the encrease of their Graces and so for the furtherance of their glory Thirdly They have good assurance that all things shall work together for their good Rom. 8.28 And therefore no cause to complain Fourthly Though godliness hath the promises of this life as well as of that to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yet those promises of Temporal blessings must be understood with this limitation viz. That they shall be made good to them so far forth as God shall see it good and convenient for his Children in this life and no further Fifthly The prosperity of wicked men in this World is many ways very hurtfull and extremely disadvantagious to them in reference to their Eternal condition Outward sufferings with Spiritual blessings are ordinarily the Lot of Gods Children here on Earth as outward prosperity with Spiritual calamity is very frequently the Lot of the ungodly The prosperity of fools destroys them saith Solomon Prov. 1.32 Sixthly There will be a day of Judgment wherein all things will be set right though here things oftentimes seem to be out of course Seventhly Eternity is long enough to punish the wicked and reward the Godly therefore let us not take our measures either of happiness or misery from the outward dispensations of this life The Consideration of this Attribute should make these impressions upon us First if God be just then this should make all impenitent sinners tremble Except men repent 't is not consistent with Gods justice they should be pardoned What great cause have ungodly impenitent sinners to tremble at the Justice of God which engages him to deal so severely with them and to punish them everlastingly as his Enemies O wretched sinner what aileth thee to make this just God thine enemy What folly What madness possesses thee that thou shouldst make a mock at sin and laugh at Hell and Damnation Shall not the Justice of God terrifie thee and keep thee off from those sinfull courses which expose thee to so certain a vengeance Secondly Gods Justice is a great consolation to the Righteous He will justifie them whom his Gospel justifies because he is just 1 John 1.9 If thou break off thy sins by repentance and apply thy self to Him for pardon in and through the merits of his Son He is just and therefore will make good his promise of pardon to thee Thirdly God being just let us bless his name for finding out a way whereby his Justice may be satisfied and so we poor sinners pardoned His Justice might have taken every one of us by the Throat and said Pay all thou owest and then what should we have done We could not have payed one Farthing of the Debt O let us for ever bless his Holy Name that he hath provided so good a surety for us who hath undertaken the payment of our Debt and to satisfie his justice in our behalf Fourthly Let us labour to imitate God in this Attribute of his Justice that is let us give to every one what of right is due to him Let us labour to give to God his due and to man his due Let us not rob God of his time allotted for his service Let us give him our Hearts and serve him with the best of our affections Let us give to man what is due to him not injuring any man wittingly and willingly And in case of wrong done let us labour to make satisfaction Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum Remember that the sin is notre mitted except that which is taken away wrongfully be restored IV. God is Mercifull Mercifull He is called The Father of Mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 Abundant in Mercy 1. Pet. 1.3 Rich in Mercy Eph. 2.4 And sayes the Psalmist Psal 145.8 9. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great mercy The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works All the Attributes of God are glorious yet he rejoyceth most in the manifestation of his mercy and goodness Exod. 33.18 19. When Moses desired the Lord to shew him his glory He said I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy Isai 63.7 I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed upon us and the great goodness toward the House of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses He delights not in the death of a sinner His mercy is so great to all that he will destroy none but for their wilfull sin The consideration of this Attribute should teach us these Lessons First Gods mercy should lead sinners to repentance It should shame them from their sins It should encourage them to repent as well as engage them to it O sinners remember we have to do with a mercifull God who hath not forbid any to come in but continueth to invite them who have often refused and will undoubtedly welcome and pardon all that will return and come in But mercy it self will have no mercy on the Impenitent Isai 27.11 It is a People of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Wo to all them against whom mercy it self shall rise up in Judgment There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared sayes the Psalmist Psal 130.4 Were there no hope of pardon Men would be as desperate as the Devils themselves But God is merciful He delighteth not in the death of a sinner Object But you will say how comes it to pass then that so many men are damned if God delights not in the death of a sinner Answ Divines tells us of voluntas Dei Antecedens Consequens that is the Antecedent and Consequent will of God By the former as a Law-giver He gives just and good Laws and wills that Men should obey them that they may be happy in so doing By the other if they will not obey as a just Judge he wills they should be punished So that their ruine is from themselves and not from God Secondly The Mercy of God should be the matter of our daily praises The meditation of God's Mercy should produce in us delightfull thoughts and should keep as it were a continual sweetness upon our hearts and cause us to study the most gratefull returns unto God They that live continually upon Mercy should be as it were turned into love and thankfullness It should become as it were their Nature and Constitution as the food men live upon will be seen in their Temperature health and strength O how unspeakable is the Mercy of God that provides so well for his Servants in this their Warfare and Pilgrimage through this World O
practice of these things 1. Betake thy self to some retired privacy and sequestring thy self from worldly cares and business labour to bring thy mind into a good calm sedate frame and fitness for this great work 2. Earnestly beg of God to give thee the assistance of his holy spirit to inable thee to fit thy self for this solemn Ordinance 3. Seriously consider the danger of receiving this Sacrament unworthily that is without such a disposition of mind and such a preparation of heart and such reverence and devotion as is agreeable unto so holy an Ordinance Such persons as are not so fitted and yet approach to this holy Table are guilty of profaning this Sacrament which is the commemoration of Christs death and of vilifying the signs and pledges of his body and blood and so incur the danger of temporal Judgment and chastisement here and without repentance of eternal hereafter 4. Seriously consider what is required to a worthy receiving And here a twofold caution is to be observed 1. That the pitch of worthiness is not to be set too high so as none shall be thought sit to partake of this Table but such as have a high and eminent degree of grace For this â—â—dinance was appointed for the benâ—fit of the lowest Believers and sâ— such as are weak in the Faith 2. That it be not set too low so â—hat aâ—â— person though very ignorant of the true nature and end of this ordinance if he be free from gross open and scandalous sins may be thought fit to come and be admitted to it That we may therefore avoid both these I shall set down 1. What qualifications are requisite to a worthy Receiver 2. What are insufficient The qualifications requisite are these 1. Knowledge The fundamental principles and grounds of Christianity and the nature signification end and use of this Sacrament must be known by every one that would be a worthy receiver Ignorant persons therefore are totally unfit for the present and must first be instructed before they be admitted to this holy Ordinance But by the knowledge required we do not mean the profound knowledge of a Scholar who knows how to dispute upon any of these points and knows all the distinctions about them but the savoury knowledge of a Christian which hath these properties 1. 'T is not a meer speculative floating or swimming in the brain but a knowledge that affects the heart and works upon the affections 'T is such a knowledge of God as causes the heart to fear him such a knowledge of sin as works in the heart a hatred and loathing of it 2. 'T is an humbling knowledge Knowledge not sanctified puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 But the more any Soul is savingly inlightned the more it sees and is sensible of its own folly and corruption and great depravedness 3. 'T is a knowledge that is operative for the drawing the Soul to Christ and for the mending of the heart and reforming of the life Never let any man tell me that he has knowledge enough he knows as much as the Minister can teach him he knows the way to Heaven and Salvation as well as any body can shew him when I see him going on in paths leading down to Hell Shall any man perswade me that he has a sufficient skill in Physick and yet when he is dangerously sick he is neither sensible of it nor applies any fit remedy for himself Certainly that knowledge of the things of God is not right which does not affect the heart nor reform the life 2. Repentance They that are truly penitent have wrought in them by the Spirit of God 1. A Conviction of the evil and danger of their sins 2. True contrition and godly sorrow for them 3. A hatred and loathing of them 4. They are brought humbly to confess them with sorrow and shame unto God And 5. To turn from them unto God by sincere amendment of their lives 3. Faith in Christ This is a main qualification requisite to a worthy Communicant The main acts of Faith are these two 1. A serious owning and acknowledging Christ for the only Saviour of the World 2. A sincere giving up of the soul to him to be pardoned in his blood and sanctified by his Spirit and a solemn trusting and depending on him for all the benefits purchased by his death and passion And such a faith as this is operative for the purifying of the heart and reforming the life 4. Love Of this grace there are several acts required 1. We ought to excite a great love in our Souls to God our Creator and constant benefactor who sent his Son to redeem us 2. We ought to excite and stir up in our souls a great love to Christ Jesus who humbled himself to the death for us In contemplation of which transcendent love of Christ the Apostle cries out If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Q. But you will say how may we know whether there be in us a sincere love to Christ or no 1. Have we been deeply wounded with a sence of our sins and have we betaken our selves to him as our only Physician to be cured and have we found him curing our accusing condemning consciences Hath our love to Christ any such foundation as this 2. Do we own Christ and love him as considered in all his Offices Do we love Christ not only as a Priest that has made atonement for us but as a Prophet and a King Do we love the guidance of his holy Spirit and the guidance of his word Do we love his Soveraignty as well as his Saviour-ship 3. Do we love him for his deep humiliation and bitter sufferings which he so readily underwent for us and for the great redemption and salvation he hath wrought for us 4. Are we willing to obey Christ If you love me sayes our Saviour keep my commandments 5. Is the interest of Christ dear to us Are we concerned in his honour and dishonour Are we suitably affected when his interest prospers or is trampled upon when it goes well or ill with his Church 6. Do we love him for those eminent graces which were so conspicuous in his life 7. Are we willing to be serviceable to him and to suffer for him when he calls us to it 8. Do we love him for his constant intercession for us at Gods right hand Let us try our love to Christ by these marks 3. We ought to have in our hearts a true love and charity to all Christians We should excite in our Souls a true love to all those that are real members of Christ We should love their persons graces and fellowship These we should love with a complacential love But besides these we should love our very enemies with a love of benevolence wishing well unfeignedly to them and praying for them The proper offices and effects of this Charity are 1. Forgiving injuries 2. Doing good against evil 3. Speaking
his spirit 4. They are such who by the assistance of grace do labour to mortifie their inward lusts and to purifie their hearts from secret sins 5. They are such in whose hearts the interest of God prevailes above the interest of the World or of the Flesh 6. They are such who labour to be holy in all manner of conversation 1. To be religious towards God 2. Righteous towards men 3. Sober and temperate in the government of themselves 4. Diligent and faithful in the discharge of their relative duties 7. They are such as truly love all the people of God and such as are true members of Christs holy Catholick Church 8. They are such as labour to be sincere in all that they do 9. They are such as labour to be watchful over themselves viz. over their thoughts over their affections over their words over their actions and over their aims and ends 10. They are such as in their Judgments do approve the wayes of God as most eligible and most safe 11. They do consent to and own the Covenant they were entred into in their Baptism And these are the characters or marks of such as are Converted Now if any one on serious examination of himself do find that there is any seed or principle of true grace in him and that it is the sincere purpose of his heart to walk with God then he ought to encourage himself to come to this Ordinance which was instituted to strengthen the weak Christian And so much of the duties which are to be performed before you come to this holy Ordinance I come now to shew what are the duties required of you in the time of receiving Which are these 1. Carefully avoid distractions as much as possibly you can through the whole administration and gird up the loyns of yâ—ur mind and be intent upon the work you are about 2. Labour to quicken and excite and awaken in your souls these following graces 1. Awaken repentance and a bleeding sorrow in thy heart for all thy sins past and especially for those that sit heaviest upon thy conscience Say to thy soul in some such soliloquies as these O my soul that ever I should have been such a vile wretch that I should have so grievously offended my merciful and bountifull Creator O what a mercy is it that I am out of Hell God might have cut me down in my sins and cast me down into the Lake of fire and brimstone And has he hitherto spared me and does he now offer me a pardon sealed with the blood of his dear Son O the unsearchable riches of his free grace and mercy O my soul how should this melt thee into penitent tears How should this consideration make thee loath and hate every sin that thou hast ever been guilty of and make thee willing to renounce and forsake them all and to turn to God in sincere obedience 2. Awaken and excite a spiritual appetite in thy self Say to thy soul Happy yea thrice happy O my soul are they whose sins are forgiven and whose iniquities are covered blessed are they to whâ—m God will not impute their transgressions but will pardon them in and through his Son Yea happy are they whose justification is testified to their consciences by their Sanctification and by their sincere desire and endeavor to walk before God in all holy obedience O my soul that this may be my portion whatever God denies me else in this world Oh that this may be a day wherein I may have a clear manifestation of Gods pardoning mercy made to my Soul Oh that I may receive a plentiful effusion of the graces of the Spirit into my heart O that my lusts and corruptions may be mortified and subdued O that I may be enabled to do all my duties better than ever I have done O that I may be more watchful over mine heart and tongue and all my wayes than ever I have been O that my soul may depart much bettered much revived comforted and strengthned from this holy Ordinance 3. Awaken Faith Say to thy self O my Soul it is not a confident and groundless perswasion that Christ will save thee that is the faith now required of thee But thou must humbly cast thy self at Christs feet and seriously and deliberately own and acknowledge him for the only Saviour of mankind and humbly cast thy self on the free mercy of God and his merits and intercession for the obtaining the pardon of all thy sins and must consent to take him for thy Lord as well as thy Saviour and be willing he should rule in thee by his holy Spirit and govern thee by his Laws O my Soul willingly freely deliberately surrender thy self to him to be pardo ed in his blood to be sanctified by his spirit go to him trust in him for grace as well as pardon And though thou hast before given up thy self to him and by acts of Faith united thy self to him yet labour now to excite and put forth stronger acts of faith and affiance in him that thou maist be more firmly united unto him Say Lord I come to thee sweet Saviour I give my Soul here anew to thee Take it wash it in thy precious blood from the gâ—ilt of all my sins and sanctifie it by thy holy spirit Thou hast said whoever comes unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast out O receive me though an unworthy wretch O absolve me from the guilt of all my sins of every sort and kind O keep my poor Soul that I now commit unto thee unto eternal life There in no other name given under Heaven whereby I can be saved Therefore I do profess and declare that thy merits obedience and sufferings I do alone depend on and abide by for my reconciliation and peace with God and do now renew my Covenant that I was entred into in my Baptism resolving by thy grace to be for ever thine 4. Awaken excite and stir up thy heart in love to God and to Jesus Christ Say to thy self O my Soul how great is the love of God in sending his only Son to dye to save poor lost Sinners He did not thus for the Angels that fell O how great is the love of Christ who would stoop so low That the eternal Son of God should take our nature and be born of a poor Virgin that he should dye and suffer and endure so much for poor worms for enemies that he should sweat drops of blood in the Garden in his agony that he should have his precious body thus broken and his blood shed to redeem us Was there ever love like this O my Soul what hath been done by thee in return for all this love O my sweet Jesus thou art worthy of all love and service from me though mine heart is base and disingenuous and is not sufficiently affected with thy love Thou art infinitely lovely though my heart loves thee not as it ought to do Thou wast exceeding
