and were Created Heb. 11.3 Through Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Gen. 1.31 And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and the evening and the morning were the sixth day Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches Psal 19.1 The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work Job 26.13 By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens his hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Jer. 10.12 He hath made the earth by his power he hath established the world by his wisdom and hath stretched out the Heavens by his discretion Acts 17.24 God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Good Angels Job 38.7 When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy Heb. 1.7 And of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire Luke 2.13 And suddainly there was with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God and saying V. 14. Glory be to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards Men. V. 15. And it came to passe as the Angels were gone away from them into heaven the shepheards said one to another Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to passe which the Lord hath made known unto us Acts 10.22 And they said Cornelius the Centurion a just man and one that feareth God and of good report among all the Nation of the Jews was warned from God by an holy Angel to send for thee into his house and to hear words of thee Psal 103.20 Blesse the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word 1 Tim. 5.21 I Charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality Luke 15.7 I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance Dan. 7.10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him thousands of thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the judgment was set and the books were opened Psal 34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Psal 91.11 For he shall give his Angels Charge over thee te keep thee in all thy waies V. 12. They shall bear thee up in their hands least thou dash thy foot against a stone Mat. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in Heaven their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Gen. 48.16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil blesse the Lads and let my name be named on them and the name of my Fathers Abraham and Isaac and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth Acts 12.15 And they said unto her thou art mad but she constantly affirmed that it was even so then said they it is his Angel Psal 148.2 Praise ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his Hosts 1 Cor. 11.10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the Angels Mat. 4.11 Then the Devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him Luke 22.43 And there appeared an Angel from Heaven strengthning him Luke 16 22. And it came to passe that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the rich man also died and was buried Mat. 28.2 And behold there was a great earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it V. 3. His countenance was like Lightning and his raiment white as snow V. 4. And for fear of him the Keepers did shake and became as dead men Mat. 24.31 And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other Luke 20.35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage V. 36. Neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the children of God being the children of the resurrection Matth. 22.30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven Devils 2 Pet. 2.4 For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgement Jude v. 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Matth. 25.41 Then shall he say also to them on his left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels 1 Tim. 3.6 Not a novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil 2 Tim. 2.26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will Ephes 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places V. 14. Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on the brest plate of righteousness John 8.44 Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a Liar and the Father of it 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Eph. 2.2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Aire the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience Mat. 12.24 But when the Pharisees heard it they said this fellow doth not cast out Devils but
Cephas then of the twelve V. 6. After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once of whom the greater part remain unto this present but some are fallen asleep V. 7. After that he was seen of James then of all the Apostles V. 12. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no Resurrection of the dead V. 14. And if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain V. 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept 1 Thes 4.14 For if we beleeve that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God Ascended into Heaven Mark 16.19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them he was received up into Heaven and sat on the right hand of God Luke 24.50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them V. 51. And it came to passe while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven Acts 1.9 And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight V. 10. And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell V. 11. Which also said ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him goe into Heaven 1 Pet. 3. â—2 Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and powers being made subject unto him Col. 2.15 And having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 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 entered even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek Eph. 4.8 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and gave gifts unto men V. 9. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth V. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast Captivity Captive thou hast received gifts for men John 16.7 Neverthelesse 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 but if I depart I will send him unto you V. 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world I leave the world and go to the Father Sits at Gods right Hand Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightness of his Glory and the expresse Image of his Person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sat downe on the right hand of the Majesty on high V. 13. But to which of the Angels said he at any time sit on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot stoole Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Heb. 8.1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the summe We have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Heb. 10 12 But this man after he had offered sacrifice for sins sat down on the right hand of God Luke 22.69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God Acts 7.55 But Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God V. 56. And said behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God Eph. 1.19 According to the working of his mighty power V. 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places V. 21. Far above all Principality and power and Might anâ— Dominion and every Name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come V. 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church Luke 24 26 Ought not Jesus to â—ave suffered these things and to enter into his Glory Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death Crowned with Glory and Honour that he by the Grace of God should tast death for every man Rev. 3 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Rom 8.34 Who is he tâ—at condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of tâ—e true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession V. 16. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he iâ— able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that thâ—y may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world Head of the Church Eph. 1 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church V. 23. Which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Eph. 5.23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body V. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or
Spirit of God enabled to perform that shall receive Remission of sins by Christ They that shall be made partakers of that great and inestimable benefit the Remission of all their sins by Christ are effectually called and enabled by the assistance of his Grace unfeignedly to believe the Gospel heartily to repent of all their sins seriously to give up their souls unto him resting and relying on the Redemption and Ransome of his Blood for their Pardon and Reconciliation with God And taking him for their onely Lord Saviour and yielding themselves up in sincere obedience to him and to be guided and governed by his Grace and Holy Spirit they do depend on him alone for Justification Sanctification strength to persevere in the ways of Holinesse and at last to be brought to eternall Life And to as many as are thus drawn by the Holy Ghost savingly to repent of their sins and believe in Christ being truly united to him and made branches in him the true Vine and members of his mystical body the true Church whereof himself is the Head God hath promised pardon and Remission of all their sins to write his Law in their Hearts to subdue their Corruptions by his Grace that sin shall not have Dominion over them to bestow on them all such outward blessings as he in his infinite wisdome shall see good for them And when they die their souls shall be received into everlasting blisse and their bodies shall be raised again by the power of Christ at the last day and made partakers of the same Glory And this is Called the Covenant of Grace But such as go on in their sins refusing to accept of Christ for their Lord and Saviour Redeemer and Sanctifier and to give up themselves in sincere obedience to him when they die their Souls shall be adjudged to everlasting punishment and their bodies shall be raised again at the last day and made partakers with their Souls of Everlasting Torments RIGHT KNOVVLEDGE Or the chief things to be Known and Believed in order to Salvation They are reducible to these three Heads Concerning God Man The Mediator between God and Man CHAP. I. Concerning GOD. COncerning God we are to Know three things First His NATURE That there is One onely true God who is a Spirit infinitely glorious and being one in nature is yet three in Persons or Subsistences The Father The Son and the Holy Ghost These are three and one after a wonderful and mysterious manner The Father God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God And yet not three Gods but One God Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 10.4 The wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts 1 Cor. 15.34 Some have not the Knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Heb. 11.6 But without Faith it is impossible to please him For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Isaiah 44.6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God Isai 45.5 I am the Lord and there is none else There is no God besides me 1 Cor. 8.4 As concâ—rning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in Sacrifice to Idols we know that an Idol is nothing in the World and that there is none other God but One. V. 5. For though there be that are called Gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there be Gods many and Lords many V. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him Deut. 4.35 Unto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God And there is none else besides him Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord our God is One Lord. Jer. 10.10 But the Lord is the true God He is the living God and an everlasting King At his wrath the Earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation 1 Thes 1.9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entring in we had unto you And how ye turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God Job 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Luke 24.39 A Spirit hath not flesh and bones Rom. 1.23 And they changed the Glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like unto corruptible man and to birds and to four-footed beasts and Creeping things V. 25. And worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen Concerning the Trinity Mat. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are One. Mat. 3.16 And Jesus when he was baptized went straightway up out of the water and Lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him V. 17. And Lo a voice from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 2 Cor. 13.14 The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen Concerning God the Father Luke 23.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph 3.14 For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Concerning God the Son John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the Onely begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth V. 18. No man hath seen God at any time The Onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Heb. 1.2 He hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the world V. 3. Who being the brightnesse of his Glory and the express Image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sinnes sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high V. 8. But unto the Sonne he saith thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdome John 10.30 I and my Father are One. 1 John 2.22 Who
how can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers wombe and be born V. 5. Jesus answered verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God V. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit V. 7. Marvel not that I said unto thee ye must be born again Col. 1.21 And you that were somtimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled 1 John 3.4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Jam. 1.14 But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed V. 15. Then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Mat. 25.41 Then shall he say also to them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels 2 Thes 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power 3. The blessed way found out and appointed by God for mans Recovery out of this miserable state which is by the undertaking and mediation of his onely Son Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death V. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord so then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin Gen. 3.15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus John 3.14 And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse even so must the son of man be lifted up V. 15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life V. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved 1 John 4.14 And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree John 6.35 And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that beleeveth on me shall never thirst V. 51. I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Col. 1.20 And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven John 4.42 And said unto the woman now we beleeve not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you therefore men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sins John 1.29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world 1 John 5.11 And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son V. 12. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life John 1.17 For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ 1 John 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world Heb 9.15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance CHAP. III. Concerning the Mediator between God and Man COncerning the Mediator between God and man Christ Jesus We must know and understand these seaven things 1. What manner of person he was He was God and Man in the same person The Eternal Son of God The second Person in the Trinity took to himself our humane Nature a humane soul and body and united it after a wonderfull manner to his Godhead And so God and Man became one person 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the mystery of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up into Glory 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 John 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 Christ God Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnesse of his Gloâ—y and the expresse Image of his Person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever 1 John 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 John 10.30 I and my Father are one John 8.58 Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am John 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given mee that they may be one as we are John 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that
