From the corruption of the Fountain Secondly From Scripture Thirdly From daily experience First From the corruption of the Fountain of our actions or performance of Duties It being already proved that Man having wilfully polluted and disordered the frame of Holiness Integrity and Knowledge in which he was created and poysoned the Heart and Affections from whence actions and performances do flow how can pure and full performances or duties be expected from thence Man being in his Heart and Thoughts polluted his Actions must be suitable to the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled is nothing pure but even their Mind and Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 This is of necessary consequence who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14.4 Wherefore we must conclude that so long as the Fountain of the Heart is defiled so must the actions and performances coming from thence be impure and weak and until Man be renewed in the Spirit of his Mind by regeneration in Jesus Christ he still remains corrupt and polluted until he be again revested with that holy Spirit and that a new heart be given to him by which again he may be enabled to walk in the Statutes of God to do them by vertue of that promise I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Ezek. 36.26 27. Secondly Scripture is most clear that all the Actions of a Carnal Man such as are all the Issue of Adam until restored by Regeneration are sinful and unacceptable with God First His Thoughts are polluted and defiled and God saw that the wickedness of Man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually Gen. 6.5 Secondly His words are defiled and sinful but unto the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes and take my Covenant in thy Mouth seeing thou hatest Instruction and casteth my Words behind thee Psal 50.16 17. Thirdly His Actions are all evil the Ploughing of the Wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 Fourthly The very Religious Actions or Performances of Duties of the Wicked are sinful The Sacrifice of the Wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be an abomination Prov. 28.9 When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you yea when ye make many Prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Isa 1.11 to 16. This point we may thus conclude that whatever flows from a Carnal Man whose Mind and Heart is defiled must be impure and unacceptable to God for that the Carnal Mind is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Wherefore until the Fountain be purified and the imbred prejudice of the Heart be taken away and man be reconciled to God in Christ Jesus nothing coming from him can be acceptable with God Thirdly Experience clearly proves such disability in every performance Religion for most part is wrapt up in a bare exercise of outward actions of Devotion Formality Ceremony and customary performances are come in such repute that men easily deceive themselves and sit down at ease in these performances without searching into the frame of the Spirit towards God or examining the spring and motive of these Duties or scope and end of their Devotion not regarding whether these duties be undertaken and performed in obedience of the Command in Faith in Sense of Sin in Eye to the Glory of God or remorse for Sin in sense of self pollution and in a desire of renovation and assistance to perform and in every thing to deny our selves and depend on God by Faith but lull their Consciences for most part secure by having done what was customarily reputed religious performances Let a Man pretending to religion more than ordinary examine himself impartially he shall find such disorder of Thoughts in religious duties such narrow and scanty apprehensions of God such invasion of his Thoughts and Affections diverting him from the right and leading him to improper objects unruly interruptions such scanty performances and such uneasiness under these duties that Custom rather than Conscience and Conscience for Self if not carnal Interest at best than for Gods Glory and Salvation is the chief Impulse or Spring of such actions But as to the arraigning of the Affection before God whether placed on God or Lusts Faith on Christ for Justification and Salvation the work of Mortification unfeigned Repentance Christian Patience Charity Brotherly Love and new Obedience are Riddles not only hid from Carnal apprehensions and made mens duties but rather thought nusancies scare crows and enmity to the World and the flesh so that we must conclude that in nature we are without strengâ—h for any Righteous performances and that until the Law of the Members be brought under the Law of the Spirit we can do no good thing Rom. 8.6 For I know that in me that is in my Flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not Rom. 7.18 For I see a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my Members Chap. 7.23 Here we have a clear description and proof of mans natural Incapacity for doing any good and this Incapacity we must ascribe to the corruption of the Heart Affections which had its rise from sin in Adam Having cleared what Original Sin in Adam was and how his Posterity was tainted therewith and made liable to the fatal Consequences thereof we come in the third place to make some practical Inferences from thence First If from the premises it be an unquestionable truth that Adam was created in Perfection and Integrity and that he fell under the most detestable Apostacy and that in his Transgression were complicated all manner of Sins that Nature was polluted in him that all after Posterity are tainted with his guilt and made liable to the consequences of his Sin How little reason have the greatest and richest Men of the World to boast and how great reason have they to humble themselves upon reflection of their Pedigree For that their descent was from him who once was the most glorious absolute richest and only Soveraign on Earth who for his Pride Covetousness Ingratitude and Murmuring was forfeit degraded made miserable and debased That they are at best of corrupted adulterate and degenerate blood and extraction Scripture doth clearly explain this Cause Jerusalem to know her abominations thy Birth and thy Nativity is of the Land of Canaan thy Father was an Amorite thy Mother a Hittite Ezek. 16 23. This People was lineally of Abraham but had followed the Idolatry and wickedness of the Amorites and Hittites therefore are
Christ may dwell in thy Heart by Faith and that being Rooted and Grounded in love thou canst be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3.17 18 19. and that thou mayst be filled with all the fulness of God In all sincerity is the earnest Prayer of thine in Christ Jesus our Lord. FINIS THE Anatomy of Man SInce Man's Woful Apostacy from God Sin is become so habitual that the Custom hath taken away the Conscience of it and Corruption is so condensed in mens hearts without the due sense thereof that unless upon gross out-breakings little remorse is expressed for Sin and Guilt for most part is only owned from actual Transgressions and men do not charge themselves with the guilt of Original Sin as supposing that forreign to them as coming from Adam's particular Act and Transgression and take themselves not to be accountable therefore as being the single Act of another and if any thing of that guilt be owned it is only by roate and as coming from education or the customary profession of Religion without the due sense or conscience of the guilt and in regard that Original sin hath more in it than one single act though that one act of disobedience was cause enough of all the misery that followed and that the consequence of that disobedience hath fallen upon and concerneth all the Posterity of Adam we shall therefore consider First What Original Sin was in Adam Secondly How far the Posterity of Adam are therein concerned or chargeable and affected with it Thirdly We shall make some practical Inferences and Uses from thence First If we consider Adam the first and root of all Mankind that he was of God created after the Likeness of God in his Image Gen. 1.26 27 28. and at his first Creation had power and command given him to increase and multiply and subdue and have dominion over the Fish of the Sea the Fowls of the Air and every thing that moveth on the Earth under restriction from eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil with a penalty upon eating thereof that he should surely dye Gen. 2.15 16 17. Thus Man made after the Likeness of God and in the Image of God let us examine what this Likeness and Image was The Holy Apostle Paul tells us that it was Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.24 The same Apostle elsewhere informs us that it was in Knowledge after the Image of him that Created him Col. 3.10 By these words of Righteousness true Holiness and Knowledge we may understand that Adam in his first Creation was endowed with all suitable faculties of the Mind to understand the Nature of all Beasts Fowls Fishes creeping Things and Vegetatives how to use and apply them to his own use and govern them in order to their subjection to himself and congruity among themselves as we find by Gods bringing the Creatures to Adam to vest him with Soveraignty over them and that he might express his faculty of understanding by giving to them names Gen. 2.19 20. and as some naturalists observe he gave to them names significant or expressive of their nature which implied his Knowledge of their several Natures from that primitive Knowledge given to him in his first Creation By Righteousness rendred in the Latine Justice as it is the Likeness and Image of God we must understand all integrity of Mind leading to what is right and forbearing what is wrong By true Holiness we must understand all purity of Mind Will and Affections in Sincerity and Truth to affect only and desire what is just pure holy and good and to shun all Thoughts Affections Actions or Purposes to the contrary as God is of purer Eyes than can behold Iniquity And by that Knowledge of God according to the Image of him that created him we must understand effectual and sufficient knowledge not only of things natural but also of Spiritual Truths by which man was made effectually capable to understand and to do good to abstain from and resist evil Thus Man being composed in such excellent frame capable to understand all things as well of God himself as of the Creatures and that he had his Being of God and sufficiently understood the Terms under which he was confined to his Allegiance and Obedience to God and the consequence of his Disobedience and there being given to him entire Integrity not tainted by any pollution or disabled by infirmities in full possession of all secular enjoyments with the knowledge of the glorious soveraignty of God and Majesty in the Creation sufficient to delight himself in God and glorifie his Maker in the Station he had placed him If David after the Apostacy when for Sin the World was degenerated and brought under the Curse and Bondage did then admire Mans Excellency Power and Glory how much more when in Mans Integrity unity of the Creation without Enmity Jarring or Discord Emulation or Contention the Morning Stars sang together Job 38.7 and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy How had the first Man reason to cry out How excellent art thou Lord in all the Earth And what is Man that thou remembrest him or the Son of Man that thou art mindful of him And what reason had he And how much had it been his and the happiness of all Posterities to have sate down contentedly in admiration and obedience of God and in quiet possession of all created enjoyments and subjection of the Creatures to him Thus Man Created in Righteousness true Holiness and Knowledge after the Image of God made Lord of all the Creatures and in possession thereof having sufficient knowledge to understand his Duty and Interest and to know the advantage of Obedience and consequence of breach of Duty breaks the Chain of his Obedience and eats the forbidden fruit Gen. 3.6 Whereupon God in his Justice according to his Promise and Terms of Mans first Creation deprives Man of his Soveraignty over the Creatures puts Enmity between Man and the Creatures and accurseth Man and the Earth for his sake Gen. 3.14 to the end This being the Matter of fact in Mans Creation under the Penal Law and his Breach and Rebellion against God and the punishment of his disobedience we come next to examine the nature of this first and original sin and consider whether it consisted only in this single Act of eating of the Tree of Knowledge or what other sins were or are complicated in it If we consider Man as truly endowed by God with Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness and under the Prohibition of a Penal Law we shall find all the sins committed and discovered in after Ages under the growth of Corruption to have been in that transgression First That wilful breach of Gods Law and Sin cannot be palliate under the excuse of the sin of Ignorance for that mans knowledge was strong and sufficiently