lovely and amiable even in thine humiliation in this World but O how glorious art thou now triumphing in heaven O how beneficial are thy merits how desirable are thy graces O let that fulness of grace that is poured forth without measure on thee flow down to us thy poor members O my Soul imagine now thou sawest thy sweetest Saviour nailed on the Cross his body torn with the nails and his side pierced with a Spear Canst thou chuse but love him who endured so much to redeem thee from eternal misery The Apostle Paul ravished with the love of Christ cryes out If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha The penitent woman in the Gospel to whom much was forgiven loved much Luke 7.47 And shall it not be so with thee Now consider O my Soul Christ sayes if ye love me keep my commandments If thou love him love him in sincerity and delight to please him Love his person highly value his merits love his ordinances love his graces love his commands O my Soul canst thou upon all these considerations say with Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee 5. Excite in thy self love to all Christians to all the members of Christ Pray earnestly that the Lord would protect them and defend them that he would be pleased to perfect holiness more and more in their hearts and unite them more and more one to another in his truth and in the bond of love and make them more exemplary in a holy conversation and supply them with all needful outward mercies and conduct them safe to his heavenly Kingdom 6. Excite love in thy Soul to thy very enemies say to thy self O my Soul thou must forgive if thou expectest to be forgiven Thy dear Saviour requires this of thee Matth. 6.14 If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you Verse 15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses If thou expectest to be forgiven so many thousand Talents thou must not take thy brother by the throat for an hundred pence Matth. 18.28 Thou must labour to be merciful as thine heavenly Father is merciful Readiness to forgive injuries and wrongs is a great sign of a gracious state but malice and revenge is a black mark and character Therefore O my Soul pray for thy very enemies this day Lord convince them of their sins give them hearts to repent of them turn their hearts from them draw them to thy Son that by him they may have pardon and life give them such a frame of spirit that thou maist bless them O that I may meet their souls in Heaven where we shall always love and agree together and never fall out more 7. Awake and excite in thy self spiritual joy and thankfulness Say with holy David bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Hath Christ redeemed thee from the curse of the Law being made a curse for thee Hath he redeemed thee and that not with silver and gold but with his own precious blood Hath he made thy peace with God through the blood of his Cross Hath he vanquished death and Satan for thee Through his blood shalt thou have an entrance into heaven and eternal glory Oh transcendent mercy Oh how great is this Salvation which Christ hath purchased for us On the heighth and depth and length and breadth of the love of God in Christ Jesus Be astonished Oh my Soul at this love and never be forgetful of it call upon the holy Angels to joyn with thee this day in blessing God for these great and glorious benefits and never be unmindful of so transcendent mercies And thus much of the graces we must especially labour to excite and exercise in the time of Receiving There are some other directions also that it will be needful thou shouldst observe at this time 1. Employ thine outward senses so as to stir up in thine heart Spiritual graces For the work of the Communicant lyes not so much between the body and the elements as the Soul and Christ 2. When thou seest the bread broken think of these four things 1. The great pain and anguish our Lord endured when his Body was broken on the Cross Canst thou see Christs body broken for thee and thy heart not break with deep contrition for thy sins 2. Consider the great love of our Lord in submitting to such grievous pains and such disgrace for our sake Think thou hearest him say behold my friends how my flesh is torn and wounded for your sakes Was there ever grief was there ever love like mine 3. Consider the vile and odious nature of sin which brought our Lord to such miseries and required such blood to expiate it 4. Consider what the redemption of every Soul that shall be saved did cost It cost more than all the men and Angels in the World could ever have paid for it 3. When thou takest the bread into thine hands and eatest of it then say Lord thou art the bread of life thou art the only redeemer of lost Souls I freely take thee for my Lord and Saviour I freely consent to the Covenant I was entred into in my Baptism Lord save me and sanctify me O interpose thy merits this day for my pardon and strengthen me by thy grace that I may be faithful to thee to the end and so may at last receive a crown of life Lord behold the Sacrifice of thy Son For the sake of his obedience and sufferings be pleased to be reconciled to me to pardon all my transgressions and by thy grace so to sanctify mine heart that no sin may have dominion over me Fill me with joy and peace in believing If I have found favour in thine eyes give me more and more of the graces of thy holy Spirit and cause me to grow in grace daily and make me fruitful in good works 4. When thou takest the cup into thy hand think again of the wonderful love of Christ that he should purchase us to himself with his own blood Oh the infinite value O the infinite worth of this blood This was the blood that only could make expiation and give God ful satisfaction for our offences One drop of this blood is worth a World This is the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 that is whereby our Saviour ratified and confirmed the covenant which God made with fallen man which covenant shall never be altered O blessed Saviour wash my Soul in this thy precious blood from the guilt of all my sins and cleanse me from all mine iniquities and be to me all that which thou didst intend to be to those who shall be saved by thee By such prayers soliloquies and holy meditations thou should'st labour to Sanctifie thy heart when thou art about receiving this holy Sacrament 5. Joyn with all the rest of the Communicants in a hearty praysing God for
A SUPPLEMENT TO Knowledge AND PRACTICE Wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained and several new Directions given for the promoting of real Holiness both of Heart and Life To which is added a serious Disswasive from some of the reigning and customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Vncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice Idleness By Samuel Cradock B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somerset-Shire Useful for the Instruction of private Families Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet pari facilitate rejicitur qua accipitur Hieron LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1679. To the INHABITANTS of NORTH-CADBURY in SOMERSETSHIRE My Loving Friends SOme years since when I stood in the Relation of a Pastor to you I wrote my Book of Knowledge and Practice aiming therein more especially at your benefit Which Treatise I hope through the Lords blessing hath been of some use to you I have since thought that it would not be a service unacceptable to you to add by way of Supplement a more full explication of the Main Principles of the Christian Faith and some Further Directions for regulating of your Practice and to send them unto you to supply my Personal absence God only knows whether I shall ever see your Faces again in this World Providence having fixed my Habitation at so great a distance from you However my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you may be saved and if this poor Book may in any measure contribute thereunto I shall heartily rejoyce The holy Apostles no doubt in writing their Epistles aimed at the Spiritual good of the Church in general yet we may well suppose that those particular Churches to whom their Epistles were directed read them with more especial regard and possibly reaped more signal benefits by them than others did So though I design these instructions for your Spiritual good and benefit of all those into whose hands they shall come Yet I hope they shall be more especially minded and regarded by you to whom they are particularly directed and in contemplation of whose necessities and with an aim at whose benefit they were particularly framed I know many of you are such of whom the Apostle speaks Heb. 5.12 Who have need that one teach you the first Principles of the Oracles of God and have need of milk and not of strong meat I should be glad to have you all rightly instructed in the main fundamentals of Christianity and that not for your sakes only but for my own that I may give up my account with joy and not with grief Heb. 13.17 But yet I must tell you that it is not enough to save any of you that you are of the true Religion except you be true to it and live agreeably thereunto God hath indeed made sufficient provision by the obedience and death of his Son to save Mankind But you must earnestly leg of God to inable you to do your part which is unfeignedly to repent of all your sins savingly to believe in Christ and to accept him for your Lord and Saviour and to deliver up your souls to him that you may be pardoned through the infinite merit of his active and passive obedience and sanctified by his Spirit and inabled by his grace to lead a holy and good life And as I earnestly desire you all to have an especial care of your own Souls so do I with some importunity intreat all that are Parents or Masters of Families among you that they would take great care to instruct their children and servants in the main Principles of the Christian Religion I have often thought that if ever real Piety and Christianity flourish in England more must he done by Parents and Masters in instructing those under their care than is now ordinarily done I hope this short Treatise may with the blessing of God something assist and help you in performing that part of your duty May the God of all grace lead you and guide you in ways of truth and holiness and inable you to live in love and peace one with another And though I should never see you again in this life yet may the Father of Mercies through his infinite goodness grant that I may meet your Souls in Heaven This is the earnest desire and prayer of him who was once your unworthy Pastor and is still your very loving and affectionate friend Wickham brook Novemb. 6. 1678. SAM CRADOCK The CONTENTS of the FIRST PART CHAP. I. Of God SECT 1. Of the Nature of God and his Divine Attributes page 1. SECT 2. Of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Divine Essence page 18. SECT 3. Of the works of God page 31. 1. Creation where Of good Angels page 32. Of evil Angels page 40. 2. Particular page 48. CHAP. 2. Of Man Page 62 SECT 1. Of the happy State wherein Man was created and the Covenant of Works made with him in that State p. 62. SECT 2. Of his Fall and the consequents thereof p. 66 SECT 3. Of the Covenant of Grace made with Man immediately after his Fall which shews the only way of his recovery to be by Jesus Christ p. 73 CHAP. 3. Of Jesus Christ Page 80 SECT 1. Of his Titles which in the Creed are four 1. Jesus p. 80 2. Christ where of his three Offices Prophet p. 83 Priest p. 86 King p. 88 3. His only Son p. 91 4. Our Lord p. 93 SECT 2. Of his Natures Divine and Humane p. 95 SECT 3. Of his birth p. 96 SECT 4. Of his Life p. 100 Here a short and methodical History of our Saviours Life is exhibited and the particular Times in which he instituted Baptism and the Sacrament of his Supper are pointed at Vpon both which Sacraments there are distinct discourses added at the end SECT 5. Of his Death and Burial p. 137 SECT 6. Of that Article in the Creed He descended into Hell page 131 SECT 7. Of his Resurrection and ten several appearings after it in the space of forty dayes he continued on the earth p. 143 SECT 8. Of his Ascention and sitting on Gods right hand p. 149 SECT 9. Of his coming to judg the World p. 154 CHAP. 3. SECT 1. Of the Holy Ghost p. 162 SECT 2. Of the Catholick Church 166 SECT 3. Of Communion of Saints p. 175 SECT 4. Of forgiveness of sins p. 178 SECT 5. Of the Resurrection of the body p. 193 SECT 6. Of Life everlasting Of Baptism p. 200 Of the Lords Supper p. 205 Of the Lords Prayer p. 220 The second part contains a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkennness Vncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice Idleness ERRATA IN page 267 after the eighth Direction add Ninthly Take heed of saying â—s
