believe a Man inspired barely upon his own Word since they all say they are we should believe all of them So that to prevent being deceived we must not take a Man 's own Word for his being sent thus of God till he shews some Sign from him to attest it Quest. You say they are miraculously assisted when they are sent to reveal any New thing Is there not a like necessity of Signs and Miracles then when they only come to Remove Corruptions and revive such former acknowledged Revelations as had Miracles to confirm them Answ. No to Persons that own he spake it God's Word has as much Authority as his Work Whilst they have his clear Word to shew for themselves they are sufficiently qualified to use his Name to reprove and convince on the score and credit of ordinary Ministers without producing any new and extraordinary Credentials Besides for these things they may appeal to all the old Miracles wrought to testifie these Revelations And accordingly a great part of the old Prophets under the Jewesh State coming to reduce men to the obedience of Moses to reprove sins and to reform abuses wrought no Miracles it being enough for them to produce the Holy Scriptures who only sought to bring those back to them who had swerved from them And this also was the Case of our first Reformers They studied no new ways but only endeavour'd to restore Religion which was much depraved in these Parts of the world to that Form which was at first most miraculously confirmed by Christ and his Apostles And therefore their Proofs were not to be fetched from signs and wonders as Men that introduced new and unattested Tenets but from the Holy Scriptures Quest. But are we not told of False Prophets shewing Signs Mat. 24. 24 And what shall we say to them if they alledge Miracles for false Things Answ. If they teach things contrary to the Scriptures they must not only work Miracles for their contrary Opinions but more and greater than were wrought by Christ and his Apostles to confirm the Scriptures For here all the Miracles wrought for the Scripture are against them since their pretended Miracles are brought for a contrary Thing And when our Faith is sollicited by a competition of Miracles as the Faith of the Jews was between the Miracles of Moses and those of the Magicians Exod. 7. 11 22. and when any Seducer gave signs to draw them to Idolatry Deut. 13. 1 2. we must believe that side which has the greatest and the most of them And this will secure us against all the Errors and feign'd Miracles of new Lights and Pretenders For 't is certain they will never shew the tenth part of those Miracles to confute any Doctrine contain'd in Scripture that Christ and his Apostles have done to confirm it Quest. I confess 't is very clear from what you say that the Scripture is the only Revelation we must stick to and that in matters of Religion we must not hearken to any other Pretenders to new Light and inspiration But doth not the Prophet Joel say Revelations should be common things among Christians I will pour out my Spirit in those days upon all Flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall Prophesie your young men shall see Visions and your old men shall dream Dreams Joel 2. 28 29. Answ. Yes but by those days he means not all the days of Christianity but only the days of the Apostles when such Revelations were common Things For in those same days as it follows in Joel I will shew Wonders in Heaven and in Earth saith God Blood and Fire and Pillars of Smoak And the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into Blood before the Great and Terrible day of the Lord come i. e. before the destruction of Jerusalem whereof our Saviour interprets this passage Mat. 24. 29. which destruction fell out in the Apostolical Age before the death of St. John Joel 2. 30 31. And St. Peter says these inspirations foretold by Joel were fulfilled when the Holy Ghost at Pentecost descended upon them This is that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel it shall come to pass in the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie c. Act. 2. 16 17 18. So that Joel's Prophecy of inspirations doth not remain now to be fulfilled but as Joel himself foretold and as St. Peter declared was long since accomplished Quest. But God gave these Revelations in the Apostles Age and is not he the same God still in ours Answ. Yes he is always the same God but he doth not always do the same things He came down before the Jews in Thunder and Fire upon Mount Sinai once but he did not do so in after-times He shed abroad the Gift of Tongues and Miracles upon the generality of Christians in the Apostles days but he has not done so in any others since He is the same God and has the same care and kindness for his Church in all Times but he doth not always work the same effects but only according to our occasions and necessities And immediate Revelation was necessary to the Apostles in their circumstances and as unnecessary to us in ours Quest. Were these inspirations meerly about Doctrinal Things and declaring the will of God only in points of Faith or manners Answ. No but sometimes in those days of Revelation they were inspired also in their Devotions with Prayers and Hymns which was a blessing they were more sensible of in that Age because as yet they had no formed and established Liturgies Thus St. Paul tells the Corinthians every one in their Assemblies had an inspired Psalm as well as an inspired Doctrine Praying and Praising as well as Preaching by Revelation 1. Cor. 14. 26. And when they spoke by the Gift of Tongues it was oft in inspired Hymns and Devotions for he that speaketh in an unknown Tongue saith he speaketh unto God v. 2. he Prays to God or Praises him in that strange Gift of the Spirit v. 14 15 16. And in the Enthusiasms of Tongues which fell on Cornelius and his Gentile Friends they magnified God Act. 10. 40. Quest. Besides these Revelations about Religion and the way to Happiness had they not also Prophesie or Revelation about other Things Answ. Yes they had Revelations of future events concerning either themselves their Friends or the whole Church Thus Agabus foretold the Famine Acts 11. 28. and St. Paul's imprisonment at Jerusalem Act. 21. 10 11. And Paul foretold to his Company in the Ship that they should all be saved and none of them perish in the Ship-wrack Act. 27. 22 23 24 c. And St. John foretold not only what was to befall particular Persons but the whole Church in succeeding Ages in his Book of the Revelations Quest. I remember you said we are not now to expect any more Revelations in Religion to shew us the way to
Answ. Yes or else considering the infirmities and defects of most if not of all his Followers we could never have any comfortable hope in him much less so great as to desire and Pray for his Appearance And yet the Apostles give this as the Character of good and acceptable Christians who may therefore hope to be made happy when they are qualified for it according to Humane measures The Crown of Righteousness is for me and all that love his appearing saith St. Paul 2 Tim. 4. 8. Look for and by your Prayers haste on the coming of the great Day of God saith St. Peter 2 Pet. 3. 12. Come Lord Jesus come quickly saith St. John Rev. 22. 20. And in our daily Prayers our Lord himself has taught us every day to say thy Kingdom come Quest. Are we not indebted for all this indulgence to the merit of his Death Answ. Yes for we are accepted in the Beloved in whom we have Redemption through his Blood Eph. 1 6. 7. And owing all to him we must both Pray and give thanks for it in his Name Joh. 14. 13. Eph. 5. 20. Quest. All these acts of favour you have recited are marvellous instances of Gods clemency to all his faithful Servants and the Gospel I see encourages us to expect them at his hands But are we sure at that Day God will stand to these Gospel Terms Answ. Yes most sure For he never repents of his promises nor can deny himself Besides the same Jesus who once came from God to make us these gracious offers is then to come and Judge us according to them and make good his own Proposals Nay since there may seem the same Reason for his retaining them on to the consummation as for his resuming them at the Resurrection he may probably come as some of the Ancients have thought with the Glorious Scars of the Spear and Nails and the signs of his Meritorious wounds which purchased all this Grace about him And then as all the Wicked shall look on him whom they have pierced with horror and consternation so shall the Righteous with unspeakable comfort most joyfully beholding in his wounds both the heighth of their most dear and compassionate Judge's Love and the Price and assurance of their own Salvation Quest. This indulgence of our Almighty Judge will be an inexhaustible Fountain of ravishing joy and comfort to all serious and considerate minds And indeed without such clemency as you have described the thoughts of the future judgment must needs be a very melancholly consideration to the best Persons But expecting so much Candor and Benignity from him they have cause enough not only to look for but to love and desire his appearing But what shall be the effect of all this to good men Answ. They shall be sentenced to an Everlasting Life and Rewarded with all the Glory and Happiness of an Eternal Kingdom For having fairly and impartially heard their Cause and made all these Allowances and found them Righteous he will say to them Come ye Blessed Children of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Beginning of the World Mat. 25. 34. Quest. And in that Allotment and Proportioning of Rewards will he consider the Difficulties and Oppositions in Doing Good which some Men meet withal above others Answ. Yes As these Tryals and Temptations are Proofs of a greater Love they will in proportion be a Ground of a Greater Reward Thus St Paul says the adding of Affliction to his Bonds or Multiplying his Trouble in preaching of the Word would surely turn to his greater Salvation in the End Phil. 1. 16 19. Quest. Will he also consider the Costliness of it as when 't is done with hazard or Loss of their Friends or Estates or it may be of their Lives Answ. Yes one single Act under such hazards may shew as much Religious Love and Zeal as would suffice to great Numbers when they are free from such incumbrances When we obey God with present Damage he will not only consider our Services but our Loss in his Cause and recompence abundantly not only all we did but likewise all we suffered for him For every one that forsakes Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Name 's sake says our Saviour shall receive therefore an hundred fold Mat 19. 29. And the Martyrs that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus shall rise first and Reign with Christ a thousand years but the Rest of the Dead not till the thousand years are finished Rev. 20. 4 5. And therefore whensoever God calls Men to suffer for Righteousness they must not look upon it as a Calamitous Scourge but as a Favour and Priviledge such Suffering being sent in Truth as opportunities of accumulating Bliss and securing to themselves not only more ample but when their Sufferings proceed to Blood more early shares of the Future Glories To you 't is given saith St. Paul in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1. 29. Count it all joy saith St. James when you fall into diverse Temptations Jam. 1. 2. When you are Reviled and Slandered and Persecuted for Righteousness sake says our Saviour then think your selves Blessed and Rejoice and be exceeding glad for your Reward in Heaven shall be great for it Mat. 5. 10 11 12. As the Apostles did who when the Council had beaten them departed from their Presence rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ's Name Act. 5. 40 41. And the Hebrews who took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods as knowing they had in Heaven a better and more Durable Substance Heb. 10. 34. Quest. But numbers of the Evils we endure come not on us for keeping God's Commandments but only as our share of that Misery and Trouble which God has allotted for us in this Life And will he at that Day Rate these and consider any persons having endured more Poverty Oppression Shame or Sickness in this World than other good Persons who yet are no better nor Dearer to God than themselves Answ. I suppose he will for he is no Respecter of Persons And therefore when Persons of equal or higher Goodness through the present ordering of his Providence want much of their Brethrens Temporal Encouragements they may hope for a more Liberal share in a better place For his extraordinary Measure of Evil things in this present time Lazarus had a proportionable surplusage of Good in Abraham's Bosom Luk. 16. 24. Blessed are ye that live in Poverty and Hunger now says our Saviour for ye shall be filled Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh Noteing thereby such an ample Recompence for these present Evils in the next World as would render them to all good Men not the Miseries as this World esteems them but the truest Favours and Gainful Blessings of their Lives Luke 6. 20 21. This seeming
as well as our own danger will constrain us not to live unto our selves but unto him that died for us 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Quest. We believe that he is now in Heaven at God's right Hand to present our Prayers and intercede for us and procure whatsoever we stand in need of What effect ought this to have upon us Ans. Make us look up to him with affiance in his Patronage and apply to God by him with confidence in all our distresses Having such an high-priest now passed into the heavens says the Apostle let us come boldly unto the throne of grace Heb. 4. 14. Quest. We believe that as by his Death he purchased so in Heaven he is now taking up and preparing Mansions of Eternal Bliss for all such holy Souls as by purity of heart and life are fit to partake of and delight in them What must every Man of this belief do to be true to his own sentiments Ans. Purifie himself that he may be meet to enjoy and qualified to relish the immaculate pleasures of that pure and spotless Place Every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure 1 Jo. 3. 3. Quest. We believe that at the last day Christ will judge all men according to their deeds 2 Cor. 5. 10. Eternally rewarding all that are truly Pious Humble Temperate Just True and Peaceable and eternally condemning all that are otherwise What should every Person do in common care and prudence that is fully persuaded of this Ans. Faithfully serve and fear God who will call him to this strict account He should be sober and watch unto prayer 1. Pet. 4. 5 7. and be temperate in all things 1 Cor. 9. 25. and owe nothing but love to any man Rom. 13. 8. and follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Quest. We believe the Holy Ghost is ready to assist us in every good act and help all that will use his aid to be as Holy as God requires they should be What would all that seriously attend to this belief do upon it Ans. Obey his motions and concur with his assistances and never wilfully do any thing that will forfeit the aid and influence of so desireable and Divine a Guest as he is Have that is use Grace that you may serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. Work out your own salvation for it is God that worketh in you Phil. 2. 12 13. and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. Quest. We believe the communion of Saints which implies an obedient submission and adherence to our common Rulers and particularly a communion in Prayers and Sacraments What would God or Men expect from a Person of this belief Ans. To keep the unity of the Church and frequent the publick Assemblies where these Saints are to meet and unite in all Divine Offices Quest. So that to name no more these Points of Belief already mentioned if duly attended to would influence and act on all serious embracers of them into love of God and Honour and godly Fear and make them rest contented in all estates and trust God with all Futurities and have affiance in him in the greatest Difficulties and shew patience and perseverance under the most tedious Delays and purifie their Hearts and Lives and render them universally Righteous as God is and keep them Holy and Humble and Temperate and Just and Peaceable thereby to come off well at the Great Day of Accounts It would cause them to love honour and obey their Saviour Christ and repent truly of all their sins and put them upon Prayers and Devotions and keep them in the unity of the Church and the Publick Assemblies and make them encourage the Grace of God and joyn therewith their best endeavours all which are only the forecited particulars Ans. Yes where a belief of these things is these fruits may reasonably be expected from it For they naturally follow on such apprehensions and accordingly are ascribed to them and intended to result from them in the Holy Scriptures Quest. And as it appears in these so I suppose it might be made appear how we are led on by some Points of Belief to every other Point of Practice Ans. It might so but I judge these to be abundantly enough Quest. But although all among us profess to believe these Principles yet are few thus affected with them or influenced thereby into these practices Ans. Too true alas But therein they act most unreasonably and are false to their own persuasions Whereas if a Man has a real belief of these things and will both attend or dwell upon it and be true to it following on whither it leads him in its own natural tendency and according to all reason it would affect and influence him as has been declared From this Faith such Fruits are reasonably to be expected though where Men act out of reason and either forget themselves or to gratifie some unlawful lusts are wilfully false to their own opinions no such things will follow it Quest. If Faith be such a sertile Grace and so apt to usher in all others though it be but one in the Root and Cause yet in the Fruit and Effect it will be all Virtues Ans. Very right and so it is What in Nature Pleasure and Pain are among the Passions that in Religion Faith is among the Graces viz. the Source Root and Ground-work of all the rest which are only its different expressions according to its various Aspects as it looks several ways and is conversant about several Objects For as Pleasure simply offer'd and apprehended begets Love if offer'd as absent especially as remote it turns Desire if as attainable chiefly when that attainment seems near it becomes Hope if as attainable surely Confidence and as Pain doth the like with the Passions opposite So Faith as I have observ'd when it is of God's Precepts turns Obedience when of his Threatnings Fear and holy Awe when of his Promises Hope and Trust when the things promised are to be sought of him it becomes Prayers and Devotions when they are delaied Patience and Perseverance when they are bestow'd and receiv'd Thankfulness when 't is of his Providence it turns Contentedness when of the horrible nature and effects of sin Repentance when of the spotless rewards of the other World purification of our Hearts and Lives when of the last Judgment universal Innocence that may stand the trial of it when of God's Purity and Perfection Imitation of him or being Righteous as he is when of Christ the Lord and his Laws keeping the Commandments when of the Holy Spirit and his assistances godly Care and good Endeavours when of the Communion of Saints keeping Unity in the Church and attending Publick Ordinances So that according to several objects and occasions this one Principle of Faith transforms it self into all shapes and becomes all Duties which are all therefore ascribed to
