of the greatest meanes to keep one from backsliding Ephesus did bear with the bad and had lost her first love The right Means to sanctifie the affections 1. Sanctified affections are not to be found in any unregenerate man Deut. 5. 29. pray therefore much for a new nature 2 Conversing much with Christ and pondering of him will keep thy affections right 3. Let not out thy affections much on any thing in the world Col. 3. 3. 4. Affections are not only ordered but much quickned by knowledge Iohn 4. 10. Psal. 9. 9. Ignoti nulla cupido 5. Pray constantly to God say Lord unite my heart to thee that I may fear thy name love thee CHAP. XIX Of the Particular Affections SOme affections are chearing and comforting as Love Joy Hope some disquieting afflicting as Anger Sorrow Fear Despair to afflict the soul at a Fast is to awaken some or all of these afflicting passions the soul is only afflicted by it self in heaven all afflicting affections cease in their acting in hell they are all exercised According to their subject they are divided into those of the concupiscible and irascible appetite Concupiscible whereby the soul is carried to that which is good When the object is good the desiring faculty draws the heart toward it if it be present good it is joy if the present good be near at hand it is called love if easie to be obtained desire if difficult hope if impossible despair Irascible or shunning faculty from evil if the evil be present it is grief if it make an attempt on the heart if it be vincible it is courage if invincible horrour Mans affections are linked together in their working Love is the chiefest next is desire of attaining the thing loved after comes joy if one have it grief if he have it not anger against those that crosse us of it kindenesse toward those which further us in it fear to lose it and courage to keep it shame if he have it not boldnesse if he have it The chief of the Affections are of two sorts 1. Some simple which are exercised upon Good or Evil it self viz. I. On Good considered 1. Simply in it self Love a motion of being united to it of complacency and liking 2. Respectively to its 1. Presence Joy a motion of injoying it an inlargement of the heart to receive good 2. Absence both in regard of 1. The good it self Desire a stirring of the heart to use means to get it 2. The likelihood of attaining or not attaining it which are 1. Hope a moving and lifting up of the minde toward it 2. Despair a falling from the future good II. On Evil considered 1. Simply Hatred a motion of separating from that which is counted evil as when we see a Toad 2. Respectively to its 1. Presence Sadnesse a pulling together of the heart in the sense of a present evil 2. Absence considered 1. In it self Flight Detestation if it come a motion of flying from it 2. In its likelihood of being shunned or suffered 1. If we conceive it avoidable Courage a motion of rising against it and making resistance 2. As it is likely not to be escaped but suffered fear a kinde of perplexednesse or shrinking from it 2. Some compound being the divers workings of two or more of these together and they respect other things for good or evil viz. 1. The possessors thereof whether I. Our selves 1. Shame for evil or turpitude in regard of evil working by motions of Fear Hatred Grief 2. Boldnesse for good we have done or got in regard of the good esteem of it motions of the contrary affections II. Others 1. For Good we think we see in them reverence differing from simple fear looking to a thing conceived as excellent a joynt working of Fear Love Desire Joy 2. For Evil contempt a motion of vilifying and abasing disdaining one by joynt working of contrary passions to those fore-named 2. The furtherances or hinderances thereof viz. I. The things which further Good hinder Evil viz. 1. Kindenesse well-pleasednesse a melting of the heart toward the thing or person which hath done us good or kept us from evil by the joynt motions of Love Desire Joy 2. Confidence staying of the heart upon any thing or person for good or deliverance from evil by a mixt work of Love Courage and Desire supporting Hope II. The things which further Evil and hinder Good from us viz. 1. Anger a motion of punishing or hurting that thing so to remove it or put it away in Hatred Grief Desire 2. Diffidence a shaking and wavering of the soul from any thing which should but cannot help him to Good or against Evil and is mixt of Fear Abomination and Hatred overthrowing Hope and pulling away the heart from them All these affections which respect good and the furtherances to it and possessors of it should be exercised on God and one also which doth look to evil because God considered as angry is the creatures greatest evil of misery I shall handle them thus among the simple Affections I shall rank three pairs under the concupiscible Appetite 1. Love and Hatred 2. Desire and Flight 3. Joy and Sorrow CHAP. XX. I. Of the Simple Affections THe two first and fundamentall Passions of all the rest are Love and Hatred 1. Love This is the master Bee which carries all the swarm with it a cardinal affection Iohn 11. 35 36. It is the opening or letting out of the heart after some Good proportionable to it self Or It is an affection by which the soul setleth it self in the liking of what is esteemed good as it is good The Schoolmen say It is not only vinculum ligans but pondus inclinans quod pondus in corporibus id amor in spiritibus Amor meus pondus meum Aug. in confess It should be an equal weight greatest to the greatest good our love to all other things should be subordinate to that Fecerunt itaque civitates duas amores duo terrenam scilicet amor sui usque ad contemptum Dei coelestem vero amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui Augustin de civitate Dei lib. 14. cap. 28. The Image of God in this affection was the placing of it on its proper object for Measure Weight Intention Order Degree God is the great and proper object of it from the knowledge of his excellencies and the sense of his ravishing goodnesse Adams heart was wholly carried to him as his chief good 1. The love of concupiscence or desire made out to the possession of God 2. The love of complacency took wonderful pleasure in him 3. The love of friendship was willing to do what God would have him 4. The love of dependance expected good from no other The soul did this 1. Freely without violence 2. Superlatively The second object of mans love in his pure condition was himself all his love to himself was to take delight in that in himself
determine the matter that is to refer themselves to Gods providence in this case and to make him their umpire is not this an abuse of him Wherefore in such coined doubts God must not be made a determiner unless we will be bold to draw him into the participation of our folly But of true and real doubts existent in nature there are also two kinds for 1. Some are trivial and of no weight 2. Some are of weight and moment I shall propound the opinion of a reverend Divine seeing the thing is much controverted and leave it to the wise to judge To put trifling and toyish differences sportful and ludicrous controversies unto Gods determination saith he is surely to abase and abuse him seeing a lot is an implicite invocation as I said where a man would abhor it to profaness to make such a prayer in word as any heart would in a trifling thing there it were also profaness to make it an act or by signes to signifie it as it is done in a lot But in differences that either of themselves or in regard of the consequents of them be of moment and weight there a lot may and must be used that peace may be setled amongst men none having to finde fault with the division unless he will be so bold and wicked as to finde fault with God So in the division of the Land of Canaan of the Priests Offices of the work of fighting and victualling the Camp a lot was used as also in the choice of an Apostle in Iudas room and of the tythe Lambe in the fold For because infinite heart-burnings and quarrels might have grown betwixt the Priest and people for Tythe Lambs if either the one should have taken or the other have given which he would and that the order of their yeaning could not certainly be known therefore that also was a matter of great weight in regard of the consequents thereof for the constant and universal order and course of tything though for the particular difference betwixt some one or other Lamb the matter was not great So the due occasion of using a lot is a real difference of some moment about the divisions of something to be divided betwixt such or such that may seem to have reason to challenge each what would best content and satisfie himself The manner of using a lot upon such occasions follows and that must be thus 1. With a reverent careful observation of Gods providence in the event of the thing and disposing of the controversie so as a mans heart may say within it self Thou Lord hast done this or that not by the wit and skill or will of any man but the hidden work of thine own providence without any such thing coming betwixt and thou hast manifested to me thy good pleasure that things should be distributed thus or thus 2. It must be used with a quiet submission of our will to Gods will so manifested giving up our selves to be ruled by that hand and providence without murmuring For seeing the disposition of a lot is of God therefore we cannot grudge at the falling of it out so or so but that we shall seem to pick a quarrel with God Hitherto of the right use of such holy actions as come to be used in and with our common affairs It follows to shew how we must order our selves in our common affairs so far forth as in them we have to do with God or any of those things by which he makes himself known to us This is double 1. Inward 2. Outward The inward also is double in regard of 1. Gods Actions 2. Our Actions That which respecteth Gods Actions is also double 1. To see him in them 2. To make a good use of them The first thing we are bound unto for the sanctifying of Gods Name is to see him in all his actions that is to take notice of him as the Authour of them informing our selves that he hath wrought them as David doth Psal. 8. 3. 118. 23. Psal. 44. 1 2 3. Psal. 18. 47 48. Iob 1. 21. Ioseph Gen. 45. 7 8. Psal. 46. 8. All things that are done in all the world natural supernatural common special of mercy of justice good bad of what kinde soever must in some sense even the bad so far as they be actions and means of good be ascribed to God and man must speedily take notice of Gods providence and working in them and say The Lord hath done this or that be it never so small or trifling for his providence extendeth to every motion of every creature seeing in him we live move and have our being 2. The second thing we are bound to in regard of Gods Actions is to make a good use of them by building up our selves thereby in the knowledge of God and in all holy affections of love fear confidence toward him and of hatred of sin love of righteousness and the like as when the people saw that great miracle wrought by the Lord by the hand of Eliah they cried out The Lord is God the Lord is God 1 King 18. 39. So David saith Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplication So David having said Psal. 33. 6 7. that God hath made all things addeth Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him for he spake and they were created So the Lord himself saith Jer. 5. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea When we see Gods Works we must see in them the clear demonstration of his Wisdome Power Justice Mercy and other holy Attributes that we may grow in knowledge of him and love and fear and other vertues Now this is a general use to be made of all but there are two special works which he useth to do to mankinde works of Mercy and Justice which require two special uses 1. A thankful receiving of the works of mercy 2. A patient and penitent bearing of corrections Thankful receiving of mercies is so to taste and feel the goodness of God in them that we provoke our selves by them to serve and obey him with more cheerfulness willingness and readiness Each benefit and blessing we enjoy must cause us to be more careful of pleasing him that gave us all those benefits and should make us renew in our minds such thoughts as these It is God which feedeth me preserveth me O why should not I respect honour love serve him Lord I will give my self to thee I will obey thee thou deservest it The duty of thankfulness is required in the first Commandment the improving of all good things to the increase of this thankfulness is a special sanctifying of Gods Name required in this Commandment Psal. 116. 12. Psal. 118. 19. He meaneth there that he will apply himself to the practice of
with grudging in the highest Communion that a creature is capable of The fourth Commandment then requireth 1. Preparation 1. General 1. Diligence in our businesse all the week 2. Discretion in our businesse all the week 3. Moderation in our businesse all the week 2. Special by fitting all things for the Sabbath on the end of the day precedent 2. Celebration of it which is both 1. Common to all for 1. Matter both to 1. Rest 1 From what 1 Labors 2 Sports 2 Who all 3 How long one whole day 2. Sanctification to do all with delight Publickly Privately 2. Manner 2. Special to Superiours to look to Inferiours Six Arguments prove the Commandment of the Sabbath to be moral 1. It was delivered to Adam before the fall when there was no Ceremony Gen. 2. 2. which is not spoken by anticipation but the context sheweth it was then sanctified to him v. 3. 2. Moses takes it for granted it was known to be moral and known before the Law was given Exod. 16. 25. 3. Unlesse this be moral there cannot be ten Commandments Deut. 10. 4. 4. God would not put a Ceremonial Law in the midst of the Morals and urge it with more words reasons repetitions and particulars then any of the Morals as he doth the Sabbath Exod. 20. 8 9 10 11. 5. Christ speaking of those daies when all the ceremonial Law was dead and buried sheweth the Sabbath stands still Matth. 24. 20. 6. The Prophet prophesying of the dayes of the Gospel when Christ should be revealed Isa. 56. 1. pronounceth a blessing on them in those times that keep the Sabbath from polluting it vers 2. and putteth the keeping of the Sabbath for the whole obedience of the Covenant vers 6. which he would not do if it were ceremonial 1 Sam. 15. 22. M. Fenner on the Command There is one general way of breaking this Commandment by denying the morality of this Law and cashiering it among other Levitical Ceremonies Indeed the Sabbath is in part ceremonial figuring both our rest of Sanctification here and glory hereafter but that contradicts not the perpetuity of it for it is not a Ceremony leading to Christ and at his coming to determine as appears Matth. 15. 17. I came not to dissolve the Law vers 19. He that shall break the least of these Commandments where each of the ten Commandments is ratified and consequently this fourth Luke 23. 56. They rested according to the Commandment and Luke writ that divers years after the Resurrection of Christ the things were done after his death when all Levitical institutions lost their power of binding Iames 2. 10. Therefore the whole Law and each principle thereof doth binde us under the Gospel as the time of instituting a particular date of time for the beginning of the Sabbath of the old Law viz. in innocency 2. The writing of it in Tables of stone 3. Putting of it into the Ark prove it moral That term is not given to any other thing in the New Testament but to the Supper and the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 1. 10. This day was so sacred among Christians that it was made the Question of inquisitors of Christianity Dominicum servasti Hast thou kept the Lords-day To which was answered Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I cannot intermit it See Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1. So much of the Commandments of the first Table enjoyning our duty to God now follow the precepts of the second Table concerning our duty to our selves and our neighbours CHAP. VI. The fifth Commandment HOnour thy Father and thy Mother that thy daies may be long upon the Land which the LORD thy God giveth thee Exod. 20. 12. THere are three things to be considered in it 1. The Subject Father and Mother 2. The Attribute Honour 3. The reason of the Precept with a promise That thy dayes may be long c. By the name of Father and Mother first and principally those are understood of whom we are begotten Heb. 12. 9. Not only Father but also Mother is expressed least any should think that for the weaknesse of her Sex and the subjection of the woman the Father only were to be honoured and not the Mother The Precept is repeated Deut. 5. 16. Levit. 19. 3. where the Mother is put first because the childe begins to know her first All Superiours also are comprehended under this Title Magistrates Gen. 41. 8 43. Ministers 2 King 2. 12. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Masters of Families 1 Kings 5. 13. Elders in years Act. 7. 2. 1 Tim. 5. 1 2. Yet God makes mention of Parents 1. That he might propound that Superiority for an example which seems most amiable and least envious For as in the negative precepts he useth odious words to deterre men from sinne so in the affirmative he chooseth words full of love by which we are to be allured to obedience 2. The same at the first in the beginning of the world were both Parents Magistrates Masters and Schoolmasters 3. He names Parents because their power and government which was the first is as it were the rule by which all others ought to be framed Hence all Superiours are taught to carry themselves as Parents and all Inferiours as children He saith Father and Mother disjoyning them to shew that there is a duty peculiar to both these persons He saith not simply Father and Mother but thy Father and Mother therefore thou shalt honour the Father because he is thy Father of whom thou art begotten and bred therefore thou shalt honour the Mother because by her not without sorrow and pain thou wast brought into this life Whatsoever they be they are therefore to be honoured because they are thy Parents The Law-giver sets down the duty of the childe toward the Father and not the duty of the Father toward the childe because the affection of a Father toward the childe is naturally greater and hath lesse need of incitements then that of a childe toward the Father Amor descendit non ascendit It is proper to love to descend not ascend the reason is because love began in heaven God was the first that loved Charity I say begins in heaven and descends on the earth and in this it differs from faith which begins on earth and ends in heaven The Inferiour is commanded rather then the Superiour because the Inferiour hath more cause to neglect his duty then the other it is easier to be honoured then to give honour 2. The Attribute Honour The Hebrew word in Kal signifieth to be heavy in Piel to honour because we do not esteem them as light or vile whom we honour It signifies not only a right esteem of the excellency and prerogative of Parents and a right judgement of their person and office manifested also by outward signs of reverence but love and obedience
him before reason gave direction Jâ—hn 11. 33. neither did they proceed any further if once reason and judgement commanded a stay and retreat whence they are called Propassions rather then passions because they are beginnings of passions to be staid at full and perfect leisure and therefore much lesse had they any power to transport judgement and reason it self Dr Field of the Church l. 5. c. 18. Iure pruientissimus Deus animis nostris indidit affectus ut sint quasi adminicula ad praeclaras actiones Quod enim ventus navigio â—d nobis affectus in quorum temperic animi nostri tranquillitas imò vitae hujus soelicitas consistit Ves. Instit. orat l. 2. cap. 1. Sect. 2. Tres affectus vel ut ita dicam tres furiae sunt quae in animis hominum tantas perturbationes ciunt interdum cogunt ita delinquere ut nec famae nec periculi sui respectum habere permittant Ira quae vindictam cupit Avaritia quae desiderat opâ—s Libido quae appetit voluptates Lact. Divin Inslit Epit. lib. de vero cultu l. 6. Gal 6. 14. Vide Dudleii Fenneri Sac. Theolog. l. 2. c. 2. The affections are specificated per actus objecta say the Schoolmen Two things perfect every faculty and grace when they take in the whole object and exercise perfect acts upon it Jam. 1. 4. Spiritual and eternal objects are of great compasse 2. When they act freely and fully on these objects answerable to the nature of them love God with all the heart soul strength it notes not only all the faculties but the intention of them Psal. 119. 20. The affections are 1. Disingaged from lusts and creatures to which they were wholly inthralled 2. Set upon God and the things that are above Lphes 2. 6. Col. 3. 3. 3. Grace composeth the affections that could never agree one with another before conversion hope and fear joy and grief humility and resolution were repugnant one to another but after conversion when the soul is most full of hope of heaven one is most afraid to displease God spiritual joy and grief sweetly agree Psal. 2. 11. Moderation and zeal Numb 12. 3. yet Moses was all on fiâ—e when God was dishonoured humility and resolution also accord none more humble nor yet more resoluâ—â— then Paul after his conversion 4. The desires are satisfied yet exceedingly inlarged Iehu's zeal and â—hab's mourning had not a holy motive Almost all the signs of a good man in Scripture are taken from the affections they love the Lord hate evil desire that which is good hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Christ takes content in the affections of his people Simon Peter lovest thou me See how she loves me much was forgiven Mary Magdalen because she loved much Psal. 86. 11. See Jer. 32. 39 Affectus uâ— optimè Thomas Aquinas disserit vel locum habent in facultate concupiscibili vel irasctbili In concupiscibili sedem obtinent sex affectus nam si offerat se res bona oritur ejus amor ac si absens sit desiderium cjus existit ubi verò iliud consecuti sumus gaudium exsurgit seu delectatio It idem si quid se obtulerit sub specie mali ejus nascitur odium quod amori opponitur si malum absit fuga seu aversatio ejus erit quae repugnat desiderio sin malum praesâ—ns erit exoritur dolor sinc tristitia quae gaudio adversatur At affectus qui in irascibili sedem habeant quinque numero sunt duo ratione boni tres ratione mali Nam bonum arduum quod irascibilis facultas respicit vel ejusmodi est ut aliquis se credat illud consequi posse atque exoritur spes vel tale est ut credat aliquis se id non valere adipisci ac nascitur desperatio Ratione verò boni ardui praesentis nulius in irascibili est motus quia quod quis jam obtinet ardui habere rationem defiit Ratione autem mali ardui tres exsurgunt affectus quia autem malum arduum est absens aut praesens Si absens vel refugimus est metas sive formido vel obviam ei imus est audacia Sin praesens sit fuerit ira qua exardescimus ad malum depellendum Voss. Institut orat l. 2 c. 1 Sect. 3. Vide Aquin. 1a 2ae Quaest. 23. Art 1 2. Objecta passionum appetitus concupiscibilis sunt bonum malum absolutè objecta auteÌ„ passionum appetitus irascibilis sunt bonum malum cum quadam elevatione arduitate Aquin. 1a 2ae Quaest. 46. Artic. 3. The simple affections are 1. Love Hatred 2. Joy Sorrow 3. Desire Flight 4. Hope Despair 5. Fear Courage Pretium hominis amor Nerembergius A man is worth no more then his love Si terram amas terra es si Deum amas quidâ—i dicerem Deus es Aug. To love God is to become godly and to have the mind after a sort deified 2 Pet. 1. 4. To love the world is to become a worldling The Schools mention three kindes of love which indeed are rather three effects of love 1. Love of benevolence whereby one wisheth and so farre as he can procureth the welfare of the thing loved 2. Love of concupiscence by which it is carried with a longing to be united to the thing loved or to enjoy it 3. Love of complacency by which the soul is satisfied contented and made to rest in the thing loved when it doth enjoy it So when our hearts so cleave to God as the chief Good that we wish all Glory Honour Felicity to him and long to enjoy him and be satisfied so far as we have power or hope of enjoying him Two things draw out our affections towards good things 1. The good that comes by them 2. The good that is in them a wicked man may love good things for the good that comes by them a godly man for the good that is in them Two things draw out our affections against evil things 1. The evil that comes by them so a wicked man may be affected with the evil that comes by them Exod. 10. 17. Act. 8. 24. a godly man is affected with the evil that is in them he loves God and hates sin for it self Hos. 14. 1 2. 2 Sam. 24. 25. Luk. 15. 18. Zech. 12. 10. Jer. 31. 19. The love we owe to God is setling our hearts in the liking of him as the chief and in a manner the only good Deut. 6. 5. Matth. 22. 37. the main intent of that precept is to shew what love is appropriated to God we must not love any person or thing with all our hearts this is proper only to God There are two things in the precept 1. The extension of parts the heart soul minde strength 2. The intention of degrees our understanding must think of God our will cleave to him our love fear confidence delight must be carried out to
the minde of God and of goodnesse to the will of God the first truth and goodnesse is in him those passages therefore in some mens writings had need to be well weighed Quaedam volita quia bona quaedam bona quia volita God wils some things because they are good as if some things were antecedently good to the will of God His will is the rule of all goodnesse Non ideo volitum quia bonum sed ideo bonum quia volitum The power of grace mainly consists in a ready submission to the will of God Reason 1. Grace is the Law written in the heart Ier. 31. 33. when there is a disposition there suitable to every Commandment Praebendo vires efficacissimas voluntati saith Augustine 2. The highest subjection of the soul to God is the subjection of the will He will be obeyed as well as worshipped as a God 1. You are his servants his will should be subdued to his Masters ends he is to have no will of his own 2. You are said to be married to God Hos. 2. 19. The woman is to subject her will to her husband Gen. 3. 16. 3. Because the act of the will only is the act of the man Actus voluntatis est actus suppositi Psal. 119. 30. that is an act of a man which if he were free he would choose to do Psal. 40. 6. 4. The main power of sinne lies in the will the blame is still laid upon that Israel would have none of me you will not come to me that you may have life I would and you would not I am bound saith Augustine Meaferrea voluntate 5. The main work of the Spirit in the omnipotency of it is seen in subduing the will Eph. 1. 19. Psal. 110. 3. 6. Our sanctification shall be perfect when our wils shall be perfectly subjected to God Heb. 12. 23. We should be careful 1. To do his will cheerfully speedily sincerely constantly a Christian makes God in Christ his portion that is his faith and the word of God his rule that is his obedience 3. Be patient under the hand of God in all afflictions for nothing can befall us but that which is the good pleasure of our heavenly Father 3. We should not depart from the Word of God but make that the warrant of all our actions for there is nothing sinne but what God forbiddeth and nothing acceptable but what he commandeth A man may with a good will will that which God nils as if a good Sonne desire his Fathers life whom God would have die and one may will with an ill will that which God wils with a good will as if an ill Sonne should desire his Fathers death which God also wils 4. Pry not into the Lords secrets they belong not unto thee but be wise unto Sobriety 5. We should be afraid to sinne against God who can punish how he will when he will and where he will God wils seriously the conversion of all men by the preaching of the Word Voluntate approbationis by way of allowance but not Voluntate effectionis intentionis not effectually by way of full intention to work it in them It is one thing to approve of an end as good another thing to will it with a purpose of using all means to effect it Gods Commandments and Exhortations shew what he approves and wils to be done as good but his promises or threatnings shew what he intendeth effectually to bring to passe Under Gods will are comprehended affections which are attributed to God and are divers motions of his will according to the diversity of Objects Yet they are not sudden and vehement perturbations of God as they are in man rising and falling as occasion serves but constant fixed tranquil and eternal Acts and Inclinations of the will according to the different nature of things either contrary or agreeable to it There are in man some habitual and perpetual affections as love and hatred much more hath the Eternal will of God Eternal affections whiles it moves it self to the objects without alteration impression and passion God is so far affected toward particulars as they agree or disagree with the universal and immutable notions and Idaeas of good existing in God from Eternity so God hates evil and loves good both in the abstract and universal Idaea and also in the concrete in particular subject as farre as it agrees with the general CHAP. VIII Of Gods Affections his Love Hatred THe Affections which the Scripture attributes to God are 1. Love which is an act of the Divine Will moving it self both to the most excellent good in it self and to that excelling in the reasonable creature approving it delighting in it and doing good to it Iohn 6. 16 35. Rom. 5. 8. In which definition two things are to be noted 1. The Object of Gods Love 2. The Effect or Manner of Gods Love The primary object of Gods Love is himself for he taketh great pleasure in himself and is the Author of greatest felicity and delight to himself The Father Son and holy Ghost love one another mutually Matth. 3. 17. and 17. 5. Iohn 3. 33 35. and 5. 20. and 10. 17. and 15. 9. and 17. 24. The secondary Object of Gods love is the reasonable creature Angels and men For though he approve of the goodnesse of other things yet he hath chosen that especially to prosecute with his chiefest love for these Reasons 1. For the excellency and beauty of the reasonable creature when it is adorned with its due holinesse 2. Because between this onely and God there can be a mutual reciprocation of love since it onely hath a sense and acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse 3. Because God bestows Eternity on that which he loves but the other creatures besides the rational shall perish Gods love to Christ is the foundation of his love to us Matth. 3. 17. Ephes. 1. 6. God loves all creatures with a General Love Matth. 5. 44 45. as they are the work of his hands but he doth delight in some especially whom he hath chosen in his Son Iohn 3. 16. Ephes. 1. 6. Psal. 106. 4. God loves his Elect before they love him his Love is actual and real in the purpose of it to them from Eternity There are four expressions in Scripture to prove this 1. He loves his people before they have the life of grace Ephes. 4. 5. 1 Iohn 4. 19. Rom. 5 8. 2. Before they have the life of nature Rom. 9. 11. 3. Before the exhibition of Christ Iohn 3. 16. 4. Before the foundation of the world was laid Ephes. 1. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Therefore God loves the Elect more than the Reprobate and our love is not the motive of his love Object How could God love them when they were workers of iniquity Hab. 1. 13. Psal. 5. 3 4. He loved their persons but hated their works and wayes God loved Christs person yet was angry with him when
in nummo aliter in Filio Augustine The Image of God in which man was created is the conformity of man unto God 1. In his soul. 2. In his body for his soul. 3. In the whole person for the union of both The soul of a man is conformable to God in respect of its Nature Faculties and Habits First In respect of its Nature Essence or Being as it is a spiritual and immortal Substance The Scripture witnesseth 1. That the soul of a man is a spirit Mat. 27. 20. Acts 7. 59. as appears by comparing the 1 Pet. 4. 19. with Heb. 12. 9. in Peter God is called The Creator of souls in the Hebrews The Father of spirits in the same sense 2. That it is immortal 2 Cor. 5. 8. Phil. 1. 21 22. 2 Pet. 1. 14. The Sadduces indeed denied the immortality of the soul this opinion of theirs began on this occasion Antigonus Sochaeus the Disciple of Simeon the just said We must not serve God for hope of reward or wages Hence his Disciples Sadok and Baithos took occasion to teach that there is no reward or punishment after this life whereas Antigonus meant that there ought to be in us so great love of the Divine Majesty and of vertue it self that we should be willing to serve God and ready to suffer any thing without looking for any reward or wages Reasons of its immortality 1. Because it cannot be destroyed by any second cause Mat. 10. 28. 2. Being severed from the body it subsists by it self and goes to God Eccl. 12. 7. Luk. 16. 22. 3. Because it is a simple and immaterial substance not depending on matter the minde works the better the more it is abstracted from the body when it is asleep or dying 4. Because it transcends all terrene and mortal things and with a wonderful quicknesse searcheth after heavenly divine and eternal things There is an invincible argument for the thing secretly imprinted in the instinct and conscience of the soul it self Because it is every good mans hope that it shall be so and wicked mans fear 5. The food of the soul is immortal 1 Pet. 1. 23. the evident promises of eternal life prove the soul to be immortal He that beleeveth in me hath eternal life and To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Nothing can satisfie the soul but God 6. Man is capable of vertue and vice of immortal desires and affections 7. The souls of Adam and Eve were not made of any matter but came by immediate Creation in whom God gave a specimen what he would perpetually do with other men That is but a cavil that Solomon Eccl. 12. 7. speaks only of our first Parents See Dr Rainolds of the Passions c. 34. Children are called the fruit of their Parents body to note that they are only fathers of their flesh they have another namely God which is Father of their spirits S. Paul teacheth it Heb. 12. 9. and the use of it And this checks their opinion who will have souls propagated no lesse then bodies Many collect the immortality of the soul and salvation of Iobs children because they were not doubled as the rest of his estate was The soul of man is as it were the breath of God God did not say of mans soul as of other creatures Let it be made Let there be a soul in mans body No but when he had formed the body he breathed the soul into him It was to note that the soul of man had a more heavenly and divine original then any of the other creatures that are here in this world Vide Bellarm. de Amis gratiae lib. 4. cap. 11. See Sir Walter Rawleighs Ghost lib. 2. per totum And Master Rosse his Philos. Touchstone Conclusion 2. The soul of man is conformable to God in respect of its faculties in its Understanding Will and Memory is like the Trinity 3. In the Qualities Graces and admirable endowments of it In the Understanding there was First An exact knowledge of God and all Divine things Col. 3. 10. Knowledge is a principal part of Gods Image by reason he was inabled to conceive of things spiritual and universal Secondly A perfect Knowledge of all inferiour things Adam knew Eve and imposed names on the creatures sutable to their natures He had most exquisite prudence in the practical part of his understanding in all doubtful cases He knew what was to be done 2. In the Will there was holinesse Ephes. 4. 24. God had the highest place in his soul his glory was his end His liberty then stood not in this that he could stand or fall a possibility to sin is no perfection Thirdly The image of God in our affections stood in four things 1. All the affections were carried to their proper objects Adam loved feared and desired nothing but what God had commanded him to love fear and desire 2. They were guided by a right rule and carried in a due proportion to their objects Adam loved not his wife more then God 3. They were voluntary affections he loved a thing because his will made choise of it 4. They were whetstones of the soul in acting From this Image did necessarily follow peace with God fellowship and union He knew God to be his Creator and to love him in all good things he enjoyed God and tasted his sweetnesse Mans body also after a sort is an Image of Divine Perfection Observe first The Majestical form of it of which the Heathens took notice by the structure of the body a man should be taught to contemn the earth which his feet tread upon and to set his heart upon Heaven whether his eyes naturally tend It was convenient for man to have an erect stature 1. Because the senses were given to man not only to procure the necessaries of life as they were to other living creatures but also to know 2. That the inward faculties may more freely exercise their operations whiles the brain is elevated above all the parts of the body Aquinas part 1. Quaest. 91. Artic. 3. he gives two more reasons there of it Secondly Gods artifice in it Psal. 139. 15. Thou hast curiously wrought me and I was wonderfully made Vide Lactantium de opificio Dei Materiam superabat opus of the basest matter dust God made the noblest creature Thirdly The serviceablenesse of every part for its end and use Fourthly There is matter of humiliation because it was made of the dust Gen. 3. 19. Iob 14. 18 19. 5. 15. The Greek name makes man proud cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids him aspire look up but the Hebrew and Latine humble him bids him stoop look down Adams body was mortal conditionally if he had not eaten of the Tree there could be no outward cause of his death for Gods protection kept that off nor no inward cause because original righteousnesse was in his soul and for old age