find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection sayes Zophar Job 11.7 We may as well think to take up all the Waters of the Sea in a Spoon as with our narrow understanding fully to comprehend God Stop then thy bold enquiries O vain man And remember that thou art a finite worm and God is infinite Do not go about to measure God by thy narrow apprehension nor to Question much less deny that of God which thou canst not understand Do not suspect what his word reveals of him but suspect thy own muddy understanding that can conceive no better of so an incomprehensible Essence III. God is Omnipotent Omnipotent Mat. 19.26 With God all things are possible His Essence being infinite his power must needs be infinite also His Omnipotency consists in things simply and absolutely possible not in things that are not possible to be done God cannot make contradictions true he cannot lye he cannot deny himself for these things do not speak perfection but weakness Convenientius dicitur ea non posse fieri quam quod Deus ea non posset facere says Aquinas warily 'T is more convenient to say That these things cannot be done than that God cannot do them Now Gods Omnipotency should make these impressions on us First We should stand in fear and tremble at his Judgments Shall the Lyon roar and shall not the Beasts of the Field tremble Shall Omnipotency shake his Rod over us and shall not we humble our selves The dread of the Heavenly Majesty of his infinite greatness and power should be still upon us Indeed we should not be under a slavish fear of God that is void of love as men fear an Enemy but we should fear sinning against or displeasing so great a God The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom Prov. 16.6 By it men depart from evil Secondly We may see from hence what ground we have earnestly to seek unto him in all our difficulties and distresses The ground of all the Petitions in the Lords Prayer is this For thine is the Kingdom Power and Glory Let the Enemies of the Church be never so strong God is stronger than they He has promised that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church Mat. 16.18 Nothing encourages more to fervent Prayer than a due apprehension of Gods Omnipotence Thirdly This Attribute should imprint upon our hearts a strong and stedfast confidence in God Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will trust in thee O what an encouragement is it to the Saints that they have Omnipotence engaged for them O what a shame is it that ever we should distrust an Almighty God He can supply our greatest wants He can mitigate or remove our greatest pains He can deliver us from our greatest distresses Dan. 3.17 What will vain man have confidence in if he distrust Omnipotence Where can we be safe if not in the hands of the Almighty Mat. 8.26 Why fear ye says our Saviour to his Apostles O ye of little Faith Remember O Christian in thy lowest estate and in the Churches greatest dangers the Almighty is able to raise his Church or thee again even in a moment Take heed of saying in thy heart Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Psal 78.19 Read and consider these Scriptures Prov. 29.25 The fear of man bringeth a snare but who-so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe Psal 56.3 4. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee In God I have put my trust I will not fear what Flesh can do unto me Jer. 17.5 Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh Flesh his Arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Fourthly Gods Almightiness should possess us with a holy admiration of him and cause us in heart and voice to magnifie him O what a power is that which made the World of nothing which hangs the Earth in the Air and upholds it without any Foundation What a power is that which stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and hath so bespangled with Stars that glorious Canopy What a power is that which at first placed and since maintaineth all things in their Order which causeth every part of Nature to do its Office which maketh the Sun and Moon constantly to keep their course Jer. 31.35 The Lord giveth the Sun for a light by day and the Ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night He divideth the Sea when the waves thereof do roar the Lord of Hosts is his Name Isa 4.22 It is he that sitteth upon the Circle of the Earth and the inhabitants there of are as Grashoppers it is he that stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in Fifthly and lastly God's Almightiness should be a great comfort and support to all that have an interest in him Wo to those the Almighty is against but happy thrice happy are they that have the God of Israel for their refuge IV. Gods is Omniscient Omniscient Psal 147.5 His understanding is infinite 1 Chron. 28.9 The Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts 1 Sam. â—6 7 Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart I try the reins to give every one according to his ways and the fruit of his doings And Chap. 20.12 He is said to see the reins and the heart Now if God be Omniscient how watchfully and carefully should we carry our selves in all places How should we fear to sin in secret against him whose eye is always upon us How sincere and upright should we be in all our duties How should this Motto be ever in our minds Cave Deus videt Take heed God sees If our Breasts were Crystal Glasses and men were able through them to see all the workings of our hearts how carefull should we be what thoughts we entertained Alas that we should be no more sensible that God always sees us He sees hearts as we see faces How many are afraid to commit a sin before men that are not afraid to sin before the all-seeing eye of God If God be Omniscient this should teach us to be sincere and upright and Conscientiously to endeavour both to avoid secret sins and to perform secret duties Mat. 6.6 When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hâ—st shut the door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father whiâ—h seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And thus much of Gods incommunicable Attributes I come now to speak of his communicable Attributes which though they be infinite perfections in Him yet there are some resemblances of them found in the Creatures I. God is infinitely wise Iâ—finitely wise 1 Tim. 1.17 He is called the invisible and only wise God He administers the World and the affairs of it with infinite wisdom
for which justly to correct them 2. God may love his Children with a great love even then when he does sorely afflict them 3. Though godliness have the promises of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yet this is to be understood with this limitation so far for thas to the infinite Wisdom of God seems fit and good and convenient for his People and no further 4. The prosperity of the wicked is but a seeming prosperity 'T is many times really hurtfull to them Eccles 5.13 I have seen Riches says Solomon reserved for the hurt of the owners thereof Yea not only for their own hurt but for the hurt of many others round about them 5. The outward calamities of the People of God through his sanctifying of them tend to the prosperity of their Souls to the increase of their graces and furtherance of their glory 'T is good for me says David Psal 119 71. that I have been afflicted 6. Eternity is long enough to punish the wicked who most prospered in their wickedness and to reward the righteous who suffered most deeply for their righteousness Having thus spoken of the Nature of Divine Providence and the extent of it and answered the Objections usually made against it let us now considâ—r what improvement we ought to make of this Doctrine 1. Let us all own and acknowledge and take notice of the Providence of God actually working in the World Let us not impute events to chance or fortune or fate but labour to see and take notice of an all-wise and Soveraign Providence over-ruling ordering and disposing of all things here below God is King and Lord of the World and does and will govern the Creatures he hath made 2. Let us earnestly beg Gods Providential care over us and humbly trust our selves and our concernments to his disposal Let us stir up and excite our selves to depend on his Providence from such considerations as these 1. There is no better way to obtain any good thing we desire than by an humble depending on God for it and referring our selves to his holy will no surer way to miss any good thing we desire than to be peremptory and inordinate in our desire of it 2. Why should we not depend on God now who took care of us in the Womb and when we hung on our Mothers Breasts and hath all our life hitherto taken care of us 3. How easily can God help us in our greatest difficulties 4. Why should we not depend on God for accessaries on whom we must depend for the main 3. It the Providence of God governs the World let us not disquiet our selves upon any of these accounts 1. Because we are at present under many and various afflictions For let us consider First all afflictions have their commission from him Job 5.6 Affliction comes not out of the dust 'T is God that brings us and our afflictions together Secondly He suits and proportions our afflictions He knows the strength of the Disease and what Physick is necessary to remove it Successive afflictions are his câ—urse of Physick to remove a stubborn malady Thirdly He sanctifies afflictions to his Children and betters them by them and so they tend to their great advantage 2. Let us not disquiet our selves in reference to our Posterity We are apt to be very thoughtfull what will become of our Children which we shall leave behind us But let us consider though we must go hence yet the Providence of God never dyes Gen. 48.21 Behold I die says Jacob to Joseph but God shall be with you and bring you again to the Land of your Fathers Let us commit our Children to the care of that gracious Providence which hath watched over us for our good all our days 3. Let us not disquiet our selves in reference to the Church of God Let us remember what our Saviour hath promised viz. That the gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church Matth. 16.18 4. Let us labour to get an interest in the Essential love and favour of this God who governs the World by his Providence if he be our reconciled Father in Christ we need not fear what Men or Devils can do unto us 5. Let us study the promises especially those that are made to assure us of Gods caring for us Such as Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose See also Psal 84.11 And Heb. 13.5 6. And lastly let us reflect upon our former experiences of Gods merciful care over us and his gracious ordering our affairs and concerns for us when we humbly trusted in him and thereby let us encourage our selves to trust in him with a Holy confidence for time to come CHAP. II. Of Man SECT I. Of the happy state wherein Man was created Maker of Heaven and Earth COncerning Man we are to consider Three things 1. The happy estate in which he was created 2. His fall 3. The way and means of his recovery 1. The happy estate in which he was created This I shall labour to clear in several Propositions 1. God made man at first after his own Image The Image of God in man consisted principally in these Three things 1. In the Nature of mans Soul which being a Spirit represents God who is a Spirit And this I may call his Natural Image 2. In the gracious qualities wherewith it was at first indued viz. Knowledge Holiness Righteousness which I may call his moral Image So that mans Original moral rectitude may be understood to consist in these particulars 1. In the perfect illumination of his mind whereby he understood the Will and Law of God and whatever concerned his duty 2. In the ready compliance of his heart and will therewith 3. In the obedient subordination of his sensitive Appetite and his inferiour faculties to the guidance of his inlightned mind and holy will And every part of this Original righteousness was con-natural and con-created with the Nature of man and a qualification which fitted and prepar'd him for communion with his Creator 3. In the Dominion God gave him over the Creatures here below Gen. 1.26 Psal 8.6 7 8. Thou madâ—st him to have Doâ—inion over the works of thy hands thou hâ—â—t put all things under his feet all Sheep and Oxen yeâ—â—â—d tâ—e Bâ—â—ts of the Fiâ—ld the Fowl â—f the Air and the fish of the Sea c. Further his bâ—dy was so exactly framed at first as to be a habitation for so excellent a Sâ—ul a fit instrument for its Opâ—â—ions and in it there were some traces of the Divine Majesty 〈◊〉 â—orth as a body is capable of representing the Soveâ—aign of the 〈◊〉 viz. In the Majesty and comeliness of mans face and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—nance Therefore God says He that sheds mans blood by man 〈…〉 blood be shed For in the Image of God created be him Geâ— 9. â— Having thus shewed how God
own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 2. From the dominion of sin we have a promise Rom. 6.14 that sin shall not have dominion over us because we are not under the Law as a Covenant of Works exacting perfect obedience and ministring no strength to perform it but under a Covenant of Grace in Christ which ministers strength to resist sin and overcome it So Tit. 2.14 The Apostle tells us that Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 3. From Satan He rescues us 1. from his power and dominion The Seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 destroys the power of the old Serpent the Devil And therefore the Apostle tells us Acts 26.18 that he was sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles that thereby he might open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified 2. From his Temptations By Faith in Christ we are inabled to quench the fiery darts of the Devil Eph. 6.16 And the Apostle tells us 1 John 5.18 that whosoever is born of God keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth him not that is tactu qualitativo as Cajetan saith so as to leave an impression of his own Devilish nature upon him 3. From his Accusations Rev. 12.10 I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accuseth them before God day and night And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb c. 4. From the curse of the Law He came not to take away the Law as a rule of life but to free us from the curse of it He hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 5. From death The last enemy is Death But Christ will raise our bodies to a glorious life and so destroy Death 1 Cor. 15.26 54. Thus Christ is an All sufficient Saviour able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 able to save both soul and body and that for ever Heb. 5.9 He is the author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him And therefore Ephes 5.23 He is stiled the Saviour of his mystical body All the three Persons save but in a different manner The Father saves by the Son The Son by paying the price of our Ransom and Redemption The Holy Ghost by perswading the heart savingly to close with Christ for the obtaining this Salvation Wouldst thou therefore O sinner have Christ to be thy Saviour then 1. break off thy siâ—s by Repentance and surrender thy self up to him to be pardoned in his blood and sanctified by his spirit For though Christ be able to save and willing to save yet they that remain impenitent and disobedient have neither part nor portion in him 2. Labour to stir up in thy heart a high love to Christ who has done so much for thee 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ says the Apostle let him be Anathema Maranatha So much of his first Title Jesus The second Title of our Saviour is Christ Christ which signifies anointed now He was anointed by the Spirit of God to three Offices To be our Prophet Priest King Messias and Christ signifie the same thing Joh. 1.14 we have foâ—nd the Messias which being interpreted is the Christ Among the Jews after the Babylonish Captivity the name Messiah was very frequent and familiar In the Chaldee paraphrase * The Chaldee Paraphrase was not an Exposition word for wâ—rd of the Hebrew Text but it took in the general sense of the learned Jews by way of Comment now extant there is express mention of the Messiah in above seventy places The Jews expected a Messias to come of their own Nation of the Tribe of Judah and of the Family of David And so was Christ our Lord. In the old Testament three sorts of persons were anointed Kings Priests and Prophets To these three Offices was Jesus annointed and took them all on him for our benefit For a threefold misery lay upon men that were to be saved 1. Ignorance and blindness of mind 2. Guilt which we were not able to satisfie for 3. Depravation and corruption of nature Bondage and Captivity to Sin and Satan which we were not able to free our selves from Suitable to these three necessities Christ is Anointed to a Threefold Office of Prophet Priest and King He was a Prophet to teach us a Priest to make Atonement for us and a King to govern us and defend us Of these his Three Offices I shall speak in order 1. He took on him the Office of a Prophet Christ was a Prophet Anointing with Oyl was a Ceremony used in the Old Testament whereby three sorts of persons viz. * 1 Kings 19.16 Prophets * Lev. 8.2.12.30 Priests and Kings were inaugurated into their Office And their Vnction signified 1. Their call to their Office 2. A collation of gifts to fit them for their Office As Oyl does revive and refresh so the effusion of the graces of the Spirit of God makes Persons fit and apt for the work to which they were called Thus Christ though he were not materially yet he was really Anointed by God to this Threefold Office with the gifts * Hae duae partâ—s Unctioris Christi siâ— differunt quod donorum collatio ad humanam naturam tantum ordinatio ad officiuÌ„ ad utramque naturam peâ—tinet and graces of the Holy Ghost which quickned and made him joyful in all his undertakings for our Redemption Which Anointing or effusion of grace into his humane Nature he received not in measure John 3.34 But abundantly above what was ever imparted either to Angels or any of the members of his mystical Body This may appear from Psal 45.7 compared with Heb. 1.9 Thou hast loved Righteousness and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath Anointed thee with the Oyl of gladness above thy fellows And from Isa 61.1 compared with Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath Anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor c. Acts 10.30 God hath Anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power c. And the Apostle tells us Acts 3.22 23. That Moses had Prophesied of this great Prophet commanding he should be heard and obeyed in all things Deut. 18.15.18 19. Now our Saviour executed his Prophetical Office by making known the will of God to the Children of men and by revealing to them the way of Salvation His teaching was of Two sorts Outward Inward For his Out-ward teaching 1. He taught by the Patriarchs and Prophets that lived before his coming in the Flesh 2 Pet. 1.21 For Prophesie came not