cut off as a Malefactor by corrupt Judgment noting the main circumstances both previous and concomitant and the particular and then unusual manner of his punishment And that after his Death he should return from the Grave and appear alive again All this the Psalmist and the Holy Prophets plainly foretel of him When we shall see him says Isaiah it will be without form or comeliness he is despised and rejected of men Isaiah 53. 2 3. He is to be betrayed and sold to his Adversaries for thirty pieces of silver Zach. 11. 12. And when he is in their Hands he shall be judged as a prisoner Isaiah 53. 8. his back shall be scourged and his face shall be spit on Isaiah 50. 6. He shall be tried and condemned and cut off out of the land of the living Isa. 53. 8. And as for the manner of his Death that shall be by the piercing of his hands and feet and keeping his Body between them so at stretch saith the Psalmist that they may tell all his bones a plain description of a Death on the Cross which being a Roman punishment and brought in among the Jews by their Conquest must needs be unknown in David's Age and so more observable to be foretold by him so many hundred Years before in describing the sufferings of Messiah Besides under this Execution they relate the very words wherein he should express the bitterness of his Sorrows and wherein the starers on would vent their cruel Scoffs and how they should seek to sharpen his Pains by a draught of vinegar and pierce or thrust him through as Zechary declared in a Text which the old Rabbins applied to Christ and when he was Dead share his garment by casting Lots for it They pierced my hands and my feet I may tell all my bones they part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Whilst they stare upon me and laugh me to scorn saying He trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he delight in him says the Psalmist Psalm 22. 1 7 8 16 17 18. Which Psalm and these passages of it according to the Letter never fully verified in the Story of David after the Jews of old the New Testament applies to Christ Matth. 27. 35 43 46. John 19. 24. These places evidently foretel the method of his Death and Humiliation And then after Death the same Prophets as evidently foretel that he should not lie to see corruption but return from the grave to a long happy and successful Life When he shall make his Soul an offering for Sin he shall prolong his days so that after his dying as a Sacrifice he was to be a live Man. Nay the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied so that he was also to be an active undertaking and successful Man verse 10. yea I will divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong that is be most Wealthy Potent and Victorious amongst Men verse 12. All which long active and happy Life was to be bestowed on him not only after his Death but as a recompence and reward of it He shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death and was numbered with the transgressors that is was condemned and executed in the herd of Malefactors verse 12. Quest. I see all this was plainly prophesied of Messiah and was it fully made good in Jesus Christ Ans. Yes For he appeared in a poor and despicable condition as a carpenter's son He was sold by his own Servant for thirty pieces of silver which did the Traytor no good but by an over-ruling Providence was cast to the Potter or to buy the Potters Field for a Burying place as Zechary had foretold He was put in Bonds as a Prisoner and led about before the high-priest Herod and the Roman Governour They scourged him and spit upon him they condemned and cut him off according to the word of Isaiah not only as a Malefactor but also in company with them executing him †between two thieves as the Evangelists relate of him And as for the manner of his Death though Crucifixion was no Jewish but a Roman Punishment and after the High Priest had pronounced him guilty of Blasphemy by the constitution of the Jews and the Law of Moses he should have been stoned yet by the special ordering of God he suffered by the piercing of his hands and feet and hanging so at stretch upon the Tree that his bones might be numbered according to the words of David In his extremities though the custom of the Nation was to offer stupefactives as Wine and Myrrh to benum the Sense and ease the pains of dying Persons yet to verifie the saying of the Psalmist they brought him Vinegar to whet and sharpen his The chief Priests with the Scribes and Elders most inhumanly staring on him said with cruel scorn He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him the very words which the Holy Psalmist had so long before set down for them and he himself cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The very words again which that Holy Prophet spoke for him in his extremity As he hung upon the Cross a Soldier pierced his side and thrust him through to fulfil the words of Zechary And when they saw he had expired the four Soldiers that stood by and were to share his Cloathes would not divide his seamless coat but cast lots for it according to the Prediction of the Psalmist Amidst all which strange congruities he had one other qualifying circumstance which the Prophet Isaiah remarks viz. to make his grave as with the wicked by dying for a pretended crime so with the rich in his death Isaiah 53. 9 which was verified by his being wrapt in fine linen and Entombed as by his care so in Joseph of Arimathea's own Sepulchre who was a rich man and an honourable counsellor And then as for his return to life again to be an undertaking successful and most potent happy Person that has been most notoriously and eminently made good in our Blessed Saviour's Resurrection and in the unparalleled success of his Religion in all places since that time And this again especially his Resurrection is another note which as it fits Jesus to be the Messiah so beyond dispute excludes all other Men. For though Theudas and Judas as Gamaliel observed and other false Christs in just reward of their Impostures have been condemned and slain yet was never any of them seen to return to life again to carry on their pretences and to prosper and thrive in them Quest. Have you any other notable and appropriating marks to add from
them to these already given Ans. Yes Fourthly That he should put an end to the Jewish Sacrifices and to the Covenant brought in by Moses by reason of its imperfection and instead thereof make a new and more Gracious and Perfect Covenant between God and Men. And this being a most publick change and abolishing an Institution most peculiarly distinguished and universally eyed and taken notice of among Men it must needs be a convincing sign and such as all might easily see and observe when it came When Messiah comes saith the Prophet Daniel he shall make an end of sin-offerings and cause the Mosaical Sacrifices and Oblations to cease Dan. 9. 24 27. Behold the days come saith the Lord by Jeremiah that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah Jer. 31. 31. Which days are plainly the days of Messiah noted verse 22. who was to be the Messenger or Angel of the Covenant answerable to the Angel of God's Presence among the Jews by whose ministry he established the Mosaick Covenant as Malachy foretold Mal. 3. 1. And this Covenant was to offer more large Indulgence and richer Overtures of Grace which would make it a Message of Joy as Zechary a publication of Peace and Salvation a bringing glad tidings of good a binding up of broken hearts and proclaiming liberty to the Captives and preaching the acceptable year of the Lord as Isaiah it was to forgive iniquity as Jeremy making reconciliation for it as Daniel opening a fountain to wash away sin and uncleanness as Zechary says Quest. And did Jesus fulfil all this Ans. Yes he hath taken off the yoke of Moses and abolished all its Ordinances nailing them unto his Cross Col. 2. 14. He hath fulfilled all former and superseded all later Sacrifices by once offering that one Sacrifice of himself Heb. 9. 25 26. He hath brought in a new Covenant the Laws whereof have more root in our own Reason called their being writ in our hearts and minds which makes them the easier to be remembred as Moses is brought in saying the Laws of Messiah should be according to an old Tradition of the Rabbies and the Mercy whereof extends to the forgiveness of more sins as the Prophets foretold than could be hoped for by the Law of Moses For Murder or Adultery under that Law God admitted of no Sacrifice to bear any persons iniquity as may be seen in Leviticus and as David declares in Uriah's case Psal. 51. 16. Nor for Idolatry Deut. 17. 2 3 c. nor for giving their seed to Moloch nor for seeking after Wizards nor for cursing Parents nor for Incest or Sodomy or Bestiality all which were Surely to be put to death according to God's Ordinance Lev. 20. 2 6 9 11 12 13 15 16. Nor in general for any presumptuous offence the iniquity whereof as the Law says was not to be laid upon any Sacrifice but to rest upon themselves and they to be utterly cut off Num. 15. 30 31. and die without mercy Heb. 10. 28. Nay under it a curse was pronounced not only to those who were guilty of some certain offences but what was more hard to be avoided to all who continued not in all points written in the Law to do them Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. But for all these sins unpardonable by the Mosaick Covenant our Saviour who according to the Holy Prophets was to bring in a fuller Pardon and Oblivion of sins than before was offered doth proclaim Pardon on Mens true Repentance by his New Covenant By it as S. Paul declares all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Act. 13. 38 39. Quest. Was he to do any more things besides this Ans. Yes Fifthly To found a kingdom and appear as a mighty Prince The Government says Isaiah shall be upon his shoulder and it shall increase without end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order and establish it with justice and judgment for ever Isaiah 9. 6 7. And this Principality they say shall be not over the Jewish Nation alone to whom the Church of God had been confined aforetime but over the Gentiles too who should all come in and submit to him The root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensign of the People shall set up an Ensign for the Nations and unto it shall the Gentiles seek Isa. 11. 10 12. My servant shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles I will give him for a covenant of the People for a light of the Gentiles for salvation to the ends of the earth Isaiah 42. 1 6. 49. 6. To him whom man despiseth Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and they shall bring thy sons in their arms and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders And Kings shall be thy nursing-fathers and their Queens thy nursing-mothers they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet Isa. 49. 7 22 23. Quest. If Messiah were to come as such a Royal Prince and erect an Universal Monarchy over all Nations by that he might easily be known and no Man would be at a loss to discern who is he when once this is done Ans. No more than they are at a loss to know who is the King of Great Britain the German Emperour or the Grand Signior Besides the dependancies that make so many concerned with them the Quality and Greatness of such Characters is enough to make any Man known and draw all Eyes upon him Quest. And did Jesus found such a Kingdom Ans. Yes such Kingly Power he claimed before Pontius Pilate John 18. 37. And such he exercises in the World. His Dominion praised be God goes beyond the Jews and is spread far and wide among the Nations whose Princes submit their Scepters to his and glory in being his Servants and account being stiled Defenders of the Faith most Christian or Catholick Kings the very Flower of all their Titles Quest. But how did he appear like such a mighty Prince since he made no pompous Entrance with splendid Retinues and strong Guards nor erected any Courts to judge of Properties nor listed potent Armies to repel Invaders nor came furnished either with rich Mannors and Preferments to reward good Services or with visible and present Punishments such as Confiscations Prisons Gibbets to avenge the Transgressions of his Followers Ans. This indeed was the thing that of all others was a stumbling Block to the Jews who expected a Secular Saviour a Prince in worldly Power Pomp and Greatness But as to Messiah's outward appearance the Prophets foretold quite contrary things So did Isaiah among others calling Christ him whom man despiseth whom the nation abhorreth a servant of rulers Isaiah 49. 7. He shall grow up saith he in another place as a
tender plant out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness there is no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him being ashamed to own him Isaiah 53. 2 3. By these accounts in outward appearance he was to come more like a Peasant than a Prince But his Kingdom so much cried up was to be Spiritual giving Laws not only to Overt-Acts which are triable in Secular Courts but to Mens Hearts and Consciences protecting and aiding them by unseen Providences and Spiritual Assistances rewarding and punishing not with Temporal but Eternal Recompences not medling with a Secular Domination over Mens Persons or Purses in things relating to this Life but leaving that Power in the same hands where it was lodg'd before And such a principality as this our Saviour claimed telling Pilate he was a King but that his kingdom was not of this world for if it had his servants would have fought to have delivered him from the Jews John 18. 36. Quest. Was Messiah to do any other notable thing which would still be a further manifestation of him Ans. Yes Sixthly He was to convert the Heathen world from their Idol-worship and make Pagan-Idolatry fall before him In that day saith Isaiah describing Christ ' s Kingdom both over Jews and Gentiles the Lord alone shall be exalted and the Idols shall he utterly abolish Isaiah 2. 17 18. In that day says God by Zechary I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred Zech. 13. 2. All nations then shall serve him all nations shall call him blessed saith the Psalmist Psal. 72. 11 17. Quest. Did Jesus perform this when he came Ans. Yes he drave the proud Spirits out of their Temples and silenced them in all their Oracles and other Divinations and convinced the World that those they had hitherto worshipped for Gods were Devils and that those are no Gods which are made with hands And of this there were so many instances as there were of Heathen Men and Heathen Nations that turned Christians Quest. Those Converts indeed are so many plain proofs of the overthrow of Idols since the first step in Christianity is the renouncing of the Devil and of all Idol gods But how doth it appear that he put an end to their Oracles and other Divinations which were the strongest argument of their Divinity among their Worshippers Ans. As his Birth drew near they all grew dumb God stopping all their false mouths against that time that his own Eternal Word might be heard alone The famed Apollo was then so sparing of his Responses that Cicero thought his renowned Oracle at Delphos had ceased in his days And though afterwards he did speak sometimes as I shall note in several instances yet by the Power and Spirit of our Lord when his Religion had got footing in the World his Mouth was wholly stopped and locked up with the Keys of never Divining silence as he himself says in a Farewel Answer recorded by his Champion Porphyrius And so were also the Mouths of Jupiter Ammon and of all other impure Spirits most famed for Oracles in other places This their devout Worshippers with grief beheld and admired and Plutarch a learned Heathen who lived within an hundred Years after Christ writ a Book about it still extant wherein he inquires the best he can into the causes of it Quest. I see their general silence is beyond question But can you show that Jesus silenced them Ans. Their own professed Advocates make him the cause of the Demons withdrawing themselves from Men both in this and in other effects of their presence with them For since Jesus began to be worshipped says Porphyry the Gods are no longer conversant with Men nor has any Man received any publick benefit by them Nay the vanquished Spirits themselves who gave so many Testimonies to him when he drove them from before his personal Presence here on Earth in their Oracles and other Divinations confessed so For when Augustus in whose time our Saviour was born inquired of Apollo who should succeed him in the Empire his Reply was as Suidas reports That an Hebrew Boy who rules the blessed Gods had commanded him to pack away to Hell and leave that place so that he was like to give them no more answers Again in the days of Diocletian as Constantine relates in his Edict to the Provincials of the East he gave out another Oracle Declaring he could give no true Answers because of the just Persons upon the Earth And when Diocletian asked Who were those just Persons the Priest answered They were the Christians Which Constantine declares and calls God to witness was said in his hearing who being a very Youth attended the Emperour at that time Afterwards in the Reign of Julian when his Temple at Daphne celebrated for Oracles was confronted by a Christian Church wherein were laid the Bones of the Martyr Babylas he presently grew speechless And when Julian pressed him for an Answer by magnificent Gifts and Sacrifices at last he told him He was hindred from giving Oracles by the dead Bodies in that place Which the Emperour well understanding singled out the Coffin of Babylas without disturbing the other dead whereof many lay there interr'd and ordered the Christians to remove it Indeed when the Heathens at any time consulted their Gods by Sacrifice and were to read their Answer painted upon the entrails if any of their Christian Servants happened to stand by the wicked Spirits fled away without giving the accustomed signs and their deserted Prophets could make no Predictions Which being complained of to their wicked and superstitious Princes was several times the chief cause as Lactantius notes which enraged them to persecute the Christians In particular it inflamed Diocletian to begin his Persecution the Bloodiest of all others For his madness against them as the same Author reports was because their presence and profession of Faith in Jesus stopped the mouth of his Gods and troubled all his Sacrifices So that whilst any of them was there though he offered often one time after another this superstitious Man an insatiable inquirer into Futurities could receive no answer Nay to shew further the Power which as I say not only Christ himself but every common Christian had to command and controul these unclean Demons Tertullian desires the Emperours to make the Experiment and bring any that is vexed by a Demon or any Prophet that is thought inspired by him before the Judgment-seat and there set any poor Christian to command that Demon to speak who he is And if saith he not daring to lye to him he doth not as truly there before you all confess himself a Devil as he had falsly otherwhere proclaimed himself a God then let that malapert Christian be put