Heaven and earth because he is the Son of man The Father therefore who is only God and never took upon him either the nature of men or Angels judgeth no man and the same reason reacheth also to the Holy Ghost but hath committed all judgment to the Son And the reason why he hath committed it unto him is because he is not only the Son of God and so truly God but also the son of man and so truly man And because 1. He is the son of man who suffered so much for the sins of man He humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven things in earth things under the earth And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Phil. 2.8 9 10 11. So Rom. 14.11 For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me every tongue shall confess to God Both which places have reference to Isa 45.23 I have sworn by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not return that unto me every knee shall bow So that this Prophesie receiveth not its full and final accomplishment till the day of judgment As Christ in his humane nature was unjustly judged so in that nature shall he justly judge At his first coming he was not a sinner but he came in the garb of a sinner in the similitude of sinful flesh Rom. 8.3 But at the day of judgment he shall come as one discharged of that debt and burden without sin Heb. 9.28 And as one highly honoured by God the Father 2. Because God making a general judgment will have a visible judge which all they which shall be judged may see John 5.27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man and every eye shall see him God is invisible the Son of man therefore will be Judge who will so appear as to be seen both of those whom he shall crown and those whom he shall condemn The Son of man therefore being represented in the Scriptures as making the great decretory separation between man and man as an husbandman separating the wheat sometimes from the chaffe sometimes from the tares as a fisherman gathering the good fish casting the bad away as a bridegroom receiving the wise excluding the foolish virgins as a Master distinguishing the servants of his Family rewarding the faithful punishing the unprofitable as a shepherd dividing his sheep from the goats placing one on the right hand the other on the left It will from thence follow that the same Son of man who is also the Son of God God and man in the same person is appointed Judge of the world Of Christs first coming indeed it s said John 3.17 God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved He came not then as a Judge but as a Redeemer but his second coming will be to judge the quick and the dead We have seen who shall be the Judge 3. It followes in the next place that we enquire into the nature and manner of this judgement And here we shall speak 1. Of the preparations to it 2. In what manner it will be performed I. The preparations for the Judg's approach the Scripture sets down in these two Particulars 1. The Arch-Angels Trumpet by which all the world shall be as it were summoned to appear before Christs Tribunal 1 Thes 4.16 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 shall rise first Mat. 24.31 And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other At the giving of the Law the voice of the Trumpet was exceeding loud but what a terrible blast will this be Such as shall be heard all the world over startling the dead out of their graves and summoning the whole world to come to judgment 2. The sign of the Son of man What that is we cannot certainly tell till experience manifest it Interpreters probably conjecture it will be some mighty brightnesse some forerunning beams of Majesty and Glory which shall darken the great Luminaries of the world and strike a terrour into the hearts of men II. Let us consider the nature and manner of this great judgment The Scripture represents it to us under a formal judiciary processe wherein 1. The Judge himself will appear exceeding glorious adorn'd with Majesty and cloathed with unspakeable lustre He will come with power and great glory Mat. 24 30. Even the Glory of the Father Mat. 16.27 The Glory of a thousand Suns made into one will be nothing to that wherein Christ shall appear in mans nature at that great day The beams of his Glory shall dazle the eyes of sinners and delight the eyes of Saints When his Glory shall be revealed the Saints shall be glad with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4.13 2. His attendance will be very glorious The glorious Angels shall be Christs attendants at that day If at the time of his nativity tentation passion resurrection ascention they readily gave him their attendance how much more shall they do it at this great day Mat. 25.31 'T is said the Son of man shall come in his Glory and all the holy Angels with him And if all the Angels must wait on Christ the number will be exceeding great and the train will be exceeding glorious What Glory shall be in that day when the servants of the Judge shâ—ll be Angels of power every one stronger than an earthly Army Angels whose countenances are like Lightning and as much exceed in Glory the greatest Emperor in the world in his highest pomp as the Sun doth a Clod of earth O how great how illustrious will the splendour of this appearance be when the Judge coming in the clouds shall come thus attended 3. There will be a Throne set a Tribunal a judgment seat erected Mat. 19.28 And Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the son of man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And that this Throne is a seat not only of Majesty but judicature may further appear by Rom. 14.10 But why dost thou judge thy brother or why dost thou set at nought thy brother we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ And 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according
is a Lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ He is Anti-Christ that denieth the Father and the Son V. 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also 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 Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God Acts 7.59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit V. 60. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their Charge 2 Thess 2.16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good hope through Grace V. 17. Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work Concerning God the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost V. 4. Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever V. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father Phil. 1.19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ Rom. 8.9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of Redemption 1 Cor. 2.13 Which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost As your Fathers did so do ye 2 Pet. 1.21 For the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Rom 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered 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 Acts 13.2 As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have Called them Titus 3.5 Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.6 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own Rom. 5.5 And hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Mat. 12.31 Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men V. 32. And whosoever speaketh a word against the son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Secondly His PROPERTIES or ATTRIBUTES God is Eternal or without any Beginning or End Omnipotent or Almighty Omnipresent or every where present Omniscient or All-knowing Infinitely Wise Holy Just Mercifull Eternall Psal 90.2 Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth or the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Deut. 33.27 The Eternal God is my refuge and underneath are the everlasting armes Omnipotent Gen. 17.1 And when Abram was Ninety years old and nine the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect Isa 40.17 All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanity Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Rev. 19.6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Omnipresent 1 Kings 8.27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much lesse this house that I have builded 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 saith the Lord Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence V. 8. If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there If I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there V. 11. If I say surely the darknesse shall cover me even the night shall be Light about me V. 12. Yea the darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to thee Omniscient 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts understandeth all the Imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 1 King 8.39 Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou knowest the hearts of all the children of men Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do Psal 139.2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up-rising thou understandest my thoughts afar off V. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my waies V. 4. For
shall any man pluck them out of my hand V. 29. My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Jer. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee Jer. 32.40 And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 1 Cor. 10.12 Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time V. 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your Souls 2 Tim. 2.19 Neverthelesse the Foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth V. 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us V. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakednesse or peril or sword Rom. 8.37 Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us V. 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come V. 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Luke 22.32 But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren 2 Theâ— 3.3 But the Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evil Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Concerning the members of Christ John 15.1 I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman V. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ. V. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 1.2 Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus Called to be Saints with all that in every place Call upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours 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 clothed with white robes and with Palmes in their hands Rom. 11.16 For if the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches Eph. 2.19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Eph. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named Eph. 4.12 For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ V. 13. Till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Mat. 16.18 And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 23.8 But be not ye Called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are brethren V. 9. And call no man your Father upon the earth for one is your Father which is in Heaven V. 10. Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ. Concerning the new Covenant Heb. 8.8 For finding fault with them he saith behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah V. 9. Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. V. 10 For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people V. 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their iniquities will I remember no more Mark 16.15 And he said unto them goe ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature V. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Jer. 31.31 Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah V. 34. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more John 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternall inheritance V. 16. For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator V. 17. For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength whilst the Testator liveth Heb. 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel Ezek. 36 26 A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you an
prepared for them that love him Mark 9.43 And if thy hand offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into Hell into the fire that never shall be quenched V. 44. Where their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched V. 45. And if thy foot offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter halt into life than having two feet to be cast into Hell into the fire that never shall be quenched Mark 9.46 Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched V. 48. Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched Jude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal Life 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack THE Second PART Concerning PRACTICE OR A DISCOURSE containing several usefull Directions to be Practised by those who seriously desire to save their SOULES CHAP. I. Of Consideration 1. AT convenient times use to be alone and laying aside all worldly cares businesses spend now and then a secret hour in strict Self-examining and Considering how the case stands between God and thy soul Ask thy self these two serious Questions First What is it thy heart is most set upon What is thy great care thy main designe What is it that doth most deeply and most frequently possesse thy thoughts What is it that thou dost most love and prize and most desire to enjoy Is thy mind so spiritually inlightened as to see the lovelinesse of God and the greatnesse and excellency of that Glory that is to be had with him so as the main drift and bent of thy heart is after the enjoyment of God and to be happy with him forever Or dost thou find that the main bent of thy heart is to the things of this World to the Profits the Pleasures the sensual satisfactions of this life and these things thou most mindest regardest and labourest for these thy thoughts and heart most run upon Secondly Ask thy self whether ever thou didst feel and apprehend thy self in a lost and undone condition by reason of thy sins Hast thou not seen thy selfe in danger of everlasting misery Hast thou ever put this serious question to thy selfe what shall I do to be saved Hast thou in this or the like manner ever discoursed with thy self O my soul how stands the case with me What am I Am I a true Convert a real Penitent a new Creature one born again Have I an interest in Christ And is my peace made with God through him or am I as yet in the state of Nature under the guilt of all my sins with the wrath of God abiding on me If so is this a Condition to be rested in Let me advise thee as thou lovest thy soul to deal faithfully and in good sadnesse with thy self Let me advise thee to review and seriously to reflect upon the whole course of thy life past And besides thy natural vilenesse Consider how many actual sins failings miscarriages and violations of Gods righteous Law omissions of good commissions of evil thou hast been guilty of in the several parts of thy life and in the several places where thou hast lived Believe it few people do reckon up one sin of ten that they are guilty of Allow thy Conscience therefore a liberty to speak freely to thee and to set thy sins in order before thee And if thou findest thy self for the present in a bad condition and that the case is not with thee as it should be consider whether it will not be an extream folly and madnesse to go on in that course not minding nor regarding speedily to turn to God and to settle the great affairs of thy soul while thou hast time O Remember remember thou hast a precious and immortal soul that must be shortly either in Heaven or Hell either in unconceiveable Joyes or in endlesse easelesse and remedilesse torments Doth it not therefore concern thee to consider and cast about how to attain the one and escape the other Doth it not behoove thee to look to the securing of the main Chance and to deliver thy self from the wrath to come Believe it nothing undoes mankind more than want of due and serious Consideration than want of frequent examining the state of their Consciences and often pondering and thinking of their everlasting Concernments 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your owne selves know ye not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Psal 119.59 I thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies V. 60. I made hast and delaied not to keep thy Commandements Isa 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Ass his masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not Consider Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would Consider their latter end Hag. 