clear to understand good and evil and in respect there was a positive prohibition against such offence it must imply knowledge and therefore makes it a wilful breach and offence against a known Law Secondly It cannot be called the Sin of Infirmity or surprize as Adam would have excused himself by the Womans giving of the fruit to him and the Womans Apology of the Serpents beguiling her for that they were foretold that they should not Eat of that Fruit and forbid the eating thereof under the Penalty of Death Gen. 3.12 13. and that the knowledge they had of good and evil and that to break the Commandment of God was evil it self although it had not been under the Penalty expressed and therefore having in themselves sufficient knowledge to understand and strength to defeat and resist the force and arguments of Satans Insinuations this Sin was a vehement and bold presumption against the Justice and Authority of God Thirdly This Sin was of the greatest Pride and Ambition imaginable for that God had endowed Man with knowledge sufficient in every respect to make him happy in understanding all things to complete his satisfaction and delight in God and the Creatures nevertheless upon Satans Insinuation that by eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they should become more knowing and be like Gods knowing Good and Evil they wilfully in the Pride and Ambition of their Hearts lusted after knowledge to be equal with God and by disobedience broke Gods Law Fourthly This Sin was of greatest unbelief and impeachment of Gods Truth and Justice in believing Satans Lye you shall not surely die Gen. 3.4 and not believing Gods word thou shalt surely die Whereby to their own ruin and ruin of their Posterity they yeilded to a deceitfully and did not obey the Truth and righteousness Gen. 2.17 Fifthly This eating of the Tree of Knowledge implyed the greatest Murmuring Repining and Ingratitude for that God had given to Man the Use of and Dominion over all the Creatures and had only reserved one single Tree with a Prohibition from meddling with it nevertheless man is not Content but must have all not remembring or willfully forgetting that he had his beginning and being of God and what he had was of and from him and that he had what was sufficient to make him happy yet was his Covetousness without bounds Sixthly This Sin was of the greatest Sloth imprudence and inadvertence in that while God had endowed Man with Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness when Satan did accost him with a Ly to break the Command he should have reflected on the Righteousness and Hoilness of God that it was impossible for God to Lie and thereby should have resisted Satans Suggestions founded on a Ly from the Holyness and Goodness of God in giving man all things he should have reasoned that it was not just in him to murmur at his pleasure in mans being restrained from some thing and upon Satans first Suggestion of a Ly against God he should not have listned further to him but rested in the Credit of Gods truth and continued in his Obedience Seventhly From the Method of Committing this Sin all manner of Sin seems to be employed in it the Text saith And when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food and that it was pleasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise She took of the Fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her Husband with her and he did eat Gen. 3.6 From hence we see when Satan by a lying Suggestion had tampered with the Woman ay and got her to listen to his temptation from her ambition of being as Gods she lets her thoughts out to a further survey of the apparent excellencies and advantages to be had in the eating of that fruit and thus ambition kindleth lust and one lust begetteth another so the heart swelling with ambition of further Knowledge and that ambition runs to the Eyes and from the Eyes to the Sensual Appetite and thus the whole Mass is tainted and defiled and let out to the gluttinous poysoning of the Soul to the Rebellion of Disobedience This seems to be that same thing which the Apostle calls the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life Which is an entire Mass of all pollution so that it was not only the eating of that fruit which was the Sin only but the Infection that was got into the Heart and Affections whereby the goodly frame of Righteousness Holyness and true Knowledge became all tainted and infected with the deceitful Appetites and Lusts of the Flesh 1 Joh. 2.15 16. First By distrusting of God and then by a Covetous lusting after what was set apart from them by Gods prohibition and so breaking the limits of Obedience le ts the Lust swing after a carnal propension or forwardness to satiate their desires and thus disorders the righteous frame of Justice Holyness and Knowledge lately erected by God in them so that this Sin was not only that actual and only act of eating the fruit but the Corruption of the whole faculties run into disorder from God expressed by that rebellious act of eating the forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge This also seems to be proved and explained in many places of Scripture especially those of the Apostle Paul I had not known Sin but by the Law I had not known lust except the Law had said thou shalt not Covet Rom. 7.7 Where by the word Lust rendred most properly in the Original Concupiscence and the word Covet there Exod. 20.17 is properly meant a desire of what is more than our own and allowable in Justice and in that place For the Iniquity of his Covetousness Isa 57.17 Where by Covetousness is meant the lustful Inclinations and by the Apostle in that place Rom. 7.7 By lusts he means not so much the polluted actions of the Flesh as the polluted fountain of them Non pravas Cupiditates sed illarum fontem and the Soul is well called Sedes Nativae illius labis the seat of that Natural Corruption and this seems likewise to be confirmed by that Scripture and God saw that the wickedness of man was greater in the Earth and that every Imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil and only evil continually Gen 6.5 Where God chargeth mans heart with this Sin as being the Fountain of the Corruption That of the Psalmist The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 14.1 Seems to be to the same purpose for none were openly such professed Atheists as to deny the being of God but the Prophanity of their Conversation leads the Psalmist to charge them with denying of God whereby he chargeth the heart with the pollution and brings the act of Sin as Instance and proof of it Christ himself also in that Scripture But those things which come out of the mouth come from the heart and they do defile
holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the Heart of the contrite ones for I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the Spirit should fail before me and the Souls which I have made Isa 57.15 16. From whence we may have these two Lessons First A Lesson of Caution Humiliation and Watchfulness to the Godly and Penitent Secondly An advice against censoriousness and rash judging of others First As to Godly and Penitent hast thou upon serious enquiry into thine own Heart Affections and Conversation found that Godly sorrow and repentance for sin spoken of 2 Cor. 7.9 10 11. And explained in this ensuing Discourse Page And hast found Faith warranting thee to believe that Christ Jesus who knew no sin is made sin for thee 2 Cor. 5.21 And thou made the Righteousness of God in him and that the Hand-writing of Ordinances of Gods Justice as to thee is by him blotted out Col. 2.13 14. Then consider First What thou art called unto That as ye have learned Christ Jesus so walk ye in him Hath he made thee Righteousness who was dead in trespasses and sins not by thine own work of Righteousness but of his Grace and by his Power of Regeneration art thou justified not by the Law of thy Works but by Grace and Faith in Jesus Christ Romans 3.27 28. T hy works are only Obedience Faith and Holiness which are given to thee by him and though they neither have justified nor can justify thee they are thy duties and what thou canst do is but duty and thou shouldst account thy self an unprofitable Servant as to God Luke 17.10 And though in the acceptance of God through Jesus Christ thou art accounted Righteous thou must continue in holy duties in all manner of conversation and must not continue in Sin that Grace may abound but as being dead to sin and crucified in Christ thou shouldest walk in newness of life to the destruction of the body of Death that we may live with Christ Let not therefore Sin reign in your Mortal bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof neither yield ye your Members as Instruments of unrighteousness to Sin but yield unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God and sin not because thou art not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. to 16. Secondly Art thou in thy apprehensions renewed to God and hast a loathing sense of Corruptions is the Bond-woman of Sin and Satan cast out by the power of Regeneration and Grace leave not thy house empty but get it freshly stockt with increase of Grace consider what Christ saith of the Man out of which the Devil was cast out that if he find the House empty he will return with seven Devils worse than himself and the last state of that man will be worse than the first Luk. 11.24 25 26. Be instant therefore in Prayer to God for increase of Grace and Guard against old favourite Lusts and Corruptions that they return not again to entangle thee to Folly take the Apostles advice be sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 8.9 Thirdly Art thou Righteous to God by Christ Jesus not by thine own works and power be humble in the sense of thy own incapacity and insufficiency for any good in thy self and say with that holy Apostle For I know that in me that is in my Flesh there dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good that I know not for the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do for I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the Body of this death Rom. 7.18 to 25. And be deeply sensible of the weakness and imperfection of all thy Graces and Attainments as rotten Garments and menstruous Clouts as in and from thee and that in thy self there is no soundness but uncleanness from the sole of the Foot to the top of the head Isa 1.6 Ch. 64.6 Secondly As to censoriousness and rash judging the Scripture tells us that offences must come but wo to them by whom they come Luke 17.1 And as none are more obnoxious to be slandered reviled and evil reported of and be treated censoriously and uncharitably than the Godly this they may remember for their Comfort and Patience that the Disciple must not expect better entertainment than his Master nor the Servant than his Lord and as Christ was reviled with being a friend to Publicans and Sinners a Wine-bibber and a Drunkard and that he did cast out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of Devils Luke 7.32 33 34. So may the Children of God contentedly sit down under the uncharitable constructions of the Enemies of Truth after the example of Christ who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. As the Children of God when they do well and suffer for it are called to suffer patiently as following Christs example in the foregoing Scripture so the uncharitable and censorious Rabsecahs whose business is to ridicule the Truth of God disparage Religion and load the zealous for God with reproach and infamy Isa 36. Chap. 37.8 to 14. should do well to remember that uncharitable censoriousness is a great sin against God and to take on them to charge the Professors of Religion with Hypocrisy is assuming to themselves the Prerogative of God of knowing mens Hearts which alone is the peculiar power of God Jer. 11.20 ch 17.9 10. Psal 7.9 1 Sam. 16.7 Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the Heart No Man can charge another with any Sin but if he search into his own Heart and Ways he may find himself guilty of that same or worse Sins wherewith he chargeth his Brother wherefore he should take Christs directions first To take the beame out of his own Eye before he challenge the Mote in his Brothers Eye and not to Judge least he be Judged Mat. 7. to 6. Let such consider how much a narrow uncharitable and censorious Spirit is contrary to that love tenderness and charity which is commanded and recommended in Scripture Rom. 2. all and that if any brother or professor of truth be fallen under any sin that he be reclaimed in the Spirit of meekness and not treated with bitter invectives and reproaches 2 Cor. 2.7 and that self-humiliation is the best means of anothers conviction and the true Christian duty For whoso exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Luk. 14.11 Let such consider