Persons in his days but only of all that will be his true followers and govern themselves according to Prince Messiah's Laws and Practice For that which shall prevent all doing hurt among them says Isaiah is the full knowledge of the Lord which restrains only such as will practise what they understand Isaiah 11. 9. And they who shall beat their swords into plow shares says he again are the many people whom Messiah shall rebuke which according to the usual Phrase of Scripture may imply their amending upon his rebuking them Isaiah 2. 4. They were the sincerely devout and honestly obedient who say to one another Let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in them verse 3. But as for the inviolable maintenance of this Probity and Peace by those who are only his nominal Servants or by the universality of Men in his days that doth not follow from these places nor doth it well comport with the present state of human Nature which is mixt with many angry and incroaching Passions nor suit with other Prophecies before-mentioned that speak of much wickedness after Messiah's coming and of many still retaining their old genius which Predictions must all be accomplished as well as these Quest. But if this Peace and Probity are to be so limited and conditionate in the event how come they to be expressed so generally and absolutely in the Prediction Is it not odd to speak of an effect as universal under Messiah which shall not appear universally in all under him but only in those that will hearken to him Ans. No for in an effect wherein both he and they are joyntly concerned his saying all shall do it implies they shall so far as concerns his part and that he would do all which behoves him towards it And this Jesus has done giving a Law as apt to engender and preserve Peace as any Law can be and taking away all separating and dividing rites introduced by Moses which were apt to make difference between Jews and Gentiles And to say all Men shall do a thing when God has done his part to make all do it though through their obstinate wickedness many of them will not do it in the event is a form of Speech usual in Holy Scripture Thus it is particularly in Ezekiel when God foretels the taking away all detestable Idols and yet in the same place speaks of several who would still retain them and thereby incur his heavy indignation Ezekiel 11. 18 21. And in Jeremy when God foretels his peoples living again in their own land after the captivity most piously and peaceably Jer. 32. 37 c. although through their stubborn wickedness which nothing would amend things fell out contrary Quest. But though these Prophecies do not imply that every Man shall live so when Messiah comes yet however they seem to note that many will who would not otherwise and that Godliness Peace and Justice shall mightily increase in the World by his appearance And has this been fulfilled by Jesus Ans. Yes it was eminently verified in the first times For then the Christians were remarkably as the most virtuous livers and honest dealers so most kind and friendly among themselves See said the Gentiles how the Christians love one another They were absolutely the best Neighbours being so far from offering any injuries that they durst not requite them but with Prayers and Kindnesses They were indisputably the most tame and peaceable Subjects overcoming all the outragious violence and oppressions of their Persecutors not by fighting their way through them but by Faith and Patience under them And like effects his Religion has produced in all other times upon all those who were true followers both of him and them and were Christians in very deed not only in name and profession It has improved all peaceable tempers and sweetned many sowre and smoothed many rough ones and brought Men of the most different Complexions Estates Interests and Abilities to live fairly and sociably together Indeed all Men are not thereby made godly just and tame as we must not expect they ever will be in this World for Men will be Men and shew human passions and errors under any institution But yet the common estate of the World is much amended and things generally much more fairly and equitably managed and the true God more duly and devoutly worshipped and all Virtue and Piety in greater repute and Injustice much curbed and both private and publiâ—… Quarrels much more frequently prevented and more fairly and speedily composed since Christ's coming amongst us than they were before So that although the improvement of these Virtues among us is little in respect of our aids and opportunities yet is it great in comparison with the former face of the World and may pass for a New Righteous and reformed Statâ— in respect of what it was in days of Heathen ignorance And this is as much accomplishment as 't is reasonable to require in such Prophecies which being made of men who have frail and corrupt Natures and converse in the midst of temptations ought not to be strained beyond what is consistent with the condition of this World and with human Nature and Circumstances But if the above cited Prophecies did really speak of a more universal effect than has been hitherto accomplished there is time enough still behind ere Christ resign up the Kingdom to the Father wherein to make it good For of the things predicted to fall out under Messiah some came to pass at first and others in the long flux of time ever since have still been successively fulfilled but many are still behind and to have no accomplishment till near the day of Judgment Quest. You have fully shewed how Jesus appears to be the Christ from ancient Prophecies whereby I plainly perceive how deserved 〈◊〉 in the Revelations the Spirit of Prophecy is called the testimony of Jesus Rev. 19. 10. But do the Jews to whom these Prophets all spake and who not only had the keeping but were also most diligent and careful in examining these Oracles understand these places as Predictions of Messiah which appear to have had such clear and undeniable accomplishment in our Jesus Ans. The old Jews who lived before Christ generally did as is plain from Rabbi Nehumias and others and from their general expectation of him about the time prescribed according to those Prophecies And so did numbers of their earliest and most renowned Doctors since as learned Men have shown abundantly from their Writings But many of the later Rabbins not daring to denie the suitableness of the events in Jesus have chose rather to wrest those places against their plain meaning and the opinions of their Ancestors to other purposes and deny them as spoken of Messiah And what should make this difference and cause later Men to go off from ancient times even from those who lived near to some
one another What becomes of their Apostasie If they proclaim the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to be the only true God whom we are to fear and worship and themselves to be fallen Angels who are no longer to be adored in Temples hearkened to in their suggestions nor imitated in their falshood pride envy hatred of God and Men and other practices they turn Angels of Light instead of being Powers of Darkness The Devils can work no Miracles for these ends except they should first turn Saints and change their Natures And therefore it was a most authentick and assuring mark which Jesus gave of the truth of his own Miracles when he called them the works his Father had given him to finish that is which were not wrought for any ill ends nor out of vanity to exalt his own Praise but to serve the ends of God and set on his Father's desires and purposes John 5. 36. Quest. Indeed in such kinds which seem more imitable by created powers these intents and designs would indisputably distinguish his signs from all Satanical Delusions Ans. Yes and so I might add in the last place would his manner of performance too For his usual way of working wonders was not by any Magical Rites and Invocations but meerly by a Word of his Mouth To the wind and sea he said Peace and it was still Mark 4. 39. to the deaf man's Ears Be opened and instantly he heard Mark 7. 34 35. to the blind man Go thy way thy faith hath made thee see and without more ado he saw again Mark 10. 52. to the leper I will Be thou cleansed and his leprosie was cured Luke 5. 13. Which way of effecting things by an all-commanding Word is as plain an evidence of a Divine Power as Creating all things was at first for then God only said Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. he only spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Psalm 33. 9. Not to mention moreover the vast number of his Miracles which more assuredly inferred a Divine Power in him than in any nay in all the Prophets put together who lived before him For whereas the Jews when to exalt Moses and the Prophets they ambitiously make the most of their Miracles after they have picked up all they can compute all his only at 76. and all theirs from the beginning of the World to the destruction of the Temple only at 74. which both together make but 150. in above 3000 Years time this single Jesus in three Years wrought so many that were they all written the world it self would not be able to contain the Books that should be written of them John 21. 25. To all which I might add lastly That he did not only show these great and numerous signs himself in Person but transmitted the Power to Numbers to do the same in his Name and conferred this Power on Gentiles as well as Jews which are things utterly unknown among all the wonder-workers of former times Quest. But in this point one thing sticks still with the Jews which is that Jesus and his Apostles in credit of their Miracles went about to overthrow the Law of Moses And may not they therefore confront all the Miracles wrought in justification of that Law against theirs Ans. They might to one that accused that Law as forged or erroneous Which Jesus was so far from doing that he all along makes Moses and the Prophets his Vouchers telling the Jews had you believed Moses you would have believed me for he wrote of me John 5. 46 and search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me verse 39. Quest. But did not those Miracles when they proved that Law to come from God prove also that none should come in after-time to abrogate and annull it Ans. No but on the contrary the Holy Prophets under that Law declared it should be changed and all those things subverted whereto it was adapted and which were the ground and foundation of it Quest. To what things was the Jewish Law adapted Ans. Their Moral Laws contained in the Ten Commandments were adapted not to the particular state and circumstances of any place or People but of the common humane Nature and therefore were unchangeable And accordingly when our Saviour comes to meddle with them he declares it was not to destroy or vacate but fulfil and add what was wanting in them Matth. 5. 17 18. But their Judicial Laws which prescribed the Rules of Courts and Judgments were fitted to their external Polity as they were a civil State in Canaan And as for their Ceremonial which order'd the Rules of their Religion and Worship to omit other specialties therein that chief part of them about Sacrifices was all to be administred by one Family viz. Aaron's line and was limited to one place viz. the temple of Jerusalem Quest. And did the Holy Prophets under that Law foretel any change in that Priesthood Temple-worship and Civil State or talk of any new settlement of things independent on or inconsistent with them Ans. Yes In the last days a known Phrase for the days of Messiah the mountain of the Lord's house says Isaiah shall be established in the top of the mountains and all nations shall flow unto it Isaiah 2. 2. God's Name shall be great among the Gentiles from the rising to the setting of the sun in every place shall incense be offered to his Name and a pure offering which cannot consist with Worshipping still in one appropriate place viz. the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Mal. 1. 11. A new Priesthood shall be erected says the Psalmist in the days of Christ not after the order of Aaron but Melchisedech Psalm 110. 4. and then shall God take to himself Priests and Levites out of other nations no longer confining his choice to Aaron and his Sons Isaiah 66. 19 20 21. a plain sign the Law was to cease when the Priesthood was which had the Ministration of it Heb. 7. 12. About Messiah's time says the Prophet Daniel shall God destroy the city and make an utter desolation the Scepter too departing as Jacob foretold when once Shilo was come and what place then for their Judicial Laws when they were no longer to be a Nation nor have any Established Polity to administer and judge by them He shall also destroy the Sanctuary and what then becomes of all the Sacrifices when once the place was demolished wherein the Law required they should all be offered Dan. 9. 26 27. In summ they declare as I noted before that God would set aside the Mosaick Covenant by reason of its insufficiency and give them a new and better Covenant in its place And that he would make this change at that time when a woman should compass a Man which plainly notes the days of Messiah Jeremiah 31. 22 31 32 c. Quest. Indeed these are plain proofs
excellent Glory of God the Father we heard when we were with him in the Holy mount and were eye-witnesses of his Majesty 2 Pet. 1. 16 17 18. And the same he repeated again a third time before a Multitude when Andrew and Philip brought the Greeks to him For before them all Jesus Prayed Father Glorifie thy Name And thereupon came a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again John 12. 28. And this is a most sensible and satisfactory way of God's declaring himself not meerly by shows and resemblances of things which are impressed by Visions and Dreams upon Mens imaginations but by plain proper and significant words such as he used in conversing with Adam in paradise Genesis 3. 8 9. and with Moses at the bush Exodus 3. 4. when assuming a Glorious Light the usual way of shewing himself particularly present he spoke to Men out of it in an audible Voice as sensibly and intelligibly as a Man can talk and discourse with his Friend Quest. Did the Father also testifie Jesus to be the Christ by raising him from the Dead and shewing him openly in full possession of his pretences Ans. Yes on the third day he rose again as we profess in the Creed And Almighty God as S. Peter saith raised him up And hereby he did plainly testifie and vouch for him For after the Jews had done their worst condemning and cruelly executing him in raising him up again God visibly reversed their Sentence and undid what they had done and justified him as one that deserved not to continue under the Power of Death but to live again He was put to Death in the Flesh but justified in the Spirit viz. by that Divine Spirit which raised him from the Dead 1 Tim. 3. 16. He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. Nay after his Resurrection he set him in Heaven at his own right Hand surrounded with a Divine Glory the usual Symbol of God's Presence and Majesty In which august form he shewed him to Stephen to prepare him for his Martyrdom and to Saul at his Conversion Jesus appearing to them from God's right Hand in a Glory that surpassed the Brightness of the Sun. And having enthroned him there he intrusted him with the Holy Ghost to dispose of it as he pleased a plain Evidence of his having all Power in Heaven as well as on Earth as he pretended Which Power he visibly manifested to all Men not only by sending down the Holy Spirit in all variety of most stupendious Gifts upon his own Apostles but enabling them by imposition of Hands in his Name to confer the same upon innumerable Multitudes of his followers as appears from the Acts of the Holy Apostles and from other Scriptures Quest. I will not ask you for any more Evidence in this great point of Jesus being the Christ such demonstrations as you have insisted on being abundantly sufficient to gain belief from every honest mind that is careful to inquire and willing to be informed And as for others who are wantonly captious or wilfully blind and incredulous they are not to be convinced by Reason and Arguments But building on this now as most unquestionably sure That Jesus is the Christ doth not that undeniably prove the Divine Authority of the New Testament which is his Word Ans. Most certainly it doth For that contains only what he either spoke or acted himself in his Life or ordered his Apostles to do and teach in his Name after his Death The same Proofs and Testimonies which justifie him do authorize it since it only sets out to us all that Word in declaration whereof all the Evidences urged hitherto are to gain him credit Quest. I am fully satisfied of the certainty and have heard enough to convince me of the usefulness and efficacy of Faith in Christ. I would desire now to hear something more of the particular points of that Faith whereof we are to be thus firmly persuaded and whereby such admirable things are to be performed Ans. Those as I hinted at first are summed up in that short Creed into the profession whereof we are all Baptized And that I shall next endeavour to discourse on and explain to you THE Knowledge of GOD OR AN EXPLICATION OF THE Divine Attributes AND PROVIDENCE The Knowledge of God or an Explication of the Divine Attributes and Providence CHAP. I. Of the Being and Attributes of God. The Contents The World declares there is a God. He is an eternal Spirit on whom all things depend Of God's Holiness Several things explained which seem to infringe it as when God is said to harden Mens hearts To inflict Spiritual blindness and a reprobate sense To send a false Spirit to deceive Ahab and strong delusion God oft gives Men up to the delusion of evil Spirits Cautions to prevent this To give Men a Spirit of slumber An account how notwithstanding God's irreconcileable hatred of sin it is still suffered in the World. Of God's Goodness Several false Notions of it In what things it chiefly consists Of God's Justice or Righteousness This shown in giving Righteous Laws And passing Righteous Judgments according to them without respect of Persons His Punitive Justice cleared from misplacing punishments in punishing one for another's sins And from misproportioning them in allotting eternal punishments to momentany sins Some false aspersions on this just God wiped off Of God's Presence in all places The effect of this Of his Faithfulness This shown by inviolable performance of his Promises And interpreting them without evasion or secret reserve according to their plain meanings And by constant adherence to his Friends and Faithful Servants which is no encouragement for any to return to their former sins Of God's Wisdom This shown in setting a just rate and estimate on all things so that he is neither gained nor lost by worthless services In discerning the just power and force of all Means and success of all Methods which should beget the greatest Reverence for all his Ordinances In seeing the best times and seasons for every purpose so that we must never think any Deliverance too long delayed or Affliction too fast hastened No reason to pretend to the Love of God without loving and imitating these Divine Excellencies Question WHat are the Articles of Christian Faith or particular points which we Christians are to believe Answer They are all contained in this Creed commonly called the Apostles Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right Hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the