race of men besides and so God is satisfied by his sufferings and obedience so that he may be and is in justice ready to forgive the sins of men for his sake Hence we are said to be the righteousnesse of God not of man or Angels because it is such a righteousnesse as God accepts of as equivalent to that dishonour offered him by sin This may seem to have been signified by the fabrique of the Ark Table Incense Altar all which signified Christ for they were all made of Wood even Shittim-wood a Wood not subject to corruption but this Wood was overlaid with gold to expresse that the meannesse of the humanity was hidden out of Gods sight and the excellency of the Deity causeth the Church to be so acceptable to the Father and to come so near unto him Therefore the Apostle saith That God redeemed us with his own bloud had it not been Gods bloud we should not have been washed from our sins by it So the Scape-goat carried away all the sinnes into the wildernesse the Goat that was slain did it not This Scape-goat signified the God-head which though it self did not suffer yet made the sufferings of the humanity available to wash away our sins as one man of great quality and place is sit to be set in balance with ten thousand common souldiers and his life alone fit to be a ransome for them all so it is in this case else we could never have been redeemed Thirdly Christ must do some things after his Redemption which cannot be done but by God he must pour forth the gift of his Spirit upon us baptizing us with the holy Ghost as Iohn Baptist taught and none can send the Spirit of God into the hearts of whom he will but he that is God Again He must overcome sinne in us and Satan for us and guide and govern his Church to eternal life through all the multitude of those enemies which lie in wait to hinder their salvation which no lesse power and wisdom could do then the power and wisdom of God even infinite wisdom and infinite power He must vanquish principalities and powers that must save us so could none but God himself Lastly It made most for the commendation and honour of Gods infinite grace that he would imploy so eminent a person in the businesse of our Redemption being a work of so iufinite abasement and difficulty Suppose that some Angel had been able to do this work and to do it perfectly yet it more exalts the excellency of Gods love to mankinde which he intended to shew in this work that he might convince Satan of lying when he chargeth him with not loving men that he would seek no meaner person but his own and onely Sonne Herein is the love of God made manifest that he sent his Sonne into the world and herein is love that he loved us and gave his Sonne to be a propitiation for our sins As a King might equally dispatch a businesse for the ransoming of his servant by a meaner Person if he would but to grace him the more and to shew greater respect to him he effecteth that treaty by the most honourable personage of the Court. We give the best gift we have to them we love most though another might serve the turn so God gave the best thing he had or could give to redeem us his onely Sonne So much of this that Christ is God and how and why he must be God CHAP. III. Of CHRISTS being Man NOw I am to shew in the next place that he was man Christ is set forth three wayes in the Scripture 1. Christus in promisso so the Patriarchs and Saints beheld him under the old Covenant he was set forth unto Adam in the seed of the woman Gen. 3. 15. to Abraham as the seed in whom all Nations are blessed to Iacob as Sâ—iloh to Iob as Goel to David as the Messiah to Zachary as the man whose name is the Branch to Malachi as the Sunne of Righteousnesse with healing in his wings 2. Christus in carne 1 Joh. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 3. Christus in Evangelio Christ as he is discovered and set forth in the Gospel that is the glasse wherein we behold the glory and excellency of Christ 2 Cor. 3. 18. But I am now to speak of his Incarnation or his being a true man 1. He had the name of a man 2. He came of the race of mankinde He is called Man 1 Tim 2. 5. Luk. 23. 47. The Son of man Dan. 7. 13. Matth. 8. 20. 16. 13. Mark 10. 45. Apoc. 1. 13. This the Scripture foretold before in saying That the seed of the woman should crush the Serpents head and that in the seed of Abraham all Nations should be blessed and that a branch should spring out of the root of Iâ—sse Therefore the Apostle saith He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh And he that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God More particularly Christ is called The Son of Mary Luke 1. 31 44. the holy Ghost goes further and shews of what Tribe he was Heb. 7. 14. nay of what family Rom. 1. 3. 2. He had the birth and growth of a man he was conceived in the womb of his mother as a man Luke 1. 31. He was born in the usual time as a man Luk. 2. 7. swadled like a man Luk. 2. 12. He grew up as a man both in respect of body and minde Luk. 2. 40 52. and therefore he was a true man 3. The same thing is proved evidently by the story of the Gospel which ascribes to him the parts the sufferings the actions and affections that are peculiar to man He had the essential parts of a man a body as it was written A body thou hast given me and they took his body from the crosse and laid it in a sepulchre a soul Matth. 20. 28. 26. 35 38. Luke 23. 46. Iohn 10. 15. 5. 21. Knowledge Understanding Wisdom and Will which are proper to the reasonable soul are given unto him He did dispute and reason He had the integral parts of a man as bones flesh hands and feet They pierced his hands and his feet A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have They crowned his head with a crown of thorns and one of the souldiers thrust a spear into his side and forthwith came out water and bloud he lift up his eyes to Heaven he kneeled on his knees and prayed sure he was very man that had all the parts of a man 4. He had the infirmities which accompany the whole nature of mankinde He was Hungry Matth. 4. 2. Thirsty Iohn 4. 7. Wept Iohn 11. 35. was Weary he died as other men do giving up the Ghost Iohn 19. 30. 5. He had the actions of a man he sate down to meat he drank of the fruit of the
tell of it and St Luke again in the Acts of the Apostles Mark hath it thus Chap. 16. 19. He was received up into Heaven Luk. thus Chap. 24. 51. He was parted from them and caught up into Heaven Again in Acts 1. 9 10 11. While he spake thus he was taken up and a Cloud received him up out of their sight Now this Ascension be fell fourty dayes after his Resurrection Act. 1 3. when he had conversed with them and informed them of all things necessary for their Apostolical function both that he might thus confer with them of all such necessary things and that by often shewing himself he might give sufficient and undeniable proof of his Resurrection And after this was done Luke telleth how an Angel spake to them about it and told them of his returning again and that the Heavens should contain him till the time appointed Thus did he fulfill the Prophecy that went before concerning this matter for David had said long before Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast given gifts unto men This was also typed by the High-Priests entring into the most holy place upon atonement day after the Sacrifice of expiation offered therefore Christ the true High-Priest entered into the holy place not made with hands even into very Heaven there to appear before God for us Heb. 6. 20. 7. 26. 84. The cause of his ascending was because the earth was no fit place for a person so glorious to abide in for either he must shew forth that glory of his and then men could not have endured to converse with him or else he must not shew it forth and then he had deprived himself of his deserved glory Wherefore it was necessary that he should betake himself to a place and company capable of that glory even into the highest Heavens where he might enjoy and declare that infinite great glory which his Father was to bestow upon him for a reward of his sufferings And this his Ascension was even a taking possession of that glorious estate for us that we might be fully assured of his drawing us his members after him that at last in due time we might be where he is to behold his glory and therefore he told his Disciples That he went to prepare a place for them and that in the fit season he would return again to take them with him that head and body might be both together And in the mean space this his Ascension is become a means of drawing our hearts after him to a longing desire of being with him that we might set our affections on things above where Christ our Head is For seeing Christ our Lord did leave earth to go into Heaven it is evident that Earth is a far meaner place and Heaven a far more excellent Wherefore it is necessary for us to raise up our hearts to that which is the most happy place and state Now the third Degree of his Glorification follows that is His sitting down at the right hand of his Father whereof many Scriptures also make mention Heb. 10. 12. 1. 3 12. 2. 8. 1. Ephes. 1. 20. Now this is a figurative kinde of speech and denoteth the high advancement of his humanity next to the Divinity above all other creatures both in respect of admirable gifts and boundlesse authority For to be at Gods right hand signifieth a state of excellent glory as he that is next the King in honour standeth or sitteth at his right hand Gen. 48. 18. 1 King 2. 19. Psal. 45. 9. Matth. 20. 20 21. This is called a sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high it is the dwelling of the fulnesse of the God-head in him bodily in that very body of Christ the God-head hath poured forth all sorts of excellencies as much as a creature is possibly capable of and he is actually invested with all power in Heaven and Earth Christ hath a Name above all names farre above all Principalities and Powers and Thrones and Dominions Where he must abide till he make all his enemies his foot-stool Our Lord Jesus Christ is adorned with more abundance of Wisdom Power Goodnesse Love Joy Mercy Holinesse and whatsoever qualities tend to make him in whom they are excellent glorious and happy then all the creatures of God laid together so that all the heavenly Army worship and adore him and cast themselves down at his feet and are most ready to yield him absolute and perfect obedience knowing him to be preferred by his Father to that Dignity That so he might receive a most ample reward for that exceeding great abasement to the lower parts of the earth to which he did voluntary submit himself for his Fathers glory sake and that he might become a fit Head and King to his Church able to guide and rule them at all times and to sub due all their and his enemies under him and them Dan. 2. 44. 7. 14 27. Mar. 14. 62. Rom. 8. 3. Ephes. 1. 21 22. I should now speak of Christs judging the quick and dead at his second coming which some Divines make the last degree of his glory but there will be a fitter place to handle that elsewhere I shall therefore in the next place draw some usefull Corollaries from the Glorification of our blessed Saviour FIRST We must labour so seriously to contemplate this unutterable glory of our Head Christ Jesus till we be translated into the same image from glory to glory endeavouring to shew forth the power of his Resurrection and Ascension in rising to newnesse of life and in ascending up on high in our desires and affections We must be raised up together with him and with him sit together in heavenly places If the Resurrection of Christ have not a powerful impression on our souls to make us rise out of the filthy grave and rotten Sepulchre of a wicked life to a holy and godly conversation If his Ascension and sitting at his Fathers right hand have not a like powerful impression upon our souls to raise us up to all heavenlinesse of minde making us in desire and will even as it were to ascend after him and sit there with him the bare saying that we beleeve these Articles shall little avail to our happinesse I beseech you therefore let us all endeavour to make a practical use of these heavenly and supernatural truths which are revealed to us Christ is risen say to thy self why do not I rise with him from all loosnesse vanity wickednesse uncleannesse injustice and abominable lusts Christ is ascended and hath taken his place in Heaven Why do not I cast off all earthly base affections and lift up my soul and aspire to that high-place We say we love Christ and that we are his members let us shew our love to him and union with him by being thus made conformable to his Resurrection and Ascension
gap Ieremiah prayed so much and earnestly for the people till God was even fain to discharge him Paul almost in every Epistle tels them to whom he writeth That he maketh mention of them in his prayers and the Apostle tels the Colossians that Epaphras a Minister of theirs did labour for them fervently in his prayers Reasons 1. It is one of the most excellent means to make their other labours prosperous by procuring a blessing upon them from God 2. This is the next way to provoke in his heart a holy Christian and spiritual love of them Let any man accustom to pray to God fervently for any person and it will increase an holy and heavenly affection to them as much as any one thing in the world graces grow and increase by exercise prayer is an exercise of love and charity 3. This is the best way to prevent discouragement in ones labours We may communicate with evil Ministers See 1 Sam. 3. 12 25. 30. 1. Our Saviour hath taught us to hold communion with wicked men for the godly's sake that were among them Yea with such as were tied in the cords of sinne with such as did manifestly live and die in their sins without repentance Iohn 8. 21 59. with Luk. 22. 7 8. Of the Brownists Mr Paget in his Arrow against the Separatists Chap. 8. shews That both Ainsworth and Barrow hold that Baptism administred by Papists is to be retained Ministers must be faithful in their Calling Christ was a merciful and faithful high-Priest His faithfulnesse consists in these things First In revealing the whole counsel of God Acts 20. 27. and only the counsel of God Secondly In dwelling among their people and using their best indeavour to know them well Prov. 27. 23. Iohn 10. 14. Acts 20. 20 28. Phil. 2. 19. 1 Thess. 3. 5. Col. 4. 8. Heb. 13. 17. One saith It is but the least part of a Ministers work which is done in the Pulpit Paul taught them from house to house day and night with tears Act. 20. 29 31. To go daily from house to house to see how they live Ministers must be themselves of an unblameable life Matth. 5. 13. Act. 20. 28. 4. 12. 5. 22. They must frame their lives answerable to their Doctrine This was typed by Aarons Urim and Thummim which he was to carry in the Brest-plate upon his heart for the one betokened Light and Verity of Doctrine the other Uprightnesse and Integrity of life The same was also signified by the golden Bels and Pomegranates hanging round about upon the hemme of his priestly vestment for the Bels are no other then the sound of wholsom preaching and the Pomegranates then the fruits of good living Peaceable not given to sutes and contentions with the people 1 Tim. 3. 3. They should be couragious and bold as Luther Painful Their Calling is a labour 1 Thess. 2. 9. and a travel 2 Thes. 3. 8. Those that labour in the Word and Doctrine I laboured more abundantly then they all Send forth labourers into thy harvest Verbi Minister es hoc age was Mr Perkins Motto See 2 Tim. 4. 1. He must be diligent and painfull both in Study and Preaching Melancthon said there were three hard labours Regentis Docentis Parturientis I have heard it as a certain truth concerning Reverend Mr Bains that every Sermon cost him as much in his sense as he thought as it did ordinarily cost a woman to bring a childe into the world I travel in birth till I see Iesus Christ formed in you Chrysostome saith The work of a Minister is more laborious then that of a Carpenter When he hath wrought hard all day he goes home and comes again in the morning and findes his work as he left it but we hew and take pains and leave our people and come again and finde them worse then before The Honour and Dignity of this Function Although the Ministery above all Callings be most subject to the contempt and disgrace of prophane men yet the Function is a worthy and excellent work and as God himself hath greatly honoured them so can they not but be honoured of all those who are the children of God 1. The subject of this Office is the souls of men their far better and more worthy part the spiritual immortal and most heavenly part of man other functions are conversant about the body or estate 2. The proper end of this is to procure Gods greatest glory in subduing souls to him and in bringing men to the greatest happinesse whereof they are capable even to grace here and glory hereafter This is to establish the spiritual Kingdom of grace in the hearts of men to convert them to God and make them heirs of everlasting happinesse At the last day shall Andrew come in with Achaia by him converted to the saving knowledge of the truth Iohn with Asia Thomas with India Peter with the Jews and Paul with the Gentiles See 1 Thes. 2. 19. A Minister is called a man of God 1 Sam. 9. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 1. 2. 3 17. His chief busines is to deal with God and to be his Messenger unto men the man of his counsel who was admitted to be familiarly with him yea whose whole life was to be consecrated to a speciaâ—â—ttendance upon God and his special service of making his waies known unto the sons of men They are called Messengers of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2. 7. Embassadours of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. Angels of the Churches Fathers of their people 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. God tels Levi he will be his inheritance Deut. 10. 8 9. God protects them Revel 2. Christ holds the Starres in his hand We are commanded to receive them in the Lord to hold them in reputation to esteem them very highly for their works sake to hold them worthy double honour and to obey them Good men have loved faithful Ministers 2 Chron. 30. 22. 31. 4. 35. 2. Mat. 10. 11. Act. 16. 15. Aquila and Priscilla preferred Pauls safety before their own Obadiah hid the Prophets with the hazard of his life 1 King 18. 4. See against the contempt of them as Ministers 2 Chron. 36. 16. Luk. 10. 16. Of their Maintenance A sufficient maintenance is due to the Minister 1 Cor. 9. 9 10 14 15. The stipend of Ministers must be sufficient honourable and stable but the quota pars is not determined 1 Tim. 5. 17. Honour there is maintenance the Elder is the Minister If they be worthy to receive then it is not in the pleasure of man to pay as he list If the maintenance must be honourable then it must not be of benevolence for that is commonly both scant and uncertain which is a thing miserable not honourable Tenuitatem beneficiorum sequitur ignorantia Sacerdotum It is a great Question An decimae Ministris jure divino sint solvendae The Schoolmen are generally for the negative
Pet. 1. 12. Iam. 2. 19. 3. Sensible 1. Because they have their operation chiefly on the sensitive part of man manifest themselves there and forcible because they move with force 1 Chron. 29. 3. 4. According to the object propounded Affections are but the shaping or forming of the will in several motions according to the object presented Their use is to shunne evil and pursue good The manner of doing is by certain stirrings motions workings of the bloud and spirit about the heart They are commonly called passions Iam. 5. 17. because they imprint some passion on the body by working In the infancy they are affections in the youth and age passions when they over-rule reason perturbations Passions abstractively considered are neither good nor bad morally but as they are determined to this or that object as they are in man the subject who is wholly flesh and dead in sinne his affections and passions are defiled with sinne as well as the understanding and the will The Papists though they say the superiour faculties of the soul like the upper region are altogether clear and undefiled yet the inferiour faculty viz. the sensitive appetite in which are lodged the affections they say is vitiated with sin Their sinfulnesse appears 1. In that they are not carried to the right object the object of love was God and his Law of hatred sin now these passions are clean contrary 2. If to the right object then inordinately they cannot joy but overjoy love but overlove Ephes. 4. 26. 3. There is a contrariety in them this is implied in that Phil. 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be careful for nothing the word implies a tearing and torturing of the heart 4. In their distraction this differeth from contrariety that is when one passion sets against another this when one passion is too inordinately set upon his object then the other cannot do his proper office because the heart is finite the Apostle would have us hear and pray without wrath since the heart hereby is so distracted that it cannot attend 5. The importunity of passion Ahab fell sick because of Naboths vineyard Quicquid volunt valde volunt 6. Their tyranny over the will and understanding Iam. 1. 14. 7. Their incertainty and inconstancy as Ammon loathed Tamar after he had his desire more then he liked her before To be above passions will be our happinesse in heaven rightly to order them should be our great care here First The Scripture bids us not cast off but rectifie our affections Colos. 3. 1. 1 Iohn 2. 15. Secondly They are natural faculties planted in the soul by God himself and so in themselves good Christ which was free from all sinne was not without affections He was angry did grieve rejoyce Now we must not dare to abuse any power which he did sanctifie Thirdly Affections rightly ordered much further and help our course in godlinesse If we joy not in prayer delight not in obedience the work is tedious but good affections make the work delightsom they are spurs in our sides which whosoever wanteth goes on but in a dull and slow pace Fourthly Manifold are the evils which come from disordered passions 1. They blinde the judgment Perit omne judicium cum res transit ad affectum Impedit ira animum ne possit cernere verum If the Spectacles be of green or red glasse all things through them seem to be of the same colour 2. They seduce the will for the will sometimes is guided by reason it is often also carried away by passion 3. They fill the heart with inward unquietnesse they interrupt prayers 1 Pet. 5. 7. and hinder the working of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 1. They disturb reason and hinder a man in Meditation whereby his heart is quieted When fear anger jealousie begin to stirre then is judgement disturbed and hindered Again these passions fight one with another fear with anger and anger with fear joy with sadnesse and sadnesse with joy one passion carries a man one way and another another way Passion can never be satisfied 4. They often when they are excessive hurt the body some by immoderate joy have ended their dayes because the spirits slie out too suddenly to the object and so leave the heart destitute of them more by grief and fear because the bloud and spirits so hastily slie to the heart that they choak it anger hath stopt many a mans breath envy is the rottennesse of the bones The regenerate man is renewed in all his passions as we may see in Davids love Psal. 119. 9. in his hatred Psal. 130. 22. in his desire Psal. 35. 9. in his fear Psal. 119. 120. in his delight Psal. 119. 6. Psal. 16. 2. in his sorrow Psal. 119. 138. Some make zeal to be sanctified anger There are in repentance melting affections sorrow for sinne Zech. 12. 10 11 12. shame before God Ezra 9. 6. Lam. 3. 29. 3. sear of offending him Prov. 28. 14. Marks of sanctified affections 1. They must be universal carried to all good and against all evil Some love to hear the Word some to reade some to pray but they are not as carefull to subdue passion they will be angry pettish discontented they will give way to doubting The affections are regular when they are set on their right objects inlarged when they take in the whole object He that loves God loves whole God loves him not only as gracious merciful but as just holy faithful he that hates sin hates all the evil of it Ephes. 3. 18. 2. They are subjected to grace in the rise measure and continuance of them they must rise and fall ebbe and slow at the command of faith according to the nature of the thing presented Faith will make us affect things according as the Lord doth in cases which concern his glory affections must be raised up to the highest pitch Adams passions were subject to reason 1. In their rise they were commanded by him 2. In their measure 3. In their continuance 3. Sanctified affections do constantly and most immediately discover themselves in Meditations projects inward desires and indeavours of the soul if thy thoughts of sin be pleasant thou hatest it not 4. The true metal of Sanctification is sincerity and the edge of it zeal in every faculty Motives to get the affections sanctified 1. All Christians are really as their affections are and God judgeth of them by their affections A man that is carnal in his affections is judged a carnal man and one who hath his affection set on heavenly things is judged a spiritual man I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine he doth not say I am Christs and Christ is mine 2. Without sanctified affections one is no Christian at all Deut. 5. 29. 3. Most of the Gospel promises are made to the affections Mat. 4. 6. and so to love fear delight and confidence in God 4. Holy and enlarged affections from God are one
which was most lovely Gods Image in himself Thirdly All the rest of the creatures save the Devil as any creatures did set out Gods glory or was a means to bring him to the fruition of the chief good all creatures were loved in a sweet order and subordination to God 2. The Image of the Devil in our love First This love of God is wholly rooted out of the heart naturally men are haters of God 1. We have no desire to enjoy him we like not to walk in the wayes that may bring us near God 2. For complacency we would not have God to be such a one as he is 3. For friendship a natural man abhors to do what should please God 4. For dependance though we are upheld by him yet we will rather trust to any thing then God Secondly We are fallen from that love God would have us bear to our selves for our being like him Thirdly We hate the creatures as they are like God the Saints Gods Ordinances Our depraved love is beastly or devilish it is bestowed on things which we and the beasts love alike sensual delights or spiritual wickednesses The work of Gods grace in sanctifying this affection consists 1. In turning the bent of the affection toward those things which God at first made its proper object 2. In guiding and directing it proportionably to every object to God the creatures and self in due measure method order and degree It carries the affection of love to God in the first place 1. In a love of Union 2. In a love of Complacency 3. In a love of Friendship 4. In a love of Dependance Secondly It carries it next to God to love our selves and to love that in our selves which God would have us love the regenerate part Thirdly The creature those to which we have any relation so much as is of God in them How to know whether our love be sanctified so as to be carried unto God as it ought All men will professe they love God It is the first and great Commandment to love God above all the first in order of time and eminency of nature it comprehends in it all the other Commandments Rom. 13. 10. Marks of this love 1. When we love him with all the heart soul and strength a superlative love such a love that in comparison of it all other love is hatred when a thing is lesse loved it is said to be hated in Scripture Iacob hated Leah We love not God perfectly We know and believe but iâ— part A true childe of God loves him with a fervent and unfeigned love though perhaps he finde not this in time of temptation 2. Then the soul loves him with all those kindes of love he is capable of First With a love of Union Phil. 3. 8. in other objects called the love of desire or concupiscence Four things are to be found in such a one 1. His soul is carried with earnest desire after all the means that would bring God and him nearer and he declines all those things that would separate between God and him the wayes of sin 2. He is troubled for â—â—â—â— of him 3. The soul longs after the full fruition of him in Heaven Heb. 9. lat end 4. A love of union and desire of nearest conjunction with the people of God 1 Iohn 3. 14. Secondly With a love of complacency and delight We may know whether we make God our chief delight and love him with a love of content and sweetnesse 1. If we desire to be presently possest of him his presence is life and his absence death 2. Next to God himself we will take delight in those things which are Love-tokens from him Cant. 1. 2. and those thing that are most like him nearest to him his Saints Psal. 16. 3. 3. The tongue will delight to be talking of him and telling of all his wondrous works Thirdly With a love of friendship The whole Covenant of Grace betwixt God and us is but a league of friendship All that God doth for us from his Election to Glorification are fruits of his love and what we do to God after we know him is from the law of love Six things will discover whether we love the Lord with a love of friendship 1. Friends take great delight in being together they have two souls as it were in one body there is none then so constantly in thy tongue and thoughts as God 2. This love will make thee suffer and endure great matters for friendship sake 2 Cor. 5. 14. 3. The love of friendship is a most bountiful affection David called all to contribute toward the Temple and himself gave three hundred cart-load of silver and yet said he did it of his poverty 4. This makes a man sympathize with his friend in his condition Moses was much provoked when God was dishonoured Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because men keep not thy Law 5. This is the fountain of all Obedience to God one will then be carefull to please God and fearfull to offend him If you love me keep my Commandments 6. It can be satisfied with no recompence but love for love Cant. 1. Thy love is better then wine Psal 63. 3. Thy loving kindnesse is better then life Fourthly With a love of dependency Every creature capable of an affection of love is carried to that from whom it receives its good so is the heart carried with delight to God from whom it expects all good this is the sweetnesse of faith We shall know this love by these signs 1. All other creatures are not able to give any subsistence or satisfaction to us In our fall we lost God and closed with the creature and we never think of returning to God till he have taught us the vanity of all other things there must be satisfaction in the judgement that there is in the Lord Christ what ever will serve my turn and fully content all my faculties 2. The heart hath sweetnesse joy and comfort in its portion God is All-sufficient 3. It is taken off from depending on any thing else Next to God though he be to be loved transcendently supereminently there is a holy self-love No man ever hated his own flesh our love to our selves is the rule and measure of our love to our neighbour I must love him as my self Inordinate self-love is a great part of our original corruption Men shall be lovers of themselves If any one will be my Disciple he must hate and reject himself All the arguments God useth to winne men to love and fear God and walk with him are drawn from love of our selves that it may be well with thee How to know whether the love wherewith I love my self be a sanctified self-love 1. Who ever loves himself aright it is the regenerate self which he accounts himself Adam while he stood had but one self so all unregenerate men In one renewed by grace there is a double self flesh and
Spirit the corrupt self is lookt on as an enemy Rom. 7. lat end I delight in the Law of God in the inward man and concludes but I my self that is his sanctified self serve the Lord. Mark what it is that thou esteemest in thy self Is it Grace Gods Image and what thou dislikest and strivest to destroy is it the body of sin 2. Then that love is subordinate to the love of God God to every sanctified man is the Summum bonum ultimus sinis therefore all other things are but media subordinata none of us must live to himself 3. Such a one loves himself for those ends God allows him 1. That he may be happy for ever God presseth us to duty by this argument that we may have eternal life 2. He would have thee get more knowledge grace experience that thou maist be more serviceable here The third object of our love is our neighbour Marks to know whether my love to my neighbour be a sanctified love First When it is subordinate to the love of God when I love him under God we must love our neighbour in God and for God Secondly I must love there specially where God loves those that have most of God in them All my delight is in the Saints Christ calls this a new Commandment Thirdly There will be a performing of all second Table duties Love is the fulfilling of the Law I will give him that respect which is due unto his place I will strive to preserve his life chastity estate good name I shall be content with my own and rejoyce in his welfare It is the nature of love to seek the preservation of the thing beloved The fourth object of our love is the rest of Gods creatures which he hath given to us Marks to know whether our love to the creature be right or no 1. When the beholding God in the creature draws the heart out the delighting to behold the wisdom and power of God in the creature 2. Mark for what end thou lovest the creature Every creature must be delighted in as it brings us nearer to God or serves as an instrument to honour him thou lovest the creatures because they are a means to keep thee in a better frame for duty CHAP. XXI II. Of Hatred THe affection opposite to love is Hatred 1. The nature of hatred 2. The image of God in it 3. The extream depravation of it by sin 4. The work of grace sanctifying it Of the first Hatred in a reasonable soul is a motion of the will whereby it flies from that which it apprehends to be evil and opposeth it indeavouring to hurt it It ariseth from a discord and disconformity of the object There is a two-fold hatred 1. Odium abominationis a stying only from a thing 2. Odium inimicitiae whereby â— pursue what is evil There was little use of this affection in our primitive pure estate there was nothing evil to man or in himself a concord in all There are diveâ—s causes of this hatred 1. Antipathy 2. What hinders us from attaining good envy jealousie there was nothing then to work this but the sinne of the devil only which whether man knew it or no is uncertain yet this affection was in him and sanctified First He was prone in his spirit to shunne a real evil sinne in that degree it was evil Secondly The depravation of this affection the image of the devil As much of our original corruption is found in this affection as any The greatnesse of the depravation of this affection appears in three things 1. The object of it 2. The Quality of it 3. The fruits Only sin is the proper object of it but now our hatred is wholly taken from sin it abhors nothing that is evil The second object of it now is that which is truly and properly good 1. God himself primarily all wicked men hate him Psalm 81. 15. Rom. 1. 30. in all his glorious perfections Justice Holinesse 2. Christ Iohn 7. 7. 15. â—h 3. All good men You shall be hated of all men for my names sake 4. All Gods wayes and Ordinances Fools hate instruction Prov. 1. Secondly The Quality of this affection It is 1. A causlesse hatred Christ saith They hate me without a cause and so the Saints may say 2. Perfect entire without any mixture of any love 3. Violent Psal 55. 3. 4. Cruel Psal. 25. 9. 5. Durable irreconcilable Thirdly The effects of it 1. All sins of omission 2. Abundance of actual wickednesse contempt and distrust of God his wayes and children Fourthly The Sanctification of this affection of hatred The work of grace in every faculty is destroying the power of corruption and creating in it those principles of grace that turn it again into the right way 1. It is taken off from those objects to which it was undeservedly carried afore 2. It is ordered aright for measure 3. It brings forth that fruit which God requires First What the work of Gods grace carries the affection of hatred to 1. It makes all our opposition to God and his Ordinances cease it ceaseth to hate good and hates that which is evil 2. It is carried to the right object which is every thing that is really evil to us the will shuns and opposeth it Two sorts of things are really evil 1. What ever is opposite to our natural being our life peace wealth name as sicknesse affliction death 2. What is contrary to our spiritual being as sin All evils of the first nature come from God Gods will is the rule of all holinesse therefore we should submit 1. Our will to God to do what he pleaseth That is the greatest evil which is against the greatest good God sin and wicked men oppose him the greatest evil must have the greatest opposition I hate every falâ—e way sin strikes at the being and excellency of God we must dislike wicked men for sins sake 2. The work of grace appears in the degree and measure of working when it sanctifieth any affection It is according as the light of understanding guided by Gods counsel orders the Spirit of evils sin is to be more hated then punishment and the greater the sin the greater should be the opposition 3. The work of Gods grace in sanctifying this affection is much seen in the fruits of hatred This stands in two things 1. Hatred is a Sentinel to the soul to keep out evil it makes the soul warily shun and avoid those things which are really evil to me it is a deep and severe passion not sudden as anger 2. It quickens the soul to the destruction of the thing hated it maketh it endeavour its ruine Signs I. Of Hatred Speaking against a thing still and disgracing it is displeased at its company and cannot endure its presence II. Of Sanctified Hatred 1. If it be sanctified thou ceasest to be a hater of God This makes a creature so like the devil that no
