right Hand of God there to intercede and mediate for us till at last he shall come again to judge the World and eternally reward or punish all according as their lives have been good or bad Quest. So that I perceive Faith in Christ is our believing the Gospel and all things contained therein concerning God our Selves or another World upon Christ's Authority And particularly believing what he therein declares concerning his being the Christ and Son of God who died roâ—e again ascended to God's right Hand and shall return again to judge the World as is also expressed in the Creed And that for the sake of his death to expiate sins God will be reconciled to Sinners upon their true Repentance Ans. Yes this is the true Faith in Christ upon profession whereof the Apostles at first enter'd Men as Disciples S. Peter without more ado Baptizing the three thousand that gladly receiv'd the Word wherein he had declared to them these very things Act. 2. 41. And the Christian Church ever since admitting them to Baptism upon their professing Faith of the Apostles Creed which contains the same particulars Quest. By this I perceive what Faith in Christ is Pray what wants this to make it saving and available unto Righteousness Ans. Only that it suitably affect us or work in us such Godly Affections Purposes and Practices as may justly be expected from Men of such persuasions Quest. Pray what are these suitable affections Ans. They will best appear by running over briefly some of the chief of those particulars which we believe on the word of Christ and which are to produce them in us Quest. We believe that God is our Father who at first made us and still preserves and provides for us with Paternal care and tenderness How must this affect us Ans. With Love Honour and dutiful Obedience If I be a Father where is my honour Mal. 1. 6. Quest. We believe him to be infinite in Justice and Almighty in Power able and ready as to conâ—er whatsoever is desirable on those that fear so to inflict whatsoever is dreadful on those that affront him What should this beget in us Ans. Reverence and godly fear Fear him who when he hath killed hath Power to cast both Body and Soul into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Luk. 12. 5. Matth. 10. 28. Quest. We beâ—ieve him to be perfectly Righteous that is most Holy and Just and True and Faithful and Merciful and Patient and pleased only with what is so How ought we in reason to be influenced by this belief Ans. Made Holy and Righteous as he is that so we may be like him the Supreme Object of all imitation and find favour in his Eyes If we know that he is Righteous we know that every one that doth Righteousness is born of him 1 Jo. 2. 29. Quest. We believe his Providence orders all events What should we do upon this Ans. Be content under all that happens and say as the Holy Psalmist I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Psal. 39. 9. or as old Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. Quest. We believe that this Providence will never leave nor forsake those that fear God Heb. 13. 5. that it will make all the evil they meet with here to work for their good Rom. 8. 28. That the desire of the Righteous shall be granted Prov. 10. 24. That they shall not want any good thing Psal. 34. 10. And that when they seek first the kingdom of God all other things shall be added to them without their being solicitous about them Matth. 6. 33 34. What would one in reason expect from Men so persuaded Ans. That they trust in the living God 1 Tim. 6. 17. that they lay aside all distracting solicitude and thoâ—ghtfulness for outward things Matth. 6. 25 31 34. That they be careful for nothing but making their case known to God cast all their care upon him who careth for them Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Quest. We believe he will not forget his word although the performance of it be long delaied but remember it faithfully and in due time give it effect What should this work in us Ans. Patience and Perseverance of Hope whereof all have need that after they have done the will of God they may receive the Promise It being God's way for some time to exercise Mens Faith of a Promise before he accomplish it Heb. 10. 36 37. Quest. We believe he is able to fulfil it when it is most improbable and unlike to take effect there being no word impossible with God Luk. 1. 37. and that he will do it What should be the effect of this Ans. To beget in us a firm Faith and unshaken confidence in his Promise such as Abraham's was for having a Child when both He and his Wife were past Age for Children and of having a numerous Issue by him when at Gods command he was just about to slay him Rom. 4. 20 21. Heb. 11. 19. Quest. We believe that for Christ's sake God will give good things to those that seek to him for them and that if they ask it shall be given Matth. 7. 7. What should follow upon this opinion Ans. Prayer and Devotion So that whatsoever Temporal or Spiritual Blessings Men stand in need of they should seek to God the Author and by Jesus Christ the procurer of them Quest. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ that was to come into the World. What would any serious and considerate Man do that is so persuaded Ans. Confide in him and worship and submit to him as a most just Object of our Homage Trust and Adoration Quest. We believe this same Jesus to be our Lord. What should he in reason do who believes and professes that Ans. Keep his Commandments and observe his Orders For why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say Luke 6. 46. Quest. We believe that he came down from Heaven in love to us to restore us to God's Favour and Eternal Happiness What would any ingenuous Person do that is convinced of this Ans. Love him most dearly that so loved us and thank him most heartily and intirely for having done and suffered so much for our sakes Quest. We believe the cause of his dying so painful and ignominious a Death upon the Cross was not any ill that he had done himself but only our sins and that at last they will bring us to Eternal Death unless we repent of them What can be expected of all that have this persuasion Ans. Irreconcileably to hate sin and to repent and sin no more lest they come to â—eel the same at last intolerably and that too without all hopes of remedy in their own Persons We must die to sin says the Scripture since he died for it Rom. 6. 6 8 11. And if we judge that he died for us his love
excellent Glory of God the Father we heard when we were with him in the Holy mount and were eye-witnesses of his Majesty 2 Pet. 1. 16 17 18. And the same he repeated again a third time before a Multitude when Andrew and Philip brought the Greeks to him For before them all Jesus Prayed Father Glorifie thy Name And thereupon came a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again John 12. 28. And this is a most sensible and satisfactory way of God's declaring himself not meerly by shows and resemblances of things which are impressed by Visions and Dreams upon Mens imaginations but by plain proper and significant words such as he used in conversing with Adam in paradise Genesis 3. 8 9. and with Moses at the bush Exodus 3. 4. when assuming a Glorious Light the usual way of shewing himself particularly present he spoke to Men out of it in an audible Voice as sensibly and intelligibly as a Man can talk and discourse with his Friend Quest. Did the Father also testifie Jesus to be the Christ by raising him from the Dead and shewing him openly in full possession of his pretences Ans. Yes on the third day he rose again as we profess in the Creed And Almighty God as S. Peter saith raised him up And hereby he did plainly testifie and vouch for him For after the Jews had done their worst condemning and cruelly executing him in raising him up again God visibly reversed their Sentence and undid what they had done and justified him as one that deserved not to continue under the Power of Death but to live again He was put to Death in the Flesh but justified in the Spirit viz. by that Divine Spirit which raised him from the Dead 1 Tim. 3. 