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your waies Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our waies and turn again to the Lord. Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his owne work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself and not in another V. 5. For every man shall bear his owne burden Psal 77.6 I call to remembrance my song in the night I commune with mine own heart and my Spirit made diligent search Rom. 14.12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God Ezra 8.22 The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him CHAP. II. Of Repentance HAving seriously examined thy Conscience and impartially considered thy waies and course of life and the state of thy soul towards God The next duty I would advise thee beging the assistance of the Spirit of God to set upon the speedy practise of is true and serious and unfeigned repentance I shall therefore for thy benefit 1. Open the nature of true repentance 2. Give some directions about it 3. Some motives to it Repentance unto life is an Evangelical Grace wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God And the parts of it are these six 1. Conviction 2. Contrition 3. Hating and loathing sin 4. Confession of sin 5. Forsaking sin 6. Conversion and turning the bent of the heart towards God First Conviction The Spirit of God first opens a sinners eies before he breaks a sinners heart The soul of a true penitent is convinced and made apprehensive of these three things 1. The evil odiousnesse and filthiness of sin 2. The danger desert and mischievous effects and consequents of it 3. It s own deep guiltinesse both of Original and Actual sin I. The evil of sin appears in these seven particulars 1. 'T is contrary to Gods holy Nature 2. To his righteous Lawes 3. It
the world he declared that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.47 3. The Angels in Heaven rejoyce at the repentance of a sinner Luke 15.10 Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth 4. Consider who are for thy repentance and who are against it God the Father Son and holy Ghost good Angels and glorified Saints all good Ministers and sincere Christians are for it None but the Devil and his Instruments are against it And which of these two parties wilt thou encline unto 5. Consider 't is not onely a Gospel duty but a Gospel priviledge The Law allowes no place for repentance 'T is an high favour God will pardon us upon our repentance and Faith in his Son 6. Consider All will sooner or later commend true repentance Be not thou one of them that will commend it when it is too late 7. Consider there is no other remedy For Without RepentaÌ„ce t is not consistent 1. With Gods justice we should be pardoned though repentance does not satisfie his justice yet sins unrepented of continued in cannot be pardoned without injustice 2. With his Mercy God is very merciful but 't is to penitent humbled sinners not obdurate impenitent transgressours 3. With the undertaking of Christ who came to call sinners to repentance to seek save those that were lost in their own eies He was exalted to be a Prince a Saviour to give repentance remission of sins Act. 5.31 8. If thou dost seriously and in good earnest repent of all thy sins it will be a great foundation of comfort to thee in time of distress If the Devil in time of temptation or the hour of death shall bring thy sins to thy remembrance and charge them upon thy Conscience to drive thee to despair O what a comfort will it be if thy Conscience can then truly answer though I have been guilty of such and such sins yet through the riches of Gods Grace I have in time of my health particularly humbled my soul for them I have retracted and undone them again by a serious repentance Believe it he that has truly repented of all his sins and has the bent of his heart turned towards God and is walking in a new course of life a steady course of Godlinesse has a surer foundation of comfort in his own soul than if an Angel should come from Heaven and tell him he should be saved Upon all these considerations let me advise thee begging the assistance of the Spirit of God to set upon the speedy practise of this so great so necessary yea so comfortable a duty Let not the deceitfulnesse of sin the cunning of Satan the hope of long life a vain presumption on the Mercy of God or any mistakes or prejudices against the Doctrine of repentance keep the off but laying aside all pretences excuses demurs whatever set upon it seriously and speedily and thou wilt find thereby through the blessing of God abundance of ease comfort satisfaction and settlement to thy Mind and Conscience Psal 32.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confesse my transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prâ—sper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy 1 John 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us V. 9. If we confesse our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errours cleanse thou me from secret faults Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Jam. 3.2 For in many things we offend all Job 13.26 For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth Psal 38.4 For mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burdeÌ„ they are too heavy for me Job 34.32 That whiâ—h I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Psal 51.1 Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions V. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin V. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me V. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me V. 7. Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow V. 9. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities V. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me V. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me V. 16. Thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt offering V. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise See more Scriptures concerning repentance pag. 102. CHAP. III. Of Faith in Christ. UPon serious consideration of the evil and danger of thy sins renouncing all Confidence in thy self or any thing thou canst do to procure thy pardon and peace with God deliberatly and advisedly betake thy self unto Christ Jesus the only Mediatour and Peace-maker between God and man who once offered up himself a sacrifice on the Crosse for sin and is now in Heaven making intercession and presenting the Merits of his Obedience Sufferings and Death in the behalf of all such who being lost and undone in themselves do flie to him for help and relief and take him for their only Lord and Saviour With judgment and understanding give up thy self to this Saviour Cast thy penitent soul at his feet Rest and rely on him wholly and alone to be justified acquitted and discharged of all thy sins by his Merits to be sanctified by his Spirit to be commanded and disposed of by him and to be enabled by his Grace to persevere in the waies of Truth and Holinesse all thy daies and at last to be brought to Eternal life Intrust all thy hopes of pardon only on him Enter into a real Covenant with him to be for ever his resolving to live and die his faithful Disciple and servant And because really to close with Christ and savingly to believe on him is a matter of such exceeding high Concernment I shall 1. Explain the Nature of it 2. Lay down some Conclusions about it 3. Give some Motives and Incouragements to it Know therefore there is a two-fold Act of Faith 1. Of Adherence 2. Of Assurance I. When a poor sinner doth cast himself wholly on Christ crucified for pardon and life upon the warrant of
are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your Spirit which are Gods Rom. 2.6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds V. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and immortality eternal Life V. 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath V. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Mat. 16.24 Then said Jesus unto his Disciples if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Crosse and follow me 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards Isa 38.3 And said remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And Hezekiah wept sore Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwaies a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Tit. 2.11 For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men V. 12. Teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world V. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ V 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 3.8 This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men Mat. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill Mat. 22.36 Master which is the great Commandement of the Law V. 37. Jesus said unto him thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all soul and with all thy mind V. 38. This is the first and great Commandement V. 39. And the second is like unto it thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self V. 40. On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets Mark 12.32 And the Scribe said unto him well Master thou hast said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but he V. 33. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love his neighbour as himself is more than all whole burnt offering and sacrifice Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law CHAP. V. Of Communion with God 5. LAbour to maintain a daily close Communion with God in these particulars following 1. Awake with God in the morning 2. Forget not to poure forth thy soul in secret prayer and praise before him 3. Read the Scriptures 4. Live continually as in the sight and view of God 5. Live by Faith 6. Observe all the passages of his Providence towards thee 7. Be continually watchful First Awake with God in the morning When I awake I am still with thee sais holy David Psal 139.8 The morning is an embleme of the Resurrection when our bodies shall awake from the sleep of death and that long day shall arise upon us that shall never have any night O how shouldst thou then when sleep fals from thine eyes lift up thy soul in praises and thanksgivings to the Lord for his gracious Providence over thee in the night season Had not he been exceeding gracious thou mightst have slept the sleep of death and from the darknesse of the night been sent away into outer darknesse Let not the commonnesse of this mercy diminish but the continualness of it rather encrease thy thankfulnesse O when thy body awakens how shouldst thou awaken and stirre up thy soul also to some holy and pious Ejaculations such as the sweet Singer of Israel used to send up to God O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee I laid me down and slept and thou hast sustained me I have been safe under the shadow of thy wings thy faithfulnesse and truth have been my shield and buckler And now Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon me instruct me in the way wherein I should go and guid me with thine eye Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy Truth O knit my heart to thee that I may fear thy Name And hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Let me walk circumspectly this day redeeming the time Let my soul put on the Lord Jesus and be clothed with the white robe of his righteousnesse and adorn me with the saving Graces of thy holy Spirit c. After some such pious ejaculations sent up to the Throne of Grace labour to get thy heart possessed with deep strong and powerful apprehensions and impressions of Gods holinesse Majesty Omni-presence Omniscience Consider with reverence and humbly admire and adore his glorious wisdome his almighty power his gracious Providence his truth and faithfulnesse and especially his tender love and mercy in Christ Jesus And if such thoughts as these make strong and deep impressions in thy mind in the morning thou art the more like to be in the fear of God all the day after and to have thy mind possessed both with reverential and delightful thoughts of his Majesty Psal 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee Job 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him V. 18. And that thou shouldst visit him every morning and try him every moment Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not V. 23. They are new every morning great is thy faithfulnesse V. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore I will hope in him V. 25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon the Earth that I desire besides thee Eph. 5.14 Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee Light Rom. 13.11 And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation neerer than when we believed V. 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darknesse and let us put on the
not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah V. 6. For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time that thou maist be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Psal 17.1 Hear the Right O Lord attend unto my Cry give ear unto my Prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Psal 65.2 O thou that hearest Praiers unto thee shall all flesh come Mich. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his Heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in Mercy Psal 145.18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth V. 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them Psal 50.15 And call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Dan 9.14 Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil and brought it upon us for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth for we obeyed not his voice Mat. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you V. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven 1 John 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternall life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God V. 14. And this is the Confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us V. 15. And if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions we desired of him Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear Eph. 6.18 Praying alwaies with all praier and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints 1 Tim. 2.1 I exhort therefore that first of all supplications praiers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men V. 2. For Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty Jam 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent praier of a righteous man availeth much Maâ— 5.44 But I say unto you love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you 2 Sam. 7.29 Therefore now let it please thee to blesse the House of thy Servant that it may continue for ever before thee for thou O Lord hast spoken it and with thy blessing let the House of thy servant be blessed for ever 1 John 5.16 If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto unto death there is a sin unto death I do not say he shall pray for it Gen. 18.27 And Abraham answered and said behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Luke 18.13 And the Publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eies unto Heaven but smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner V. 14. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Psal 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Job 22.27 Thou shalt make thy praier unto him and he shall hear thee aad thou shalt pay thy vowes 1 Sam. 1.15 And Hannah answered and said no my Lord I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 1 Cor. 14.15 What is it then I will pray with the Spirit and will pray with understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Mark 11.24 Therefore I say unto you what things soever ye desire when ye pray beleeve that ye receive them and ye shall have them Jam. 1.6 But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed Psal 145.18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Mat. 26.39 And he went a little farther and fell on his face and praied saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Acts 12.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison but praier was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him Mat. 6.9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Luke 11.2 And he said unto them when ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done as in Heaven so in earth Thanksgiving Col. 3.17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name Psal 67.2 That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all Nations V. 3. Let the People praise thee O God let all the People praise thee Psal 86.12 I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart and I will glorifie thy Name for evermore V. 13. For great is thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest Hell Psal 103.1 Blesse the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name V. 2. Blesse the Lord O my Soul and forget not all
