answere them with scorn and derision when they shall most sadly and seriously call upon him But this perhaps will be interpreted a way to drive men to despair thus to deny to the mourning penitent who hath not now time to change his course of life all hopes of pardon and acceptance with God and that because he hath not hitherto made such change though now he truly intends to do it if time would serve him why may wee not think that such intention will be accepted with God for the act it self In answer whereunto I say I. by granting that there is a despair which may very easily be the result of this doctrine and that is when men knowing themselves not to be such persons as they are hereby taught it is necessary for them to be to come to the kingdome of heaven namely new creatures and such as walk in the commandements of God they shall hereupon conceive that there is no hopes for them remaining thus unqualified of coming to that place but such despair makes nothing at all for the discredit but rather for the honour of the said doctrine it being that which the gospel every where in a manner tends to produce by telling us that without holinesse no man shall see God and many other sayings to the like effect this kind of despair is most deservedly incurred neither do such persons offend God because they fall into it but rather they fall into it because they have offended him it being properly not a sin but a punishment of sin 2 Though for such persons whose former wayes have not been known to us wee are I conceive upon their serious mourning for their sins at the last in charity to hope and believe well of them yet for such whose evill lives were have been sufficiently acquainted with as having been mis-spent in the works of the flesh that are ordinarily manifest Gal. 5.19 upon such their mourning to goe about to comfort them with smooth words holding forth Gods mercy and forgivenesse to them as this would be a certain occasion of hardening others in their sins to their own destruction so it would be but a prophesying of deceit Es 30.10 to these persons themselves whereby perhaps they might be better pleased but their condition could be no way bettered I grant indeed that wee are in this case by all fit and lawfull meanes to quicken and encourage such mourning or contrition in these persons and that because I. God may beyond hopes lengthen and add to their dayes and so it may work in them in time true repentance and 2 because if it should not fall out so yet it may probably conduce to the abatement of their future misery and that they shall be hereafter beaten with fewer stripes I shall grant also that though God hath tied us in this case to rules to judge as well as to walk by yet he hath not so absolutely bound up himself but that it is still lawfull for him and that he may if he will use his Soveraign power in dispensing with his own lawes give eternall life to such persons upon such their mourning notwithstanding their want of that otherwise necessary condition of new obedience or being new creatures but as it would be certainly high presumption for any to expect or desire of God the actuall exercise of this his Soveraign power by affording them the benefit of such a dispensation so it would be no lesse an exceeding our commission and so a like presumption too to tell others that he will use this power towards them or for their good and this they in effect do that so far comply to please others whom they know or may know to have lived as unregenerate persons that is in some course of disobedience contrary to Christs commands as to promise or tell them upon their mourning for their sins at the last and praying for the pardon of them that God will certainly accept them to salvation and bestow eternall life upon them 3 I say that the intention namely of doing good may bee and is some-times accepted with God for the act it self but then this intention must be 1 Reall that is so reall as it would certainly if there were possibility of actuating it prove effectuall which in this case there is but small reason to suppose for the heart of man as the prophet tells us is very deceitfull Jer. 17.9 men of crazy bodies and that are sensible of their need of physick may seriously enough resolve within themselves to take such a potion for their health as the Physitian shall prescribe them and yet they may have such queazy stomacks that beginning to tast it and finding it very bitter and nauseous they will by no meanes be perswaded to drink it up in like manner many in this kind may as Peter once did at a distance promise and intend the doing of great matters as that they will constantly for the future walk in the commandements of Christ or the like but coming to have some near sight or feeling of the difficulty or danger of the said things which before they saw onely as a far off and in contemplation they will 't is likely prove no stouter champions than he did that is choose rather to live at their former case than voluntarily persist in such new and harsh obedience and hereupon wee find God then using these words to Abraham Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest mee when Abraham had actuated his intention of offering his son so far as was possible and lawfull for him by which words though God doth not imply any ignorance in himself before of what could bee truly known yet sure he more than intimates that neither Abraham himself nor others could certainly know of him that he had such a fear of God as to bee effectually willing to offer his son in obedience to Gods command till he was thus put home to the doing of it and so consequently wee may collect that wee can neither for our selves nor others from any promises or expressed intentions in sicknesse of walking as new creatures for the future if God should restore us or them conclude that either would certainly and truly do so this being that which can onely bee known to us by the doing of it And indeed besides all this this one consideratton may serve to convince us what little credit is to be given to or certainty can be grounded on such promises and intentions in this kind namely the rare performance we find of them of ten that are usually restored from such sickness after these professions it is to be feared we shall hardly meet with one that returns to give God thanks in this way that is according to his vow to dedicate himself as one alive from the dead to spend the remainder of his dayes by a chearfull and unreserved obedience in Gods service 2. That such intention of doing good may be accepted with God for the act it is
A HOLY LIFE HERE The only Way to ETERNAL LIFE HEREAFTER OR A Discourse grounded on these Words The weapons of our Warfare c. 2. Cor. 10.4 Wherein among other things set down in a following Index this Truth is especially asserted namely that A holy Life or the habitual observing of the Laws of CHRIST is indispensably necessary to Salvation Whereunto is added an Appendix laying open the common neglect of the said Laws among Christians and vindicating such necessity of observing them from those general Exceptions that are wont to be made against it By R.S. B. D. LONDON Printed for John Martin and James Allestrye and are to be sold at the Bell in S. Pauls Church-yard 1652. An Advertisement to the READER CHristian Reader be pleased to take notice that this discourse here presented to thine eye was for some principal parts of it only at first intended for and so delivered to the ears of a Countrey Auditory and this I doubt not but thou wilt easily especially if thine eye be any thing curious discern by the homelinesse of its dresse here being no rhetorical flourishes or studied obscurities to please thy fancy or exercise thy Wit Nobis non licet esse tam disertis neither the condition of the Hearers nor my own ability would permit me to be thus eloquent And indeed though I am far either from approving rudenesse of speech in sacred matters or envying those abilities of expressions in others which I cannot attain unto my self yet I am of opinion that wholsom meats may be too much sweetned and thereby lose much of their wholsomnesse or nourishing vertue and in like manner that solid and material truths may be too artificially decked so as such art or decking shall come to be more regarded then the truths themselves and consequently the ears rather be thereby tickled then the understanding convinced or the heart affected The truth that is here held forth in this Discourse I mean especially in the popular parts of it and more fully confirmed in the annexed Appendix is I conceive one of that rank that is such a plain and important truth as would rather seem less serious be made to abate of its proper efficacie then be any thing advanced by an affected wisdom of words or human eloquence It is not other but what the Apost long since affirmed that without holinesse no man shall see God or to deliver it