16. He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. Nay after his Resurrection he set him in Heaven at his own right Hand surrounded with a Divine Glory the usual Symbol of God's Presence and Majesty In which august form he shewed him to Stephen to prepare him for his Martyrdom and to Saul at his Conversion Jesus appearing to them from God's right Hand in a Glory that surpassed the Brightness of the Sun. And having enthroned him there he intrusted him with the Holy Ghost to dispose of it as he pleased a plain Evidence of his having all Power in Heaven as well as on Earth as he pretended Which Power he visibly manifested to all Men not only by sending down the Holy Spirit in all variety of most stupendious Gifts upon his own Apostles but enabling them by imposition of Hands in his Name to confer the same upon innumerable Multitudes of his followers as appears from the Acts of the Holy Apostles and from other Scriptures Quest. I will not ask you for any more Evidence in this great point of Jesus being the Christ such demonstrations as you have insisted on being abundantly sufficient to gain belief from every honest mind that is careful to inquire and willing to be informed And as for others who are wantonly captious or wilfully blind and incredulous they are not to be convinced by Reason and Arguments But building on this now as most unquestionably sure That Jesus is the Christ doth not that undeniably prove the Divine Authority of the New Testament which is his Word Ans. Most certainly it doth For that contains only what he either spoke or acted himself in his Life or ordered his Apostles to do and teach in his Name after his Death The same Proofs and Testimonies which justifie him do authorize it since it only sets out to us all that Word in declaration whereof all the Evidences urged hitherto are to gain him credit Quest. I am fully satisfied of the certainty and have heard enough to convince me of the usefulness and efficacy of Faith in Christ. I would desire now to hear something more of the particular points of that Faith whereof we are to be thus firmly persuaded and whereby such admirable things are to be performed Ans. Those as I hinted at first are summed up in that short Creed into the profession whereof we are all Baptized And that I shall next endeavour to discourse on and explain to you THE Knowledge of GOD OR AN EXPLICATION OF THE Divine Attributes AND PROVIDENCE The Knowledge of God or an Explication of the Divine Attributes and Providence CHAP. I. Of the Being and Attributes of God. The Contents The World declares there is a God. He is an eternal Spirit on whom all things depend Of God's Holiness Several things explained which seem to infringe it as when God is said to harden Mens hearts To inflict Spiritual blindness and a reprobate sense To send a false Spirit to deceive Ahab and strong delusion God oft gives Men up to the delusion of evil Spirits Cautions to prevent this To give Men a Spirit of slumber An account how notwithstanding God's irreconcileable hatred of sin it is still suffered in the World. Of God's Goodness Several false Notions of it In what things it chiefly consists Of God's Justice or Righteousness This shown in giving Righteous Laws And passing Righteous Judgments according to them without respect of Persons His Punitive Justice cleared from misplacing punishments in punishing one for another's sins And from misproportioning them in allotting eternal punishments to momentany sins Some false aspersions on this just God wiped off Of God's Presence in all places The effect of this Of his Faithfulness This shown by inviolable performance of his Promises And interpreting them without evasion or secret reserve according to their plain meanings And by constant adherence to his Friends and Faithful Servants which is no encouragement for any to return to their former sins Of God's Wisdom This shown in setting a just rate and estimate on all things so that he is neither gained nor lost by worthless services In discerning the just power and force of all Means and success of all Methods which should beget the greatest Reverence for all his Ordinances In seeing the best times and seasons for every purpose so that we must never think any Deliverance too long delayed or Affliction too fast hastened No reason to pretend to the Love of God without loving and imitating these Divine Excellencies Question WHat are the Articles of Christian Faith or particular points which we Christians are to believe Answer They are all contained in this Creed commonly called the Apostles Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right Hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the
Advertisement THere is lately Re-printed An Help and Exhortation to Worthy Communicating Or a Treatise describing the Meaning Worthy Reception Duty and Benefits of the Holy Sacrament And Answering the Doubts of Conscience and other Reasons which most generally detain Men from it Together with Suitable Devotions added By John Kettlewell Vicar of Coles-hill in Warwickshire The Second Edition Printed for Robert Kettlewell and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster Price Bound 2 s. 6 d. THE Practical Believer OR THE ARTICLES OF THE Apostles Creed Drawn out To form a True Christian's Heart and Practice In Two Parts LONDON Printed for Robert Kettlewell and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1688. THE Practical Believer The First Part. OF THE NATURE and CERTAINTY OF Christian Faith AND The Knowledge of God OR AN Explication of the Divine Attributes and Providence Febr. 28. 1687. Imprimatur Liber cui Titulus The Practical Believer c. Guil. Needham RR. in Christo P. ac D. D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. Ã Sacr. Domest London Printed for Robert Kettlewell and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1688. THE PREFACE Reader I Here present thee with a Discourse upon the Holy Christian Faith which as we all profess seriously to believe so should we carefully endeavour to answer and adorn with an Holy and Christian Practice In this I have endeavoured to give such accounts of Almighty God as may encourage all good Men to love and serve him and deter all evil Men from presuming on his Favour or provoking his Displeasure I have drawn out the consideration of his Providence into the usual cases and occurrences and shown how we may live upon it and give our selves the true comfort and advantage thereof in all events and transactions And all the other Articles of the Creed I have endeavoured to set off in such particulars as we are most concerned to know and which may give them the greatest life and power with us In the whole I have aim'd to lay before thee the summ of Christian Doctrine that in an Age which abounds with unchristian falshoods we may keep stedfast in Christian Truths and that among all the Truths of Christianity we may lay out our Care and Zeal on those which are most important and worthy of all acceptance My great design in this Treatise is to lend what help I am able to those that sincerely desire and seriously set themselves to live as they believe and to make Faith a Governing Grace showing how we may serve our selves of it and give up our Souls to be ordered and directed by it in all our manifold and most important cases and concerns And looking all along at this mark in passing through all the Articles of the Creed I have not sought to fill up a Book by inserting all that may be truly or pertinently said But have applied my self to instruct thee in such as I thought the leading and governing Notions to inculcate those which seem to me the most concerning and powerful Truths to set off such particulars about them as seem fittest to affect us or lie nearest unto Practice and to note wherein we are to follow and attend to them in the course and various exigencies of our lives And hoping this may prove beneficial to the instruction and use of plain Christians who have neither leisure to peruse nor capacity to retain larger Volumes I have endeavoured to treat of these things with convenient brevity But withal to comprize so much not only of necessary but profitable Doctrine as may be sufficient to any Man's guidance and encouragement who will set himself diligently to learn and walk in the light of it I am not without hopes that this Discourse may in some degree or other serve the end for which it is sincerely sent abroad viz. of doing some honour and service to the ever Blessed Trinity and making an admirable and most efficacious Faith more lively and powerful in some that profess it And if thou good Reader shalt reap any benefit by it as thou wilt not fail to give God the praise for suiting and supplying thy necessity by the weakness of any he employs so one thing I heartily request of thee which is all the return that in this World I either expect or desire that thou wilt thus far remember the poor instrument of thy Mercy as in the fervency of thy Devotion to put up one Prayer to our common Father for his Salvation who with a very ready and willing mind has taken all this pains to promote thine THE CONTENTS PART I. Of the Nature and Certainty of Christian Faith c. CHAP. I. Of Christian Faith. WHat is meant by Faith in Christ. When this suitably affects us it justifies or avails to Righteousness An account of several particulars of Christian Belief with the respective Affections and Practices that are suitable to them All these are reasonably to be expected from them though they do not follow where Men will act inconsistently to their Principles and against Reason Faeith with its suitable effects the same as Faith and Repentance On this account such effects ascribed to it when alone as are due only to it and Repentance in conjunction This Faith with its suitable effects was that which justified the Old Testament Worthies And is to justifie all good Christians When S. Paul opposes justifying-Faith to the Deeds of the Law he speaks