made namely that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head Gen. 3.15 And therefore Christ is said Rev. 13.8 to be a Lamb slain from the beginning that is in Gods Decree So that the Fathers that lived before he was offered injoyed the benefit of his Death and Sufferings They were saved merito pretii praestandi as we are saved merito pretii praestiti And of this Priesthood of our Saviour there is no end in regard of the virtue and efficacy of it And thus we see how Christ was our Priest and how he made atonement for our sins by his perfect obedience and sufferings His Person God-man was the Priest The Sacrifice was his humanity the Lamb of God without blemish The Altar which consecrated this Sacrifice and added merit to the sufferings of his humanity was his God-head And thus he made himself a Sacrifice for our sins Three things Christ hath done for us as our Priest 1. He hath obeyed the Law perfectly 2. He hath offered up himself a Sacrifice for our sins 3. He now lives to make intercession for us From all that hath been said we should learn these lessons 1. That Christs active and passive obedience is of sufficient value worth and merit to satisfie Gods Justice for all our sins For in that he voluntarily took on him our humane nature and so voluntarily put himself under the obligation of the Law his very active obedience becomes meritorious 2. That Christ did intend his obedience and sufferings for this end and purpose 3. That God has accepted of what Christ has done and suffered as a sufficient price for our Redemption 4. We should learn from hence highly to prize Christs Sacrifice 'T is the great relief we have against sin He has made satisfaction to Divine Justice so that God is now reconcilable to fallen Man in and through him 5. This should teach us to have a great care of our precious souls The great price paid to ransom them should teach us their worth We are wont to be exceeding careful to keep things that cost dear Never any thing cost more than the soul 6. Seeing Christ was Crucified for our sins we should learn from him to crucifie sin in our selves Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts 7. Seeing Christ suffered so much for us we should be content yea ready to suffer for him when ever he calls us to it 8. From the consideration of Christs intercession and the constancy and prevalency of it we should encourage our selves to go to God in and through him for help in all our needs He is a powerful advocate 9. The Consideration of Christs oblation of himself once for us and his continual intercession still performed in heaven for us should inflame our hearts with intire love to him He deserves our best our most inlarged affections We can never love him enough I come now to Christs third Office 3. Christ was a King Christ was a King God speaking of his Son Psal 2.6 says I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Zech. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee He is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a colt the fole of an Asse This is applied to our Saviour Mat. 21.5 The Prophet Isaiah fully attests this Isa 9.6 7. For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father The Prince of Peace Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and of his Kingdome shall he sit to order it and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And Luke 1.33 'T is said of Him He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end To which we may add Rev. 17.14 These shall make War with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Now there is a twofold Kingdom belonging to Christ 1. Regnum Essentiale an essential Kingdom which belongs to him as God 2. Regnum Vicarium or a deputatory Kingdom and dominion which God gave him as Mediator This Kingdom Christ administers and his Kingly Office he executes several ways and by several royal Acts. 1. By gathering to himself a People out of the several Kingdoms and Nations of the Earth and making them willing by infusing his grace into their hearts to submit unto him 2. By giving them Laws by which they are to walk 3. By appointing to them Officers and Censures Eph. 4.11 And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers V. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ And so for censures and discipline he has appointed how an offending Brother should be dealt with 1. He should be privately admonished then in the presence of two or three And if he shall neglect to hear them then they must tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church then he must be unto them as an Heathen man and a Publican Mat. 18.15 16 17. 4. By restraining and curbing and subduing His and His Churches enemies Particularly 1. Sin that it shall not have dominion over those that are His. 2. The World with its baits and allurements 3. Satan delivering them from his temptations and wiles 4. Wicked and ungodly men Thus he executed his Kingly power in bringing destruction upon the Jews by the Roman Armies and that destruction is called his coming in his Kingdom Mat. 16.28 Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom 5. Death it self 1 Cor. 15. He will despoil the Grave and make it give up all its Captives By judging the quick and dead at the last day And then this his Mediatory Kingdom He will render up to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power 6. By supporting those that truly believe in him in all their afflictions here 7. By rewarding them in a most royal manner hereafter And thus much of the several ways whereby our Saviour executes his Kingly Office Now as to the quality of his Kingdom we are to know it is not of this World it is a Spiritual Kingdom John 18.36 Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this World if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered
Officers of the Church he doth qualifie and fit men with requisite gifts for their stated ordinary ministerial work which is to explain and apply the foresaid Scriptures and administer the Sacraments and guide and govern the Flock and doth assist them in a discharge of their Office 4. This same blessed Spirit is Christs advocate with men and does by the word illuminate their minds and sanctifie and renew their wills and draws them to Christ to rest on his great propitiation 5. This same holy Spirit also assisteth the Sanctified in the exercise of Grace given them as in the exercise of Repentance Faith Obedience and Selfdenial He also directs and governs their conversation inabling them to walk watchfully that they may not dishonour God nor their holy profession For if we live in the Spirit being quickned by his renovation we must also walk in the Spirit following his directions and if we walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfill the lusts of the Flesh And as many as are thus led by the Spirit they are the Children of God Gal. 5.25 6. He teacheth us to pray and guides us and directs us in our prayers and devotions Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.26 27. and so is said to make intercession for us by teaching us how to pray and intercede for our selves For which intercession among other things he hath the name of a Paraclete given him by Christ Joh. 14.16 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive Advocati officium est Clienti suggerere utilia ad ea hortari eum animare atque confiâ—mare coram judice ejus causam agere pro eo intercedere 7. We are said to be sealed by this holy Spirit As a mans Seal does signifie the thing sealed to be his own so the Spirit of Holiness in us is God's Seal upon us signifying that we are His Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the day of Redemption 8. This holy Spirit is the earnest or first fruits to us of eternal life The Spirit is given to us by God as the earnest of the glory which he will give us To whomsoever he giveth the Spirit of Faith Love Holiness he gives the earnest of eternal life 9. This Spirit doth also witness or evidence to true Converts that they are the Children of God and so is called the spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 16. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God And this he doth evidence to us several wayes 1. By shewing or manifesting to us the Grace which he hath given us 2. By shewing the certainty of the Promise made to all those who have such Grace 3. By helping us from those Graces and those Promises to conclude with confidence that we are the Children of God And then he comforts us and helps us to rejoyce in what we do or suffer for Christ in the hope of the glory that we shall be partakers of Thus much concerning the Doctrine of the Spirit we come now to consider the duties which we owe to him Which are these 1. We ought to obey and follow his blessed motions Yet here we must take heed that we do not mistake the Spirit of God and his motions and instead of them follow the motions of Satan or of our own Passions or Pride or fleshly wisdom By these marks the Spirit of God may be known 1. The Spirit of God infuses into us Heavenly wisdom to mind the securing our peace with God and our title to the Kingdom of Heaven in the 1. place 2. He is a Spirit of Love his motions are for love and doing good 3. He is a Spirit of Concord and moves Believers to unity and disswades them from divisions among themselves or to joyn in carnal confederacies with the wicked see 1 Cor. 12.25 Eph. 4.3 4 5. 4. He is a Spirit that teaches Humility and Self-denial making us little in our own eyes 5. He is a Spirit that teaches Meekness Patience and Forbearance not Boisterousness Contention Reviling or Revenge 6. He is a Spirit that teacheth zeal for God not a furious destroying zeal but a zeal against known sin and for known truth and known duty 7. He is a Spirit that teacheth mortification and crucifying of our lusts and subduing of sensuality 8. He is a Spirit that doth not contradict the Doctrine of Christ delivered in the holy Scripture but moveth us to endevour to conform our selves thereunto Isa 8.20 9. The motions of this blessed Spirit do alwayes tend to our good and to drive us to God and to obey his holy Will and Commandments and never to transgress any of his precepts 2. We must take heed of quenching the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 that is the gifts and graces of the Spirit in our selves but must labour to stir them up by prayer and the due exercise of them 3. We must take heed of grieving this blessed Spirit Eph. 4.30 Not that he can properly be grieved but he is said to be grieved when we do that which in it self is apt to grieve him if he were capable thereof and which provokes him to do that which grieved persons use to do namely to withdraw his gracious and comforting presence 4. We must not neglect the means the Spirit hath appointed us to use for our improvement in Sanctification We must attend upon him and expect him in his own ways and not in wayes wherein he useth not to go 5. We must do most when this blessed Spirit helps us most If he extraordinarily help us at any time in prayer we should not break off so soon as at other times 6. We must be very thankful for the assistances he is pleased at any time to afford us And above all if he hath convinced us of the evil and danger of our sins hath wrought in our hearts true Godly sorrow and contrition for them and a real hatred and loathing of them and hath drawn our hearts to Christ Jesus to seek pardon and reconciliation with God in and through his merits and Intercession and hath begun a work of Sanctification in us then we ought to admire and to be for ever thankful for the free and efficacious grace of this Holy Spirit SECT II. Of the Holy Catholick Church The Holy Catholick Church THat which we are bound to believe concerning the Holy Catholick Church is this viz. that Christ hath a Church upon the earth which for the latitude and extent thereof may be called Catholick and for the Piety of the Professors thereof may be called Holy In the treating of which I shall speak 1. Of the name 2. Of the nature of the Church 3. Of the distinctions of it 4. Of the notes of it 1. Of the name Church is a name not found in all the writings of the Old Testament in which the body
Christ and are purified thereby and are Sanctified by the holy Spirit of God and by vertue thereof do lead a holy life daily endeavouring to perfect holiness in the fear of God such persons are really and truly Saints and being true members of the Church of Christ are the proper subject of this Article 2. Who are those persons with whom these Saints have communion and in what doth this their communion consist 1. The Saints of God living in the Church of Christ have communion with God the Father praying unto him and praising of him trusting in him and exercising such acts of worship as he requires 1 John 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ David affectionately expresseth his desire of this communion Psal 42.1 As the heart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God 2. They have Communion with God the Son 1 Cor. 1.9 God hath called us to the fellowship of his Son For being united to Christ by faith they are thereby made partakers of his Righteousness and receive spiritual life and grace from him for the sanctifying of their natures and sincerely endeavour after conformity unto him 3. They have communion with God the Holy Ghost The Apostle hath two wayes assured us of the truth hereof one Rhetorically by a seeming doubt If there be any fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2.1 The other directly praying devoutly for it 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen This is the communion which the Saints enjoy with the three blessed persons in the Trinity John 14.23 If any man love me sayes our Saviour he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And the presence of the Spirit cannot be wanting where these two are inhabiting for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his The Spirit therefore with the Father and the Son inhabiteth in the Saints For know ye not saith the Apostle that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 4. The Saints of God living here in the Church of Christ have communion with the Holy Angels They are Ministring Spirits for our good Heb. 1.14 They rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner They do many good offices for the people of God which possibly they are not sufficiently sensible of And this their Ministry is exercised as 't is probable about the ordinary concernments of our lives and not in some extraordinary cases only 5. The Saints of God living in the Church of Christ have communion with all the Saints departed out of this life and admitted to the presence of God The Godly on earth do in heart and affection converse with the Saints in Heaven And 't is probable the Saints triumphant wish to the Saints militant the happiness they enjoy and possibly pray for them in general though their particular cases they may not know But we are not to think as the Papists fondly conceive that they interpose their merits for us and that for this cause we are to invocate them or perform any Religious worship towards them These are but inventions of mans brain wanting warrant from the word of God 6. The Saints of God living in the Church of Christ have communion with the Saints living in the same Church If we walk in the light sayes the Apostle we have fellowship one with another 1 John 1.7 And another Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit they are are all baptized into one body So that they have communion one with another in these offerings 1. They all joyn together in the use of and have benefit by the same ordinances and all partake of the same promises are all ingraffed into the same stock and receive life from the