accounts will experimentally find that this is not the way to diminish but to increase an estate This Azariah the chief Priest told King Hezekiah was the cause of that surplusage of plenty which God bestowed upon the Jews 2 Chron. 31. The King had commanded all the people to pay justly all their Tythes and Offerings which had been fraudulently withheld to the Priests and Levites for their incouragement in the Law of the Lord beginning the Practice with his own example paying all his dues to the Church verse 3 4. And as soon as this commandment came abroad the people brought in all their Tythes and Oblations as they fell due in abundance the first-fruits of corn of wine and oyl and hony and all the increase of the field the tythe of oxen and sheep and the tythe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God the tythe of all things brought they in abundantly and laid them heaps by heaps verse 5 6. And when Hezekiah and the Princes came and saw the heaps and thereby understood the vast increase the People had received which yielded such abundance of Dues to the Priests he blessed God for it and asked Azariah concerning the cause of this mighty surplusage verse 8 9. And Azariah the chief Priest answered him and said Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord we have had enough to eat and have left plenty for the Lord hath blessed his people and that which is left is this great store That is since out of their Fruits which are the Gift of God they have faithfully paid their Dues to God he has so increased their store that our share comes to so much we know not how to dispose of it but have left all these heaps thou seest after we and our Families have eaten and are satisfied verse 10. Quest. I see it teaches us both in Duty and prudence to give willingly and cheerfully the Poors Dole and the Priests Dues but doth it not also teach us how to injoy and spend the rest which remains to our selves Ans. Yes for coming from the free Bounty of God we must injoy it with a thankful and cheerful heart not with murmuring envy or discontent like Men that are proner to spy faults than to own favours and are never pleased Besides since it is God's gift we must take care that God be honoured by it and never dishonour him or abuse our selves by spending it upon vice or vanity but own his Gift in a temperate and sober use of it Yea I add in a charitable use too For these Fruits God gives to us not as Proprietors but Stewards to distribute abroad to the necessities of others after we have served our selves So that not only temperance and thankful hearts but Alms and Charity also are necessary to hallow our enjoyments Give alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you Luke 11. 41. Quest. Is it God also that gives us Children Ans. Yes Children or the Fruit of the Womb are a reward and heritage that cometh of the Lord that is he disposes of them to whom he pleases as a Parent doth of his Estate Psalm 127. 3. And therefore as we must rest satisfied whilst we have none because it is God that withholds them so must we trust in God when we have many of them believing that since as our Saviour saith the life is more than meat he that sent Mouths will send Meat and that as they were at first his Gift they will be still his Care and that he who provides for the Ravens will much more provide for them Luke 12. 24. Quest. Is it the same Providence of God that makes us thrive in our Trades and gives a prosperous success to us in any business Ans. Yes the horse is provided against the day of Battel but safety is of the Lord Prov. 21. 31. Though a man's heart deviseth his way that is Men hammer out a project yet the Lord directeth his steps that is God determines the event and orders such an issue as perhaps he never intended Prov. 16. 9. Men may contrive and pursue methods but God still must give events The way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walks to direct his own steps that is to fix and determine them on any final issues Jer. 10. 23. Quest. Must not this teach us whensoever we begin any business or set upon any attempts to recommend them first to God by Prayers or Pious Ejaculations and to place our chiefest confidence in his Blessing Ans. Yes In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3. 6. commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established that is shall take effect Prov. 16. 3. And I think there is little question to be made but that Men miscarry far oftner than otherwise they would in their designs and business because they trust too much to their own care and skill and human aids and seek no more to God to ingage the furtherance of his good Providence Quest. Must Men seek thus to God even in things wherein they are best skilled themselves and when they are confident they take the surest methods Ans. Yes for the surest means without a good Providence will not secure the issues The race as Solomon observed is not always to the swift nor the battel to the strong nor favour to men of skill Eccles. 9. 11. So that when Men are in the wisest courses or most probable preparations they have need still to look up to God who must consummate all by his assistance Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3. 5 6. There is very much indeed lies in wise management every purpose as Solomon says being established by counsel Prov. 20. 18. But when wise managers shew a Religious dependance and trust in God too that is the way to assure the event He that handles a matter wisely shall find good but if together with that he trust in the Lord more than his own skill happy is he Prov. 16. 20. Quest. But if the event depends thus on God till we see what way he will take we cannot be sure of it And must not this teach us not to be too positive but modest in these expectations and promise the desired issue to our selves still with this reserve if God sees it fit for us Ans. Yes for man's goings are of the Lord how can a man then understand his own way that is foresee the event of it since God oftentimes over-rules their motions to ends far distant from their thoughts Prov. 20. 24. And this as it will keep us from being too confident of gaining any good things will preserve us also from desponding under the apparent danger of any bad ones since when they are
nearest to us God can turn them off by a thousand ways nay make them serve as means to accomplish our advantage Quest. Since he is to give the end of all actions may we not safely trust him with that and do what we ought to do though thereby we foresee danger of displeasing others or of prejudicing our worldly interests Ans. Yes we must be careful to do our duty that is our part and trust him with events for that is his God oft surprizes us with issues so that a Man cannot foresee the end of his own way which frequently will be better than he expects it And this in the most perillous and threatning times should teach all Men to be more thoughtful and concerned for the exact doing of their duty than for escaping the cross which may seem to accompany it For if then they can be so happy as to consider wisely and perform what they ought they may leave Providence to give it a good effect and take care they be no losers by it Quest. And since we can bring no business about but by God's Blessing must not this teach us never to seek to gain our end by any sin Ans. Most certainly for that is the way to offend God and move him not to bless but to blast our design If we hope to succede as I have observed from Solomon we must commit our work to him and that can be only in well-doing we must acknowledge him and then not seek help from any sin since that were to renounce him Let thine eyes look straight on so as to aim only at just ends and ponder the way of thy feet so as to take none but lawful methods and then thy paths shall be established Prov. 4. 25 26. Quest. And the same you will say of driving Trade by false Weights and Measures or by belying Wares or setting exacting Prices or otherwise using indirect Arts or deceitful Speeches and Pretences Ans. Yes for all these in God's Eyes are an abomination and so can never bring down but may well stop a Blessing Which every Man ought seriously to consider who believes a good Trade to be of God's sending Quest. If we are to have all the good effect of our pains and projects from God we must have it at his time And ought we not to think his the best Season Ans. Yes he sees what opportunities are fittest and brings about a good event with most advantage to those that wait his time and trust him with it as he did to Joseph the rule over his brethren and to David the possession of the kingdom I the Lord will hasten it in its time Isaiah 60. 22. He will arise and have mercy upon Sion when the time of favour yea the set time is come Psal. 102. 13. And this must teach all Men in any hopes or pursuits of good never to be too hasty or by any indirect or evil ways of their own to take the matter out of God's hand but patiently to wait his time and stay till he sees fit to fulfil their expectation He that believeth will not make haste Isaiah 28. 16. Quest. But when Providence is slow in bringing longing desires to pass and lays fair opportunities in their way may not Men turn aside a little to anticipate and prevent God's orderings Ans. No for that is to take the matter out of God's hand where it must needs succeed to best advantage and thereby endanger both the loss of God's favour and all the concurrent Mercies depending on those methods whereby in his own time he has determined to promote or save us Joseph when the keeper of the prison had put the keys into his hand might very probably have made his own escape But had he impatiently catched at that opportunity before God's time he had not been preferred as he was when God delivered him And his Father Jacob when he would hastily snatch the promised birth-right by a falshood underwent therefore great hazards and a long banishment all which would probably have been saved had he patiently stayed till God's Wisdom had found a way for it Quest. If God must thus give success to all means then no design can take effect though never so wisely laid or powerfully backed if it crosses the designs of his Providence Ans. No neither such as are managed by the deepest Counsel and Advice for there is no wisdom nor counsel nor understanding against the Lord Prov. 21. 30. Nor such as are pushed on by the most violent and powerful force For though the horse is provided against the day of battel yet safety is from the Lord verse 31. And therefore let Men always take care wisely to fix their hearts and hopes on such things as they have reason to believe God will support and then be confident that though to try their Faith and Patience he may suffer them to be endangered or distressed for a while as he suffered Joseph to be imprisoned and David to be persecuted and the Church in the * Revelations to be obscured and driven from places of habitation and resort into the wilderness yet at last he will visibly stand by the things he doth espouse and make them prove too hard for the most Politick or Puissant adversaries Quest. If no work can take effect without God then no work of our Enemies And may not this comfort us to think that whilst he designs well for us no contrivance or power of Men or Devils can harm us Ans. It may most justly As it did holy David who when his Enemies devised to take away his life made this his support that whatever they contrived his times were in God's hand Psal. 31. 13 15. This says Isaiah is the heritage of God's servants no weapon shall prosper that is formed against them and every tongue that shall implead them in judgment shall they condemn Isaiah 54. 17. So that no craft or cruelty can destroy whilst God is minded to preserve us Quest. I perceive we must acknowledge God the Donor of success to every work or design but is it he also that gives promotion Ans. Yes both riches and honour come of him in his hand is power and might and in him it is to make great and to give strength to all 1 Chron. 29. 12. Promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south But God is the judge he puts down one and setteth up another Psal. 75. 6 7. And therefore no Man must ever seek to exalt himself by any sinful or indirect means as vile flatteries and sinful compliances and serving wicked turns and undermining others and the like For if promotion is not wholly in the will of sinful Man but depends on the over-ruling Providence of God these certainly are not the way to make an interest Quest. When a Man is a rising then I perceive it is in no wise safe to step aside or take up the least sin though it seem to
to the day of judgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. And in proportioning this continuance he uses great care and tenderness to his Servants that their sufferings may not outlast their patience or wear out their hope in him The rod of the wicked shall not rest or make a fixt abode and stay too long upon the lot of the righteous lest it put them upon desperate counsels and the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Psal. 125. 3. Quest. If wicked Men are thus an instrument in God's Hand then whatever evils we suffer from them we must not look only at the immediate actors but see beyond them to Almighty God and own his Providence Ans. Yes and that will not only teach us to please him and to apply our selves to him for redress but teach us patience too because how undeserved soever they may be from others yet we have deserved a thousand times worse at his hands Let him curse says David of wicked Shimâ—i and would return no ill again for the Lord hath bidden him 2 Sam. 16. 10 11. and I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal. 39. 9. nay it will teach us willingness in submission For be the Cup untoothsome and bitter as Gall and Wormwood yet he is both our God and our Father that offers it and we should not suspect any hurt in what comes from his Hand The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it said our Blessed Lord of the unparallelled injuries he suffered John 18. 11. Quest. But if when Men wickedly afflict us you say God sends these afflictions will it not excuse them to say God gives them success against us and they follow Providence Ans. No in no wise For God doth not excite or tempt them to injure us But when they are injurious of themselves his Providence sets us in their way that their wickedness may spend it self upon us to exercise our Faith and Patience or to chastise our disobedience So that they are accountable for their own wickedness and when they will be wicked all he doth is to over-rule it to serve his own designs as he did in the murder of our Blessed Saviour which he ordered for the Salvation of the World though the Jews slew him by wicked hands Act. 2. 23. When we suffer by other Mens sins God who punishes us by them will punish them for them as he declared of the Assyrian the rod of his indignation Is. 10. 5 12 17. and as all wicked Slanderers Oppressors Thieves Rebels and Murderers shall find to their cost in the end It is not acting successfully but acting according to our Duty which will justifie what we do when God comes to judge us Quest. But if 't is Providence that sends wicked and violent Oppressors since it is the Patron of Justice as well as the Chastiser of Undutifulness sure God will not continue to such Men the Power to oppress always Ans. No the more violent and boisterous any wicked Oppressor is the sooner will his Power fail him and spend it self The wicked Oppressor says Solomon passes as a whirl-wind which may for a while storm terribly and bluster but is quickly over Prov. 10. 25. The rod of his anger shall fail that is the Might or even the Authority whereby he scourges shall not bear him out or preserve him in unjust violence but by abusing Power he shall soon lose it and then reap that trouble he has justly deserved Prov. 22. 8. And therefore when any are oppressed by Potent Neighbours or Men of Violence they may support themselves to think that God sees all their wrongs and in due time will give them ease Quest. I see those evils which befal our selves in our own particulars are the allotment of Providence But if there be any miscarriages of State and Government must the People look upon these too to be of God's sending Ans. Yes and generally as a punishment for the wickedness and provocations of a Nation For the transgressions of a land many are the princes thereof Prov. 28. 2. And through the anger of the Lord being kindled against Israel God moved David that is left him to be won by Satan moving him to number the people 2 Sam. 24. 1. So that in any publick miscarriages we must not spend our selves in exclaiming against Ministers of State and the Instruments concerned therein but look up to the Justice of Almighty God and reflect with patience and penitent hearts upon our own sins which are punished in them Quest. But must we think God's Providence directs and disposes when Publick Affairs are most tumultuary and irregular and seem to shew forth fewest footsteps of his perfections Ans. Yes the Lord reigns though the people tremble through convulsive and distracting fears he sitteth between the cherubims though the earth be moved with the violence of stirs and tumults Psalm 99. 1. And this must support all good Men in the most dangerous and distracted times because even then they are still under God and are not at the Mercy of all the ill chances and threatning evils that fly round about them which how loose soever they may seem to fly abroad are yet all bound up in God's Hand Quest. If 't is God that sends all these evils then whensoever any of them threaten and hang over us we must look up to him and have Faith in his Providence Ans. Yes and that too though we seem reduced almost to irremediable extremities For God loves to delay deliverance to the last that our Faith and dependance may be more throughly tried and then shows himself nearest to us when we have no more hope left in our selves or in any humane means Thus he appeared not to save Isaac's life till Abraham's hand was stretched out to take it away Gen. 22. 10 11. And then God comes as a present help when we are in the very time of need Psalm 46. 1. Heb. 4. 16. He chuses the time of our distress to give us a more affecting sense of our deliverance And then too he often works it by those very things which seem not only unprofitable but opposite and apt to hinder it that no part of the honour of it may go to humane means but that the whole of it may be ascribed to himself Quest. You have shown that God orders all those ill events which cross accidents or ill Men bring upon us But what say you to those which we bring upon our selves by our own gross faults or follies Must they be ascribed to God's Providence Ans. No this Solomon taxes in fond sinners that when the foolishness of man perverteth his way and he falls because he is Ignorant or rash and hasty with his feet yet for all this his heart fretteth against the Lord as if not his own pure folly but God had brought him to it Prov. 19. 2 3. The most Holy God forbids all our faults and the most Wise God
therefore no Persons to whom God has given Estates must think them a priviledge for being idle and careless or for spending them wholly upon sports and pastimes as if wealthy Persons were made for no other business but diversions and much less for laying them out in ostentation of Pride and Vanity or in ministring to Vice and Luxury Health and Wit and Wealth and other Temporal advantages being only Loans of God are to be Faithfully stewarded and laid out not slothfully neglected wasted embezelled or abused Quest. Are we to learn from it any thing further Ans. Yes Fifthly to be humble and think modestly and soberly of our selves under any preeminence of Body or Parts Power or Possessions When these advantages puff Men up with pride and vain fondness and self-conceit they arrogate all the fancied honour and estimation of them to themselves as if they were Proprietors But when they own them as God's Gifts and Trusts and themselves as holding them only during Pleasure by uncertain Tenures they will ascribe all the Honour of them to him and learn Modesty Care Dependance and Thankfulness And withal never insult or deride the want of them in others remembring that he who mocketh the poor and the case is the same in all other Natural Defects or Calamities reproacheth his Maker who disposed of him in that condition as Solomon says Prov. 17. 5. Quest. By this I see God Almighty is an immensly Great Being How must the thoughts of such an irresistible Might and absolute Sovereignty affect us Ans. With the greatest submission of Humility and Reverence For such immense Greatness and Majesty should strike us with holy fear and submission in the highest degree every time we think or speak of this Great God especially in all acts of Adoration and Worship which we pay to him Thou must fear this glorious and fearful name the Lord thy God Deut. 28. 58. He is the excellency of Jacob Amos 8. 7. the most high over all the earth Psal. 83. 18. a great God a mighty and terrible Deut. 10. 17. glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. Holy and reverend is his name Psalm 111. 9. Quest. By this Almighty Power 't is easie to believe God made the World. Ans. Yes thereby in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth Gen. 1. 1. And by the same Power he still Governs and Preserves it as I have before explained The End of the First Part. Imprimatur Liber cui Titulus The Practical Believer Part II. Guil. Needham R. R. in Christo P. ac D. D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. á Sacr. Domest June 28. 1688. THE Practical Believer PART II. OR THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST By John Kettlewell Minister of Coles-Hill in Warwick-shire LONDON Printed for Robert Kettlewell and are to be sold by R. Clavell at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church-yard and W. Rogers at the Sun in Fleetstreet 1689. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. OF the Office and Natures of Jesus Christ. In what Salvation by Christ consists Being Christ notes his being 1. A Prophet to teach his Church We must hear and learn of him in the Holy Scriptures and at the mouths of his Ministers 2. A Priest to Redeem and Intercede for it 3. A King to Govern it by his Laws And by his Officers whom we are to submit to in his place Also to Protect it against all visible and invisible Enemies Jesus Christ is the Son of God as having receiv'd from the Father the Nature of God. And the Power of God. On both these Accounts and others he is our Lord. And to be worshipped What we learn from his being our Lord. Of Christ's being Conceiv'd of the Holy Ghost and Born of a Virgin. He was truly Man. And why he was so CHAP. II. OF the Sufferings of Christ. An Account of what Christ suffer'd and from whom Both he and God the Father were consenting to it What he suffer'd was for our sins to save us from suffering for them when we truly repent of them Pardon on Repentance the design of his Satisfaction and the Merit of his Death This is a free Grace which implies that it is not given in Recompence of our Deserts not that it requires no Conditions An Account why God would not grant this Grace of Pardon to Penitents without Christ's dying to satisfie for them And how his Death serv'd all the designs of God's Justice full as well as their own would have done Christ's Sacrifice but once offered but daily commemorated Several useful inferences from Christ's dying for us Christ's dead Body was Buried Of his descent into Hell. CHAP. III. OF the Resurrection of Christ and his sitting at God's Right-hand An Account how Christ may be said to have been three days in the Earth His Resurrection proved The necessity of it He ascended to Heaven What is meant by his sitting at the Right-Hand of God. There he 1. Intercedes for us as our Priest. This intercession not vocal by Words and formal Pleas but by presenting himself and his own meritorious Sacrifice He intercedes only for Covenant-Mercies and on Covenant-Terms He is an Intercessor of absolute Power with God and truest Affection for us One part of his intercession is to hand and present our Prayers to God. Therefore whensoever we pray for any thing 't is both our duty and wisdom to apply by him 2. Governs his Church as a King. In what Acts this consists 3. Instructs his Church as a Prophet by sending to it the Holy Ghost Christ's Body having now taken up its fixt abode at God's Right-Hand we are not in any Ordinances to expect his Bodily Presence but only a Presence by his Spirit which is more to be desired Some Inferences from Christ's sitting at God's Right-hand CHAP. IV. OF the Future Judgment The necessity of the Future Judgment All men are judged and made happy or miserable at their Deaths But not so fully then as they will be afterwards The Compleat and General Judgment is at the end of the World. In that Jesus Christ is to be the Judge Who are to be Judged In that Judgement no Condemnation but for breaking God's Laws So not for indifferent things Men shall be tryed and sentenced for all their sinful Actions with regard to their lasting Effects For their most secret ones And such ill deeds as were disguised under the fairest Pretences For their sinful Omissions And Neglecting to employ and improve their Talents For sinful Words And Thoughts and Desires For all these Men shall be judged impartially without respect of Persons But with Equity and Candor not in Rigor The Benign Judge will be very ready to observe what makes for us and make the best of our Performances And interpret the seemingly Rigorous Expressions of his own Laws with great condescension to Humane Measures He will allow for involuntary Failings And judge Candidly and Favourably of that involuntariness And for Natural Infirmities And for Providential disadvantages as Multiplicity of