of the Deeds of the Jewish Law. That which fits Faith for these effects and distinguishes the Faith of Saints and Sinners is First The sincerity of it Secondly Its strength and firmness This consists in its being assured And honest or seated in one that makes conscience to keep his word And resolute In what sense Faith may be called an act of Recumbency or leaning and rolling on Christ for Salvation And the hand to receive and apply him 'T is no part of Faith to believe our sins are pardon'd nor of infidelity to doubt of it Of the innocence many times of such doubts And of some good Mens confidence of their own forgiveness p. 1 CHAP. II. That Jesus is the Christ from Ancient Prophecies Among those Prophecies which prove Jesus to be the Christ First Some prescribe the time of his coming This they mark out by the nearness of such notable Occurrences and Revolutions as would fall under all Mens observation And by fixing the very Year he should appear in Accordingly there was a general expectation of him at that time His coming not put off beyond the time appointed for the sins of the People An account why the Jews who read these clear Notes of the time in their own Prophets are not convinced by them Secondly Others assign many peculiar and visible Notes whereby he may be demonstratively pointed out from all other Men. As 1. His being born of a Virgin. This in some sense spoken of a Virgin of that time but principally
of Messiah and then only fully accomplished when Jesus came This cleared from exceptions 2. His having the Spirit of Miracles resting on him 3. His Death with the particular manner and circumstances of it And his returning to Life again 4. His putting an end to the Jewish Sacrifices and Mosaick Covenant and bringing in a New one and a better to supply its defects 5. His erecting an Universal Empire and appearing as a mighty King. This not a Secular but Spiritual Kingdom 6. His converting the Heathen World from their Idol-worship Jesus silenced the Oracles and cast the impure Spirits out of their Temples This an Argument for him not only as accomplishing a Prediction but also as 't is plainly a Divine thing The Prophecies of an Universal Probity and Peace under Messiah cleared up by an account both of their meaning and accomplishment The fore-cited Prophecies understood of Messiah by the Ancient Jews though denied by some later in hatred to our Jesus p. 45. CHAP. III. Proving Jesus to be the Christ from other Divine Testimonies Jesus proved to be the Christ 2. From the testimony of John the Baptist. John knew this by Revelation and had it confirmed by a sign He was an acknowledged Prophet and of most clear and currant fame And gave this testimony before he was personally acquainted with Jesus 3. From the testimony of Jesus himself Several considerations shewing the validity of this testimony though it were in his own case This not impugned by Christ's words John 5. 31. nor gives any colour or advantage to Fanatical Enthusiasts 4. From his Miracles These no lying wonders as may appear because shewn in several instances not imitable by Demons As 1. Foretelling future Contingencies An account of Demon-Predictions among the Gentiles 2. Discerning Hearts and Thoughts 3. Raising the Dead 4. Casting out Devils of most stubborn ranks and in greatest numbers and combinations It may also appear from their intent and design and from their numbers and the manner of working them No opposing the Miracles of Moses against Christ's Miracles because they were wrought to set aside the Law of Moses That Law was given with a design to be altered An account how for all that several of its Precepts are justly called Statutes for ever 5. From the testimony of the Father who declared Jesus to be the Christ by audible voices And by raising him from the dead and shewing him in full possession of his pretences p. 96 The Knowledge of God or an Explication of the Divine Attributes and Providence CHAP. I. Of the Being and Attributes of God. The World declares there is a God. He is an eternal Spirit on whom all things depend Of God's Holiness Several things explained which seem to infringe it as when God is said to harden Mens hearts To inflict Spiritual blindness and a reprobate sense To send a false Spirit to deceive Ahab and strong delusion God oft gives Men up to the delusion of evil Spirits Cautions to prevent this To give Men a Spirit of slumber An account how notwithstanding God's irreconcileable hatred of sin it is still suffered in the World. Of God's Goodness Several false Notions of it In what things it chiefly consists Of God's Justice or Righteousness This shown in giving Righteous Laws And passing Righteous Judgments according to them without respect of Persons His Punitive Justice cleared from misplacing punishments in punishing one for another's sins And from misproportioning them in allotting eternal punishments to momentany fins Some false aspersions on this just God wiped off Of God's Presence in all places The effect of this Of his Faithfulness This shown by inviolable performance of his Promises And interpreting them without evasion or secret reserve according to their plain meanings And by constant adherence to his Friends and Faithful Servants which is no encouragement for any to return to their former sins Of God's Wisdom This shown in setting a just rate and estimate on all things so that he is neither gained nor lost by worthless services In discerning the just power and force of all Means and success of all Methods which should beget the greatest Reverence for all his Ordinances In seeing the best times and seasons for every purpose so that we must never think any Deliverance too long delayed or Affliction too fast hastened No reason to pretend to the Love of God without loving and imitating these Divine Excellencies p. 143 CHAP. II. Of God's Providence God preserves all things he hath made And governs them He observes all our actions And all our temptations He disposes of all good events For he gives the fruits of the Earth And Children And success in business How this should influence us in any enterprize shown in sundry particulars He gives promotion And the favour of Men. And life and health to enjoy all other Blessings And all Spiritual Mercies He disposes also of ill events As death of Friends Unfortunate accidents that afflict us in our Bodies or Goods Crosses and obstructions in our designs and business Sufferings from ill Men. How God stints and governs these No excuse of their unjust violence to say they are God's Instruments and follow Providence He sends also miscarriages of State and Government and presides in the most tumultuary and distressed times In these still have Faith in Providence But God must not be called the Author or sender of thâ—se evils which we bring down upon our selves by our own faults or follies p. 189 CHAP. III. Of God's Almightiness God's Almightiness implies 1. God's Might and Strength to effect all things viz. all that are the object of any Power And that are not repugnant to his own Nature The exerting this Power creates God no labour He can do whatsoever any things of the World can do This an encouragement to all generous Enterprizes And to build on Providence especially where we have a Promise The value and acceptance of this trust in a seemingly most improbable case And whatsoever any things of the World are inclined or wont to do he can hinder them from doing This also a ground of trust in God. And to keep us in any distress from flying to unlawful aids How God will use this Power 2. His Sovereignty and Power to command and order all things This includes 1. Empire as a Sovereign Ruler What things God may command The unalterableness of some commands 2. Dominion as a Sovereign Proprietor In what cases God allots good and ill out of his Power of Prerogative not according to Mens pre-dispositions Where he dispenses Arbitrarily he doth it always most Wisely and Reasonably Saving Grace he allots not in way of Arbitrary Prerogative but according to Covenant Rules And Heaven and Hell in way of Legal Trials A brief account of the Rectitude of God's Nature which limits his Sovereign Will from the Scriptures This Sovereign Lord and Proprietor an All-sufficient so no selfish Being Several good uses of God's Sovereign Dominion God's Majesty and Almightiness