in words more significant of my own sense that a holy life is the only way and that which is simply necessary to make a man blessed in and after death A truth so clear and withall of so good a sound that most I doubt not at the first view or hearing will readily grant it and indeed it is commended to us by so unquestionable and full a light namely of Scripture that it may be a wonder how any should see cause to deny or doubt of it and so in both these respects it may seem a task unnecessary which I have herein undertaken to perswade men to a belief thereof And yet indeed the matter is far otherwise for there is nothing I know at this day pretending to be a divine truth more generally discredited among Christians of all sorts then this is though I think there is scarce any thing supposing it for a truth wherein it concerns them so much to be firmly perswaded as in the belief of it it being hardly probable that any will act according to it but who are so perswaded of it that is that they will universally compose their lives to those divine rules of holinesse laid down in the Gospel which generally are so contrary to mens sensual desires and their worldly ease and interests unlesse they be truly convinced of a necessity of so doing I will not deny but that most who professe Christ professe also a kinde of confused belief of this necessity and I shall also grant that it seems to be the designe of most preachers to keep up this belief in men and thereby to plant such holinesse in them there being hardly any of that calling who does not in one manner or other bend their discourses towards this end But yet as we say of the Papists that what they grant directly and in words they do indirectly and really deny as not to mention other particular points when they professe to acknowledge Christ to be the head of the Church and yet hold the Pope also though as they pretend under Christ to be head thereof ascribing such a power to him and his Chair in sacred matters as in effect deprives Christ of his headship and renders a great part of his laws invalid and without any force So I think it may without breach of charity be affirmed of too many Protestants both Ministers and people that notwithstanding the preaching of the former and professed belief of both in this point holinesse of life described and extended so as it is in the Gospel is held and reputed by them a thing unnecessary to salvation What else does that general disuse and neglect of those many plain duties confessedly required of us in the Gospel imply yea what else do those common doctrines and perswasions publikely owned and setled in mens mindes declare as namely touching the sufficiency of Christs merits and righteousnesse being meerly apprehended and applyed to a mans soul which is in the account of many the formality of that faith whereby we are justified in the sight of God also touching the efficacy of late contrition or mourning for sin wherein as many make repentance in a manner wholly to consist Both which are things that may be truly transacted as the nature of the things themselves imply and as the patrons of them acknowledge by such persons at their going out of the world as all the time of their living in it before have constantly allowed themselves in known breaches of some or more of the divine laws of Christ Do not these two doctrines or opinions truly contradict and overthrow that other opinion generally professed and seemingly held of the necessity of a holy life for coming to the kingdom of heaven Can a thing in any sense be reputed the necessary means for attaining some end when the said end may be ordinarily come at without these means by some other way as by the force of the foresaid opinions men are taught to believe that eternal salvation may be certainly attained by them though they never lived holily if so be that now when they are a dying they do as it is then possible for them apply Christs righteousnesse to themselves and truly mourn for their sins or is not this at best to hold forth two wayes to the kingdom of heaven one that which is seemingly believed and which indeed the Scripture only allowes and approves of namely the strict and proportionable long way of a holy life and the other that which is much easier and shorter to wit mourning for sin at the last and
his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned to him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live who may not easily see what a vast distance there is betwixt these words and those of the Common prayer-book which yet are pretended to be either a formall recitall of these or at least such a rendring of them as is in sense fully equivalent Is it not plain hence that besides and after the turning from all our sins which seemes all that is intended to be signified by that phrase of repenting of them from the bottome of our heart there is expressely required a keeping of all Gods statutes and doing that which is lawfull and right of which there is no mention at all in that saying in the Common prayer-book as a necessary condition for attaining that remission of sins and life there promised I am willing to suppose that those who were authors of that liturgy and so of this saying in it knew how by the various acception of the word repent to reconcile in sense this saying and the next together and so were able thereby to vindicate themselves from that which might seem otherwise to be justly charged upon them herein namely wilfull falsifying or perverting the words of Scripture yet as I can see no true reason why pretending as they did to deliver the unquestionable sense of the Spirit of God they should so far neglect the words certainly dictated from this Spirit as in stead thereof to use in this matter expressions wholly of their own framing so I cannot but think that their thus doing and rendring or reciting that text as they have done was and is still especially considering the former corrupt notion of repentance that many have been and yet are ordinarity possessed with a most dangerous rock at once to harden and continue men in their sins and to make them but most deceitfully promise themselves heaven upon some late ineffectuall mourning for them at the last notwithstanding their continuance in them till that time 2. Touching that other instance taken from the example of the penitent thief I think it may be in some manner said of him that since he was crucified and dead he hath killed far more soules than being alive he hurt or destroyed bodies but it is and hath been through the fault of men themselves with whom this one example how ever not possible to be paralleld as wee shall presently show is of more force than the whole gospell or doctrine of Christ Those who are ready to flatter themselves upon this ground by thinking that a blessed and happy death may be the sequel of a dissolute life as it was in him if they will but heedfully consider the circumstances so far as the Scripture layes them open of this persons repentance which was indeed as late as could be will easily find that it is not possible for them though they would never so gladly to be truly like unto him herein and so that the promise made to him can derive no comfort at all to them for 1. This thief did not for any thing that appeares in Scripture know or acknowledge Christ before this time that he was now hanging on the crosse and so ready to dye with him then it was that he began to make profession of him and was first ingrasted into him by faith but those Chrislians who are wont to allege this example for the acceptance of their late sorrow are to be supposed to have acknowledged Christ long before the time of their dying even in a manner all their life time having been so long constant professours of him 2. This thief after his faith or declared profession of Christ had no space left him for correcting or changing his course of life whatsoever good he could do then on the crosse he did it as in rebuking of his fellow thief acknowledging the justice of his own and his sufferings asserting Christs innocency and by his praying to him giving him divine worship and expressing his faith in him but the fore-mentiond persons are such as after their profession of Christ have large spaces or proportions of time afforded them their profession ordinarily beginning with their first use of reason and so running on in an eeven line with their lives and yet they could never find any season for setting effectually about the work of reforming their lives that is for thorowly observing Christs lawes in rendring that obedience thereunto which was both possible for them and they made profession of their practise hitherto namely till the approaching time of their death hath been a contradiction of such their profession and so their religion for so long is to bee reckoned nothing but a formall hypocrisy or dissembling 3. This thief had and manifested