makes us the seed and not our beleeving 5. If a childe differs nothing from a servant Gal. 4. 1. That is one that is not a childe then he is a childe before he beleeves for if he beleeves he differs apparently 6. We are sonnes before we beleeve because we cannot beleeve without the Spirit for faith is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. Therefore we have the Spirit before we beleeve and we are sonnes before we have the Spirit for the Spirit had not been sent into their hearts if they had not been sonnes Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts Gal. 4. 5. If the Reason he sent the Spirit into their hearts was because they were sonnes then it was not because of the smallnesse of the measure they had received therefore Gal. 4. 5. is to be understood of the first sending it into their hearts 7. If beleeving makes us the children of God it will follow we have no union nor interest in God without our act for we beleeve this sutes well with Popery 8. It s against truth and reason to beleeve that by beleeving I make my selfe a son and God my father if I beleeve my selfe to be a Kings sonne will beleeving it make me so if I beleeve brasse is gold will it be so he that is a Prince knowes not that he is so untill some time after he is so yet he is a Sonne and a Prince whether he knowes it or beleeves it or no therefore beleeving makes us not sonnes but by it we see our selves to be sonnes and injoy the comfort of it by beleeving 9. Some teach and say by baptisme I was made a member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritor of the kingdome of heaven and you say by beleeving yet it s by neither 10. Some have beleeved themselves to be sonnes yet see what God saith Isa 58. 2 3 4. Besides God saith Some beleeved for a time and after fell away Luk. 8. and that the Devils beleeve as James 2. Were these the sonnes of God if no then beleeving cannot make any a son sons by saith in Gal. 4. By faith is understood Christ or by faith we know our selves to be sonnes and by faith we appeare to be sonnes faith and workes being inseparable in any other sense it cannot be extended as I have proved Geree None can be in Christ without faith Rom. 11. 20. Eph. 3. 17. p. 97. Ans The Scriptures saith not any are in Christ by faith Christ saith Every branch in me Joh. 15. 2. 4. c. That is in the visible Church for that is called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. In this sense men may be in Christ and perish a contrary exposition inforceth a finall falling away c. There is a being in Christ by election Eph. 1. 4. But this not by beleeving therefore your conclusion is without a foundation Geree We are dead till we beleeve Ans We are so in our selves but alive unto God by Jesus Christ our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 4. Geree That which is sinfull may justifie from sinne p. 91. Ans So you say but the Scripture doth not say so reade me this out of the word of God if ye cannot it must be placed among the unwritten verities or fables God doth not approve of that which is sinfull much lesse doth he justifie us for it or by it all that is sinfull is detestable and accursed the wrath of God is against it Rom 1. 18. Gal. 3. 10. Hab. 1. 13. That which makes us innocent makes us just and that is not sinne but Christ who is our righteousnesse Geree It justifieth not in regard of it selfe or worke but in regard of that which it holds being most worthy p 91. They over-honour faith indeed that say the very act of faith justifies which we utterly disclaime in the Arminians p. 90. Ans If faith justifieth as it holds then it justifieth as it is an act for to hold a thing is an act and yet ye say the act of saith doth not justifie I see you can contradict your selfe and disclaime what ye affirme 2. If faith justifie because by saith we receive justification then the act justifieth for its an act to receive also it will follow by this Reason that he that receives a pardon from a Prince may say his hand pardoned him because the hand received it and may â—e not as well say he pardoned himselfe because he received it The reason