1. 21 22. 2. Reforms our Practice The Numbers that believed acceptably turned unto the Lord saith S. Luke Act. 11. 21. The Faith which availeth worketh by love says S. Paul Gal 5. 6 it overcomes the world saith S. John 1 Jo. 5. 4. it makes us free from sin says our Saviour Jo. 8. 32. It must carry us on to good deeds as it did Abraham to leave his country Heb. 11. 8. and to sacrifice his son Jam. 2. 21 22. and as it did Rahab to receive the spies verse 25. A working Faith is the only Faith that lives for faith without works is dead Jam. 2. 20. as the body without the spirit is dead so is faith without works dead verse 26. It is the only Faith that profits for if a man say he hath faith and have not works what doth it profit verse 14. It is the only Faith that saves and justifies If a man shows faith without works can faith save him Abraham was justified by works verse 21. and Rahab was justified by works verse 25. ye see then how that by works a man is justified together with Faith and not by faith only verse 24. Quest. If there is no Justification by any Faith but what reforms the heart and practice I perceive in the question of Justification we must no longer oppose Faith and Obedience but take care to secure both it being as S. Paul saith a working faith or as S. James faith and works together that justifies us Ans. Very right Quest. But doth not S Paul when he speaks of our justification say it is by saith without the deeds of the law Rom. 3. 28. Ans. Those deeds are the deeds of the Jewish Law chiefly such distinguishing ones as Circumcision Sacrifices Jewish Holy-Days and observing the Mosaick differences of clean and unclean Meats These some Zelots for Moses pressed upon the Gentile-Converts in many Churches saying Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Act. 15. 1. And when some started up at Rome to press the necessity of the same to Justification there S. Paul opposes all such deeds and tells them they must not seek to be justified as Jews but as Christians So what he rejects are Mosaick deeds or any others under such qualifications as the Jews obtruded and cried up for Righteousness Quest. Pray what are those Ans. First They set up a mere Humane Righteousness in outward Acts. This is Righteousness in Civil Courts where the Judges are Men that cannot see the Heart but judge and pronounce according to Overt-Actions And the Law of Moses being the Law of their Common-Wealth whose Breaches were triable in their own Courts they esteemed themselves Righteous in the eye of their Law as the World doth in case of other Political and State Laws when they are not liable to be brought in Trouble or Indicted upon them before any of their own Tribunals This sense of their Legal Righteousness was currant among the Doctors And Josephus a learned Jew who lived and flourished in the Apostles own Days asserts it in no less an instance than that of Sacriledge wondering at Polybius an otherwise Praise-worthy Writer as he says for ascribing God's exemplary Vengeance on Antiochus Epiphanes to his Sacriledge only design'd upon the Temple at Elymaïs Whereas says he If he only intended but did not execute and effect it he did not deserve to be punished for it And accordingly in S. Paul's accounts of the Jewish Righteousness he is careful still to call it a Justification or Righteousness of works as consisting only in things brought on to act and practice And measuring themselves thus only by External acts as cognizable before Humane Courts the orderly Livers among them made no more scruple of asserting their Righteousness in the Eye of their Law than any good Subjects do in pleading their innocence as to the Laws of them several Countries As we find the young man did to our Saviour when he posed him upon the Ten Commandments saying all these things have I kept from my youth up Matth. 19. 18 19 20. And as S. Paul did in setting off his Jewish Confidences saying That touching the Righteousness which is in the Law he was blameless i. e. not to be blamed before any of their Tribunals Phil. 3. 6. Quest. But did not some things in the Jewish Law extend to Mens Hearts and Spirits Particularly among the Ten Commandments is there not One viz. the Tenth which forbids all inward coveting of what is our Neighbours Ans. Yes but there being no notice taken of these nor punishments inflicted for them in their Courts the Doctors as may appear from what I have said looked on them rather as Counsels of Perfection than strict Laws of Righteousness Or if as Laws yet such the Breaches whereof were sufficiently atoned by their Daily or Annual Sacrifices which sanctified as S. Paul saith to the purging of the flesh i. e. to indemnifie them before Men as to their Carnal Secular Interests though not to clear them before God or make them perfect as pertaining to the conscience Heb. 9. 9 13. Quest. What other Qualifications did the Jews cry up in those Works which they depended on to make them Righteous Ans Secondly Their merits For they set up a proud boastful Righteousness which should challenge the reward by way of merit and equivalence not being content to reap all the Benefit unless they could also arrogate all the Glory and Honour of it to themselves Quest. Whereon could they pretend to erect this Ans. On two Foundations First The Power of natural free-will affirming their good deeds to be wrought in virtue of their own strength without which whatever Glory there might be in them it could be none of theirs They thought they had Ability enough for all the Righteous works they were to do upon the stock of Nature and needed no inward and enlivening Grace but a meer external Revelation or dead Letter as their Law is stiled in Scripture And all this Power they ascribe to Natural free-will since the fall For the good which Adam did before it say they was as a pure intelligence out of necessity of Nature But his eating of the forbidden tree of the Knowledge of good and ill brought him and his Posterity down to free will or an indifferency to either Which liberty they make most absolute ever since and accordingly interpret that common saying among them All things are in the Hand of God but the fear of God to note such absoluteness of our free-will to good as has nothing to controul it Secondly On the intrinsick worth and value of their own deeds making them to deserve Heaven by way of equivalence They were the great affecters and aspirers after merits saying That happiness by way of reward is far greater and more magnificent than by way of mercy And they were the great asserters of them claiming the reward on such deeds as excluded
their works without any need of Redemption by Christ's Sacrifice as I have already shewed Quest. And S. Paul though he denies such Jewish works asserts works after the Christian Faith wrought in us by God's Grace and accepted through Christ's Sacrifice to justifie and make us Righteous Ans. Yes in the very same Verse wherein he rejects the Law of works that is Jewish works he declares we are justified by another Law viz. the Law of Faith in performing what it imposes Rom. 3. 27. And the Faith which avails to Righteousness in Christ Jesus he says is a working Faith Gal. 5. 6. And the same S. Paul speaking of the Faith which justified the Ancient Worthies particularly notes those correspondent Affections and Practices which it produced in them to make them Righteous As Noah's holy fear and obedience in building of the Ark though all the while he was laughed at for his pains by a merry and secure World and Moses's quitting the highest hopes and honours of Egypt to associate with the persecuted People of God and Abraham's leaving his Country and sacrificing his Son at God's command and all the other instances above-mentioned Quest. By what you have said I plainly perceive that a working Faith or a Faith that suitably influences and affects us is the Faith that always did and always must recommend Men to Almighty God Which when the Scripture contents it self barely to imply the effects it simply calls Faith when it would speak out and express both it calls Faith and Repentance Ans. Very right Quest. But since all Faith doth not atchieve these noble feats and all Graces do not grow upon this single stock in all Believers Pray what are the great properties that fit Faith for these effects and distinguish the Faith of those that show these Fruits from the Faith of those that want them Ans. They are reducible I think to these Two the sincerity and the strength of it Quest. What mean you by the sincerity of this Faith Ans. First That it be real and unfeigned Not a meer pretence of Faith under which Infidels may disguise themselves among Christians to be trusted or emploied Nor a meer outside profession which unthinking Men may chuse and put on as they do their Cloathes without looking for any further reason than to be in the fashion and which they can as easily and readily alter again as they do their Habit when the Mode shall turn But a real inward belief and persuasion It is an unfeigned Faith that S. Paul commends in Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 5. and an unfeigned Faith out of which flows charity 1 Tim. 1. 5. and the Faith or Wisdom which makes Men pure and peaceable c. says S. James is without Hypocrisie Jam. 3. 17. So that they are never like to be fruitful Believers who follow Jesus as some Jews did only to run in with the Crowd or for the sake of the Loaves more than out of inward Convictions Secondly That it be Hearty and Affectionate Not a meer speculative Opinion and careless Notion as of things wherein we are not much interested but a moving and influencing perswasion wherewith all the powers of the Soul are affected Our Opinions must form our Passions and advance into Love Desire Hope Fear Care Endeavour and the like according to the different nature and power of the things believed The Belief that saves says S. Paul is a Belief with the heart as well as with the head Rom. 10. 