then so great a faith as was not in the Apostles themselves he then firmly believed in Christ when their faith in him t is plain by their forsaking of and flying from him and those words of distrust they used as wee trusted that it had been he Lu. 24.21 c. began to fail he acknowledged Christ hanging on the crosse to be about entring into a kingdome and neither being deterred with Christs nor his own death he trusted that Christ would be mindfull of him and could again reduce him to life who can possibly now have such a faith have not all that professe Christ an opinion of his being like as he truly is in supreme power and glory and is it not much easier to believe in such a person namely in him that is risen from the dead and is invested with all power in heaven and in earth than in him who being now a dying is forsaken and scornd and derided in a manner by all men as Christ truly was yet such was the faith of this thief that is indeed a most singular and admirable faith suitable to those other prodigies that accompanied Christs death as conducing to the solemnity of it and therefore most worthy through the divine bounty to justify this person with our most gracious God but till Christ come to suffer again which will never be no more examples of this faith or of such believers are to be expected and consequently this persons example and the happy issue he had of his late repentance can be no ground of comfort for the fore-mentiond persons it being not possible that his case should be theirs or that their repentance should be answerable to his in any thing save in that which was truly of least moment in it the lateness of it Now touching that corrupt notion of repentance before spoken of which seems to be nourished and upheld in many chiefly by the influence derived from the two former instances though what hath been said in answer to these may in great part serve to show the corruption and unsoundness of it yet for the fuller manifesting of this and together therewith that which is truly imported by the word repentance I shall
following considerations 1. That disobedience or impiety is that which is opposed to this faith as the contrary to it in those words of St. John he that believeth in the son hath everlasting life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he that as Beza and others render it obeyeth not the son shall not see life c. John 3.36 2. Because that which is one where ascribed to faith thus singly named as obtaining eternall life through the means of it is elsewere in plain termes ascribed to obedience or such piety of life as wee have mentioned thus Christ is said to be the author of eternall salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 and Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandements of God that is all in all 1. Cor. 7.19 and again neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature Gal. 6.15 3 Because it is fully evident from abundant and that most cleer Testimonies of scripture that for obtaining remission of sins and so eternall life repentance that is a change of the mind and life also to the better as before hath been shown is simply necessary and St. James expresly testifies that a man is not justified by faith onely but by workes also joyned with it James 2.14 and demonstrates this thing by the example of Abraham whom St. Rom. 4.3 Paul proves to have been simply justified by faith by that very same place of Gen. 15.6 which St. James also sites in this business and lastly because the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans and also in that to the Galathians largely teaches that for escaping the severity and curse of the law and to become partakers of Gods heavenly kingdome it is altogether necessary that wee walk not after the flesh Gal. 5. but after the spirit which phraise what kind of exactnesse and piety it emplyes may be seen in the said places By all which I say it is plain that faith cannot otherwise priviledge us from the wrath to come or entitle us to heavenly happiness than as it hath obedience or true piety joyned with it and consequently that whensoever the scripture ascribes these or the like priviledges unto this tearm of faith or believing singly and by it self it means not faith barely in 't is strict and proper sence but includes also and comprizes under this notion the same obedience or piety so necessarily required of us so that this faith may be said to be as indeed it is a certain agregate thing made up of faith strictly and properly taken and of its effects that is such piety and obedience Neither is it without great and important reasons that the Scripture thus speaks in this matter that is that not only it rather useth especially when it speaketh of our justification the word faith then other words more plainly signifying piety of life but also that it understands by and usually comprizes in this word faith all that holiness of life and obedience to Gods commands which is now requisite under the Gospell for attaining salvation for 1. Hereby is intimated that the said holiness or obedience proceeds from faith properly and strictly taken as the root or cause of it and consequently that it is not of our selves or from the sense of our own duty as we were bound and as the Law truly required that we are such holy and obedient persons but that that which is to be reckoned the object and cause of such faith namely the divine promises of the Gospell promulgated by Christ and confirmed in his bloud is that which hath originally wrought and produced the said holiness in us and so that it is to be imputed to the free grace and bounty of God thus graciously making and confirming the said promises to us and thereby exciting us hereunto that we become such holy persons 2. Hereby is also signified that which hath been before observed namely the impersection of our obedience that it is such as ordinarily presupposes many and great transgressions and courses of unrighteousness going before and also implies some proportionable failings still accompanying it so that it is not from any worth of its own but from Gods infinite goodness that it comes not only to be accepted but rewarded as God hath promised and declared he will with eternall happiness and glory 3. By this word faith thus used is intimated that this very thing addes a great price or value as I may so say to our works and obedience though otherwise imperfect and makes that we please God namely in this that we trust in him though we have never seen him that we firmly believe his promises especially those which by the course of nature seem impossible neither suffer our selves by any oppositions or any difficultie of performances to be drawn from this hope so by this means giving God constantly the praise of his infinite power goodness and truth For these reasons we are to conceive it is that the word faith is so often singly used in Scripture when it is intended and indeed cannot be otherwise that that obedience which the Gospell elsewhere plainly requires of us should be conceived to be signified by and included in it 3. Touching the last particular of the foresaid supposed objection wherein the exception is against that obedience or habituall observance of the most righteous Laws of Christ which we have laboured to shew and enforce as indispensably necessary for the seeming impossibility or extraordinary hardness of it though what hath been already said on this subject may in great part serve to manifest the groundlesness of this exception yet for the fuller clearing of this important truth I shall adde somewhat also directly by way of answer to it 1. First then I say by this obedience or observing Christs laws I mean truly a greater light of persecution in the doing of them than I see most Christians attain unto or as I have cause to think ever intend or aim at and that is an habituall and customary keeping of the said Laws which cannot be done without an answeruble care of knowing and remembring them and which being done necessarily excludes the habit and dominion of any sin in the said person I am not willing to think them Christians indeed who have an intention and desire to obey these laws and precepts of Christ but doe not really obey them neither can I think them regenerate persons and so in a salvable condition as yet that do not that good which they would but the evill which they would not as being in Captivity to the Law of Sin Rom. 7. ch The Apostle I know uses these and other the like words in his own person and as of himself but they that will heedfully observe either the occasion of the Apostles entring into that discourse together with the scope of it or the testimonies which are elsewhere extant of him Rom. 9.2 2 Cor. 11. 1 Thes 2.10 concerning his zeal and exemplary
