their elbowes thinking the law was giuen them to obey and not to enlighten or conuince oâ— sinne They had taken away foure or fiue sinnes from the Law as the Papists now doe the second Commandement as yee see in point of adultery and diuorce of oaths and periury of iustice and reuenge of loue and charity Mat. 5. ver 27 33 38 and 43. What was this but to call light darkenesse and darkenesse light If then Christ had meant to giue them true light hee would haue scattered those false and base conceits and corruptions as indeed his Sermon on the mount was chiefly to that purpose Secondly come lower to those that liue in the Church of GOD many are ignorant by meere want of meanes as thousands of Congregations at this day are though baptized I remember the speech of a Reuerend man that once on the Sabbath lighting vpon a Company as hee was going to preach neere-by who were some at foot-ball some dancing the Morris others quaffing in the Ale house asked them Sirs why doe yee thus prophane the Sabbath They answered him Alas good Sir wee know not that wee doe ill in our dancing or drinking which drew teares from his eyes If then GOD meane to enlighten such hee will giue them a Ministery of light to teach them what is good and what is euill So to come further put case a third soft hath some kind of light yet still mainteining a ciuill prophane or hypocriticall course what will the Lord doe to enlarge them with cleere knowledge Hee will take away their barres also Q. What are they A. These or the like First Their preiudice against the light and the meanes of light and instruments of light which hinders them from knowledge They haue perhaps a conceit that its a needlesse thing curious and vnprofitable a new fangled toy of some men or very difficult to get if not impossible These Ministers and their preachings are but noveltyes and might bee spared keepe people from their callings trouble the peoples braines and fill them with fancies These and the like false principles of preiudice Act. vlt. 22. The LORD will remoue Secondly Their custome in darknesse they haue liued as their forefathers and done wel enough new matters are yrksom also custome in profanenesse which holds them from comming where any light is for men are loth to know that which should vnsettle them in their loue See Ioh. 3.19 20. Men that loue darkenesse hate light lest their euils bee discouered Thirdly Their hardnesse of heart and purpose to liue in their lusts still For although order of law may compell them to Church yet when they see that knowledge robs them of their lusts they fare as a beare robbed of her whelpes and fight against the light of the Law as Pharaoh against the returning waters because their free-hold is toucht lose their lusts cosenage in buying and selling deceit lying pride reuenge they lose their life Fourthly That wofull dulnesse of edge and bluntnesse of spiâ—it by which they make themselues incapable of knowledge Heb. 5. Especially of any maine and material points Fifthly Generalnesse or slightnesse by which they please themselues to know the meer common sins which euery one may read in great letters runningâ— and through eâ—sâ— seeke no further because indeed knowledge is not their ayme but their policy to auoyd the shame of grosse ignorance A man that hath no more vse of a Map then to see the breadth or situation of Essex will content himselfe with the generall Map of that Shire but if a man would haue a due suruey of some Towne what breadth it hath what such a Lordship therein situate is what lands woods pastures hopgrounds hee will get a Draught of that Towne or a Suruey of those particulars So heere If God meane to enâ—ighten a carnall generall and formall professor or hee will take from him his generall Map and subtill generalities whereby hee detaines the truth in vnrighteousnessâ— and reach him a more speciall Map of sin to study vpon Sixtly He will remooue his sefeloue by which hee is loth to bee informed in truths his partiality and subtilty which suffers him not to heare such Truths as are like to oppose his personall precious and beloued euils whereby hee is loth to heare of any sins saue other mens not his owne and so he shunnes particular light of things which might prooue either against his luâ—ts ease credit or course in euil to vnderstand If a man bee a good Iustice hee is willing to know the Statutes and bee informed in them well that hee may be able to punish sinne to purpose If not hee is willing not to bee informed of them So is it heere but if the Lord will enlighten him hee will enlarge his Law to him and him to his Law that hee shall bee gladdest when hee meet vs with the most distinct and cleere light And so I might be infinite let this view be sufficient for this sormer Q How doth the Law giue light to the eies in knowing Actuall sins A. Both in themselues and in their penalties Q. In themselues how A. Sundry waies