9. And the Faith which avails to Righteousness works by love Gal. 5 5 6. And therefore they are never like to prove fruitful Believers who read and credit the Story of Jesus and the things of Christianity as they would the Story of Caesar or Alexander of the Assyrian or Persian Empire as things that are very remote in Place or Time and being of little concern to them do not much either delight or afflict them Such indifferent and unconcern'd Believers are like to make no better than Christian News-mongers whose Christian Faith furnishes them only to talk and tell stories Quest. Besides this sincerity is it necessary to a saving and effective Faith that there be moreover a good degree of strength and firmness in it Ans. Yes for such a strong Faith it was that made Abraham and other Holy Men obey God whereupon they were accepted Abraham says the Scripture was not weak or sickly but strong in Faith whereby he gave glory unto God Rom. 4. 19 20. the Faith that fits us for Christian Privileges and the Blessings of Baptism as Philip told the Eunuch is a belief with all the heart Act. 8. 37. If good Fruits do not spring from Faith it is because there is but little of it why take ye thought O ye of little faith Matth. 6. 30. 8. 26. or because there is very small or no life in it Faith being as dead as the body is without the spirit when it stands alone and no vital motions or effects stream from it Jam. 2. 17 20 26. Quest. I perceive this strength of Faith is necessary to enable it to do its work and conquer all that doth oppose it But in what doth this strength consist Ans. In three things especially 1. That it be assured and confident 2. That it be honest or seated in one that makes conscience of being just to his word 3. That it be resolute Quest. Must the Faith that produces these suitable effects be assured and confident Ans. Yes for a wavering Opinion will not accomplish its work It must make us forego many grateful things and undergo many ungrateful ones and attempt many that are very difficult and laborious And Men will not run these ventures and bear these losses on uncertain hopes but only on firm and certain expectations And therefore right and acceptable Believers are exhorted to draw near to God with full assurance of faith and to hold fast their profession without wavering Heb. 10. 22 23. and to shew diligence to the full assurance of hope tâ— the end Heb. 6. 11. And half Faith makes such Believers to be like King Agrippa only half and almost Christians Act. 26. 28. Quest. Must it also be honest that is haâ—e a â—â—â—d Conscience accompanying it and be seated in one who is careful to be just to his word Ans. Yes as it implies the owning of Doctrines and Propositions so it leads to ingage in Promises and Undertakings the good performance whereof includes not only Understanding and Knowledge but also Honesty and good Conscience So that a fruitful Faith must not be a bare skilfulness in Opinion but also a trustiness and integrity in discharging a Profession It effects Obedience only in just and upright tempers that make Conscience to perform their promises to fulfil their pretences and answer all just expectations Among all those several sorts of hearers by whom it was received the word believed brought forth fruit only in an honest and good heart as our Lord himself notes
all sin be in the World God's Holiness and I may add his Goodness too are not to be charged as if they had not abundantly done their part but only the obstinacy of Mens own perverse wills which are not to be forced and will not be dissuaded from it by all that can be fitly and reasonably offered to them And therefore it may still be most justly said of God as the Scripture doth What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it Isaiah 5. 4. The Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but had rather that the wicked man would turn from his way and live Ezek. 33. 11. Quest. Another of God's Attributes you mentioned is his Goodness Is God's Goodness an undistinguishing Indulgence that lights promiscuously on all Persons Ans. No 't is a Wise and Holy Goodness that respects qualifications 'T is the Goodness of a just God not of a fond Man and so is prone to all tenderness that is consistent with Wise and Holy Ends and Governing Justice But tenderness and indulgence to ill things and for ill purposes and effects is not goodness but dotage Quest. So that God's Goodness doth not bespeak such tenderness as relents at the very sight of all miserable objects Ans. No when Love and Kindness have been finally abused by them affronted Goodness gives way to inflamed Justice and can see Men smart and suffer without being grieved for them Quest. Then we must not fancy God's Mercy is such an effeminate softness and fond pity as starts at the thoughts of any severity though most wholesome and necessary Ans. No it is Mercy to the Penitent and Pitiable but can well bear to see tormenting Cures wrought on diseased and straying offenders or Vengeance executed on obdurate Criminals Quest. Neither is his Goodness such easiness as will be won or wearied out purely by the confidence in requests and meer importunity of obdurate sinners Ans. No this good and easie God can be inflexible to any impious or unreasonable request And if they have been deaf to him in his time of calling he will shew himself Just as well as Good and requite them in their own kind and be deaf to them in theirs yea when the extremity of their distress makes them cry to him with utmost importunity and loudness When their fear comes says he as desolation to lay all waste and destruction as a whirlwind to sweep all before it then though they call and seek me early will I instead of relenting laugh and mock at their calamity Prov. 1. 26 27 c. Quest. But when this Goodness puts such difference between Objects is it as some fancy a blind and partial benevolence that fixes by chance or humour on some and when once it is fixed heaps all favours and sees no faults in them Ans. No by no means God's Goodness is not guided as fond Man 's often is by blind fancy but always by highest discretion He is infinite in Goodness but yet so as at the same time to be equal in Justice and Wisdom too So that he will do good to all that have not incapacitated themselves by their own fault but to none against just and wise reason Quest. By this it seems this good God has not more love of any Persons as they are his Creatures or Favorites than as they are endowed with certain qualifications And that his hatred is stronger against sin than his Love is for any Favorite or created Being Ans. Yes he never loves an evil work out of favour to the workers but as the Scripture often tells us he hates the workers for the sake of their evil works So that no Persons must ever fancy they are such Favorites of God that he will tolerate them in any wickedness Or that having once fixed his Love upon them or made Decrees in their favour he will not see sin in them nor impute it to them nor hate them for such things as are most hateful to him in others Quest. If it is none of these things what is it we are to understand by God's Goodness Ans. His perfect delight in doing good Which I shall note especially in two things viz. his forwardness in rewarding good Services and his great Patience and Easiness in passing over offences Quest. Is he mindful of his Servants and careful to reward all their good Services Ans. Yes and that he would have all Men undoubtedly to think by him that so they may be encouraged to serve him For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Quest. Is he also Patient and Merciful upon their Offences as well as Bountiful upon their good Services Ans. Yes when they repent and turn from them For he proclaims himself long-suffering keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34. 6 7. He shows wonderful Patience in bearing with the sins of Men and Mercy in pardoning when they truly repent of them Quest. And is not this Mercy some incouragement to those who go on in their sins Ans. No because as I said he will have Mercy on those only who repent of them His long-suffering with sinners is only to give them time and lead them to repentance Rom. 2. 4. And his forgiving them is only when they do repent For even there where he proclaims his Mercy he declares he will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. If we are impenitent to the last there is no expectation of Mercy to forgive but of Justice to punish us Quest. You say God shows this Goodness in bountifully rewarding good Services Doth he not also show the same in estimating what Services are good and fit to be rewarded by him Ans. Yes as far as is consistent with truth and reason He is by no means captious or exceptious like one that studied to find faults and make the worst of our performances Nor stiff and rigid in standing upon the extremities of things but is ready to make all fair abatements and allowances which are reasonably and justly pleadable in our case as I shall have occasion to observe afterwards Quest. What mean you by God's Justice or Righteousness Ans. His doing Right and Equity both first in giving Righteous Laws and secondly in passing Righteous Judgments according to them without respect of Persons Quest. Is God Righteous as a Law-giver in imposing only just and Righteous Laws Ans. Yes The Gods of the Gentiles indeed which S. Paul says were Devils injoyned their Worshippers the most sinful foul and cruel things They served Bacchus in the Idol-Feasts called the Bacchanals and other of their Deities with Revellings and Drunkenness and Profligate Uncleanness and so S. Peter says whilst they wrought the will of the