man will believe he hates God Hatred is an opposition to love love of God makes us endeavour an union with him thou carest not for a knowledge of God or being nigh him 2. A desire that another may not be so excellent as he is wicked men would not have God have a being or so excellent a being would not have him be so holy pure just 3. A great sign of hatred is contrariety or opposition of wils Gods will is revealed in his Word when there is an opposition to it we sinne against him Exod. 20. 2d Commandment Those that love me and keep my Commandments those hate God that do not keep his Commandments God chooseth holinesse you filthiness if thy will be contrary to the choice he makes thou hatest him 4. That which is feared unlesse it be with a reverential fear is hated To stand in awe of God aâ— the Indians of the Devil who dare not but offer Sacrifices lest the Devil should hurt them Secondly For the evil of punishment how far sanctified hatred may be carried against crosses We may use all lawful means to have the crosses removed but with a quiet resignation to the will of God if he will have it so If our hatred be sanctified then it is carried against sinne primarily and properly because it is Gods great enemy and ours and the great evil in it self How to know whether our heart be rightly carried against sin This is a great part of Repentance Repentance is the turning of the affections especially those two great affections of love and hatred in our lost condition Our hatred was against God and our love set on sin now contrarily 1. Where ever this affection of hatred is carried aright against sinne the minde judgeth of sinne as Gods Wotd doth counteth it the greatest abomination and dislikes it not onely because it brings damnation but because of the nature of it The Scripture cals it our deformity uncleannesse nakednesse a running issue 2. Here sinne is grieved for as the greatest evil if one have an antipathy against a creature yet if that be farre enough there is no great trouble Rom. 7. Wretched man that I am It is the greatest spiritual though not sensitive grief we are most troubled at those evils which most affect the body have the greatest sense of grief for them as the â—amp gont stone but here the intellectual nature is most offended with sin chuseth more to be rid of it then trouble and judgeth himself more abominable for it 3. A constant hatred of sin 4. It endeavours to â—uine and destroy it the Scripture often expresseth it by killing of sin Morâ—isi â—our members 5. It hates it upon those grounds that God hates it because it is a rebellion against God crucifieth Christ grieves the Spirit is at enmity to the grace of God in me I hate it upon such spiritual grounds 6. Where ever sin is truly hated there we hate it most in those that are nearest to our selves Hatred of sin is one half of repentance sin is a hatred of God and a loving of sinne in Repentance our love is turned to God and hatred set on sinne Means to get our hatred of sin sanctified First Study to get a right information of sin what ever can be the object of hatred meets in sin in the highest degree in crosses there is something evil but in sin there is nothing good it is not only evil but hath in it all kinde of evil 1. A defiling evil 2. Deprives us of all other good robs us of God peace comfort Secondly Principally get thy heart filled with the love of God and his wayes you that love God hate that which is evil Psal. 119. I love all thy Commandments therefore I hate every evil way love the holy Spirit and thou wilt hate filthinesse CHAP. XXII II. Desire and Flight THe next affection is that of Desire It differs no more from love then the Act from the Habit it being the exercise of love The surest Character you can make of a man is by his desires as much as the Physician can judge of his patients condition by his appetite In this affection four things are considerable 1. The Nature of it 2. The Image of God in it before the fall 3. How extreamly depraved our desires are in their natural condition 4. The work of grace in sanctifying of it Desire is the going out of the will endeavouring after that we love a good thing not yet enjoyed or not perfectly the making out of the soul for the fruition of that good There are three affections conversant about good say some Love about good in general present or absent Desire about good absent Joy about good present Des Cartes saith not only the presence of good absent but also the conservation of a good present is desired God gave to the soul of man when he created it a two-fold appetite 1. Sensitive or natural whereby the desires are carried violently after their own preservation 2. Rational or the will these rational desires are exercised about spiritural things in the fruition of which one placeth his happinesse Of the Image of God in our desires in our innocent condition The understanding then lookt on God as his only absolute Good and the will of man did adhere to him and acquiesce in him He desired 1. A more perfect fruition of God and that he might lay out himself more for him Natural desires were few moderate subordinate to this to be helps and furtherances of the perfect enjoying of God 2. The depravation of this affection A great deal of our original corruption is vented out this way the corruption of the understanding will love hatred thoughts fall in here 1. The object of the desire whereas God should be only desired in our sinful condition we have no desire after him only vellieties faint wishings and wouldings Though the soul be full of desires they are taken off from God and wholly carried to some poor empty creature 2. The Qualities or Properties of these sinful desires 3. The woful fruits of them The qualities of our corrupt and carnal desires 1. The vanity of them which appears in three particulars 1. There is no reason to be given of our corrupt desires as Samson Give me her she likes me 2. The things that we desire appear to be toyes 3. The innumerablenesse of them 2. They are intense and violent the soul pursues such things 3. They are insatiable 3. The woful effects and fruits of them 1. These corrupt desires have got the regiment of the soul they enslave reason the most noble faculty of it 2. Destroy all hope of profiting they take up our time and study the soul is ever imployed about some of these unworthy desires 3. They make the soul extreamly unthankful for the mercies already received they make the Soul and Spirit of a man base 4. The work of Gods grace in renewing or sanctifying our desires
deliver our selves out of his hand and worthy to be subject to him in the lowest degree Thirdly The effects of this fear are most excellent 1. It interests him in whom it is to all the gracious promises of God for this and a better life it plainly proves a man to be regenerate and sanctified and to be Gods true childe and faithful servant 2. It worketh a great tranquillity of minde and a most setled quietnesse of heart it armeth the heart against all carnal and inordinate fear of other things Exod. 1. 17. Isa. 8. 12 13. Luk. 12. 4 5. and strengthens against all temptations There is a double fear 1. Of Reverence a reverent respect to God this is kept up by considering Gods Attributes discovered in the Word Psal. 16. 8. Iob 31. begin Isa. 6. 3. Exod. 23. 11. Hab. 3. 16. 2. Of caution or circumspection in our conversation This is stirred up by considering 1. The strictnesse of the Law Psal. 19. 9. it condemns not only acts but sinfull lusts and motions Psal. 119. 96. 1 Cor. 2. 3. 2. The sad fals of the Saints when they have laid aside the fear of God Peter fell by a damsels question There is a servile fear of God as a Judge and a filial fear of him as a Father the one is ne puniat the other ne deserat Aug. Courage or Boldnesse It is a passion quite contrary to fear which stirreth up and quickneth the minde against evil to repel or bear the same without dejectednesse Saul David and Davids worthies Ionathan Caleb and Ioshua were couragious A godly man is bold as a young Lion Be of good courage Be strong saith God to Ioshua Caleb and Ioshua would have gone up to possesse the Land notwithstanding the strength of the Canaanites There is a double Resolution 1. In sinne and iniquity Ier. 18. 12. The devils are consirmed in wickednesse 2. In the truths and wayes of God Dan. 3. 18. This is an almighty work of Gods Spirit whereby a Christian is able to do and suffer glorious things for God and his cause Dan. 1. 8. Act. 21. Nehemiah Esther Athanasius Luther and others were thus couragious There is boldnesse with God that flows from innocency Iob 11. 15. and that flows from slattery a boldnesse that ariseth from a seared conscience Deut. 29. 19. and from a reprobate conscience Heb. 6. 1. Iohn 14. 17. It must be well ordered First For the Object of it it must be exercised against all sorts of evils Natural which may come upon us in the way of our calling and duty as David used courage against Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 34. Ionathan against the Philistims and Esther against the danger of death the Judges of Israel were couragious and Paul in his sufferings and chiefly Christ Jesus when he set himself to go up to Ierusalem and to bear the curse of the Law It must be withdrawn from unfit objects we must not be couragious against Gods threats nor great works as thunder nor against our betters nor against the evil of sinne and damnation To be bold to do evil and to despise Gods threats is hardnesse of heart This was the sinne of the old world and the Philistims when the Ark came against them and of Pharaoh Secondly For the measure of our courage it must be alwayes moderate so as to resist and bear such evils as do necessarily offer themselves to be resisted and born not to provoke danger 2. It must be used more against publick enemies and evils then private and against spiritual evils then natural we must resist Satan strong in the faith Motives to true Christian Courage 1. It is both munimentum the armour of a Christian and ornamentum the honour of a Christian. 2. Consider what examples we have in Scripture of this vertue Moses Exod. 10. 26. Ioshua Daniel Esther Peter Paul Means of getting Courage 1. See your fearfulnesse with grief and shame and confesse it to God with sorrow for in the acknowledgement of the want of Grace begins the supply thereof 2. Consider of the needfulnesse worth and excellency of this Grace 3. Beg of God the Spirit of Courage 4. Take heed of self-confidence Heb. 11. 34. Frustra nititur qui non innititur Bern. Remember Peter and Dr Pendleton In the last place I shall handle some compound affections Anger Reverence Zeal It sutes well with Gods Attributes and his Dispensations that we should Love Joy and be confident and yet fear Psal. 11. Matth. 8. 8. God discovers different Attributes of Mercy and Justice on which we are to exercise different affections His Dispensations also are various as there is a fatherly love so there is ira paterna Deut. 26. 11. Jude 11. See Phil. 2. 13. Of Anger Anger is a most powerful passion and hath by an excellency engrossed the general name of passion to it self The most usual name used by the Hebrews to signifie Anger is Aph which signifies also the nose and by a Synecdoche the whole face either because in a mans anger the breath doth more vehemently and often issue out of the nose which is as it were the smoke issuing from the flame kindled about the heart or else because in the face anger is soonest discerned The Grecians used two names to expresse this affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Latine it is called ira because it maketh a man quasi ex seire as it were to go out of himself Ira furor brevis It is the rising of a mans heart against one that behaveth himself amisse to punish him It is a mixt affection compounded of these three affections Hatred Desire Grief 1. There is hatred in pure just and innocent anger of the sinne and fault principally and a little for the present of the faulty person but in corrupt anger of the fault little or nothing of the person most of all 2. There is Grief in pure anger at the dishonour done to God in corrupt anger at the wrong done to ones self or his friend 3. There is desire in pure anger of using means according to our vocation of bringing the party to repentance and hindering the infection of the sinne in unjust anger of revenging our selves upon the party and delighting in his smart therefore it is so violent a passion because it is composed of those three all which affections are fiery It is easie to perceive all these three concurring in every angry person Therefore such as are in love or in pain or in sorrow or hungry in deep studies are very teachy and soon moved to anger for in all these there is an excessivenesse of some one or two of these passions whereof anger is made and therefore anger is soon provoked seeing that these will soon breed a third as wood and fire will cause a slame with a little blowing The formal cause of it is when any thing is highly esteemed by us and that is contemned by
wisdome he doth nothing rashly but knows how to order all things for the best his will is a wise and holy will the rule it self Good is the word of the Lord said Hezekiah when ill tidings came 3. His will is good to thee All the wayes of God are mercy and truth he aims at the good of his even when he corrects them 4. Consider that this God which hath laid this upon thee affords thee all the good things thou enjoyest thou hast one crosse and perhaps ten thousand mercies all these come from the same hand Iob 2. 10. 5. This God beares with thee every day else what will become of thee II. From our selves We have reason to stoop to Gods will even when he pleaseth to correct us because 1. We have provoked him by our sins to strike us and have deserved farre more evil then we suffer 2. We cannot ease or any way deliver our selves from miserie by murmuring This is 1. A worthy service a childe that quietly bears the stripes which his Father sometimes laies upon him pleaseth his Father as much as he that readily goes about the things he is bidden Christ himself learnt obedience by sufferings The principall part of his merit stood in that he submitted himself to be made of no reputation and became obedient even to the death of the Crosse. 2. It is a most profitable dutie turning evil into good and making evils easie to bear and procuring a safe and speedy issue out of evil 3. From the grace of patience it self 1. The necessity of it thou canst not live without it we cannot perform a duty mortifie a lust bring forth fruit without patience the good ground brings forth fruit with patience 2. The excellency of this grace it makes thee most like to God it is a great part of his Image to Christ he was patient to death 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. it will make one enjoy himself in the worst times Luk. 21. 19. it will be helpful to all graces and duties make thee an amiable Christian it will strengthen thy faith subdue thy flesh in thee bridle thy tongue Magna praecipua virtus est patientia quam pariter vulgi voces publicae Philosophi oratores summis laudibus celebrant Lactant. l. 5. de Iustitia 4. From the things we suffer the right consideration of the nature of Afflictions 1. Afflictions whether upon the Soul State Friends Name are no evidences at all of Gods displeasure for they are the lot of all Gods people his dearest servants Prov. 3. 12. Iob 7. 17 18. Heb. 8. 6 7. 8. 2. God really intends his peoples good and doth them a great deal of good by afflictions Heb. 12. 6 7. 1. Hereby Christ makes all his people conformable to himself Rom. 8. 28. 2. He purgeth out the reliques of corruption takes down our pride self-self-love love of the world 3. He exerciseth abundance of grace in his people 1 Pet. 1. 7. 4. Makes them grow in grace more heavenly-minded 3. God will uphold thee in afflictions 1 Cor. 10. 13. 4. We shall have a most seasonable and merciful deliverance out of afflictions Psal. 34. 19. and God will do his people good according to their afflictions leave in them an excellent frame of spirit Iob and David were rare men after afflictions God makes the hearts of his people more holy and chearful after most of all do they finde the fruit of their afflictions when they come to heaven for though that be given of free-grace yet God rewards them proportionably to their good services and afflictions 2 Cor. 4. 17. If we suffer with Christ we shall reign with him Means to get patience First The frequent Meditation of the former Motives studie those Arguments Secondly Get faith study to know thy interest in Christ 1. Know the nature of the Covenant how fully and freely Christ offers grace to thee 2. Give thy consent that Christ should be a Saviour to thee that he should sanctifie thee as well as pardon thy sinne Faith is an assent to the truth and consent to the goodnesse of it that Christ should be my Saviour Psal. 112. 7. Peace Peace in the general notion and nature of it is the correspondency or harmony of one thing to another working in its proper place to the common end the good of the whole It is a kinde of sweet divine and heavenly concent harmony or beauty of things subordinate one to another D. Gauden If the world be a Ring peace is the Diamond of it The Hebrews use it often for all prosperity of soul and body they use Shalom in their letters and say ordinarily Peace be to this house that is All happinesse attend you It was Henry the 7th usual Preface in his Treaties That when Christ came into the world Peace was sung and when he went out of the world Peace was bequeathed Sir Francis Bacon The Apostolical Benediction is Grace and Peace More properly it signifies Concord Unity and Reconciliation Firm and stable peace is and must be the fruit of righteousnesse Heb. 7. 1 2. first King of Righteousnesse then of Peace Isa. 48. 18. Jam. 3. 18. Righteousnesse is the qualification of the person to whom God will grant peace it takes away all the matter which provokes God to wrath No peace is to be had without Christ Isa. 48. ult all peace by him 1. With God Rom. 5. 1. 2. In our own consciences 3. With all the cereatures Ezek. 34. 25. Hos. 2. Perseverance All agree that perseverance is necessary to the end that one may be saved Mat. 10. 22. The negative may be gathered from the affirmative That no man therefore shall be saved which shall not continue to the end Heb. 3. 14. But all do not agree what is the ground of perseverance and to whom it belongs Reasons and Grounds of the Perseverance of Gods people 1. The eternal love of God Psal. 103. 17. Iohn 13. 1. he loves his people with an everlasting love Rom. 8. 38 39. See Iohn 10. 28 29 30. 11. 29. 2. The Covenant that is betwixt God and them is a stable and everlasting Covenant Ier. 31. 31. 32. 40. Hosea 2. 19. 2 Samuel 23. 5. the Covenant made at first with the Angels and Adam might be broken but this cannot Christ is the Surety of it 3. The Union between Christ and the faithfull is indissoluble Iohn 14. 19. 1 Iohn 5. 11. 4. The Intercession of Christ for them Heb. 7. 25. Luke 22. 31. Iohn 17. 11 20. God the Father hears him alwaies Iohn 11. 42. Object Though Christ have purchased the Spirit and bestowed it upon us yet we may cast off the Spirit Answ. We have the witnesse of the Father Isa. 59. 21. and of Christ Ioh. 14. 16. that the holy Ghost shall never depart from us St Augustine hath observed out of the Exposition of the Lords Prayer made by Cyprian that almost in every
things to please them well and Peter commandeth servants to be subject to their Masters with all fear and that not alone to the good and gentle but also to the froward Reas. 1. God hath communicated a great part of his Authority unto Masters for the good of that little society and all which flow thence 2. Servants are placed in a lower room in a place of inferiority and subjection and so are bound to perform obedience seeing in all places the Superiour must rule and the inferiour be ruled or else neither Superiour nor inferiour shall with any comfort enjoy the places allotted unto them by God 3. Servants do receive meat and drink and as the case goes with us also wages at the hands of their Masters and these are badges of obedience tying them necessarily to do service to them from whom they receive these recompences of their service When Servants are stubborn unruly masterful this sin hath its original in pride and self-conceitednesse they tread Gods Power and Authority under feet in treading their Master's The Masters duty consists in two things chiefly First In choosing good servants such as be godly and of an honest and blamelesse conversation Reasons 1. If the servants be not faithful to God they will never be faithful to their Master 2. A wicked person is very contagious and will infect the family with his lewdnesse 3. He brings Gods curse upon his Masters state and family Secondly in using his servants well His chief duties are 1. To use his authority and interest that he hath in the hearts of his children and servants to draw them to go with him to the Ministry of the Word 1 Sam. 1. 21. 2 King 5. 15. 2. He must use his skill and indeavour to make the Ministry of the Word profitable to his family by examining them making things plainer to them and applying them more particularly Matth. 13. 51. Mark 4. 34. Deut. 6. 7. A Master was called by the ancient Romans Pater-familias the Father of the family because he was to look over all those of the houshold with a fatherly tendernesse as being committed to his trust and custody A Master should reward a good servant So Ioseph's Master set him over the whole family A wise servant shall rule over a foolish son and as he that dresseth the fig-tree shall eat of the figs so he which attendeth on his Master saith Solomon shall come to honour Reasons 1. This will incourage others to vertuous behaviour when they see it so rewarded 2. Equity requires it the equity of the Judicial Law binds us the faithful servant must not go away empty all men will complain of a bad servant few will requite a good one So much for their duties that be further off from equality in the family as Parents and Children Masters and Servants Now those that are more equal are Husband and Wife whose duties are either common to both or more particular to either of them The common duties are of two sorts 1. In respect of themselves 2. In respect of their families For themselves they owe to each other love trustinesse and helpfulnesse 1. Yoakfellows must love each other the wife the husband and he her The Apostle commands husbands to love their wives and not be bitter to them Col. 3. 19. The Heathens in their Sacrifices to Iuno the maker of Marriages took all the gall out of the Beast to shew that all bitternesse must be absent from that condition A husband in that he is a man should be far from all bitternesse hence humane and humanity the cords of a man all these imply sweetnesse and facility It is noted of Elkanah that he loved Hannah and Isaac that he loved Rebeccah Gen. 24. 6. and the Apostle requires of women that they be lovers of their husbands and children Tit. 2. 4. Reasons 1. God hath joyned man and wife in many and neer bonds they have one name house off-spring one bed one body and should they not have one heart 2. This is necessary 1. To make all the duties of marriage easie 2. To make all the cumbers of marriage tolerable such shall have trouble in the flesh in regard of many domestical grievances troubles from each other children servants What a deal of misery had Iacob in his married estate and so David therefore an happy condition in Heaven is described to be that wherein they neither marry nor are given to marriage I will in the next place shew 1. What properties their love must have 2. By what means it must be gotten and increased Their love must have three properties 1. It must be spiritual their affection must be grounded on spiritual respects and shew it self in spiritual effects it must be a love founded on Gods Will and Commandment which requireth them to love one another that so it may be a sound and durable love being grounded upon a lasting and durable foundation and may be able to prevail against all difficulties and impediments Secondly It must shew it self in all spiritual effects of seeking the good of each others souls and if they love one another because God commands it they will love one another so as God commands that is so as to respect the eternal good of themselves 2. It must be plentiful that is to say for the measure exceeding all other loves the husband must love the wife and she him more then father mother children brethren friends there being most neer bonds of union betwixt them they are one flesh Let the husband so love his wife even as himself not meaning it as the phrase is used when it is spoken of the love we bear to our neighbour that he must love her with a love which hath the same properties that our love to our selves for then there were no special matter in it but they must love their wives saith a Reverend Divine even as themselves for measure as much as themselves as Christ loved his Church 3. This love must be a binding love limiting and tying their Matrimonial affections and desires solely to each other Erre in her love continually and let her breasts satisfie thee And Why shouldst thou my son imbrace the bosome of a stranger Desire not the beauty of a stranger in thy heart Means of attaining this love are of two sorts natural and spiritual The natural are sociablenesse and familiar conversing together in the same house at the same table in the same bed therefore God appointed that a new married man for the first year should not be sent abroad to warfare or to any other publick service but should remain at home with his wife that so through the constant society of one whole year their souls might be inseparably united in affection Therefore those take a very bad course that dwell asunder and fare asunder and lie asunder as for state and pomp is the custome of the greater sort of people 2. Spiritual means must
him without division or derivation to other things We must love God in his creatures Christ in his members love other things in subordination to him Luk. 14. 26. Dupliciter contingit ex toto corde Deum diligere Uno quidem modo in actu id est ut totum cor hominis semper actualiter in Deum feratur Et ista est perfectio patriae Alio modo ut habitualiter totum cor hominis in Deum feratur ita scilicet quod nihil contra Dei dilectionem câ—r hominis recipiat Et haec est perfectio viae Aquin. 2a 2ae Quaest. 44. Art 4. Praecipitur nobis ut tota nostra intentio feratur in Deum quod est ex toto corde Et quod intellectus noster subdatur Deo quod est ex tota mente Et quod appetitus noster reguletur secundum Deum quod est ex tota anima Et quod exterior actus noster obediat Deo quod est totis viribus Deum diligere Aquinas ibid. Art 5. The Schoolmen say we first love God with a love of concupiscence after with a love of complacence Comparing our affection to God with our affection to other matters is the best way to shew the temper of our love 2 Tim. 1. 4. Luke 12. 21. 2. This love is not to be measured so much by the lively acts of love as by the solid esteem 3. It is not altogether to be judged by our time and care bodily necessities are more pressing God hath given us six days for our worldly imploiments and reserved but one day for himself Our love is many wayes inordinate 1. We love sin which we should hate 2. We hate good which we should love 3. We love that much we should love little 4. We love that little which we should love much 5. We love a private good more then the publick the body above the soul the creature more then the Creator prefer things of time before those of eternity Amor est conscnantia quaedam appetitus ad id quod apprehenditur ut conveniens odium verò est dissonantia quaedam appetitus ad id quoâ— apprehenditur ut repugnans nocivum ficut autem omne conveniens in quantum hujusmodi habet rationem boni ita omne repugnans in quantum hujusmod habet rationem mali ideo sicut bonum est objectum amoris ita malum est objectum odii Aquinas 1a 2ae Quaest. 29. Artic. 1. Love is the affection and pâ—â—pension of the minde toward some thing as good hatred is an aâ—ienation of the minde from some thing as evil to stand so affected to it as those words Farre be it Farre be it from me set forth when the soul riseth against it Every man by nature is full of wrath against God Ephes. 2. 3. Some interpret that actively Psal. 68. â— There is an enmity in man 1. Against the very being of God Psal. 14. 2. His Attributes would not have him to be so just and jealous Psal. 50. 21. so pure and emniscient Isa. 29. 5. 3. Against the councels of God Isa. 66. 3. Ezek. 14. 3 7. 4. Against the precepts and prohibitions of God Rom. 7. 5 8. 5. The worship of God Deut. 32. 17. Psal. 1â—6 37. 6. The threats and promises of God Job 15. 7. His administrations Rom. 3. 4. * Our hatred must be withdrawn from such things and persons as are not to be hated First Things 1. Goodnesse vertue piety because it is the image of God and is in it self most beneficial Prov. 1. 22 29. 2. The means of goodnesse as Instruction Reproof Correction Prov. 9. 8. 12. 1. John 3. 20. Secondly Persons 1. The Church in general 2. Any good man 2 Tim. 3. 3. Psal. 34. 21. 3. He which admonisheth or correcteth Prov. 9. 4. an enemy Matth. 5. * Hatred differs from anger in three things 1. Anger is with a particular Hatred against universals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the whole kinde I hate every false way 2. Anger may be cured by time but noâ— hatred 3. Anger is content to render like for like hatred aims at the destruction of things Among the Aegyptians a Fish was the Hieroglyphick of hatred because of all creatures they doe most devour one another We must hate sin as sin for it self else our hatred is not from a principle of love to God as sin is a transgression of his Law Psal. 97. 10. If we hate sin for it self we will 1. Hate all sin à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia as he that loves a Saint for himself loves every Saint 2. We will dislike sin under what shape soever it comes 3. We will dislike it in all sorts of persons those that are near us Psal. 139. 20 21. 4. We will hate sin in the being as well as acting of it the Law requires a holy nature as well as life 5. We will set no bounds to ouâ— hatred Isa. 33. 15. 6. Will dislike all occasions and means that tend to it Every Christian should have his heart possessed with a lâ—â—â—hing detestation hatred of sin that being indeed the first and principal and most immediate object of hatred Hatred of sin will bewray it self 1. In a constant jealousie and watchfulnesse over the soul and over every small rising of corruption 2. By a serious resistance in the temptation Rom. 7. 15. 3. By bitter grief after the transgression Jer. 8. 6. Rom. 7. 23. See M. Pembl Vindic. grat p. 129 130. a In these hungrings thirstings of the soul there is as it were the spawn of faith Semen sidei there is aliquid sidei in them Psal. 10. 17. 145. 19. Isa. 55 1. 44. 3. Luk. 1. 52. Revel 22. 17. Bolton on Mar. 5. 6. It is the reaching of the soul after that which likes us because it is like us It is an assection of pursuing or following after the absent good It is that by which the minde stirs up in it self longing and wishing and quickens it self to seek and attain that good which it loveth and yet is not present with it Phil. 3. 14. Prov. 18. 1. Bonum delect abilâ— non est absolutè objectum concupiscentiae sed sub ratione absentis sicut sensibile sub ratione praeteriti est objectum memoriae Aquâ—n 1a 2ae Quaest. 30. Art 1. Christ brings the heart to heaven first and then the person His own mouth spake it Mat. 6 21. He that had truly rather have the enjoyment of God in Christ then any thing in the world shall have it Baxters Saints everlasting Rest par 1. c. 3. * Some call it Abomination Scio equidem vulgò in Scholis opponi Passionem quae tendit in bonum quae sola nominatur cupiditas vel desiderium ei quae tendit in fugam mali quâ— vocatur Aversio Sed cum nullum detur bonum cujus privatio malum non sit nec ullum malum cujus privatio non sit bonum Et
of God coessential coequal and coeternal with his Father or that we have remission of sins by the effusion of his bloud They therefore who first hold pestilent Heresies and secondly who when before they professed the Christian Religion and held the truth have yet made a direction from the same to such Heresies and thirdly who labour to infect others and fourthly being convicted do yet obsti nately persevere in them and in the manner before mentioned such are and ought say some worthy Protestants to be punished by the Christian Magistrate with death They reason thus from the Office of the Magistrate Every Magistrate may and ought to punish offenders and the more pernicious the offenders are the more hamous ought the punishment to be That the Magistrate is both custos ac vindex utriusque tabulae these two Scriptures do plainly evince For he is the Minister of God to thee for good but iâ— thou do what is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Rom. 13. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 2. For Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty and are urged by Calvin Beza and divers others to this very purpose For if saith Beza the Magistrate have not power over Hereticks one of these two things must necessarily follow either that Hereticks do not do ill or that what Paul speaks in general must be restrained to a certain kinde of evil deeds viz. to corporal sins Ubi lex non distinguit nec non distinguere debemus From 1 Tim. 2. 2. both Melancthon and Beza collect that the Magistrate is constituted by God not onely a preserver of the second Table but also and especially of pure Religion and the external Discipline of it and so a punisher also of the offences against it Godliness and honesty makes Kings Guardians of both Tables as well of the first which containeth the worship of God as of the second which is the fountain of publick honesty D. Hampton on Luk. 22. 24 25. Vide Episc. Rosseus de potestate Papae in rebus temporal lib. 2. c. 14. pag. 460. That Magistrate which takes care onely of honesty doth but one and the least part of his duty See 2 Chron. 17. 7 8 9. For the inforcing of this Argument from these two Scriptures these Reasons may be added 1. The sins against the first Table Caeteris paribus are greater then those against the second Table and the Magistrate is more to respect the glory of God then the peace of the Commonwealth Heresies and corruptions in judgement are held by a Reverend Divine to be worse then corruptions in manners his reason is taken out of Levit. 13. 44. one that was leprous in his head was utterly unclean There was a special dishonour put on him that had the leprosie in his head there 45. v. compare with Mic. 3. 7. 2. Errours and Heresies are called in Scripture Evil deeds 2 Ioh. v. 10 11. and Hereticks Evil doers Phil. 3. 2. Divines generally hold that such who erre blasphemously are to be put to death such as Arius and Servetus in France One saith the Devil will think he hath made a good bargain if he can get an universal liberty for removal of the Prelacy That which Ierome wrote to Augustine Quod signum majoris gloriae est omnes Haeretici te detestantur may be applied to those of our times who have been Champions for the truth such evil doers will malign them but if they mannage well so good a cause it will bear them out Ierome was famous for confuting the Heresies of his times for writing against Helvidius Iovinian Vigilantius thâ— Luciferians and Pelagians Origen shews great learning in writing against Celsus Basil opposing Eunomius Cyprians writings against Novatus and Hilaries against Constantius deserves praise Austine wrote excellently against Pelagius and Gaudentius the Arians Manichees Quis unquam saith one in Ecclesia paulo eruditior post ortam novam haeresin reticuit Ea demum vera militia Christiana est haereses expugnare THE CONTENTS BOOK I. Of the SCRIPTURES Chap. 1. OF Divinity in general Pag. 1 Chap. 2. Of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures Pag. 5 Chap. 3. Of the Books of Scripture Pag. 28 Chap. 4. Of the New Testament Pag. 40 Chap. 5. Of the Books called Apocrypha Pag. 54 Chap. 6. Of the Authentical Edition of the Scriptures Pag. 58 Chap. 7. Of the Seventy and Vulgar Translation Pag. 75 Chap. 8. Of the Properties of the Scripture Pag. 81 Chap. 9. Of the Interpretation of Scripture Pag. 105 BOOK II. Of GOD. Chap. 1. That there is a God Pag. 121 Chap. 2. What God is Pag. 132 Chap. 3. That God is a Spirit Simple Living Immortal Pag. 136 Chap. 4. That God is Infinite Omnipresent Eternal Pag. 142 Chap. 5. That God is Immutable Pag. 150 Chap. 6. That God is Great in his Nature Works Authority a necessary Essence Independent wholly One. Pag. 152 Chap. 7. Of Gods Understanding that he is Omniscient and of his Will Pag. 160 Chap. 8. Of Gods Affections his Love Hatred Pag. 167 Chap. 9. Of the Affections of Anger and Clemency given to God metaphorically Pag. 170 Chap. 10. Of Gods Virtues particularly of his Goodness Pag. 172 Chap. 11. Of Gods Grace and Mercy Pag. 175 Chap. 12. Of Gods Iustice Truth Faithfulnes Pag. 181 Chap. 13. Of Gods Patience Long-suffering Holiness Kindeness Pag. 186 Chap. 14. Of Gods Power Pag. 191 Chap. 15. Of Gods Glory and Blessedness Pag. 194 Chap. 16. Of the Trinity or Distinction of Persons in the Divine Essence Pag. 204 BOOK III. Of GODS Works Chap. 1. Of Gods Decree and especially of Predestination and the parts thereof Election and Reprobation Pag. 216 Chap. 2. The Execution of Gods Decree Pag. 225 Chap. 3. Of the Creation of the Heavens the Angels the Elements Light Day and Night Pag. 233 Chap. 4. Of some of the Meteors but especially of the Clouds the Rain and the Sea the Rivers Grass Herbs and Trees Pag. 243 Chap. 5. Of the Sun Moon and Stars Pag. 258 Chap. 6. Of the Fishes Fowls Beasts Pag. 261 Chap. 7. Of the Angels good and bad Pag. 268 Chap. 8. Of Man Pag. 288 Chap. 9. Of Gods Providence Pag. 295 BOOK IV. Of the Fall of Man Of Sin Original and Actual Chap. 1. Of the Fall of Man Pag. 303 Chap. 2. What original Corruption is Pag. 308 Chap. 3. Of the propagation of original sinne and conclusions from it Pag. 313 Chap. 4. Of actual sin Pag. 315 Chap. 5. Of the evil of sin Pag. 318 Chap. 6. Of the degrees of sin Pag. 321 Chap. 7. That all sins are mortal Pag. 324 Chap. 8. Of the cause of sin Pag. 326 Chap. 9. Of the communicating with other mens sins Pag. 328 Chap. 10. Of the punishment of sin Pag.