the Eye being the more curious and choice Organ of Natural and Sensual Understanding and Delight the right Frame and Complexion thereof affords a Man the greatest Satisfaction of all Sensual Faculties and yet we see how frail and weak it is at best soonest and easiest wounded and diminished by Age or Accidents and must needs have supports by glasses in Old Age or otherwise and at last it wholy fails at Death whereby we find these two defects in it First It is but weak Secondly It altogether fails at Death The Silver Threads are cut and the Golden Bowl broken at the Well Ecl. 12. to 6. read all In these Considerations the godly have much the Advantage for when inlightned they are made of a spiritual Frame strong and vigorous as being built on Christ the Rock of Ages by Faith and when renewed in him and Translated into Glory can admit of no defect nor be subject to any Infirmity you hath he quickened who were once Dead in sin he hath quickened us together in Christ Eph. 2.1 As Christ being once raised from the Dead was reed of all further Natural Infirmities even so renewed Sinners even in this Life have the Cataracts and Scales of Natural Darkness taken off as spiritually enlightned and made partakers of the Divine Nature and are taught to see and understand the Mysteries of God and Godliness which the Natural Man knoweth not nor can understand to be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can he the Carnal Man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned but he that is Spiritual judgeth all things Rom. 8.6 7. for who have known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him but we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. Thus Christians having the Eyes of their Understanding enlightned they can see and understand distinctly for they walk and see by Faith and not by Sense and being here as to the World Strangers and not minding the World in a Carnal Method as Worldlings do and as dis interessed they do impartially make the more certain observation and judgment of things of this Life therefore we are always confident knowing that while in the Body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by Faith not by Sight we are confident and willing to be absent from the Body and be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.9 The Saints have yet a further excellency in their sight for when they are Spiritualized in this Life and the natural ignorance taken off by their ingraftment in Christ when these Silver Threads are cut they are enlightned with the knowledge and sight which fails not and united to Christ that first and Original Light and their knowledge is eternal and unextinguishable and augmented to the seeing not only in part as in this Life but to know as they are known and to see as they seen eternally in the Heavens that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that they may be perfect in one We know in part and we Prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away when I was a Child I spoke as a Child I understood as a Child I thought as a Child but when I became a Man I put away Childish things for now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known 1 Cor. 13.9 10 11 12. In this side of time our Eyes are blurred with Sorrow and Grief and our sight marred but in the Translation all Tears shall be wiped away from our Eyes there shall be no night there they shall need no Candle nor light of Sun or Moon for the Lord giveth them Light Hence plainly may appear the great difference between the Lusts of the Eyes in a Carnal Man and the Transcendent excellencies of the sight of the Saints in glory for that the Carnal Eye of the Body can only reach sensual Objects and that under great Infirmities and Weakness but the Spiritual Light reacheth Heavenly Objects and that in full extent and continues its strength to all Eternity The last thing which makes up the Worlds glory and excellency is the Pride of Life by which may be understood all Worldly Honour Credit Titles and Preferments which do chiefly consist either in naked Titles of Honour or Titles with Preferment and Benefit attending them in both which respects we shall find that of the glorified Saints infinitely excell all that can be pretended from the World Worldly Titles of Honour of the Highest Elevation or Degree as Dukes Kings Emperors and such like are splendid in Carnal Fancy but having no intrinsick value depending only upon the frothy Opinion of others the professors thereof may fall from them into more Contempt than they were in esteem by reason of their Titles Power and Glory as daily experience teacheth but the Saints are Sons and Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Jesus Christ and their Names Titles and Dignities are entred in the Records of Heaven and they are Sealed with Truth that cannot lye The grace and calling of God is without Repentance To him that overcometh will I give a New Name better than the Name of Sons and Daughters the Name of God and the City of God which cometh down from Heaven this is more Honourable than that of the Order of St. George or St. Andrews or any of the most splendid Dignities on Earth Rev. 3.12 These Titles are not only glorious though not made up of the vain and flattering notions of Carnal fancies and outward gaity and shew but are also accompanyed with the richest Preferments and greatest profit such as are thus dignified with the Name of God on them are in the Presence Chamber continually before the Throne of God Day and Night and he that sitteth on the Throne dwelleth amongst them they shall Hunger no more neither Thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them or any Heat Rev. 7.15 16 17. Though these be not eminent Titles yet not all and what the richest greatest and most generous Princes on Earth cannot give the Lord gives to the Saints he makes them Sons and Heirs of his Everlasting Glory he that overcometh shall inherit all things and he shall be my Son and I will be his God Rev. 21.7 If ye be risen with Christ then are ye Heirs according to his promise and joynt Heirs with Christ and because ye are Sons God hath sent forth this Spirit of his Son into your Hearts whereby ye cry Abba Father wherefore thou art no more a Servant but a Son and if a Son then
23. See the Marks Characters and Complexion of the Citizens of the New Jerusalem He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly and dispiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his Hand from holding of Bribes that stoppeth his Ears from hearing of Blood that shutteth his Eyes from seeing of Evil he shall dwell on high his Habitation shall be the Munition of Rocks Is 33.15 Ps 15. These are they which came out of great Tribulation which have washed their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb no unclean thing can enter there without are Dogs and Swine Rev. 14.45 But we are come unto Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all things and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect and to the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the Blood of Sprinkling which speaketh better things than the Blood of Abel Heb. 12.22 to 25. The fourth thing relating to this State are the Manifold Priviledges belonging unto them within it which may be thus expressed First They within this Covenant are all Marked Sealed and Recorded with God Secondly They are under an everlasting Covenant with God in Jesus Christ Thirdly To them belong universal promises both in Spirituals and Temporals and under every exigent Fourthly All are united to God in Jesus Christ First They are all Marked Sealed and Inrolled with God as God Marked Cain to keep him from Mans Fury and Rage for the Murther of his Brother Abel when Cain was accursed with Gods displeasure for that Horrid Villany so God of his Love to the Saints Marks them with his own Image to keep them from the Destruction of Satan and Inrolls them in the Book of Life to be called by Name in the Resurrection Hurt not the Earth nor the Sea until we have Sealed the Servants of God in their Foreheads Is 4.3 Rev. 7.3 The Lord takes that care of his People that as he commanded by the Pass-over the Door-Posts of the Israelites to be sprinkled with Blood as the sign of his Peoples Habitation so he puts his Mark of Holiness in the Hearts of his own to distinguish them from the wicked who in their Conversation and Hearts have Wickedness and Sin the Mark of the Beast and Worship his Image he Writes on his People his Name of Righteousness and gives them for a Mark The white Stone and in it a New Name Rev. 14.9 by which white Stone or Holiness they are Distinguished from the Wicked in their Conversation and the New Name is a Badge of Honour and ground of inward Consolation to themselves Secondly The second advantage of this State is that they are under an everlasting Covenant with God Thirdly To this Covenant do belong universal promises both in Spirituals and Temporals The fourth and great Priviledge of this State is that Mystical and never enough admired Union of the Saints to God in Christ Jesus That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me Jo. 14.20 Ch. 17.21 As Life Eternal is the reward of Faith and Patience and as this Life Eternal is the great Prize at the end of our Christian Race and as we ought to use all Diligence to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling there is no greater Encouragement can be imagined for our help in this than the faith and due consideration that Believers are mystically united to God in Christ Jesus Although all the Creatures and Man especially are parts of God as coming out of the Mass of Gods Omnipotence yet Man is no Natural or Physical part of God so to speak Though Man be Gods by Creation and Man in Adam having fallen from God by breach of the Divine Law given to him God of his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness hath provided a remedy and mean to restore and unite lost man to himself and this Union is by the renewing of Mans Nature and changing it unto a Spiritual frame When we were dead in sins hath he quickned us together in Christ Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the Blood of Jesus for he is our peace who hath made both one and broken down the middle Wall of Partition between us having in his Flesh abolished the enmity in the Laws Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make to himself of twain one new Man so making peace that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby Eph. 1.5 13 14 15. read all Thus by grafting the Soul on Christ by Faith is made a Spiritual Union with God whereby they receive all Spiritual Blessings by a Heavenly Communication from Christ as the Graft receiveth Sap Substance and made fruitful from the Stock into which it is grafted this mystical union of Believers between God and them consists principally in these four First In Unity of Spirit with God in Christ Jesus Secondly In unity of holiness Thirdly In unity of Love Fourthly In unity of Glory Of all which Believers are partakers with God in Christ Jesus First To be one in Spirit is to be one in Wisdom Knowledge and Purity of understanding now God is a Spirit and must be Worshiped in Spirit and Truth and though God made Man consisting of a Soul and Body and did illuminate him with knowledge and understanding though under a vail of restriction and as ambition and the concupisence of his Heart did deprive him of the advantage of his first state and the Wisdom of God intending to restore Man and place him in a surer Relation to wit that everlasting Covenant of Peace through the vail of Christ's Cross He hath to the renewed bestowed all Spiritual Light and Knowledge yet because we have this Heavenly Treasure in Earthy Vessels and the heavy clogs of our Carnal Bodies and infirmities of the Flesh hinder mortals even though renewed to behold and apprehend these Heavenly excellencies communicable under that Spiritual Union and Christ intending to have the Saints made fully perfect and capable of union with himself he prays the Father that they may be one with the Father as the Father and he is one I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one that is to be of one Spirit Wisdom and Understanding it cannot be supposed that Christs intention is that the Creature though first renewed and afterwards glorified should be elevated to that sublimity of perfection equal with the Father and himself but that their perfection should be in kind nature and purity of God and Christs perfection knowledge and wisdom especially in these three respects First In purity of Spirit and Spiritual mindedness Secondly In oneness and union of mind and will Thirdly In perfection of