same root 2. According to their places and calling they teach and admonish one another 3. They endeavour to walk by the same Rule and to mind the same things * Acts 3.16 Heb. 3.13 4. They pray one for another Ephes 6.18 and Jam. 5.16 Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 5. They comfort and encourage one another in the wayes of God 6. In respect of temporal things they are ready to succour relieve and help one another according to their abilities Having thus opened the nature of this Article let us now consider what are the instructions we should learn from it 1. If we believe this communion of Saints which hath been before described then let us seriously consider whether we have a part and share in it or no. There are many instead of communion with God and with Christ have communion with Satan and instead of communion with Saints have communion with the ungodly and wicked and joyn with them in the practice of iniquity in swearing swaggering drinking revelling and scoffing at Saints and Saintship and this they account and call good fellowship But let no man deceive himself The Apostle tells us 1 John 1.5 6 7. That God is light and in him there is no darkness at all If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another c. 2. If we have a share and part in this communion it should inflame our hearts with an ardent love to all that are within this communion If similitude of shape or feature will beget a kindness if congruity of manners and disposition will unite affections what great love should there be among all the Saints who have the same image of God stamped upon them and are acted by the same spirit Surely all that are true members of Christ should heartily desire and pray for the welfare of all their fellow-members And should have their hearts touched with the miseries that befall either the Church of Christ in general or the particular members thereof See Amos 6.6 3. A belief of this Article should teach us that as we are to do good to all in our several places and according to our abilities so especially to those who are of the houshold of Faith SECT IV. Of Forgiveness of Sins the forgiveness of sins REmission or Forgiveness of Sins is a priviledge that belongs to them who are true members of Christs holy Catholick Church That we may the more clearly explain this Doctrine we shall consider 1. What Sin is 2. What are the kinds of it 3. What is the wages due to it 4. By whom sins are forgiven 5. Vpon what account they are forgiven 6. What forgiveness of sins doth contain in it
unto Christ they should address themselves unto it as one of the solemnest works in the world They should do it with due preparation reverence and seriousness as beseemeth those that are transacting a business of such unspeakable importance 4. They should ingage to bring up their children in the principles of the Christian Faith They should imagine God said to them as the daughter of Pharoah said to Moses's Mother Exod. 2.19 Bring up this Child for me Bring up this Child in my fear and for my service 5. They should be very earnest in prayer to God for their children O that Ismael might live in thy sight sayes holy Abraham Gen. 17.18 So should pious Parents pray for their children O that this child of mine may be a real member of Christ O that he may have the Image of God stamped upon his Soul O that he may honour God here and be for ever happy with him in his Kingdom hereafter 6. They should be early instilling good and wholsome principles and documents into them precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little as they are able to bear it Isa 28.10 And the Mother as well as the Father should make conscience to do this We read that Bathsheba the mother of Solomon did so Prov. 31. which chapter contains her wise instructions to him * And if it be the duty of Parents thus carefully to instruct their Children then surely 't is the duty of Children carefully to observe and lay to heart and practice the instructions of their Parents 7. They should check the first appearings and buddings forth of sin in them endeavouring to make them sensible of the great evil and danger of it 8. They should labour to make them in love with the beauty and excellency of Holiness and Vertue 9. They should bring them to the ordinances of God expecting the spirit of God will move upon those waters 10. They must be sure to set them a good example Children are more led by example than precept * Exemplum concionatoris concionibus validius Et exemplâ—m Parentis praeceptis validiuâ— 11. They must encourage all good beginnings of vertue or ingenuity they see in them 12. And lastly they must labour to give them a good education and put them into a good way of living in the World and make such provisions for them as God in his Providence shall inable them And those Parents that do these things whatever the success be will have comfort in so doing Of the Lords Supper I Come now to treat of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper In the handling of which I shall 1. Indeavor rightly to inform your Judgments concerning the true nature use intent and benefit of this holy ordinance 2. Direct your practice that you may know how to receive it in a right manner and to your spiritual benefit That you may therefore be rightly informed concerning the nature of this Sacrament you must know that the Jews had two ordinary standing Sacraments viz. 1. Circumcision to which Our Baptism do answer 2. The Passover to which The Lords Supper do answer Theirs were bloody Sacraments for the blood of Christ was to be shed Ours unbloody for the blood of Christ is shed Now that I may speak more distinctly and plainly concening the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it will be requisite that I speak something 1. concerning the Jewish Passover which we shall consider either as it was first instituted or as it was afterwards celebrated wherein divers rites of the first Aegyptian Passover were not exactly observed The first institution of the Passover we find Exod. 12. When Israel after long servitude and bondage was to go out of Egypt God commanded them in their several families to kill a Lamb to roast it whole to eat it within doors that night to sprinkle the side and upper door-posts with the blood thereof and so doing they should be safe from the destroying Angel that rode circuit that night to destroy all Egypts first born but he was to pass by all the houses of Israel sprinkled with blood And hence the name Passover Exod. 12.27 This was to be greatly observed on the fourteenth day of the first moneth at Even In the treating therefore of this Passover we shall first consider the things that were proper to the Jewish Passover in Egypt and then shew how they prefigured Christ our Passover 1. They were commanded to take a Lamb. A Lamb the emblem of innocency So our Saviour was stiled John 1.19 The Lamb of God being of a Lamb-like humility and meekness John his beloved Disciple often stiles him so as being exceedingly delighted with this similitude 2. A Lamb without blemish So was our Saviour 1 Pet. 1.19 3. One of their own flocks and folds Christ was of the Jewish Nation Rom. 9.4 5. Like in all things to his brethren sin only excepted 4. It must be slain So Christ was put to death on the Cross 5. Not a bone of it must be broken which was verified in Christ John 19.33 36. 6. It must be roasted So our Saviour suffered the scorching heat of his Fathers wrath sweating drops of blood for our sakes Luke 22.44 O Sinner how little art thou sensible of what thy Saviour hath suffered to redeem thee 7. The blood of the Lamb must be sprinkled on the side and upper door-posts of their houses if they intended to be preserved from the destroying Angel So must the blood of Christ be sprinkled by Faith on our hearts if we intend to be delivered from the wrath to come See 1 Pet. 1.2 and Heb. 12.24 There is no escaping the wrath of God but by the sprinkling of Christs blood on our consciences 8. They were to eat this Paschal Lamb with sower herbs and unlevened bread 1. With sower herbs to mind them of what affliction and bondage they were in in Egypt We must have contrition and remorse wrought in us for our sins and be in bitterness of soul for them ere we can reasonably expect relief by Christ 2. With unlevened bread The succeeding Jews that they might shew their exactness in observing this precept did at this Passover-time use great diligence to rid their houses of all leven yea they were so strict about it that they searched with candles to see if there were any remaining in any corner or hole And lest after all their diligence any should remain with them yet unfound out they passed a solemn execration upon it in these or the like words All the leven that is within my possession which I have seen or which I have not seen which I have cast out or not cast out be it accursed be it as the dust of the earth The Apostle shews us that by leven is meant malice and wickedness by unlevened bread sincerity and truth He intimates what manner of persons they must be that intend to feed upon Christ by Faith They must not think to eat of
their Fathers were all servants in Egypt and as that night God delivered them c. And tells particularly of the wonders done in Egypt and the manner of their deliverance saying to this purpose This is the Passover which we celebrate because the Lord passed over the houses of our Fathers in Egypt therefore we are bound to give thanks to praise to laud and glorify him and sing Hallelujahs to him c. This kind of declaration or shewing forth the occasion of the Passover they called Haggadah Hence the Apostle may be supposed to have borrowed his phrase As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye declare or set forth the Lords death 1 Cor. 11.26 This annunciation or shewing forth to their Children the Lords wonderful goodness and mercy to them we find commanded Exod. 12.26 27. And it shall come to pass when your children shall say unto you what mean you by this service That ye shall say it is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses 6. Then he takes that part of the unlevened cake that was before reserved and blessing it and giving thanks for it as before he distributes to every one a piece of it to eat with the Paschal Lamb of which each person present was bound to eat as much as the quantity of an Olive at least The breaking of bread therefore at which our Saviour did institute the commemoration of his body seems to be this second breaking of bread viz. in time of Supper after which nothing more was to be eaten that night For 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were eating or towards the end of the Supper Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Disciples saying take eat this is my body Mat. 26.26 7. All this done they drink up the third Cup called the Cup of blessing or thanksgiving after meat Paul calls it by this very name 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ c. And this third Cup which was after supper that is after they had done eating and was the conclusion of the Supper was the Cup which our Saviour applied to a new spiritual signification And having instituted it into an Eucharistical Cup bad them drink all of it So that now he ordaines bread to be a representation of his body henceforward in the same manner as the Paschal Lamb had been the representation of his body before and the cup to be the New Testament in his blood now as the blood of bullocks had been the Old Testament in his blood before Exod. 24.8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you c. After this they sang the Hallelujah or Hymn or Psalm of Praise according to Custom And accordingly our Saviour and his Apostles did sing a hymn after the Paschal Supper before they departed So that supposing these Rites to be then in use among the Jews as their own writers tell us it will from thence appear that the bread and wine which our Saviour distributed at his last Passover and appointed to signifie and represent his body and blood were rites within the compass of it and belonging to it only applied by him now to a new evangelical use and signification And he dealt no otherwise in this Sacrament than he did before in that other of Baptism which he seems to have founded upon the old rite in use among the Jews of purification by water So that our Saviour in instituting both Sacaments of the new Testament seems to have taken the old rites of the Jews and to have ordained and advanced them to a new evangelical use and mystical signification and so to have put as one sayes a new superscription upon the old metal There is one thing more that it will not be amiss here to take notice of viz. That from the Jewish custom of having a feast at the end of their Sacrifices the Christians of the Primitive Church instituted their Agapae or love feasts And they of the Church of Corinth did much imitate the Jewish Paschal rites in receiving of the Lords Supper For they had a Supper before in which they were not always very temperate as appears 1. Cor. 11. And at the conclusion of this Supper they had the bread and wine of the Lords Supper administred as the Jews at the end of their Paschal Supper had the unlevened bread and the Cup of blessing Having spoken thus much of the Passover and the rites belonging to it I now come to speak of the Lords Supper which succeeds it And here I shall treat 1. Of the Author of it 2. Of the time when it was instituted 3. Of the Nature of it 4. Of the ends for which it was instituted 1. Christ himself is the Author of it We have before shewn how Christ eating the Paschal Supper with his Disciples who were Jews took some of the Paschal cheer and provisions and made them the materials of this blessed Sacrament 'T is Christ who was the Author of it 'T is he who is the King and Soveraign of his Church 'T is he who appoints therein his Officers Laws and Ordinances He is the Mediator of the new Covenant and therefore appoints the tokens and seals of it Divine institution only makes a Sacrament the whole Church cannot do it 2. Let us consider the time in which it was instituted viz. in the same night in which he was betrayed by Judas 1 Cor. 11.23 Observe Christs great love to his Church He saw his death approaching yet he bestows now a great favour on mankind when he sees he shall receive the hardest measure from them O that the same mind were in us that was in Christ Jesus Judas had resolved beforehand to betray him and accordingly had agreed with the Chief-Priests and Council of the Jews yet with this wicked resolution he comes to eat the Passover with him Sins of purpose and resolution are most dangerous We should look not only on Judas's sin in betraying his Master but on his fixed intention and resolution to do it 'T is a dangerous thing to come to this Sacrament with an intent to go on in any known sin 3. Let us consider the nature of this Sacrament wherein three things are to be spoken to 1. The outward Ordinance or outward signs 2. The inward and Spiritual mysteries thereby signified 3. The Command for the observing this Ordinance 1. The outward Ordinance or Sacrament properly so called consists 1. Of certain Elements or materials viz. Bread and Wine 2. Of sundry Rites and Sacramental actions appertaining thereunto 1. Our Saviour took bread and gave thanks and so also the Cup. He blessed the Bread and the Wine severally as the Jews