329 Chap. 11. Signs of a Christian in regard of sin and that great corruptions may be found in true Christians Pag. 332 Chap. 12. Two Questions resolved about sin Pag. 335 Chap. 13. Of the Saints care to preserve themselves from sin and especially their own iniquities Pag. 336 Chap. 14. Of the cause of forbearing sinne of abhorring it and of small sins Pag. 338 Chap. 15. Of some particular sins and especially of Ambition Apostacy Backsliding Blasphemy Boasting Bribery Pag. 339 Chap. 16. Of carnal confidence Covetousness Cruelty Cursing Pag. 348 Chap. 17. Of Deceit Distrust Divination Division Drunkennesse Pag. 352 Chap. 18. Of Envy Error Flattery Gluttony Pag. 357 Chap. 19. Of Heresie Hypocrisie Idleness Impenitence Injustice Intemperance Pag. 361 Chap. 20. Of Lying Malice Murmuring Oppression Pag. 366 Chap. 21. Of Perjury Polygamy Pride Pag. 368 Chap. 22. Of Railing Rebellion Revenge Scandall Schism Pag. 372 Chap. 23. Of Sedition Self-love Self-seeking Slander Pag. 377 Chap. 24. Of Tale-bearing Vain-glory Violence Unbelief Unkindness Unsetledness Unthankefulness Usury Pag. 381 Chap. 25. Of Witchcraft Pag. 387 BOOK V. Of Mans Recovery by CHRIST Chap. 1. Of Mans Recovery Pag. 389 Chap. 2. Of Christ. I. His Person Pag. 394 Chap. 3. Of Christs being Man Pag. 396 Chap. 4. Of Christs Offices Pag. 404 Chap. 5. Of Christs double state of Humiliation and Exaltation Pag. 424 Chap. 6. Of Christs Exaltation Pag. 438 BOOK VI. Of the Church the Spouse of Christ and Antichrist the great enemy of Christ. Chap. 1. Of the Church of Christ. Pag. 447 Chap. 2. Of Pastors Pag. 454 Chap. 3. Of Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and Government Pag. 466 BOOK VII Of our Union and Communion with Christ. Chap. 1. Of our Union with Christ. Pag. 485 Chap. 2. Of Effectual Vocation Pag. 489 Chap. 3. Of Conversion and Free-will Pag. 491 Chap. 4. Of Saving Faith Pag. 499 Chap. 5. Of the Communion and Fellowship Beâ—ievers have with Christ and their Benefits by him specially of Adoption Pag. 510 Chap. 6. Of Iustification Pag. 512 Chap. 7. Of the parts and terms of Iustification Remission of sins and Imputation of Christs Righteousness Pag. 519 Chap. 8. Of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness Pag. 522 Chap. 9. Whether one may be certain of his Iustification Pag. 524 Chap. 10. Whether Faith alone doth justify Pag. 528 Chap. 11. Of Sanctification Pag. 530 Chap. 12. The parts of Sanctification are two Mortification and Vivification I. Mortification Pag. 535 Chap. 13. II. Of Vivification Pag. 537 Chap. 14. The Sanctification of the Whole Soul and Body Pag. 540 Chap. 15. Of the Sanctification of the Will Pag. 542 Chap. 16. Of the Sanctification of the Conscience Pag. 544 Chap. 17. Sanctification of the Memory Pag. 546 Chap. 18. Sanctification of the Affections Pag. ib. Chap. 19. Of the particular Affections Pag. 549 Chap. 20. I. Of the Simple Affections Pag. 551 Chap. 21. II. Of Love and Hatred Pag. 555 Chap. 22. II. Desire and Flight Pag. 558 Chap. 23. Ioy and Sorrow Pag. 561 Chap. 24. Of Sorrow Pag. 565 Chap. 24. Of Hope and Fear I. Of Hope Pag. 568 Chap. 25. II. Of Fear and some mixed affections Pag. 571 Chap. 27. Of the sensitive Appetite Pag. 579 Chap. 28. Of the Sanctification of mans body and all the external Actions Pag. 580 Some special Graces deciphered Pag. 584 BOOK VIII Of Ordinances or Religious Duties Chap. 1. Something general of the Ordinances Pag. 605 Chap. 2. Of ordinary religious Duties first Of Hearing the Word Pag. 607 Chap. 3. Of Singing Psalms Pag. 609 Chap. 4. Of Prayer Pag. 611 Chap. 5. The sorts and kindes of Prayer Pag. 625 Chap. 6. Of the Lords Prayer Pag. 637 Chap. 7. Of the Sacraments Pag. 655 Chap. 8. Of Baptism Pag. 662 Chap. 9. Of the Lords Supper Pag. 678 Chap. 10. Of the Masse Pag. 700 Chap. 11. Of extraordinary religious Duties Fasting Feasting and Vows I. Of Fasting Pag. 735 Chap. 12. II. Holy Feasting or religious Thanksgiving Pag. 739 Chap. 13. Of a Religious Vow Pag. 740 BOOK IX Of the Moral Law Chap. 1. Some things general of the Commandments Pag. 749 And the ten Commandments in so many Chapters following BOOK X. Of Glorification Chap. 1. Of the General Resurrection Pag. 857 Chap. 2. Of the Last Iudgement Pag. 859 Chap. 3. Of Hell or Damnation Pag. 864 Chap. 4. Of Everlasting Life Pag. 868 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE Scriptures CHAP. I. Of Divinity in General IN the Preface or Introduction to Divinity six things are to be considered 1. That there is Divinity 2. What Divinity is 3. How it is to be taught 4. How it may be learnt 5. Its opposites 6. The Excellency of Divine Knowledge I. That there is Divinity That is a Revelation of Gods will made to men is proved by these Arguments 1. From the natural light of Conscience in which we being unwilling many footsteps of heavenly Knowledge and the divine Will are imprinted 2. From the supernatural light of Grace for we know that all Divine Truths are fully revealed in Scripture 3. From the nature of God himself who being the chiefest good and therefore most Diffusive of himself must needs communicate the Knowledge of himself to reasonable creatures for their Salvation Psal. 119. 68. 4. From the end of Creation for God hath therefore made reasonable creatures that he might be acknowledged and celebrated by them both in this life and that which is to come 5. From common Experience for it was alwayes acknowledged among all Nations that there was some Revelation of Gods will which as their Divinity was esteemed holy and venerable whence arose their Oracles and Sacrifices II. What Divinity is The Ambiguity of the Word is to be distinguished Theology or Divinity is two-fold either first Archetypal or Divinity in God of God himself by which God by one individual and immutable act knows himself in himself and all other things out of himself by himself Or second Ectypal and communicated expressed in us by Divine Revelation after the Patern and Idea which is in God and this is called Theologia de Deo Divinity concerning God which is after to be defined It is a Question with the Schoolmen Whether Divinity be Theoretical or Practical Utraque sententia suos habet autores But it seems saith Wendeline rather to be practical 1. Because the Scripture which is the fountain of true Divinity exhorts rather to practice then speculation 1 Tim. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 8. 3. 13. 2. Iam. 1. 22 25. Revel 23. 24. hence Iohn so often exhorts to love in his first Epistle 2. Because the end of Divinity to which we are directed by practical precepts is the glorifying of God and the eternal salvation of our souls and bodies or blessed life which are principally practical Wendeline means I conceive that the blessed life in Heaven is spent practically which yet seems to be otherwise Peter du Moulin in his Oration in the praise of Divinity thus
Ioshua Iudges Samuel and the Kings Of the Latines liber Chronicorum q. d. Chronologicum which appellation Luther retains in the Dutch version of the Bible There is nothing certain of the Author of these Books though Esdras be thought to be the Author The first Book consists of twenty nine Chapters and contains a History of two thousand eight hundred and five years viz. from the Creation of the world even to the Kingdom of Salomon The second consists of thirty two Chapters and describes a History from the beginning of the Kingdom of Salomon even to the return out of the Captivity of Babylon The best Expositor on both the Chronicles is Lavater Twelfthly The two Books of Ezra they are counted for one Volume with the Hebrews the Greeks and Latines divide them into two Books and assign the first to Ezra the second to Nehemiah Ezra was so called from the Author which was a Scribe most skild in the Law of God as appears in Chap. 7. v. 1 6 and 11. The best Expositors of it are Iunius and Wolphius Nehemiah It is called by the Latines the second Book of Ezra because the History begun by Ezra is continued in it but usually Nehemiah because it was written by him and also because it contains the re-edifying of the City of Ierusalem caused by Nehemiah It consists of thirteen Chapters and contains a History of fifty five years viz. from the twentieth year of Artaxerxes to the Kingdom of the last Darius The best Expositors of it are Wolphius and Pilkinton The next Book is Esther called in Hebrew Megillath Esther the Volume of Esther Many of the Jews think this Book was written by Mordechai which those words in Chap. 9 20. and 23. seem to favour Isidore saith Ezra is thought to have written Esther but some say it was composed after by another Moses Camius saith it was written by the men of the great Synagogue Philo Iudaeus saith Ioachim a Priest of the Hebrews son of the high-Priest was the composer of it and that he did it at the intreaty of Mordecai the Jew It s remarkable that though the Book of Esther contain most admirable passages of Gods Providence in delivering of his Church yet in this Book alone of all the Books of holy Scripture the name of God is not so much as once mentioned Dr Drakes Chronol The Jews throw the Book of Esther to the ground before they reade it because the name of God is not there as their Rabbins have observed Dr Stoughtons Love sick Spouse It consists of ten Chapters and contains a History of ten or as others will of twenty years concerning the preservation of the Church of the Jewes in Persia by Esther Drusius Serrarius and Merlin have done well on this Book 3. Poetical Books Iob Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles to which some adde the Lamentations Those parts of Scripture which set forth strongest affections are composed in verse as those holy flames of spiritual love between Christ and his Spouse in the Canticles of Salomon The triumphant joy of Deborah after deliverance from Sisera's Army of Moses and Miriam after the destruction of Pharaoh the afflicting sorrows of Hezekiah in his sickness and the Lamentations of Ieremiah for the Captivity of the Jews The Book of Psalms is as it were a throng of all affections love joy sorrow fear hope anger zeal every passion acting a part and wound up in the highest strains by the Spirit of God breathing Poetical eloquence into the heavenly Prophet So the Book of Iob. whose subject is sorrow hath a composure answerable to the matter Passion hath most scope in Verse and is freest when tied up in numbers Iob There is great variety of judgement about the Author and Pen-man of this Book Some say it was one of the Prophets but they know not who Some ascribe it to Salomon some to Elihu many to Moses Hugo Cardinal Suidas and Pineda conceive that Iob himself was the Author of this Book and it is thus proved because when any Book is inscribed by the name of any person and there appears no urgent reason wherefore it could not be written by him such a person is to be thought the Author and not the matter of the Book as is manifest in the Book of Ioshua and those of the greater and lesser Prophets The Arabical speeches with which it abounds note that it was written by some man living near Arabia as Iob did Neither doth it hinder that Iob speaks of himself in the third person for Canonicall Writers are wont to do this out of modesty Numb 12. 3. Iohn 21. 24. It is conceived to be the first piece of Scripture that was written if Moses wrote it it is probable that he wrote it before the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt while he was in Midian The main and principal subject of this Book is contained in Psal. 34. 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all We may divide the Book into three parts and so it sets forth 1. Iobs happy condition both in regard of externals and internals in the first five verses 2. Iobs fall his calamity from that to the seventh verse of the fourty second Chapter 3. Iobs restitution or restoring from thence to the end Beza Mercer Pineda Drusius Cocceius have well expounded it The Psalms are called in the Hebrew Sepher Tehillim a Book of Divine Praises in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called from a musical Instrument used in singing of the Psalms which name the Latines have retained Vide Menochinm Hymns is the general Title for the whole Book of Psalms For though it be translated The Book of Psalms yet every one that knoweth that language knoweth the word is The Book of Hymns Christ with his Disciples sung an Hymn Matth. 26. 30. Mr Cottons Singing of Psalms a Gospel Ordinance c. 5. Psalmi dicti sunt Tehillim ab argumento praecipuo Etsi enim in libro hoc contineantur etiam petitiones necnon precationes hae tamen non adeo sunt frequentes his ipsis variae interspersae sunt laudationes Dei a Iustitia summa à misericordia potentia Dei desumtae It contains sacred Songs to be fitted for every condition both of the Church and Members It is called in the New Testament The Book of Psalms Luk. 20. 42. and 24. 44. Acts 1. 20. No Books in the Old Testament are oftner cited in the New then Isaiah and the Psalms that sixty times this sixty four They are in all an hundred and fifty in Greek an hundred fifty one Augustine and Chrysostom ascribe them all to David as the Author so do Theophylact Ludovicus de Tena Some think that after the Captivity Ezra collected these Psalms dispersed here and there into one Volume There are ten Authors whose names are put in the Titles of the Psalms
Infinite in him He alone is good Matth. 19. 17. and onely wise Rom. 16. 27. and King of Kings 1 Tim. 6. 15. They are affirmed of him both in the concrete and abstract He is not only wise and good but wisdom and goodness it self Life and Justice it self Fifthly They are all actually and operatively in God He doth know live and will his holiness makes us holy Every Attribute in God as it is an excellency in him so it is a principle to conveigh this to us Gods wisdome is the fountain of wisdome to us We are to seek Eternal Life from his Eternity Rom. 6. 23. 6. All these are in God objectively and finally our holiness looks upon his holiness as the face in the Looking glasse on the man whose representation it is and our holiness ends in his The Attributes of God are Everlasting Constant and Unchangeable for ever in him at one time as well as another The Qualification of every service we perform ought to be taken from the Attribute of God which we would honour He is a great King Mal. 1. 14. therefore great service is due to him The Attributes of God are the objects of our Faith the grounds of our Prayer and the matter of our Thankfulness If one cannot pitch upon a particular promise in prayer yet he may bottome his Faith upon an Attribute 2 Chron. 20. 6. Iohn 17. 17. This may minister comfort to Gods people Gods Attributes are not mutable accidents but his very Essence his Love and Mercy are like himself Infinite Immutable and Eternal In the midst of all Creature comforts let thy heart rise up to this But these are not my portion 2. If God at any time take away the comforts from thee say Satis solatii in uno Deo his aim is when he takes away creature-comforts that you should enjoy all more immediately in himself Matth. 6. 21 22. This shews that the Saints self-sufficiency lies in Gods All-sufficiency Gen. 17. 1. Prov. 14. 14. exercise Faith therefore upon every Attribute that thereby thou maist have the use and improvement of it Ephes. 6. 10. and give unto God the praise of every Attribute Psal. 21. 13. 2. We should imitate God and strive to be immutably good and holy as he is Levit. 11. 44. Mat. 5. 48. These Attributes are diversly divided They are affirmative and Negative as Good Just Invisible Immortal Incorporeal Proper and Figurative as God is Good Wise Members and humane affections are also attributed to him Absolute and Relative without any Relation to the creatures as when God is said to be Immense Eternal he is likewise said to be a Creator King Judge Some describe God as he is in himself he is an Essence Spiritual Invisible most Simple Infinite Immutable and Immortal Some as he is to us he is Omnipotent most Good Just Wise and True Some declare Gods own Sufficiency so he is said to be Almighty Infinite Perfect Unchangeable Eternal others his Efficiency as the working of his Power Justice and Goodness over the Creatures so he is said to be Patient Just Mercifull Some are Incommunicable and agree to God alone as when he is said to be Eternal Infinite Others are Communicable in a soâ—t with the creatures as when he is said to be Wise Good The communicable Attributes of which there are some resemblances to be found in the creature are not so in us as in God because in him they are Essential The incommunicable Attributes are communicable to us in their use and benefit though not in their Nature they are ours per modum operationis the others per modum imaginis his Omnipotency acts for us 1 Pet. 2. 9. These Properties in God differ from those Properties which are given to men and Angels In God they are Infinite Unchangeable and Perfect even the Divine Essence it self and therefore indeed all one and the same but in men and Angels they are finite changeable and imperfect meer qualities divers they receiving them by participation only not being such of themselves by nature God doth some great work when he would manifest an Attribute when he would manifest his Power he created the World when he would manifest his Holinesse he gave the Law when he would declare his Love he sent his Sonne when he would shew his Goodness and Mercy he made Heaven when he would discover his Justice and hatred of sinne he made hell Psal. 63. 2. and 106. 8. Arminians and Socinians indeavour to corrupt the Doctrine of God in his Essence Subsistence and Decrees Under the first Covenant three Attributes were not discovered 1. Gods pardoning Mercy that was not manifested till the fall 2. His Philanthropy or love to man Hebr. 2. 16. 3. The Patience and Long-suffering of God he cast the Angels into hell immediately after their sinne All the Attributes are discovered in the second Covenant in a higher way his Wisdom was manifested in making the world and in giving a Law but a greater Wisdom in the Gospel Ephes. 3. 10. the Truth and Power of God were more discovered under the second Covenant It is hard to observe an accurate method in the enumeration of the Attributes Zanchy D. Preston and M. Stock have handled some few of them none that I know hath written fully of them all CHAP. III. That GOD is a Spirit Simple Living Immortall GOd in respect of his Nature is a Spirit that is a Substance or â—ssence altogether Incorporeal This the Scripture expresly witnesseth Iohn 4 24. 2 Cor. 3. 17. An understanding Spirit is either created or uncreated Created Spirit as the soul of man or an Angel Psal. 104. 4. 1 Cor. 6. ult uncreated God Whatsoever is affirmed of God which is also communicable to the creatures the same must be understood by a kinde of Excellency and Singularity above the rest Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are spirits but God is a Spirit by a kinde of Excellency or Singularity above all spirits the God of Spirits Numb 16. 22. the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. the Author of Spirits and indeed the Spirit of spirits The word Spirit in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew Ruach is used chiefly of God and secondarily of the creatures when it is used of God it is used either properly or metonymically properly and so first essentially then it signifieth the God-head absolutely as Iohn 4. 24. or more restrictively the Divine Nature of Christ Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Secondly Personally for the third Person in the Trinity commonly called the holy Spirit or Ghost 1 Cor. 2. 11. If the word be taken metonymically it signifieth sometimes the effects of grace either the common graces of Gods Spirit prophetical 1 Sam. 10. 6 10. miraculous or the sanctifying graces Ephes. 5. 18. Angels and mens souls are created spirits but God is an infinite Spirit the word is not applied to God in the same sense Nihil de Deo creaturis
the guilt of our sins was upon him He loves his people 1. Before conversion Amore benevolentiae with a love of good-will and of pity which is properly shewed to one in misery Ezek. 16. 5. 2. After Conversion with a love 1. Of sympathy Isa. 63. 9. Heb. 4. 15. and 5. 2. 2. Of Complacency and delight Psal. 16. 10 11. that Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ see Ephes. 2. 5. This love of his delight is discovered four wayes 1. By his valuing of his people Since thou wast precious in my sight thou wast honorable 2. By his commendation of his Church and people as often in the Canticles 3. By his frequent visits Luke 1. 68. Rev. 3. 20. 4. By revealing his counsels to them Iohn 15. 15. 2. The effect or manner of Gods love is that God makes the person happy whom he loves For he doth amploy reward that joy and delight which he takes in the holinesse and obedience of the Elect while he pours plentifully upon them all gifts both of grace and glory This love of God to the Elect is 1. Free Hosea 15. 5. he was moved with nothing but his own goodnesse Ezek. 16. 8. 2. Sure firm and unchangeable Rom. 5. 8 10. 1 Iohn 4. 10. Iohn 13. 1. and 31. 3. Infinite and Eternal which shall never alter Iohn 3. 16. It is without cessation Psal. 27. 10. Diminution Cant. 8. 7. interruption Rom. 8. 35. to the end or alteration every created thing is imutable 3. Effectual as is declared both by his temporal and eternal blessings 1 Iohn 3. 1. Dei amare est bonum velle 4. Sincere It is a love without any mixture love and nothing but love This is the motive which perswades Gods to communicate himself and act for his people Isa. 63. 9. Rev. 3. 19. and hath no motive but it self Deut. 7. 6 7 8. 1 Iohn 4. 8. God hath no need of us or our love nor doth not advantage himself by loving us Iob 22. 2. 5. Great and ardent Iohn 3. 16. and 15. 13. Rom. 5. 6 7. God bestows pledges of his love and favor upon them whom he hath chosen and sometimes he sheds the sence of his love abroad in their hearts transforms us into his own image Cant. 4. 9. and 6. 5. see Zeph. 3. 17. We must love God Appreciativè love him above all things and in all Psal. 73. 24. Mat. 10. 37. Intensivè and Intellectivè with all our might and strength Affectu Effectu love him for himself and all things for the Lords sake else it is not 1. A Conjugal love 2. Not an equal love to love the gifts and not the giver We should love 1. All the Divine persons in the Trinity 1. The Father Ye that love the Lord hate evil 2. Christ for taking our nature upon him He gave himself to us and for us Cant. 5. 16. 3. The Holy Ghost for drawing our hearts to the knowledge of this great mystery Rom. 5. 5. 2. All the Divine properties and excellencies whereby God makes himself known to the sons of men Love him for his holiness Es. 6. beginning fidelity 1 Cor. 10. 13. Omniscience and Dominion The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a Righteous Scepter 3. We should love all his Ordinances Psal. 27. 4. and 84. beginning and all his discoveries to us in his word 2 Thess. 2. 10. We should expresse our love to him by our care in keeping his Commandments 1 Iohn 2. 3. Iohn 14. 25. and 15. 10. and earnest desire of his presence Psal. 4. 2 3. 2. Our love should be conformed to Gods in loving the Saints Psal. 16. 3. Gal. 6. 10. Iohn 3. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 21. and Christ above all desiring to be united to him 1 Cor. 5. 44. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3. We should admire the love of God 1 Iohn 3. 1. For the sureness greatnesse and continuance of it it passeth our knowledge Ephes. 3. 19. he hath given his son for a price his spirit for a pledge and reserves himself for a reward That Tantus so great a God should love Tantillos so little creatures as we before we were Rom. 9. 11. tales when we were Enemies Rom. 5. 10. tantum so much Means to love God 1. Beg this love much of God in Prayer 2. Study much to know him his nature attributes excellencies 3. Labour to injoy communion with him 4. Mortifie other loves contrary to this inordinate self-self-love and love of the world 1 Iohn 2. 15. There are many promises made to the love of God 1. Of Temporal blessings Psal. 91. 14. Rom. 8. 28. 2. Spiritual all the comforts of the Gospel 1 Cor. 2. 9. 3. Of heavenly and eternal blessings Iames 1. 12. and 2. 5. 1. God is Maximè amabilis he is truly lovely 2. Consider the great benefits we receive from him Psal. 116. 12. 3. He desires us to love him Deut. 10 4. Mark 12. 33 4 This affection onely and joy abide for ever 1 Corinth 13. ult The second affection in God contrary to love is Hatred which is an act of the Divine will declining disproving and punishing of evil ' prevailing and reigning in the reasonable creature In which definition three things are to be noted 1. The object of Gods hatred 2. The cause and condition of the object hated 3. The effect of Gods hatred 1. The object of Gods hatred is the reasonable creature for that onely sins He hateth iniquity Psal. 71. 59. Hab. 1. 13. Prov 11. 1. and the creature which ob stinately and stubbornly persisteth in evil so that he doth rejoyce in the calamity and destruction thereof Psal. 11. 5. and 5. 6. Prov. 16. 5. 2. The cause and condition of the object hated is sin for which God abhors the delinquent creature onely the reasonable creature hath left his station and defiled himself with the filth of sin all the rest of the creatures whether brute beasts or insensible creatures persist in the state of goodnesse wherein they were created although perhaps not in the same degree of perfection and excellency for mans sin But although God cannot hate the creature unlesse as sinful yet not every degree of sin but a high measure of it makes the person hated It is true that God abhors the least sin yet he doth not abhor the persons of the godly in which are the reliques of sinne as he doth those of the wicked in whom sinne reigns 3. The effect of Gods hatred is to punish the person whom he hates Psal. 9. 11. whom when once it is rejected by God troops of evil do invade God both permitting and commanding and this actual hatred or outward manner of manifesting it it may not unfitly be referred to the Divine justice Hatred in God is a vertue and fruit of his justice and not a vicious passion Consider 1. The unsupportable horrors of conscience Prov. 18. 14. 2. The painful death of little children Rom. 5. 14. 3. How grievously God
then shine as the Sun and be like the glorious body of Christ. The soul shall be totally freed from all spiritual evils all reliques of sin and all possibility of sin the corruption of the understanding will affections conscience shall be quite taken away 2. From all apprehensions of wrath and eternal death 2. It shall perfectly enjoy all spiritual good 1. The Image of God shall be absolutely perfect in every one of the glorified Saints every faculty of the Soul shall have all grace that faculty is capable of and that in the highest degree The minde shall have all intellectual vertues the will and affections all moral vertues and that in the highest degree they are capable of 1 Cor. 13. 10. The understanding uno intuitu shall know omne sâ—ibile the will shall be fully satisfied with God the conscience filled with peace the affections of love and joy shal have their full content the memory shall represent to you perpetually all the good that ever God did for you God is most Blessed 1 Cor. 11. 31. Rom. 9. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 11. 6. 15. 2 Cor. 11. 31. yea blessednesse it self he is blessed in himself and to be blessed by us Gods blessednesse is that by which God is in himself and of himself All-sufficient Or thus Gods happinesse is that Attribute whereby God hath all fulnesse of delight and contentment in himself and needeth nothing out of himself to make him happy The Hebrews call blessed Ashrei in the abstract and in the plural number Blessednesses Psal. 1. 1. 32. 1. Because no man saith Zanchy can be called and be blessed for one or another good unlesse he abound with all goods Blessednesse is a state of life wherein there is a heap of all good things The Greeks called blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is not subject to death miseries By the Etymologies and significations of these two words it appears saith Zanchy that there are two parts of blessednesse one to be free from all miseries another to abound with all goods and so to abound with them that thou desirest nothing more A third particle saith he is to be added per se sua natura and a fourth condition that he well know his own blessednesse So that he is truly blessed saith Zanchy which of himself and from his own nature is alwayes free from all evils and abounds with all goods perfectly knowing his own felicity and desiring nothing out of himself but being fully content with himself which description agreeth only to God God is blessed essentially primarily originally of himself such and not by the help of any other thing Reasons 1. He that is the fountain of all blessednesse to others how can he be but infinitely blessed himself He makes all those things happy to whom he vouchsafeth in any sort to communicate himself Wherefore as that which maketh hot and light that is more hot and light then that which is made so so must he exceed all other things in blessednesse which makes all those persons blessed which have any part of blisse 2. Either he hath blessednesse or there should be none for if it be not found in the first and best essence and cause of all other essences it cannot be found in any other thing All men and things affect it therefore such a natural and universal inclination cannot be wholly in vain as it should be if there were no blessednesse to satisfie it The happinesse of every thing stands in the perfect enjoying of it self when it hath all which it inclineth to have and inclineth to have all and only that which it hath then it is fully satisfied and contented and full contentment is felicity Goodnesse filleth the reasonable appetite of mans soul therefore must he needs be happy whose will is filled with good for then he enjoyes himself then is his being truly comfortable to him and such as he cannot be weary of Nothing is happy in enjoying it self and of it self but God alone all other things do enjoy themselves by help and benefit of some other thing besides themselvs And if they enjoy themselves by help favour and communication of a perfect lasting constant eternal and full goodnesse then have they a real solid and substantial happinesse but if by a vain short momentany partial defective goodnesse then have they but a shew and resemblance of happinesse a poor weak feeble imperfect nominal happinesse The happinesse of a man consists in enjoying himself by vertue of the possession of the greatest good whereof he is capable or which is all one by enjoying the greatest good for enjoying it he enjoys himself in and by it and enjoying himself by it he doth enjoy it these are inseparably conjoyned So when a man is possessed of such a thing as doth remove from him all that may be discontentful and hurtful to him and can fill him full of content then is he happy and that is when he hath possession of God as fully as his nature is capable of possessing him Accordingly we must conceive Gods happinesse to be in the enjoyment of himself he doth perfectly enjoy his being his life his faculties his Attributes his vertues I say himself in himself and of himself doth perfectly enjoy himself and this is his perfect happinesse He liveth a most perfect life abounds with all perfect vertues sets them a work himself in all fulnesse of perfection and in all this enjoys himself with unconceivable satisfaction Blessednesse or felicity is the perfect action or exercise of perfect vertue in a perfect life The Lord hath a most perfect life and perfect faculties and also most perfect vertues and doth constantly exercise those perfect vertues and faculties He is blessed because he is strong and enjoyes his strength wise and enjoyes his wisdom just and enjoys his justice eternal and enjoys his eternity Infinite Perfect and that without any dependence reference or beholdingnesse to any other God is Happy First Formally in himself which implies 1. That there is no evil of sinne or misery in him neither is he lesse happy because men offend him 2. That he abounds with all positive good he hath infinitely himself and after a transcendent manner the good of all creatures this is implied in that name when he is called a God All-sufficient he made not the Angels or the world because he needed them 3. That he is immutably happy because he is essentially so Happiness is a stable or setled condition therefore Saints and Angels also are happy but dependently they have it from God Gods happinesse is more then the happinesse of any creature The creatures are happy by the aggregation of many good things together they are happy in their knowledge in their love joy and these are divers things but now God is happy by one act which is the same with his Essence A man here on earth is happy but it is not in Act alwaies it
man and beast and it is fitted to be enlightned by the Sun-beams and to receive that illumination and heat without which the Creatures here below could not subsist and the stars chiefly the Sun are placed at a convenient distance and it is sitted for the swift motion of the heavenly bodies in regard of its rarity and subtilnesse which if it were thick and grosse could not have so speedy a passage through or about the same especially the highest heavens are fitted for the in habitation of those immortal persons some of which do and others shall inhabit a being so spacious bright and every way glorious that the multitude of those happy persons may have space enough to see the beauty of God The Philosophers divide the Region of the world into two Regions the Celestial and Elementary Region The Celestial they divide into divers Orbs or Globes for the Heaven of heavens sedes Beatorum the seat of the blessed Saints and Angels they had little knowledge of if any at all The first moveable as they termed it the highest Orbe by the unspeakable swift circumrotation of which they thought all the other Orbes were carried from East to West in the space of 24 hours This is the tenth Globe or Orbe the next they call the Chrystalline or watery Orb because it is clear bright and apt to shine through as water The next is the Starry heaven which hath eight Spheares one for the fixed Stars and seven other for the Planets each Planet having as they say his distinct Orbe Saturne is the uppermost next Iupiter then Mars in the middest the Sun then Venus next Mercury the last and lowest of all is the Moon So is the division of the heavenly Region the Elementary they divide into the region of fire next to the Moon and of aire next to that and that they distinguish into three Regions the highest middle and lowest then that of the Water and Earth compounded together so they But now the Scriptures divide the World into two parts Heaven and Earth as you reade in the first words of the Bible In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth By Earth it meaneth this Globe of Earth and Water where Men Beasts and Fishes are By Heaven all the space from the Earth upward and of this Heaven it maketh three parts 1. The highest Heaven the Heaven of Heavens 1 Kings 8. 27. the habitation of God himself and all his Saints and Angels Iohn 14. where God reveals his glorious presence to them for ever This is called by Paul the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12. 4. for its scituation above the Aire and Skie both which have the name of Heaven and Paradise 2 Cor. 12. 4. because the earthly Paradise was a figure of it and because it is a place of endlesse joy and pleasure 2. The Starry Skie where the Stars are it is described ie Iob to be firm as a molten Looking-glasse 3. The lower Heavens all that place above our heads to the Starry Heaven Hence the clouds are called the clouds of Heaven and the Fowls of Heaven and Birds are said to flie in the face of the Heavens Every one is to fall out with himself and blame himself for slighting and neglecting the consideration of this work that offers it self so constantly to our eyes even this so curiously wrought Curtain which God hath spread forth especially let us blame our selves for not seeing God in the workmanship of heaven that we take not notice of him as the Author of it and raise our hearts higher then the heavens to him that measures them forth as with a Span we should beleeve that he is so Great Good and Wise as this Heaven proclaimeth him the Maker thereof to be Let us see and bewaile this blindnesse there is no place in the earth which hath not the Heavens spread over it Oh that we could put our selves in minde of him that did spread out the Heavens and remember that be sees us every where for where any work of his is to be seen surely there is himself to be seen and there he sees all things that are there especially let us learn to presle this knowledge upon our will and affections that it may be get in us obedience love fear joy considence and other holy vertues without which all talking yea and thinking of God is idle and fruitlesse Let us presse our selves to become subject to him who hath the heavens at command because he made them to love him that hath formed for our use so excellent an house so richly vaulted above see the invisible things of him that made all in these things which you behold thy conversation should be there where Christ is Col. 3. There is thy Fathers house thine own Country thy inheritance It is a great deale of comfort to Gods people that have such a Father who can so easily stretch out Heaven trust in him for house-room that can build a world with so much ease For the Angels because I intend to speak more largely of them afterwards I shall here only answer one question about them Why are they not spoken of in the Creation where man and beasts are mentioned and why is not the special day named wherein they were made Answ. Not so much for fear the Jews a people prone to Idolatry should have worshipped them for then by the same reason Moses should have forborn to have mentioned them in the whole story of Genesis which was publisht at the same time and to the same people that the first part of it but it may be to give us to understand that God did not use any of their help in the Creation and had no need of them at all but made the whole world without them or because he relates the making of sensible things only but that they were created appears Col. 1. 16. The Scripture hath not so clearly expressed the precise time and day of their Creation therefore Ambrose and Danaeus confesse that they know not when they were created But it is probable they were made with the highest Heaven the first day of the week As man was then first made after his habitation the earth was made and adorned so it is probable that the Angels were made together in a great multitude after the Heavens their habitation was finished Chemnit in loc commun Gen. 2. 1. The heavens and all the host of them It is plain from Iob 38. 7. that they were made before the Earth When God laid the foundations of the earth and laid the Corner stone thereof then the Sons of God that is the Angels Iob 17. shouted for joy An Element is that whereof any thing is compounded and it self uncompounded Each element is superiour to other not more in place then dignity The dry land is called earth which is a firm cold and dry Element round and heavie hanging unmoveably in the midst of the world fit for habitation
forth a great multitude many hundreds as we may see in their spawn That God should give unto these things a power to multiply so very fast is wonderfull and it is agreeable to reason too for the fishes do more devour one another then the beasts do the greater being much more ravenous then any beast as being bigger and their stomacks by an Antiperistasis of the cold water more vehement in digesting They are said to be without number Psa. 104. 25. not simply but to us for we cannot tell the number of them though God which made them do know the particular number of them He can tell how many fishes there be in the Sea though to us they exceed the power of counting yet he hath the precise and exact number of them We know not the kindes of fishes how much lesse the particulars There be saith Pliny of fishes and other creatures living in the Sea one hundred seventy and six severall and distinct kindes What Philosopher can tell how many Dolphins Herrings Whales Sword-fishes there be in the Sea A Crocodile equals eighteen cubits it comes from an Egge as bigge as that of a Goose Nec aliud animal ex minori origine in majorem crescit magnitudinem Pliny lib. 8. cap. 25. From so small a beginning it encreaseth to eight or ten yards in length Their bodies are not much longer then their tails which is of like use with them as the Proboscis is to the Elephant their mouths are very wide at one gulph able to swallow horse or man The name is taken a Croceo colore or per Antiphrasin quòd Crocum timeat The Ichneumon steals into his belly and gnaws his guts whilest he opens his chaps to let the little Troclill pick his teeth which give it feeding Herb. Trav. l. 3. The Echeneis Remora or stop-ship but half a foot long is able to stay the greatest Ship under sail Keckermannus humori frigido à remora fuso adscribere videtur qui aquam circa gubernaculum conglaciet in Disput. Physic. The Cramp-fish Torpedo is able to benumn and mortisie the arms of the lustiest and strongest Fishers that be by touching onely the end of any part of an angle-rod which they hold in their hands although they stand aloft and a great way from her hence it hath its name quod torpore manus afficiat because it benummeth the hands See Voss. de orig progres Idol l. 4. c. 11. both of the Remora and Torpedo The Naturalists tell us of one fish which they call the Uranoscope which hath but one eye and that in a verticall point on the top of the head directly upward by which it avoids all rocks and dangers There have been known Whales six hundred foot long and three hundred and sixty foot broad some like mountains and some like Islands God himself speaking of his own power over all the creatures rehearseth only two the Behemoth Job 40. 15. to the end that is the Elephant and the Leviathan Job 41. per tot that is the Whale this being the greatest among the Fishes as that among the Beasts The Sword-fish hath a beak or Bill sharp-pointed wherewith he will drive through the sides and planks of a Ship and bore them so that they shall sink withall The Dolphin is said to be a fish of such exceeding great swiftnesse as that oftentimes he out-strippeth a Ship under sail in the greatest ruffe and merriest winde in swiftnesse of course In this fish is propounded to us an example of charity and kinde affection toward our Children as Plinyb in his description of the nature of this fish sheweth and Aelianus l. 5. c. 18. As also of his singular love toward man whereof Aelianus produceth strange examples It may seem strange that it should please the Pope to forbid flesh to men rather then fish that is the lesse dainty and luxurious before the more for what is by some alledged that the curse fell upon the earth and not the Seas is fondly affirmed seeing when it is said cursed be the earth by earth is meant the whole globe of the earth consisting of Sea and dry Land Some fishes are exceeding small and for their smalnesse and workmanship bestowed upon them admirable In the Sea the Cockles a little kinde of shell-fish yet in its kinde very artificiall somewhat resembling a Cre-fish which are dainties for rich men Those little and small things are made with so many joynts and parts and turnings such a proportion and shape and every thing so exact and suitable as would stir up astonishment in any beholder Gods power is likewise seen in the greatnesse of some fishes as the Whale some of which are 80. yards long their eyes are as big as an hogshead and their mouth so wide that a man sitting on horseback might be held in it God hath created the Fowls of Heaven among other creatures Psa. 104. 12. Gen. 1. 20 21. The things wherein the Fowls differ from other creatures are 1. That they be winged having feathers and wings by which they are covered and by which they do passe through the air and the place wherein they fly viz. in the open firmament in this lower heaven Their creation is wonderfull in divers respects 1. Their making is wonderfull far differing from that of beasts fishes and men 2. They have great variety of kindes some wilde some tame some great some little some Sea or water birds some land birds 3. Their manner of breeding they lay egges and hatch them and out of a kinde of confused substance that to us seems void of life by the heat of their bodies they doe bring forth their young naked at first which after by the same cherishing of warmth do bring forth feathers to cover them Many of them are so beautifully adorned with their feathers for colour and are so glorious as a man cannot but look upon them with wondring and delight for where doth nature shew more variety and a pleasinger composition of colours then in Doves neck a Peacocks tail and some other like Birds 4. For their swiftnesse of flying that they can with such celerity passe through the air 5. They are many waies serviceable to many they are a dainty food for weak stomacks they pull up many kindes of worms and vermine that else would be harmfull to us Fowls or Birds are more worthy then Fishes because they do more participate of air and fire the two noblest Elements then of water and earth All birds are mastered under the name of Fowls as under their Genus There are examples of vertues in the fowls propounded for us to imitate and of vices for us to shun In the Phaenix an example of the Resurrection in the Stork of loving affection In the Dove of innocency and conjugall faith in the Crows and Estridges of unnaturalnesse We should imitate the Storke Crane ond Swallow in acknowledging the seasonable time of our