his benefits Psal 47.7 For God is the King of all the Earth Sing ye praises with understanding Col. 4.2 Continue in praier and watch in the same with Thanksgiving Psal 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me V. 13. I will take the Cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory for thy mercy and for thy Truths sake Psal 106.21 They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt Psal 66.16 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul Psal 105.2 Sing unto him Sing Psalmes unto him talk ye of all his wondrous works Psal 22.10 I was cast upon thee from the womb thou art my God from my mothers belly Luke 17.17 And Jesus answered and said were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine V. 18. There are not found that returned to give Glory to God save this stranger Psal 69.30 I will praise the Name of God with a Song and will magnifie him with Thanksgiving V. 31. This also shall please the Lord better than an Oxe or Bullock that hath hornes and hoofes Psal 50.13 Will I eat the flesh of Buls or drink the blood of Goats V. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High Eph. 5.20 Giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing V. 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Psal 57.7 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psal 146.2 While I live I will praise the Lord I will sing praises to my God while I have my being Isa 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Ass his masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not Consider Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his Judgments unto Israel V. 20 He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them Praise ye the Lord. Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant for with my staffe I passed over this Jordan and now am become two bands 1 Chron. 29.14 But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 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 palmes in their hands V. 10. And Cried with a loud voice saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb. V. 11. And all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and four beasts and fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God V. 12. Saying Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdome and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen Rev. 19.1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in Heaven saying Alleluja Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God V. 3. And again they said Alleluja V. 4. And the four and twenty Elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sate on the Throne saying Amen Alleluja V. 5. And a voice came out of the Throne saying Praise our God all ye his Servants and ye that fear him both small and great Thirdly Be frequent and diligent in reading the holy Scriptures When thou readest the Commands the Promises the Threatnings therein contained think God speaks to thee in them And God must needs be true he cannot lie nor deceive Now there is sufficient evidence that the Scripture is his Word and written by the especial inspiration of his holy Spirit and that will appear if we consider these three things 1. The internal Light of its own perfection The holinesse and heavenlinesse of the matter the Majesty of the Stile the Consent of all the Parts the Scope of the whole which is to give all Glory to God and the full discovery therein made of the only way of mans salvation and reconciliation with God Which is a suitable way both to Gods Glory and mans Necessity 2. The many providential attestations and confirmations of the Truth of the things therein contained by real and undeniable miracles such as could not be wrought but by the power of God And surely if the Scripture had been only the device of men God would some way or other have disowned it ere this as a notorious abuse put upon him and not so constantly have preserved it in spight of the Devil and all his instruments who have laboured to banish it out of the world and to weaken the authority of it 3. The great and wonderful efficacy of the doctrine therein delivered to enlighten convince and humble sinners to drive them out of themselves and to draw them to Christ to conform them to the Image of God to subdue them to his will to strengthen them against temptations and corruptions to build them up in Grace to establish their hearts in holinesse and lastly to comfort them through Faith unto salvation As therefore the holy Ghost by special inspiration was the author of the Scripture and by extraordinary endowments was the author of the miracles wrought for its confirmation so also he is the author of the Faith of him that truly and unfeignedly believes it Yet he doth not cause us to believe by Enthusiasm without any reason or evidence but he enlightens the understanding removing the blindnesse and depravednesse thereof and shews us the credibility of the thing and the evidence of the truth that is to be believed and so perswades the heart to a belief thereof Indeed an historical belief of the Scripture which is true in its kind we may come to by rational perswasions without the special Grace or illumination of the Spirit of God but not that deep and firm belief which shall carry over the will effectually to God in Christ and captivate the whole man to the obedience of the Truth And when such a Faith and belief of the Scripture as this attended with sanctification is wrought in the soul the effect is a good argument to confirm the truth and excellency of such a Faith and belief 1. Labour therefore to work thy heart to a high and reverent esteem of the Word when thou goest to read it We should read it
i. e. in spiritual exercises and Meditations and by meanes thereof in spiritual raptures and elevations of soul VIII The Church succeeding the Apostles held her seâ—f obliged to the same observation For even in times of persecution before any either Imperial Edict or Canon of Council enjoyned it the observation of this day was so taken notice of by the Heathen that it became a constant interrogatory to the Christians in their examining Have you kept the Lords day To which their answer was ever ready I cannot intermit it for I am a Christian and the law of God prompts me to it Baron 30.3 Memb. 5. Now if any man shall enquire how the Sabbath came to be translated into the Lords day I answer Christ in the fourty daies he staied upon the earth after his resurrection did sundry times appear to his Disciples teaching them the things appertaining to the Kingdome of God Acts 1.3 Therefore 't is probable the Apostles were instructed by Christ concerning the change of the day from the seventh to the eighth and had special order immediatly from himself concerning it 'T is evident Christ is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2.27 And therefore had power not only to abrogate the old Sabbath but to surrogate and substitute the new in its room But whether this day were instituted immediatly by Christ himself or by his Apostles guided and infallibly inspired by his holy Spirit after his ascention still the day will be of Divine Institution And this Act of theirs will appear but the execution of a particular Command from the Spirit of Christ to that purpose For consider how Christ sent these Apostles As my Father sent me so send I you John 20.21 He that heareth you heareth me Luke 10.16 Go Mat. 28.19 There is their mission Teach all Nations There is their Commission What Why What things I command you and to assist and help you Lo I am with you alwaies to the end of the world not in corporal presence but by my Spirit the Comforter whom I will send you John 15.26 And he shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 14.26 This Spirit of Truth shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak He shall receive of mine and shew it you Thus we see the Apostles were undoubtedly inspired by the Spirit of Christ who revealed his will unto them And that they were thus acted by the holy Ghost they themselves testifie in their first Council It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us Acts 15.28 Thus we see there are two things whereon the Divine right of the Lords day is founded Upon the morality of the fourth Commandement and upon Evangelical Institution either by Christ himself or his Apostles And what the Apostles delivered by the dictate of the holy Ghost is as firm and indefeizable saies Cyprian de ablut pedum as what Christ himself Our Church reduceth the institution of this day as a weekly day to the fourth Commandement and as the first day of the week she foundeth it upon Apostolical practise and tradition I shall conclude this with the words of the judicious Hooker in his Eccles Pol. Book 5. parag 17. We are bound saies he to account the sanctification of one day in seven a duty which Gods immutable Law doth exact for ever although with us the day be changed in regard of a new revolution begun by our Saviour Christ yet the same proportion of time continueth which was before by way of a perpetual homage never to be dispensed withal nor remitted I come now to the second Particular The manner how we ought to observe this day 1. We ought to prepare for the Sabbath before it comes by a prudent care so disposing and dispatching our worldly businesses and affairs that they may be off our hands and out of our minds as much as is possible on that day that so our hearts may be more free and fit for those spiritual duties then required of us The Jewes before the Sabbath had a time of preparation Luke 23.54 Why should not we 2. We ought to sanctifie the Lords day not only by resting from worldly employments and recreations on other daies lawful but consecrating that rest unto God making it our delight to spend the whole time excepting so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy and such as are needful for the comfortable passing of the Sabbath in the publick and private exercises of Gods Worship and Service Such as Prayer Reading the Scripture Preparing for the publick duties Attending on the Word Singing the praises of God Private meditation on that which hath been preached Repetition thereof in the Family and religious conference to make the publick Ordinances the more profitable Take heed therefore of being found a slighter of those duties the neglect whereof cannot consist with any true vigour and power of Religion or any due care of our own or others soules that we ought to have a care of Consider God hath blessed and sanctified this day not only as a day of service to himself but as a time wherein he will confer blessings on the conscionable observers of it It is his special day of proclaiming and sealing pardons to penitent sinners 'T is a blessed day to the careful observers of it and sanctâ—fied to many gracious purposes The Sabbath was made for man said our Saviour Mark 2.27 i. e. For mans great benefit and advantage It would not be for the good and benefit of mankind to be dispensed with from the religious observation of it How much then are they to blame that make it a day of carnal rest a day of Idlenesse and jollity of feasting and pastimes which more alienate the mind from God than ordinary labours and take away the tast of spiritual things Some people if they have any visit to make or any odd businesse to do they refer them to this day Some keep the Sabbath as the Oxe they rest from their labours but serve not the Lord that day They are weary of the duties of the Sabbath they do not call the Sabbath a delight as it is Isa 58.13 Delight sweetens any labour How will people toyl at their sports and pleasures O had we spiritual hearts we should account the celebration of the Sabbath not only our duty but our priviledge By observing the Sabbath we continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of Creation and Redemption which contain a short abridgment of true Religion The Sabbath duly observed is a type of the everlasting rest that remaines for the people of God Heb. 4.9 How then can those ever think to come to Heaven and to keep an everlasting Sabbath in praising and adoring God to whom the celebration of a weekly Sabbath is so tedious and irksom here 3. Every true Christian is to take care not onâ—y to sanctifie the Lords day himself but that
gates of Jerusalem on the evening of their Sabbath If any Merchants come any worldly thoughts or businesses let them stay without till the Sabbath be over The work of mens Callings is not only in their hands but in their minds and heads A Minister may have a great Congregation yet but a few hearers if their minds be stuft with the world before they come if they bring their trades their bargaines their plow their worldly businesse along with them As therefore we read of Abraham in Gen. 22.5 That when he went up to the Mount to offer Sacrifice he left his servants and the Asse in the valley behind him so should we our worldly cares and businesses when we go to worship God and to hear his Word 2. Consider and meditate on the great concernment and importance of the Word 'T is the ordinary means God hath appointed for the working that great work of conversion without which no salvation and for the edifying and building up those that are already savingly wrought upon Jam. 