some of which and the cheefe I will note by them desiring the wise Reader to iudge of the rest First The Law doth present the soule with the authority of GOD in commanding and sets vp her selfe not in the sences or back parts of man but in his conscience the most priuy chamber of the soule This no law of man can doe No nor can any destitute of the law be truely seazed in conscience by any sinne But the Law sets vp the Lawgiuer in the conscience presenting him to her in all his Souereigne Iustice wisedome and Power that so she may esteeme of sin not as touching man but trenching vpon God in all his attributes This is a great discouery and causes sin to bee conceaued as it is not as the passing act seemes which begins and ceases with time but this is infinite in time merit extent and scope because against an infinite God For example An ignorant man hauing hurt his neighbour lookes at the sad consequent of the fact onely how hee hath hurt him in his name cattell wife goods and so the damage is the sin to him But the enlightned conscience lookes at the Lawgiuer knowing that not man but God hath made the Law against hurting man man is the next but God is the chief and last obiect of his sinne And therefore God must bee agreed with or else conscience will keep it vpon Gods record to appeare in due time And put case man would be appeased yea is satisfied yea perhaps mans Law is satisfied by the death of the offendor yet GOD still must be compounded with as chiefly offended Q. How secondly A. It presents it selfe to the soule in the coherence and consent of the law This no man can see except enlightned S. Iames cleeres this Iam. 2.10 Hee that breakes one is culpable of all Meaning that such
A PRACTICALL CATECHISME OR A view of those principall truths according to Godlinesse which are contayned in the Catechisme Diuided into three parts and seruing for the vse as of all so especially of those that first heard them By D. R. B. of Divin Minister of the Gospell ROM 7.9 For I was once aliue without the Law But when the Law came sinne reuyued and I dyed ESAY 12.3 Therefore with ioy draw ye waters out of the wells of Saluation 2 COR. 7.1 Hauing therefore such precious promises let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and finish our holinesse in the feare of the Lord. LONDON Printed by I. N. for SAMVEL MAN dwelling at the signe of the Swanne in Pauls Church-yard 1632. To the Christian Reader and in especiall to my beloued Auditors and neyghbours Greeting Good Reader IT is no new thing for stuffe and substance which I offer to thee in this ensuing tract how can I in an Argument of this nature wherein the obiect determines the minde and pen of the Writer If therefore nouelty be thy ayme saue thy labour Onely for the manner and order of expression this I would say That as the Ancients looke what they desired to fasten vpon themselues or their children they were wont to conueigh it in the familiarity of a Song or Rime that it might become their owne with ease So doe I heere vnder the ease and familiarnesse of Catechisme which is no other then a forme of godlinesse reach out to thee and thine a direction to Heauen so that if hereby the truth as it is in Iesus may be emplanted in thy spirit in any measure I haue my desire Thou wilt say Who-euer denyed but Catechisme serues to this end I answere I wish that the practice of all that catechize and are catechized did approue it The slight answer of men betrayes them who being asked If their Minister did preach to day answere No hee did but Catechize If the Preaching of a Catechist were conceaued as his best worke could men so speake No surely were Catechizing vsed to such solemne ends none but barbarous and blynd ones could be ignorant of the eminency and fruit thereof I taxe none I onely adde As I blesse God that Catechizing is so frequent and that there are many able Preachers who ayme at a profitable course So I wish that all who do not would follow such examples As touching you my Christian Auditors You know one full third part of my poore labors hath beene thus and in this order and ayme to Catechize And whereas Iob serued in the preaching hereof that the particulars grew to a larger extent then I looked for you know that once a yeere at least I gaue you a briefe view of all the parts in a few Sermons Which course because I saw to be profitable then therefore bethinking my selfe now in this my priuacy how I might witnes the continuing care of my heart for your good I haue conceaued the reuiuing of that Method to be the best way to recommend my loue vnto you Written copies I saw would prooue so chargeable that few would haue enioyed any benefit heereof and threfore I yeelded for your ease to that which my selfe would haue shunned to print the Copy I proceeded you know in my Ministery towards the end of the Satisfaction being the second Branch of the second part I haue by my