Seal of the new Testament or Covenant which is to be ratified and confirmed by my blood * Heb. 9.15.16 Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is now to be shed for many for the remission of sins that is this wine in the Cup is a sign or representation of my blood and a seal whereby the new Covenant is confirmed with all the promises of it For without shedding of blood there is no remission * Heb. 9.22 Gods Justice being no other way to be satisfied Now the Sacraments may be said to be Seals in two respects 1. They are absolute seals to the veracity and truth of Gods promises and Covenant 2. Conditional Seals in reference to us They Seal the remission of sins to all that perform the conditions required and to none else As the tree of life did not seal or confirm to Adam that he should have life except upon condition of his perfect obedience To them therefore that perform the conditions required they exhibit confer and passover the blessings promised in the Covenant of Grace 3. To be an objective means to stir up excite and increase Repentance Faith Love Hope Joy Thankfulness in believers by a lively representation of the evil of sin the infinite love of God in Christ the firmness of the Covenant of grace the greatness and sureness of the mercies promised 4. To be a badge and cognizance of the Church before the world and a token that we solemnly profess that we own a crucified Jesus for our Saviour and that 't is Christ and his death that we depend upon and abide by for the remission of all our sins and reconciliation with God 5. To be a means of our renewing our Covenant with God Covenants in the Scripture were wont to be made by eating and drinking together Isaac and Abimelech Jacob and Laban concluded their Covenants with a Feast * Gen. 6.30 and Gen. 31.44 46. Hereby we have an advantage of entring into a stricter engagement to God and renewing the Covenant we made with him in Baptism 6. To be a means of procuring and advancing unity and love among the Saints A feast carries in it the notion of love and good will But this is more a feast of love than any ordinary feast can be because 't is a remembrance of the greatest love that that ever was manifested viz. of that love which the Lord shewed in dying for us 'T is a Feast upon Christs Sacrifice And it should be a means not only of uniting believers more firmly to Christ their Head but of uniting and endearing them more one to another The ancient Christians did notably express this 1. By their Agapae or love-feast Jude verse 14. 2 Pet. 2.13 2. By their kiss of Charity Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 16.30 3. By their collections for the poor made at these times 1 Cor. 16.1 Having thus spoken of the true and proper ends for which this Sacrament was instituted I come now to consider the mistaken ends for which it was not appointed 1. It was not appointed to turn bread and wine into the true and real body and blood of Christ For if sense be not to be believed concerning its own object and which tells all men that 't is still bread and wine how can we believe that Christ or any of his Apostles were ever in the World seeing they that saw them and conversed with them may on this ground for all that be deceived which were very irrational to imagine And the Apostle expresly calls it bread three times in three verses together and that after the Consecration 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of that Cup. And he tells us that the use of this Sacrament is not to make the Lards Body corporally present but to shew the Lords death till he come that is to be a visible representation and commemoration of his death till he come to judgment Indeed Christ is really present in this Sacrament but not in the elements but to the Faith of the worthy receiver When they eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup in a due manner exercising a lively Faith in him for the remission of all their sins Christ is then present to their Faith neither is he any otherwise present in this Sacrament 2. This Sacrament was not appointed to Sacrifice Christ really again to the Father to propitiate him for the quick and dead or to ease Souls in Purgatory to deliver them out of it For Christ having died once dieth no more but by once offering up himself hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified * Heb. 10.14 that is he hath made a perfect satisfaction to the justice of God and done all things needful to bring them to eternal life who are sanctified by his grace and brought to believe in him with a lively Faith 3. 'T is not appointed as a means to conveigh grace meerly by the work done or by the outward receiving of it only as charms are supposed to work neither are we to suppose that God will pardon or save any for their meer coming to this Ordinance though they strive not with their hearts to bring them to repentance faith in Christ sincere love to God and men and new obedience 4. 'T is not appointed as a means to wipe off the old score of sin that men may more freely and boldly encourage themselves to sin again as some ignorant people are apt to think but as a blessed means to mortifie sin in us and to engage us unto holiness And thus much concerning the first head I propounded to speak unto viz. The right informing the judgment and that concerning these four particulars 1. The author of this Sacrament 2. The time of its Institution 3. The nature of it 4. The ends for which it was appointed I come now to the second viz. to direct your practice and to shew you how you should receive it in a right manner In order to which you must know 1. There are some duties to be performed before you come to receive this holy Sacrament 2. Some duties in the time of receiving it 3. Some duties after There are two kinds of preparation necessary to a worthy receiver 1. The General which is that we look to it that we be in a state of grace for there are several graces that must be exercised in receiving this Sacrament and they that are not in a state of grace are utterly unfit for the present to approach this holy Table 2. The Particular which consists in a present actual fulness In order to the obtaining of this let me advise thee Reader to the
all these glorious favours and benefits Let thy Soul rejoyce in God and call upon all within thee to praise his holy name 6. Pray earnestly that Christs Kingdom may be propagated and that many others may come to understand and partake of this great salvation purchased by our Lord and Saviour Pray that he may be more known believed on and faithfully obeyed all the world over And so much of the duties to be performed in time of receiving I come now to those required of thee after thou hast received For it is not enough that thou duly prepare thy self for this ordinance and carry thy self reverently at it but thou must labour to walk suitably unto it afterwards To that end observe these directions 1. When the Ordinance is done withdraw thy self to some secret place and there on thy knees bless the Lord for Jesus Christ and for the Covenant of Grace made in him and for adding the Sacraments as Seals of the Covenant to confirm thy faith And further for giving thee to be born in a land where the glorious light of the Gospel has shone so clearly for so many years and where thou hast such great helps and advantages for the eternal good of thy Soul 2. Labour to keep thy heart in the fervent love of God and Jesus Christ and with an holy delight and joy meditate often how much thou owest to God for sending his Son to be thy redeemer and how much thou owest to Christ for so willingly condescending to undertake this great work The Apostle tells us 1 Pet. 2.7 that to them that believe in him he is precious yea very precious in many respects 1. His name is precious 'T is as an ointment poured forth Matth. 1.21 His name shall be called Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins And 1 Thes 1. last 'T is Jesus who delivereth us from the wrath to come 2. His person is precious being God and Man in the same person What an high honour is it to be related to him 3. His Offices are precious He is Prophet Priest and King and he took on him all these offices for our benefit 4. His performances are precious both his active and passive obedience 5. His Life is precious which was so holy so humble so exemplary 6. His Death is precious being a propitiatory Sacrifice for our sins 7. His Resurrection is precious For God releasing him from the prison of the grave thereby declared he had received full satisfaction for the debt of our sins which he as our Surety undertook to discharge 8. His Ascension is precious For he ascended into Heaven as our fore-runner to prepare a place for us 9. His Intercession is precious For he ever liveth to make intercession for us 10. His authority and power is precious whereby he governs his Church and which he will farther exercise in raising our bodies from the Grave and in Judging the World at the last day and making our bodies if we be his members like his own glorious body 11. His Doctrince is precious 12. His Ordinances are precious 13. His â—nterest is precious to all that truly believe in him 3. Meditate on the priviledges promises and comforts of the Covenant of Grace sealed by the blood of thy dear Savior The priviledges are Justification Sanctification Adoption Glorification O how great are these priviledges The promises are such as these Psal 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly And Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God The comforts are the consolations of the Spirit here and eternal comfort hereafter 4. Earnestly beg and humbly expect grace from Christ to enable thee to crucifie thy inward lusts and corruptions especially those thou findest thy heart most pestered with Having entertained Christ into thy Soul do not unhallow it again by suffering any evil lust to reign and rule therein 5. Labour to walk more watchfully Remember the Devil will now be very busie to tempt thee to sin after this ordinance as he did our Saviour presently after his Baptism He will if he can by some worldly diversion damp and cool those heavenly affections that were excited in thee in time of receiving 'T is a dangerous thing after an heat and warmth of heavenly affections to catch cold 6. Labour to strengthen thy purposes and resolutions of living more unto God Remember thou hast stronger obligations now upon thee to all Christian duties than before 7. Often meditate on the joys of Heaven and the eternal Supper of the Lamb and the blessed life which the Saints do live above Luke 14.15 Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God 8. Labour to live in charity with thy brethren to which thou art in an especial manner engaged by this Sacrament Do not cover the coals of contention under the ashes for a night or two and then blow them up again But consider if Christ hath so loved thee and forgiven thee so much thou oughtest to love thine enemies and heartily forgive them Remember what the Apostle saith Beloved if Christ so loved us we ought to love one another 1 John 4.11 Lastly When thou art tempted to sin remember thou hast been at a Sacrament and there hast renewed thy Covenant with Christ and thou must not be so base nor so false as willingly and deliberately to sin against him again And thus much of the duties to be performed before we come to receive and in the time of receiving and after we have received A Brief Exposition OF THE Lords Prayer OUR Saviour Matth. 6.9 c. taught his Disciples after what manner to Pray and gave them a breviary or pattern of Prayer which they might use in form as seems to be intimated Luke 11.2 or according to which they might order and regulate their other Prayers In this Plat-form there are three parts 1. The Preface Describing God to whom we are to pray 1. By his dear Relation to us Our Father therefore most ready to succour us and others with whom or for whom we pray 2. By his greatness and Majesty which art in Heaven that is who doth manifest himsâ—lf though he be every where present in Glory and Majesty in and from the highest Heavens and therefore most able to hear and help all his children and most justly to be reverenced loved and trusted in by them 2. The substance of the Prayer containing six Petitions The three first whereof have respect to Gods Glory the three latter to our selves and our particular good 1. Hallowed be thy Name wherein we Pray and Petition that Gods glorious Nature and Attributes viz. his infinite Power Wisdom Goodness Justice Truth Mercy c. which are discovered in his word and works and whereby he is made known as men are by their names may be displayed and more manifested to the world that all
2. When Magistrates Parents or Masters do maintain the honour and decorum of their place and degree and do keep that distance from their inferiours which is needful for their good and that the inferiours may pay them that reverence and respect which is required of them This is not to be accounted Pride but the behaving a mans self worthily in his place 3. When a man does prefer the commands of God before the commands of men and is more fearful of offending God than incurring the displeasure of men this is not to be accounted Pride but a duty The Papists and possibly some others will call those persons proud and despisers of Government who will not obey them in all their usurpations And thus proud men call others proud who cannot crouch and yield to them in the exercise of their Pride 4. When a man hath a due and honest care to maintain and uphold his credit good name and reputation not meerly for it self but as it may make him more useful and serviceable to God in his generation This is not to be accounted Pride but a duty that Christian prudence requires of him 5. When a Minister or private Christian does plainly and seriously reprove an offending brother out of a true desire of his amendment and reformation This is not to be accounted Pride or Pragmaticalness but the discharge of an excellent Christian duty which is by so much the more excellent because it is so much neglected and is so hard to perform in a right manner And so much for the first particular 2. I come now to shew what Pride is and wherein the nature of it conâ—â—sts and what are the signs and evidences of it In the general Pride is an inordinate self-exalting and overvaluing of our selves * Suâ—erbia est appetitus inordinatus propriae excellentiae Superbus dictuâ— est quia super vult videri quam est and esteeming our selves to be wiser and better than indeed we are and an eager desire that others should so think of us so speak of us so treat us And this vanity of mind this inordinate self-esteem manifests it self in sundry Particulars 1. When men assume that glory and honour to themselves which ought to be reflected and ascribed entirely to God As Herod did when the people applauded him and cried The voice of a God and not of a man The Texts sayes Acts 12.20 c. The Angel of the Lord immediately smote him because he gave not God the glory and he was eaten up of worms 2. When they are too highly conceited of their own wit wisdom care and contrivance and ascribe their successes unto that and so Sacrifice to their own net not owning or acknowledging the special favour and providence of God therein as they ought to do Deut. 8.13 14 17 18. When thy herds and thy flocks multiply and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is multiplied then beware lest thy heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt from the house of bondage And thou say in thine heart my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth c. 3. When they brag and boast and are conceited of their own knowledge worth parts and excellencies and their acceptance with others Thraso-like * Illud profecto mihi datum est ut sint grata quae facio omnia Thraso in Eunuch Pride often times puffs people up with a conceit of their great knowledge whereas alas how little do we know of what is knowable and of what we may and ought to know 4. When they contemn slight scorn and undervalue others and their performances crying up what they do themselves but despising and vilifying what is done by others 5. When they are apt to be very angry and cholerick at any thing that agrees not with their own humor and are impatient to be contradicted be their speech right or wrong Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Prov. 21.24 6. When they are apt to be contentious and quarrelsom and that upon small matters Only by Pride cometh contention but with the well advised is wisdom Prov. 13.10 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife Prov. 28.25 7. When men are headdy self-willed head-strong and unperswadable though never so great reasons be offered them thinking themselves wiser than other men 8. When they affect singularity without reason and go in by-paths by themselves not ordinarily trodden by others that they may be the more taken notice of A sober traveller that rides in the ordinary road is not so much observed as he that jumps over hedge and ditch and rides in wayes untrodden by others Indeed good men in evil dayes are sometimes compelled to be singular as Lot was in Sodom but they do not affect it could they avoid it without sin 9. When they are censorious and uncharitable and love to carp and find fault with others They are not so quick-sighted to see their own failings as the failings of others 10. When they will not confess a fault nor retract an error though convinced of it but out of pride and height of Spirit justifie and defend it 11. When they think diminutively and slightly of great mercies and undervalue them because they see others injoy greater 12. When they are apt to be discontented to murmur and repine if they have not all they desire and if all things go not according to their wills 13. When they are apt to fret and be impatient under the afflictions God layes upon them not considering what greater punishments their sins deserve 14. When they envy the parts and gifts or the imployments and places or the credit and reputation of others thinking themselves diminished or lessened thereby 15. When they are more careful about the outside than the inside of their duties and are more solicitous how they are liked and approved by men after a duty than how they have approved their hearts and consciences to God in the duty 16. When they are impatient of reproof and of that discipline Christ hath appointed in his Church Our Saviour Mat. 18.15 hath appointed that an offending brother should be first dealt with by private admonition If that will not reform him then he is to be admonished by two or three If he do not amend upon that then he is to be admonished more publickly by the Church If he still continue obstinate and unreformed then the Church is to excommunicate him and the members of it are to shun him as a Heathen man or a Publican that seeing himself looked upon for the present as an incorrigible person he may be ashamed of his sin and folly Now proud persons of all others are most impatient of living under this discipline and are apt to think it a