they said to be of that Pedigree we see Christ would not suffer the Scribes and Pharisees amongst the Jews to claim to Abraham because they did not his works we see the Prophet Isaiah chargeth the Jews to be an adulterous race and that they were of a Mother divorced from her Husband where is the Bill of your Mothers Divorcement whom I have put away behold for your Iniquities have you sold your selves and for your transgressions is your Mother put away Isa 51.1 What glory is it to be of noble blood which for the worst of Crimes was attainted and to be of Illustrious birth when the Issue is Adulterous and Spurious this is the Fountain and Spring of the Blood and Pedigree of all Mankind of higher or lower degree on Earth and this cross bar is inherent in the Scutcheon of all Mortals this is that Mené Tekél Dan. 5.25 the Motto of all the natural Issue of Adam and this stain is not to be blotted out but by the Blood of that Scape Goat the Lamb Jesus Christ who must blot out the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross Col. 2.14 Secondly This Sin having such Complication of all manner of sin in it and being the Fountain from whence came all manner of Corruption look not on it as one single act to be extenuate with that excuse of eating only a little of forbidden Fruit but look on it as a poysoned Fountain in which were lodged all enchantments to sin and that deliberate contraction of enmity against God an evil Heart of unbelief stuffed with malice glutted with covetousness swellen with pride cankred with envy fretted with discontent and boundless in desire Thirdly When by Providence Affliction or Chastisement for sin cometh consider that before Sin came there was no sorrow that Justice and Judgment must attend Iniquity and as Sin was first punished by a deluge of misery on Mankind so the Continuance must not escape the like fate and look on all acts as coming from that Fountain of Corruption and make not the single act of any one transgression the sole cause of mourning repentance and reformation but run the act to the spring of the Heart and fix on the Soul that vehement desire fear zeal indignation and revenge in the act and corruption in the fountain what Indignation yea what fear what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge and never meet with any sin or temptation to it but with an Eye of Jealousie as over a Pit of Destruction Fourthly When Providence deprives thee of any Earthly enjoyment for the reasons in Divine Wisdom murmur not to be denied some of thy desires but remember thou wast guilty in Adam of grudging God the reserving of the Tree of Knowledge and by thy impatient bearing of losses thou makest the old sore of Adams transgression bleed afresh in discontent but rather let the memory of Original Sin oblige thee to submission contentment sorrow and repentance Fifthly Are all men guilty of Adams transgression and are of the same corrupted and degenerate blood and some by course of Providence raised to Wealth and Honour above others what reason then hath the exalted or brother of high degree to dispise him on whom the deceitful Riches of this World have not smiled this Man who dispiseth his Brother is forgetful of himself as if not of the same blood with the other he is like a man beholding his natural Face in a glass he beholdeth himself and goeth away and forgetteth what manner of Man he was Jam. 1.23 24. The Riches and Honour of this Life should not raise a Man in esteem of himself above his brother for what he hath is given to him of God who can as equally level him with his Brother and thereby make him remember his own Pride and that the other is of the same Blood with him See the Instance of this in Nebuchadnezzar and many others I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven all whose Works are Truth and his ways Judgments and those that walk in Pride he is able to abase Dan. 4.29 to the end Consider what the Apostle James saith of Carnal partiality of preferring the Rich in Gay Clothing with a goodly Gold Ring and despising the poor Brother and what arguments he useth to the contrary Are ye not then partial in your selves and are become Judges of evil thoughts hath not God chosen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to those that love him and ye have dispised the Poor do not Rich Men oppress you and draw you before the Judgment Seats do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called if ye fulfil that royal Law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self ye do well but if you have respect to persons ye sin Jam. 2. to 10. Here by strong arguments he proves the partial preferring the Rich before the poor to be sinful First For that the Godly though poor in this World is the worthier person in Gods esteem in that he is chosen of God an heir of the Kingdom of Glory Secondly That Great and Rich Men are Enemies to the Godly they bring them before Judgment Seats and oppress them Thirdly Rich Men are not Enemies only to Godly Men but to God and Blaspheme his Holy Name Fourthly That the royal Law of God commands the Duty of equal love love thy Neighbour as thy self Wherefore since Pride and Ambition was a cheif ingredient of that first Fountain of sin let none through Pride dispise him who was of the same blood with himself though not in that equal Worldly Splendor or Glory but consider as Pride did ruine Adam and abased all his Posterity so Justice will take the like vengeance upon all the Race of Adam guilty of the same Crime Whoso dispiseth the poor reproacheth his Maker Prov. 17.15 God is Maker of poor and rich Prov. 22.2 Sixthly Are all men of one Blood and Family and so Brethren and Members one of another Eph. 4.24 This calls all men to mutual Sympathy mutual Assistance and supply of one another this is that express Command of Christ that ye love one another as I have loved you John 13.34 And the Apostle presseth this most vehemently Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother 1 John 3.10 We have passed from Death to Life if we love the Brethren and he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death he that hateth his Brother is a murderer and hath not Eternal Life We ought to Lay down our Life for the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 15 16. This Love consists not only in the Airy Compliment of professed and pretended Friendship but First In a general Sympathy Fellow-feeling and Compassion in all Conditions and Circumstances Spiritual and Temporal like Christs Love to
his Church In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his Love and in his Pity he redeemed them and carryed them all the days of old Isa 63.9 Secondly This Love is extensive to all wants and necessities or else it is empty and profiteth not Whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion how doth the Love of God dwell in him 1 Joh. 3.17 And the Apostle James is to the like purpose If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of Daily food and one of you say to them depart in peace he ye warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not these things which are needful to the Body what doth it profit Jam. 15.16 Seventhly Is it so then of a lamentable truth that all men are concluded in Adams Apostacy and that there is a woful Degeneracy in the Soul of Man from that primitive Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness and that all men in Nature are dead in Sin and have their Conversation with the Lusts of the Flesh fulfilling the desires thereof and of the mind according to the Course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience and are by Nature the Children of Wrath. Eph. 2.1 2 3. And that there is even amongst the renewed a Law in the Members warring against the Law in the Mind Rom. 7.23 Ch. 8.1 And that by reason of Sin the Creature is Subject to Vanity and the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain for the Adoption and Redemption Rom. 8.20 22 23. And that in this degeneracy a mans life is his burden and there is no true pleasure under the Sun confirmed in Solomons experience Therefore I hated life because the work that is wrought under the Sun is grievous unto me for all is vanity and vexation of Spirit Eccles 2.17 all Seeing then this Earth is but a sojourning and no abiding place and that here is neither Pleasure Rest nor Happiness how much is it mortal mans concern anxiously restlesly and with a believing Impatience to pursue close after these two things First That as by one man Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin so Death passed upon all men for that all men have sinned Rom. 5.12 And that as by the offence of one man Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to Justification of life Rom. 5.18 That man would seriously apply himself to the Throne of Grace that he may be found in the Faith that he may be intituled into Eternal Life in Jesus Christ that only mediator and for that the first Image of God in man was wilfully abolished or defaced by man that by the bounty of Free-grace he may be begotten again by the regeneration of the Spirit unto a lively Faith and that he may put on the new man of Righteousness and True Holiness Eph. 4. â—â— And may be renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that Created it Col. 3.10 And may be set free from the Law of Sin and Death by the Law of the Spirit of Life And that he may be spiritually enlightned not by the Spirit of the World but by the Spirit which is of God and that he may know the things freely given of God 1 Cor. 2.12 And that he may be spiritually minded that enmity of the Carnal mind may be removed so as he may no more mind the things of the Flesh but the things of the Spirit Rom 8.5 6 7. That being raised from the Death of Sin by the Spirit of Christ he may seek these things that are above where Christ is Col. 3.1 And may be accounted to be called a Child of God an heir and Joynt heir with Jesus Christ and may also be glorified with him Rom. 8 17. That he may be dead and crucified in Christ to Sin and may also live with him in Glory Rom. 6.8 Secondly Seeing the Earth was accursed for mans sake Gen. 3.17 18 19. And that the Creature was made Subject to Vanity not willingly but by reason of him who Subjected the same in hope Rom. 8.20 And that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together for redemption from the bondage of Corruption unto the glorious liberty of the Children of God Rom. 8.21 22 23. That he may watch and be always ready with Oyl in his Lamp for the coming of the Bridegroom who cometh as a Thief in the night Rev. 16.15 And may earnestly pray that the Bridegroom would hasten the coming of his Kingdom and the new Heavens and the new Earth and set the Sons of God at liberty from the Liberty of Sin and Corruption and that the glad Tydings of that Heavenly Proclamation may be heard Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and God shall dwell with them and they shall be his People and God himself shall be with them and be their God And God shall wipe away all tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death neither Sorrow nor Crying neither shall there be any more Pain For the former things are passed away Rev. 21. to 6. Having thus viewed Adam in his Primitive Integrity in Glory Honour Righteousness true Holiness and perfect Knowledge with absolute Soveraignty over the Creatures the Darling and Friend of God and all the Creation at Unity and Peace with him and in Subjection to him and in Amity amongst themselves And afterwards by Man's falling from God Man the declared Enemy of God and by a guard of Angels barred out of Paradise deprived of his Soveraignty and Enmity sowed between the Creatures and the Earth accursed and the Creation brought under Bondage and the Posterity of Adam once the apparent Heir of all Righteousness true Holiness Knowledge Honour Glory and Soveraignty over the Creatures disabled and cut off from that glorious succession and exposed unto all misery and under the servitude of Sin and Wrath Rom. 3.23 Eph. 2.3 And in place of that Unity of the Sons of God and shouting together for joy nothing to be seen or heard but Subjects rebelling against their Soveraign and the whole Creation Split in Enmity and Envy Malice Oppression and Unrighteousness to have filled the whole Earth where is that corner of the World where ambition for Dominion Covetousness for Wealth private or publick animosities have not drowned the sense of all comfortable enjoyments Man raging against the Creatures and they against him and each in contention devouring one another and nothing to be seen but a woful Convulsion and dismal complexion and the degenerate frame of that first and beautiful Fabrick of the Creation from its so late purity and glory This then being the Tragical Condition of all Mortals Subject to Sin and Misery as entailed on them from the Inherent Corruption of Nature Job 5.6 Who can