labor since with Gods blessings added the rest of the Parts and their Articles to the end handling both one and other for the most part according to the proportion of my larger course at least few points of Substance omitted Your losse in a sort becomes your gaine in this That wereas scarce in 2 yeeres you should haue heard that which is heere added Lo now you haue it presented to you at once Let not in any case this gaine of yours become your losse by carelesnesse but let it rather by our diligence become a double gaine to you and yours Now to the intent that this view of Catechisme may be profitable in few words conceaue it thus Three words containe all my scope in this Tract Sinne Grace Obedience Sinne in the first part that each vnregenerate man may know how to get out of his false peace seeing himselfe in the glasse of the Law to be that cursed one Grace in the second that each humbled one vnder his burden may in the mirror of the Gospell and the offer of Reconciliation behold and embrace the hearty and vnfeigned meaning of the Lord to forgiue and saue him Obedience in the third that each forgiuen soule may know that God in shewing him mercy aymes not onely at the ease of the soules burden but at his owne honor in laying on another burden though eazy and sweet of liuing by faith and obeying his Cōmandements Set these three then before thy eye as the scope of the whole And so each part shall not onely profit thee in the seuerall branches but much more in the connexion of the scope thereof all tending to make the soule happy here and heereafter If then thou meet in the first part with many Articles heads of weight rest not in the doctrine of the things but conceaue them from first to last as steps and degrees to conuince thee of sinne that the sence of thy naturall estate may make thee and leaue thee such an one in thine owne eyes as thou art in the LORDS If in the second thou meete with sundry discourses of the way and meane of Deliuerance dwell not vpon the points themselues but consider their scope that GOD in offring thee Christs Righteousnes to bee thine speakes as truly and according to his purpose in this as hee did in the first that hee might conuince thee of his Righteousnes Likewise in the third so reade and mediate of the grounds therein contained as remembring that all of them tend to this one marke That the truth as it is in Iesus must conuince thee of as great a necessity of putting off the old and putting on the new man as before it did of thy Righteousnesse And thus thy reading ouer and ouer this Treatise with meditation and prayer may through the Grace of Gods Spirit lead thee towards Heauen And now behold I would euen desire that as Ieremy dealt with his Prophecies Iere. 36.2 he wrote them in a Role that they might be in daily view and better beleeued So those of my people for I accuse but some who would neuer by the preaching of these poynts vnderstand the coherence and vse of this Summe of Godlinesse might now stand vpon this Pisgah Deut. vlt. 1. and behold this Canaan of Practicall Religion and that goodly Lebanon thereof especially I meane the Doctrine of fayth in reconciliation and the new Creature The vse of the whole Posie of al the Flowers herein bound together is That yee bee better grounded in knowledge and heare Sermons dayly with better vnderstanding
life of creation as in these few things may appeare in the well framed constitution of body appeare First Vnion of parts Secondly Order Thirdly Sweetnesse and beauty Fourthly Strength and actiuity Aptnes at the end it serues for But in a dead carcasse together with the absence of the life and soule of reason what appeares saue contrary effects Impotency to all former Operations Genes 6.5 disorder stinch and putrifaction confusion and yerksomenesse The generall then is Destruction of the frame of Nature Rom. 3.23 corruption of the Image of God Touching the parts both faculties and powers of the soule and body it were endlesse to mention all In the minde there is a death of all pure light and knowledge Ephes 5.8 a nakednesse of Gods image in poynt of that ruling and ouerruling power by which shee conueyed direction to all the inferiour faculties will first and then affections and operations now she is both darknesse in her selfe and losse of her birthright to rule other parts vnto darkenesse adde death of iudgement easily receiued in matter of discerning of the natures and truths of things and so also impotency and languor of appreheâ—sion dulnesse and inability to conceiue good things Esay 44. â—0 Rom. 7.14 21. and besides this priuatiue indispositioâ— also a positiue pronenâ—s and propensity to all euiâ—l of the mindâ— I conceits false hereticall erroneous opinions vaine prophane idolatrous vnsauoury imaginations discourses thoughts and iudgements Rom. 8.5 keeping in memory noysome and â—uâ—tfull obiects So secondly Deâ—th of the will