fiduciary application of Christs righteousnesse to a mans self as that which will be fully effectual without the former preceding And is there any likelihood or reason to expect but that this being so men should generally as we see they do take this latter way and suffer the former to lye quite untrodden and disused All we know are naturally lovers of ease and desirous if possible to reconcile the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin with the hopes of those true pleasures hereafter to be enjoyed and therefore it is no marvel if being taught as in effect by the former opinion they are that there is no absolute necessity of living holily so that these latter are possible to be come at by those who never truly and effectually relinquished the former the most every where securely allow themselves this liberty This I mean this perswasion rooted in mens mindes through the foresaid opinions that obedience to Christs laws is not required in the former degree of necessity or indispensably for attaining salvation is that which truly enervates for the most part the force of all preaching and divine exhortations to holinesse of life that which makes such preaching and exhortation how powerfully soever otherwise enforced available only to beget in men flashes of devotion or a partial piety or some vellieties and faint ineffectual endeavours of living holily this is that which makes men willing for better excusing their own voluntary sloth to interpret the habitual observing of the laws of Christ which yet they cannot but acknowledge the Scripture seems to require such a height of perfection as is not possible to be reached unto and therefore they think not necessary to be laboured after in brief this is that I conceive which of all things most deeply contributes to the upholding of the dominion of sin in the world both for the extent and degrees of it I mean among the professours of Christ and so by its influence helps forward daily the perdition of thousands of souls The apprehension of all which evils and especially of the last which is the result of them all hath made me think that I could not possibly do a more charitable work then use that ability how weak or small soever which God hath given me towards the discovering of that which is the true root of them which I conceive is no other but that before mentioned namely this common but corrupt perswasion that there is some other way of coming to the kingdom of heaven then by a holy life or the habitual observing of the laws of Christ And this accordingly I have endeavoured in this following tract partly in the discourse as the words whereunto it is limited cast me upon it and the condition of the hearers required but more fully in the annexed Appendix the designe of both which is to show that which I conceive it infinitely concerns all men to be firmly perswaded of namely that the former manner of observing the foresaid laws is an indispensable condition for attaining of eternal life A truth which as I am fully convinced of for my own part so I cannot but think there is a necessity lying upon me to do my utmost for the convincing of others into a like belief of it being firmly perswaded that such a belief thereof once throughly setled in mens mindes would be at once effectual for stopping those gaps of licentiousnesse and so of perdition that now lye open and also for enabling men to exhibit actually in their performance a greater height of perfection in reference to Christs laws then yet they have ever had so much as a serious thought of aiming after There are some other things of another nature insisted on in the following discourse such as I conceive were not so fit to offer to the ears of those who were hearers of the other parts as they may be to present to the eyes of some who may now be willing to be readers and these things perhaps as they are connexed with the other may make the structure of the whole seem somewhat uneven and disproportioned but yet being useful in their way as I hope in some degree they may prove and having the same ground for their foundation which the rest have I am willing to presume of so much charity from the candid and intelligent Reader as that he will not be so far offended at such disproportion as to censure it for a crime My main aim in the whole if my own heart deceive me not is this that Christ may have the honour of that obedience which is due to him and which he requires and Christians the comfort of that reward which they hope for from him and which is limited only to such obedience that these may not wretchedly delude themselves in their most large hopes nor wickedly defraud him of his unquestioned right by a formal and fruitlesse profession This is that great errand on which this little work is sent forth and I beseech that God who by mean and contemptible instruments useth sometimes to effect great matters to prosper it therein and to convert all to his own Glory R. S. THE CONTENTS OF THE Following Discourse THis Discourse divided into three Sections p. 3. SECT I. The first Section touching the Christian Warfare Wherein is shown the reason why this name is applyed to signifie our Christian duty p. 4. The chief enemie in this warfare is the Devil whose designe is to keep us from the kingdom of Heaaven which thing he attempts 1 By Cunning namely upon the understanding or upon the affections p. 7. 2. By Cruelty p. 9. Our main care before hand must be To settle the judgement aright in divine matters p. 11. To have a right apprehension of these worldly things p. 15. To get a firm belief of those future things promised p. 16. To have an ill opinion of the world p. 17. To beware of the Counsell of carnal friends p. 19. To inure our selves to hardnesse p. 21. In the time of our fighting it is requisite that we have 1. A good eye which must be watchful p. 25. piercing p. 26. 2. A good heart p. 28. Touching which are shown 1. That hereby is meant the Spirit of God or a divine power imprinted in the heart p. 30. 2. That we have particular grounds whereon to expect the receiving of this Spirit p. 31. And here to differences assigned betwixt the giving of this Spirit as limited to the primitive and as extended to our times p. 37. 3. What are the Conditions on our part to make us actually capable of it p. 38. Three particular rules added as those which will be of great use in this warfare 1. To look upon the prize we fight for p. 48. 2. To look upon the Company that have fought before us p. 55 3. To look upon the Captain that eyes us p. 58. SECT II. The second Section touching the weapons belonging to this Warfare p. 60. That these weapons are
makes for the magnifying of this power which helps us in these infirmities and the greater the difficulties are and the more unproportioned to our weakness the more they serve to the honour of this power and consequently God may be expected to be the more ready at such times for our support Having thus far enlarged touching the courage that is required in our Christian Warfare and the means for attaining it I shall yet further in reference unto both and to make us persist without fainting or declining in the course of godliness commend to you three particular rules to be observed as those which may be very serviceable and effectuall hereunto First to look upon steddily with the eye of faith that glorious prize for which we fight which God holds forth in his hands to encourage us and which the devil by all means labours to keep out of our sight and deprive us of It is that then which God hath nothing greater to bestow nor we to desire Matth. 5.12 Luke 12.33 1 Cor. 9.25 1 Pet. 5.10 Heb. 12.28 a great reward in Heaven treasures that fail not a rich and glorious inheritance an incorruptible crown an eternal kingdom that cannot be shaken in brief a condition full of all good things which our hearts can possibly imagine or rather which is not possible for them to imagine 2. It is most certain in it self confirm'd to us as the rest of his doctrine was by Christs miracles and blood and his rising and ascension into heaven and many visible missions of the holy Spirit thence and further in a lesser degree by those things which the Apostles did and suffered by the sufferings of many others since even unto our times and by the present and long continued condition of the Jews 3. It is assured onely to such as go through with this warfare as not only fight but fight it out unto the last such as endure unto the end that are faithfull to the death only to such and to all such it is unquestionably assured Thus we are to represent this glorious prize to our selves thus qualified and limited which if we do the very beholding of it seriously and deliberately in this manner cannot but derive strength and courage to us what hardnesse and hazards will men willingly ingage themselves in when the hopes of wearing a crown or enjoying a kingdom is the lure to draw them on though possibly they may perish in the venturing for it or else not long enjoy it when they have gained it what