Place of Bliss Of Eternal Life wherein there is Full and unmixed Happiness Of the satisfaction of their Senses Their clear and distinct Knowledge Perfect Holiness And without Reluctance Blissful Companions Perfection of Love and Kindness Honour and Eminence of Place All these to be injoy'd in the Highest Heavens without satiety or weariness For evermore Of the miseries of the Damned in Tormenting Passions The worm of Conscience Fire and Flames Disgrace Under all which no favour of God. No company but of Tormenting Devils and damned Spirits None to condole when they cannot relieve No rest and sleep for Recruit of Spirits No end of their miseries The Use of this The Practical Believer PART II. Of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ. CHAP. I. Of the Office and Natures of Jesus Christ. The Contents In what Salvation by Christ consists Being Christ notes his being 1. A Prophet to teach his Church We must hear and learn of him in the Holy Scriptures and at the mouths of his Ministers 2. A Priest to Redeem and Intercede for it 3. A King to Govern it by his Laws And by his Officers whom we are to submit to in his place Also to Protect it against all visible and invisible Enemies Jesus Christ is the Son of God as having receiv'd from the Father the Nature of God. And the Power of God. On both these Accounts and others he is our Lord. And to be worshipped What we learn from his being our Lord. Of Christ's being Conceiv'd of the Holy Ghost and Born of a Virgin. He was truly Man. And why he was so Quest. WHat is the Second Article of the Creed Answ. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Quest. Jesus signifies a Saviour from what doth Christ save us Answ. From two things 1. Our sins 2. Those eternal Torments which are the Punishment of them Quest. If he prove a Saviour to us must he Reform and save us from our sins Answ. Yes for this is the main Reason why that Name was given him Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their sins Mat. 1. 21. Quest. Will he save none from the Punishment but whom he saves from the sins first Answ. No for except ye Repent ye shall all perish Luke 13. 3. and at last he will say Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 23. Quest. But when once they are delivered from their sins they may make sure of being freed by him from Eternal Death too Answ. Yes for there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Quest. Christ signifies anointed among the Greeks as Messiah doth among the Hebrews Messiah if interpreted being the Christ or anointed as St. Andrew said John 1. 41. But what mean you when you call Jesus the Messiah or Christ that is the anointed Answ. His being invested with the Office of a Prophet to teach his Church of a Priest to make Reconciliation and intercede for it and of a King to Govern and Protect it Quest. Why do you call such Investiture his Anointing Answ. Because anciently Investitures into these Offices were according to the Eastern Custom by pouring Oyl upon them as in the case of the Arch-Prophet Elisha 1 Kings 19. 16. and High-Priest Aaron Lev. 8. 12. And in Kings as the Jewish Doctors note when they received not their Office and Authority by Succession but by extraordinary Designation as in the case of King Saul 1 Sam. 9. 16. 10. 1. and King David 1 Sam. 16. 13. Answerable to which Messiah's Designation to his Office which was to include all these is call'd his being Anointed Isa. 61. 1 2 3. Quest. Was Christ invested in these Offices by pouring Oyl upon him Answ. No but by pouring a nobler thing the miraculous Powers and Gifts of the Holy Ghost which install'd him and answer'd to their anointing God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with Power Acts 10. 38. Quest. Was Christ in the Office and Quality of a Prophet to teach his Church Answ. Yes he was a Teacher sent from God John 3. 2. What he said he spake not of himself but as the Father gave him Commandment so he spake John 12. 49 50. So that the People spoke a great truth when they said This is of a truth that Prophet who was to come into the World John 6. 14. Nay he was not in the rank of an ordinary Prophet but in a pitch of Eminence far above all others For he not only had a Prophetick Spirit resting always on him which the best of them enjoy'd but on certain times and occasions but he knew the will of God by Personal Acquaintance and immediate intuition not barely at second hand by the Message of an Angel or by a Vision or a Dream as they all did The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him John 1. 18. And on this account among others of all Prophets and Interpreters of God's mind he alone is call'd the Word because lying in God's Bosom he had his mind without any thing intervening as immediately as a word expresses ones meaning Quest. What must this teach us Answ. Whensoever we would know the mind of God to seek only unto him and never to hearken to any other New Lights or Enthusiastical Pretenders In all times both in the Apostles days and ours several Impostors and false Prophets have come with pretended Messages to shew men the will of God and the way to Happiness But we are to give ear to none of these this work of communicating God's mind to men not being left at random but peculiarly intrusted with Jesus Christ that great Prophet of the Church who is especially constituted by God and anointed for this purpose This is my beloved Son said God in the voice from the bright Cloud in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. 5. Quest. But how shall we do to learn of him since now he is no more among us here on Earth but is gone to Heaven Answ. Two ways he exercises his Prophetick Office to communicate the mind of God to us 1. By the Scriptures What God told him he first by Personal Converse and afterwards by his Spirit leading them into all truth told the Apostles and Evangelists and they put it in writing in the Book call'd the Holy Scriptures to be preached and published to all others thro' all times So that when we hear them read we must think we hear Christ our great Prophet speaking to us And to be debarr'd or debar our selves of the use of them what is it but to be debarr'd of this great Prophet's free Communication 2. By his Ministers whom he has left and appointed to declare God's mind to the People in his place Thus the Priests were appointed among the Jews The Priests lips should preserve Knowledge and the People should seek the Law
liveth and shall not see death and shall he deliver his Soul from the hand of Hell Psal. 89. 48. And as Jacob talked of going down to Hell to Joseph when he thought some evil Beast had devoured him Gen. 37. 33 35. In both which places the word translated Grave in our Bibles in the Greek is Hades the very word that stands for Hell here in the Creed Oft-times indeed especially in the New Testament Hell fignifies not in general the state of the Dead but particularly the state of the Wicked and the place of Torment In which sense it is not likely that Christ descended into Hell after his death because in his dying hour he told the Penitent Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. CHAP. III. Of the Resurrection of Christ and his sitting at God's Right-Hand The Contents An Account how Christ may be said to have been three days in the Earth His Resurrection proved The necessity of it He ascended to Heaven What is meant by his sitting at the Right-Hand of God. There he 1. Intercedes for us as our Priest. This intercession not vocal by Words and formal Pleas but by presenting himself and his own meritorious Sacrifice He intercedes only for Covenant-Mercies and on Covenant-Terms He is an Intercessor of absolute Power with God and truest Affection for us One part of his intercession is to hand and present our Prayers to God. Therefore whensoever we pray for any thing 't is both our duty and wisdom to apply by him 2. Governs his Church as a King. In what Acts this consists 3. Instructs his Church as a Prophet by sending to it the Holy Ghost Christ's Body having now taken up its fixt abode at God's Right-hand we are not in any Ordinances to expect his Bodily Presence but only a Presence by his Spirit which is more to be desired Some Inferences from Christ's sitting at God's Right-hand Quest. How long did Jesus Christ abide in the state of the Dead till his Body was corrupted Answ. No he staid not so long God did not suffer his Holy one to see Corruption Acts 13. 35 36 37. but reunited his Soul and Body and raised him from the dead on the third day before the time Corruption usually seizes the Bodies of dead men Quest. Christ said of himself as the Jews told Pilate That after three days he would rise again Mat. 27. 63. And as Jonas was three days and three nights in the Whales Belly so says he shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth Mat. 12. 40. But if he died as we commemorate his death upon Good-Friday and rose early on Easter-day in the morning there were only part of two days and one entire day between Answ. That is three days according to common computation of days both Ancient and Modern and particularly in Scripture reckoning Thus Lazarus is said four days dead though the fourth day whereon Jesus raised him up was one of them Joh. 11. 39. And eight days are said to be accomplished for Christ's Circumcision but the day of his Birth and Circumcision too went both in to that Reckoning Luk. 2. 21. And the Priests in their courses were appointed and reputed to Minister before the Lord eight days though the time of Entrance and Release was every Sabbath day morning And accordingly what in the currant way of expression is thus sometimes termed three days our Saviour speaking more exactly at other times expresses by on the third or within three days Jesus shewed his Disciples he should rise again the third day Mat. 16. 21. and 17. 23. and 20. 19. And destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up Joh. 2. 19. or within three days as the Jews who otherwhere call it after three days related it Mark 14. 58. Quest. How doth it appear that Christ was raised again from the dead Answ. It might appear to any who had the curiosity to look into the Sepulchre for they would see he was gone Quest. What said the Watch who stood to guard him Answ. They knew it full well for when the Angel with a Countenance like Lightning descended in an Earth-quake to roll back the Stone the Keepers saw it and shaked and became as dead men Mat. 28. 2 3 4. But the Jewish Rulers bribed them to say his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept v. 11 12 13 14. which was a foolish lie and bore along with it its own Confutation Quest. How so Answ. Because if they were asleep how could they tell any one stole him If they had any thoughts of what others did then it could be only in a Dream unless they would pretend to sleep with their Senses awake and their Eyes open Quest. But this saying saith St. Matthew is commonly reported among the Jews and passes for a Truth with them Mat. 28. 15. And by what other ways can you convince them that Christ is risen Answ. By those that saw him and conversed with him after his Resurrection For he appeared for the space of forty days to his Apostles and to satisfie them he had a real Body eat and drank with them after he was risen Acts 10. 41. Luk. 24. 43. He appeared to Thomas who searched the holes the Nails had made in his Hands and thrust his Finger into his Side where the Spear had pierced it before he would believe him Joh. 20. 27 28. To five hundred Brethren all at one time 1 Cor. 15. 6. To Stephen in a bright Glory from Heaven at his Martyrdom Acts 7. 56. and to Saul at his Conversion Acts 9. 3 4. Yea after he was risen and gone to Heaven he sent down the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and followers which shewed not only that he is alive again but also that he lives in Power Quest. The Apostles seem extraordinary careful to confirm the Resurrection of Christ and call the ordaining one to be an Apostle ordaining him to be a witness of it Acts 1. 22. Was it necessary that Christ should rise from the dead Answ. Yes to shew the debt he died for was discharged and that his satisfaction was accepted He died as a Sacrifice to satisfie for our sins and till God raised him up again it did not appear that he was satisfied with what Christ had done for us If Christ be not risen ye are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15. 17. Quest. But was not his death a full payment and on the Cross did he not relate to that when he said it is finished Joh. 19. 30 Answ. It was so indeed the price of Redemption then was fully paid But till he raised him up again God had given no publick Acquitrance nor done any open Act to shew we were discharged by it So that by his Resurrection we are said to be justified that is declared to be so He died for our sins and rose again for our
insensible State would have brought him no Advantage Phil. 1. 21. And when we are absent from the Body we are present with the Lord which presence notes happy enjoyment 2 Cor. 5. 68. And Lazarus when he dyed was carried into Abraham's bosom and Dives lift up his eyes in Hell being in Torment Luk. 16. 22 23. All which shew the Deceased Righteous to be Happy as the Wicked Wretched not only in expectation but present enjoyment Quest. You speak this of all the Righteous Answ. Yes for the Scripture makes no Difference This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise said Christ to the Penitent Thief tho' he had been a very great Sinner and was but a very young Convert And the usual way of expressing the Death of good Men is by their falling asleep which notes Ease and Refreshment And in general it is said of these that dye in the Lord that from henceforth they are blessed and rest from their Labours Rev. 14. 13. So that this Present Life as our Lord notes in the Story of Lazarus is the Time of their receiving evil things And they are no longer exercised with Torments but what is inconsistant with them enter upon ease and comfort in degree more or less according to the difference of their virtuous Attainments immediately upon their Deaths Quest. But is the Happiness of the one or the Misery of the other so full then as it shall be after the last Judgment Answ. No for now their Souls only are Happy but then their Bodies shall be raised too and the Bliss of the whole man both Soul and Body shall be compleat And then they shall be happy in a fuller degree and have a more perfect measure of it This increase of Happiness they shall receive at the last Judgment and therefore it is called the Time of their being crown'd or rewarded 2 Tim. 4. 8. and they are represented as desiring it So the Souls under the Altar slain for the Testimony of Jesus do in the Revelations asking how long God would delay to judge the World for the Consummation of their Reward and of their Persecutors Punishment Rev. 6. 9 10 11. And so it is with the damned Spirits too the heaviest part of their Doom being still to come and their present Miseries tho' very great being but Foretastes and Beginnings of what they are to be consign'd to at the last Day Thus the Devils are said to be reserved in Chains against the Judgment of the Great Day their present State it seems in comparison of it being no more than the Misery of a Prison compared to that of the Day of Execution 2 Pet. 2. 4. and Jude 6. And the Devils ask Christ if he were come to torment them before the time plainly intimating that the Fulness of their Torment was not to be till the Great Day comes Mat. 8. 29. Quest. These Private Judgments then are much short of the Last Judgment because then is the Consummation of Reward and Punishment Answ. Yes And also because that Judgment shall be Solemn and Publick in full Audience and open Court before Angels and all the World Luk. 12. 8 9. and General whereat all both Angels and Men shall be Convened and Tried Quest. And must not this be till the End of the World Answ. No for it is Christ's last Act in Discharging his Mediatory Office and therefore must not be concluded till all Things are at an End. All the Time before the Judgment is a State of Trial for proving Persons wherein Christ gives Laws to direct us and sufficient Opportunities and inward Grace to help us to perform them But all the Time after it is a State of irreversible Recompences in sharing and dispensing promised Rewards and Penal Executions After the last Sentence is once pass'd there is no more place for Intercessions and making Friends but a New and Unalterable State of Eternal Joys or Miseries commences And thus Christ having consummated his Trust as Mediator will surrender up his Power and deliver the Kingdom to God the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. Quest. The General Judgment you say is at the End of the World Has God decreed a set Time and fixed a Day for it Answ. Yes he hath appointed a Day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness Act. 17. 31. Which Day is called the Coming of Christ 1 Cor. 15. 23. and the Day of the Lord 1 Thess. 5. 2. 2 Thess. 2. 2. Quest. If every Mans Case must then be fully scann'd and all Actions inquired into and Pleas heard methinks that should be more than one Days Work Answ. So I suppose it will the continuance perhaps of a thousand Days nay it may be of a great number of Years For Day in Scripture is any Continuance of Time which is allotted for any Business As the Time of Israels forty Years Travel in the Wilderness is call'd the Day of Temptation Heb. 3. 8 9. and the Time of God's scourging and correcting the Day of Visitation Isa. 10. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 12. and the Time of the Gospel is the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. And so the Day of Judgment is not the Space of twenty four Hours but all that Time which Christ shall spend upon it Quest. It seems God has fixed the Day within himself but is that determinate Day known to any besides himself Answ. No For of that determinate Day knoweth no Man no not the Angels in Heaven nor the Son himself as Man but the Father only Mat. 24. 36. Mar. 13. 32. It shall surprise the World and its coming shall be sudden and unexpected as a Thief in the Night or Travel upon a Woman with Child 1 Thess. 5. 2 3. Quest. Who shall be the Judge at that Great Day by whom all Men shall be tried and sentenced Answ. Jesus Christ. For God will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordain'd and he hath assured them of it by raising him from the dead Acts 17. 31. He only is able to discharge this transcendent Trust having an Authority Paramount which none can question or appeal from an Infinite Understanding that can search the Hearts and discover the naked Truth of every Mans Case and the just Validity of their Pleas an incorruptible Integrity that cannot in the least be byassed by any Flatteries Offers Intercessions or Intreaties and an Almighty Power that can reward the greatest Services and punish the most high and haughty as well as the meanest Criminals And as he alone is qualified to Discharge so he is also to sustain the Honour of it For who is fit to sit as Judge of Princes and Potentates Men and Angels but he who made and governs them who is over all in Power and next in Dignity to the Father even the Son of God himself All Judgment is committed to the Son that all should honour the Son even as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 22 23. Quest. Who