especially Rom. 7.14 in the matter of her subiection to the lore and leauing of the vnderstandâ—ng then also in her faculty of wâ—lâ—ing and nillinâ— or suspending corruptnesse in the freedome thereoâ— by meere bondage both vnto sin and by sin a deprauednesse of the chusing facul y and so of â—he rest yea a disposednesse to will onely and continuâ—lly euill to nill good to suspend onely from good and not euill Iames 4.1 Ecles 7.27 to clâ—use euill before good So truely doth the Lord complaine That the whole frame of the soule is onely euill continually To these adde the death of afflictions in poynt of their due direction to the obiects and whole inclination of them to a prepostrous and disordered liking of â—uill dislike of good Ephe. 4.29 Iere. 2.25 a disposition thereof to extremities on either hand either to loue hope sorrow feare pity shame zeale and the rest more then ought to bee or vnder that should be and thereby to ouerthrow the course and order of the whole of the whole conuersation Esa 57. vlt. Ioyne to these the death of the conscience both in respect of her staruing death that she wants matter of excusing peace and conten hauing lost all welfare and the death of her purenessâ— â—o represent obiects to the soule aright eyther with comfort oâ— accusatioâ— not to speake of her pronenesse to be defiled diâ—abled feared senselessâ— and slauish according to the corruption of â—he mind both which goe together Tit. 1.15 Rom. 6.8 As toâ—ching the spirits and the sences and the members there is a deâ—tâ— in them of that hability soundnesse vigor and serâ—iceablenesse to the soule in good things and a pronenesse and tickling to be vainely and frothily imployed except worse bee offred euen prophanely and vnholily And to conclude there is a death of the person in respect of that right and soueraignety ouer the creaturâ—s wiâ—h a sl uâ—sh pronenesse rather to Idolize them both in the worship of some and the loue or vse of others a declension from Goâ— and a reuolt to the base creature as Eue did to the forbidden fruit Q Now what is the misery of Actuall sinne A. The deprauednesse and death of all the operations flowing from the soule within or the body without for whereas these resembled the purenesse of the principle at the first lo now they bewray the contrary all confusion disorder ignorance and vnrighteousnesse being broken into them As appeares in this that in the first table the soule departing from God sets vp to her selfe other gods profit pleasure ease worldly lusts worships him after her owne deuices liues as seemeth best to herselfe in her conuersation abhorres his Sabbaths and the like In the second that forsaking the law of righteousnes and sobriety the soule defiles her selfe with disobedience and rebellion to man to vnnatu all cruâ—ll and vnmercifull carriage to vncleannesse Mat. 15.19 Gala. 5 19 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. Psal 14.2 1 Kin. 8.46 Rom. 3 9 to reuenge to wrath to vniust oppressing defrauding wayes to lyes tricks and slanderous aspertions to a continuall lusting after vnrighteousnes And all these not onely in open acts which are not so vsuall but in the actuall thoughts desires proiects counsels of the heart yeelding consenting thereto and delighting to thinke of talke of to loue and commend sinfull practizes as swearing drunkennesse bebate wrong intemperancy and the like For these are but one of a thousand of those actuâ—ll sinnes which as sparkles flye vp from the former fornace Not all these in euery mâ—n but some in one and some in another See 1 Cor. 6.7 Such were yee some of yee c. Q And wherein stands the second generall part of misery to wit of punishment A. In the manifold penalties both of soule and body and those properly expresse that threat of God When thou eatest thou shalt dye the death In the soule first for of all other these are fearefullest because they are sinfull penalties of sinne first an auersenesse from God or from returning to God any more but going from him further and further infinitely Ephe. 4.14 15. Rom. 8.7 Rom. 7.23 2 Cor. 2.14 Cannot c. As a stone cannot melt an insensiblenesse of soule in this double misery a dedolency of heart vtterly and impenitently hardned in it an vncapeablenesse of admitting of any meanes to draw the soule out of misery to any better estate a spirit of resisting and opposition of any such an infinite peaceablenesse and content of heart in the present condition thinking this bondage and hell another liberty and heauen and if berest of it raging as the Beare robbed of her whelpes and so a pronenesse to bee riueted more and more deepely into this woe with lesse and lesse feeling or beleeuing it Now these we must know are of a deeper dye then the former as being cursed of God vpon and against a sinfull Rebell giuing him ouer to himselfe and sealing him to wrath and perdition which though the Lord doth not alwaies enlarge but rather suspend till the due season thereof yet they are all inherent in our corrupt nature Touching the body where shall I beginne or end What languors and diseases are there incident to the body what pouerty basenesse beggery and want to the estate Gene. 2.17 Esay 53.4 what reproch to the name and credit aspersions slaunders dishonour What misery in family in