tedious difficulties and adventures will others readily imbark themselves in when the wealth of the Indies is looked upon by them as things by that means to be attained though possibly as the former they may miscarry in the voyage or not enjoy those things long after their return yea what pains will many take and that in a manner constantly and continually when that which is far less then a kingdom or such wealth is all the motive they have namely some encrease of their stock or fruitful return of the ground All these things it is plain have vertue in them to ingage men in very hard and difficult matters And what then shall we not think there is the same or far greater vertue in this glorious prize to make men contend for it with hazards difficulties and labour What is the cause that men are so bent upon these things Is it not because they love them and esteem them and earnestly desire them and see no other wayes of possibly coming to them Do not those that fight and venture their lives for a Crown know that it is not without such fighting and venturing to be obtained and do not those that ingage themselves in such long hazardous voiages to the Indies know that the riches that are there are not otherwise to be come at and is not in either of these the high opinion and ardent desire they have of these things joyned with such a perswasion sufficient to ingage them notwithstanding they cannot but know also the uncertainty of their successe in such difficult undertakings yea do not you husbandmen know that however the season falls out you must plow and sowe and tend your cattle or else you cannot expect your desired increase and will any of you then fold your hands in your bosom when there is some more then ordinary trouble to be undergone about these things will you content your selves with wishing that these things may prosper does not the knowledge you have of the necessity of your labour herein and the high account you make of these things make you willingly go through any sharpnesse of weather or whatsoever other difficulty in this kinde Consider then I besiech you seriously with your selves whether there is not great reason to think that this glorious reward held forth in the hands of Almighty God and lookt upon as certain in it self and only attainable in the way of perseverance in well-doing may not have the same course effectually to ingage you to go through all difficulties But you like as the most are willing to think that though these perishing good things cannot be got without toil pains and hazards yet this rich and glorious inheritance may be attained without any such trouble or difficulty some wishes or purposes or languishing ineffectual fruitlesse endeavours some formall outward heartlesse devotion one day in the week shall be enough to secure you of it But alas Beloved do not abuse your selves or rather do not suffer the devil to abuse you by possessing you with such undervaluing thoughts of this glorious rich reward such as are indeed most corrupt and groundlesse and will prove in the end certainly destructive to your souls a souldiers life is made up of hardnesse and danger and so is the Christian souldiers though in another kinde there is a constant discipline to be exercised consisting in praying and meditating and exhorting and watching and mortifying the flesh which is to be done by abridging your selves in many things that the sensual part inclines you to though this abridging of your selves should be as harsh to you as the pulling out of an Eye or cutting off a hand and there is courage required not only to make you willing to fight and encounter with dangers and difficulties in the practise of godlinesse but to carry you through them and make you conquer them without which though you make never so good Essayes and beginnings yet all will prove fruitlesse and in vain it is not he that beginneth but that endures to the end shall be saved yea not he that fighteth but that conquereth is promised to be crowned to him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life that is in the midst of the paradise of my God and he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death Revel 2.7.11 And he that overcometh and keeps my words to the end Rev. 2.26.3.21 I will give him
these heavenly vertues commended to them therein This I say had not been possible if they that acted these miracles and talked as they did in their preaching of such great and glorious things to be enjoyed hereafter as a heavenly kingdome and eternal life should have taken any other course themselvs for coming thither then what they had so commended to others in their preaching If they should have taught men that they must by patience and meeknesse and contempt of the world c. expect only to be made partakers of those things and themselves in the mean time have expressed impatience or pride or worldlinesse c. for why might they not then thus think and accordingly resolve within themselves that however the miracles they see the Apostles do gave them cause to believe that there were such things to be indeed enjoyed hereafter as they mentioned yet since they themselves did not take that way for coming to the said things which they pressed upon others it was no way necessary for that end such person they might well think surely could not but know what was truly best for themselves and so long as their courses were agreeable to theirs they might without doubt arrive at the same port of happinesse that they aymed at and had acquainted the world with This I say in all likelihood had been the fruit of the Apostles miracles and preaching if they had not had these weapons also if their lives had been disagreeing to the Majestie shining forth in the miraracles wrought by them that is if they had been sordid or worldly or stained with any sinful pollution But we finde they were far of another temper they did not only magna loqui but vivere they did not only talk of great matters but live like men of great expectations they did not as the Philosophers speak and publish exact discourses in commendation of temperance and contentednesse c. when themselves were guilty of palpable intemperance and covetousnesse neither did they like as some now who talk much of another world and live so as if all their hopes and happinesse were in this greedily hunting after the pleasures and profits of it but they truly acted what they taught They taught that Heaven is worth all that here possibly is to be laid out for it that this world is nothing being compared to it that nothing here is so hard to be acted or harsh to be suffered that is not to be gone through with out of hopes of it and they accordingly shewed this in their own practise leaving no parts of godlinesse unpractised spending their dayes incontinued and unwearied exercises of all Christian vertues notwithstanding the many outward discouragements they met with and at length as occasion was offered readily giving up their lives and parting with this world and all the comforts of it at once out of a certain expectation of that which they had so commended And by this means especially it was that the Apostles brought others to have the like esteem and expectation of this future condition and so to take the same way for coming to it making them by this means their converts and conquering them thus to be their followers in the same way to Heaven who before were their enemies and persecutors And by this means must we if ever indeed we would effectually work upon others make our attempt upon them not so much by our words as by our actions not so much by telling them that these and these things they must do if ever they hope to come to Heaven as by shewing them in our own practise that we our selves have truly no hopes of coming thither but by so doing that is by expressing that temperance and meeknesse and humility and heavenly mindednesse which the Scripture every where commends to us Si vis me flere dolendum est primum ipse tibi if thou wouldest have another tender of committing sin or mourn for it after it is committed expresse such tendernesse and mourning first in thy self if thou wouldst have another zealous and carefull and constant in the practice of religious duties then first manifest the like zeale and care and constancy in thy own performance of them This is the onely right way and that which onely can be expected to prove effectuall for pulling down of strong holds that is for silencing and subduing all the opposite reasonings and arguments of the flesh or carnall wisdome words in themselvs are but as wind and so we find it was acknowledged by a certain learned and acute Philosopher Rustiin lib. iâ—Eccles hist 3. after he became a convert who being first attempted by some learned Bishops to submit himself to the profession of the Gospel easily withstood by the help of his wit learning the force of al their arguments but after when he