be Active when he is at Rest and he may be doing Good to the Worlds End. Of these and all such Good Works of permanent Effects it may be said as St. Paul did of Abel's Faith whereto God gave witness that by it he being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11. 4. Quest. And is it thus also in bad Actions Answ. Yes For thus the wicked Opinions a Man broaches may infect after-Ages or his corrupt Example or Advice live in his Posterity and Acquaintance Or if he corrupt and seduce others into any Sins they may persist in them after he is reclaimed from them But then he will sin most of all in his Grave if he has introduced wicked and irreligious Laws and Customs which are hardly altered even where there is the plainest and greatest Reason for it or abused the Laws to possess himself of other Mens Rights which derives down the Crime and Curse of Detaining ill-gotten Goods on all his Posterity or writ Pestilential Books or establish'd any ungodly or injurious Thing the Mischief whereof no one knows when it may determine Quest. And when God comes to judge us will he take notice and have respect to these continued and multiplied Effects of our Actions Answ. 'T is just he should they being all imputable to us and reasonable to believe he will. For Jeroboam is taxed for sinning long after he was dead because other Mens Sins were owing to him he having establish'd Iniquity by a Law and formed an Idolatrous Schism and made Israel to sin 2 Kings 10. 29. And to this I suppose we may in part at least ascribe the Trouble and Concern of Ghosts and their sometimes appearing to make Satisfaction after any great Injuries have been done and not repaired in their Life-time Which may shew not only God's Care in doing Justice but their own in lessening their Account too On which Inducement I believe Dives was sollicitous to have his Brethren advertised of the Place of Torment by one sent from the other World Luke 16. 27 28. For he being the Head of his Family and a vicious Man might have done much in corrupting his Kindred and Acquaintance that resorted to him And they being made the worse by his Example and Influence the Growth of their Guilt and Fructification of the ill Seed he had sown would accumulate and increase his Sufferings Which Principle of Self-Love I take to be a better Reason of that Care of his than any Charity for others for which we have cause to think there is no Room in that Place For God is Love and he that dwells in Love dwells in God which certainly they do not who are excluded from his Presence into that State of Torment 1 Joh. 4. 16. And this should make all Men careful how they broach any ill Opinions or give others any evil Example or Advice But especially how they introduce or revive or any ways support Irreligious Customs or enrich themselves and Families by Injustice or establish any Wickedness lest thereby they sin in their Graves and have Power to offend God when they have no Power to serve him and continue daily adding Sin to Sin when they can no longer repent of them And on the other hand it should as much encourage them in any good and useful Deeds whose Effects when they spread beyond their Expectations or last beyond their Times they may reasonably hope that God who is more ready to reward than punish will impute to them Quest. I see at the last Day Men shall be judged for the Actions of their Lives But shall they be judged not only for their more Open and Publick but also for their most Secret Deeds that were committed under Concealment and in the Dark Answ. Yes for God shall bring every Work into Judgment with every Secret Thing whether it be Good or whether it be Evil Eccl. 12. 14. And therefore all Men are infinitely concern'd not to commit any Wickedness under the fancied Security of Privacy or act shamefully even in the Dark since all those Secret Works shall then be exposed to Publick View and they shall be put to shame and condemned for them before Angels and Men all looking on Quest. This is most terrible to all impenitent Sinners who will then be punish'd for these Sins But is it not discouraging to the Righteous too who have repented of them and are forgiven For their Secret Sins which cost them so much Sorrow here will then renew their Grief and put them to an open Shame if there must be such Publick Mention and Exposal of them Answ. No they are in no danger of any more trouble from them For when they are brought to light as Solomon says God will bring every Work into Judgment whether it be good or bad Eccl. 12. 14. that shall be only to set off the Impartiality of this Scrutiny and the Riches of Gods pardoning Mercy but they shall not be upbraided with them or lessen'd in the esteem either of Glorified Angels or of Men. For as God himself doth so do they esteem of Penitents as if they had always lived innocent and when once they have left them forget all their former Offences as if they had never been done So that as to all real Effects of their suffering from them either in their own Persons or in the Estimation of others the Sins of the Righteous at that Day are as if they were not mention'd but conceal'd And this will make out those Expressions of the Scriptures which speak of the Lord 's not imputing Sin to them and of their Sins being cover'd and of God's remembring their Sins and Iniquities no more They will not be mention'd so as to make them either afraid or ashamed which is as good as if they were wholly hid and never mention'd at all Quest. Among the Deeds of Men all those are not really Good which are so in outward Appearance and which the World takes for such Answ. No Several good Actions Hypocritical Men put on only in Disguise As the Pharisee seemed to be devout in making long Prayers when that was not to serve God but to get Trust among Men that he might be able to devour Widows Houses without suspicion Mat. 23. 14. And when the Precious Ointment was poured on Christ's Head Judas pretended great Care of the Poor and cried out of the Waste on that pretence when in truth that which made him speak was not his Charity but his Covetousness John 12. 5 6. Absalom pretends the Payment of a Vow in Hebron but the Design was to execute a fore-laid Rebellion 2 Sam. 15. 7 10. Many Men pretend Kindness only for Self-ends Religion for Secular Interests the Publick Good when they only seek to satisfie their own By-ends or private Resentments Quest. But when under this Hypocritical Mask Men commit ill Deeds under fair Colours will Christ at that Day bring this Hypocrisie to Light and condemn these Actions which the Authors justified to
the World by these Pretences Answ. Yes For when the Lord cometh he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts 1 Cor. 4. 5. He shall be of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord and shall not judge after the sight of his Eyes nor reprove after the hearing of his Ears i. e. barely from outward Appearances but with Righteousness shall he judge the Poor and reprove with Equity even the Meek upon Earth where they are Trespassers Isa. 11. 3 4. And therefore it nearly concerns us to be sincere in all the Goodness we make shew of and to be the same to God as we appear to be to Men For if we dissemble in any thing he will pluck off the Disguise and shew us openly to be Hypocritical Pretenders and disguised Sinners to all the World. Quest. I see we shall be judged then for all our sinful Actions But shall we judged too for all our sinful Omissions Answ. Yes for we are as much bound to do what God injoyns as to forbear doing what he forbids and at that Day he will call us to an account for both Go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire for in my poor Members I felt Hunger and ye gave me no Meat I was Thirsty and ye gave me no Drink a Stranger and ye took me not in Naked and ye Cloathed me not Sick and in Prison and ye visited me not All which are omissions of Duty and for them they are Sentenced Mat. 25. 41 42 43. Quest. I perceive we shall be sentenced for neglecting to fulfill Laws But will Judgment also pass upon us for neglecting to employ or improve our Talents Answ. Yes for the Lord orders the unprofitable Servant who had hoarded up his Talent and made no gain with it to be cast into utter Darkness Mat. 25 25 30. And therefore it concerns all men to whom God has given Leisure or Power or Wealth or Credit or Wit and Parts to look upon all these as Trusts and not to squander them away on Vice or Vanities Sports and Pastimes but as Wise and Faithful Stewards to employ them all for God's service remembring that all these were â—ommitted to them for their Master's â—se and that at the last Day they shall be called to give an account how they have spent them Quest. What say you to our words shall we be judged at the last Day for them too Answ. Yes for by thy words thou shalt be Justified and by thy words thou shalt be Condemned Mat. 12. 37. And this should make all men careful to Govern their Tongues since they must give so strict an account for the abuse of them Quest. Christ there says Men shall give account in the Day of Judgment for every idle word v. 26. what then will become of most men in this world For is not any man that Discourses with freedom liable to utter something that is Idle that is works no good or makes none the better for it Answ. By Idle word there is to be understood every False and Slanderous word such as the Jews had then cast out against him when they said he wrought Miracles through Beelzebub v. 24. Quest. But in this strict Judgment for all our sinful Actions and sinful Words will there be any account still further required for our inward Thoughts and Desires of ill which were never come to act Answ. Yes for at that Day God will Judge the Secrets of men Rom. 2. 16. And when the Lord comes to Judgment he will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart 1 Cor. 4. 5. Quest. But is not every man troubled more or less with ill Thoughts and unlawful Desires and like to be so whilst we bear these Bodies about us Answ. Yes for in the Regenerate themselves the Flesh Lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. Quest. How then can any man stand in the Judgment if for these they shall be Condemned Answ. If the bare sudden Thoughts and Desires were Damnable they could not But that for which God will then Condemn men is not all stirring of them but only all yielding to fulfill them Make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. And this the Righteous do not commit or when they do before their Death they Repent of it and amend it Quest. What will be judged yielding to fulfill them Answ. 1. All inward Consent to the fulfilling of them in our hearts tho it may be we cannot do it for want of opportunity For when Lust has thus Conceived it bringeth forth Sin Jam. 1. 15. And our Saviour says Adultery may be committed in the Heart Mat. 5. 28. 2. All Contrivance for the acting and Fulfilling of them after we have consented to them He that Deviseth to do evil shall be called and dealt with as a mischievous Person Prov. 24. 8. And evil Thoughts that is Murderous Machinations and Contrivances are ranked in Guilt and Punishment with Murders themselves Mat. 15. 19. 3. All Actual accomplishment of them in Deed and Practice which is fulfilling the Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 5. 16. And this is more provoking still if it be in a settled Custom and constant Tenor of action which is walking or living after the Flesh Rom. 8. 1. 4. 13. Quest. I perceive then when Christ comes to Judgment we shall all be called to Account for all the sinful Deeds we have done and all the sinful Words we have spoken and all the evil Thoughts or Desires we have consented or endeavoured to fulfill and Condemned for them unless we have sincerely repented of them Answ. Yes Quest. But how will Christ proceed in Judging us for these Things Will he pass Sentence impartially without respect of Persons Answ. Yes All that are equal in Guilt shall be sure to have equal Punishment For the Judge is not capable of being Byassed by Fear or Favour by any Fondness or Indulgence towards any Criminals by any of their Flatterâ—◠〈◊〉 Complements Gifts or Services their Crafty insinuations or tiresom importunities by their Kindred or Families Sects and Opinions But absolutely setting aside all by-Respects he will regard only the Merit of Causes and what doth really influence the Case and Sentence every Man according to the Evidence that lyes against him At that Revelation of his Righteous Judgment there is no Respect of Persons with God. They that have sinned without Law shall Perish without Law and as many as have sinned under the Law shall be Judged by the Law. God will render to every man according to his Deeds Eternal Life to those that have continued in well-doing but Wrath and Anguish on every Soul that doth evil whether Jew or Gentile Rom. 2. 5. to 13. God without respect of Persons judges as every Mans work shall be 1 Pet. 1. 17. Quest. But in judging upon all these Points will Christ do it in Rigor pressing all the Punctilio's and taking all the Advantages of Law
or will he do it with Equity and Candor as one plainly inclined to shew all reasonable favour Answ. He will be the most Fair Equitable and Candid Judge our Hearts can wish for He is our Judge who is our Advocate and has all along espoused our Cause our Friend that Loved us better than his Life and shed his Blood for us So that when we are brought before him we may promise our selves all the Favour that is consistent with Justice Quest. Will he favourably interpret our Performances when they come before him and make the best of every thing that it can justly bear and be as ready to note what may make for us as what may make against us Answ. Yes for in the Description of the last Judgment Mat. 25. he assigns good deeds to those on his Right-hand viz. the Feeding and Cloathing and Visiting him which in strict Truth they had not done having never seen him but only by a favourable interpretation from their having done so to his Brethren for his sake which shews had they seen him in that want they would much more have done it to himself Come ye Blessed of my Father for I was an hungred and ye gave me Meat thirsty and ye gave me Drink c. And when they shall answer Lord when saw we thee to do any of these things for thee He tells us he will reply in as much as ye have done it to the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me v. 34. to 41. Nay to assure us further of his extraordinary Favour in Censuring of his Friends behold his marvellous Candor in judging of the worst Actions of his Enemies and that too at a Time when if ever he should have been prone to pass a hard Construction For representing the most Barbarous Murder of himself to God as he hung upon the Cross and had a most pungent sense of it he imputes it to the most Pardonable Principles and says they acted so through Ignorance the only possible thing that could be suggested for their excuse censuring that horrid Act which he of all Men had cause to make the worst of not as an Accuser but rather like a retain'd Advocate Luk. 23. 34. Thus in that Day will the most benign Judge be of Counsel for all the Prisoners and spye all their Virtues and make the best he reasonably can of every bad Case And as for good Men he will impute their Failures to the most pardonable Causes and Remember their good Services when they have forgot them setting them off by a kind interpretation and thinking better of them than their own Humility and Modesty would allow themselves to do Quest. But what say you to the seeming Rigor of his own Laws which require us to Love and serve him with all our Heart and strength And if this be drawn out to a full stretch and strained to mean our utmost Possibilities no Candor to our Performances can construe them to come up to this pitch Answ. The seeming Rigor of that Expression he will interpret with great condescension to the Measures of Men. He will reasonably allow and abate for our many Temptations and Distracting Thoughts our Natural Backwardness and Forgetfulness and other Frailties so incident to our present State and Circumstances And when all that is candidly deducted the rest which in our Circumstances we are honestly and fairly able to Do will pass for serving him with all the heart and strength according to the Commandment Quest. How will you make that out Answ. Because the Scripture Declares he will bear in Reason with our Infirmities Heb. 5. 2. And because he has done so in several judged Cases expresly declaring of several that they have kept this Commandment when they needed these abatements Thus of Asa it is said that his Heart was Perfect before God 1 King. 15. 14. And of David that he followed God with his whole Heart Yea that he turned not aside from any thing he commanded him all his days except in the matter of Uriah 1 King. 14 8. and c. 15. 5. And of Josiah that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord neither declining to the Right Hand nor to the left 2 King. 22. 2. And of Zachariah and Elizabeth that they walked before God in all the Ordinances of the Law Blameless Luk. 1. 6. Now all these were Persons of our own Frailties and Infirmities They were defective in their Care as we are and though they went beyond the pitch of others yet fell below the utmost of their possibilities as the Scriptures have recorded of them in several instances They served God indeed with all their Souls in one sense of the Precept as that notes their adhering only to his Worship and allowing no part of their Heart to any Idol God. But as it note◠the intireness of Degrees in serving him Such failings as were pardonable under humane Circumstances and infirmities were first taken out and so much as they were able to do after that abatement was judged their serving God with all their Heart according to the Commandment Quest. Will Christ then after he has thus made the most of their good Performances make reasonable Allowances also for mens Slips and Failures either in committing ill or in omitting Good things Answ. Yes when they fail in either through some innocent and well meant Error or Ignorance Or when they slip through pure haste and unadvisedness and are surprized into some ill Thoughts or sudden Passions or rash words but correct themselves as soon as they consider what they have done and do not continue in it with Observation He will then have Compassion on these when he comes as our Judge as now he has when he acts as our Priest and intercedes for us For as the Jewish Priests had so can he have compassion on the Ignorant and Erroneous or as the †word notes he can Suffer in moderation or reasonably bear with them Heb. 5. 2. Quest. But what if men are Ignorant because they neglect to learn their Duty nay perhaps stop their Eyes and Ears and Refuse to see or be told of it Answ. Then that will be no excuse to them where they fail of performing it they being as St. Peter says willingly Ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. Quest. I perceive he will shew Favour towards our involuntary Failures But this will not avail us if he be Strict and Rigorous in judging of that Involuntariness For alas what man doth all that is Possible to prevent Ignorance or Surprize And if we do not all we can against them he may say they come through our own wills and sufferance if he will judge in Srictness Will he therefore shew Candor in judging any escapes to be Pitiable and unwill'd Miscarriages without which all his Candor in other Things will not support us in his Presence Answ. Yes He will shew all Reasonable Favour in admitting Actions for involuntary