do fearfully lay forth this corruption to be that which men little thinke for For why What a tame still close and harmelesse thing seemes this sinne beeing yet if once stirred a raging Tyger and wild monster What do these termes imply â—â—ue that this sinne is the Doe-all in the soule as she will so it must be and in a word she is al sinne both the length and depth of it all that is in sinne is in her And therefore except the Lord Iesus had bene made siâ—ne note the word 2 Cor. 5.21 for vs aswell as sinfull he had neuer satisfied his expiation beeing chiefly for sinne in her Nature and for the Acts by Consequenceâ— in which respect he is truly called the second Adam made the sin of Nature by imputation that he might by his nature of Righteousnes suffring both satisfie for it the losse of Godâ— Image and then restore it Looke vpon these texts and meditate of them Secondly by comparison For when the soule hath had the view of actuall sinnes beâ—ore as most yrkesome and now comes to see greater abomination then these as the Lord tells Ezekiel Chapter 8.15 Oh! how out of measure sinfull seemes it to the soule how doth she cry out miserable man for market thus she speakes Although actuall sins were enough to sinke me into misery yet I see they were but euill in respect of their part but now I see a body of all parts and members a King in his throne I see now my selfe curâ—ed double and treble No sooner do I get out of one actuall sin or set good duties agaiâ—st bad with some hope of ease that way but the Lord beates me downe by my inward nature of sinne yea when I would faine comfort my selfe in my duties and suffring and prayers Lo then my very clothes this venomed shirt vpoÌ„ my skin Iob 9.31 defiâ—es me turnes al hony into the gall of aspes Indeed God hath freed mee from beeing a worldling whose hope is below from a covetous mizer Phil. 3.18 whose God is his Mammon I am free from open vncleanenesse and inward hypocrisy and profanenesse of heart but Oh LORD the nature of these things dogges mee sometimes the wolfe of my nature makes me feele small difference betweene my selfe and these vices The nature of louing pleasures more then God the nature sauor of a proud vaine heart of distrust of worshipping God vnsauourily and for forme of self-selfe-loue and ends doth so dogge me that its worse ten fold then the breaches themselues Yea and the more I seeme to affect the contrary the more Satan dogs me with them thoughts desires and endeauors after them if it be so be glad yea and self-selfe-loue with them so blindfoldes me that often they seeme to please me and make me be as I would be and by the suddainenesse of the darts and assaults preuent my armor and so foile mee and leade me captiue So that we see the sting of nature if duely weighed is farre greater then of actions Q. Proceed to the third How doth the Law present the properties of originall sin to the soule A. By ripping vp the body of this death and shewing it what is lust Rom. 7.7 c. First Shewing it to be sin in an eminency of being It s more sin then other sins whatsoeuer is in any of them is here more notoriously whatsoeuer filth and base quality may be spied in all sin or any as impudency vanity pride resolution disdaine is heere more singularly as light and heate is in our fire or the ayre or the Moone but eminently in the Sun the first subiect and seate of it That wherein a quality is first that is eminently worst As coldnesse in the earth drynesse in fire heate in the ayre and moysture in the water So when a Iudge is vniust in the place of equity hee is eminently vniust Euen so heere All ill qualities are first planted heere and its sinne in the Spirit in the place of excellency euen of Gods Image That whereby another thing is qualified so or so that it selfe is much more so qualified As we say Those wofull desperate Traytors in Gun-powder treason were so and so desperate rebellious cruell fierce but by whom were they made so by their father Garnet and grandfather the Pope Garnet and the Pope then must be much more so So all the poizon of actuall euils is seated in the originall after whose copy they write Secondly The predominancy of this sin both in matter of fulnesse and force for fulnesse it hath all sin vnder it and in it as the perfect body hath all the members so this dead rotten body containes fully all dead members of hypocrisie vncleannesse c. in it As the word vsed by Diuines prooves they call it the * Fomiteâ—â— Fewell meaning of the fire of sinnefull acts Great farmes haue and