was set upon for this purpose by a Christian that wanted much of their learning but had a great measure of that zeal and holinesse which it seems they wanted hee quickly submitted himself and gave this reason for his so doing donec verbis mecum res gesta est verba verbis opposui c. so long as the matter was onely carried on with words against me I found words enough to oppose and make resistance but when once in stead of words there was vertue and the power of God brought against me such as is truly manifested in the real eloquence of zeal and of a sanctified life and conversation then all my words and reasons were too weak to withstand the power of this force I being a man could not stand out against the divine power of God thus shewing it self Our Saviour plainly implies Vide Chrysost in cap. 10. with Matth. homil 33. Joh. 13.25 that there is such a secret divine force in these things as when he saith by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you love one another that is with such a love as he commended and had exprest carrying them on to the doing of the meanest and hardest offices for others welfare making them neglect their own outward ease and worldly advantages to promote the true good especially the spirituall welfare of others by this shall men know that is know convincingly so as hereupon they may come to be disciples themselves and admire and magnifie him that is the teacher of such love and so when he saith Let your light so shine before men Matt. 5.16 that they may see your good works and glorifie c. he implies that this seeing of our good works by others hath a power in it to bring those persons that are yet far off from this to bear a part with us in glorifying God 'T is true all are not to be expected to be so wrought upon neither indeed ever were they the Apostles notwithstanding their abounding in the use of these weapons and also the assistance of those other extraordinary ones of miracles had still many enemies such
personall obedience to the lawes of Christ a thing unnecessary in this kind especially when as in this case through the cunning of the false angel of light it is pretended by such a sense and inference from it the honour of Christ may be thought to be better provided for he having hereby that glory at least implicity ascribed to him of saving us so perfectly by his own merits and righteousnesse as not to stand upon any thing to be performed by us But as I suppose all will grant there are some things so clearly affirmed in Scripture that if an angel from heaven should teach us the contrary wee were not to assent thereunto nor to suffer our selves to be drawn off the belief of the said things such as in this present matter are these positions without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12. Joh. 3. Math. 7. except a man be regenerate he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven hee that hears Christs words and doth them not is like unto a foolish man c. so I answerably conceive if there be any opinion which either expressely or by it's naturall force and consequence shall contradict such things so affirmed or the plain meaning of the said positions making heaven truly possible to be come at without holinesse or being regenerate or doing of Christs words it is without scruple to bee rejected what ever numbers of adherents or prescription of time or seeming colour of some other parts of Scripture it may have for commending and upholding the credit of it It is most certain and so generally also acknowledged that the gospel the oracle of truth admits no reall contradictions betwixt any of the parts of it and it is I conceive or ought to be not much lesse certain that the true sense of the foresaid positions together with those other formes of speech to the same effect wherewith the Scripture plentifully abounds is no other but this which the words plainly and in their literall sense hold forth namely that our personall and actuall observing of the words or commands of Christ is precisely requisite to constitute us heirs of salvation or which comes all to one that without holinesse and our being regenerate persons which implyes a reall and universall change of of our courses and affections the kingdom of heaven is not to be attained Now who sees not that if there be any other expressions of the said Scripture as some few I acknowledge there are that may in themselves seem capable of a contrary sense that is so as to afford and allow men hopes of salvation upon easier tearmes than doing of Christs words or having such an effectuall change wrought in themselves who may not see hence I say that there is a necessity of understanding the said expressions in another sense than that which shall evidently contradict the plain meaning of the foresaid plain and plentifull assertions should not the fewer places as in this matter they certainly are be rather brought to a conformity with the more than the more be bended to the fewer especially when as in this case it will be found the sense of the more considered singly and with reference to one another is plain and rationall and easy to be apprehended but being reduced to that which is the seeming or supposed sense of the fewer becomes irrationall or intricate should not the plain and frequent expressions of Scripture on this subject rather make us considently hold that our own personall performance of those things commanded us by Christ is indispensably necessary for attaining of salvation than some dark and figurative formes of speech incline us to hold the contrary and make us promise our selves heaven without such performance upon I know not what groundlesse reliance on Christs merits surely in reason it should be so and so it would be I doubt not in this case but for the forementiond cause namely that men being willing to come to heaven with as much ease as may be are easily tempted to believe the easiest way thither to be the best and therefore through the devills cunning are soon perswaded to take more notice and more stifly insist on one text seemingly making that way than on twenty other implying the contrary As for that which is pretended that this way of pressing obedience to Christs lawes or requiring our own personall performances as necessary to salvation is that which tends to dishonour Christ and makes for the exalting of our selves and setting up that which some call self-righteousnesse This I say is a very groundlesse pretence and if thorowly looked into will appear to be but a plausible artifice of the great impostour not of strength sufficient to deceive any but those that are in effect willing to be deluded by it for doth not our Saviour himself plainly enough tell us that this indeed onely is the way whereby wee can truly honour him and that all verball professions and magnifyings of him with high titles separated from the former performances are but empty formalities which he regards not as where he saith not they that say unto me Math. 7.21 Lord Lord that is as if he had said not those that give him specious and honourable titles by telling him or it may be telling it to others that they will account him their perfect Saviour that his merits and righteousnesse they will wholly look and rely upon and not have any respect to what is in or done by themselves shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but they that doe the will of my father that is in heaven and so likewise where he tells his disciples and in them us Joh. 15.8 that herein is his Father glorified if we bring forth much fruit Ver. 9. and that by keeping his commandements we can only abide in his love the keeping of those being that wherein St. 1 John 5.3 John makes the love of God from whence only our honouring of him can proceed truly to consist By thus doing we give Christ that honour which belongs to him as our Lord and King in regarding and submitting our selves to his laws we give him also hereby that honour which belongs to him as our purchaser and redeemer in limiting our selves to his service he having for this purpose by the expence of his blood bought us or done that which is sufficient for so buying us out of our former servitude to sin and lastly we give him hereby that honour which is due to him as the Apostle of our profession Heb. 3.1 or as that great prophet and ambassadour immediatly sent from God to reveal and promise us that eternall life 1 John 1.2 which was before with the Father that is hid in his decree by shewing our selves hereupon so undoubtedly to believe this as to prefer the expectation of it before all our present interests and worldly concernments which thing by our keeping of his words we must needs and can only so show Neither is there any danger hereby of