indeed it was in some respect a false notion for they conceived them to be a certain kinde of petty Gods and did perform worship unto them the evil angels beguiling them and if there be evil angels there must needs be likewise good The Angels are diversly called in Scripture Spirits Psal. 104. 4. to express their nature and Angels to express their Office as Messengers sent from God They are called Sons of God Job 1. 6. 38 7. Yea Elohim Gods Psal. 8. Cherubims Gen. 3. 24. Ezek. 10. 1. from the form they appeared in viz. like youths Caph is a particle of similitude and Rabiah signifies a young man in Chaldee witness R. David But Ludov. de Dien in his Animadversions upon Mr. Medes Clavis Apocalyptica saith Hoc est puerile frivolum Seraphim Isa. 6. 2. Burning quasi accensi ardore justitiae divinae they execute those things which God commands when he sits in the Throne of his justice and according to it judgeth mankinde Not from their burning love toward God as some imagine Watchmen or the watchfull ones Dan. 4. 10. 13. being in heaven as a watch-tower and keeping the world Starres of the morning Job 38. 7. from their brightness of nature A flaming fire Psal. 104. 4. because God useth their help to destroy the wicked In the New Testament they are called Principalities for their excellency of nature and estate and Powers for their wonderfull force Reasons why God made Angels The will and power of God therefore they are because God saw it fit to make them yet two reasons may be rendred of this work 1. God saw it â—it to raise up our thoughts from meaner to more excellent creatures till we came to him First things say some were made which had no life then living things without fense as plants and trees then sensible then reasonable 2. It was convenient that every part and place of the world should be fill'd with inhabitants fit for the same as the air with birds the earth with beasts and men the sea with fishes and the heavens which we behold with stars and the highest Heavens with Angels God is the maker of Angels These glorious Creatures which shall have no end had a beginning as well as the silliest beast bird or fish and they are equally beholding nay more because they have received more excellent endowments unto God for their Being with the silliest worm And though Moses mentions not in particular either the act of creating them or the time yet St Paul saith that By him were all things made visible and invisible and it is evident by discourse of reason that the Angels were made by God That is too bold an assertion of Mr. Hobbes his in his Leviathan part 3. c. 34 Concerning the creation of Angels there is nothing delivered in the Scriptures See more there What can be meant but the Angels by Thrones and the words following Col. 1. 16. Vide Grotium in loc For either they must be made by God or some other maker or else they must be eternal for whatsoever is not made by some maker cannot be made at all and whatsoever is not at all made is eternal Now if the Angels were eternal then were they equal with God in self-being they might be called self-subsisting essences and so should be equal with God standing in no more need of him then he of them owing no more service homage and praise to him then he oweth to them and so they were Gods as well as he and then we should have multitude of Gods not only one God and so should not God be the first and best Essence there being so many others beside him as Good and Omniscient as he wherefore they must be made by some Maker because they cannot be Eternal and if made then either by themselves or some other thing besides themselves not by themselves because that implies an absolute contradiction and if by some other thing then by a better or worse thing not by a more mean for the lesse perfect cannot give being to a more perfect thing for then it should communicate more to the effect then it hath in it self any way which is impossible that any efficient cause should do not by any better thing then themselves for excepting the Divine Majesty which is the first and best there is no better thing then the Angels save the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ which could not be the Maker of them because they were created some thousands of years before the humanity was formed in the Virgins womb or united to the second person in Trinity We are not able to conceive of their Essence they are simple incorporeal Spiritual substances therefore incorruptible An Angel is a Spiritual created compleat substance indued with an understanding and will and excellent power of working An Angel is a substance 1. Spiritual that is void of all corporeal and sensible matter whence in Scripture Angels are called Spirits Psal. 104. 4. Heb. 1. 14. Therefore the bodies in which either good or evil Angels appeared were not natural to them but only assumed for a time and laid by when they pleased as a man doth his garments not substantial but aerial bodies they were not Essentially or personally but only locally united to them so that the body was moved but not quickned by them The Hebrew Greek and Latine words for Spirit signifie breath there is no more subtill being that we are acquainted with then breath being condensed by the cold indeed it may be seen The Angels good and bad are Spirits because 1. They are immaterial and incorporeal 2. Invisible 1 Tim. 1. 16. That was a foolish fancy of the disciples Luke 24. 37. If Christ had been a Spirit he could not have been seen 3. Impalpable Luke 24. 37. compared with vers 39. 4. Incorruptible and immortal they end not of themselves and no creature can destroy them God alone hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. Origine in himself so as to communicate it to others 5. They are intellectual beings all understanding 6. Their spirituality appears in the subtilty of their moving It is a question whether they do transire ab extremo ad extremum without going through the middle parts yet they â—ove like lightening 7. In respect of their strength and power there is a great deal oâ—â—orce in a natural spirit extracted Isa. 31. 3. 2. Created By which name he is distinguished from the Creator who is an infinite Spirit Iohn 4. 24. Nihil de Deo creaturis univocè dicitur 3. Compleat By which an Angel is distinguished from the reasonable soul of man which also is a spiritual substance but incompleat because it is the essential part of man 4. Indued with 1. An understanding by which an Angel knoweth God and his works 2. A will by which he desireth or refuseth the things understood 3. An excellent power of working by which he effects what the
divers grounds and roots of Apostacy 1. Unbelief Heb. 3. 12. ult Faith unites the soul to Christ and preserves it in him by it we stand 2. The love of the world 1 Tim. 6. 9. 1 Iohn 2. 15. 3. Living in the practice of a known sin 2 Thes. 2. 10 11. 4. Carnall security 5. Needlesse society with wicked men and base fear Remedies against Apostacy 1. Labour to be well principled in the grounds of Religion 2. Keep your hearts in continual fear Blessed is he that feareth alwaies this will keep a man low in his own eyes Pride of parts and gifts betrayes men to errour 3. Be sincere live up to your knowledge 1 Tim. 1. 19. He that begins in hypocrisie many times ends in Apostacy Blasphemy According to the notation of the Greek word it signifies to hurt ones fame or credit yea in the Hebrew also a blasphemer of God is said to strike through the name of Jehovah Lev. 24. 16. It was so detested of old that whereas it had a name yet they did expresse it by an Antiphrasis and used the word blessing instead of cursing 1 King 21. 10. The Jews were wont to rend their garments at the hearing of the name of God blasphemed Isa. 30. ult 37. 1. Acts 14. 14. to expresse the rending of their hearts with grief and indignation The School Divines thus describe it If one deny any thing concerning God which agrees to him or affirm any thing of him which doth not agree to him or when that is attributed to the creature which belongs to the Creator Vide Aquin. secunda secundae Q. 13. Art 1. The Name of God is blasphemed in regard of the matter and manner In regard of the matter God is blaspheamed two waies either Privatively by taking away from him that which is due unto him and wherein his honour consisteth Or Positively By attributing that unto him which is unbeseeming his Majesty dishonourable to his great Name In regard of the manner when any thing is spoken of God ignominiously contemptuously as Exodus 5. 2. 2 Kings 6. 33. Dan. 3. 15. I would I were able to resist God said Francis Spira Gregory the 9th reckoned three famous impostors of the world Moses Mahomet and Christ. Iulian blasphemed Christ living and dying The Heathens would never suffer their Gods to be blasphemed but punished such as were guilty thereof by the power of the Magistrate Socrates was put to death for blaspheming their multiplicity of Gods Master Burroughes Irenicum chap. 5. The very Turks who account of Christ but as a great Prophet and powerfull in word and deed inflict death upon that man that speaketh blasphemies against Jesus Christ. Hereticks ought to be put to death now as well as false prophets under the law the equity of the judicial law remains of putting blasphemers to death Cartw. against Whit. When Servetus condemned Zuinglius for his harshnesse he answers In aliis mansuetus ero in blasphemiis in Christum non ita In other things I will be mild but not so in blasphemy against God For immediate blasphemy against God himself it was capitall Levit. 24. 16. The Civil law herein followeth the Divine law Blasphemi ultimis suppliciis afficiantur Others have punished this sin with cutting off or plucking out the tongue and that deservedly for that tongue is unworthy ever to speak more that shall dare once to speak against its Creator Lewis the 9th King of France stiled the Saint publisht an Edict for the burning of blasphemous persons in the lips A Noble man having offended in that kinde and being brought to the King many interceded for him that such an infamous punishment might be changed to another The King would not hearken to their requests but said he himself would take it for an honour to be marked so on his forehead if by that means he might drive away that enormous sin out of his Kingdom Helps against it 1. Labour for a distinct well-grounded knowledge in the principles of Christian Religion Iude 10. 2. Receive the love of the truth 2 Thess. 2. 11. 3. Walk in the truth 2 Iohn 4. 2 Cor. 13. 8. 2 Tim. 3. 14. 4. Pray earnestly Iude v. 24. It s a Question among the Schoolmen Utrum damnati blasphement Aquinas thinks it credible that after the resurrection they shall vocally blaspheme as the Saints shall vocally praise God And some say Damnati dum blasphemant Deum in hoc peccant because they are bound to an eternal law After this life the demerit of sin ceaseth you shall give an account for the things done in the body 2 Cor. 5. 10. The soul sins after but shall not be judged for those sins as in heaven good actions Pertinent ad beatitudinis praemium so in hell evil actions Pertinent ad damnationis paenam saith Aquinas in the same place Of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost It is called the great transgression Psal. 19. 12. and blasphemy against the Spirit Matth. 12. Blasphemy against the Spirit is When a man doth maliciously and proudly revile and despite the truth of the Gospel and Word of God which he certainly knoweth It is called the blasphemy against the Spirit because it is against the knowledge wherewith a man is lightened by the Spirit of God Cartw. on Matth. 12. 31. It is called the sin against the holy Ghost not that it is only against the third Person in the Trinity the three Persons make but one Divine Essence but because it is a direct opposition and resistance of the light of knowledge with which the holy Ghost hath enlightened it Non dicitur blasphemia Spiritus ratione personae illius sed ratione propriae ipsius in hominibus energiae quatenus Spiritus Sanctus est is qui in veritatis lucem introducit Rivet in Exod. 30. Vide Thom. Aquin. 2da 2dae quaest 14. Artic. 1 2 3 4. It is called sin against the holy Ghost not in respect of the Essence but of the Office of the holy Ghost this sin is all malice wilfull without any infirmity he being pleased with malice for it selfs sake Capell of Tentat part 2. c. 3. Origen as Bellarm. l 2. de Paenitentia c. 16. alledgeth thought that every sin committed against the law of God after Baptism was the sin against the holy Ghost so Novatus Austen makes it finall impenitency The Shoolmen say any sin of malice It is conceived by some that the presumptuous sin in the old Testament is the same with or answers to the sin against the holy Ghost in the new and that which leads to this apprehension is because no sacrifice was appointed for that under the Law as this is said to be unpardonable under the Gospel Heb. 10. 20. but by Psal. 19. 12. it seems to be a pitch of sinning beyond presumption It is described to be a general Apostacy and revolt of a man wilfully fallen from the truth known even to a malicious persecuting
deceitfull vanities And withall he doth not conceive of the worthlesnesse of these trifles who suffers his heart to be deceived with the same 2. Errour He is in a strong and palpable errour concerning them imagining them to be of more power and ability to profit him then in truth they be he overprizeth earthly things and imagineth riches to be a strong tower and castle of defence 3. He puts his trust in riches and dreams that he shall be so much the more happy by how much the more rich yea that he cannot be happy without riches 2. The effects of it 1. The evils of sin which slow from it generally it is the root of all evil it will make a Judge corrupt as 1 Sam. 8. 3. a Prophet deal falsly with the word of God as Ieremiah complains it will make a man to lie deceive and couzen in his dealing it will make a woman unchast More particularly 1. It choaketh the Word of God 2. It causeth that a man cannot serve God for it is impossible to serve God and mammon It causeth that he cannot desire heaven nor set his heart on the things that are above it sets a quarrel between God and man for the love of the world is enmity to God 3. The evils of punishment that ensue upon it Paul saith It pierceth a man through with many sorrows They fall into perdition and destruction they shall be damned Covetous men are ranked in Scripture with whoremongers drunkards How shall I know that my heart is Covetous 1. If a man be alwaies solicitous in caring about the things of the world our Saviour describes covetousnesse by carking and divisions of heart this is to minde earthly things 2. If joy and fear do depend upon the good successe of these outward things rejoyce when riches increase but are dejected otherwise 3. If a man be quick in these things and dull to any good thing 4. If the service of God be tedious to thee because thou wouldst fain be in the world When will the new moon be gone 5. If he be distracted in Gods service if their hearts run after their covetousnesse 6. If one esteem those that are rich for riches sake 7. Nigardise Prov. 11. 24. Eccles. 6. 7. Means to mortifie this sin 1. Be affected with your spiritual wants Psal. 102. 2. Let the heart be deeply sensible of the want of Christ and his sanctifying power in the heart these outward things are such great wants unto thee because spiritual wants are not apprehended Rom. 7. ult 2. Labour for spiritual delights and joy Psal. 4. 6 7. 3. Consider the shortnesse of thy own life Iames 4. 13 14. 4. These outward things cannot stand thee in stead at the day of judgement Riches cannot deliver a man from death much lesse from damnation 5. Remember that God requires the more of thee Salomon therefore saith he hath seen riches kept for the hurt of the owners As you increase your revenews so you increase your account you will have more to answer for at the day of judgement 6. Christs Kingdom is not of this world therefore he calleth upon his disciples to prepare for a Crosse. 7. Meditate upon the word of God prohibiting covetousnesse and turn the precepts thereof into confessions and prayers To apply the reproofs threatnings and commandments of the Word of God agrinst any sin is a common remedy against all sins and so also against this 8. Seriously consider of Gods gracious promises for matter of maintenance in this life that you may trust in God Psalm 34 10. and 84. 11. and 23. 1. Heb. 13. 5. Be as much for the world as thou wilt so thou observe three rules 1. Let it not have thy heart Austen speaks of some who utuntur Deo fruuntur mundo use God and injoy the world 2. Do not so eagerly follow it that it should hinder thee in holy duties 3. Let it not hinder thee from works of charity One compares a covetous man to a swine he is good for nothing till he be dead Cruelty Cruelty is a great sin Gen. 49. 6 7. 1 Sam. 22. 18 19. Psal. 124. Rom. 3. 15. The bloud-thirsty men shall not live out half their dayes Bloud defiles the Land Seven things are an abomination to God the hands which shed innocent bloud is one of them Halto Bishop of Mentz in a time of famine shut up a great number of poor people in a barn promising to give them some relief But when he had them fast he set the barn on fire and hearing then the most lamentable cries and screechings of the poor in the midst of the slames he scoffingly said Hear ye how the Mice cry in the burn But the Lord the just revenger of cruelty sent a whole army of Mice upon him which followed him into a Tower which he had built for his last refuge in the midst of the river Rhene never leaving him till they had quite devoured him The Romans were so accustomed by long use of warre to behold fightings and bloudshed that in time of peace also they would make themselves sports and pastimes therewith for they would compell poor captives and bondslaves either to kill one another by mutual blows or to enter combate with savage and cruel beasts to be torn in pieces by them In the punishment of certain offences among the Jews there was a number of stripes appointed which they might not passe Deut. 25. 23. So doth the Lord abhor cruelty under the cloak of justice and zeal against sinne This Law was so religiously observed amongst the Jews that they would alwayes give one stripe less unto the offender 1 Cor. 11. 24. The highest degree of cruelty consists in killing the bodies of men and taking away their lives for revenge lucre or ambition murder and cruelty cry in Gods ears The voice of thy brothers bloud crieth unto me Gen. 4 10. Reasons 1. It is most directly contrary to the love and charity which God would have to abound in every man love doth no evil to his neighbour 2. It is most contrary to the Law of nature which ought to rule in all mens lives to do as they would be done to we abhor smart pain grief hurt losse of limbs of life 3. This sinne is contrary to the sweetnesse of humane nature which God hath pleased to plant in it in the very frame of the body in regard of which it is justly termed inhumanity and savagenesse and to the graciousnesse and gentlenesse that is in God 4. It is a sinne against the Image of God as well as against his Authority for he hath pleased to imprint a kinde of resemblance of his own excellent nature upon man more a great deal then upon any other creature of this lower world A Fox is a cruel beast as well as a Lion for though he kill not men yet he kils Lambs and Pullen and if he were big and
confirmed by King Iames Daemonol l. 2. c. 6. B. Carletons Examinat of Sir Christ. Heyd Book c. 5. Saul was convinced of the evil of Witchcraft his zeal ran out against Witches yet after he himself went to a Witch The End of the fourth Book THE FIFTH BOOK OF MANS RECOVERY BY CHRIST Wherein are handled His Names Titles Natures Offices and twofold Estate of Humiliation and Exaltation CHAP. I. Of Mans Recovery SECONDLY Mans Restauration or Recovery from his miserable estate that he had plunged himself to by sin 1. What this Recovery is 2. The causes and parts of it Of the first It is a part of Gods special Providence whereby man is recovered out of the state of Sinne and slavery to Satan Death and Hell to an estate of Grace Life and Glory Death and sin entred by the first Adam the second Adam brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel Rom. 3. 24 25. Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22. God still delighted to deal with a common person in the name of all the rest in both the Covenants there was a principal contracting party a common representee Adam in the Covenant of Works Christ in the Covenant of Grace either of these was to communicate his estate to his posterity Both these were common parents authors of life to their seed 1 Cor. 15. 45 49. But they differed 1. In the Dignity of their persons Adam was a holy man yet but an earthly creature Christ is the Lord from heaven See Rom. 5. 15 16 17. 2. In the Degree of the publick Office Adam was a common person but not a Surety for them Christ was a Surety Heb. 7. 22. able to give his a new heart 3. In the Manner of Representation Adam took nothing from us and conveyed nothing to us but sinne Christ took sinne from us made our transgressions to be his and his obedience is become ours 2 Cor. 5. 21. This work of mans recovery is Gods Master-piece all other designs are subordinate to this all his Attributes shine out in this God manifested great love to man at the first in making him happy in stamping his Image on him and in making himself his end but he discovered greater love in the work of redemption Iohn 3. 16. He discovered great power in creating the world of nothing but greater in mans recovery it is greater power to restore a creature when fallen then to uphold it at the first all other acts of power were but over the creature this was over his Son Iohn 10. 18. never was there such an act of grace to take the creature into personal Union with the God-head Zech. 13. 7. God discovered great wisdom in making the creatures and in his Law but that prescribed not a way how to satisfie God and sanctifie man and that so easily Heb. 2. 12. See Rom. 11. 33. He declared also his Holinesse and Justice rather then sin should go unpunished his own Son was punished 2. The Cause of it It comes wholly and onely from the free grace and favour of God Ephes. 2. 8. By grace you are saved through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God The ground of mans restitution was the bringing in of the second Covenant God vouchsafing to deal with man as a rational creature was pleased to deal with him in way of a Covenant the Covenant of Works being broken and it being impossible to enter into heaven that way Rom. 8. 3. God made a new and better Covenant called the Covenant of Grace of which Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezekiel speak This is the way of Gods bringing lost man to life and happinesse by a Mediator The first Covenant was Gods way of bringing man to life by his obedience The righteousnesse required to bring a man to life in the second Covenant is not his own righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of a Mediator 1. This Covenant of Grace was ever one and the same Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever all that obtain life obtain it the self same way The same Covenant that was revealed to Adam when he sin'd was revealed after to Abraham and Noah the Prophets and to us 2. Although for substance this Covenant be one and the same in all ages yet the external administrations of it were different in one manner before Christ exhibited in another after Then it was administred by Prophecies Promises Sacrifices Tâ—pes Shadows after Christ exhibited in the flesh it was administred only in the Ordinances of preaching and the Sacraments Their Types Shadows Sacrifices Washing Circumcision eating rosted Lambs held out the same Christ that our Sacraments hold out 3. The Administration of the Covenant of Grace since Christ was exhibited is far more glorious theirs was called the old Covenant ours the new one This lies in three things 1. It is more universal a great while the other was onely in Abrahams family and after appropriated to the Nations of the Jews and some that turned Proselytes now the utmost isles of the world see the salvation of God 2. Now the Covenant of Grace is revealed more clearly the things about Christ were then dark babes may now understand those things that their Doctors did not 3. A greater measure of Grace and Holinesse is now communicated 3. The parts of this Recovery are two saith Mr Richardson 1. The work of Mans redemption 2. The Application of it The work of Redemption is the purchasing of man from his undone condition by a Redeemer or Mediator or the Recovery of man from his estate of sinne and misery by a full price paid for him by a Redeemer 2. The Application of it is whereby it is made ours by imputation These two are joyned together Iohn 3. 16. Mark 16. 16. The one of these is the Sufficiency of mans Recovery the other the Efficiency Paul and Peter speak often of a price paid for us I shall therefore shew 1. Who this Redeemer is that hath paid this price for us 2. What the price is that he hath paid for us Our Lord Jesus Christ Immanuel the Word made flesh God and man united in one Person is the Person The price that he hath paid was the subjecting of himself in our stead to do what we should have done and suffer what we should else have undergone Mat. 18. 11. Luk 19. 10. Rom. 3. 24 25. 1 Tim. 5. 15. All the Ceremonies and Sacrifices under the Law had relation to Christ they were but the shadow and he was the body First The Nazarite must be sanctified in his mothers womb to signifie that Jesus the true Nazarite should be conceived without sinne in the womb of the Virgin Secondly His two Natures were signified by the Goat that was killed and the Scape-goat and by the two Sparrows the one killed and the other let go His Offices of King and Priest typed by the High-priests Crown Garments and Ornaments His Death by the Sacrifices and his lifting up
Yea let us long for his appearance and thirst after the great Day when he shall come to judge the quick and dead What good wife would not often long for the coming of her absent husband and for her going to partake with him in his state of glory This world is a dunghil and all the things in it are baser compared to that estate of Christ then dirt and dung compared to gold O let us shew that we know and beleeve these things by filling our souls with holy and heavenly desires and affections Contemplate our Lord Jesus Christ rising out of the grave contemplate his ascending up to his Father contemplate him sitting at the right hand of his Father contemplate him coming to Judgement till these things have banished all love of sinne in thee all earthlinesse of Spirit and made thee in some measure like unto him in these things If the Spirit of grace and glory rest upon us it will thus glorifie us and raise us up A Christian man is not glorious because he hath obtained more outward preferment or wealth but because he hath obtained a more effectual and working knowledge of Christ his Head and is made more and more suitable to the spiritual glory of such a Mediatour Hitherto should our chief desires and indeavours runne What do we musing tiring and tormenting our selves in studying earthly things nay evil and sinful things Do these studies and cogitations accord with the heavenly nature which our blessed Saviour maketh them partakers of that are ingraffed into him by Faith and enlivened by the mighty work of his Spirit In vain do we call our selves Christians and look to be brought to that glorious estate wherto he hath already assigned all true Christians if we do not shew our selves thus in our measure for the present glorified with Christ. But secondly let this thought make us to loath our sins and heartily to lament them when we consider of them because they offend so great and wonderful a person that is so highly advanced over all and withal so good and glorious and one that hath done so much for us and doth so particularly know and observe us and all our actions That Lord of Lords and King of Kings that only blessed Potentate who inhabiteth eternity who dwelleth in that light which is inaccessible whom no creature saw nor can see this eminent person he seeth us at all times in all places and companies he is a witnnesse of all our actions that shall be the Judge he taketh particular and precise notice of our whole carriage O shall we dare to offend his pure and glorious eyes with things so abominable to him as those must needs be for which himself was put to suffer such things as he did suffer before he entred into his glory Do we not think that Christ hateth sinne with a most perfect hatred and shall not we strive to conform our selves to him and to please him that is so incomparably much greater then all other creatures Do but think what an one our Lord is and how displeasing sinne is in his sight and then it is not possible for us to love it if we either love our selves or him And it is a sure truth that God will sanctifie these Meditations to such as will exercise themselves therein to beat down sinne in them and to work an hatred of it in their souls Oh rhat each of us could retire our selves often from the world and put himself in minde of Christs glory and say to himself if I follow voluptuousnesse and give my self to wantonnesse drunkennesse gaming idlenesse riot or unthriftinesse these are the things that glorious Saviour of mankinde abh orreth and shall I dare to provoke him against me We are careful to shunne those things which we know will offend great men in the world not alone Kings and Princes but men of inferiour rank that are of place in the Countreys where we dwell and shall we not avoid that which will displease him whose greatnesse is so great that all height set in balance with his is meer meannesse basenesse and contemptiblenesse Admonish thy self often of this point beseech him that knows how loathsom sinne is to himself to make it abominable to thee for his sake and this will cause thee to loath it The true knowledge of Christ to conceive him to be so exceeding excellent as he is will force any reasonable creature to study to please him and to cast away farre from him all that will provoke him and that is all sinne and wickednesse for that his soul hateth and then is our leaving of sinne and casting away evil deeds truly acceptable to him when it hath its original in this knowledge of him and love to him Thirdly This glory of Christ following his sufferings must become a pillar to our Faith and a sure Argument to make us trust perfectly upon him and him alone For is he not able to the utmost to save those which come unto God by him hath he not made it more then manifest that he hath fully satisfied his Fathers justice and answered for our sins He bare the sins of mankinde even of the world as the Scripture speaketh indefinitely that no man should through unbelief exclude himself I say he bare all the sins of men upon his body on the Tree there he undertook to offer up a perpetual Sacrifice and to make an atonement to his Father for us Now you see him no more in an Agony no more Crucified no longer lying in the Grave but entred into his Glory O rest upon him rest upon him rest upon him perfectly How many how great soever those sins be that you have committed for his entring into Glory maketh it manifest that he hath satisfied for them all to the full and if you renounce your selves and all other merits he can and will cause them all to be pardoned and blotted out of the Debt-book of his heavenly Father If we can go to Christ for pardon of sinne he is so glorified that his intercession applying his Redemption to us shall surely make us safe To him therefore runne on him cast thy self on him rely for the plenary and certain remission of all thy sins all aggravations of them notwithstanding yea go to him and rest upon him for power against them all and for strength to overcome them and to vanquish all Satans temptations and to make thee a perfect conquerour for this glory hath he received as the Head of the Church for the use and benefit of his Church and of all and each of those in his Church that shall seek to him and beleeve in him He will justifie he will sanctifie he will save He can do it perfecty he will do it certainly onely so that we rest upon him for it and seek to and call upon him for it All that call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved all that long and desire to be saved and do trust
with the Pharisees and Peter Sins grosse for matter presumptuous for manner and mischievous in effect not common imperfections weaknesses 2. Insolencies against the Church and Commonweal 3. For wrongs offered to us in a publick place a place of Authority as Moses Thirdly The object about which it is conversant only sinne the persons with whom we may be angry are Our Inferiours or near Equals not our eminent Superiours though they do us some wrong Eccles 8. 3. It is an affection of punishing and we may punish no others least of all must we be angry with God Prov. 19. 3. Fourthly For the quicknesse of it we must be slow to anger Eccles. 7. 9. Pro. 14. 17 29. Mat. 5. 22. not without a cause or unadvisedly Fifthly The measure of it 1. It must be alwayes temperat so much as to quicken spirits not darken reason 2. It must not exceed the proportion of the evil when God is much dishonoured it must be more as in Moses Sixthly For continuance It never must be long The Sunne must not go down upon our wrath it must not be a bed-fellow There must not be more anger then is requisite for the true and proper end of anger The corrupt end of corrupt anger is revenge But the true and proper end for which God did plant it in the heart was twofold 1. That it might serve as a means to inable the body and minde more to procure its just defence against any evil or hurt that should be offered it especially against any sinful temptation Christ was angry with the Devil when he tempted him to worship him Iacob with Rachel Gen. 30. 2. 2. To stir us up when need is to use earnestnesse for the reforming of sinne in others which have committed it so Christ was angry against them that did buy and sell in the Temple and often against the hypocritical Pharisees which made him so sharp with them oftentimes Marks of sanctified anger 1. What is the thing which stirres this passion Is it because God is dishonoured Moses his spirit was never stirred above twice in his own cause but he was impatient when the Israelites worshipped the golden Calf The zeal of Gods house consumed Christ. 2. Such a one is most of all angry with himself because he knows no man commits more injuries against that which is dear to himself Gods glory his own peace against his own wanderings failings 3. He observes that rule Be angry and sin not because it is against sin 4. Holy anger will provoke him to his duty Nehemiah was troubled when the Sabbath was prophaned 5. It doth not exceed for measure Means 1. To provoke this affection against sin 2. To bridle our inordinate passion about things for which we should not be angry Of the first Consider first how amiable a thing it is for a man to be impatient for God a great part of our holy zeal which is the edge of the soul is anger against sinne It is intensus gradus purae affectionis zeal is a composition of love and anger Secondly God himself is extreamly angry with sinne and the workers of iniquity He is jealous wrathfull he drowned all the world burned five Cities made his Sonne drink of the cup of his wrath was never angry for any thing but sinne Thirdly Rightly understand the nature of sinne what ever may call out anger meets only in sinne it is an injury against God a contempt an ingratitude against him who is the holiest wisest excellentest in heaven and earth who are they that do this base creatures worms potsherds that receive every thing which is good from him Secondly How to bridle our inordinate passions 1. Take heed of pride and overweening thy self Pro. 11. 2. 21. 24. David was much provoked at Nabal but suffered Shimei to rail at him there is nothing to be esteemed but the glory of God his favour communion with him 2. Avoid suspition love which is opposite to anger is said not to be suspicious 3. Abstain from all occasions of anger take heed of tale-bearers resist it in the beginning 4. Consider the excellency of meeknesse and long-suffering rightly understand the hand from which every injury comes real or supposed Shimei cannot curse David but God bids him he orders it 5. Look to thy own thoughts passe the thing over doe not think of it Matth. 15. 19. 6. Consider the glorious examples of Moses David Christ himself 7. Often disgrace this vice unto your selves call to minde how earnestly God hath condemned it how he hath vilified it and those that give themselves unto it Anger rests in the bosom of fools the holy Ghost bids us put away anger and wrath bitternesse crying and evil speaking he bids us Walk not with an angry man nor have fellowship with a furious man he saith An angry man aboundeth in transgression it is opposite to Love the best of vertues a very drunkennesse and disgrace thy self to thy self Reverence It is an affection by which the soul is stirred to entertain the good which appeareth to be of some worth or excellency according to its worth It must be exercised upon fit objects things and persons reverend The holy things of God his Sanctuary Sabbath Word Sacraments and other Ordinances in which men draw near unto him Levit. 26. 2. The Image of God consisting in righteousnesse and holinesse Salomon saith that wisdom shall give a comely ornament The Persons to be honoured are 1. The godly and vertuous whom we must respect for the image sake of God that is in them 2. Governours and rulers of all sorts Commandment 5th 3. The Ministers of the Gospel 4. Aged persons having a stamp of Gods eternity Reverence is properly exercised upon a person esteemed excellent and eminent in grace and vertue especially if it be also joyned with Soveraign Authority If Authority be separated from Vertue yet in well considering men it will beget Reverence for the place will be loved though not the party If Vertue be separated from Authority that will beget a great measure of Reverence in a well-judging soul. Secondly For the measure we must honour and reverence things and persons more or lesse as they are more or lesse reverend every person and thing according to its degree We must not reverence 1. Idols and false gods I mean the image of any God-head set up to worship or any conceited imaginary God To kisse the Calves a sign of Reverence was a sinne 2. Vile and base men of sinful and wicked carriage in regard of wealth wit beauty and other paintings Masters Parents Kings must be reverenced for their Authority but not for other vain things Zeal Zeal is by some defined the heat and intention of all the affections as varnish is no one colour but that which gives glosse and lustre to all Act. 26. 7. It is a holy warmth wrought by the Spirit of God whereby all the affections are drawn out unto the utmost for the
Lord and his glory It is nothing but heat or warmth whence zealous men in Scripture are said to burn in the Spirit but it is a spiritual heat wrought in the heart of man by the holy Ghost improving the good affections of Love Joy Hope for the best furtherance of Gods glory using the contrary affections of hatred anger grief against Gods enemies Dr Holland when he went any journey was used to say to the Fellows Commendo vos dilectioni Dei odio Papatus All the servants of God should be zealous for the Lord Revel 3. 19. This is required in the Minister Act. 18. 25. the hearer Luke 24. 32. of them that would pray with comfort Iam. 5. 16. in every part of the service that we do unto God Rom. 12. 11. it is in general required of us in our whole profession and practice of Religion Tit. 2. 14. Iehosaphat is praised for it 2 Chron. 17. 6. See Chap. 31. 25. 2 King 23. 25. Reasons God is a Spirit a pure act with whom we have to do therefore we must be spiritual he would not accept the first-born of an Asse because it is a dull sloathful creature Secondly It is conversant in matters of Religion which are of highest concernment in the world all the heart soul and strength are to be laid out about them Thirdly This is an excellent grace 1. Because it is the best evidence of a Christian the Spirit of God works like fire 2. The greatest means to draw out the soul to service for Christ Isa. 6. when he was toucht with a coal from the Altar then he cries Send me 3. It will save a sinking Church Numb 25. 10. Ier. 5. 1. 4. It is the glory and beauty of all our services as varnish adds a lustre to all other colours makes them amiable Two Cautions 1. It must be guided by knowledge Rom. 10. 2. Zeal without knowledge is like mettle in a blinde horse Knowledge without zeal is like a precious stone in an old Toads head 2. Mannaged by wisdom we must not go beyond our calling Signs of holy Zeal 1. One is impatient for injuries done against God so Moses Exod. 32. 2. It is ready to be imployed in any service which may advance God as Isa. 6. 3. It makes a man do it couragiously a zealous man is bold for God Shall such a man as I flee said Nehemiah 4. He will spare no cost in the cause of God Cant. 8. 7. 5. What ever it hath done for God it never thinks it hath done enough Phil. 3. 12 13. 6. This heavenly fire shines abroad but burns most within 7. Makes one take pleasure in the zeal and forwardnesse of others I would all the Lords people were Prophets CHAP. XXVII Of the Sensitive Appetite THus I have done with sanctifying the intellectual Nature the Understanding Will Conscience Memory and the Affections Now I come to Appetâ—tus Sensitivus The Sensitive Appetite It is an inclination of the soul to imbrace those things which are good or evil according to the judgement of the sense There are five external Senses Seeing Hearing Smelling Touching and Tasting and three internal the Memory Fancy Common Sense In these men and bruit beasts are alike In man this sensitive appetite differs from that in a bruit beast in three things 1. That in a bruit beast is all the soul which he hath but in man it is not a distinct soul but an inferiour faculty of the reasonable soul. 2. The motions of a bruit beast according to sense are not guided by reason 3. In a bruit beast his sense is all the guide he hath by which he is to make his judgment mans rule is reason guided by God All the motions of the will which the soul takes upon the representation of the senses is the bruit part 1. The rectitude of it before the fall or the image of God in it It was wholly at the command of reason is was to be a servant to the soul only to bring intelligence and represent all the things which were done abroad A man in his pure condition had not a desire to a thing till reason had judged of it Since mans fall much of our depravation lies in this low brutish faculty the Scripture saith Every man is a beast The Apostle ten times in the sixth seventh and eigth of the Romans cals concupiscence sin Some think it is but the depravation of this he there means Man falling off from God and making him his portion turns to the creature and makes it his portion 1. The power which this brutish part hath over reason 2. Over the will and affections 3. The abominable fruits which slow from both these Of the first Whereas reason should impartially take all things without prejudice and weigh them in the right balance it puts out the eye or deludes it 2. It takes up the will before any thing be propounded to reason it often ravisheth the will which the Scripture expresseth by madnesse 3. The woful fruits of this Hereupon man who was made after Gods Image and most like him becomes a carnal earthly brutish man the spiritual part is drowned Iude v. 10. His joy is in his musick wine horse garden cloaths Though he have an intellectual nature yet his reason invents wayes and means to follow some sensual good and to avoid some sensual evâ—l and in this case are all natural men Corruption first came into the soul by the sensual appetite Eve by seeing the fruit hearing the Serpent touching and tasting the fruit and by imagining what good might come to her by it was deceived Scholars and wise men when corrupt are often taken up more with the things which work upon the senses then with what works upon reason Many among the Arabians are learned in the Tongues and Mathematicks yet their happinesse and all their Religion from Mahomet is what pleaseth the sense Popery is a meer pompoâ—s sensual Religion Men often do vertuous things that they may have the reward of vertue and hate punishments because they are sensual The work of Gods grace in sanctifying this part The proper office of it was to present the intellectual nature with what of God may be found in the creature The Sanctification of it stands in two things 1. God by his grace spoils the relish of that good which is presented to us by the senses it discovers to the soul better good to feed upon the taste of spiritual things the consolations of Christ. 2. The soul is not much troubled at the evil which the senses present sicknesse reproach Though grace do not so far subdue the appetite that it shall not be medling yet it stayes the will In a gracious man the dictates of reason and conscience conclude the businesse as in Samsons love of an uncircumcised Philistim if grace had prevailed that had soon ceased There is a great deal of wickednesse in the sensual appetite it is impetuous since the fall 2.