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth 1 Cor. 4.15 I have begotten you in Christ Jesus saith Paul through the Gospel Rom. 10 17. Faith cometh by hearing Indeed sin and consequently death came by hearing at the first by our first Parents listening to and believing a tempting Spirit But now Faith and consequently life comes by Hearing through the operation of the blessed Spirit of God in the Word Rom. 1.16 The Gospel 't is the power of God unto salvation Labour therefore to have an high value and esteem of the preaching of the Gospel God hath appointed his Ordinances not in Soveraignty only but in Mercy to us As our Saviour said of the Sabhath Mark 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath So may I say of all the Ordinances of God they were ordained for man for mans benefit and not man made for them And therefore the great benefit that with Gods blessing may be expected from them if we duly attend upon them should make us highly value them Indeed it is one of the devils stratagems in this age to urge the efficacy of the Spirit as a plea for the neglect of means Whereas Gods Spirit does usually work in and by the means and rarely if ever when the ordinary means are slighted 'T is true God himself is not tyed to means nor to any of his own Ordinances yet he ties us to make use of them when we may have them That soul cannot expect to be instructed by Gods Spirit who is a slighter and neglecter of Gods ordinary means Further consider the intent of the Word is not only to regenerate but to nourish increase and perfect the Graces of the Saints Eph. 4.11 12. Our knowledge is imperfect Those that know most may learn more We need new inforcements of duty Our affections are dull and need a new excitement None so wise so knowing a Christian but he may receive some benefit from a different handling of what he himself knew before Therefore seeing the preaching of the Word was ordained for so great and signal benefits to mankind 't is just with God that they that have slight thoughts of it should be barren under it 3. When thou art going to hear consider whither thou art going Thou art going to meet the great God of Heaven and Earth A God that is not to be dallied with Levit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me When the people went to hear the Law Exod. 19.10 The Lord said to Moses Sanctifie the people and let them wash their clothes What does this speak to us that Christians should only wash their hands and faces and put on their best apparrel when they come to hear the Word No the Apostle James Jam. 1.21 tels us Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meeknesse the ingrafted Word that is able to save your souls If thou findest thy Spirit slight and wandring to fix it and make it serious think with thy self and imagine how it was with the Israelites going to receive the Law of God When the Mount was all on a flame of fire the trumpet sounding louder and louder the people trembling and sore afraid This is to beat the Devil with his own weapon for he often prevailes upon us by casting in sinful Imaginations Consider therefore how the Lord is present in an especial manner where his Word is preached Surely the Lord is in this place as Jacob said of Bethel Gen. 28.16 The apprehension of Gods presence in the assemblies of his people will preserve in thee an awful and reverent disposition of soul 4. Before thou goest fail not to poure forth earnest and fervent prayers unto the Lord and that in behalf 1. Of the Minister 2. Of thy self I. In behalf of the Minister that the Lord would teach him what he should teach the people and direct and enable him to declare the mind of God and to preach such truths as may tend to the benefit and salvation of thine and others soules Certainly if people did more seriously and more frequently pray for their Minister that the Lord would bless and prosper his labours and direct him to divide the Word aright to give to every one their portion to feed the people with knowledge and understanding he might expect a greater blessing and assistance in his studies and they more benefit by his endeavours How earnestly does Paul beg prayers Rom. 15 30 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me v. 31. That my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the Saints And Eph 6.18 Praying alwaies with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit for all Saints v. 19. And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel v. 20. That therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak Col. 4.3 Withal praying for us that God would open to us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ for which I am also in bonds v. 4. That I may make it manifest as I ought to speak II. In behalf of thy self 1. That the Lord would fix thy mind and make it serious When the mind is serious truths are apt to make impression 2. That he would enlighten thy mind and open thy heart as he did the heart of Lydia Acts 16.14 that thou maist have a clear and right understanding of those truths that concern thy salvation 3. That he would give thee a heart to believe and embrace the truth in the love of it that truth may not only float in thy phantasie but sink down into thy heart Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse There is a Faith of the head and a Faith of
usually they love not strictness nor the power of Godlinesse thinking it more ado than needs And by frequent familiar converse with such thou wilt be in danger to content thy self with a little goodnesse and seem some body in thy own eies having no better patterns before thee as he that hath but half an eie is a King among them that are blind Whereas among wise holy spiritual improv'd Christians thou wilt still have matter of imitation and provocation to aspire to a greater perfection in goodnesse He that walks with the wise shall be wiser saith Solomon but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13.20 VI. Consider our company will be part of our happinesse in Heaven Communion of Saints here is the lower Heaven of Saints O what comfort what benefit may we reap from good society How many thousands have cause for ever to blesse God that ever they liv'd neer or came acquainted with some persons seriously Godly From such company a Christian comes away revived quickned encouraged to walk in the waies of Holinesse He finds a good relish on his Spirit and his heart drawn Heaven-ward He finds himself provoked to presse forward towards the mark of his high calling But from wicked company 't is ten to one but either a man brings away a guilty Conscience or a sad heart or both Upon all these considerations labour to make thy acquaintance and familiar converse with those here who must be thy companions in Heaven if ever thou comest thither Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this world c. 1 Pet. 4.4 They think it strange that you run not with them to the same excesse of riot speaking evil of you 1 Cor. 15.33 Be not deceived evil communications corrupt good manners Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour but the way of the wicked seduceth them Isa 3.10 Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings V. 11. Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him Mal. 3.18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Prov. 19.29 Judgments are prepared for scorners and stripes for the back of fools Isa 28.22 Now therefore be not mockers lest your bands be made strong Mat. 18.6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it were better for him that a Mill-stone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Prov. 23.20 Be not amongst wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh V. 21. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsinesse shall cloath a man with rags 1 Cor. 5.9 I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to company with fornicators V. 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicatours of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or with Idolaters for then must ye needs go out of the world V. 11. But now have I written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicatour or covetous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one no not to eat 2 Thes 3.14 And if any man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Zeph. 1.12 And it shall come to passe at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles and punish the men that are setled on their lees that say in their heart the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turn away Isa 3.9 The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them and they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not Wo unto their soul for they have rewarded evil unto themselves Heb. 6.12 Be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and patience inherit the promises CHAP. VIII VVAlk conscientiously in thy particular calling according to these Directions following I. Avoid idlenesse and sloth Remember Adam in innocency had a calling appointed him by God And after the fall Gen. 3.19 't is Gods decree upon man in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread till thou return unto the ground No man has a priviledge to live idly and lazily but either by labour of body or toil of mind either by the sweat of his browes or of his brains ought to be serviceable and profitable to humane society Idlenesse exposes a man to many sins and many punishments When the Devil finds men idle and not employed in Gods service he entertains them into his If thou hast nothing to do the Devil will be ready to employ thee David when idle fell into the heinous sin of adultery A lawful calling is an excellent preservative against a multitude of sins and temptations 1 Cor. 7.20 24. Let every man abide saies the Apostle in the same calling wherein he was called When God cals us to be Christians he cals us out of the world as to our affections but not out of the world as to our employment An idle professor is a scandalous professor and walks inordinately II. Be diligent in thy calling for Conscience sake Many take pains enough but not out of Conscience to Gods Command nor with an eye to his Glory Whatever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord saies the Apostle Col. 3.23 Thou must be diligent in thy calling on a religious account performing the duties thereof in obedience to God studying both for matter and manner to approve thy self to him Think with thy self this is the calling wherein the Providence of God hath set me I am but his servant in my own shop or at my plow To him I must give an account of my diligence and faithfulnesse III. Seek and pray earnestly to the Lord for his blessing on thy lawful labours and endeavours 'T is an irreligious course to engage in any thing without prayer Thou must be fervent in prayer as well as not slothful in business All lawful businesse is sanctified by the Word and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 When we do that which the Word of God alloweth and by prayer humbly beg his blessing upon our endeavours we take a right course to prosper 'T is Gods blessing maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Pro. 10.22 'T is his blessing that giveth thee power to get wealth Deut. 8.18 If his blessing be wanting which thou art not like to have except thou cravest it all thy labours are to little purpose Psal 127.1 2. Except he blesse thee 't is in vain to rise early to sit up late and eat the bread of carefulnesse c. IV. In the management of thy Calling labour to exercise these Graces 1. Faith affiance in the goodnesse of God casting thy self on
bread of Idlenesse V. 28. Her children arise up and call her blessed her husband also and he praiseth her V. 29. Many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all V. 30. Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised V. 31. Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates CHAP. XII Of the Duties of Masters and Servants First Of the Duties of Masters MAsters ought to be careful of these things I. To instruct their Servants to inform them in the right knowledge of God and the things that concern their salvation To Catechize them to pray with them and for them to bring them to the publick Ordinances and cause them to observe the Lords Day To exhort them to private prayer and reading the Word and to be diligent and conscientious in their places c. Gen. 18.19 I know that my servant Abraham will teach his Family But of this I have spoken more in the Tenth Chapter of the Duties of Governours of Families II. To give them a good example A wife Carriage and a pious honest unblameable Conversation does much tend to the bettering of servants If the Master be a swearer a company keeper a prophaner of the Lords day have no prayers in his Family be a slighter and neglecter of Gods Worship and Service 't is madnesse for such an one to expect a sober Family III. To command them onely just and lawful things things equal as the Apostle speaks Col. 4.1 and to require of them only such service as they may well do with moderate care and industry and that which other servants of like condition with them usually perform A Master must not overtask his Servants nor oppress them with labours so that they shall have no time to bestow on their souls which is a ruling over them with rigour as 't is called Lev. 25.43 IV. To allow them wholsom fitting and sufficient food convenient rest and moderate refreshment that they may do their work with the more cheerfulnesse V. In time of sicknesse to take care that things necessary for their recovery be not wanting to them such as fitting Diet Physick and Attendance A Master at such a time is in place of a Parent Mat. 8.5 6 The Centurion went to Christ to heal his servant VI. To encourage them in well-doing by using them with that kindnesse and bounty which their Piety faithfulnesse and diligence deserves VII To admonish and reprove them when they do amisse and that not only in faults against themselves wherein few Masters are backward but also and more especially in faults against God whereat every Master ought to be more troubled than at those which tend only to his own losse or inconvenience The dishonour of God or the hazard of the meanest mans soul being infinitely more worthy our disquiet than any thing of the other kind can be Therefore when Masters or Mistresses are presently on fire for any little negligence and fault of a servant towards themselves and yet can without trouble see them run into great sins and miscarriages against God 't is a sign they consider their own concernments too much and Gods Honour and their servants souls too little But as 't is the duty of Masters to admonish and reprove their servants in case of fault so they must also look to do it in a due manner i. e. so as may be most likely to do good not in passion and rage which can never work the servant to any thing but the despising and hating of them Their rebukes must be just sparing moderate Eph 6 9. Forbearing threatning or moderating threatning as some render the Word They must reprove in such a sober and grave manner as may convince them of their faults and may plainly shew them that 't is love and good will to their souls and a desire of their amendment that makes them thus reprove them But if no warnings nor reproofs will restrain them from ill courses neither will they be corrected by words as 't is Prov. 29.19 then in due circumstances moderate correction of another sort may not be inexpedient VIII To listen to their just grievances and redresse them Job 31.13 If I did despise the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me v. 14. What then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him IX And Lastly to pay them their wages and justly to perform to them those conditions on which they were hired And that Masters may be the more careful and conscientious in these things let them consider 1. They have a Master in Heaven who is Omniscient righteous and just to whom they must give an account of the usage of their meanest servant on earth Eph. 6.9 And ye Masters do the same things to your servants farbearing threatning knowing that your Master also is in Heaven neither is there respect of persons with him Do the same things i. e. That which is good and right and shall be rewarded of the Lord. For Service give due recompense for good will in serving return good will by encouraging if Servants be faithful be ye good and gentle if they obey you in the Lord do ye command them in the Lord i. e. Only things just equal and pleasing to God 2. They and their Servants are of the same mould all of the earth as to the body and their Servants have reasonable souls capable of Grace here and Glory hereafter as well as they They should not therefore use them like slaves They should not carry themselves imperiously harshly churlishly and Nabal-like unto them 3. Those Servants that are truly gracious are Gods freemen and so fellow servants with their converted Masters in respect of God They are members of the same mystical body whereof Christ is the Head and may have a greater measure of Grace here and so a higher place in Heaven a greater degree of Glory hereafter than their Masters 4. And Lastly let them consider how easily God could have set them in their servants place and their servants in theirs And therefore let them give them such usage as themselves would think fit and reasonable had God disposed them into the condition of Servants Psal 101.2 I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way I will walk within my house with a perfect heart V. 6. Mine eies shall be upon the faithful of the Land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me V. 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Col. 4.1 Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven Eph. 6 9. And ye Masters do the same things unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your Master also is in Heaven neither is there respect of