at the sight of Christ's great and wonderful works Matth. 11. 21. And this must beget in us the greatest Opinion and Reverence for all God's Ordinances So that no Persons must ever ask as some prophanely do what good it doth to go so oft to Prayers or say they can benefit as much by reading at home when they are called upon to go to Church and hear a Sermon or slightfully neglect or undervalue any other means of God's appointing Since God has prescribed Prayers and Sacraments and Preaching and the Authority of Spiritual Guides and the Unity of the Church c. as perpetual and powerful means of Faith and good Life who shall dare to accuse any of them of weakness or unfitness and pretend better to understand their efficacy than he that understands all things or put down his and set up their own Wisdom by neglecting the old and beating out new ways for themselves Quest. Doth God also see the best times and the fittest seasons for every purpose Ans. Yes so exactly as never in the least degree either to precipitate any business or stay so long till the fittest minute for it has over-passed him And this must teach us never to think any Mercies too long delaied or any Afflictions from his hand too fast hastned Though in case of good desired the present generally seems best to Flesh and Blood yet in truth God's own time is always fittest So that whether any things sent by him come too soon or too slow in respect of our wishes they come just when they should neither too early nor too late in respect of exactness of season and usefulness Quest. If the Character of the Great God be to be so Holy and Just and True and Faithful and Good and Patient c. as you have shewed then no Man who considers what he says can reasonably pretend to love God if he loves not these excellencies Ans. Very right He can only have a blind love as one that is fond of he knows not what Or a mistaken love as one that fancies God to be what he is not But he has no intelligent rational love of God unless he love those excellencies that make up the Godhead And if Men would worthily love these in God they must seek to attain and transcribe them out in themselves too Quest. At this rate no ungodly evil Man who is an enemy of these Divine Tempers can love God. Ans. No they may love some things in God when taken asunder as his Wisdom which will move their admiration or his Power whilst he employs it for them or his Goodness so long as they feel its bountiful effects But if they seriously consider they cannot love the Godhead where all these properties are put together For therein is an Holiness that is irreconcileable to their sins and a Justice that will be inexorable in punishing them a Faithfulness that will execute Threatnings as well as fulfil Promises and an Almighty Power to be employed in Eternally tormenting those that offend as well as in Eternally rewarding all that truly serve him And a God of this Character is all terrour unto them If they considerately view him they may soon see enough to make against them which will keep them from being truly in love with or desirous of him No Man can freely and intelligently be in love with God but he that is or desires to be like him and accordingly in Scripture the love of God doth ordinarily include Obedience to him Quest. If these excellencies make up God's Character then when any Persons by his Grace have once attained them they are like God and partakers of the Divine Nature Ans. Yes his Image consists in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4. 24. So that whosoever are endowed with these are truly good and Godlike Persons CHAP. II. Of God's Providence The Contents God preserves all things he hath made And governs them He observes all our actions And all our temptations He disposes of all good events For he gives the fruits of the Earth And Children And success in business How this should influence us in any enterprize shown in sundry particulars He gives promotion And the favour of Men. And life and health to enjoy all other Blessings And all Spiritual Mercies He disposes also of ill events As death of Friends Unfortunate accidents that afflict us in our Bodies or Goods Crosses and obstructions in our designs and business Sufferings from ill Men. How God stints and governs these No excuse of their unjust violence to say they are God's Instruments and follow Providence He sends also miscarriages of State and Government and presides in the most tumultuary and distressed times In these still have Faith in Providence But God must not be called the Author or sender of those evils which we bring down upon our selves by our own faults or follies Question YOU have already showed what we are to believe of the Being and Attributes of God. But another thing to be known of him you said is his Providence What mean you by that Ans. His Preserving and Governing us and all things which he hath made Quest. Doth God preserve all that he hath made Ans. Yes both in their Beings and in their Powers and Perfections He preserveth man and beast Psalm 36 6. He gives to all their life and breath and all things for in him we live move and have our being Acts 17. 25 28. In particular he preserves Men in their Persons and Faculties So that no Man loses either his Memory or Understanding or the use of any of his Senses or any other bodily Powers and Perfections but only when and so far as God orders or permits And this must teach all Persons under any apprehension of diminution or loss of their Senses or Intellectuals or other Powers and Perfections not to distract and afflict their hearts by fearing and fancying the worst For God that gave these Powers is still the continuer and preserver of them and 't is very hard if he may not be trusted with them Let us commit them cheerfully to him and he will either continue the use of them or supply the defect and repair the detriment that shall come by their loss or diminution Quest. Must it not teach us the same in all prospects of dangerous or tormenting distempers too Ans. Yes for he is the preserver of our health and strength as well as other faculties And therefore when any Persons are entring under any bodily Pains or Diseases let them endeavour to bear the present burden with patience But not make it heavier by painful anticipations of futurities fancying what they shall do if their Distemper grows up to the greatest extremities or if some other cross Distemper should at the same time incapacitate and deprive them of those helps which yield them their greatest ease and support under this or if their Pain and Sickness be prolonged to such a distance as will outlast both their strength and
it cut off all hopes of impunity and utterly discourage all future offenders Answ. Because God has no more Sons to die for us and when he was sollicited to remit the punishment of our sins he would not do it upon a less exchange When man sinn'd against the Law of unerring Obedience upon the Merits and Death of his Son God pardon'd that and admitted them to favour again upon their Repentance But if they shall offend against this Law too and be finally impenitent there are no Sons of God to suffer again to purchase their Forgiveness Quest. So that Christ's Suffering for us salved all the Honour of God's Attributes and served all the Purposes of his Justice that would have been served by our suffering for our selves Answ. It did so and to the full as well too the punishing of his own Son when he answered for Sinners shewing a more implacable hatred of sin and inexorable Justice than he could have shewn by punishing all the World who were Sinners themselves And therefore his death was a satisfaction to God for the sins of the whole World. Not only a satisfaction to Benevolence and yielding Goodness as when easy and indulgent Natures are appeas'd by any small returns and incompetent Recompences but a Satisfaction to Justice by way of full Compensation and Equivalence Christ by his one suffering displaying the Honour of all God's Attributes as much as God could have display'd them by punishing the whole Humane Race Quest. If the Death and Sacrifice of Christ were so full a satisfaction at first there is no more now to be paid and it need never be repeated Answ. No nor ever must it The Jewish Sacrifices needed constantly to be repeated because being of little worth and very imperfect their virtue was soon spent so that year by year they were continually offered Heb. 9. 