becomes Mans Surety to God to perform for him the Conditions on Mans part which he doth by offering himself up to Justice for Sin Rom. 4.25 And by his Spirit of Grace enabling Man to do spiritual homage and obedience to God and by so much was Jesus made the Surety of a better Testament Heb. 2.22 Secondly Christ doth not onely become Mans Surety but actually clears and discharges them from the debt of Sin to Justice and frees Sinners from the penalty of eternal wrath for Sin for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Herein doth the Suretyship of Christ for Man differ from the suretyship amongst Men for that amongst Men when one becometh Surety for another he contracts for relief from him whose security he is and only lends his Credit for a time but will not pay the debt for him if he can by Law avoid it and if he be constrained to pay it he will force relief from the other if he be able and if not able will treat him with all severity for his own relief but Christ Jesus neither expects or desires any satisfaction or relief but freely of his own good Will pays the Debt and expects no return but the humble and thankful acknowledgment and improvement of the mercy of forgiveness and priviledges obtained by him to the debtor Thirdly He becomes a Curse for sinners and frees them from the Curse due for their sins Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 For it is Written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree Deut. 21.23 Fourthly He doth not only free us from the Curse for Sin and Punishment of Justice but also frees them from all Imputation of guilt for Sin and obtains the condemnatory Sentence of Justice against them to be cancelled and nailed to his Cross of Satisfaction to Justice that the same shall never retort upon them to their prejudice And you being dead in your Sins and the Uncircumcision of the Flesh hath he quickned together with him having forgiven you all Trespasses blotting out the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross Colossians 2.13 14. Herein also is a second difference between Christs love to me above that amongst men for when a surety is obliged to pay the Debt of another he taketh Assigments to the Creditors Debt and keeps it on foot against his Friend either to force satisfaction from him or to keep him in constant trouble fear danger and disquiet of mind but Christ doth not only early chearfully and willingly pay the debt but also cancels all the instruments of payment and puts the debt in utter oblivion And remembers their sins no more Isa 43.25 and quiets their Thoughts from the fear of their danger or after trouble for their Debts Fifthly He doth not only satisfie Justice take off the Curse and procure them Indemnity but also procures the Imputation of Righteousness to them as he was made sin for sinner though he knew no sin so he makes them righteous through him though they were altogether unrighteous in themselves And he received the Sign of Circumcision a sign of the Righteousness of Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that the righteousness might be imputed to them also now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4.11 24 25. Herein is manifest the excellency of Christs love to sinners above any thing amongst men for men commonly upbraid others with their good offices done and if one man suffer the least injury from another especially in paying a debt for him the same is not only a continual reproach but prejudice so far prevails that they never afterwards assist them in any good office but rather defame and lessen their reputation than advance them to any good though it may be in their power but Christ glorieth in the good Office done and is so far from upbraiding his poor friends Jam. 1.5 That he will not only have all names of reproach from their former transgressions taken off Isa 54.4 but he will have them farther advanced and though they were in themselves unrighteous he will have his own righteousness imputed to them as in the foregoing Scripture 2 Cor. 5.21 and is so tender of their reputation that he will have all their deformities covered and washed away in his own blood Rev. 7.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.23 24. Who gave himself for us that he might deliver us from this present evil World according to the Will of God and our Father Gal. 1.4 We do not read in Scripture that Christ upbraids any Repenting Sinner with their Sins committed before their Conversion Mary Magdalen after her Conversion was not reproached with uncleanness Peter with denial of Christ nor Paul for his vehement persecuting of him This of upbraiding or reproaching the Penitent with their former transgressions is clear contrary to the Method God takes with his People for in that famous Scripture Eze. 33 The Spirit of God tells us the Righteousness of the Sinner shall not justify him without Repentance and new Obedience When I shall say to the Righteous he shall surely live if he trust to his own Righteousness and commit Iniquity all his Righteousness shall not be remembred but for his Iniquity that he hath commited he shall dye for it verse 13. And on the other hand the Sins of the Penitent shall not be remembred against them If the wicked restore the pledge give again that which he hath robbed and walk in the Statutes of Life without committing Iniquity he shall surely live he shall not dye none of his Sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawful and right he shall surely live ver 15 16. The Lord is a Spirit of meekness tender hearted and compassionate and he knoweth that the regenerate are a people afflicted and broken in Heart for their Sins and under a continual sense of being under a body of death and that they often want the Oil of Joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 To support them under their fainting fits a wounded Spirit who can bear therefore in his gracious condescension he ministers consolation to his People Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and
Gospel Luke 12.16 to 22. Let him consider Nebuchadnezzar's Fall from the height of Glory to a Brutal State Dan. 4. Let such men remember they are of the same Family and extraction with the poorest that they owe their Life Being and what they have to God and are eternally lost unless reconciled to God in Jesus Christ and that all men by Nature are under Wrath and Debtors to Gods Justice and if he should prove a rigorous exactor who could stand before him therefore they ought equally to have compassion on their Brethren Remember them that are in Bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being your selves in the Body Hebrews 13.3 Let such remember the Parable of that cruel servant whose Lord forgave to him his debt but he dealing cruelly with his fellow Servant his Lord fell on him and made him irrecoverably miserable Mat. 18.23 to end and these are Christs own words so likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses Mat. 18.35 It being so known a Truth and fatal to Mankind that all Men in Adam were concluded under Sin and Wrath and that woful experience as well as Scripture teach us That all men except Christ are frequently defiled with actual Transgressions And that no man acquainted with himself can be ignorant of this truth Psal 51.5 Eph. 2.3 Eecles 7.20 And that as all men in Adam are under the condemnation of Wrath and Justice so the only way of Salvation is by Faith in Jesus Christ Romans 5.18 19. Now that all naturally are under the state of Sin let us consider the duties incumbent for our recovery out of this condition and these are chiefly five First Trace Man what he is in his Estate of Nature Secondly Let us set Original Sin before us as a Beacon Thirdly Study Mortification Fourthly Study Repentance Fifthly Search into the promises of God and believe them The first Duty is to trace Man from his beginning of whom if we take a view we will find him soon after his Creation to fall from his Original Righteousness by breaking the command and eating the forbidden fruit And the Lord saw that the wickedness of Man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of his Heart was evil and only evil continually Gen. 6.5 7. And see how he is described by the Prophet The Heart of Man is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things who can know it Jeremiah 17.9 See how Man is painted out in his natural defilement Thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother a Hittite as for thy Nativity in the day that thou wast born thy Navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in Water to supple thee thou wast not washed at all nor salted at all no Eye pittied thee to do any of these things to thee to have compassion on thee but thou wast cast out on the open fields to the loathing of thy person in the day thou wast born Ezek. 16.3 4 5 c. See more of this under the head of original sin We are all as an unclean thing all our unrighteousnesses are as filthy-Rags we do all fade away as a Leaf and our Iniquities like a Wind have taken us away Isa 64.6 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me Psal 51.5 He is accursed of God for as many as are under the Law are under the Curse For it is written cursed is every Man which continueth not in every thing which is written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 Secondly Set Original Sin as a Beacon before us The use of a Beacon is to take directions how to steer a right Course to avoid splitting on a Rock or danger or upon Invasion to avoid surprizal by Enemies how great reason hath Man in remembring his lost happiness by sin to avoid splitting on that Rock again Remember Lots Wife struck up into a Pillar of Salt for looking back to sinful Sodom Gen. 19.26 The Passover was appointed to remember the Israelites that the Lord by his Power had rescued them from their Bondage in Egypt Exod. 13.3 The Prophet Hosea in 7 8 9 10 11 12 and 13. chapters of his Prophecies holds forth to us the natural and rebellious frame of Mans Spirit which we should always have under our Eyes The third Duty incumbent is Mortification of all sins and corruptions actual and habitual of whatever quality or degree And that First by applying our selves to Christ by Prayer Wash me and I shall be clean purge me and I shall be whiter than Snow create in me a clean Heart and renew a right Spirit within me Isa 51.7 10. We being naturally defiled must be cleansed by him For he is made to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 of this more at large hereafter Secondly Get a self loathing for sin we are all as an unclean thing from the sole of the foot to the top of the head and with holy Job abhor thy self and repent in Dust and Ashes Isa 1.6 ch 64.6 Job 42.6 Thirdly Get deep apprehensions of the Infinite and free love of God in Christ And that first in his early Mercy of Mans Redemption and Promise after Mans Fall it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Gen. 3.15 And admire his infinite goodness of free Mercy When we were without strength Christ in due time died for the ungodly God so loved the World that while we were yet Sinners and Enemies Christ died for us Rom. 8.5 6 9. This is that Emmanuel which was promised for Redemption of Sinners Isa 7.14 ch 11.1 ch 53. all The fourth Duty is Repentance which is a Godly sorrow for sin not to be repented of which according to the Apostles description hath these seven qualifications in it 2 Cor. 7.11 First Carefulness which is an Impartial discovery and searching into all the Thoughts and Actions concealing none nor conniving at any thing of Sin though as dear as right Eye or right Hand If thy right Hand offend cut it off if the right Eye offend pull it out it is profitable that one member perish rather than the whole Body He that loveth Father Brother or Child better than me is not worthy of me he that loseth his Life shall find it and he that saveth his Life shall loose it and he that taketh not up his Cross and followeth not me is not worthy of me Mat. 5.29 30. Mark 9.44 Secondly Clearing your selves That is not only to part with what Lusts we please and confessing what sins we are indifferent to part with but searching and condemning our selves according to the ballance of the Sanctuary To the Law and to the Testimony not by the level of affection and interest Isa 8.20 A Third is Indignation To hate every sin with an implacable prejudice even to hearing seeing touching handling or any