directly set down what I conceive we are by the light of Scripture to apprehend in this matter The repentance then I say which the Scripture so much commendeth and promiseth such blessings to as for giveness of sins and eternall life doth not consist only in a grief of mind for sins past yea it does not at all properly consist in this this being rather to be accounted a preparation and disposition to than a part of it but it is as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a change of the mind formerly in love with sin and unrighteousness into a better state and temper that is such a change whereby not only it unfeignedly condemns and detests the former course of living but also hath a reformation of the whole life and manners accompanying it and this I conceive the Apostle sufficiently implys when hee tels the Corinthians 2 Cor. 7.9.10 that they sorrowed to repentance and further says that godly sorrow works repentance by which expressions he at once shows that sorrowing or godly sorrow is a fore-runner and cause of repentance and also that repentance is a thing truly distinct from such sorrow and that can be no other thing than such a change as we have named which he further also confirms at the 11. ver by distinctly setting down the effects of that sorrowing in the said Corinthians There is an usuall saying that true repentance is never too late or which comes all to one that it is and will be alwaies profitable and this I shall readily grant taking true repentance in that sense wherein I have expressed it which I conceive is only truly so but then I must adde withall that it may be sometimes too late for having this repentance or that this repentance is not alwaies during this life possible and the not possibility of it is caused either 1. Naturally through defect of time as in men ready to dye when it is impossible for them what ever good purposes or intentions they have to exhibit such a change in themselves as repentance consists in that is when they cannot any longer nor truly be said to walk after the spirit and live as new creatures in doing the commandements of Christ which necessarily requires time and that some considerable part of a maus life for the doing of them Or else it is caused judicially that is by way of divine punishment and obduration as in those of whom St. John speaks who being slight or malicious regarders of Christs miracles done among them could not as he says believe and so consequently nor repent John 12.37 c. and that because God had blinded their eyes and heardned their heart which obduration we are yet to conceive does not effect an absolute impossibility of repenting but only a very great difficulty of it and such as hardly any of them that are so hardned doe actually overcome as may be collected from Rom. 10. v. 1. 21. ch 11 v. 14. It is alwaies hard for men to obey God that is before they be thorowly inured and habituated to such obedience but this hardness must sure be needs much augmented when there is added thereunto a custom of disobeying and resisting Gods will this being as another nature and therefore the relinquishing of such a custom and entertaining the contrary that is for such persons thus truly to repent is such a degree of hardness as may well be expressed by the tearm Jer. 13.23 impossible as the Prophet Jerem. in effect does express it As for that repentance whereby is signified only a true mourning or sorrow of mind for sins past and answerable desire of the pardon of them it is not to be denyed but that is alwaies while life lasts possible but yet it is to be denied that it is or will be alwaies profitable the Jsraelites after they had provoked God in the wilderness thus repented that is they mourned greatly upon the report made by Moses to them of Gods intention for cutting them short of that land of Canaan formerly promised to them Num. 14.39 yet could they not for all this be admitted into the said land or rest so promised them and this example of theirs is purposely alleged by the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebr. to this end Heb. 3. 4. ch namely to instruct us that if we be like them in our sins hardning our selves against the calls of God and refusing in this our day to obey his voice sounding in the Gospel we shall be also like them in our punishment that is deprived of the true rest the kingdom of heaven promised us by Christ notwithstanding all our mourning and begging of God at last for it so Esau as the same Authour tels us did thus repent that is he grieved and afflicted himself with sorrow for that neglect whereby he saw he had brought himself in danger of losing his Fathers blessing Heb. â—2 17 and yet he found no place for repentance that is for his Father Isaaks repentance so as to move him to change his mind towards him by recalling the blessing conferred on Jacob though he sought it carefully with tears and this example likewise is alleged to the same purpose namely to inform us that if we remain in our sins and prefer these present pleasures belonging to the flesh before that future spirituall felicity to which we are called as they all doe that do not so highly value it as for its sake truly and effectually to break off their sins we shall be rejected of God neither shall we be able by any crys and tears to move him to bestow on us that heavenly inheritance or blessing otherwise intended us having by such our carriage rendred our selves at once unworthy and uncapable of it If any be yet unsatisfied with these proofs and willing still to promise themselves or others upon their unfeigned mourning for their sins and praying for the pardon of them when as yet they have not effectually left the said sins nor exhibited the contrary obedience required of them a happy issue that is so as to be accepted with God and have eternall life conferred on them I shall desire them to consult and seriously consider these places John 9.31 Es 1.15 Jer. 11.11 14.14.11 12. Mic. 3.4 Zech. 7.13 Prov. 1.24 to the end Deut. 28.63 by which I conceive if they will not wilfully shut their eyes they may be at once convinced to acknowledge this for a grosse as well as dangerous errour and withall discern that is is not alwayes and for all a time of grace or mercy during this life but that there is also a time of severity and punishment here namely when God will be so far from taking pity on some that is on all those who refused to hear his calls and would none of his counsel not choosing the fear of the Lord but the wayes of their own heart and of the world to walk in as even to take pleasure in their distresse and
requisite that the said intention be so circumstantionated in the person as there may be nothing justly imputed to him or his neglect why the act is not really performed the person being to be supposed for this end to have done all in this case that was morally possible for him like as we find in the forementioned business of Abrahams offering his son whose intention carrying him on to the doing of what was in his power for the accomplishing of this work made that it was accepted for Heb. 11.17 and called an offering of him though it was not ever at all actually performed Now in this present case the matter is far otherwise the person who as wee suppose is now in extremis or a dying hath indeed nothing possible for him to perform towards the amending and reforming of his life beyond vows and promises but this is a thing that ought to have been done of him before God requiring it and having afforded him sufficient time and means for the doing of it it is a thing also that all the time he made profession of Christ or of his word he is to be supposed virtually to have professed and made show of doing it is therefore not only his own fault that it is not done that is that such intention hath not hitherto been acted but it is also such a fault as is made up of a continued belying of his profession and therefore sure there can be but small cause for any to flatter themselves or others in this case that such intention shall ever bee accepted with God for the act Gal. 6.7 no God will not be mocked that which a man soweth that shall he reap that is according to our works in our life time not our intentions at or near our death our future doom is to be expected If any now shall question hereupon what proportion of our time or lives is absolutely necessary to be spent in the service and obedience of Christ for this end to render us actually capable and heirs of Salvation I shall endeavour thus far to satisfy him 1. By telling him negatively that such proportion I conceive cannot be certainly determined so as definitely to set down that a man must necessarily such a certain number of months or years exhibit such obedience or else he cannot be saved as in the parable of the hired Servants Math. 20. some were hired and went into the vineyard at the ninth and some at the eleventh hour and yet received equall wages with them who begun to work in the morning and had born the burden and heat of the day so I grant though not through the force of that parable Chrysost