Sometimes he visits them with afflictions sometimes with temptations * 2 Cor. 12.7 nay sometimes he suffers them to fall into sin and all to humble them Expedit superbo ut incidat in peccatum as he said of old And if God so much desires we should be humble shall not we comply with his will therein 3. Con. how our blessed Lord and Saviour recommended humility to the World 1. By his precepts Mat. 11.28 2. By his example John 13. He washed his Disciples feet And John 6.15 When they went about to make him a King he utterly refused it There is not any one vertue that he commandeth and commendeth more than humility nor any one vice that he sets himself more against than pride In his Beatitudes Matth. 5. Poverty of spirit hath the first promise and meekness and humility the third And if we look through his whole life we shall find there is not any one grace he did more signally exercise or by his example more commend to the imitation of Christians than Humility Let the same mind therefore be in us that was in Christ Jesus as the Apostle exhorts us Phil. 2.5 4. Earnestly pray to God to help thee in the humbling of thy heart pour out thy soul to the Lord in some such petitions as these Lord take from me I pray thee all vanity and foolish complacency in my own person or actions and help me to reflect all glâ—ry to thy self suffering nothing to adhere to mine own heart but a sence of my imperfections and thankfulness to thee for all thy free and undeserved mercies Lord keep me from sin folly and indecencies and then inable me to receive all lessenings and diminutions ro m men patiently and contentedly 5. Converse often with humble and afflicted persons that so thy heart may be affected with their condition and that thou mayest sympathize with them in their sorrows and sufferings 6. Consider what a great influence humility hath into many other graces Repentance Faith Love to God and man are much quickned and enlivened by humility None more truly penitent none more joyfully and thankfully repose and rely on the great satisfaction of Christ none have their hearts more inflamed with love to God and man than humble persons Lord what am I saith the humble Soul that ever thou shouldst place thy love on one so unworthy What am I or what is my fathers house that thou shouldst deal so bountifully with me 7. Meditate often on thy own failings and weaknesses and reflect on the worst things in thee that so thou mayest be abased and not only on the best to puff thee up The Pharisee in Luke 18. cried out I thank thee O Lord I am not as other men are an extortioner unjust an adulterer or as this Publican but the poor Publican cried out Lord be merciful to me a sinner 8. Meditate on thy own death and celebrate thy own Funeral in thy serious thoughts and meditations Methinks some serious thoughts of death and the grave should be able to pull down the pride and plumes of the vainest spirit CHAP. IV. Of Gluttony IN handling of this subject I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall shew what Gluttony is 2. I shall inquire into the causes of it 3. Shall shew the great evil and danger of it 4. Shall propound some helps and remedies against it For the First I shall first shew in the general what gluttony is and then come to speak more particularly of it Gluttony may be thus described It is a voluntary excess in eating for the meer pleasing of the appetite or some other carnal end But here I must interpose three cautions 1. The same quantity may be an excess in one that is not in another A strong and labouring man may eat a great deal more than a student or a man of a sedentary life Therefore the excess is not to be estimated by the quantity eaten but by the condition of the person eating Ordinarily that is to be called and accounted excess when a man to please his appetite eateth more than is profitable and convenient for his health or to help him on in his duty And here that excellent rule of Aristotle is to be observed who maketh vertue to consist in the mean or measure and that distance from the extremes which the prudence of a prudent man determines * Virtus consistit in ea mediocritate quam vir prudens defini verit And so in this case the prudence of every particular man must determine for him what must be his measure as to eating 2. 'T is not all delight in meat or pleasing the appetite that is a sin but only that which is made a mans ultimate end and is not referred to an higher end When the delight it self is not directed to health and more alacrity in our duty towards God and in serving of him 3. A difference as to diet ought to be allowed to persons and to times 1. To persons Some persons may have better diet and more costly than others The same diet that is fit for one man is not fit for another A great man may have those sorts of meats which would be unfit ordinarily and too chargeable for a poor man 2. To times Times of Thanksgiving and rejoycing may be allowed a more liberal provision and large exceedings than is convenient at other times As we see our Saviour at a Wedding in Cana in Galilee turned water into wine that the guests on such a day of chearfulness and rejoycing might have a more plentiful provision Yet temperance is then also to be observed excess being never allowable but alwayes to be avoided Having thus spoken of Gluttony in the general I come now to shew more particularly wherein it consists 1. 'T is sometimes an excess in quantity when more is eaten than is meet and fit or than the stomach can well carry off or digest And so by imperfect concoction abundance of crudities and vitious humors are bred which prepare and dispose the body to sicknesses 2. Sometimes in quality when the meats that are eaten are too young or too delicate and costly and when there is too great a curiosity in dressing and saucing of them or when such meats are delighted in which are apt and proper to excite and pamper lust and wantonness or when they are such as are intended to revive the appetite after it is well satisfied and needs no more 3. Sometimes in the manner of eating As 1. When men eat too eagerly and with too much greediness and too voracious an appetite 2. When they eat too often and too soon before their former meal is digested not allowing nature sufficient time of concoction And so much of the nature of Gluttony 2. I come now to inquire into the causes of it There are several causes of it 1. An inordinate appetite and a mind too much set upon Flesh-pleasing They that are after the flesh do mind the the
I acknowledge there may be dancings that are modest decent and inoffensive But there are some that are not so especially among the meaner sort which many times are rude and uncivil and too often are introductions to worse evils and mischiefs 2. Stage-playes That there are some of them less evil and offensive than others is not improbable But if we may believe those that have much frequented them as they are commonly used in our Nation they do a great deal of mischief For besides the danger that does often arise from the ill company that frequents them and the great mispence of pretious time which should be better imployed in the seeing and hearing of them 't is said they represent vice in such a manner especially this sin of uncleanness as makes it seem a very small matter and a thing meerly to be laughed at * The morals of some of our Comedians seem to be little better than his in Terence Non est flagitium mihi crede adolescentulum scortari neque potare Mitio in Adelphis and many of their expressions and gestures seem rather to teach it than to make people out of love with it and to abhor it as God would have us If these things be so I see not that he did much mistake who called them the Devils Lectures For as the pious and serious exhortations of faithful Ministers are bent to beat down lust and concupiscence which is so dangerous to the Soul so it seems quite contrary these Playes design with all the wit art and eloquence they can to stir it up and excite it and by their lascivious and immoral expressions infuse such an infection into the Phansie and put such thoughts into the mind which the corruption of nature in those that have had modest education would hardly ever have suggested And 't is no wonder that they are so much frequented For as 't was observed by the Philosophers of old many turned from other Sects to the Epicureans but scarce any from the Epicureans to other sorts The reason was because mans nature is so inclined to sensuality I shall say no more upon this particular but only this I never knew any get good by frequenting of them I believe many have got a great deal of hurt 3. Lascivious books such as are Play-books Romances amorous Poems and Sonnets such books as these certainly do a great deal of hurt especially to the youth of the Nation If one great remedy as I have shewed before against all sorts of uncleanness be the preserving of our thoughts as much as possibly we can from all unclean imaginations and phansies surely those books that suggest ugly and immoral things to the mind as amorous books usually do must needs be great depravers of mankind and great teachers of vice and immorality And they that desire in such arguments to shew their wit to the poisoning of the minds of men do therein declare that they want very much the true wisdom which would teach them better things There is indeed a kind of scurrilous and obscene wit that makes fools laugh but wise men frown And they that love to have their sensuality tickled and excited delight in such things and in such Books There is a grave Author who has this conceit concerning good men who write and leave good books to the world that instruct it in Piety and Virtue namely that as their books after their decease do good and turn men to righteousness so their joyes in heaven shall be encreased And contrarily that wicked men who write and leave such books to the World which corrupt it with error and immorality as their books do hurt and mischief after their decease so their torments in hell they dying impenitently shall be increased Methinks the very apprehension of this should make all men take heed what books they send out into the world and should put them often upon serious consideration beforehand whether the r books be like to do good or hurt to mankind And if those that write corrupting books did but consider this surely they would burn their papers before they should ever see the light 4. Lascivious Pictures which are dangerous provocations and incentives to Lust There are in some Families strange and shamefull pictures framed no doubt to excite the lusts of the flesh which all good Christians should remember they are engaged in their Baptism to fight against and to endeavour to subdue Such Pictures as these no modest eyes can indure to behold Methinks where there is any thing of virtue or civility any thing of humanity or good breeding Such odious Pictures should be abominated and cast away as a detestable thing And though there may be much art shewn in such draughts yet the exquisiteness of such Pictures as these no modest eye can indure to behold Methinks the art will never compensate for the immorality and infectiousness of the Picture 5. Lascivious dresses A modest and comely adornment of the body does very much declare the modesty and purity of the mind But a garish immodest dress naked breasts and shoulders what do they declare but a vain and frothy mind to say no worse And what a great offence do these things give to those that are serious and sober Nay they say the Pope himself hath severely prohibited this practice to the Ladies of Rome as being immodest and unseemly And methinks we that are Protestants should have a greater zeal for chastity and purity than the Pope And as for painting and spotting the face and hanging out the signes of half moons and stars and the like why do they do it said once a Reverend Divine of our Church if they do not intend to entertain strangers But alas he that shall go about to reprove these things in so corrupt and degenerate an age as this is is like to get little more by it than to be laughed at for his pains But let them laugh on and laugh to the end if they can while the faithful reprover having discharged his conscience leaves the success to God 10. If other remedies will not do make use of the remedy of Gods own appointment which is lawful wedlock observe what the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 7.2 9. For the avoiding of fornication let every man have his own wife and euery woman her own husband For better is it to marry than to burn And if any shall say they fear poverty and a great charge will come upon them if they should marry let them consider that it is a thousand times better to lead a poor life in the fear of God according to his own ordinance which he hath sanctified than to defile their bodies and Souls with uncleanness and impurity though they might gain never so much of the world by such a course I shall shut up this discourse with the advice of pious Mr. Herbert in his Church-Porch Wholly abstain or wed Thy bounteous Lord Allows thee choice of paths take no by-wayes But
gladly welcome what he doth afford Not grudging that thy lust hath bounds and stayes Continence hath its joies weigh both and so If rottenness have more let heaven go CHAP. VII Of Discontent IN treating of this Argument I shall speak to these six Particulars 1. I shall shew what Discontent is 2. The great sinfulness of it 3. The Folly of it 4. Shall shew what true Christian Contentment is and wherein the nature of it consists 5. Shall shew the amiableness and excellency of it 6. Shall give some directions and means for the attaining of it For the First Discontent is an unquiet frame of heart under our present condition and expresses it self in murmuring and repining thereat For commonly inward vexing and repining and outward complaining and murmuring go together 2. The great sinfulness of it may appear to us in these Particulars 1. 'T is a quarrelling the wisdom of God and a secret accusing and taxing his Providence * Non judicandum de providentia divina ante quintum actum as if he did not wisely order the Lots and Conditions of his People Holy Job under his great afflictions was far from this temper For though he suffered so deeply yet he charged not God with folly in that severe dispensation towards him But said the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1.21 22. 2. 'T is a quarrelling his Fatherly care over us as if he had not any love or affection to us or any regard of us 3. 'T is a quarrelling his Faithfulness as if he would not perform the many gracious promises he has made for our good 4. 'T is a secret accusing of his Justice as if he dealt hardly with us and punished us more than our sins deserved * Qui in poenis murmurat ferientis justitiam accusat 5. 'T is a carriage very unworthy of the hope and expectation of a Christian He that hath his Peace made with God in Christ and a title to an heavenly inheritance should endeavour from that consideration to calm and compose his soul under his greatest sufferings 6. 'T is unanswerable to the experience we have had of Gods former gracious dealing with us and helping of us out of straits and difficulties 7. 'T is a great gratification to Satan We cannot gratifie the Devil more who is a Male-contented Spirit than to murmur against our Creator To be of a discontented unquiet Spirit is to be like the Devil He is restless and unquiet always in opposition to God alwayes fretting at his dispensations 8. 