25. and 10. 1 3. But his being full and perfect from the first and leaving nothing to be added He is not to be offered often but at once hath he put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 9. 25 26. and 10. 14. But altho his Sacrifice is no more to be really acted as it needs not the whole effect of it being as fresh and full now as it was at first yet is it daily still commemorated and the virtue thereof apply'd in every good Prayer but especially in every Sacrament Quest. What learn you from Christ's dying a Ransom for our sins Answ. 1. To abhor sin since it is so odioâ—â— to God that he can spare it in no person no not in his own Son when he took other men's sins upon him And if he spared not him when he would bear the punishment for us how can we hope he will in the least spare us when we come to undergo it for our selves If these things were done in the green Tree what shall be done in the dry Luk. 23. 31. 2 To give our selves up to the service of Christ who hath bought us for his own property at so dear a rate This is the least we can do in Equity and Justice Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits which are God's by such costly purchase 1 Cor. 6. 20. And if there is any spark of Love and Gratitude in our Hearts we can do no less in Resentment of such stupendious kindness For the Love of Christ constrains us because we thus judge that if Christ died for all they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Quest. Ought it not also to teach us Faith in God and to beget in us a firm Trust that he will perform whatsoever he has promised Answ. Yes as plainly shewing that nothing is too great for his love to make good He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. Quest. Must not his Patience and Charity in his Sufferings not reviling again but praying for his Enemies teach us the same when we are called to suffer Answ. Yes for in suffering thus without threatning and when he was reviled not reviling again he hath left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. 23. Quest. Should not God's imposing so many and great secular hardships and sufferings on his own most dear Son make us have easier thoughts of these things than others have and reconcile us to Affliction Answ. In all Reason it should For it shews how inconsiderable worldly Goods and Glories are in Gods Eyes how temporal evils are allotted to the dearest persons how proper they are to Discipline and improve the most virtuous how they perfect Piety and what a step they are to Felicity and Glory Jesus himself tho' he were a Son yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. He was made perfect through suffering Heb. 2. 10. He ought to suffer and so enter into his Glory Luk. 24. 26. We see him for suffering death crowned with Glory and Honour Heb. 2. 9. And seeing Sufferings not only thus providentially allotted but also thus profitably undergone and highly recompenced in him the blessed Apostles and primitive Saints whose Ambition it was to be in all things his true followers did not repine and mourn but rejoyce and glory in them Quest. And since in dying for us he has shewed us such stupendious Love must not that mutually endear us and teach us if we would be his followers most tenderly to love one another Answ. Yes if God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 Joh. 4. 11. Nay since hereby we perceive the love of God to us because he laid down his life for us we ought upon just occasion to lay down our lives for the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 16. Quest. In the Creed you say dead and buried When Christ expired upon the Cross was his Body taken down and buried Answ. Yes it was laid in a Tomb and a great Stone roll'd before its mouth according to the Jewish Custom And for fear his Disciples should come by night and steal him away the Jewish Rulers when they had sealed the Stone got a Guard from the Governour to watch it Mat. 27. 64 66. Quest. What mean you by Christ's descent into Hell Answ. His abode in that state of Death and Separation or his Soul 's being in the place of Separate Souls till it was united again to his Body at his Resurrection as it is written Thou shalt not leave my Soul in Hell Acts 2. 27. which St. Peter there says was fulfilled in the Resurrection of Christ when he ceased to continue under the power of death and gloriously arose to triumph over it v. 30 31. Quest. Doth the word Hell sometimes signifie only the state of the Dead or the place of Souls departed Answ. Yes as David says of all men What man is he that
by Disappointments nor made unfortunate by the Follies or Sufferings of those we dearly love is absolutely the most agreeable pleasant and satisfactory Employment in the World. And amidst all these Companions shall the Righteous be Perfect in this Love Answ. Yes most Perfect For God is Love and he that dwells in God dwells in Love 1 Joh. 4. 16. Quest. Will all that blessed Company entirely love us Answ. Yes as they do their own Souls they were full of Love while they lived here loving even their Enemies after Christ's Precept and Example but especially the servants of God in whom they discern'd his Image But in Heaven they shall love us in Perfection and be full Ripe and Compleat in this as they are in all other Graces Quest. And shall we entirely Love all them Answ. Yes they shall all be so absolute in all amiable excellencies and continually discover such a boundless Love for us and our Natures will be so wholly framed for Love and Kindness that we cannot chuse but love them and that with the greatest fervour and intenseness of Affection And this will be all Pleasure and no Pain because they are incapable of doing any thing that may either shame or disgust us God is all in all in them and therefore they can do nothing but what we who entirely love God and them may perfectly delight in Quest. If we shall have such entire Love for all the Saints in Bliss we shall as all true Friends do partake in all their Joys and all their Happiness will be ours Answ. It will be so for Love of Happy Persons multiplies Happiness as oft as it multiplies Objects Because when we entirely love them we esteem and are pleased with all their Happiness as with our own And this way every Saint will be as full as if they had a Monopoly of Bliss and draw all the Happiness of Heaven to themselves Quest. But amidst all these inward excellencies and happy Company and Blissful intercourse of kindness shall they live in Honour and be eminent in Place Answ. Yes as Kings and Princes They shall Sit on Thrones and wear Crowns and Scepters and be Sons of God and Brethren and Joint-heirs with Christ they shall inherit all things and not only have the Priviledge to stand about Christs Throne but what would surpass belief if Truth it self had not assured us of it sit down with him thereon To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Rev. 3. 21. And besides this glory of their State and eminence in Place their Bodies as I observed shall be cloathed with the most Radiant Light and surpass even the Sun it self in Brightness Quest. In what place must they live to wear these Glories and Feast on all this immense Happiness Answ. In the Heaven of Heavens a Place scituate on High †far above all visible things unspeakably vast in extent and magnificent in structure and illustrious in Glory the Presence Chamber of the great God and King where he lives incircled with Lustre and Light inaccessible which no mortal Eye can approach unto for no Man as he told Moses can see my Face and live Exod. 33. 20. Here shall all Righteous Persons with their immortal Eyes ever see God and shine in his Glory and feast on all the forecited joys and fulness of Pleasure which is at his Right hand for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Quest. But if this happy enjoyment last long will they not grow weary of it in the end since humane Appetites are wont to love change and loath the best things if held constant to them Answ. No as the enjoyments are so is the desire and relish of them always the same The Goods are pure having no ungrateful mixtures to be discover'd and tasted by time and the Appetite and Relish perfect subject to no ebbs or flows no weariness or alterations So that we shall still desire as well as enjoy these pleasant things and find an inexpressible sweetness and satisfaction in them Quest. And to Crown all and render us secure in this Blessed State shall the happiness of it be no fading transitory Thing as all worldly pleasure is but everlasting Answ. Yes it will be always in its Spring and look fresh and flourish thro' Eternal Ages The Pleasures at God's Right Hand are for evermore Ps. 16. 11. the weight of Glory is Eternal 2 Cor. 4. 17. the Kingdom cannot be moved Heb. 12. 28. the Crown is incorruptible 1 Cor. 9. 