they must command them only lawful and reasonable things using their power and authority over them with equity and moderation and with a gentle hand In all things of moment they require of them let them consider the real good and benefit of their children and guide themselves by that and not meerly their own advantage or pleasure or the exercise of their own authority This is a Rule as one saies well whereof Parents may often have use but especially in the businesse of marrying their children wherein many Parents out of a covetous humour to bestow them wealthily have forc'd them to marry against their inclinations and where they could not love which is a horrible Tyranny and thereby have betrayed them to infinite mischiefs such as all the wealth in the world cannot repair There are two things therefore saies the same Author that Parents ought especially to consider in the matching of their children 1. That they may live Christianly and to that purpose to chuse a pious and vertuous person to link them with that may not be like to hinder but to further them on in the way to Heaven This ought principally and above all other things to be minded 2. That they may live comfortably and cheerfully in this world And to that end though a competency of estate may be necessary to be regarded yet surely abundance is not requisite and therefore that should not be too vehemently sought after That which much more tends to the happiness of that State is the mutual kindnesse and liking of the parties without which marriage is of all other the most uncomfortable condition therefore no Parent ought to force a child into it Eph. 6.4 And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Col. 3.21 Fathers provoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged 2 Cor. 12.14 For the children ought not to lay up for the Parents but the Parents for the children 1 Tim. 5.8 But if any provide not for his own especially for those of his own house he hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell Deut. 6.7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up Prov. 19.18 Chasten thy son while there is hope and let not thy soul spare for his crying Prov. 13.24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Prov. 29.17 Correct thy son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight unto thy soul Prov. 22.15 Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 10.1 A wise son maketh a glad father but a foolish son is the heavinesse of his mother Prov. 1.8 My son hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother Deut. 4.9 Onely take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy Sons sons Duties of Children towards their Parents Children owe to their Parents these three duties especially 1. Reverence 2. Obedience 3. Thankfulnesse I. Reverence which they must expresse 1. By honouring them in their hearts bearing not only an awe and respect but a kindnesse and affection towards them loving their persons fearing to do any thing may justly provoke them and highly esteeming them as the instruments under God of their being Lev. 19.3 Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father The Mother is placed first because children though they stand most in need of their Mothers in their younger years yet when they are grown up many times do most wickedly neglect and despise them But how cursed a thing it is to set light by Parents and even in our secretest thoughts to despise them God himself declares Deut. 27.16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or his Mother and all the people shall say Amen 2. By speaking to them with due respect and regard and to others of them What a heinous sin then is mocking Parents Prov. 30.17 The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young Eagle shall eat it But there is a more horrid Crime than that which is cursing Parents Exod. 21.17 And he that curseth his Father or his Mother shall surely be put to death And to this Head we may refer that great and high offence that those wretched Children are guilty of who either through impatience of the Government or greedinesse of the possessions of their Parents do wish their deaths And let them not think to excuse themselves by saying they wish them in Heaven for that they do it not so much that they may have ease and rest at their journies end as because they must needs take death in the way But whoever does thus embrue his soul in bloudy wishes of his Parents death let him know there is one above that sees and observes that great wickedness And if long life be promised as a reward of honouring Parents 't is very agreeable to Divine Justice that untimely death be the punishment of the contrary And so they who so eagerly desire the death of their Parents take the direct course untimely to meet with their own 3. By giving them in their outward carriage all due respect and observance behaving themselves with humility towards them and giving them all those signs and expressions of civil honour which are to be paid by Inferiours to Superiours How contrary to this is that detestable sin of smiting Parents Exod. 21.15 And he that smiteth his Father or his Mother shall be surely put to death The punishment the Heathens inflicted on such unnatural children was to sew them in a sack with a dog cat viper and ape as emblems of unnaturalness and so drown'd them together So much doth the very Light of Nature abhor such monstrous undutifulness II. Obedience which they must manifest 1. By hearkning to their instructions and carefully laying up their precepts in their hearts especially those that concern the welfare of their Souls There is ordinarily such a pride and headinesse in youth that they are apt to slight the counsels and directions of their Elders and to look upon them as proceeding either from too much severity or from dotage when they are indeed the fruits of wisdom sobriety experience To such the counsell of Solomon is necessary Prov. 23.22 Hearken unto thy Father that begat thee and despise not thy Mother when she is old Many more Texts there are in that book to this purpose that shew how the wisest of men have thought it necessary that Children should carefully attend to the
praise of them that do well 1 Tim. 2.1 I exhort therefore that first of all' Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men V. 2. For Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy people Acts 23.5 Then said Paul I wist not Brethren that he was the High Priest for it is written thou shalt not speak-evil of the Ruler of thy people CHAP. XV. Of the Duties of people towards their Pastours and Ministers HAving spoken of the Duties of Children to their Natural Parents and of Inferiours to Magistrates their civil Parents I come now to those of people to their Ministers their Spiritual Parents Thus St Paul tels the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 That in Christ Jesus he had begotten them through the Gospel And the Gallatians Chap. 4.19 That he travels in birth of them till Christ be formed in them Their Duties to them are these four First To esteem them very highly in love for their work sake as the Apostle commands 1 Thes 5.13 And surely this will seem very reasonable if either 1. The Nature of their work be considered or 2. Who it is that employes them I. Their work is of all others most excellent No Calling or employment more honourable than the rescuing of precious Souls out of the hands of Satan and from endlesse perdition II. 'T is a great and an hard work They are 1. To instruct the people to feed them with knowledge and understanding Jer. 3.15 And teach them the right way to Salvation 2. To pray for them To be the Lords remembrancers and their Sollicitors in the Court of Heaven 3. To be an Example to the Flock in a holy and unblameable life and conversation 4. To visit the sick 5. To labour the setling the distressed Conscience 6. To watch over the Flock to preserve them 1. From corrupt Doctrine 2. From a corrupt Conversation And to this end to endeavour the reclaiming the disorderly by admonitions and such other Censures as Christ hath left in the Church Their work therefore is such as ought in all reason to procure them love and esteem it being of so great advantage to the world Josephs Office in delivering out corn in a time of Famine made him justly honoured by the Egyptians How worthy an employment is it then to deliver out the Manna of Gods Word the food of life to the souls of men who without it are in danger to perish everlastingly 2. Consider who it is that employes them They are Ambassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadors by the Law of Nations are to be treated with a respect answerable to the quality of those that send them Therefore Christ tels his Disciples when he sends them out to preach He that despiseth you despiseth me he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10.16 It seems 't is a worse businesse than people ordinarily consider to despise the Ministers of Christ Let those think of this who make it their design and sport to put affronts upon the persons and to deride the Calling of the Ministers Certainly there will be a strict account requir'd of all that derision slanders reproaches and hard usage the faithful Ministers of Christ do meet with in the discharge of their places and calling And further if it be Christ that employes them then let those consider seriously of it who dare presume to exercise the Offices of this sacred function without being lawfully Call'd thereto What is this but as if a man on his own head should go as an Ambassador from his Prince The Apostle saies of the Priests of the Law which yet are inferiour to those of the Gospel That no man takes this honour to himself but he which was call'd of God Heb. 5.4 Certainly they that usurp sacred Offices for which they are not duly fitted and to which they were never lawfully call'd will be able to give but a very sad account to God when he reckons with them for this their presumption Let me advise such to read the story of Corah in Numb 16. Who being arrogant and ambitious would needs take upon him the Priesthood and he and his accomplices rise up against Moses and Aaron and their plea is all the Congregation are holy ye take too much upon you Wherefore lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord So that we see this levelling humour is no new thing in the world To make head against Moses and Aaron to oppose Magistracy and Ministry you see was Corahs sin Take heed of imitating him lest you perish likewise in the gainsaying of Corah Jude v. 11. You may read the sad end of him and his Company Num. 16.32 And so much of the first Duty people ought to pay to their Ministers They ought to love and esteem them Secondly They ought to pray for them that they may be furnished with all those Graces and Gifts and blessed with such assistances of Gods Spirit as may enable them to discharge that holy Calling faithfully and successefully Of this I have spoken more P. 323. Thirdly They ought conscientiously to attend upon their Ministry and submit to their Spiritual guidance and direction really endeavouring to grow in knowledge and Grace thereby Obey them saith the Apostle Heb. 13.17 that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls c. Whatsoever they out of Gods Word shall make manifest to be his Will and Command is to be obeyed seeing 't is not they but God requires it according to that of Christ He that heareth you heareth me Luke 10 16. And this whether it be delivered by way of publick preaching or private exhortation for in both so long as they keep them to the Rule which is Gods Word they are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2.7 People therefore must labour to grow in Spiritual knowledge and Grace answerably to the means of Grace afforded them and thereby strengthen the hands and encourage the heart of their Minister in his work The proficiency of the people in knowledge and holiness is the Crown and rejoycing of every Faithful Minister and though God will not reward him according to his successe but his sincerity and industry yet nothing more troubles him then to see his multiplied pains not answered with desired successe Let people therefore look to it that they bring forth the fruits of the Gospel that is preached to them The Husbandman laies his ground fallow when he sees it will not bring forth Corn so as to quit charges The Kingdom of Heaven saies our Saviour shall be taken away from you and given to others which will bring forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21.43 'T is just with God to take away the means of Grace from a people when he sees they live unprofitably under them Fourthly Seeing
have many a curse Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth and there is that withholdeth more thanis meet but it tendeth to poverty Prov. 21.13 Whoso stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard I come now to speak of the Duties belonging to the poor Poverty hath its dangers evils and temptations as well as riches and abundance And there are Duties belonging to those that are poor as well as to the rich and they are these that follow I. They ought to take heed of murmuring or repining against God and to be well-pleased and contented with the condition and station wherein he hath placed them We are Gods Creatures and he hath a right to do with us what he will 1 Sam. 2.7 The Lord maketh poor maketh rich he bringeth low and lifteth up And who art thou O man that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power ever the clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour c. As the Apostle reasons Rom. 9.20 21. Let not the poor therefore murmure against Gods dealing with them but labour to be well satisfied with their Lot Let them not compare their condition with those they count more prosperous and happy than themselves but rather with them they see more miserable And then they will have cause to blesse God for their own portion Let them pray earnestly to the Lord for that great blessing of a contented mind without which the wealthiest condition is very uneasie and irksom and with which the poorest is pleasing and delightful I have learned saith Paul Phil. 4.11 12 13. in whatever state I am therewith to be content I know how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me II. They ought to be very humble With their low condition they should carry a lowly mind They should give due respect to those whom God hath set above them in the world and from whom they receive benefit There are some poor people that have as ugly a pride and insolency of Spirit in them as is to be found any where among men There is a leathern pride and a russet insolency 't is not alwaies couch'd under gorgeous apparel But surely those whom God hath made low in this world should be lowly in their own eies They should labour to be poor in Spirit deeply sensible of their spiritual wants and then there is a great blessednesse belongs unto them Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven The rich must be thus poor if they intend to come to Heaven III. They should be diligent and painful in their Callings The Apostles Charge is 2 Thes 3.10 That they that will not work should not eat Idlenesse and lazinesse is the sin of many poor people If they would work they might eat their own bread and not be chargeable to any A poor man to whom God giveth health and industry to get his living â—is possest of a great treasure and a stock yielding him daily rent The labour that gets him bread gets him also an appetite to eat it and sleep to refresh him when he is weary and health to continue his labour Eccles 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or much but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep His many Children give him lesse care then few Children to the rich and less trouble to provide for them For in rich mens houses the Charge groweth alwaies as the Children grow In poor families that live by labour the Charge growes lesse as the Children grow up The Sons serve the Father in his work the Daughters spin by their Mother Their portion is their Trade and Labour by which with Gods blessing they live comfortably IV. They should be frugal not presently as soon as ever they have got a little money going to the Ale-house and drinking it away as too many do but should lay it up to supply their necessities And they should be carefull and provident to improve the opportunities that God puts into their hands As in such times when work is plenty and provisions cheap they should then lay up something against a time of need and not slacken their industry and grow slothful nor be proud and scornful lavishing out all they get on their backs and bellies and so when work is scarce provisions dear and sickness comes they suffer want through their own improvidence and become burdensom to others V. Above all things they ought to be exceeding careful of the welfare of their souls and very diligent to work out their salvation And now O all ye that are poor in this world Come and let us reason together Your outward condition in this life 't is confess'd is mean and poor and possibly you cannot expect it will be much mended yet lift up your hearts and comfort your selves with this consideration you are as capable of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Glory of the world to come as any others if you through your own folly and negligence be not wanting to your selves Here possibly with all your labour you cannot raise your selves to any considerable estates He would be a welcome man unto you that could direct you how in an honest and just way by using due care and industry you might attain a hundred pounds a year How diligently would you listen to his advice and how earnestly and punctually observe his Directions Now therefore come on and consider seriously whether it will not be an extream folly and madnesse in you having so golden an opportunity in your hands of attaining not sosmal a matter as a hundred pounds a year but a Kingdom a glorious and never-fading Kingdom to continue in your ignorance stubbornnesse ungodlinesse slighting the Directions that are given you for the attaining thereof and wilfully neglecting and disregarding the means of Grace And so after you have lived a poor life here to be everlastingly miserable hereafter From a poor Cottage to go down to a dungeon of darknesse to a lake of fire and brimstone there to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever You think may be because you are poor and not book learn'd that God will require little of you But do not flatter and delude your selves God will require of you according to the means of Grace he affords you Though you are ignorant would not your Minister instruct you Or have you no neighbours that you may ask and learn the way of Salvation from Do you think you are exempted from seeking after knowledg from Family duties from a conscionable constant attendance on the
drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment V. 26. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they V. 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one Cubit unto his stature V. 28. And why take ye thought for raiment consider the Lilies of the field how they grow they toyl not neither do they spin V. 29. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these V. 30. Wherefore if God so cloath the grasse of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the Oven shall he not much more cloath you Oh ye of little Faith V 31. Therefore take no thought saying What shall we eat Or what shall we drink Or wherewithall shall we be cloathed V. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you V. 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof See more Scriptures to this purpose pag. 215. CHAP. XVIII Of the Duties of the Young and Old First Of those that concern the younger sort ALL young persons should consider that it is their duty and high concernment to endeavour to be really good and truly religious betimes In order hereunto I shall 1. Lay down some Reasons and Arguments to presse them to it 2. Answer such Objections and labour to remove such prejudices as are conceiv'd against it 3. Give some Directions to them who are willing to be advis'd herein There are many weighty Reasons and Arguments to perswade them to it I. God now invites them to it Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth c. And let them consider 1. God hath no need of them but they have need of him and cannot possibly be happy without him 2. He is willing to be reconcil'd to them if they will turn to him though for their sins he might justly destroy them 3. He offers them better terms and conditions if they will serve him then they can possibly have any where else either in the service of sin or Satan Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death The two genuine and natural fruits of sin are shame and death Is it not then an intollerable indignity and affront put upon the great God of Heaven and Earth for any to refuse to serve him who offers them so fair terms and to continue in the Devils slavery who they know intends the ruine both of their souls and bodies II. Delaies are exceeding dangerous 1. Life is uncertain Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Young men may reckon upon years when possibly they have not moneths to live Consider how quick God is with some cutting them off in their sins Time is precious Redeem it for on this moment depends Eternity 2. Grace is uncertain 'T is not in mans power to have Grace when he will The Spirit of God will not alwaies strive with the children of men To day and while it is call'd to day hear his voice Psal 95.7 And harden not your hearts Gather the Manna while it fals come in while the door of Grace stands open Take heed of being like Esau coming too late for a blessing 3. The longer thou delayest the more unfit unable and indisposed thou wilt be to return Now thy parts are fresh and thy affections vigorous If thou wilt enter thy self into the School of Christ now what a great deal of knowledge and Grace and spiritual experience maist thou attain unto What a good Scholar a good proficient maist thou be But if thou delayest then consider in what a sad condition thou art 1. Sin will be every day more and more hardning thy heart and stupifying thy Conscience and so will make thy return the more difficult Now may be thou hast some tenderness of Conscience Thou wilt quickly lose it if thou refusest to hearken to Gods call 2. The world and the cares of this life will more and more engage and intangle thy Affections If thou givest not thy self to God while young before thou art much engaged in the cares and businesses of this life 't is very hazardous whether the world will not carry away thy heart and whether thou maist not lose thy soul in an eager pursuit of these outward things 3. The Devil will get stronger possession Every soul is either Gods Temple or the Devils house 'T will be hard to cast Satan out where he hath had many years possession The longer any go on in sin the greater power God permits the Devil to have over them 4. The longer thou delayest the more thou provokest God to give thee up to thy own hearts lusts and to leave thee to thy self 'T was a sad word Isa 6.10 Go and make the heart of this people fat and shut their eies lest they see with their eies and hear with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and be healed God may justly refuse to hearken to thee when thou callest for mercy who wouldst not before hearken to the call of his Grace The Spirit of God after many repulses may go away aggrieved God may smite thee with stupidity and senslessenesse that great Spiritual judgment And then what will become of thee And besides dost thou think that any man whose wise should be false to him and run away from him and follow after strangers in her younger time would receive her at last in her old age Why wilt thou think then to deal so with God Upon the whole matter then if thou art not converted and dost really turn to God when young 't is a hundred to one whether ever thou be converted or no. 'T is rarely seen that men habituated and long accustomed to sin do ever change their black skins as the Reverend Mr. Burgess well observes III. Consider whether there be any part of a mans life wherein he may reasonably think he has a liberty to serve the Devil If not why wilt thou not speedily turn to God Why should not thy youth be consecrated unto him As long as thou remainest unconverted and in the state of Nature thou art doing the Devil service And who would serve such a Master IV. Consider There are many great advantages that will come unto thee by turning to God betimes 1. Multitude of sins and sorrows will be hereby prevented Those that get bruises and strains when young feel them when they grow old O what anguish and pain of Conscience have they that have lived long in sin and committed great ones
if they be brought home to God at last O what a cutting consideration must it needs be to old people to cast their eyes back upon a life spent in sin and dishonouring God and hurting the soules of others by their ill example O what a deal of sorrow would Manasses and Mary Magdalen have escaped if they had been converted in their younger years So if Paul had been betimes brought home to God he had not had all that trouble and grief of Spirit for persecuting the Church 2. Thou maist hereby come to some eminency of knowledge and Grace and Spiritual experience A young man that is a good husband betimes upon his trade we say is like to grow rich whereas one that has been prodigal in his younger time and a spend-thrist if he should in his elder years begin to be wise yet having lost so much time we are apt to think he will never do any great matter at it So they that give up their hearts to God betimes and consecrate their younger years to him O how rich in knowledge and Grace may they grow 3. Thy joyes and comforts will be the greater Thou art a hinderer of thy peace and comfort all the while thou art going on in the way of sin Thou art feeding on Onions when thou mightst have Manna Thou art feeding on husks with the Prodigal when thou mightest have the fatted calf What are all the noisom pleasures of sin to the peace of a good Conscience the enjoyment of God the delights and joyes of the Holy Ghost 4. The more service thou wilt do for God Suppose a man be call'd at the twelfth hour alas 't is little he can do for God before night An old man that was late converted ordered this to be written upon his Tomb-stone Here lies an old man of seven years old Suppose a man after many years spent in sin should at last be converted he had need of Methuselah's age to bewail his former miscarriages and to do service for God whom he hath so dishonoured Oh think what an honour it is to live to glorifie God and to do him service And canst thou begin too soon to honour him who deserves so infinitely well of thee 5. It will make not only thy life but thy death also comfortable When death comes thou wilt have this good evidence of thy sincerity that thou didst turn to God betimes in thy youth and in the flower and prime of thy daies Thou wilt not then be afraid to look God in the face nor dread him as an enemy but think delightfully of him as a long experienced friend and be willing to surrender thy soul unto him 'T is reported of Adrian that when he came to die he cried out O my soul whither art thou going thou art going where thou shalt never be jovial nor merry more O my soul whither art thou going Therefore do those things now which when thou comest to die thou wouldst wish thou hadst done and leave those things undone which thou supposest will not yield thee comfort in that hour 6. And lastly The sooner thou engagest thy heart to God and the more service thou dost him in this life the greater will be thy reward in Heaven Gal. 6.7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting I come now to the second thing to answer the Objections that young persons may make why they should not turn to God so soon Obj. 1. We shall hereby lose our chief time of pleasure Sol. You shall exchange dirt for Gold and the draff of swine for the food of Angels your sinfull pleasures for the delights of the Holy Ghost and the joyes of a good Conscience Religion will abridge you of nothing but sin which is rank poison to your souls It will allow you recreations that are lawful expedient seasonable and moderate and which may fit you more to glorifie God in your general or particular Calling See the Rules set down in the foregoing Chap. under the fifth Direction to the Rich. Pag 490 Obj. 2. We do but as most young people do and as others have done before us Sol. If you sin with others you must expect to suffer with others They that are like Simeon and Levi brethren in iniquity must be brethren also in misery The old world sinn'd together and were drown'd together You must not live by examples but by precepts Look not at what others do but at what God commands Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Obj. 3. There needs not so much ado to get to Heaven Sol. Is it more ado than Gods Word requires read and judge Luke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness c. Eph. 5.15 See that ye walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time c. Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear If the righteous hardly i. e. with much striving diligence and watchfulness attain salvation what will become of the negligent secure sinner Can any think of ever coming to Heaven which is a state of holinesse and purity whose hearts disrellish Holinesse and cannot away with it as too much strictness and more ado than needs Obj 4. We are young enough We intend to turn to God hereafter but not yet Sol. Concerning the danger of delaies see before pag. 510 In all likelihood there are many in Hell that thought of turning hereafter Obj. 5. We shall be flouted and jeer'd if we begin to be religious and precise so soon Sol. What are reproaches to the great things others have suffered for Christ What is the enduring a jeer to the enduring a burning for the sake of Christ 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you 2 Cor. 6.8 By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as decievers and yet true Mat. 5.11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake V. 12. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Obj. 6. We shall shift as well as others Sol. So you may and yet make but a bad shift neither 'T is small comfort to have companions in Hell Dives did not think it would ease his torments to have his Brethren come to him Obj. 7. We see many that once seem'd forward in Religion do fall off some to open prophanenesse and some into errour and strange opinions Sol.