both He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all power is given to him in Heaven and in Earth he hath the Keys of Hell and Death he openeth and no man shuts and he shutteth and no man openeth Rev. 1.18 He executeth Judgment for the oppressed who giveth food to the hungry the Lord looseth the Prisoner Psal 146.7 The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all that be bowed down Psal 145.14 He made them to be pittied of those that carried them away Captives Psal 107.10 Then they cried unto the Lord and he delivered them out of their distresses such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of Death being bound in Afflictions Irons he brought them out of Darkness and the Shadow of Death and broke their Bonds asunder he sent his Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions Psal 107.6 10 14 20. The Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not the Prisoners Psal 69.33 Thus saith the Lord I will bring again the Captivity of Jacobs Tents and have mercy on his dwelling place and the City shall be built upon her own heap and the Pallace shall remain after the manner thereof Behold I will bring them from the North Country and they shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them I will cause them to walk by the Rivers of Waters by a straight way wherein they shall not stumble for I am a Father to Israel and Ephraim is my first born he that scattered Israel will gather him as a Shepherd doth his Flock for the Lord hath redeemed Israel and ransomed him from him that was stronger than he Jer. 30.18 A Voice was heard in Rama Lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her Children refusing to be comforted because they were not thus saith the Lord refrain thy Voice from Weeping and thine Eyes from Tears for thy Work shall be rewarded and they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy there is hope in thine end that they shall come again to their own Borders Jer 31 8 to 23. And the Heathen shall know that the House of Israel went into Captivity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my Face from them therefore thus saith the Lord now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob and have mercy upon the whole House of Israel I will be jealous for my Holy Name after that they have born their shame and all their trespasses that they have trespassed against me when they dwelt safely in their own Land and none made them afraid And I am Sanctified of them in the sight of many Nations Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God which caused them to be led into Captivity among the Heathen but I have gathered them into their own Land and have left none of them any more there neither will I hide my Face any more from them for I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel Ezekiel 29.23 c. Behold I will gather them out of all Nations and all Countries whether I have driven them in mine anger and in my fury and in great wrath and will bring them again to this place and will cause them to dwell safely and they shall be my People and I will be their God and I will give them one Heart and one Way that they may fear me for the good of them and their Children after them Yea I will rejoice over them to do them good and I will most assuredly plant them in this Land with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul for as I have brought all this great evil upon this People so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them Jer. 32.37 to end Turn ye to the strong hold ye Prisoners of hope even to day do I declare unto you that I will render double unto you they shall be as the Stones of a Crown lifted up as an Ensign upon his Land for how great is his goodness how great is his beauty Corn shall make the Young Men chearful and the new Wine Maids Zach. 9.12 to the end Thus saith the Lord after seventy years be accomplished at Babilon I will visit you and perform my good words towards you and cause you to return to this place for I know the Thoughts that I think towards you Thoughts of Peace and not of Evil to give you an expected end you shall call on me go and pray and I will hearken unto you ye shall seek me and find me when ye seek me with all your Heart I will be found of you and turn away your Captivity and gather you from all the Nations and all places whither I have driven you and bring you again to the place whence I caused you to be driven away Captive Jer. 29.10 to 15. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return to Zion with everlasting Songs and Joy upon their Heads they shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall fly away Isa 39.10 That thou may'st say to the Prisoners go forth to them that are in darkness shew your selves the Captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the Prey of the terrible shall be taken away Isa 49.5 25 26. read Isaiah 52. to 7. and Psal 102.19 and Isa 20. God setteth the solitary in Families and bringeth out those that are bound with Chains but rebellious are in a dry Land As we see from the foregoing Scriptures the manifold Promises of God for the delivery of his Prisoners of hope the same instruct us also of the Lords great Power and goodness in his delivering of his People in these respects First By giving to them a more lively appearance and discovery of himself under their confinement than formerly and affords them more patience and courage to bear their Afflictions and Confinements Prisons or places of Retirement and as at all times we should examine our case as to peace with God and seeing all afflictions are from God and Confinements especially for the good of such as wait on him we ought in Prison Houses to search our Hearts and try our Ways and seek out the Causes of Gods so dealing with us and by this means he maketh the darkest Prisons the happiest Lodgings by the effects it works on such as therein walk with God and seek reconciliation with him in Jesus Christ we see what clear revelations Jeremiah had when shut up in closest Prisons and Dungeons and with what undaunted Zeal and Courage for God he delivers the Message of God when he was most severely dealt with being supported by God against all discouragements see Jeremiah 32.2 and 3. chap. 33. and 1. ch 37.16 ch 38.4.5 and 6. chap. 39.16 17 18. ch 42.10 See the constancy of Zeal and Courage of the three Children when they knew the Law against them was irrepealable Be it known to the oh King we will not obey thee nor worship the Image which thou hast set up
My Brethren have dealt deceitfully with me as a Brook John 13.18 This also was the sad Condition of the Church Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord their Imaginations against me the Lips of those that rise up against me their devices against me all the day long behold their sitting down and their rising up I am their Musick Lam. 3.6 62 63. David was as among Lions their Teeth were as Spears against him and their Tongues as sharp Swords they wrested his words Psal 57.4 Psal 56.2 5 6. He was the Song of the Drunkards Reproach hath broken my Heart I am full of heaviness I looked for some to take pity but there was none and for comforters but I found none Psal 69. all Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those that dwell at ease and with the contempt of the Proud Psal 123.4 The sixth reason why God thus chastiseth his People is to make them sensible of the different measures by which he deals with his People in their Afflictions and with the wicked by his Judgment upon them and that consists in these six respects First He chastiseth his People in love and for their good but his Judgments on the Wicked are to their Everlasting Loss and Condemnation Secondly He unwillingly and with reluctance corrects his People but taketh pleasure in his Justice upon the Wicked Thirdly He corrects his People in measure and moderation but Rains down the Vials of his displeasure upon his Enemies Fourthly The Chastisements of his People are but for a moment and not to make an end of them but the Wicked are totally cut off without expectation or hope of recovery Fifthly The Godly though afflicted are comforted by Gods presence they have communion and fellowship with the Father and holy Trinity but the Wicked have no hope in their end or punishments Sixthly The Godly by their afflictions are taught to know the difference between Spiritual and Carnal enjoyments Temporal and Eternal Mercies First The Godly's Chastisements are for their good although all Trials Afflictions and Temptations are a dark Cloud and carry a pale Face yet when the Godly do search out the purpose of God in this and are desirous to know his Intentions therein they will see this to be in love when the Godly enjoy all sensual pleasures without any intermission they are apt to surfeit upon Mercies and turn lazy and forget God as the slothful Man by luxuriant feeding ease and gluttony contracts a Lethargy so are the best of men apt to forget the Fountain of Mercies and wax wanton against God as the People of Israel in their quiet and plenteous enjoyments Exod. 15 ch 17. Num. 11. ch 16. Deut. 11. Therefore the Lord visits his People with Rods to rouse them out of their laziness to make them turn to their rock for their good and safety Psal 106. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I learned to keep thy Word blessed is the Man whom thou chastiseth and teacheth out of thy Law Psal 119.67 71. This is the end to the Godly to take away his sin Isa 27.9 Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastning God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is he whom the Father chastneth not but if ye be without Chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and no Children we had Fathers of the Flesh who chastised us after their own pleasure and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and life for they for a while corrected us according to their own pleasure but he for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness now no chastning for the present seemeth joyous but grievous but afterwards it bringeth forth the perfect fruit of Righteousness to them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12.5 to 12. But see the Issue of the wicked and ungodly they shall be like the chaff which the Wind driveth away Ps 1.4 5 6. Secondly The Lord doth not afflict his People willingly but with great reluctancy How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Adma how shall I set thee as Zeboim my Heart is turned within me my repenting is turned together Hos 11.8 Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spoke against him I remember him still earnestly my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord Jer. 31.20 Repent and turn your selves from your transgressions so Iniquity shall not be your ruin cast away all your transgressions and make you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will you dye O house of Israel for I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner therefore turn your selves and live See Ezek. 33.11 Luk. 13.34 35. Ezek. 18.30 31 32. Thirdly The Lord corrects his People in measure and not in extremity as he doth the wicked hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him in measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough Wind in the day of his East-wind Isaiah 27.7 8. Fourthly The Afflictions of the Godly are but for a short time for a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee in a little wrath I hid my self from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee Isa 5 4.7 8. They shall go into Babilon until I deliver them I will visit them there and restore them to this place Jer. 27.22 Refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears for thy work shall be rewarded and they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy and there is hope in thine end and thy Children shall come again in their own border Jer. 31.15 16 17. Thus though the Lord deals severely with his People nevertheless it is but for a time and in moderation and giveth them a happy delivery and eternal rest with himself in the end but he deals otherways with his Enemies never withdrawing his Judgments from them until he hath accomplished their destruction and avenged their malice against his People Wherefore it shall come to pass when the Lord hath performed this whole work upon mount Sion I will punish the stout-heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks Isa 41.15 16. I was wroth with my People I have polluted mine Inheritance and given them into thy hands thou didst shew them no mercy upon the antient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoak thou saidst I will be a Lady for ever for that thou didst not lay these things to thy Heart neither didst remember the latter end of them therefore hear thou this thou that art given to pleasure that dwellest carelesly that sayest in thy Heart