Muscul whereof I find severall interpretations given and which good expositours apply to quite another sense as more suitable to our Saviours scope than that which is vulgarly apprehended to be the intent of it that some in the evening of their dayes or in their declining age may become converts and begin then to render that reall obedience to Christs laws which he requires and they formerly neglected and yet be as surely rewarded with the glorious reward of eternall life as those who set out as it were and have been engaged from their child-hood in this employment may expect to be though I think not only that such examples are rare but also where they are they must and will being such reall converts as I suppose them out of the sense of their former neglect be more than ordinarily zealous and industrious in this kind 2. I say pisitively to the former question that so much of our time is necessarily to be employed in the foresaid obedience as we may be truly said at the end of our course to have been new creatures and to have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and to have done the commandements of Christ or to have walked according to the Spirit and in so walking to have finished our race all which being things that imply not only a change of our naturall condition but also such a change as consists and manifests it self not in words or intentions or single acts but in a solid and habituall course of piety and the expressions of it as the presence of them is simply requisite to this end that our judgment namely unto life Math. 16.27 Rom. 2.7 2 Cor. 5.10 Revel 20.13 22.12 may be said to be according to our works as the Scripture frequently says it shall be So it is plain that there cannot but be some considerable part of our time and lives necessarily required though we cannot definitely set down how much for attaining and exhibiting the same things in our selves It is very hard or rather absurd and unreasonable to imagine that God in awarding eternall life to men should only have respect in a manner to some transient vanishing disposition of a dying person as his serious mourning for sin at that time when as hitherto he is to be supposed to have voluntarily persisted in the wayes of it and yet withall that God should be said in making that award to render to such a person according to his works what ground can there be to think either that such mourning which men may well in this case be supposed to be in a great part in a manner forced to by the immediate approach and fear of death should be so highly considerable with God above all the voluntary and long continued courses in sin of the same person or that being so and God therefore that is for that sorrow or for some confident reliance on Christs merits at that time accepting the said person to salvation God should be said herein to reward him according to his works when as indeed in this case no other work of his but one or both these at most is to bee thought of any moment or consideration with God As this therefore is unreasonable to conceive so it is all one to suppose that the forementioned change into a new creature can be made or those other things signified by crucifying the flesh and doing the words of Christ and walking after the spirit can be transacted by a dying person or in so little a time as ordinarily each sickness as is the forerunner and fore-warner of death is circumscribed with No these things are of greater import than thus at once and on a suddain to be dispatched it must be more than the work of a day or a week or a month ordinarily and that when we are in our best disposition to set about it which sure in sickness we are not to put off those old habits of sin which custom hath made pleasing and after a sort naturall to us and instead thereof to contract the contrary habits of righteousness and delighting to doe the will of God to wash away those staines of the soul which through the force of carnall lusts there inhabiting have been deeply inprinted in it and in their place to superinduce that divine
make profession of the name of Christ to see such errors in Religion as are most probable to make the same profession altogether ineffectuall for their future comfort that Christians may be Orthodox in that whatever mistakes they otherwise live in whereon the salvation of their most precious souls most neerly depends and if this work of mine prove serviceable as I hope in some degree it may to this end I have that which I aim at and I desire that God to whom it of right belongs may have all the glory hereof To him bee praise both now and for ever Amen FINIS The Contents of the Appendix VVHat is meant here by the Laws of Christ Page 3 All these Laws comprized under three heads of Godliness Page 4 All these Laws comprized under three heads of Righteousness Page 4 All these Laws comprized under three heads of Sobriety Page 4 Touching which are briefly shown 1. The express duties of each 2. The common violations of the said duties among Christians Wherein the duties of godliness consist and how much the said duties are disused Page 5 Wherein the duties of righteousness consist Page 6 And how much they are violated especially the duty of loving enemies Wherein the duties of sobriety consist Page 8 And how much the said duties are neglected Page 9 That these Laws of Christ are not by Christians looked upon as binding Laws Page 11 That the aim of the discourse and of this Appendix is to have them accounted binding and to show that an habituall observing o◠them is indispensably necessary to salvation Page 1◠Whence the opinion of those who hold th◠observation of these Laws unnecessary o◠not fit to be pressed proceeds Page 1◠The places of Scripture requiring the actua◠observing of the said Laws so plain as no◠possible to be reconciled to the contrary sense Page 1◠Other places seemingly making to the contrary fewer and darker than the former and therefore to be expounded conformably to them Page 1◠That the observing of Christs Laws and th◠pressing hereof makes truly for his honour Page 19 That no danger hereby of setting up self-righteousness this tearm being rightly understood Page 22 How our observing of Christs Laws may be called self-righteousness Page 24 Touching that passage in the late Common Prayer Book At what time soever c. the ill consequence of it and how disagreeing with the Text. Page 26 Touching the example of the penitent Thief the ill use that is made thereof and that not possible now to be paralleld shown by three reasons Page 29 What the Scripture understands by that repentance to which forgiveness of sins is promised Page 34 That this repentance is not alwaies truly possible during this life Page 35 That that repentance which is here alwaies possible will not be alwaies profitable Page 36 How despair may be the effect of this doctrine and that such despair is not a sin Page 40 That mourning for sins is to be encouraged in dying persons who have hitherto lived wickedly though it cannot be effectuall in this case to salvation Page 41 That it is in the power of God so to accept such mourning but presumption in us to say or expect that he will Page 42 〈◊〉 Conditions required that the intention of doing good may be accepted for the act neither of which to be supposed in a dying person that hath hitherto neglected to reform his life Page 43 This question answered What proportion of our time is absolutely necessary to be spent in the obedience of Christ Page 47 The true difference betwixt the Law and the Gospell in requiring works or obedience and betwixt the works required in the one and in the other Page 52 That the requiring of works to salvation in that manner as is herein expressed is no way contrary to the doctrine of faith Page 54 The word Faith in the Gospell of various acception Page 55 And that when it hath justification or salvation ascribed to it it includes in it obedience or piety of life this shown by three reasons Page 56 Why the Scripture rather useth the word Faith when it means thereby piety of life than other words more plainly signifying the said piety Page 59 That the habituall observing of Christs Laws here urged imports a greater height of perfection than most Christians attain or aim after Page 61 By occasion whereof is shown that that which St. Paul speaks as of himself Rom. 7. Is not to be meant of himself as he was then nor o◠other regenerate persons Page 62 That the perfection here urged and which the Gospel requires as simply necessary to salvation excludes only the custom and dominion of sin not the being of it shown by three reasons Page 65 That though this perfection or obedience be harsh and difficult in it self yet it is sweetned and made easy by the reward held forth to it Page 69 The Conclusion by way of Apology for the seeming harshness of this doctrine together with the Authors reason for thus publikely asserting it Page 71 FINIS