inequality of Gods present Distributions which lies upon Providence will then be cleared up by a full and Liberal Amends For then God's Righteousness in Judgment that in great part lay hid before will be fully Revealed and made manifest Rom. 2. 5. Quest. But when he deals thus graciously with all the good how will he proceed with ill Men Answ. In all the equity of a fair Tryal but yet to a just Condemnation When he bears with all Natural Infirmities and reasonably abates for outward Impediments and connives at involuntary Failings and forgives all the sins of the Penitents he will avenge the willful Sins of all impenitent Persons according to their Deserts For he will judge the World in Righteousness Act. 17. 31. To the wicked he will say Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 23. And when they that have done Good come forth to the Resurrection of Life they that have done Evil shall come to the Resurrection of Damnation Joh. 5. 29. Quest. What Punishment shall these Miserable Men be condemned to Answ. All the Plagues of Hell where their Spirits shall always be gnawed and preyed upon by the Worm of Conscience and their Bodies scorched with Fire and Flames Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Yea they shall have all the smart of Fire where 't is the hottest being cast into a Furnace of Fire Mat. 13. 42. and into a Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19. 20. And there as the Fire is not quenched so their Worm of Conscience Dyeth not Mar. 9. 44. Quest. And when shall all these Dreadful Miseries seize them Answ. So soon as this Terrible Sentence of Go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire is solemnly passed upon them For this way of Effecting things is by his Omnipotent Word When he said let there be Light or Earth immediately there was so at first Gen 1. 3 9. And when he shall say go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire in obedience to that all-powerful Word streight-way a Fire shall come forth from his Presence and shall seize on the whole Earth and Air where his Adversaries Abode is and set it all on fire about them turning all this lower World which probably thenceforwards is to serve for no other use into one intire Globe of Fire or Flaming Furnace The Fire that shall Torment and Scorch the Damned at the coming of our Lord shall burn up the Earth and melt the Elements and Crack the Heavens making them dissolve and pass away with a Great Noise says St. Peter 2 Pet. 3. 10 12. The Heavens and Earth that are now says he again are kept in store and reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men the Fire that shall break out from God upon the Ungodly being it seems to seize and dissolve them ver 7. And the Fire that comes down from God to devour and torment the Devil and all he has deceived Day and Night for ever shall make the Earth and Heaven that now is flee away as may seem from St. John and leave nothing but a devouring Hell or a World of never Dying Fire and Flame in its place Rev. 20. 9 10 11 14. and c. 21. 1. And when once this is kindled those forelorn Wretches may cry in vain to the Hills to fall on them and to the Rocks to cover them For every Cave is then a Furnace and every high Hill a Flaming Mountain a Fervent Heat has melted all the World and nothing is to be felt or seen but boyling Element and scorching Fire all about them Quest. Oh! the wonder of God's Mercy which shall then be displayed towards all his Saints and the Terror of his Judgments which shall then be inflicted on all incorrigible Offenders Must not this expectation of Christ's future Judgment of us for all our Actions make us very careful how we lead our Lives Answ. Yes it should do it above all things We must account for all our Thoughts Words and Actions And an Eternity of highest Bliss or Woe depends upon the account we make And therefore we had need to do all things here with such care that when we are taken to task at that Great Day we may give in a good and comfortable account of them Seeing God will be more terrible in punishing all ungodly Sinners what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. Quest. That day you say will surprize the World as a Thief in the Night and it is most uncertain to every Man when he shall be called to it Ought not that to make us every day secure our Peace with God and watch always to be in a readiness and preparation for that great Account Answ. Yes there is no room for preparation afterwards if we are unprepared when he calls as the Foolish Virgins experienced to their cost Watch therefore for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour wherein the Son of Man cometh Mat. 25. 11 12 13. Quest. Since Christ has reserved the judgment of all Men to himself who best knows and who alone is able unerringly to judge of them Must not this make us wary not to judge and censure one another Answ. Yes by all means for this Judgment he esteems an usurpation upon his Office. Why doest thou judge thy Brother or why doest thou set at naught thy Brother We shall all stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ Rom. 14. 10. Who art thou that Judgest another Man's Servant To his own Master he stands or falls ver 4. Nay he tells us as we have no Authority to do it so we are unfit for it because we cannot see each others Hearts and so in many Censures we pass can have no true Judgment of Men and Actions as he has Judge nothing before the Time until the Lord come who will bring to Light the hidden things of Darkness and make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts 1 Cor. 4. 5. Quest. And since God will clear the Innocent before Men and Angels and in his judgment set all right at last Is not this a support to us under all the unjust Slanders and wrongful Judgments we meet with here in this World Answ. Yes for it shews all will be fully wiped off if we can have a little patience Our Innocence shall shine the brighter for the Vail that was drawn before it as the Sun doth when he recovers from a Cloud For then God shall bring forth our Righteousness as the Light and our Judgment as the Noon-day Psal. 37. 6. So that in such Cases we may all say as St. Paul it is a very small thing with me that I should be judged of Mans Judgment because he that judgeth me iâ— the Lord who will shortly reverse all the Errors of Mens Censures and shew them Publickly to all the World 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. CHAP. VIII Of the Holy Ghost The Contents The
Holy Ghost is God. What he hath done for our Salvation Of his extraordinary Gifts bestowed on Apostles and Evangelists which were for the Planting and Propagating Christ's Religion 1. The gift of inspiration in Revelations This bestowed upon the Apostles These Revelations they have fully set down in the Holy Scriptures after which we are not to look for any others This Gift of knowing Religion by immediate Revelation necessary only in Apostles and Evangelists And design'd for the Infancy of the Church Other Rules whereby to examine new Lights and Revelations in Religion As try them by the Scriptures Call for their Miracles wherewith God still empower'd men when he sent them to reveal new Things No need of Miracles when men pretend only to revive old and acknowledged Revelations If they shew Miracles for things plainly against Scripture they must work more than were wrought to confirm the Scripture An account of Joel 2. 28 29. Which seems to foretell the commonness of Revelations among Christians The first Inspirations were not only in Doctrinal Points but also in Devotions And about Temporal matters Subservient to this Gift of Revelations was the Gift of discerning Spirits This done afterwards by ordinary Rules And the Gift of utterance and boldness Their minds not influenced by this constantly and at all Times But ordinarily they were and especially when they had most need of it 2. Of the Gift of Miracles Miraracles a Proof of Divine Revelation How discernible from Lying Wonders by the Doctrines built on them By their ends and usefulness and being wrought on needful Occasions Of the miraculous Gift of healing Diseases This sometimes by anointing with Oyl And Prayers Of casting out Devils and other Miracles Of delivering to Satan what it was and why so call'd Of Joy in Tribulations and what was extraordinary in that of the Apostles To the working these Miracles there was always required Faith in him that wrought them And sometimes Faith in him that received them 3. of the Gift of Strange Tongues The ends of this And of the Gift of Interpreting such Strange Tongues What is meant by the Holy Ghost being a Comforter The Sin against the Holy Ghost is a Sin against these extraordinary Gifts Why Blasphemy against him more irremisable than against the Father or the Son. Extraordinary Gifts no mark of a justified State. Of Offices appointed by the Holy Ghost Some of these Temporary others to continue through all Times the present Officers ordaining Successors of the Holy Ghost's ordinary Graces By these we may know he dwells in us Our care required towards these Of Preventing Grace in outward advantages and inward good motions Directions how we are to endeavour after saving Graces in six Particulars How God gives them though we are thus to acquire them The Holy Ghost works also in us Spiritual Joys and Comforts This he doth not in all the minds he sanctifies because some are unfit for them through intrinsick impediments But they are withheld from none through his Arbitrary withdrawing which some count Spiritual Desertion Quest. WHat is the eighth Article of the Creed Answ. I Believe in the Holy Ghost Quest. Is the Holy Ghost very God Answ. Yes For Lying to the Holy Ghost is call'd Lying to God Act. 5. 3 4. And because Christians are the Temple of the Holy Ghost they are said to be the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. And all the Properties of Divinity are ascribed to him as knowing all things ubiquity or Presence in all Places Eternity or duration through all Times Creating the World being joyned with God who will not impart his Glory to another as an Object of Faith and Worship in Baptism and the Apostolical Benediction and the like Quest. But if both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost be God are there not three Gods Answ. No because these three are One that is one in Nature or one Thing 1 Joh. 5. 7. There is a Trinity of Persons but these three are mysteriously united in Nature and dependance which makes but one God-head not three Gods. Quest. But why is he call'd Holy more than the Father or the Son Since Holiness was reckon'd one of the Divine Attributes are not all the three Persons who are equally God equal also in Holiness Answ. Yes But though they are equally Holy in Nature or Essence yet is he particularly styled so in respect of his Operations For as God the Father particularly undertook for the Creation of men and God the Son for the Redemption of them so did God the Holy Ghost for their Sanctification being always ready to work holiness in those who set themselves to fear God and to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We are saved by the renewal of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5 6. And purified through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. Quest. Why do we profess Faith and trust in him Answ. Because we are to receive all our Graces and preparations for Eternal Glory from him For after Christ had Redeemed us with his Blood and ascended into Heaven the Rest which was to be done further for our Salvation here on Earth was left to the care of the Holy Spirit whom Christ sent down as his substitute to supply his absence and minister whatsoever he left wanting to his Body which is the Church to perfect it in Faith and Holiness Quest. By this I perceive a great part of Christian Knowledge lyes in understanding what the Holy Spirit has done and is still to do for us Pray what has he bestowed for the effecting of this great work Answ. Gifts of two sorts 1. Extraordinary bestowed upon the Apostles and Evangelists for the Planting and Establishing Christ's Church and Religion 2. Ordinary that are given in common to all oothers for every particular man's Salvation Quest. What are his extraordinary Gifts bestowed upon the Holy Apostles for the Planting and Establishing of Christ's Church and Religion Answ. They consist not only of Gifts but likewise of Offices which he is the Author of Quest. What are the Extraordinary Gifts he gave them to this end Answ. I shall reduce them to three The Gift of Inspiration which revealed Christianity to themselves of Miracles which enabled them to prove it undeniable unto others and of Tongues whereby they could publish it over all the World and be understood by men of every Language Quest. When were these extraordinary Gifts bestowed Answ. First at the Feast of Pentecost upon the Twelve when the Spirit descended on each of them in the shape of Cloven Tongues Act. 2. 3. And afterwards generally upon others at the imposition of their hands as abundantly appears from St. Luke's account of the Acts of the Holy Apostles Quest. And all these you say were to enable them to Plant and Propagate their Religion Answ. Yes for by these Gifts which are call'd the Promise of the Father Act. 1. 4. that is that Spirit which Christ had promised
to send them from the Father Joh. 15. 26. the Holy Ghost was to act the Part of an Advocate as the word Paraclete signifies and is accordingly render'd 1 Joh. 2. 1. which was to plead his Cause to the unbelieving World. For when this Comforter or Advocate is come saith our Lord he will reprove or convince the world of these three Things Of Sin because they believe not on me i. e. of the sinfulness of infidelity Of Righteousness because I go to the Father i. e. of my being a Righteous Person and of Gods owning me for such though the Jews condemned me as a Malefactor And of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged i. e. of the downfall of Idolatry and Demon-worship because the Devil is to be cast out of the Heathen Temples by this Almighty Advocate and all his Oracles silenced Joh. 16. 8 9 10 11. Quest. The first of these Gifts bestowed upon the Apostles you say was the Gift of Inspiration which revealed Christ's Religion fully to themselves Did the Apostles receive their Religion from God and were they inspired by the Holy Ghost in what they Taught Answ. Yes all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. Thus God inspired Moses and the Holy Prophets of old for no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation nor came by the will of man i. e. therein the Prophets did not speak their own sense and reason but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. And after the same manner Christ promises the Apostles that the Holy Ghost should teach them The Holy Ghost when he shall come shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Joh. 14. 26. And when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth Joh. 16. 13. Quest. But had not Christ been their Teacher for several years together and then what need was there for the Holy Ghost to come after him for a further Instructer Answ. Christ taught them by outward and humane means as one man doth another And in this way though he took care abundantly to propose Things to them yet after all they being Persons of slow and rustick understandings were very liable to forget or misconceive them as 't is plain they did the Nature of his Kingdom the Reasons of his Death and his Resurrection But when the Holy Ghost came upon them he inwardly enlightned their minds and fill'd them with all variety of Heavenly Truth bringing to their remembrance whatsoever Christ had said and supplying whatsoever he designedly omitted till they were better able to bear it And though he did not teach them all things at once they being ignorant for some time after his descent of the calling of the Gentiles yet in a moment he made a strange progress with them and so far illuminated their minds that immediately upon his coming down they understand and apply Scriptures and expound Prophecies and set up for Teachers of other men Act. 2. Quest. And what knowledge they had of their Religion you say was of his inspiring Answ. Yes after once he took the conduct of them Their way of knowing all things as St. John told the Church in their Age was by an unction from the Holy one 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. And the Gospel which was preached by me saith St. Paul is not after Men i. e. of Mans devising For I neither received it of Man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1. 11 12. And of all Holy Scripture it is declared that it is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. Quest. 'T is plain indeed they say they are inspired and taught of God. But have we any more than these Testimonies of Scripture that is their own word and saying for it Answ. Yes the Miracles they wrought in confirmation of it They preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the word with Signs following Mar. 16. 20. Quest. I perceive the Holy Ghost did reveal God's will to them and in the Holy Scriptures they have revealed it unto us But in those Scriptures have they done it fully Answ. Yes for in that Epistle which St. Paul sent last to Timothy before which the greatest Part of his other Epistles and of the Gospel-Canon was writ he Declares of all the Scriptures then extant that they are able to make us wise unto Salvation being Profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for instruction in Righteousness That the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished out of them unto all Good works 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Nay some single Books of Scripture as the Particular Gospels are full enough to this end And accordingly St. Luke testifies of his Gospel that it contains those Things which all Christians most surely believed and wherein Theophilus an Excellent Person and no way Defective in saving Knowledge had been Principled and instructed Luk 1. 1 3 4. and all that Jesus began to do and teach till he was taken up Act. 1. 1 2. All necessary Christianity was Faithfully preached by Jesus Christ and they Faithfully set out his Life and Preaching And what St. Luke added afterwards in the Acts of the Holy Apostles was only an Historical Account of the Method they took what they suffered and how they succeeded in Preaching this Doctrine And as for the Epistles of the several Apostles which were accidentally and occasionally writ for the Emergent Benefit of the Churches they either repeat and press the same Things or Comment upon them in fuller Explications or Determine some Controversies started in the Church about them or confute some unchristian Opinions and Heretical corruptions of Gospel-Truths as is obvious to any careful and intelligent comparer of them Quest. Having therefore these Scriptures Faithfully conveyed to us by God's Blessing we must not look for or listen to any New Revelation Answ. No not of the Way to please God and go to Heaven Christ our Great Prophet who was to Seal up Vision and Prophesie having inspired his Apostles and fully Revealed all these things to us once already by them it is a vain thing to fancy he should do it over again Quest. The Gift of Inspiration then or of having Religion immediately Revealed to them was necessary only to Apostles and Evangelists who were the first Publishers of it from God Answ. 'T is very true And accordingly in Suiting the Gifts and Ministries reckned up 1 Cor. 12. to the word of Wisdom or Gospel Revelation which is the First and Chiefest in the List of Gifts v. 8. St. Paul adapts the Order of Apostles as its Correspondent and the first and chiefest in the Number of Ministries ver 28. Inspiration of Religion was only to fit and Qualifie them for that Office. Hence it is probably that it is by St. John called