Both the wicked and godly are weary of praier and fasting 1. The wicked are weary of praier and fasting 1. Because they want the principle of grace to carry them thorow 2. They want the Spirit of Adoption 3. They have no love to these duties 4. They relish not the sweetnesse in praier and fasting 5. They have a mean esteem of these duties 6. They want grace to wait The godly also are quickly weary of these duties 1. From the abundance of corruption in the best Christians Exod. 17. Moses his hands were heavy 2. From the misapprehension of praier and fasting they look upon them as legal duties but they are chief Gospel-duties Matth. 9. 13. 2 Cor. 11. 27. they call them beggarly forms Christians they say must be above forms the Ordinances are vehicula Christi canales Coeli 3. From the often and long continuance and easinesse of obtaining these fasting daies Motives to persevere in praier and fasting 1. Have a high and honourable esteem of these duties 2. Let not the frequencie of them take away the reverence and powerfulnesse of them Persevere 1. In private praier Psal. 80. 4. Cant. 3. 4. 2. In publick 1. God commands it Ephes. 6. 17 18. The Saints have practised it Lam. 3. 22 23 24. Psal. 69. 13. 3. There are many Promises Mat. 18. 7. Luk. 11. 10. It is a good and commendable thing in the Saints of God to be able to hold out long in their private praiers 1 Sam. 15. 11. In publick praier with others respect must be had as well to others as to ones self and here we must conform our selves to their abilitie that we tire not their devotion but in our private and secret praiers betwixt God and our own souls it is good to be large 1 Sam. 1. 12. Daniel continued his solemn fast not in abstaining simply from all food but from all pleasant and delicious fare for 21 daies together and therefore it is sure he spent a great deal of time in praying David Psal. 22. praid day and night Christ spent a whole night in praier Object Long praiers are condemned in the Pharifees Answ. Not the length but the hollownesse of their praiers is blamed because under shew of long praiers they devoured widows houses seeking to gain the reputation of men extraordinary devout by drawing out their praiers and they were publick not private praiers Object Eccles. 1. 3. Salomon bids that in consideration of Gods greatnesse and our basenesse our words should be few Answ. Not all length in praier but hastinesse and tediousnesse without affection is there condemned he saith Be not hasty nor rash but let thy words be few requiring that the words have their ground in a well advised judgement and then they are few in his sense though they be otherwise many Luke 18. 1. Paul wisheth to persevere in praier watching thereunto meaning it not alone of constancie in praier and spirituall watching but of the holding out in praier Reasons may be added to what have been formerly delivered 1. In regard of our selves we have much matter for praier many sins to confesse and lament many graces to ask many wants to be supplied 2. Many reasons to enforce and many objections to answer and therefore ought sometimes to inlarge our selves Secondly In regard of God by this meanes we shall declare a great love to God and to this exercise when we carry our selves to him as to a Friend with whom we are not willing to leave conferring but take delight to confer much with him The way to continue in this duty is much to muse of our wants and sins and Gods promises and labour to have our hearts earnestly affected with these things and to take advantages of such occasions as the Lord affords â—s for this purpose and let us propound the example of Christ and Samuel and other godly persons and strive to follow their president when time doth serve Four Cautions must be observed in long praiers 1. That in our meetings with Christians we affect not to be long to get applause thereby and to shew how far we excel others in this gift Mat. 23. 14. 2. That we be enabled by God with understanding and use not vain repetitions Matth. 6. 7. 3. That our hearts be able to hold out as long as our tongues do Iam. 5. 16. 4. That we have respect to them that joyn with us 1 Cor. 14. 19. In praier Particular confession of our sins so far as we can come to the knowledge of them is requisite and for unknown sins a general confession will serve Psa. 19. 13. See Gen. 18. 27. Dan. 9. 4 5. Ezra 9. 6 7 9. Psal. 51. 4 5. Iosh. 7. 19. confession is put for praier The acknowledgement of our own unworthinesse becomes the presence of God 1 King 19. 11. Iob 42. 5 6. 25. 5 6 22. 2. Confession is a solid disclaiming of the first Covenant when we make grace our claim we must disclaim works Psal. 115. 1. In every part of praier some affection should be exercised in confession shame Micha 2. 6. Grief Luk. 18. 13. in requests hope and desire in giving thanks joy and love Confession is but an act of the sanctified will displeased with the remembrance of sinne Objections of Libertines and others against praier 1. They think it needlesse they cannot alter God Answ. We should obey Gods command By prayer there may be a change in our selves it betters our hearts makes us trust in God 2. God hath inseparably linked the means and the end We pray not that Gods will may be altered but accomplished in his own way his judicial sentence may be altered though not his counsel 2. Others think they are above praier this is an inferiour duty for men of their rank Have neither they nor the Church any necessities Christ who had fulnesse of Grace often praied Matth. 14. 23 24. See Revel 4. 10 11. Gods people are called his Suppliants Zech. 3. 10. a generation of them that seek him Psal. 24. 6. 3. Others will not pray but when the Spirit moves them This is not to come till God send for us God withholds grace because we seek it not in his own way 4. Others think they need not be so frequent in praier they say the hours of duty are not determined The expressions for prayer are comprehensive Pray continually 1 Tim. 5. 17. CHAP. V. The Sorts or Kinds of Prayer PRayer may be distinguished according to the matter and manner thereof In regard of the matter the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 1. maketh four severall heads 1. Supplications or deprecations which are for the removal of evil 2. Praiers which are for the obtaining of good 3. Intercessions which are in the behalf of others 4. Thanksgivings which are for benefits received These four he referreth in another place to two heads 1. Requests 2. Thanksgiving The most general and usual distinction is grounded on 1 Thess. 5. 17 18. Petition
creature cut off from the old stock and ingraffed into a new thou must close with Christ and accept of him and then vertue will come from him Gal. 2. 20. Bread and Wine are turned into the substance When the Sacrament is received without due and diligent preparation it is received unworthily vers 28. The Apostle prescribes this remedy against unworthy receiving we should diligently prepare for every religious duty We should be much in examination the strongest acts of grace are reflex acts this is a Gospel command therefore carries with it a Gospel-promise it is a duty at all times Our examination is a setting our selves in the presence of God and passing sentence on our wayes as God would have us There is a twofold preparation required 1. Habitual standing in the having of all such dispositions and graces as qualifie a man for the work of receiving knowledge faith and repentance love obedience this is at our first conversion Ephes. 2. 10. 6. 14. 2. Actual which stands in the exciting and awakening of those graces and dispositions and renewing of them when one is to receive Both these must be in him that will receive in due order Actual preparation consists 1. In the solemn sequestration of a mans self 2. In examination of our sins and graces 3. In being humbled for our sins and in renewing and quickning the former graces 4. In raising and stirring up in our selves strong desires after Christ. 5. In stirring up in our selves a strong expectation of the benefit of the Sacrament 6. In seeking God in special and more then ordinary manner by prayer 1. A solemn sequestration of the soul from all other avocations whatsoever There must be some sitting of a mans self for the duty from the time that a man hath notice of the Sacrament to be administred But at the day before a man should at the least toward the end of the day separate himself from all other thoughts and occasions and minde wholly the work of preparation to the Sacrament This sequestration of a mans self stands in two things 1. In setting aside all lawfull thoughts occasions and businesses of our callings 2. In summoning calling and collecting together all the powers and faculties of the soul to attend upon the businesse now in hand Examination of our sins and graces of the multitude and hainousnesse of our sins of the truth of our graces the growth of them and our wants I shall lay down the rules of examination and the things to be examined 1. The Rules whereby we are to examine our selves are the Law and Gospel 1. For finding out the number of our sins 2. The uses of them for finding out the measure of them The things to be examined are our sins and graces I. Of the Rules The Law The Summe of the Law is set down in the ten Commandments and they are divided into two Tables The Commandments of the first Table are the four first and they teach us our duty which we owe unto God immediately The Commandments of the second Table are the six last and they teach us our duty which we owe unto our Neighbour Our duty to God is to love him with all our hearts with all our strength with all our might with all our thoughts Our duty to our Neighbour is to love him as our selves both in soul and body goods good name person chastity The first Commandment is Thou shalt have no other gods but me or before me The general duty of it is to make God my God by yeelding unto him all such respect as appertaineth to him in regard of his being our Creator and the first fountain of all being This is a total and general subjection of the whole man unto him Duties required herein are 1. Of Dependance whereby we make God the chief and principal object of all the powers of our whole man so far as they are capable of him 2. Of Conformity whereby we order all our powers toward other things in that manner and measure that he doth require and so become subject to that authority power and command that he hath over us as a Creator 1. Duties of Dependance We must set all the powers of the soul principally upon him 1. The Understanding 1. To know him as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works 2. Faith to believe him that is to think things true because he saith them 3. Humility acknowledge him to be the first and best Essence rightly discern the infinite distance and difference between him and us and confesse his unspeakable excellencies above us and our most vile basenesse in comparison of him 2. The will willing his glory above all things and then choosing his favour and grace 3. The imagination or thinking power to be thinking of God more plentifully largely constantly then of all other things 4. Memory perpetually to remember him and to set him at my right hand as David saith 5. The affections of Love Fear Joy Confidence must be set upon him with all their strength We should also speak more abundantly of God and his Excellencies then of all things else besides 2. Duties of Conformity All the powers of man are to be set on other things according to his direction and appointment 1. The Understanding 1. To know his will 2. To believe his promises and threats 3. To make use of the things we know 4. To esteem of heavenly things above earthly 2. Conscience or a knowing with God in which 1. The acts it is to perform 2. The rule which it must follow in performing those acts The acts it is to perform are twofold 1. In regard of our estate to acquit and condemn 2. In regard of our actions I. Before the doing if need be to admonish me to them 2. If sinful to restrain me from them 3. If indifferent to leave them to our wils II. After the doing 1. To comfort in them if commanded 2. To check for them if forbidden The Rule which it must follow in performing these acts is the revealed will of God III. In the manner of doing 1. Sincerely in checking for one sin as well as another 2. Tenderly for a little thing 3. Effectually so as not to suffer corruption to gain-say 4. Peaceably to drive to God not from him 3. The will to be flexible to Gods will 1. Obedience a full purpose to do all that God requires and leave all that he forbiddeth for his sake 2. For good things received thankfulnesse for evil patience 4. The thinking power Memory Speech Senses and Affections to be exercised more abundantly on heavenly things then earthly The general Duty of the second Commandment is to perform such solemn worship to God as he requires in his Word to worship him in spirit and truth Divine Service must be according to Gods command 1. For Matter of it in regard 1. Of the Person worshipped the living God alone conceived of in the pure apprehension of the
we come to see that the Sacraments are the Lords Ordinances and that those things which he promiseth in the Covenant of Grace and sealeth in the Sacrament are farre better then all profits and pleasures in this world By it we come to be stirred up to desire and long after these benefits and so to covet them that nothing in this world will satisfie us without them We should exercise faith at the Lords Table view the arguments the Ordinance it self affords 1. Here is Christ crucified before thine eyes and he clearly offers it to thy soul in particular he applies it to thee This is my body which was broken for thee and my bloud which was shed for thee Run over the sad story of Christs agony and say This was done by my Lord for my poor soul. 2. The Lord cals thee hither on purpose because thou art weak He will cherish weak beginnings Mat. 12. 20. For our affections we must behave our selves with joy comfort and reverence See 2 Chron. 30. 21. Mat. 26. 30. Thy heart should be cheerful in God and thankful praise him Thankfulnesse and joy are the effects of faith the Ordinances are often compared to feasts and banquets because of the spiritual delight and rejoycing which the soul ought to take in them Hence the very Sacrament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the giving thanks unto God for his mercies The outward duty is comfortable Circumcision was a bloudy rite yet this is nothing to the inward sweetnesse Iohn 4. 32. In one of the Evangelists it is said Christ blest the bread in another it is said Christ gave thanks Christ when he instituted this Sacrament gave thanks to God the Father that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor souls Fear is proper to the duty of the Supper because of those excellent mysteries Chrysostom cals this Table Horribilis mystica mensa Psal. 68. 35. mixt affections do best in a mixt state in the whole worship of God Psal. 2. 11. Hos. 3. 7. For our thoughts We must meditate 1. On the outward signs and what they signifie 2. On the dainties prepared 3. The love of him that prepared them 4. On our communion with Christ his Graces and faithful people The effect of these affections and thoughts will be stirring up the heart to thanksgiving When we taste the wine we should consider its properties Psal. 104. 15. Iudg. 9. 13. so there is satisfaction to God and comfort to the creature in the bloud of Christ wine ingenders new spirits warms and refines them the bloud of Christ infuseth a new vigour into the soul. Our Communion with Christ in the Supper is not only with his gifts and graces but with his Person whole Christ. There are two Elements to signifie this Bread his Body and Wine his Bloud Our Communion is with his whole Person with Christ invested with all kinde of Offices to do us good and furnished with rich graces and comforts 1 Iohn 5. 16. We partake of his wisdom as a Prophet righteousnesse as a Priest grace and glory as a King What must be done after the Sacrament We must endeavour to finde an increase of faith love and all saving graces in us abounding more and more in well-doing We should speak of the sweetnesse of Christ to others Psal. 34. 8. Some Disciples have gone from this Supper triumphing and trampling upon Satan as Lions breathing fire saith Chrysostome terrible to the Devils themselves If we finde not the fruit of this Ordinance presently either it may come from want of preparation or from trusting in our own preparation 2 Chron. 26. 15 16. or want of thankfulnesse for our preparation 1 Chron. 29. 14. or from want of stirring up the graces we have received in that duty Isa. 57. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 6. Or Because we were not humbled for former neglects Psal. 32. 4 5. God may deny us the present sense of our benefit 1. To train us up to live by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. 2. To try our graces 3. That we may more diligently search into our own souls Psal. 77. 6. How oft ought the Sacrament to be received Amongst the Papists the people communicate only once a year viz. at Easter which superstitious custom many of our ignorant people follow Calvin 4. Institut 43. 46. roundly professeth that it behoveth that the Eucharist be celebrated at least once a week The Christians in some parts of the Primitive Church took the Sacrament every day because they did look to die every day Now in many places it is administred every moneth Object The Passeover unto which the Lords Supper succeedeth was celebrated once a year and therefore once only for this Sacrament is sufficient Answ. God ordained that the Passeover should be celebrated but once only in the year and on a certain moneth and day the Jews had many other visible signs to represent Christ and his benefits they had Sacrifices every day and legal washings but he hath appointed that this Feast of the Lords Supper should be often solemnized and that we should come often unto it 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. That the frequent celebration of the Sacrament is a duty is inferred from this Text by Peter Martyr Calvin Musculus Aretius Hyperius Tossâ—nus Pareus Piscator Dickson and Mr Pemble See Iohnsons Christian Plea Chap. 14. In the time of the Apostles the purest age of the Church they solemnized it every Lords day Acts 20. 7. yea it was their daily exercise as often almost as they had any publick meeting for the service of God Acts 2. 42. And this custom long continued in the Primitive Church after the Apostles times not only in the dayes of Iustin Martyr and Tertullian but also of Chrysostom and Augastine as appeareth by their writings untill by mans corruption and Satans malice the commonnesse of the action exposed it to contempt We should come often to the Sacrament there is no exception but want of occasion or some just impediment There was in old time a custom there should be a Communion every Lords day every one not receiving without lawful excuse being excommunicated which Charls the Great in some sort renewed and which Bucer advised K. Edward in this Land to restore again Whether if an Ordinance and namely the Sacrament of the Lords Supper though there seems to be the like reason in other Ordinances cannot be so administred but that by some which partake of it it will notoriously be prophaned that be a sufficient reason for the non-administration of it Or Whether for want of order and government to keep off such as are notoriously unworthy the administration of the Sacrament may and ought to be suspended Again Whether a Minister may lawfully and with a good conscience continue there in the exercise of his Ministery having a Pastoral charge where he hath not power to administer the Sacrament of
in us and the full accomplishment of happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven One Reverend Divine now with God saith The duties required more particularly may be referred to two heads Some respect the Essence and Nature of God some the Authority and Dominion of God even as Subjects owe some things to their Prince in regard of his Person some things in regard of his Power of Government so do we the Creatures to our King and Creator The former may fitly be tearmed duties of dependance because they do naturally flow from that total dependance upon God the first being which must needs be found in all secondary beings and because they be certain necessary acknowledgements of our such dependance The latter may be termed Duties of Conformity because in and by them we do conform our selves unto the Will and Authority of God and by both become perfectly subject unto him Duties of dependance in general are those by which we exercise all the powers of our souls upon God principally and above all other things so far as his excellent Nature is fit to be their object for seeing He is the most excellent of all things and doth please to make known unto us his excellencies we should labour to be wholly united to him that is so excellent Duties of Conformity in general are all those by which we order the powers of our souls toward other things according to his good will and pleasure made manifest unto us Our duty concerning God is to know him and his will to believe in him according to his Promises to remember him alwaies and to esteem him above all things to trust wholly upon him to love desire fear and delight in him above all other things and with all our hearts Our duty in respect of good things Spiritual and Temporal is to exercise our wils affections thoughts speeches much more on Spiritual good things then Temporal and to keep them very moderate towards earthly benefits Our duty concerning sin is to hate it fly from it grieve for it be ashamed of it and angry with it more then any natural evil thing The particular duties here required are 1. Perfect knowledge of God in Christ which is a conceiving and apprehending of him to be such a one as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works specially in the Covenant of Grace and that for measure and degree fully We cannot comprehend God as he is in himself but as he hath manifested himself we ought to know him for knowledge is the guide of the affections the beginning of grace the ground of Worship When we know God as he hath manifested himself then do we come to believe desire fear and love him and trust in him as he requireth We cannot have God our God till we come to know him in Christ therefore it is promised to all the godly in the new Covenant they shall all know me 2. Acknowledgement which is an effectual and affectionate perswasion of the heart not onely that God is but that he is the onely Lord Eternal and Almighty most Wise most Holy most Righteous most Gracious and Merciful most Faithful and True the Creator Governour and Preserver of all things the Supreme Soveraign Judge of all the world and peculiarly the God and Saviour of his people that he hath chosen unto himself and with whom he hath entred Covenant of his free mercy in Jesus Christ. 3. Estimation which is a most high prizing of God according to his Worth and Dignity as the chief Good and our onely all-sufficient portion The estimation we have of any thing must be correspondent to the goodness of it But God is good above measure and our estimation of him should know no measure 4. Faith which is a lively motion of the heart whereby the soul doth invincibly cleave and stick unto God in Christ and unto the word of his Covenant as containing the chief good of man To believe is not barely to assent to the thing which is propounded to be believed for the authority of the speakers who cannot lie as the assenter is perswaded but to adhere to the Word of Truth as certain good and sweet both simply and in comparison Two things are required in Faith Something true and good to be believed and a firm certain assent and adherence to it Thus we are commanded to believe in God through Jesus Christ neither doth Faith respect the Promises Narrations and Prophecies of the Word onely but the Commandments and Threatnings also Psal. 119. 66. 2 Chron. 34. 19 21 27. Ioh. 3. 5. By Faith we possess the Lord as our own and hold fast unto him in whom all help and comfort is to be found 5. Confidence or Affiance whereby we trust lean rely or stay upon the Grace of God in Christ Jesus with assured security in the way of his Commandments for pardon of sin deliverance from all evil and the supply of all good Temporal and Spiritual according to his faithful and never-failing promise This is ever joyned with the true knowledge of God and in nature is of great affinity or rather all one with justifying Faith Who so reposeth all his confidence in God he taketh him in so doing for his God We are to trust in God for the giving and maintaining of all our good both temporal and eternal leaning on him for all defence and deliverance from evils spiritual yea and corporal casting all our care on him having no confidence in the flesh no duty is more frequently pressed in Scripture then this of confidence in God Hope in God is an inseparable companion of Trust which is an assured quiet expectation of what good promised is not yet accomplished grounded upon the free and undeserved kindness and grace of the Lord in Christ Jesus Psal. 119. 166. Heb. 11. 1. Lam. 3. 24. Rom. 15. 4. Hope is commanded in many passages of Scripture commended by many promises Psal. 27. 14. 31. 14. 34. 8. Lam. 3. 26. Psal. 37. 7. 131. 3. 130. 5. Mic. 7. 7. Isa. 8. 17. Psal. 119. 43. Isa. 30. 18. Psal. 146. 5. 40. 4. 84. 12. Isa. 6. 8. Psal. 147. 11. Psal. 33. 18 19. Psal. 31. 24. 33. 20. Psal. 35. 21. 37. 9. 34. Psal. 9. 18. Isa. 49. 23. 40. 31. 6. Love of God in Christ which is a spiritual motion in the reasonable part presupposing Knowledge and Affiance whereby the soul goeth forth to embrace and possess God as the chief Good and with most pure earnest and constant affection to maintain communion with him Love is an affection of union it knits to the thing beloved and would not want the possession of it Love we see makes man and woman one and so doth couple us to God The body is carried by weight into his proper place so is the soul by love which is the weight of the soul unto its proper object Many promises are made to them that love
the Lord Psal. 91. 14. 145. 20. Psal 63. 8. 1 Iohn 4. 7. Iohn 16. 27. 1 Iohn 4. 16. Iohn 14. 23. 16. 27. Rom. 8. 28. Psal. 145. 20. Deut. 30. 19 20. 1 Corin. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 12. 2. 5. God is the proper Object of Love He is the chief good absolute allsufficient the rest and stay of the minde beyond which nothing can be desired in whom incredible joy and comfort is to be found and possessed for evermore God by Covenant is our God our Father our Husband He hath loved us and we ought to love him again His love to us is free and of meer grace our love to him is debt many waâ—es due from us and deserved by him Adam was to love God his Creator and happiness but Christians must love God as he is become their God in Christ in whom they are knit unto him The object of Charity is God in Christ God is to be loved in Christ in whom he is well pleased and greatly delighted in us Love of God must be most fervent and abundant more for degree and measure then to our selves or all creatures yea it must be with the whole power of our souls it is the summe of the Law Matth. 10 37. Luke 14. 26. 7. Fear which is a retiring or flying back from a thing if good because it is too high and excellent above the reach and without the extent of our power and condition if evil because it is hard to be escaped The fear of God is an affection of heart arising from the apprehension of Gods infinite Majesty and absolute Soveraignty both by Creation and Covenant whereby we are drawn to behave our selves more reverently dutifully uprightly respectively before him then before the greatest Monarch in the world and stand prepared to walk before him in holy manner shunning his displeasure and avoiding whatsoever might procure it God is to be feared in respect of his incomprehensible greatness absolute Soveraignty as Lord and Father and exact righteousness whereby he judgeth every man without respect of persons great Power and tender Mercies whereby he is ready to pardon them that humble themselves and intreat his favour God is absolutely called Fear Isa 8. 12 13. as unto whom all fear and dread is due Thus Iacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac Gen. 32. 42 53. Reverence differs from simple fear which respecteth a thing as evil and so we are not bound to have it working but when we have occasion to conceive of God as angry and doth look to things as excellent and therefore must move so often as we have occasion to conceive of his Excellency Heb. 12. 28. 8. Humility when rightly discerning the infinite distance and difference that is betwixt God and us acknowledging his unspeakable Excellency and our most vile baseness in comparison of him his riches of Grace and our poverty his Power and our weakness his free undeserved Mercy and our misery we submit our selves to the good pleasure of his will wholly depend upon his Grace and ascribe every blessing we receive to his meer favour every good thing in us or that is done by us to his free goodness 9. Patience which is a full purpose of heart arising from the acknowledgement of Gods Wisdome Majesty Power Goodness Providence and Mercy with all quietness and without any pining reluctation or fainting revolting or tempting of God though the senses and appetite cannot but feel a repugnancy to sustain any evil that He will inflict upon us 10. Joy whereby the soul doth receive comfort and content in a good thing and is moved to embrace and possess the same And because God is the chief good therefore ought the soul to be moved with more vehement and fervent motions of gladness for his Love Favour Good Will and excellent Glory then for any or all other things whatsoever What we make our chiefest Joy that is our God for the heart resteth principally in that with which it is most delighted Iob 31. 25. It appears evidently by Gods Word that as a Father would have his children to live cheerfully so would God and therefore doth he so much call upon them to rejoyce Psal. 60. 19. 68. 3. Psal. 33. 1. 149. 1 2. 11. Zeal or fervour of will whereby the soul is moved and carried towards God with the strongest hottest and most fiery inclinations willing his Grace Favour and Glory infinitely above all things because it is the highest of all things that are to be loved willed desired or cared for and detesting loathing abhorring whatsoever tendeth to his dishonour Examples of thiâ— zeal we have in Moses Phineas Lot Elias David Iohn the Baptist and Christ himself In Ieremy Paul Peter and many others 12. An earnest and constant desire of Gods presence in Heaven Cant. 8 14. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22. 20. Each thing by nature doth covet perfection in its kinde and what nature hath taught every thing in its proper kind that Grace hath taught Christians in the best kinde viz. to desire perfect communion with God in whose presence is fulness of joy for evermore It cannot be that God should be known to be good clearly distinctly certainly and not be desired And if we know God to be the chiefest of all good things we cannot but set our affections upon him and covet above all things in the world to dwell in his presence Hitherto of those particular duties whereby we take God to be our God in minde will and affections now let us hear what be the effects of these 1. Meditation which is a staying of the minde in the serious thought and consideration of Gods Power Goodness Grace Mercy Love and Wisdome shining in the Word and Works of God specially in Jesus Christ the brightness of his glory with an holy delight and admiration at that most perfect and Divine Excellency which casteth forth the comfortable beams thereof upon the soul of him that so thinketh upon them Each particular duty before mentioned calleth for meditation knowledge is not gotten without meditation meditation kindleth love and love carrieth the thoughts after it Reverence is not raised without meditation and being raised keepeth the heart within compass that it doth not straggle up and down The glory of God as it shineth in Jesus Christ is most amiable and delightsome that if once it be truly discerned we shall take great pleasure to behold and view it What actual sight is to the eye that thought is to the mind Glorious pleasant objects draw the eye after them and what is apprehended to be Divine Excellent Pleasant Beautiful and Comfortable that will take up the mind If all thoughts affect and profit according to the nature of the object about which they are exercised then seeing God is the best most excellent most glorious object the minde that is most serious in the meditation of his Grace Power and Love in