Nature at such a rate that there being a necessity for an Atonement and satisfaction to Gods Justice for Mans Sin And of a Mediator between God and Man to restore Man to the pure and unspotted Image of God and it being impossible for Men or Angels to make such Atonement or to procure a Mediator The free Love of God raiseth one up even Jesus Christ the Son of God and express Image of his Father to take upon him the shape of a Servant and though he knew no sin to become sin for us so that by taking upon him our Nature and in our shape and place submitting to the Justice of God on the Cross hath paid the Ransom for us and restored fallen man to the Image of God in Righteousness and True Holiness 1 Cor. 15.21 22 47 48. The first Man is of the Earth Earthy the Second Man is the Lord from Heaven and as is the Earthy so are they which are Earthy and as is the Heavenly so are they which are Heavenly and as we have born the Image of the Earthy we also shall bear the Image of the Heavenly and thus Christ having paid the Ransom for Sinners he offers to all Men the free Market of Salvation Pardon and Eternal Life for God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish but have Eternal Life John 3.15 16 17. For when we were without strength Christ dyed for us when we were yet Sinners and Enemies Rom. 5.6 7 8. But it may be Objected that Christ had a Body and Mans Nature and the Resurrection from the Dead seems things under the Comprehension of Sense and Feeling Answer Although Christ had and took on him Mans Nature nevertheless the Mystery of his Incarnation Resurrection Ascension Communication of Garces and Eternal Life procured by him must be apprehended by Faith and can never be reached by Human Sense the Natural Man knoweth not the things of God neither indeed can do because they are spiritually Discerned The Second thing in the Treasury of Spiritual Mercies are the various gifts and graces spiritually bestowed by God to believers in Jesus Christ He that spared not his own Son but freely gave him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Ro. 8.32 These choice and spiritual Mercies may be classed up in these three First Such as are absolutely necessary to Salvation and the actual laying hold on Jesus Christ and applying him in his Merits Sufferings Resurrection and Glorification as the only Mediator between God and Man such is Faith for without Faith it is impossihle to please God Heb. 11.6 Faith is that Grace whereby Christ is owned and upon which Salvation is promised in the foregoing Scripture This is that grace that unites and incorporates Sinners to God for ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus this is that grace which gives Life Sap and being to Christians Now the Just shall live by Faith but if any Man draw back my Soul hath no Delight in him Heb. 10.38 This is the only operative and effectual grace where is boasting then â—t is excluded by what Law by Works Nay by the Law of Faitb therefore we conclude that Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law Rom. 3.23 Although this of Faith be the chief essential grace on which the being of a Christian depends this flows from the spirit of God from whom are all good and perfect gifts and by him are wrought in us for by grace are ye saved through Faith and not of your selves it iâ— the gift of God Eph. 2 8. The second grace is Holiness without which also it is impossible to please God be ye Holy as your Heavenly Father is Holy who is of purer Eyes than can behold Iniquity this grace qualifieth Sinners to resemble God in Purity Innocence and Righteousness Blessed are the pure in Spirit for they shall see God Math· 5.8 and thus it behoveth Christiaâ—s to be for that Christ having taken on him our Nature to purifie it from all the stains of sin he makes all his Children partakers of the Divine Nature and designing to assemble them in the New Jerusalem where no unclean thing can enter they must all be Holy and Clothed with Righteousness This essential Duty is Recommended and Commanded to us in Scriptures we are all his Workmanship Created in Christ to good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone in whom all the Building fitly Framed together groweth unto an Holy Temple in the Lord Eph. 2.8 9 20 21. And that ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is Corrupt according to the Deceitful Lusts and that you put on the new Man Created according to Holiness Eph. 4.21 to end If ye be risen with Christ seek these things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right Hand of God set your Affections on things above not on things on Earth for ye are Dead and your Life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is your Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Mortifie therefore your Members which are on Earth and put on the New Man which is renewed in knowledge aften the Image of him who Created it Col. 3.1 2 3 4. 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 to be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace because the Carnal Man is emnity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be so these that are in the flesh cannot please God and if Christ be in you the Body is Dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness for if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the Deeds of the flesh ye shall live for as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God Rom. 8.5 7 10 13 14. and every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure 1 John 3.3 The third Special grace coming from this great Magazine of Heavenly Store is Mortification although there is such affinity and connexion amongst spiritual graces that they are not perfect nor compleat but when in one Chain and joyned together yet this grace hath some thing peculiar in it as being that special piece of Accomplishment which frames the Soul to an immediate closing with Christ Mortification is either the curbing or subduing superfluous excrescences or growth of superfluous Humours in the Body or like proud flesh about a wound under Cure or the total destroying of that which hath the Preheminence and may destroy a better Life as the
be in Christ he hath mortified the Flesh and the Lusts thereof and if the Thoughts be duly placed on God and the blessings flowing from him it may be the more easy to regulate the affections It is certain while we are in the Body there is an unavoidable conversation with the Creature upon us and the degeneracy hath so much prevailed that even in the renewed there is a law of the Members against the Law of the Mind and therefore our Life is a constant Warfare Rom. 7.23 and for this reason great care must be taken to govern the affections and although it is impossible in some respects to keep the affections from carnal objects however the renewed man must mortify the Flesh and Affections thereof and as helps thereunto we must First Distinguish between giving our Affections wholly to any Creature as resting on that as our chief good and so delighting in it and between letting out our desires to any Creature in subordination to the Creator in some lawful end and in this consideration we are to love nothing intensively with our whole delight and satisfaction except God who alone is able to fill the desires of our Heart but we may in moderation use and take some complacency in the Creature as helps from God to assist us in our Pilgrim state to advance his Honour and discharge our Duty to him Secondly We must consider that since the Apostacy in Adam the Judgment of the Curse is fallen on all Creatures and the Creation is brought under the Bondage of Corruption and the Creatures are fallen under the King of this World as a forfeiture for Sin and the Devil made Prince of the Power of the Air and this World put under his Dominion though under restraint from God and that the Natural Man or Love of the World is enmity to God He that loveth the World the love of God is not in him John 1.2 15. and by the Apostle James the friendship of the World is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a Friend of the World is the Enemy of God Jam. 4.4 Thirdly We must consider that Christs Errand to the World was to reconcile God to Man and therefore he humbled himself by taking upon him the Nature of Man and restored it from the vanity and impurity of Sin to all such as shall believe in him for though the whole Creation was subjected to servitude for Sin nevertheless Christ by his coming and suffering hath paid the Ransom for Believers and for them removed the Curse from the Creatures Because the Creatures also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God for we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now Rom. 8.21 22. Hence then measures may be taken to regulate our Affections First We ought to love God and set our affections on him above all things and in loving of him we cannot go the due length much less be in excess Secondly We should love nothing beneath Christ but in subordination to him and in reference to his glory and that we may the better serve him Thirdly In our use of the World we must remember the Worlds degeneracy and as in that state it is accursed and the love thereof is enmity to God so that if we be not our selves reconciled to God all the Creatures are accursed to us and we usurpers of them so that we must use them as purified to us from the impurity of the Curse by the Mediator and all in a mortified manner according to the Will of God Be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds that ye may prove what is the good perfect and acceptable Will of God Rom. 12.2 In the use of the Creatures We must use them without sensual affectation as things that have a stamp of danger in them with fear lest we be again enticed to sin against God in our delight in any thing more or so much as in God and that we be with the Apostle mortified to all things I am crucified to the World and the World to me in that often repeated place Gal. 2.20 Thus then must mans Affections be regulated as a new Man and doing away the old Lusts of the Flesh and knowing nothing after the Flesh the Children of God are all incorporated into a new society in Christ Jesus and must needs have their Conversation different from the World Ye are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Household of God Ephes 2.19 Therefore they must love and delight in Holy and Spiritual things They are no more under the Law of Sin to Death but under the Law of the Spirit unto Life they are not to walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 2 12 13 14. Christ himself knowing how mans Affections are apt to incline to Earthly Vanities and sink under the delight of the Creatures Commands to lay up Treasure in Heaven Where your Treasures are there your Hearts will be also Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness let us follow that choice directory for Holiness and Heavenly mindedness Luke 12.31 to 35. If ye be risen with Christ seek these things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right Hand of God set your Affections on things in Heaven and not things on Earth for ye are Dead and your Life is hid with Christ in God Mortifie therefore your Members which are on Earth Fornication Uncleanness Inordinate Affections Evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry seeing you have put off the Old Man with his Deeds and have put on the New Man which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that Created him put on therefore as the Elect of God Bowels of Mercy Kindness Humbleness of Mind long Suffering forbearing one another forgiving one another put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness Col. 3. all See the Instructions for our Holy and Heavenly Conversation Ephe. 2. all Chap. 4.22 to end Chap. 5. all Rom. 6. all they that are in Christ have Crucified the flesh and the Lusts thereof if we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit Gal 5.24 and 25. Thus then we see how Christians are to govern their affections next we come to consider their Actions As the Christian is and must be a New Creature and Holy in all manner of Conversation so must he be in his Actions in two respects First They must be all Just and Holy in themselves Secondly They must be directed to proper ends First As a Mans Thoughts ought to be pure and Affections clean so must his Actions for one piece polluted defileth the whole Lump and a good Tree produceth good Fruit and there can be no pretence of uprightness in any Man where the Actions or Conversation is Corrupt so that all Actions of a Man must be squared by the