express and declare it and of Miracles whereby they should undoubtedly prove and demonstrate it to all the World. Answ. Yes Quest. When Christ promised the Holy Ghost to his Apostles he calls him by the Name of Comforter Joh. 16. 7. What is meant by that Answ. First that he should be an Advocate which is one sence of the word Paraclete to plead the Cause of Christ and his Religion against all that opposed them This he did most convincingly in the miraculous Gifts already mentioned And in this sence Christ says of him that when he is come he will reprove or convince the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Joh. 16. 8. Secondly a Comforter which is another sence of it to support them under all that troubled them This is plainly another sence since he tells them of sending the Comforter because sorrow had filled their hearts v. 6. And this Office he fulfill'd by assuring them their Lord whose death they lamented was now alive again by supplying his Place in making their defence and giving them assistance and direction and by shewing them an happy end of all their Troubles and preparing them for the Kingdom of Heaven Quest. Is the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost a Sin against these miraculous Gifts of his Answ. Yes for it was against the Gift of Miracles and casting out Devils the Pharisees sin'd when he cautions them against this dreadful sin saying the sin against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Mat. 12. 24 32. Quest. And what is the unpardonable sin against them Answ. Slandering or Blaspheming them as the Pharisees there did when they attributed them to Magick and said he cast out Devils by Beelzebub v. 24. for it is expresly called speaking against the Holy Ghost v. 32. and Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost v. 31. And this he said saith St. Mark because they said he hath an unclean Spirit Mar. 3. 30. Quest. What is meant by never forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Answ. Not being pardonable under any dispensation or Religion either Jewish or Christian for the Jews looked on the days of Messiah as a later state and dispensation of the Church to succeed their own on which account it is called the last days Is. 2. 2. Heb. 1. 2. and the last time 1 Joh. 2. 18. and the World to come Heb. 6. 5. And some sins were to be atoneable among Christians for which there was no atonement among the Jews since by Christ they were to be justified from those Things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 39. And therefore when Christ says this Blasphemy shall not be forgiven in this World nor the World to come that is the same as neither to be forgiven in the Jewish State while it lasted nor the Christian neither Moses nor He having provided any Sacrifice or expiation for it Quest. Is Blaspheming God the Father or the Son unpardonable Answ. No whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him Mat. 12. 32. yea all manner of other Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto Men v. 31. Quest. Why then will the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost never be forgiven Is he more worthy than either the Father or the Son Answ. No that is not the reason But these his Gifts are the last means of begetting Belief in men and without Faith and Repentance wrought by Faith there is no Pardon If men would not believe but revile the Son when he was among them after he was taken up the Holy Ghost was to come and be his Advocate and by all the miraculous Gifts I have mentioned gain credit from them But if instead of believing him they shall go to Blaspheme and Revile him and slanderously call all his stupendious Gifts magical Tricks and works of Satan God is resolved to endeavour no more with them nor ever to bring them to Believe and Repent without which there is no Pardon So that it is unpardonable because after it God has decreed that Faith and Repentance shall be impossible Of Apostates says St. Paul who committed this sin it is impossible to renew them again to Repentance Heb. 6. 6. Quest. These miraculous Gifts were wonderful vouchsafements did not they evidence all that enjoy'd them to be in Favour with God and in a justified state Answ No for they were bestowed promiscuously on good and bad Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness yet he was a Prophet 2. Pet. 2. 15 16. Judas was the Son of Perdition but he wrought Miracles as well as the other Apostles Mat. 10. 1 4 5 8. And at the last Day many will plead that in Christ's Name they Prophesied and cast out Devils and did Wonders and yet he will bid them depart from him because they wrought iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. 'T is obedience not miracles that will save our Souls it being not the workers of wonders but workers of Righteousness that God accepts of And thereupon our Saviour bid his Disciples rejoyce not for that the Devils were subject to them but rather because their Names were written in Heaven Luk. 10. 17 18 19 20. Quest. Thus much may suffice for the understanding of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost But besides his bestowing these Gifts you said he has appointed several Offices for the Planting and Establishing Christ's Church and Religion what are those Offices which he is the Authour of Answ. He gave some Apostles the highest and most extensive power in the Church and some Prophets who foretold future Things Expounded old and utter'd new Prophesies and some Evangelists who writ the Gospels or preach'd the Word in unconverted Places where it was never heard before and some Pastors and Teachers or Bishops and Presbyters to govern and instruct the Church All which he gave for the perfecting of the Saints the Work of the Ministry and the edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. 8 11 12. And God hath set in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles Governments c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Quest. For what end were these Offices appointed Answ. For the Government and Edification of the Church and the Work of the Ministry in the Word and Sacraments and Prayers They were given saith St. Paul for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. 12. Quest. And were all these Offices to last through all Ages of the Church Answ. No Apostles Evangelists and Prophets were Temporary Offices which lay in founding of the Church and revealing Christ's Religion by Inspiration from himself And this Church being once founded and built and this Revelation being once committed to Writing it remains a lasting Thing and so needs not to be repeated a second time And therefore when once they had perform'd this Work in all after Ages there was no further need of them
But as for Pastors and Teachers to govern the Church and ordain Successors and to minister the Word and Prayers and Sacraments they will be equally wanted in every Age and therefore the Holy Ghost has appointed them to continue always Go Baptise all Nations teaching them to observe all my Commandments And lo in such Teaching and Baptising I am with you always even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 19 20. And tho as I say some of the Offices mentioned by St. Paul were necessary only in the first Age yet others which are equally necessary to the edifying of the Church and the Work of the Ministry in every Age are to continue as he says tiâ— we all i. e. all Christians that are and aâ— that shall be come in the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God untâ— a perfect Man unto the Measure of the Stâ—ture of the Fulness of Christ. So that the Church is to enjoy the Benefit of them to the Worlds end Eph. 4. 12 13. Quest. Since all that are at any time in these Offices die in one Age how are they to be continued in the next Answ. The Bishops or Governours are stilâ— to Ordain others to remedy their owâ— Mortality and supply the Necessities of the Church through all Times Thus Christ told his Apostles As my Father sent me viz with a Power of Commissioning you to succeed in this Ministry when I am gone sâ— send I you i. e. with Power of Ordaining others in like manner of Succession John 20. 21. Pursuant to this they Ordained Bishops in all Churches as St. Paul did Titus at Crete and Timothy at Ephesus And these in a constant Succession were to Ordain others as Paul bid Timothy give Commissions as he had been Commission'd himself or commit what he had heard of him to faithful Men who should be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 1. 14. and 2. 2. And with these in their Work of the Ministry God would be present and assistant in all after Times as he had been with the Apostles in the First Age. In thus Preaching and Baptizing lo I am with â—ou always even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. With you that is with your selves during your own Lives and your Successors in all after times which is the only way that in this Work he could be with them to the Worlds end who were all to die in that Age. Quest. Is the Holy Ghost the Author of these Offices Answ. Yes God hath set these Officers in the Church saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 12. 28. and Christ gave them as a Gift after he was ascended Eph. 4. 8 11. That is God gave them and Christ gave them by the Holy Ghost who now since Christ is gone to the Right-hand of God is come down to his Church as his Substitute from whom both the Authority and Ability of all these Officers is derived Feed the Flock saith the Apostle over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers Acts 20. 28. And when Christ ordain'd his Apostles giving them Power to send others as the Father gave him and to remit and retain Sins he breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. 21 22 23. And accordingly to shew from whom these Powers are derived in Ordinations of these Officers whether Bishops or Priests the Power is to this day conferr'd by saying Receive thou the Holy Ghost Quest. What shall we think then of those who reject the Ministry and cast off all Church-Officers and Ordinances and yet pretend in all this to be guided by the Spirit Answ. You may be sure it is not by that Spirit which Christ sent down upon the Apostles and which indited the holy Scriptures For that Spirit gave these Offices as the most necessary and greatest Blessing to the Church Whereas this Spirit of theirs plucks up what he planted and endeavours to abolish and overthrow them Quest. From what you have said I perceive how infinitely we are obliged to the Holy Ghost for that care he has taken in Planting and Propagating Christ's Church and Religion both in the miraculous Gifts he bestowed upon his Church so amply in the First Age and in the Offices and Governments he has appointed to Feed and Rule it in all succeeding Ages But besides these extraordinary Gifts bestowed only on some for the Propagation and Establishment of Christ's Church and Religion you mention'd another sort of Gifts for the effecting this Great Work of our Salvation which the Holy Ghost bestows ordinarily on Persons of all Times and Places What Gifts are those Answ. All the inward Graces and vertuous Endowments which are necessary to the Salvation of all particular Persons such as the Apostle reckons up Gal. 5. The Fruits of the Spirit are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance and such like v. 22 23. Particularly he excites Devotion and helps to raise in us holy Desires and Life and Quickness in our Prayers There says the Apostle the Spirit helps our Infirmities making Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God by inspiring them with such Desires and Groanings as cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26 27. Quest. Is the Holy Ghost the Author of all these inward Graces in us and can we not have them without his Gift Answ. No for the Renewing of our Nature is ascribed to the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. And St. Paul calls all the recited Virtues Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And no Man can come to me saith Christ i. e. believe on me and obey me except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6. 44. All our Graces come from God and must be sought of him And because we are daily in want of them we are taught by our Lord himself to pray Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done Deliver us from Evil c. as constantly as we say Give us this Day our Daily Bread. Quest. If the Holy Spirit gives these then any Man that has them may know he has Grace and that the Holy Ghost dwells and acts in him Answ. Yes if he is affected and influenc'd not only by some few but by all of them For they are the Fruits of the Spirit as I noted and where we see the genuine Fruit we may make sure of the Principle that gives Birth to it as our Saviour said the Tree is known by its Fruit Luke 6. 43 44. Mat. 7. 16 20. And accordingly they are given as Marks of Grace and a sure Proof that Men belong to God in the Scriptures Hereby know we that we know him and that we are in him if we keep his Commandments 1 John 2. 3 5. We know that we have passed from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren 1 John 3. 14. He that doth Righteousness is righteous in this the Children of God are manifest 1 John 3. 7 10. Quest. But may
Scandalous Prophanations of the Lords Supper were sickly and weak and fell asleep at present 1 Cor. 11. 30 32. And the Man of God from Judah being pitiably seduced by a Dissembling Prophet without any thing that appears of an Evil intent and having first faithfully and boldly declared God's Message against Jeroboam's Altar we may reasonably hope was mercifully spared as to the other World. But yet here God met him by the way and devoured him by a Lion for yielding to a Seducer to eat Bread against the Word of the Lord 1 King. 13. And this ought mightily to restrain us all from acting any great dishonour to God or crying Offences for which God may judge us in our Persons Estates or Families in this World when upon our true Repentance he acquits us in the next Penitence is not so good a Preservative against the sting of these as innocence is For such Offences do always justly expose us to Temporal Calamities and sometimes make it necessary for us that we should be severely corrected in this World. Which consideration ought to restrain all that regard either their own or their Families welfare in this World from ever being guilty of them Quest. When are these punishments relaxed and what is the time of Pardon Answ. The solemn full and irreversible declaration of it is at the Day of judgement But before that God pardons the sins of good Men in this life giving them a general pardon of all sins in Baptism and of all particular Failures afterwards as they repent of them So on David's repentance for the matter of Uriah Nathan told him God had put away his Sin 2 Sam. 12. 13. Quest. Is this forgiveness in this World perfect and irreversible so that when once any sins are struck off they are never more placed to account Answ. No but limited and suspended on Terms viz. mens perseverance in repentance for if after their pardon they fall off and relapse into the same wickedness they shall be unpardon'd all again and stand accountable for all former Transgressions If the Righteous man turn from his Righteousness to iniquity saith God in Ezekiel all the Righteousness he hath done shall not be mention'd to him but in his Sins that he hath sinn'd shall he dye Ezek. 18. 24. 33. 12 13. And when the Debtor to whom his Lord had pardon'd all his great Sums had render'd himself unworthy of that grace by his merciless usage of a small Debtor among his fellow Servants his incensed Lord cancel'd the Pardon and exacted all the dispunged Accounts And so says Christ will my Heavenly Father do with you in like case Mat. 18. 24 27 30 34 35. Quest. Do we believe the forgiveness of all Sins Answ. Yes except the Sin against the Holy Ghost and willful Apostacy from the Faith of Christ for which there is no forgiveness Quest. I have seen already that there is no Pardon for Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost But is there none also for willful Apostacy from Christianity Answ. No for if we sin willfully i. e. by willful Apostacy after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin i. e. Christ's Sacrifice is not designed to expiate such offence Heb. 10. 26. Quest. Is that Sinning willfully willful Apostacy from Christianity Answ. Yes For these Sinners saith the Apostle tread under foot the Son of God i. e. affirm Christ to be still in the Grave not risen from the Dead and count the blood of the Covenant or Christ's Blood an unholy Thing i. e. as the Blood of a Malefactor and say it was justly shed and do despite to the Spirit of Grace i. e. despite the Holy Ghost which confirm'd Christianity and reject all his Miracles as Satanical delusions v. 29. So that these Sinners were plainly Apostates who ceased to own and had begun to accuse Christ as the Jews and Heathens did And the same Apostacy St. Paul speaks of in another place when he tells us if Christians fall away i. e. from their Christianity whereby they Crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh or joyn in Condemning him with his Crucifiers it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Quest. But all other Sins you say we may believe and trust to have the pardon of Answ. Yes thro' the merits of Christ and the mercy of God. So Christ Commissions his Apostles to Preach Repentance and Remission of Sins to all Nations Luk. 24. 47. And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father and he is the Propitiation for our Sins 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. And all manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but that against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Quest. You would have no Sinners then to despair of Mercy or think their Sins greater than Christ's merits or God's grace and too big to be forgiven Answ. No by no means For Christ by his most precious death has gain'd a full Pardon for the greatest Sins and sends out his Apostles to Proclaim it to the greatest Sinners David was guilty of Adultery and Murder Paul was a cruel and bloody Persecutor and Blasphemer Peter was perjuriously false and denyed his Master But all these were forgiven and none need or must despair as if when they Repent God had not pardon enough in store Quest. These indeed are instances of the greatest sins But is there forgiveness for them when they are committed with the most aggravating Circumstances Answ. Yes For David's Murder and Adultery was with much deliberation and contrivance and against so many struglings and reluctances that thereby he became almost quite hardned and of a seared Conscience And Peter's denyal was repeated several times and those considerably distant to allow space enough for remorse and that too with false Oaths and bitter imprecations But both these obtain'd mercy on their true repentance Quest. You say on true Repentance Is all this forgiveness then upon some Terms and Conditions Answ. Yes for God's grants of grace are as in consideration of Christs Sacrifice so also of our Faith and Repentance And therefore neither to Infidels nor impenitent Persons Quest. Upon what terms must we believe God will forgive us any willful Sins Answ. When we repent of them and forgive others Quest. Will he not pardon them 'till we repent and amend them Answ. No for to all the willful Sinners of the World the Apostles were to Preach Repentance and Remission of Sins And of these 't is said he that confesses and forsakes his Sins shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. Quest. But when we have repented and left these Sins will he not forgive us still unless we forgive others that have trespass'd against us Answ. No there is no forgiveness neither for impenitent nor uncharitable Persons For if ye forgive men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you But if ye forgive not men