are not under the dominion of sin but of grace Whether they have put on the new man and have a new nature wrought in them which consists in knowledge righteousnesse and true holiness Whoever is in Christ is a new creature old things are past away 2 Cor. 5.17 And whoever has not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit V. 5. To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace V. 6. Let them consider therefore whether ever they found a powerful work of Grace upon their hearts whether the Spirit of Christ dwell in them whether his Law be written in their hearts whether his Glory be their end whether indeed they are alive unto God what strength they have for active and passive duties whether the Word be their delight whether they pray fervently delight in communion with God in his waies and Worship whether they obey him sincerely and walk humbly before him whether they bear afflictions patiently suffer reproaches joyfully Sixthly Whether they have for any considerable time made Religion the great businesse of their lives apprehending the chief happinesse of man to consist in reconciliation with God pardon of sin in a gracious frame of heart in communion with God and a faithful serving of him whether they have set their affections on things above have had their conversation in Heaven have pressed earnestly after the Glory of the other world have laid hold on eternal life have been treasuring up for eternity have improved their Talents for God have been serviceable to him in their generation If their Consciences upon a serious search can bear witnesse that through Grace it has been thus in some good measure with them then they have great reason to encourage their hearts in the Lord and to awaken all the powers of their soules to blesse his holy Name for working so gracious a frame of heart in them And let them still seek to the same fountain of Grace that he would please to perfect holinesse more and more in them till he bring them into the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant Heb. 12.22 But if the case has not been thus in any considerable degree and measure with them but upon a serious search they find they have been ignorant and mistaken about or too negligent and carelesse of the great things that concern their salvation then let them bewail their sad condition and cry mightily to God to give them his holy Spirit to enlighten their minds to convince them throughly of their sins of the danger folly and pollution of them to give them a heart to repent in good earnest to bestow upon them a broken and a contrite Spirit to dissolve their stony hearts into that Godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation never to be repented of and which bringeth forth fruits meet for repentance to discover to them their great need of a Saviour to draw their soules effectually unto him that they may close with him sincerely and resolvedly for those ends and purposes for which he came into the world namely to procure our pardon by his Merits and to sanctifie our natures by his Grace and holy Spirit to mortifie our corruptions to deliver us from Satans power and to bring us back again unto God And for the better information of their minds in the things they should know and believe in order to their salvation and to direct their practise I must refer them to the three first Chapters of the first part of this Treatise and the second and third Chapters of the second part which I desire them heedfully to mind and ponder upon Besides these Directions already mentioned there are some others also very requisite for sick persons to mind and regard As I. They should settle their estates and worldly affairs if they have not already done it as in prudence they should in time of health so that their minds may be free and vacant for spiritual exercises and not disturbed with earthly cares and businesses And those that have estates let them not forget to be charitable and to dispose something to pious uses knowing that with such sacrifices offer'd in a right manner and to a right end God is well pleased II. If they remember any wrongs or acts of injustice they have done to their neighbours or those with whom they have had dealings let them make restitution or labour to give them satisfaction as they are able that the guilt of those sins remain not on their Consciences III. If they be at variance with any let them seek reconciliation and freely and heartily forgive those that have done them wrong remembring how much they stand in need of forgivenesse from God IV. Let them give good counsel to those about them and the friends that come to visit them and exhort them earnestly to mind the working out their salvation in time of health and not to set their hearts on this world on the pleasures or profits of it which will not avail them in the day of death Let them advise them now to live unto God now to lay a good foundation against the time to come The words of sick and dying persons use to be much heeded and remembred V. Let them in the intervals of sharper pains look over their life past and recollect Gods wonderful favours and blessings bestowed upon them to stir up their hearts to praise and magnifie his holy Name How many are there that if they would read over the history of their life past may find matter enough of praise and to provoke them to send up some such thankful ejaculations as these Blessed be the Lord in all my life time I never broke a bone never fell into the hands of robbers never into publick shame or noisom diseases I have not begg'd my bread God gave me a right shape of body the right use of my understanding careful and pious Parents good and bountiful friends a religious education delivered me in such and such a danger heard my prayers in such particular pressures of my spirit c. O what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me VI. Let them decline as much as they can the visits of vain and worldly persons who by their carnal and frothy discourses are like to disturb and hinder them in their preparations for death and those spiritual meditations and exercises they should be employ'd in Those that visit sick persons or attend about them should not talk to them as 't is too common of vain worldly needlesse businesses but of things that concern the welfare of their soules And to this Head I may
man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Of Heaven We have seen what will be the state of the damned We come now to speak of the blessedness of those that die in the Lord i. e. in the favour of God in a state of peace with him being members of Christs mystical body When they die their souls are carried by Angels to Christ and by him presented to God the Father as the fruit of his purchase So that they are presently blessed upon the departure of the soul out of the body but shall be more blessed at the general resurrection when soul and body being reunited the Judge shall set them at his right hand and pronounce upon them this gracious sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matth 25.34 Which done they shall go away into life eternal as it is v. 46. The Glory and Blessednesse of this state we come now to enquire into and there are two things wherein it consists 1. In a total removal of all evils 2. In a confluence of all good necessary to the happinesse of the Creature First All evils are removed There are three great evils we labour under here 1. The evil of sin 2. Of temptation 3. Of affliction None of which shall trouble the Saints in Heaven 1. The evil of sin is there removed Sin is the great evil the children of God complain of with so much sadnesse in this world Here the Spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit but in Heaven there shall be no sinful lusts to war against the soul Paul shall not there complain of a law in his members rebelling against the law of his his mind Nor câ—y out Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. There shâ—ll be no blindness in the mind perversenesse in the will disorder in the affections no concupiscence in the members no rebellion in the flesh the old Adam is left in the grave never to rise more The dominion of sin the Saints are delivered from in this life but there the very being of it is removed Grace weakens sin Glory quite abolisheth it Into Heaven nothing enters that defiles There we shall be under anâ— happy impossibility of offending God 2. The evil of temptation The world is a place of snares a valley of temptations the devils circuit What abundance of temptations are we assaulted with here continually either from the Devil the world or our own corrupt Natures In Paradise there was a tempter but there is none in Heaven No Serpent can creep in there Here we had need pray continually Lord lead us not into temptation There we shall be fully delivered from it 3. The evil of affliction In Heaven there is an absolute freedom from all misery pain labour want or whatever else might afflict us All sorrow shall be done away as well as all sin Sorrow is the fruit of sin and when the mother is dead no more off-spring can be expected Whatsoever is painful and burdensom to Nature is a fruit of sin and a brand and mark of our rebellion against God Here we are subject to a number of necessities hunger thirst cold wants of several sorts In Heaven the children of God shall enjoy perfect freedom from whatsoever is troublesom Grief fear temptation sicknesse pain of body anguish of mind shall be heard of no more for ever When the Saints are once past death they are past the fear of all misery When their bodies are once lapt up in their winding-sheets they are past all tribulation Heaven is a happy ayre where none are sick There is no such thing as agues feavers gouts or the grinding paines of the Stone There is nothing to discompose the mind or afflict the body The Saints shall there be freed from the necessities of Nature such as eating drinking sleeping c. Meat is for the belly and the belly for meat but God shall destroy both it and them 1 Cor. 6.12 The use of meats and of the stomack and belly is there abolished Here we are almost continually in want of something or other but there we shall be above meat and drink and apparrel c. Here we have a mixture of pleasures and sorrows both good and evil are to be received from the hand of God in this life but there is fulnesse of joy for evermore I shall conclude this with that comfortable place Rev. 21.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Secondly A Second thing wherein the blessedness of Heaven consists is in a confluence of all good necessary to the happiness of the Creature The Saints in Heaven will be blessed 1. In their bodies 2. In their soules 3. In their Company 4. In an absolute security of enjoying all this blessedness for ever without any fear of losing it or being deprived of it I. They will be blessed in their bodies The bodies even of the best of the Saints are for the present vile bodies instruments of sin and subjects of diseases but the Lord Jesus Christ shall at the day of judgment raise these vile bodies and change them into the likenesse of his own glorious body Phil. 3.20 21. The bodies of the Saints are the members of Christ and no member of his shall remain in death They are the Temples of the holy Ghost and therefore if they be destroy'd they shall be raised again For if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in us as he doth in the Saints and by so dwelling makes their bodies Temples he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in us Rom. 8.11 The Holy Ghost will not forsake his mansion and ancient habitation Therefore he raiseth it up and formeth it again into a compleat fashion like Christs glorious body The bodies of the Saints when dead and separated from their souls are not separated from Christ as we shewed before And therefore are said to be dead in Christ to sleep in Jesus as 't is 1 Thes 4.14 While dead they are united to Christ and by vertue of this Union Christ as their Head will raise them at the last day and at their resurrection they shall be changed as to their qualities though their substance shall not be altered The Ancient Christians when they rehearsed that Article of the Creed I believe the resurrection of the flesh were wont to adde even of this my flesh 'T is necessary the same flesh should be raised again For it cannot stand with Gods justice that one body should sin and another body be damned That he that sinned in one body should
state of corruption to a state of Glory Would we enter into Glory let us labour to secure our state in Grace Grace and Glory do not differ specifically but gradually When a soul is brought into a state of saving Grace it is entred into a state of Glory For as God hath prepared Heaven for his children so he prepares his children for Heaven Grace is the Nursery of Glory As the plants of righteousness grow fit for Heaven they are removed to Heaven and shall be for ever with the Lord. O Lord prepare and fit my soul for this new Jerusalem into which no unclean thing can enter Give me true repentance for all my sins and wash away the guilt of them in the blood of thy dear Son my Lord and Saviour Sanctifie me throughout both in soul and body by thy Grace and holy Spirit and enable me to glorifie thee in this life that I may hereafter enter into thy Kingdom into that eternal state of Glory bliss and purity O let me not have my portion in this life but when thou sendest for me out of this world by death Lord receive my soul for thy free mercy and my Saviours merits sake into those Heavenly mansions where there is fulnesse of joy and pleasures at thy right hand for evermore Amen John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world 1 Cor. 2.9 But as it is written eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Col. 1.12 Giving thankes unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Heb. 10.34 For ye took joyfully the spoyling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 12.22 But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels V. 23. To the general assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect 1 Thes 4.17 And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail V. 20. Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek Mat. 25.23 His Lord said unto him well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 2 Cor. 12.4 How that he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter Luke 16.22 And it came to passe that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom Heb. 11.10 For he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God 1 Pet. 1.4 To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shephard shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away Glory be to God in the highest On earth peace Good will towards men FINIS BOOKS Printed for and are to be sold by JOHN ROTHWEL at the Fountain and Bear in Cheap-side A Mr. AInsworth Arrow against Idolatry in fol. 12 Dr. Ames Cases of conscience Engl. Marrow of Divinity 4 On Peter 4 D. Arrowsmith Tactica Sacra sive de milite spirituali pugnante Vincente Triumphante Annotations on the Bible by the Dutch Ministers fol. Assembly Confes Catechism large and small in 4 with Scriptures at large B M. Bradshaw Sin against the H. Ghost 12 M. Bridges Babylons downfal 4 M. Bohemus on 100 Scriptures opened 8 M. Broxolme on Perkins Six Principles 8 M. Bucklers Assize Sermon C M. Church Miscelanies of the Attributes of God The Creatures of God 4 Good mans Treasury 12 Of Ejaculations 12 His Golden Sayings 12 Pocket companion 12 M. Culverwells Light of nature 4 White stone alone 8 M. Clark Of Persecution and Lives of Ministers folio M. Cravens Catechisme 8 M. Cotton of singing of Psalmes 4 Catechising and Conference by the Ministers of the Isle of Wight D M. Dales Shepherdizing of Lambs 8 D. Drake De sanguine 4 M. Dyke of Epping His Right Receiving of Christ 8 Safety in case of danger 8 Select Sermons of Quenching the Spirit and Pardon of sin c. 8 F Mr Fenner of Affections 4 Of Conscience 4 Alarm for drousie Saints 4 Wilful Impenitency 4 Catechism On the Creed Lords Prayer Ten Commandments M. Ford of Baptism Catechising and first Fruits of Davids Government 8 His Catechise against the Anabaptists G Germany Lamentations Octavo Invasion Octavo Prodigies Octavo H M. Hughes Of Affliction the benefit of it 4 Funeral Sermon 4 Parliament Sermon 4 M. Hooks New-Englands Tears 4 New-Englands Sense 4 M. How of Universal Redemption 4 Pagan Preacher silenced 4 M. Haines Grammar 8 M. Hanmer Of Confirmation L M. Lockier Balm for bleeding England and Ireland 8 Communion of Church Militant Discovery of Sincerity 8 Olive Leafe 8 Parliament Sermon 4 Englands Wounds 4 Love Grace with its different degrees 8 Zealous Christian 4 Heavens Glory and Hels Terror 4 Effectual Calling 4 Combat between the Flesh and Spirit 4 Directory of a Christian 4 The Penitent Pardoned 4 The Dejected Souls Cure Administration of Angels 4 Gods Omni-presence The Sinners Legacy to their posterity 4 By Mr. Calamy By Mr. Whitaker By Mr. Ashe By Mr. Taylor Longland On the four last things Death Judgment Hell and Heaven 12 M M. Milton His Reason of Church-Government 4 Apology for Smectymnuus M. Mathers Catechism 8 Reply to M. Rutherford 4 P M. Pool His Answer to Biddles Denial of the H. Ghost to be God 12 His Vindication of the Ministry 4 A Pacification between the Lutheran and Reformed Churches 8 M. Perrot The Scripture Stability R Bp. Richardson his choice Observations on the Old Testament as a supplement to the large Annot. fol. M Robouroâ—gh against Goodwin about Justification 4 Mâ— Robinson Christ is all in all 4 M. Ruttons Sermon before the Lord Mayor S Smectymnuus redivivus first and second Parts about Episcopacy and Presbytery 4 M. Shepherd on the Sabbath with Cases of Conscience 8 Of Subjection to Christ 8 On the Parab of the 10 Virg. 4 D. Sibbs Miracle of Miracles 4 Glorious feast of the Gospel 4 His Glance of Heaven 12 Spiritual mans aim 12 His Charter of a Christian 12 Conference between Christ and Mary after his Resurrect 12 On 2. Epist Cor. Chap. 4. 4 D. Stoughtons Sermons in his younger years 4 His form of sound words with the righteous mans plea to true Happinesse 4 Heavenly conversation Two Sermons 12 D. Seaman of Ordination 4 His Solomons choice 4 Head of the Church 4 Glasse for the times 4 Mrs. Scots exemplary life and death drawn up by several Minist T Thaesaurus Poeticus 12 D. Tuckney Balm for Gilead 12 Death disarmed A Sermon at D Hills Funeral 12 None but Christ 12 M. Tutty Funeral Sermon V M. Venning Orthodox Parodoxes 8 New Command octavo Mysteries Revelat. octavo Milk and Honey Second Part. octavo Warning to Backslid octavo Way to Heaven 4 octavo Sermon on the 5th of November W Wise Virgin A Narrative of Gods dealing with a child of eleven years of age and her gracious speeches in time of her affliction Published by three Ministers 8 M. Whitlock and M Reinolds Funeral Sermon of Francis Pierpointe Esq