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them they hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them or any heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and lead them into living Fountains of Waters and God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes Rev. 7.14 15 16. Is not here a fair recompence for all possible tribulations losses crosses and sufferings And on the other hand see the end of all the voluptuous pleasures and enjoyments of the Wicked If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever Rev. 14.9 10 11. And they shall go forth and look on the Carcasses of men that have transgressed against me for their worm shall not dye and their Fire shall not be quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Isa 66.2 4. But on the other hand we have the further comfort of the Godly Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye that tremble at his Word your Brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed Isa 66.5 And then shall the Godly see the accomplishment of these evangelical Prophecies My Servants shall sing for joy of Heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of Heart and howl for vexation of Spirit and leave your name for a Curse to my chosen Isa 59.18 to 22. chap. 65.14 15. and have all the other comfortable Promises and Prophecies made clear to them Isa 50. all chap. 60. chap. 61 chap. 62. chap. 63. chap. 65. chap. 66. As we have viewed mans state from the beginning and traced the steps of his toilsom Pilgrimage to his reconciliation to God by Jesus Christ and placed him in the state of Adoption by the Covenant of Peace we come in the next place to consider the difference of mans estate in the first Adam and his sure and happy condition in the second Adam Jesus Christ the Mediator Man in his first Creation while in obedience was the Darling of God Head and Lord of all the Creatures on Earth and had the priviledge of self pleasing in all the Creatures under restriction of the Command but lusting against the command and exceeding his bounds broke the Chain of obedience and fell under the Curse and thus soon after his being made Lord over the Creatures his concupiscence and ambition of enjoying more and knowing more than what was allowed to him by the Justice of God for his presumption he is deprived of his soveraignty over the other Creatures whereas before they were subject to him he and they also are subjected to the Curse of Enmity I will put enmity between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise its Heel Cursed be the Ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life Gen. 3.14 to 20. Whereas upon the other hand such who have obtained mercy to be within the new Covenant of Peace through Jesus Christ are founded upon surer terms of an everlasting Covenant that cannot fail or be broken and those within it cannot miss of having the priviledges and advantages thereof and these principally are four First This Covenant is everlasting not subject to change or alteration Secondly He is Faithful with whom it is made and cannot fail in his performances Thirdly As God who Covenants with his People is faithful able and willing to perform on his part so he fits his People to perform on their parts Fourthly The great benefit and advantages annexed to this Covenant eternal Life and all Happiness First This Covenant is everlasting how great a consolation must it be to Believers that they are not only reconciled to God and the Curse for Disobedience taken off by Jesus Christ in his blood but also to be within an everlasting Covenant with God and have the Mediator Jesus Christ to make continual Intercession for them for when we were without strength Christ in due time died for the ungodly when we were yet Sinners Christ Died for us much more being now justified by his Blood we shall be saved from wrath through him if when we were Enemies we were reconciled by his Death much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5.6.7 8 9. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew to the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath by two Immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye that we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us wh ch hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the Vail whether the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck Heb. 6.17 18 19 20. For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of his Death for Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called may receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance for Christ is not entered into the Holy Places made with Hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.15 25. If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 Joh. 2.1 The whole Scriptures are a series of testimonies of this everlasting Covenant with Believers I will betroath thee unto me for ever in righteousness in judgment in loving kindness and mercy I even will betroath thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. Hos 2.19 20. This shall be my Covenant not after the manner of their Fathers but a new Covenant and I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and they shall be my People and I will be their God Jer. 30.31 to 38. They shall be my People and I will be their God and I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their Children after them Jer. 32.38 39. Secondly God is faithful therefore this Covenant founded upon his Promise cannot sail The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 If my Covenant be not with Day and Night and if
16. read all Sixthly Does the free Market of Grace Merit no Admiration Thankfulness and Credit Isa 55 1 2 3. Seventhly Are not these words of him that cannot lye Dissemble or Deceive As I live saith the Lord I desire not the Death of sinner but rather that he should repent and live Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet I will make them as Wooll though they be red as Crimson I will make them as Snow Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you rest Is 1.18 Mat. 11.28 Eighthly Is not this Christs own Voice Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man will open to me I will come in and he shall Sup with me and I with him And to him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Rev. 3.20 21. Now how great was the Stupidity and Folly not to believe these Fatherly Invitations and Comply with them that we may be Eternally Happy Inference Though Man by Nature in the above Description be inexpressibly Miserable yet not without Remedy by Faith in Jesus Christ who dyed for a sinner and Salvation and Eternal Life promised to Believers in him Rom. 5.5 6 7. Jo. 3.16 17 18. wherefore we should take Heart Courage and a patient waiting on him And for our Assistance and Encouragement First Under the deep Sense of Mans Misery in the condition of Natural sin as in the preceding Description of Man with a continual Lowliness and Humility of Mind as a check to Pride Self and Sin looking into Mans Character when any thing of Sin or Temptation offers and with the Apostle cry out O Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death Rom. 7.24 Secondly Have deep Admiration of the height and depth of the unsearchable Love of God in Christ Jesus who hath made Christ to Believers all and in all Eph. 3.17 18 19. Col. 3.11 Thirdly Be Reconciled to the Cross of Christ and Affliction as the happy means of Reconciling thee to God before I was Afflicted I went astray but now have I learned to know the Law I will return to my place and hide my Face until they acknowledge their Iniquities seek my Face in their Afflictions they will seek me early Hos 5.15 I have refined thee but not with Silver I have chosen thee in the Furnace of Affliction Is 48.10 I will bring her into the Wilderness and there I will allure her and speak Comfortably unto her Hos 2.14 I reckon that the present Afflictions of this Life which are but for a Moment are not worthy to be compared to that exceeding weight of glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Fourthly Ly patiently under the Rod until the time of thy Deliverance come and quarrel not with the Instruments of thy Chastisement hear the Voice of the Rod and who hath appointed wait for the Vision though it tarry it will speak Hab. 2.3 Say with David Lo here am I let him do with me what seemeth good in his sight 2 Sam. 15.25 26. as with the Apostle I have learned in every condition therewith be content I know how to want and how to abound Phil. 4.11 12 13. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord until he plead my Cause and Execute Judgment for me Mic. 7.9 Fifthly Believe it to be a Truth and be Comforted in it that all things work together for good to such as wait for him and that the end is Eternal Life in Jesus Christ Ro. 8.28 Faith and Salvation are inseparable Companions as well from the Covenant of God in Christ Jesus as from the Fidelity Power Promise and good Will of God and this alone is able to answer all the Cavils of Malice and Disquiet or Discouragement which may arise from the Consideration of the meanness or misery by Nature or under the sense of Mans weakness under his sinful Condition in this that he that believeth shall have Eternal Life Jo. 3.16 17 18. for though Man in his best Condition by Nature without grace be a meer Picture Shadow Vapour Bubble and like a Bell upon the Water or dew on the Grass that withereth his whole Life Labour and Sorrow Vanity and lighter than Vanity so as he desireth Death rather than Life and at Death is the end of all his glory and his Misery is endless in Everlasting Destruction as in the foregoing Description hence is the unspeakable Consolation of Believers that the Covenant of God is everlasting not of the things of this Life only but also of the Life t come the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance and herein doth the excellency of the Covenant of grace exceed that of the Covenant of Works with Man in his first Creation First The first state and Condition of Man naturally considered was of the things of this Natural Life only but the New and second Covenant is of things of this Life and also of that which is to come so that the New Covenant which hath the promise of this Life and of that also which is to come is more valuable than the other Godliness is great gain 1 Tim. 4.8 c. Wherefore Christ adviseth us not to store up perishing things but rather the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Mat. 6.19 to 24. Secondly We see in Natural Mans Description what a slippery thing he is and the meanness of his Condition and where all with him ends but the Enjoyments of the New Covenant is the Inheritance of all things which perish not nor change Ro. 11.29 Thirdly To this New Covenant belong Priviledges which make Happiness here and Eternally hereafter by all which the Fellows of this Covenant are endowed with the greatest priviledges and assisted with the Richest promises that infinite Wisdom and Goodness thought fit to make a happy State here and Eternally hereafter Fourthly The excellency of this Covenant is such that the priviledges thereto belonging qualifies and secures the Heirs of this Covenant against all vicissitudes in this Life and fits and moulds them for the Enjoyment of that Eternal State provided and secured by this New Covenant the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God designing to make Believers Citizens of the New Jerusalem made without Hands eternal in the Heavens alters and changes the whole frame of Man from what it was formerly in Nature and squares him to that Heavenly building Although of Gods free Will and Pleasure for his own glory without the necessity of any further perfection Man was at first Created by God as the free love of God in Christ Jesus is the only Rise of Mans Eternal Happiness nevertheless it is not only compleated by Election but also by Regeneration and newness of Life in Christ Jesus and by being made Holy as God is Holy and therefore the whole frame of