25. that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 4. 'T is not a limited happiness held only for a term of years or Ages but an Eternal Life 1 John. 5. 11. Quest. This is such a perfection of Bliss as is enough to make all Righteous men impatient of living here and long to dye as St. Paul did thereby to be possess'd of it Answ. It is so indeed if it contain'd no more than I have described But when they come to enjoy it they will find infinitely more than I have said yea than any Tongue can express or heart imagine and apprehend For Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it enter'd into the heart of man to conceive the Things God has prepared for those that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. Quest. I perceive how Blissful the Eternal Life of the Righteous is But the Wicked too shall be raised to an Eternal State and what shall their Life be Answ. The most perfect misery both of Body and Soul whence in Scripture when by Life is meant not only the continuance in being but the happiness of it their state is call'd everlasting death 2 Thes. 1. 8 9. Rev. 2. 11. Quest. What sorrow and torment shall the Wicked for ever endure in their Souls Answ. The torment of all vexatious Passions being continually wracked with Envy Anger Fruitless Cares and Boundless Fears utter despair of all relief and yet extream desires of it And the Sting of Conscience which shall pierce them thro' with bitter remorse and gnaw perpetually like a Worm upon their Hearts and Vitals their Worm dieth not Mark 9. 44. Quest. Indeed all these mention'd Passions when at the heighth are so many Furies especially distracting and amazing Fears and Horrors And shall wretched Souls be wholly seized by these Answ. Yes as much as we may imagine they can possibly who are surrounded on every side with the most mischievous and spiteful Enemies and are left among them in the Dark which were it possible would magnify their Fears by fancy and make them infinite To express which utter uncomfortableness and insecurity they are said to be cast into utter Darkness Mat. 22. 13. and reserved unto Blackness of Darkness for ever 2 Pet. 2. 17. Quest. What is implyed in the Worm of Conscience Answ. Bitter and cutting remorse for their own wretched folly which has call'd down upon
in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus Abrahams Bosom And the care of conducting them thither as Christ noted in the account of Lazarus is committed to some good Angels For some of these as ministring Spirits always attend the death-beds of God's Saints and receive the departed Soul into their care to guard it from all frights and molestations of envious Fiends as it passes thro' the Regions of the Air which are the Principality or Territory of the Powers of Darkness and to guide it in all that long passage of new and unknown ways which lead to the Blessed Receptacles of departed Spirits Whereas the Souls of the Wicked when they are thrust out of their Bodies are left naked and defenceless to be seiz'd by those greedy and implacable Furies and hurried away upon the award of their most just Judge in extream anguish and despair to their most wretched Prisons Quest. But at the Resurrection I see both Good and Bad shall return to their Bodies again And shall that Life last for ever Answ. Yes for after once they are reunited their Souls and Bodies shall never part any more but the good shall continue in everlasting pleasure and the wicked in everlasting pain Quest. What happiness is there in that Eternal Life of the Righteous Answ. All possible happiness their hearts can wish or their Nature is capable of They shall see and enjoy God who will give himself to them and that implies every thing that is Beatifying all the Blessedness we can imagine and infinitely more being contain'd in God and communicated together with him Quest. And shall this Blessedness never be imbitter'd to them with any care or fear or grief or crosses as all the happyness of this present Life is Answ. No They shall neither hunger nor thirst any more Rev. 7. 16. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more Death nor sorrow nor crying nor Pain for all those former things are passed away Rev. 21. 4. Quest. Shall all their Senses be gratified with the most delightful and agreeable enjoyments Answ. Yes such as the Scripture is wont to set off by Feasts and Banquets and Marriage-Entertainments by melodious Songs and joyful Hallelujahs by transporting sights of all the Beauty the Glory and Magnificence of the Heavenly Court the Majesty of God's Throne and the Splendor of all the Heavenly Host that do surround it Indeed their exalted and refined Senses are above the gross delights of Eating and Drinking and giving in Marriage But such as these the Scripture uses because our present state places so much in them And whatsoever delight and satisfaction they may express to our present Capacities that and abundance more shall the enjoyments of that life yield to our glorified and improved Bodies Quest. 'T is a great heappiness to have clear and distinct knowledge of things and not to be distracted with doubts or posed with difficulties Shall the Righteous in that Eternal Life have such clear and advanced understandings Answ. Yes they shall get rid of all darkness and doubtfulness of mind and know every thing they desire without study or pains Now we see as in a Glass darkly but then face to face Now we know in part but then shall we know even as also we are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. Quest. 'T is a singular Point of Bliss to be perfect in Holiness which is one of the most Blissful Attributes of God himself Shall they also be such perfectly Holy Persons Answ. Yes they shall excel in every Virtue and Grace wherein Christ himself doth for when he appears we shall be like him 1 Joh. 3. 2. And those they shall enjoy free of all those weaknesses and defects whereby their Virtues are obscur'd and lessen'd in this World. For in new Jerusalem the Spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. Quest. And shall they exercise all this Holiness without trouble and reluctance which makes the practice of it painful here on Earth Answ. Yes for they shall neither have any inward Lusts to oppose it nor outward Temptations to draw them from it They hear no advice nor see any example but of what is good Their inclinations are all rectified and become Holiness to the Lord. Their Nature is perfect in good and duty is become their delight so that in conforming entirely to the will of God they do in the highest measure gratifie their own wills too Quest. And with this height of knowledge and of Holiness shall they also be inwardly pleased in their own minds and think themselves happy without which no man is happy Answ. Yes they must needs be infinitely pleased in every thing they have and in every thing they do for whatsoever comes to them is pure happiness and whatsoever proceeds from them is full of Wisdom and Goodness without the least word or action to repent of Their State is all Joy and Peace enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25. 21. It is not bid to enter into them being infinitely more than they can hold but they into it as into a vast Ocean of Bliss whereof they shall always drink to the full but never empty or exhaust it Quest. Indeed such compleat Knowledge and perfect Holiness must needs give them cause of greatest satisfaction from themselves But what sort of Company must they keep will they be equally happy in that too Answ. Yes unimaginably happy For they will live always in the presence of God who will ineffably Communicate himself to them and of Jesus Christ who will infinitely rejoyce to see how happy he has made them and of the Holy Ghost who will eternally Congratulate the reward of his own Graces in them and converse with Angels Apostles and Glorified Saints and all their Godly dear Friends whom they valued as their own Souls and whom they clave so fast to in their hearts that they could have followed them into the other World when they were taken from them Quest. And all this God-like Society are every way fitted to be the most happy and delightful Companions Answ. Yes to be the most Blissful that possibly can be thought of For they are all light and quickness in their understandings and all love and tenderness in their Affections and most sweet and obliging in their carriage being perfectly free from all Anger Crossness Scorn or Contempt and every thing that may give offence They all look pleased and inviting in their countenances and are exquisitely wise useful and entertaining in all their Discourses and all agree in the same Opinions and speak the same things and pursue the same ends and are pleased in the same Objects and have no strife among them but who shall love highest and oblige most and be most like to God and agreeable to each other for evermore Quest. You say there shall be no strife but who shall love most Indeed a state of love which is not cooled by any unkindnesses nor crossed