Jesus Christ is best refreshed and most perfected We should think upon God in most serious manner constantly upon all occasions and opportunities with livelihood and power being most affected and taken up with the thought of God in Jesus Christ. 2. Perpetual and continual remembrance of God whereby we call back to minde what we know and have learned of God his Power Mercy Love Long-suffering and represent him as present to the soul. The Name of the Lord is most sweet the remembrance of his Holiness the prop of confidence the solace of the heart in time of distress See 1 Sam. 30. 6. 3. Reverent and faithful Invocation wherein we request of God in the Name of Christ all good things whereof we stand in need and that both in prosperity and adversity 1 Thess. 5. 17. Ephes. 6. 16. Iames 5. 16. Psal. 50. 15. 38. 10 Matth. 7. 7. 4. Thanksgiving or celebration of Gods Name whereby we magnifie his Power Goodness Wisdome Grace and Mercy freely acknowledging every good and perfect gift to come from above God is the highest Majesty who oweth nothing to any man from whom we receive body soul life and whatsoever we injoy unto whom we are unable to requite the least kindness vouchsafed Our tongues should be more plentifully busied in speaking of Gods Excellencies to his honour then of any or of all other things Mans speech should more readily constantly largely be set on work in talking of God to his glory then of the whole world besides 5. Holy and religious swearing which is a calling of God to witness that we speak as our minde conceiveth 6. Religious and Divine Adoration Psal. 95. 6. The Greek word notes as much as to fall upon the knees or to worship by falling down at the knees of another Matth. 2. 11. Adoration is implied in this One Evangelist saith that the Leper worshipped Christ another reciting the same History That he kneeled down unto him and a third That he fell upon his face In Hebrew there be divers words to express it which signifie to bow the whole body to kiss the mouth to bend the knee to fall prostrate on the face But in all three Languages it noteth an outward reverence shadowing the internal affection of the heart Adoration implieth in it three Acts First An apprehension of the excellency of that which is adored Secondly An Act of the Will desiring to do something to testifie our acknowledgement of this greatness and our subjection and inferiority Thirdly An outward expressing of the same 7. Seeking the Lord and his favour specially if we have turned away from him To seek the Lord is to bend all our senses and strength to know God aright have communion with him enjoy his favour and worship him purely according to his Ordinance 2 Chron. 31. 21. Iob 8. 5. Ezra 6. 21. 8. Offering and making Vows unto the Lord alone Isa. 19. 21. Psal. 116. 14. 76. 11. Gen. 28. 20. Deut. 23. 21 9. Profession of Gods Name Deut. 26. 17. Isa. 44. 5. 43. 7. Psal. 22. 23. 119. 46. 10. Free and voluntary submission of minde and conscience to the Lord alone as the onely Law giver King and Saviour of his people This Commandment is broken two waies 1. By failing to give God that honour which is due unto him and that either for substance or degree matter or measure in whole or in part 2. By giving his Divine Honour unto any other in whole or part absolutely or in degree in profession or truth The special sins condemned are 1. Atheisme when the heart denieth God in his Deity or Divine Attributes as Wisdome Justice Mercy Omnipresence And this is secret or open Open when a man maintaineth that conceit expresly in his minde Secret and in the bud when he is over-ruled with this vice though he form not such a proposition in his minde Atheism is an high transgression of this Commandment for he that denieth the Godhead cannot glorifie God in spirit and truth Besides every Atheist maketh himself God in that he thinketh he is of and by himself and not of and for the Lord that made Heaven and Earth 2. Ignorance of God in Christ under which dulness to conceive of him and carelesness to seek after the knowledge of him are comprehended Ignorance of God so far as He hath obscured himself from us is no sin Prov. 30. 1 2. Rom. 11. 34. Ignorance of the secrets of God is a holy ignorance Deut. 29. 29. We must know all that we need and all that we may but must not presume above that which is meet to understand That ignorance of God so far as he hath most clearly and carefully revealed himself in his Works and Word is that which is here condemned This ignorance is privative or corruptive both sinful in nature though not equal in guilt or danger Privative ignorance is the simple want of that knowledge of God and Christ that should be had Corruptive is joyned with a perverse disposition whereby the minde is not onely blinded but become grossely carelesse of the knowledge of God and godlinesse if not perverted with false and sinfull opinions 3. Curiosity when men busie themselves in prying into the secrets of Gods nature and works or turn their search after him into meer disputes and idle speculations This perverse desire of knowing the truth is a disease that hath endangered many Our first Parents were bewitched with a desire of more knowledge then the Lord knew to be good for them and so attempting to do what was forbidden they fell from that good estate in which they were created The Lord hath fully manifested himself in the face of Jesus Christ so far as it is needfull or profitable for us to know him and it is our duty to contain our selves within the bounds and limits prescribed of the Lord. 4. Errour or heresie concerning God and Christ as when we conceive amisse of the Properties of God his Covenant the unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons the Person and Office of Christ. Heresie is Idolatry for it transformeth the Majesty of God the Person or Office of Christ Every lie of God is a kinde of Idolatry but heresie ascribeth unto God devised Properties turneth his glorious Essence into a lie 5. Want of acknowledgement when God is known in a sort but not with affection and effect as he ought to be and that either for substance or degree The sons of Eli were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord we cannot think them to be utterly destitute of all knowledge of God but they did not acknowledge his power love and Soveraignty as they professed It is noted as the sinne of Israel that they understood not the wonders of the Lord that is they did not wisely consider or acknowledge them 6. Disesteem or contempt of God in Christ when his favour is not esteemed or not according to
and a readinesse to relieve them in their necessity We honour men when taking knowledge of that excellency which is in them we bear our selves accordingly towards them In as much as the unreasonable creatures also love their little ones and are loved of them the Law-giver would have this natural affection which ought to be in a man of a more noble quality then that which is found among the very beasts The beasts are capable of natural affections but only man is capable of honour 2. In some respect a man ows more affection to his wife and his children then o his Father or Mother but in honour the Father and Mother have alwayes the preheminence The honour due unto Superiours of all sorts is reverence of minde declared by some civil submission as of rising before them and giving them the honour of speaking first 3. The Reason of the Precept That thy dayes may be long Which promise if we respect the words in the Hebrew may be read two wayes either so That thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for then he did as it were give it to them after he had delivered them out of Aegyptian bondage or word for word That they may prolong thy dayes viz. Thy Parents both readings have the same meaning but this later hath a special emphasis for it sheweth that with our Parents after a sort is the prolonging of our life that we may be the more incited to love and honour them Dayes signifies time because a day was the first sensible distinction of time God promised life in this Commandment rather then any other kinde of blessing because we received life from our Parents therefore life is promised to him which honours those from whom he hath received it This Commandment enjoyns the performance of all such duties as appertain to men in regard of their place that is which respect a special relation which passeth betwixt some men more then others in some special and particular bond binding them mutually one to another The Summe of the Commandment is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place gifts and calling This is made the summe of all the duties the childe oweth to his Parents Honour thy Father and Mother because this is the chief duty of all others yea this is the fountain of all other duties a childe can performe Malachy 1. 6. Deut. 27. 16. The duties required of the natural childe are comprehended under these three heads Reverence Obedience and Thankfulnesse 1. Reverence This reverence must be both inward and outward in the heart and in the behaviour The inward reverence is commanded Levit. 19. 2. Ye shall fear every man his mother and father God begins there where obedience is best tried Secondly Reverence in outward behaviour as bowing to them in standing bare and putting off before them in an humble and lowly countenance and behaviour when the Parents speak to them or they unto their Parents 2. They must obey their Parents Col. 3. 20. Ephes. 6. 1. 1. In doing the things which they command if they be lawfull 2. In quiet and patient bearing their admonitions and corrections Prov. 13. 1. 15. 5. 3. They must be thankfull to their Parents which thankfulnesse consisteth in two things 1. In relieving their Parents when they be in want Gen. 47. 12. 2. In praying for their Parents 1 Tim. 1. 2. Children must be obedient to their Parents so was David 1 Sam. 17. 20. Christ went down with his Parents and was subject to them Reasons First It is a Duty most equal that they should be obsequious to them by whose means they are they were the instruments of thy being Secondly It is a profitable duty that is the promise That it may be â—well with them and their dayes may be long on the earth a prosperous and long continuance upon the earth is the reward of dutifulnesse the Rechabites were highly commended of God for their obedience to their Parents and received this Promise from him as a recompence of their obedience That Ionathan the sonne of Rechab should not want a man to stand before him for ever Thirdly It is well pleasing to God Col. 3. 20. The bounds and limits of it It must be a very large obedience extending it self to all those things which God or some Superiour joyntly over father and childe hath not forbidden Stubbornnesse and disobedience to Parents much displeaseth God When the Apostle would reckon up the foul sins of the Heathen for which the wrath of God was manifested against them from heaven he reckons among the rest disobedience to Parents and when he would describe the ill qualities of those which should live in the later perilous times he saith Disobedient to Parents The Apostle also setteth forth childrens disobedience by a Metaphor taken from untamed head-strong Beasts that will not be brought under the yoke The word therefore is not unfitly translated unruly and it is somewhat answerable to an Hebrew phrase given to disobedient children viz. Sons of Belial which is according to the notation as much as sons without profit or as some will have it Sons without yoke that is such children as refusing to be in subjection unto Parents are no way profitable but work much mischief and cause great grief Cursed be he that despiseth Father or Mother and let all the people say Amen They must not so much as attempt to bestow themselves in marriage without the consent of their Parents Gen. 21. 21. 24. 4. Exod. 34 16. Deut. 7. 3. Wives were given by their Parents to all the Patriarchs in the old Testament Erasmus in one of his Epistles speaking of Levinus that got a wife neglecting the counsel of his friends about it and so proving unhappy he saith Res calidè peracta est magis quam callide They should imitate what is good in their parents Ephes. 5. 1. Though the consent of Parents in second marriages be not absolutely necessary yet it is to be thought fit and convenient because children in some regard exempted from parents authority do notwithstanding owe duty to them and they are to testifie it by being advised by them in some sort in their after bestowing of themselves in marriage Elton on the fifth Commandment The duties of parents to their children are either in their tender years or riper age common to both or special The fountain of parents duty is love This is expresly enjoyned to them Many approved examples are recorded thereof as Abrahams and Rebecca's and others Reasons Great is that pain cost and care which parents must undergo for their children if love be in them no pains cost or care will seem too much Contrary to love in the defect is want of natural affection which is reckoned in the catalogue of notorious sins Rom. 1. 30. Tit. 3. 3. in the excesse is too much
be added to the natural or else little good will be done and these are two 1. Let them pray often to God to link their hearts together 2. Let them be frequent in performing all holy exercises one with another and specially in praying one with and for another Spiritual exercises breed spiritual affection and nothing is more binding then Religion Religious duties do both expresse and increase the image of God and that is amiable So much for love Now follow trustinesse and helpfulnesse both which we will put together as Solomon doth saying of a good wife Prov. 31. 11 12. That the heart of her husband doth trust in her And again She will do him good and not evil all the daies of his life God did make man and woman for the good each of other her to be his helper and him to be her guide This trusty helpfulnesse must be to each others bodies souls names and states Bodies in the careful avoiding of all things whereby they may bring sicknesses or diseases each on other and the willing and ready providing of all things that may continue health and recover it as attendance physick and the like Souls in shunning all such carriages as may provoke each others passions or other infirmities and using all good means of loving advice and admonition to help each other out of the same Namely in concealing each others infirmities and keeping each others secrets States in joyning together in diligent labour wise fore-cast and vertuous thriftinesse Thus for themselves Now in regard of their families they must joyn together in the planting of Religion amongst them by instructing and teaching them and by reading and praying with them the man as chief the wife as his deputy in his absence also they must oversee the waies of their family by looking what is done by them and seeking to redresse by admonishing and correcting what is amisse In regard of children they are 1. To bear moderate affections toward them Rachel and Hannah immoderately desired them others mutter because they have so many 2. To train them up in the fear of God Solomon who was the tender beloved the darling of his parents makes this the instance of their love in that they taught him wisdome and acquainted him with the Laws of God It was said of Herod that it was better to be his hog then his son 3. To reprove and chasten them for their iniquities Ely a good man came to a fearful end for neglecting this So much for their joint duties Now the several duties of each come to be handled and first we begin with the wife and then proceed to the husband The wife ows in one word subjection and this twofold to the husbands Person and to his Authority To his person 1. By acknowledging her self to be his inferiour God saith to Eve Her desire shall be subject to her husband and he shall rule over her The female sex is inferiour to the male and every woman as a woman is lower and meaner then a man as the Apostle proves because the woman was after the man and for the man and she was first in the transgression therefore she may not use Ecclesiastical Authority not speak in the Church as a Minister But to her husband not as a woman onely but as a wife she is inferiour and bound in conscience to be subject to his power and jurisdiction for this is a word of eternal and constant truth He shall rule over thee which she that will not yeeld to is an enemy to God and nature and cannot be a good wife 2. She is to reverence her husbands person both inwardly in heart and outwardly Inwardly Ephes. 5. ult she must fear him not with a flavish but awful fear that is she must have her soul so disposed to him as to be afraid to offend or displease him She must shew outward reverence also in her gesture behaviour and speech This is subjection to the husbands person Now to his Authority She owes 1. Cheerful obedience to all his lawful commands as the Church obeys Christ. 2. A quiet and fruitful receiving of his reprehensions as the Church also is patient toward Christ. Thus we have heard the wives duty The husbands duties are 1 Wisely to maintain his authority not so much by force as by vertuous behaviour avoiding especially bitternesse and unthriftinesse 2. He must wisely manage his authority The end of using his authority must be the good benefit and comfort of his wife and family for all government is by God ordained for the good of the whole not the pleasure of the Governour The husband must use his authority to edification and hearken to her when she speaks the Word of God as Abraham to Sarah Isa. 11. 6. 2. The things in which he is to use his authority he is to command what is to be done and forbid what is not to be done and reprehend where she offends 3. The manner of using his authority is with three vertues Wisdome Mildnesse Justice 1. Wisdome in commanding nothing but what is useful and weighty and grounded upon good and due reason 2. In his reproofs he must choose fit time when he and she are calm and fit place when none is present 2. Mildnesse or gentlenesse rather perswade then command if he chide her let it be with compassion and without bitternesse 3. Justice in willing allowing of maintenance to her according to his place and means in cherishing what is good and seeking to reform what is evil He must walk in all wisdome and knowledge 1 Pet. 3. 7. he should be an example of judgement gravity holinesse and wisely passe by many imperfections because they are fellow-heires of grace if there be not this wise carriage their prayers will be hindered contentions hinder such duties Thus much for private persons viz. Parents and Children Masters and Servants Husband and Wife Now follow the duties belonging to publick persons which are either in Church or Common-wealth In Church as Minister People In Common-wealth as Magistrate Subject Of Ministers and People The duty of the people 1. They ought to reverence their Ministers for the place in which God hath set them Isa. 52. 7. Rom. 20. 15. 2. They ought exceedingly to love them Gal. 4. 14 15. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 3. They must obey their Doctrine taught truly out of the word of God Heb 13. 17. 4. They must yeeld sufficient maintenance unto them 1 Cor. 9. 11. Rom. 15. 27. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. The Anabaptists deny that Ministers may receive a stipend so doth Weigelius he cals them Stipendiarios praecones Vide Crocij Ante-Weigel part 2. cap. quaest 2. 5. They must defend them against the wrongs of bad men Rom. 16. 4. The duty of Ministers to their people Their duty is laid forth 1. By Titles as Watchmen Ezek. 3. 1. Labourers Matth. 9. 37. Light and Salt Matth. 5. 13 14. Shepherds
one in their bosome so the elect are cherished in the bosome of the Father of all the faithful There is perfection perpetuity immutability there is Foelix securitas secura foelicitas Bernard Blessednesse is the fruition of the essential absolutely chief first eternal independent perfect only sufficient good and chiefly to be desired The object of this blessednesse is God himself Psal. 50. 23. 33. 1 Iohn 2. 3. for all these properties agree to him and none other Gen. 15. 1. Psal. 16. 5. and he being the first cause of all things must needs be the chief good and last end Blessednesse is two-fold 1. Incomplete Beatitudo viae as Iam. 1. 12. 2. Perfect Beatitudo Patriae as the Schools call it which consists in the enjoyment of a good commensurate to all our desires Nothing but the Divine Essence can make us happy in the life to come 1. Not the glorious place of heaven Paul was taken up thither yet after had a messenger of Satan to buffet him 2. Not the company of Saints and Angels 3. Not the perfection of grace 1 Cor. 13. 12. perfection of grace is rather a consequent of felicity 2 Cor. 5. 17. 4. Not a perfect injoying of Christ the Mediator because he as Mediator hath his happinesse in another Psal. 16. ult it is spoken of Christ. The highest object of faith must be to the soul the highest ground of joy the essence of God is the ultimate object of faith 1 Pet. 1. 21. This only perfects the graces 1 Iohn 3. 3. Matth. 18. 10. gives rest and satisfaction to the soul Psal. 17. ult In beatitudine complebitur omne desiderium beatorum Aquinas The essence of God cannot be seen by creatures glorified with bodily eyes 1 Tim. 6. 16. though the body then be spiritual it shall not lose its essential properties we shall see Christ then Iob 19. 26. it is an intellectual vision yet this is Cognitio apprehensiva not comprehensiva as the Schoolmen speak Iob 11. 2. There shall be fulnesse of fruition Frui est cum gaudio uti to requiesce with delight in the thing obtained therefore mediis uti fine frui dicimur Psal. 16. ult Vide Aquin. Sum. part 1. 2. Quaest. 11. Art 3 4. But though their solemn and substantial happinesse lies in God Psal. 17. 15. Psal. 73. 25 26. 1 Cor. 15. 28. yet it is an additional comfort to enjoy the company of the Saints all the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Martyrs Matth. 8. 11. Heb. 12. 22. We love to be in the Assemblies of the Saints on earth to pray fast and receive with them then we shall more delight in them when we shall converse with none but real Saints here the sheep and goats are mingled together and they perfect we shall all agree in the same work and aim communion with them will be constant The Communion between the blessed spirits will not be mental only but vocal 2 Cor. 12. 3. Paul speaks not so much of what he saw as what he heard whether every man shall be understood by others in his own tongue or whether they shall speak Hebrew as Act. 26. 14. is uncertain The place of this happinesse is the highest heavens farre above all heavens a place that no Philosopher ever wrote of a place which God from all eternity appointed to be his throne where he would shew all his glory and for a receptacle of his Saints The society the Saints shall there have are innumerable multitude of elect Angels and all the glorified Saints which God hath called out of the world All their knowledge shall be by vision sight not by faith discourse the will perfectly conformable to God the affections which have any perturbation shall cease as hope desire care grief love and joy shall continue the whole Church shall then see and enjoy God immediately and this vision and fruition of God is properly heaven First Vision they shall see his face Mat. 5. 8. The happinesse of heaven is often exprest by knowledge they shall see God it is called the beatifical vision 1. All the faculties shall be glorified the minde is the most noble faculty the soul enjoyes pure content in the contemplation of any truth Psal. 19. 10. 2. Our fruition increaseth by light as our light is so is our love Iohn 4. 10. God presents himself immediately to the understanding 1 Cor. 13. 9. 1 Iohn 3. 2. Secondly Fruition they shall enjoy God possesse him he shall be all in all They shall not see him with bodily eyes so the Deity cannot be seen but with the soul so far as the understanding can be enlarged it doth simul semel behold all the glorious perfections of God Christ and the Trinity knows him as he knows us for the kinde 1 Cor. 13. 12. The true Christian is thus disposed toward heaven he prizeth it above all things it is his inheritance portion he conceives of it as a place where God doth give himself to him fully 2. He would willingly be there it is the end of his race and hope 2 Cor. 5. 1. if he might enjoy all the benefits of this world for ever according to his desire he would willingly leave all to be with Christ. 3. He hath his conversation in heaven travels the way that leads to it The way to obtain eternal life 1. We must seek it of God in an earnest and serious way Matth. 11. 12. Luke 16. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 10. it is called striving 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. We strive for an incorruptible crown saith Paul See Phil. 2. 2. We must take great care lest in this we come short 1 Cor. 9. ult 3. We should take heed of our darling sin 1 Cor. 9. 26 27. 4. We must be guided in this life by the counsel of God Psal. 73. 24. 5. We should have our conversation in heaven before hand 6. We should keep our spirits in a continual readinesse Luke 12. 36 37. Col. 1. 12. Because all that handle the Commonplace of the glory of heaven handle that Question Whether the Saints there shall have the like degree of happinesse therefore I shall speak something of it The generality of the Fathers Schoolmen and modern Divines are for diversity of degrees The Papists lay the degrees of glory on the several merits of men and tell us of seven Crowns This preheminence of glory the Schoolmen term Aureola that is an Additament of felicity to that essential glory in the vision of God which they term Aurea This Aureola or Coronet to be added to the Crown of glory they ascribe to three sorts of persons to Virgins to Martyrs and to Doctors or Prophets Vide Aquin. Supplem 3. Part. Quaest. 96. Artic. 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. God rewards a man not propter but secundum opera according to the matter of his work so shall be the substance of his reward according to the manner of his work the
best Expositors of it ibid. Iudgement The last Iudgement l. 10. p. 859 All are to be judged and by Christ l. 10. p. 859. to 862 The day of Iudgement terrible to the wicked but comfortable to the godly l. 10. p. 860 861 The time uncertain the place and signs of it l. 10. p. 861 862 The preparation and performance of it and Corollaries from it l. 10. p. 862 863 Iunius commended l. 1. p. 116 Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical l. 6. p. 466 467 Iustice. Whether inherent Iustice be actual or habitual l. 7. p. 518 Iustice what it is l. 7. p. 588 589 Iust. God is Iust l. 2. p. 181. to 184 Whether God see sinne in the Iust l. 7. p. 523 Iustification How the word is used in Scripture and what Iustification is l. 7. p. 512 The difference between it and vocation ibid. Whether all one with remission of sins l. 7. p. 513 The parts of Iustification l. 7. p. 514. to 521 One may be certain of his Iustification l. 7. p. 524 525 The several periods of Iustification l. 7. p. 515 Iustified Whether we be Iustified by inherent or imputed righteousnesse l. 7. p. 517 518 Whether we be Iustified by Christs active and passive obedience l. 7. p. 518 519 Whether faith alone Iustifies l. 7. p. 528 529 K KImchi commended l. 1. p. 112 Kinde God is Kinde l. 2. p. 191 Kingdom Kingdom of God two-fold l. 8. p. 643 The meaning of that Petition Thy Kingdom come l. 8. p. 643 644 Kings Kings why they are so called the Authors of those two Books and best Expositors of them l. 1. p. 33 Knowledge l. 7. p. 589. to 593 L LAbour Christ underwent hard Labours for us l. 5. p. 428 Lactautius commended l. 1. p. 115 Lamentations Lamentations why so called l. 1. p. 38 Where and how long Ieremy prophesied ibid Fit to write Lamentations and why ib. The best Expositors of it ib. Latine The Vulgar Latine Translation why so called l. 1. p. 64 Which are the best Latine Translations of the New Testament ib. Law Law what it is l. 9. p. 751 The Moral Law l. 9. p. 751. to 756 There are four precepts in the first Table and six in the second l. 9. p. 751 The Moral Law is in force in the Christian Church l. 9. p. 751 752 753 It is a glasse bridle rule ib. The Law cannot be perfectly fulfilled in this life l. 9. p. 850 831 Legends why so called l. 1. p. 24 Leviticus Why the third Book of Moses is so called l. 1. p. 31 32 The best Expositors of it ibid. Lexicon Which are the best Lexicous for understanding the Hebrew and Greek text l. 1. p. 111 Liberty The willing good necessarily hinders not Liberty l. 3. p. 272. 278. m. Life Several kindes of Life l. 2. p 139 140. l. 7. p. 537. 538 How Gods Life differs from the life of the creatures l. 2. p. 140 141 What spiritual Life is ibid. Wherein natural Life and it agree and differ ibid. Evidences of spiritual Life Motives to it and Means of it l. 7. p. 539 540 Life everlasting l. 10. p. 568. to 571 Light Light an excellent work of God l. 3. p. 240 241 Its abstruse nature and excellent use ibid. Limbus Insantum l. 10. p. 862 Lion A strange story of a Lion l. 3. p. 267 Living God is Living l. 2. p. 139. to 142 Long-suffering God is Long-suffering l. 2. p. 187 Lot The nature and use of Lots l 9. p. 792 793 When abused l. 9. p. 803. to 806 Love Love what in God l. 2. p. 167 168 The Properties of it l. 2. p. 168 Our Love to him ibid. The affection of Love in us what l. 7. p. 551 Gods Image in it ib. It s corruption and sanctification l. 7. p. 551. to 554 Luke Luke only makes a Preface before his Gospel and who best interpret him l. 1. p. 15 The difference between Lumen and Lux l. 3. p. 240 The Lutherans confuted about the ubiquity of Christs body l. 2. p. 147 Lying l. 4. p. 366 367 Lyranus commended l. 1. p. 116 M MAimonides commended l. 1. p. 112 Malachy when he wrote and who best expound him l. 1. p. 40 Maldonate commended l. 4. p. 367 Malice ibid. Man made after Gods Image l. 3. p. 288 Mark Mark wrote in Greek l. 1. p. 41 42 45 When he wrote and who best expâ—und him l. 1. p. 45 Martyrs Divers suffered for the truth l. 1. p. 14 15 How true Martyrs differ from false l. 1. p. 15 Masius commended l. 1. p. 117 Masse Masse why so called the evil of it l. 8. p. 700. to 703 Private Masse unlawful l. 8. p. 703 704 It is not lawful to be present at the Masse l. 8. p. 704 Massorites their exact diligence in numbering the words and letters and points of Scripture l. 1 p. 66 67 Masters their duty l. 9. p. 828 Matthew Matthew wrote in Greek l. 1. p. 〈…〉 Never any doubted of the authority of 〈…〉 〈…〉 When he wrote and who best expound 〈…〉 〈…〉 Mediatour Mediatour who and how Christ is our Mediator l 9 p. 4â—â— 450 Whether Christ was a Mediatour according to both his Natures l. 5. p. 410 411 Meditation Meditation what it is l. 1. p. 24 When it is fit to Meditate of the creatures l. 3. p. 230 231 Marks to try when we Meditate fruitfully of the creatures ibid. Meek How God is Meek l. 2. p. 171 Memory what it is its sanctification l. 7. p. 546 Mercy Mercy what in God l. 2. p. 177. to 181 How his Mercy differs from mercy in us l. 2. p. 177 On what terms and to whom he will shew Mercy l. 2. p. 179 What in us l. 7. p. 593. to 596 Metals Metals what l. 3. p. 249 Which most precious ib. m. Meteors what they are their several kindes and matter l. 3. p. 243 244 Micah Micah when he prophesied and who expound him well l. 1. p. 39 40 Minister Minister his calling l. 6 p. 456. to 459 The Minister afore the Church l. 6. p. 457 His duty l. 9. p. 831 832 The honour of that function and their maintenance l. 6. p. 460 461 Miracles Miracles of Confirmation and Preservation l. 1. p. 12 13 How true and false Miracles differ l. 1. p. 13 14 What they are l. 2. p. 127 128 Monks Monks why so called they are highly honoured by Papists l. 6 p. 479 480 Moon Moon how called in Latine and Hebrew l. 3. p. 260 It is the cause of the Seas ebbing and flowing ibid. Mortification l. 7. p. 535. to 538 Mountains a great work of God l. 3. p. 250 Murder Murder what it is l. 9. p. 835 A crying sin l. 9. p. 837 838 Self-murder a great sin l. 9. p. 838 839 Murmuring l. 4. p. 367 368 Mystery Mystery of the Trinity a great Mystery l. 2. p. 215 N Nahum NAhum when he wrote and who expound him best l. 1. p. 40
between the Engl. and Rom. Ch. upon the Reform Sect. 21. Patriarchae in veteri Testamento non dum eraâ—t beati ideo nihil de hac re habetur expressum Salmer Comment in 1 Tim. 2. disp 2. * It can not be proved that any of the Fathers for three hundred years after Christ did make their prayers to any but only to God by Jesus Christ. But in them of later time there is some mention of praying unto them But where is either Commandment example or allowance of such prayers out of the Scriptures Dr Fulk on the Rhem. Test. 2 Pet. 1. 15. Heb. 13. 18. Orate pro nobis Insaniunt haeretici dum clamitant injuriam nos facere Christo Mediatori quoties vicissim Paulum câ—â—â—ros sanctos rogamus dicentes Orate pro nobis Estius ad locum Vide Estium ad Rom. 15. 31. ad 1 Thess. 2. 20. â— 2 Cor. 1. 11. ad Ephes. 3. 12. ad Heb. 7. 25. The Protestants confesse an honouring of the Saints in divers respects as 1. Giving thanks to God for his graces multiplied upon them 2. The honourable commemoration of their faith and vertues 3. A desire and profession of imitating their godly examples 4. That the holy Saints â—ow triumphing in heaven do pray for the state of the militant Church at the least in their general supplications But we deny that Saints departed may be invocated or properly prayed unto B. Mortons Appeal lib. 2. cap. 12. Sect. 1. Si invoceutur vivi à viventibus multo inferunt consultius invocentur Sancti defuncti cum majori flagrent charitate fâ—licioris sint ad auxiliandum conditionis Atque hoc argumentum addit Bellarminus adversarii nunquam solvere potueâ—â—nt sed Bellarminus ipse illud solvit Praefatur enim Cardinalis nos legere in utroque Testamento viventes à viventibus inâ—â—catos At defunctos esse invocatos aut invocandos à viventibus in neutro Testamento legimus nonne haec sufficiens solutio hoc facimus quia legimus illud non facimus quia non legimus D. Prid Lect. 15 de sanctorum Invocatione Bellarminus â—â—riens inter Virginem Matrem Filium divisibilem dimidiat animam Id. ibid. Vide plura ibid. The great end of all our requests should not be our own interest and concernment but Gods glory Psal. 115. 1. Reasons 1. Else they will not be successefull 2. Because otherwise our prayers are not prayers the end shews the quality of the action We must not only serve God but seek him How to know that Gods glory is the great end of our requests 1. By the working of our thoughts the heart worketh upon the end 2. By the manner of praying we must pray absolutely for Gods glory and submit to his will for other things John 12. 27 28. 3. By the dispo sition of our hearts when our prayers are accomplished God hath appointed prayer for other ends also 1. To be a profession of our dependance upon him that we might daily acknowledge Gods right and property in all we possesse we thereby disclaim merit in the highest mercy pardon of sin Jer. 3. 12 13. We professe our dependance for common mercies when we ask our daily bread 2. To nourish communion and familiarity between God and us Job 22. 21. Isa. 26. 16. 3. To keep the heart in a holy frame 1 Pet. 3. 7. 4. To quicken our affections to good things 5. To be a means of comfort and spiritual refreshing Job 16 20. Phil. 4. 6. Si orationem Dominicam nullis aliis cogitationibus incidentibus pronunciare noveris tum eximium magistrum te esse judicabo Luther in Joan. 17. Triplex est atteneâ—o quae orationi vocali potest adhiberi una quidem qua attenditur ad ver ba ne aliquis in eis erret secunda qua attenditur ad sensum verborum tertia qua attenditur ad finem orationis scilicet Deum ad rem qua oratur quae quidem est maximè necessaria Aquin. 2a 2ae Qu. 83. Art 13 Evagatio montis quae fit praeter propofitum orationis fructum non tollit Id. ib. Praier is one of the noblest exercises of Christian Religion or rather that duty in which all graces are concentred D. Taylor on Rom. 8. There is no duty hath more commands and promises to it and threatnings against those that omit it there is no one duty honours God more and is more honoured by him then prayer there is no one duty that a Christian hath more need of no one duty that hath been more practised then this God hath made many promises to praier 1. General that he will hear and answer us Isa. 30. 19. John 16. 23. 2. Particular â— Deliverance from any trouble and affliction Psal. 50. 15. oâ— strength and patience to bear it Jam. 1 5. 2. Whatsoever spiritual grace we stand in need of Luke 11. 13. 3. Inward joy and peace of conscience Job 33. 26. John 16. 24. Hildersam on Psalme 51. 7. A Saint of God had rather go without the mercy that he begs by praier then have a mercy without praier See Promises 1. To prayer in general 2. To the several parts of praier Clarks Holy Incense p. 1. to 9. Gen. 32. 26 28 Some say that praier commandeth God Isa. 45. 11. Deo sacrificium diabolo flagellum homini subsidium Aug. Prepare for prayer 1. By getting powerful apprehensions of the glory of God before whom you go 2. By getting your hearts sensible of what you pray for as pardon of sin power against it assurance of his love 3. Get your hearts separated from the world and all things here below M. Burr of Gospel-wor Isa. 1. 13. Every morning and evening the Sacrifice Exod. 29. 38. and Incense Exod. 30. 7 8. were to be offered up unto the Lord. These were ceremonial Laws but there is a moral equity of them which is perpetual and these Laws concerned the people as well as the Priests as appeareth Luke 1. 10. Hilders A readinesse to pray earnestly to God for good things and the same improved accordingly is a kinde of pawn from heaven to him that hath it that he shall receive the good things praied for Robins Ess. Obser. 48. Iames the brother of our Lord by oft kneeling his knees were benummed and hardened like the knees of a Camel Fox See D. Gouges Whole Armour part 2. Treat 3. Isa. 62. 6. Ephes. 6. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is attributed to hunting dogs which will not cease following the game till they have got it It was a prophane speech of that atheistical wretch that told God He was no common beggar he never troubled him before with praier and if he would hear him that time he would never trouble him again If we persevere not either God will not give us what we pray for or if he do we shall have it as a curse because it is not the fruit of praier Four things will drive the Saints