'T is a betraying and exposing us to great temptations The Devil scarce ever has so great power over any as over those that are discontented Oh the direful things he draws such persons unto My heart even akes when I think of them and my hand is ready to tremble while I write of them Some of them he draws to make a formal Covenant with himself Others to do such things against themselves that even nature abhors So that all that love themselves should beg of God to keep them and should watch over themselves as to this particular sin For let them assure themselves that nothing betrayes us sooner into the Devils hands than disconâ—ent It is a stock he uses to graffe his temptations upon The Devil will desire no greater advantage against a soul than to find it in such a temper He is never more busie about any than such persons and usually makes dangerous use of the unquietness and repining of their spirits 9. 'T is such a temper as exceedingly unfits us for holy duties and for the service which otherwise we might do for God And so much of the sinfulness of Discontent 3. I come now in the third place to shew the folly of it 1. 'T is vain and bootless For as one of the Antients well said the miseries and evils we suffer and at which we are so apt to be vexed and troubled are either such as we can remedy or such as we cannot remedy If they be such as we cannot remedy then what a folly is it to vex and fret at them seeing it is impossible to help them Our Lesson then is Patience and Submission * Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas But if the evils we suffer be such as are remediable then let us not vex or fret at them but let us use all care and diligence to help our selves and to remedy them And this is good advice though given by a Heathen Philosopher 2. It takes away the comfort of what we enjoy If a man enjoyes a thousand mercies in which he ought to rejoyce and for which he ought to be thankfull yet if his mind be discontented they will all seem as nothing to him So that no one thing bereaves a man more of the comfort he might enjoy in his life than discontent 3. It makes our afflictions worse A discontented person is like a man in a feaver that by his tossing and tumbling more increases his heat Or like a Bird in the lime-twigs which the more it flutters the more it intangles it self 4. It provokes God oftentimes to send new and more afflictions upon us What did the Israelites get by mumuring in the Wilderness but a longer stay in the Wilderness Children that sob and are stomachful after whipping commonly get another another whipping for their pains 5. It makes a mans life very uneasie both to himself and his relations and to all that are about him No body cares to be near such persons as are alwayes murmuring and complaining And so much of this folly of Discontent 4. I come now in the fourth place to shew what Christian Contentment is and wherein the nature of it consists 'T is a sweet quiet gracious frame of Spirit freely submitting to Gods alwise and fatherly disposal of us in every condition There are some things that this gracious frame may consist with and some things that are opposite to it 1. It may consist with a due sensibleness of Gods hand in afflicting of us 'T is not a Stoical apathy or insensibility The Apostle gives us an excellent Rule taken out of the Proverbs of Solomon Prov. 3.11 how we should carry our selves under afflictions Heb. 12.5 My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Some bold and secure sinners are apt to despise and disregard the correcting hand of God the weaker sort of Christians are apt to sink in spirit and faint under their afflictions Now the Apostle advises us to steer between these two namely to be sensible of Gods hand when it is upon us and yet not to faint or despond under it 2. It may consist with an humble complaint to God or man We may groan under our Afflictions but we ought not to grumble 3. It may consist with seeking out for help and ease in a lawful way For that is our duty and
Souls How ready was he to comply with his Fathers will The Cup that my Father hath given me to drink shall I not drink it sayes he John 18.11 and Luke 22.42 Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me yet not my will but thy will be done 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 4. He teacheth this lesson by his Spirit Now the spirit teacheth contentment these wayes 1. By convincing the Soul of the reasonablnest of it He shews that it is most fit and reasonable that God being our Creator and having absolute soveraignty and dominion over us and being infinitely wise holy just and gracious we should submit to him and lie at his feet 2. By strengthning our faith in the promises of God 3. By strengthning our hearts to bear the burden of afflictions Eph. 3.16 We are strengthned sayes the Apostle with might by his spirit in the inner man And Col. 1.11 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness And 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 4. By shedding abroad a sense of Gods love into our hearts Rom. 8.16 The spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then heirs heirs of God and j ynt heirs with Christ And so we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 And this hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Hâ—ly-Ghost which is given unto us And thus we see how Christ teacheth this lesson by his word by his example and by hâ—s Spirit Would yoâ— learn this lesson put your selves under Christs institution Particularly labour to practice these things 1. Break off your sins by true repentance and secure the pardon and forgiveness of all your transgressions by Faith in Christs blood A condemned man hath no contentment in any thing he enjoys But a man pardoned is content and well pleased with a Morsel The Apostle tells us Rom 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus There may be much tribulation to such but thanks be to God no condemnation 2. Labour to be holy in all manner of conversation For Godliness is profitable unto all things having the promises of this life and tâ—at which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Keep and cherish a good consciâ—â—ce and a good conscience will cherish and comfort you 3. Prepare for afflictions and think it no strange thing when they happen to you And when they come meet them as discreet Abigal met David Let not my Lord be angry Beg of God that though he do chastise thee yet he would not be angry w th thee Earnestly implore him that though there be much bitterness yet there may be no wrath in thy Cup. And pray also that all your afflictions may be sanctified to you and may do you that good which God sent them for And be more careful of your carriage under afflictions than troubled at them 4. Moderate your desires after worldly things Though God cut you short as to the things of the world yet think often of your portion and inheritance in the other life Take Mr. Herberts pious counsel Pag. 131. Content thee greedy heart Modest and moderate Joyes to those that have Title to more hereafter when they part Are passing brave Let the upper Springs into the low Descend and fall and thou dost flow What though some have a fraught Of Cloves and Nutmegs and in Cinnamon sail If thou hast wherewithal to spice a draught When griefs prevail And for the future time art heir To the Isle of Spices is' t not fair 5. Be humble under a sense of your own weakness and earnestly beg strength from Christ to inable you to be content in every condition A Believers strength both for doing and suffering the will of God is from Christ Psal 131.3 When I cried unto thee saies the Psalmist thou strengthnedst me with strength in my Soul 6. When thou art strengthned to bear afflictions with a quiet placid and sedate mind give all the glory unto Christ and say as Paul did 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me 7. Be not secure but watch and pray lest you enter into temptation Moses though the meekest man upon the earth in his time yet once fell into such a fit of discontent and passion and spake so unadvisedly with his lips that God was angry with him and would not let him go into Canaan Now if a person of so eminent grace so failed what eruption of discontent may we be subject to if left to our selves CHAP. VIII Of Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness IN handling of this Subject I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall shew what Covetousness it 2. In what particulars it discovers it self 3. The causes of it 4. The marks and characters of such as are covetous 5. The great evil of it 6. I shall give some directions and prescribe some remedies against it For the First Covetousness is an inordinate and excessive love of riches and an immoderate desire and hankering after them The simple desire so riches is not Covetousness but an inordinate and over-greedy desire of them And therefore this sin is especially in the heart One may have little and yet be Covetous One may be rich and yet free from Covetousness 2. Covetousness discovers it self in these Particulars 1. In getting wealth unconscionably without regard either to Piety Equity Justice Charity or Humanity When men have their hearts so bent and set upon the World that they use indirect means to get it such as are Oppression Over-reaching Cheating Lying Stealing And so in treasuring up Wealth they treasure up wrath to themselves 2. In an unduede taining and with-holding from the Poor through hard-heartedness and penuriousness what is fit to be given to them When a man is so strait-hearted and strait-handed in works of Charity so cruel so hard and miserable that he gives not at all to the poor or very little and only what is extorted from him with great difficulty and importunity When men are continually hoarding up for themselves but have no bowels or pity for the poor or their indigent relations and though they have enough and abound yet are inordinately carking and caring for more still being perplexed with an Infidel fear lest they should want when they are old Like Symonides who being asked why he was Covetous in his old age Answered I had rather leave riches to my enemies when I die than stand in need of my friends while I live 3. In spending too sparingly and niggardly when men that have plentiful estates have not hearts to allow themselves
mad at home displeased with Wife Children and Servants scarce any thing can please a covetous man when his profit and commodity is crossed Every little trespass or loss toucheth him to the quick and maketh him impatient 4. Overmuch niceness and delicateness * Nulla res magis iracundiam alit quam luxuria Tender and delicate persons are subject to be angry Any little thing is apt to put such persons into a fit of choler Those that are rich and great in this world many times take liberty from their greatness to give scope to their Passions and so not only disturb themselves but disquiet those about them and make their lives uneasie to them 5. Weakness and over much tenderness of Spirit We see that anger usually reigns most in weak persons as in old folks and sick folks in women and children A great imbecility certainly it is for a man to have too tender a sense * Dure tractandus est animus ut ictum non sentiat nisi gravâ—m Proprium est magnitudinis verae non sentire se esse percussum like a man whose arms and shoulders have the skin flay'd off every thing that touches him makes him winch and cry out Take heed therefore that your mind be not too delicate and tender and womanish and apt to be moved at every toy We should harden our minds that they may not have too quick a sense of injuries A man should not think his credit or reputation in danger by every idle word spoken against him The remedy of this is as a learned man observes to get telam honoris crassiorem a thicker web of honour that will not so easily ravel out 6. Gecundless suspitions * Suspitiosi omnia ad contumeliam acc piunt They that are apt to be jealous and suspitious are also very apt to be angry though commonly when matters are well examined they find no true cause or ground for it 7. Credulity and an easie belief of reports and listning to Tale-bearers is another cause of anger He that is very inquisitive and hath an itch to know what people * Non vis esse iracundus ne sis curiosus say of him will sometimes hear things that will dispose him to anger They therefore that desire to keep themselves from this disquieting passion must take heed of this and the other forementioned causes of anger 12. A twelfth direction is this Represent to thy self the odiousness and deformity of Anger * Quibusdam iratis profuit aspexisse sâ—eculum Difficile dictu an magis detestabice vitium an deforme Some of the Ancients advised an angry man to look himself in a glass O what a deformed sight is a man in a great fit of anger or rage His tongue stammering his eyes flaming his mouth foaming his heart panting his teeth gnashing his fists knocking his voice loud and clamorous Did an angry man with Narcissus see his face in a glass surely he would never fall in love with himself 13. Represent to thy self the mischievous nature and hurtfulness of intemperate Anger 1. 'T is a great enemy both to the mind and to the body It fills the mind with vexation and a bitter discontent It unfits it for any holy duty for prayer meditation hearing the word receiving the Sacrament or any communion with God And should not that be very odious to us which unfits us for the worship of God or receiving any benefit by his ordinances And for the body it inflameth the blood and stirreth up and awakeneth ill humors and so causeth diseases Nothing doth sooner cut the thread of life than the sharpness of fretting anger and grief So true is that common saying an angry man seldom wanteth woe 2. 'T is a great disquieter of private families and societies of men 'T is the Devils bellows to kindle mens corruptions and set the World on fire O how many dreadful sins do some angry men commit in one hour A high fit of passion makes men like Lyons and Tygers It may well be called a short madness It disarms the Soul of its chief defence which is reason and consideration It sets the tongue on fire causing it to vent it self in swearing cursing railing reviling and sometimes it flyes out even into Blasphemy An angry man aboundeth with transgressions sayes Solomon Chap. 29.22 How many thousands hath intemperate anger wronged and injured hurt and wounded Yea how many thousands hath it destroyed and murdered What villany hath not sinful anger at one time or other been guilty of 3. 'T is a great disquieter of the Church The anger that is vented about matters of Learning or Religion is commonly the most irreligious most outragious and worst of all The contentions about points of Learning or Religion are usually very hot and fierce and yet one would think Learning should civilize the minds of men 'T was said so of it of old Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros But alas who are they that write against one another with greater sharpness and keenness who are there that mingle more gall with their ink than learned men do And for Religion certainly where it is in reality it is the best principled and best natured thing in the world It breaths in meekness patience forbearance and forgiveness and yet so powerful is the Pride and Corruption of mans heart that there are no controversies managed with so much bitterness sharpness and exasperation as the controversies about Religion are Let any man look into the books that are witten by the Papists against the Protestants by the Lutherans against the Calvinists by the Arminians against the Anti-arminians or look into the several Sects and Parties that not long since prevailed in these Nations or let him cast his eye on the late disputes between the Conformists and Dissenters and he shall quickly see what abundance of intemperate heat and anger what abundance of disingenuity and incivility what abundance of ill will and uncharitableness doth appear in these writings No man cares to go to a Physitian who will rail upon him and revile him and tell him that he is not worthy to live and 't were better the world were rid of him And yet thus do some men treat their adversaries who pretend to write books for their information and to reduce them into the right way Certainly 't is the duty of all real Christians who agree in the main fundamentals of Religion to forbear one another in matters of less moment and which belong not to the vitals of Christianity For we are all apt to err and mistake in some things and we cannot see with any bodies eyes but our own And 't is a horrible uncharitableness to say that any man is wilfully blind who opens his eyes as wide as he can We must all see for our selves and judge for our selves and our own practice and make account to answer to God for our selves And therefore surely it would become us to be