love our own souls and the souls of others since Christ manifested such love to our souls 5. We should not crosse the ends of Christs suffering 1. He died to redeem you from this present evil world 2. To destroy the works of Satan We should live to him * 〈…〉 are some particular cases wherein it is not safe for some particular persons at that time â—â—â— in 〈…〉 to pâ—t them to try themselves by signs But for the general it is necessary and the duty of all people to â—â—ok to signs and to try themselves by them M. Hooker on Rom. 8. 10. A two-sold knowledge is required of every receiver 1. A diâ—cernning of the body and bloud of Christ he must be able in some competent measure to understand the Doctrine Nature Use and End of a Sacrament by whom it was instituted and why and for what end 1 Cor. 11. 29. they were to instruct their children what this and that action signified in the Passeover 2. Of himself implied in the duty commanded of examining our selves Edere Christum est credere in Christum Quâ—d paras dentem ventrem Crede tantùm manducasti August He that comes without faith receives Sacramentum notâ—em â—em Sacramenti Iesus Christus isque crucifixus debet esse proprium sidei nostrae objectum Rivetus Instruct. Praepar ad Coenam Domini cap 10. Prayer profits not without faith Rom. 10 13 14. Mark 11. 24. Luk. 18 lat end Mark 9. 23. Faith only makes up the union between Christ and us John 6. 56. The people of God have a four-fold glorious sight in this life John 14. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1. They see God in Christ. 2. They see Christ in God 3. They see Christ in themselves 4. They see themselves in Christ. See Rom. 8. 9 10. Common people say they have believed as long as they can remember and they thank God they never doubted While men are in their natural condition they think it is nothing to believe in Christ though they walk contrary to him but when sinne is fully discovered and one sees the severity of Gods justice it is then hard to believe Rom. 1. 17. 2 Thess. 1. 3. Consider 1. Thy natural estate is a state of death damnation John 3. 18. Gal. 3. 23. 2. So long as thou abidest out of Christ thou abidest in death John 3. 36. 1 Joh. 3. 14. All sins de merito are damnable they deserve death but not de facto no sinne necessarily brings death but unbelief because it keeps a man off from Christ the fountain of life John 6. 5 7. 3. Thou canst not be the fountain of thine own life 4. Life is to be had in no other but Christ John 5. 40. 5. There is no way of having life from him but by union with him 1 John 5. 12. the first thing that grace puts forth in the soul is an instinct after union Faith is an instinct put in by the teaching of the Father after union with Christ. The sole way to get this supernatural grace is with hearty â—amenting of its absence and weakness to beg it of him who is able to work it in the heart and to feed and nourish it by a continual meditation of his greatness and great works which he hath formerly wrought for our confirmation Poenitentia est dolor de peccato cum adjunctâ— proposito melioris vitae Luth. in loc commun de poenitentia All the Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles run on this Christ commanded his Disciples to preach it It is one of the two parts of the Gospel the summe of the Gospel is Faith Repentance It is Praeterita peccata plangere plangenda non committere Aug. It 's secunda ta bula post naufragium medicina est spiritualis animi vitiorum say others See Mr Calamy on Act. 17. 30. and Cameron on Mark 1. 15. Our sorrow for sin should be our chiefest sorrow because sin is the greatest evil and it is so in respect of the intellectual part and in respect of the displicency of the will wherein the strength of repentance lieth According to the multitude of thy mercies blot out all my offences and create in me a new heart and a right spirit Lord do away the sinne of thy servant Petit 5. It is not only among the precepts but promises and priviledges of the Gospel Act. 9. 18. Da prâ—â—s poenitentiam postea indulgentiam Fulgentius They are therfore Ministers of the Gospel not legal preachers which preach repentance There is one act of faith to be done once for all to lay hold on Christ and be united to him and justified by him yet I must live by it and do every duty by it so for repentance Isa. 27. 9. Jer. 2 19. Heb. 12. 11 Before the Supper and the offering of a childe in Baptism then Christs death is represented Rom. 6. 4. Gal. 3. 1. a On a mans death-bed the day of repentance is past for repentance being the renewing of a holy life the living the life of grace it is a contradiction to say that a man can live a holy life upon his death-bed D. Taylors Rule of holy living chap. 4. Sect. 4. That place Ezek. 33. 14. is it which is so often mistaken for that common saying At what time soever a sinner repents him of his sins from the bottom of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. Let not that be made a colour to countenance a death-bed penitent D. Taylor on Jer. 13. 16. Serm. 2. One may repent on his death-bed as well as the thief on the Crosse but it is dangerous to put off repentance till then it will be harder to come in It s a rare sight saith one to finde a young man godly and an old man penitent We acknowledge that as God cals some at the first hour so may some be called at the last hour of the day yea inter pontem fontem D. Iackson indeed hath an opinion that a man may proceed so farre in sin in this life that the door of repentance may be thâ—t upon him none of our Divines deny the possibility of any mans Salvation while he lives in this world D. Twiss ag Hord. p. 45. There is a Gospel-command to repent Mat 9. 13. Act. 17. 30. 2. The very space of repentance is a mercy and given you that you may repent Revel 2. 21. 3. It is the natural fruit of a regenerate heart Ezek. 11. 19. 4. It is repentance to salvation 1 Cor. 7. 10. There is more joy in heaven for one sinner that repents then for ninty nine that need no repentance as if he had aimed at the Antinomians * Act. 5. 31. 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Whosoever hath truly repented is 1. Low in his own eyes so Paul 2. Fears sin ever after Eccl. 9. 2. 3. Is pitiful to others in their fals Gal. 6. 1. 4. There will be a growth in the
praecipuam loco omnium humani ingenii commentorum ad cuâ—â—um spectantium Ames Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 13. a Non facias tibi intellige ex tuo capite sine meo expresso verbo ac jussu Ergò non praescribit sibi legem Deus quin possit jubere fieri imagines prout ipsi visum fuerit sicut postea jussit fieri Cberubinos alias imagines in Templo sed nobis praescribit legem generalem quam nunquam licet transgredi nisi peculiare accedat verbum Dei ex Levit. 26. interpretatio colligitur hujus proecepti ubi non simpliciter ait non sacies tibi sculptile sed addit ad adorandum ea Ergo non simpliciter damnantur sculpturae aut imagines quaevis sed tantum quae ad cultum solitae sunt proponi Zanch. de Decalogo c. 14. Non facies tibi id est ex tuo proprio cerebro vel judicio quamvis enim particula illa tibi alias nonnunquam vel redundat vel aliam vim habet hic tamen redundantiam excludit accuratissimam borum praeceptorum breviloquium vanitatem humanarum cogitationum excludi manifestum est ex aliis Scripturae locis eodem spectantibus ut Amos 5. 26. Num. 15. 39. Ames ubi supra Certè Deus leges suas promulgans nullius violatori tam gravem decrevit poenam atque secundae nullius observatori tam ampla proposuit praemia atque secundae siquidem praecepti de fugiendis Idolis transgressorum poenam in tertiam quartam generationem ejusdem verò observatorum praemium in multa posterorum millia derivavit Nulla etiam Lex est quam toties Deus repetiverit atque haec ipsa de Idolis de quibus cum Exod. 20. commate quinto mentem suam explicuisset mox versu 22 sensum praecepti iterans vos inquit vidistis quòd de coelo loquutus sum vobis Non facietis Deos argenteos nec Deos aureos facietis vobis Nec aliud praeceptum Moses moriturus tam altè populi animo impressit ac hoc de exeâ—randis Idolis Deut. 4. 15 16. 23. v. Sculcet Serm. de Idol Vide plura ibid. Vidâ— Picherel Dissert de Imag. babiâ—a ad fanum Germani coram Regina matre Neque coles victimis libamine incenso Grot. in Exod. 20. Iealous signifieth as much as zealous or to be moved with a very ardent affection and fervent desire proceeding either out of love to save the thing untouched which is loved Zech. 1. 14. 8. 2. or else of indignation against that thing which deserveth punishment Exod. 34. 14. Nahum 1. 2. Ezek. 38. 19. and here it is used in both those two senses or significations Ford on the Corenant See Estey on the Command b Verbum viâ—itandi alias est mediae significationis hic in malum ponitur pro eo effectu qui consequitur irati Iudicis visitationem id est pro punitione LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddens iniquitatem hoc est pâ—nam iniquitatis Patrum in filios c. Rivet iâ— Exod. 20. See Estey Some urge that if it be righteous with God to leave the world liable to death for Adams sin then children may suffer temporal afflictions for their Parents sins Parents may convey an estate to them with a curse But Pet. du Moulin and Knewstub are of another judgement alledging Ezek. 28. 20. and so are divers others Deus pumt peccatum Patrum in filiis non semper sed tunc solùm cùm filii imit antur peccata patrum ut docent S. Patres Hieron Chrysost. August Thom. 1 2. Quaest. 87. Quos sequuntur ferè omnes recentiores hoc ipsum indicat Scriptura cùm ait His qui oderunt me Non euim simpliciter Deus dicit se punâ—turum peccata patrum in filiis sed in t is qui eum oderunt Bellarm. de Amiss grat statâ— peccat lib. 4. ca. 7. Ford of the Covenant Joh. 14. 15 21. 1 John 5. 3. M. Dod. It commands us to worship God by such means and after such a manner as he hath prescribed in his Word and is agreeable to his nature Deut. 12. 30 31 32. B. Down Abstract D. Wilkins of the gift of Prayer chap. 19. This people draw near to me saith Ieremy speaking of such exercises Cultum generaliter appellarâ— consuâ—tudo est omnem honorem ab inferiori persona debitum praestitumve superiori Chamierus Tomo secundo lib. 18 cap. 1. The grounds of worship are these 1. God will be honoured by all the creatures he expects honour from them sutable to their nature 2. The creature in all its worship must have a rule their service must be reasonable Rom. 12. 2. Gal. 6. 16. therefore the Lord hath manifested his will to them Dan. 9. 23. 3. The conscience of the creature must receive this rule and submit to it It is one of the hardest things in religion to conceive aright of God Every Nation suited the picture of their gods according to their own genius The Spartaus being a warlike people painted god in armour The Ethiopians painted him black The Heathens misrepresented God Rom. 1. 23. The Jews likewise and those in the Reformed Churches misfigure the Divine Essence Idolatry is not only in Images but in false imaginations of God menâ—al Idolatry unseemly conceits of God are as bad as Atheism Rom. 1. 25. Rom. 6. 17. Dum obtempeperant non obsequuntur Deo serviendum est non ex arbitrio sed ex imperio Teâ—â—ul Ezek. 20. 30. Deut. 12. 2. 2 King 12. 3. Helps and furtherances in Gods worship are 1. Necessary and in nature and use the same with the true worship of God instituted by himself particularly these are unlawful if devised by men because devised for the substantial things of Gods worship are to be determined and instituted by him 2. Meer circumstances and matters of order concerning the method phrase external celebration which are not determined by God therefore no particular is unlawfull which is according to the general rules in Scripture Balls Trial of grounds of Separat chap. 3. Isaac went out into the field to meditate These things meditate and be in them said Paul to Timothy Deut. 6. 7. Gal. 6 6. 1 Thess. 5. 17. Matth. 6. Col. 3. 16. The more one fetcheth duties from God immediately and the more he draws the motives from God immediately and the more he placeth his comforts in God immediately the more spiritual and happy he is I must not only perform service to God but for God Hos. 7. 14. 1. That which sets you awork is your end Finis movet efficientem ad agendum 2. The end sweetens the service finis dat amabilitatem mediâ—s 3. One rests satisfied when he hath attained his end in â—ine terminatur appetitus efficientis do you perform duties that you may honour God Iohn 17. 4. please him Col. 1. 5. injoy him Heb. 10. 22. and adde to your own everlasting account If God
far forth as children transgresse not any of Gods commandments in obeying their parents they ought to obey Rom. 1. 30. 2 Tim. 3. 2. Titus 1. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 13. 13. Ever the blessing or curse of the parents hath a prophetique power joyned with it Flores Regij by King Iames Deut. 27. 16. The punishment which by the Law was appointed to disobedient and rebellious children was a publick shameful death Deut. 21. 18. to 22. Parentis effigiem filo corporis exprimere hoc omnibus cum aliis commune est virtutes patrum tam rarum natis est exprimere quam patribus virtutum suarum ac morum exempla suis relinquere posse Jos. Scalig. Epist. Christoph. Augustino Puteanis Postquam ex parentum consensu vel expresso vel tacito in sua potestate sunt constituti tum patria potestas propriè sic dicta cessat quamvis nunquam cessare possit debitum gratitudinis observantiae pietatis filialis Ames de consc lib. 5. c. 22. The four Cardinal duties of a parent are prayer admonition example correction a Gen. 22. 2. b Gen. 25. 28. Ibid. The childe set at liberty makes the mother ashamed Prov. 29. 15. See Dr. Gouges Domest duties on Ephes. 6. 4. Deut. 6. 7. See 2 Tim. 3. 15. and Master Baxters Saints Rest. part 3. See Dr. Gouge ibid. sect 46 47. Discant hic matres se debere per se suas proles nutrire lactare natura enim hoc illis onus imposuit Hinc Mammillas ubera veluti lagâ—nulas quasdam ad proles nutriendas aptas illis largita est Plin. l. 28. c. 9. scribit lac Maternum esse utilissimum naturae prolis convenientissimum Vide Aul. Gell. l. 12. noct Attic. c. 1. Scribit Lampridius Titum filium Vespasiani Imperatoris toto vitae tempore adversa valetudine laborasse eò quòd à nutrice infirma lactatus esset de Tiberio quoque Caesare fertur quòd fuerit magnus potator quia nutrix ipsius talis erat secundò ex eo quòd filius non lactetur à propria matre sit ut mater filium filius matrem minus amet Vnde naturalem parentum ac filiorum amorem majorem videmus in communi plebe quam in familiis nobilium quoniam ferè nobiles foeminae infantes suos per nutrices lactari curant à Lapide in Gen. 21. 7. Origo vocabuli servorum in Latina lingua inde creditur ducta quod hi qui jure belli possent occidi à victoribus cum servabantur servi fiebant à servando appellati quod etiam ipsum sine peccati merito non est Aug. de civit Dei l. 19. c. 15. Servitus conditionalis usualis See Ephes. 6. 5. Coloss. 4. 22. 1 Tim. 6. 2. Tit. 2. 15. Prov. 10. 26. See Dr. Willet on Exod. 21. Quest. 8. 9. Dr. Gouges Domestical duties on Ephes. 6. 5 6 7 8. Servants must obey their Masters but in the Lord and therefore the Apostle ever joyneth some clause of restraint Col. 3. 22. Ephes. 6. 6. 1 Cor. 7. 15. A servant is not sui juris must do his Masters work is a living instrument in the hand of another 1 Pet. 2. 18. Servus non est persona sed res saith the Civil Law one describes him thus A servant is a person that yeelds himself to the command of a master and submits to his authority to do his will Rom. 6. 16. So the Centurion describes a servant Matth. 8. 9. Psal. 101. 6 7. 1 Tim. 3 4. See Dr. Gouges Domest duties on Ephes. 6. 9. Naamans servants called him Father Deut. 15. 13 14. See Dr. Gouges Domest duties part 2. Without their union of hearts their uniting of bodies and states will be a death Ephes. 5. 25. Love is such a natural property of that relation that God to shew his affections to his Church when he would comfort her saith that he is her husband See a rare example of wively affection Speed in Edw. the first p. 542. 1 Cor. 7. Not beauty wit wealth kindnesse received these things may alter Matrimonial love that is such as beseemeth that neer knot and conjunction Where the bond is closest the love must be strongest His soul must rest it self in her as the onely woman under Heaven for him and hers upon him as the onely man under Heaven for her Prov. 5. 19 20. As if he had said If thou do not love thy wife thou wilt look after Harlots or at least art in danger so to do * Religio à religando Gen. 2. 18. It is not said a help onely for so are the living creatures and therefore called jumenta à juvando but a fit or meet help In the Original it is before him and with a note of similitude as before him that is answering to him Prov. 31. 1. The wives relation-grace is subjection in the Lord the Apostle twice or thrice cals for this subjection and obedience 1 Pet. 3. 5 6. 1. This is there made the great ornament 2. The Apostle shews there the benefit of this subjection The titles and names whereby an husband is set forth do imply a superiority and authority in him as Lord 1 Pet. 3. 6. Master Esth. 1. 17. Guide Prov. 2. 15. Head 1 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Pet. 3. 2. Sarah called Abraham Lord. Ephes. 5. 24. 1 Cor. 11. 7. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Men are commanded to receive them in the Lord to hold them in reputation to know them as over them in the Lord to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake to hold them worthy double honour and to obey them Phil. 2. 29. Ministers must be faithful in their Calling Faithfulnesse is a constant and diligent performing of all the parts of the duty of a Minister from the right grounds and for the right ends sincerely because God requireth and for his glory and the salvation of the people It was a wonderful thing in Paul 1 Cor. 4. 4. that he knew nothing by himself that is no notorious defect in regard of his Ministry He should have Thummim integrity of life as well as Urim light of learning It was said heretofore Stupor mundi Clerus Britannicus The wonder of the world is the Clergie of Britain 1 Tim. 4. 13. Ieroboam made the basest of the people to be Priests 1 Kin. 12. 31. 13. 33. and some would make the Priests to be the basest of the people Prov. 24. 2â— 1 Pet. 2. 17. See Tit. 3. 1. Rom. 13. 5. What one doth for conscience sake he should do willingly A great burden lies on the Magistrate Unicus tantum est subjectus in civitate Magistratus Luth. Psal. 82. 5 10. Zach. 7. 4. Acts 4. 19 20. Iulianus Imperator quamvis esset apostata habuit tamen sub se Christianos milites quibus cum dicebat Producite aciem pro defensione Ecclesiae obediebant ei cum autem diceret eis Producite arma in Christianos tunc
repentance The Stork hath her name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love and the * Hebrew word is near of kin with another which signifieth bowells of compassion as which indeed are most tender in her A story whereof we have in the description of the Netherlands viz. of a Stork that when the house was on fire where her nest was kept the fire off from her young ones with her own body and wings so long till she was burnt her self It is loving to mankinde delightfull to build in the tops of houses and chimneys as is usuall to be seen in Germany It is the embleme of a gratefull man for at her departure from the house where she builds as some report she usually leaveth a young one behinde her Aelian lib. 8. de Animal cap. 19. writeth of a Storke which bred on the house of one which had a very beautifull wife which in her Husbands absence used to commit adultery with one of her base servants which the Storke observing in gratitude to him who freely gave him houseroom flying in the villains face struck out both his eyes It is recorded also of the Stork that when the dams are old the young ones feed them and when through age they are ready to faint in their flying the young ones help them and when they are past flying the young ones carry them on their weak backs The Eagle is reckoned the Soveraign Queen of all Fowls as the Lion is reputed the King of all beasts It is Altivolans avis an high soaring bird that sometime flyeth so high a pitch as she transcendeth the view of man whence the Proverb Aquila in nubibus she makes her nest also in the high trees or rocks lest her young ones should be hurt of the lesser birds Ier. 49. 16. She flies also swiftly Iob 9. 26. She sees acutely when she is so high that men can scarce see her she sees they say fishes swimming in the Sea tam cernis acutum Quam aut aquila aut serpens Epidaâ—r 〈…〉 She hath a tender care of her young when they be â—lâ—sh and ready for flight then she stirreth up her nest and fluttereth over them yea she taketh them on her wings and so soareth with them through the air and carrieth them aloft and so freeth them from all danger In that she carrieth her young ones rather upon her wings then in her â—alons she sheweth her tender care and love that she beareth unto them Exod 19. 4. Deut. 32. 11. The Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated Fowl Gen. 1. 26. signifieth in generall every living thing which by help of wings flieth above the earth in the air so that not only birds but also bees wasps hornets and all other winged things may here be understood Bees are principall among the Insects Bees are notable 1. For their good husbandry she is very painfull she flies to every herb and flower and seeks and searches into every corner of the same She so abhors idlenesse that she punisheth the idle drone and will not give it any quiet harbour in the hive 2. She is thrifty which is another part of good husbandry what she hath gotten in the Summer she charily laies up in her Cells and doth not spend it till she must needs 2. For their cleanlinesse and neatnesse mundissimum omnium hoc animal they will not suffer any sluttery within if they may go abroad neither can they endure any unsavorinesse without nigh unto them Pliny l. 11. c. 10. 18. 3. For their care of the common good she is an admirable lover of that she labours eats fights in common and all her pains is directed to the common good she will with unresistable courage assail any enemy though never so strong which shall offer to wrong the common body 4. For their concord Bees of the same hive are linked together in the bond of amity though they be many of them yet they know and love each other and keep peace among themselves and fly domesticall sedition unlesse the rulers be multiplied and by their disorders set the rest of the Bees at variance 5. For their dutifullnesse to their King or Prince for they have a Monarchy as the Ants a Democracy they are most loyall subjects to him they labour for him and build him more then one Palace and that more large and stately then their own they fight for him and go abroad with him The workmanship of God is more excellent in some Insects as Bees and others little creatures then in those of great bulk See Pliny l. 7. c. 21. and 36. 5. Austin prefers a fly in regard of its life before the Sun But some things saith Vossius are not so much to be valued for their form as their end which is more excellent in the Sun then in any perfect living creature man only excepted We see and use the fowls and eat their flesh and lye upon their soft feathers and yet contemplate not the goodnesse of God in them We have divers kinde of tame fowl in our back-sides they bring us young and we kill and dresse them and let them upon our Tables and feast with them They lay egges and we eat of them they sit and hatch and cherish their young and we see that admirable manner of drawing actuall life out of a potentiall life by the working of heat And we have many wilde fowl but who seeth Gods wisedom power bounty in giving them to us Let us stir up our selves to give God his due glory in respect of this kinde of creature Amongst other creatures the Lord hath stored the world with divers kindes of four-footed beasts which move and walk upon the face of the earth Psa. 104. 11 12. these were created on the sixth day Gen. 1. 24. These beasts are creatures endued not with life alone but with sense also Yea they excell man in quicknesse of sense Nos aper auditu praecellit arâ—â—ea â—â—ctu Vultur odoratu lynx visu simia gustu They consist of a body and of a sensible soul and besides the life of vegetation which is to be found in plants by which they grow and are nourished They have also a soul whereby they discern divers bodily objects and can both discern and follow that which is good for them and shun what is evill and so preserve themselves alive by using things helpfull for them and avoiding the contrary All these beasts were made to walk upon the ground with 4. feet having their heads bowing down to the ground to seek their diet without which they could not live and which is provided for them upon the face of the ground This work is wonderfull in respect of the divers sorts of these beasts some great and some small some of one shape and nature some of another We see great variety of them in our own Countrey and there is far greater variety abroad in the world which we have
doting upon children Parents are apt to exceed in their love to their children and be extreme fond in their affection so Eli Isaac to Esau Iacob to Ioseph and Benjamin David to Absalom and Adonijah Reasons 1. Affection is natural and grows in the heart it self and so grows the bigger and stronger natural affections can hardly be moderated 2. It is ancient it comes into the world with the childe nay begins when the childe is in the wombe 3. It is much nourished for it is the property of all both affections and habits to grow very strong by exercise and to wax mighty by frequent acts But yet this fond affection is evil 1. Because it is an undecent thing for a man to suffer his reason to be blinded by his affection 2. It is dangerous and hurtful 1. To parents in hindering them from doing that which is good for their childrens souls and so causing them to neglect the best and most necessary offices of a parent viz. To watch over them to observe their faults and reprove them and to beat down the corruptions that will be growing in them it indangers the parents to sin against God and honour their children above him and to be too worldly for them 2. To the children they will grow bold on their parents love and so much more carelesse of them The parents common duty to their children in their tender years and childhood is 1. To instruct them in Religion so soon as they are able to speak and have the least use of understanding Prov. 22. 6. Ephes. 6. 4. God hath commanded parents to have a care of the souls of their children Deut. 6. 7. Abraham had so Gen. 8. 19. 2. To give them correction Prov. 23. 13. 29. 27. 13. 20. 22. 15. 3. To blesse them so Abraham did Isaac and Isaac Iacob and he his children The especial duty of the father is to give the name unto the childe of the mother is to nurse up her own childe if God hath given her ability thereunto Gen. 21. 7. 1 Sam. 1. 29. Luke 2. 12. Sarah nursed Isaac Rebecca Iacob Anna Samuel Else the mother will not so ardently love the childe nor the childe the mother for her love increaseth by kissing it often at her breast Her milk which is but white bloud of which the childe consists and with which it was nourished nine moneths in the wombe is more familiar and natural to the childe then that of another woman He resembleth his nurse often in manners mores animi sequuntur temperamentum corporis Plato gives this as a reason why Alcibiades was so stout though he was an Athenian which naturally are fearful because a woman of Sparta a couragious and valiant Nation was his nurse Tacitus writes that the Germanes are among all Nations great and valiant because their own mothers which are of great stature do nourish them A Lamb sucking a Goat or a Kid sucking of an Ewe change their fleece and hair respectively say Naturalists See Dr. Willet on Gen. 21. 7. and Dr. Gonge of Domestical duties on Ephes. 6. 4. Sect. 12. to 16. So much for the duties which parents must perform to their children in their tender years Now those follow which they must perform to them when they grow to riper age 1. To bring them up in some profitable and lawful Calling by which they may live honestly and Christianly so Adam brought up one of his children in Husbandry and the other in keeping Sheep both profitable and lawful Vocations Adam in Paradise is appointed to dresse the Garden See Dr. Gouge's Domestique Duties Ephes. 6. 4. § 31. to 34. A Vocation or Calling is a certain condition or kinde of life ordained and imposed on man by God for the common good 2. To provide for the disposing of them in marriage and that in seasonable and due time 3. To lay up something for their children 2 Cor. 12. 14. Now follows the duties of Servants and Masters First of Servants Servitude came in by sin Conditio servitutis jure intelligitur imposita peccatori nomen istud culpa meruit non natura Aug. de civit Dei l. 19. c. 15. Vide plura ibid. There are two kinds of servants 1. Such as were absolute those that were conquered in war the Conquerour had an absolute power over their lives the Apostle speaks of these Col. 4. 1. and bids give to them that which is equal 2. By compact and agreement such as our servants are now Servants are with care and faithfulnesse as in the presence of God to bestow themselves wholly on the times appointed in their Masters businesse Coloss. 3. 27. 2 3 24. Three things exceedingly commend a servant 1. Diligence 2. Obedience 3. Prudence and Discretion The former two belonging especially to a mans place as an inferiour the third indifferently agreeing to every place I shall handle the two first First A servant must be diligent in his businesse Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse he shall stand before Princes not before men of lower rank Solomon speaks this principally of one in the place of a servant if he be diligent he shall finde good contentment with men of best note 1 Sam. 18. 2. to 6. Such a one was the servant of Abraham which shewed so much care painfulnesse constancy discretion fidelity in that great businesse of choosing his Masters sons wife as nothing could be more Such a one was Iacob to Laban whom he served with all his might Ioseph to Potiphar Reas. 1. Because in so doing they will please God himself who is the Authour of this subordination of men in the family that some should be Masters some servants therefore Paul saith they must do it as to the Lord not to men and saith Of God they shall receive the recompence of inheritance 2. For the quiet sake of the family else he shall become like vinegar to the teeth and smoak to the eyes 3. They must do it for their own sakes because they shall live with most comfort cheer and content themselves as having the good will first of God then of their Governours and the good esteem of all which do know them He that is slothful walks on a thorn hedge and pricks himself A sloathful servant is 1. A thief he steals from his Master wages meat and drink which he receiveth but dischargeth not his work painfully 2. A dissembler an hypocrite if he allow this idlenesse he cannot be a faithful servant to God whom he never saw who is not faithful to his Master whom he sees daily Secondly A servant should be obedient and dutiful doing the things which his Master appoints him as the places before quoted in the Colossians and Ephesians shew Paul wished Timothy to tell the servants that are under the yoak that they must do service to their believing Masters and he willeth Titus to exhort servants to be obedient to their Masters in all