keep great fires because of the plenty of wood they haue to nourish them This is the fewell that maintaines all fires in the soule in hall kitchin and parlour sins of pride sins of common formality sins of base lust all are kept vpon the altar burning with this fewell which is set on fire it selfe by hell So of forciblenesse also therfore Paul cals it a Law Princes rule strongly by their lawes they are as a soule wholly in all and in each part Nothing so forcible there is a necessity in a law It breakes downe and carries before it all opposites word threats dangers all counsell perswasion cannot heare is incorrigible vnchangeable as the Law of Medes and Persians It carries the soule to her trade with courage force resolution and irresistiblenesse being the piller of Satans kingdome ruling as a strong man in sinners Luk. 11. â—1 and keeping all in deep peace Thirdly it is perpetuall Wee say The King hath a perpetuall patrimony that is not alienable so hath a sinner by his originall sin He may faile in his spending money as in his policy and strength and industry to oppresse to defile his body but his stocke and patrimony neuer failes If it bee so in the best of Gods seruants Luther himselfe little molested with couetousnesse yet he had this stock still within how much more is it true of each sinner Fourthly It s an ouerflowing and yet a cruell euill as necessary as it is as forcible Fyre water are ill masters but they burne and ouerflow naturally euen so here As in breaches of the Sea we see tops of Steeples and of Towers vnder water so this ouerflowes all the Image of God in vs This sinne goes in the haire and streame of nature and therefore it s called Concupiscence and Lust Iames 4.5 The spirit that is in vs lusts to enuy it pleases vs because it is naturalâ— and hath a self-louing perswasion which carries it smoothly and vnsuspiciously and by priviledge It is my nature to smite when I am angry iâ—s my nature to be soone hoâ— it s therefore
is written of that Worthy Learned and Holy Scot Master Rollock in his life That beeing on his death-bed and much encouraged by them that visited him by his worthy labours I abhorre saith hee my Rectorship of Vniversity Readership of Diuinity and Pastorship of Edenburgh all which with great profit to all hee vnderwent that I may bee found in Christ clothed with his righteousnesse all myne owne is dung in comparison of this The fourth Article Question PRoceed to the fourth Article shew what it is and the Coherence thereof with the former A. It layes forth the meane or way by which ordinarily the Lord exhibits vnto and settles vpon the poore sinner this deliuerance As touching the coherence as in the two former Articles the fountaine in God and the foundation of it in Christ is described so in this fourth is shewed how the soule may know them both to bee heere It s said Heb. 4.13 That God with whom wee haue to doe is a Searcher c. Note it The soule in her distresse hath to doe with God to his Tribunall she stands hearing her Iudge Now it is not the hearing of his giuing of Christ nor of a satisfaction which can quiet her but this that shee may know its giuen and performed for her Heere therefore in this fourth Article I say The offended Father hath accepted this satisfaction is well pleased with it his heart is made placable by it and now his heart is opened and his bosome of loue bared towards a poore wretch and this hee vtters by a proclamation and by an offer of grace to them if they will beleeue him to meane as he speakes See 2 Cor. 5.20 21. Him that knew no sinne he made sinne c. And what of this Therefore he saith Be reconciled to God Now when the soule heares of this ground and building she feeles her selfe to haue somewhat to say for her selfe in this her dealing with God I thanke thee O Lord for granting it and for the pryce payd but now seeing thou hast done it that in thy being satisfied I might haue my part in it as offred and pind to my sleeue when I see a thing more precious then the world laid in my lap by thy hand I tremble to thinke I should refuse my owne saluation Q. Because this point is large therefore lay downe some particulars to vnfold it And first what is this meane by which GOD reueales this deliuerance A. The Gospell in the Ministery of reconciliation is the instrument of this Reuelation and that both fully and onely The point is plaine all the Word witnesseth it Paul tels vs that when the loue of GOD appeared then hee saued vs This appearance is the light of the Gospell and the arising of the day starre thereby in the heart Reade by name 2 Cor. 4.6 GOD that commanded light to shine out of darkenesse hath shined into our hearts See the place Briefly hence it is that it s called the power of GOD to Saluation Rom. 1.16 See Matthew 13.44 2 Cor. 3. vlt. The field in which this pearle is hidden the Mirror in which wee behold the LORD with open face the Net inclozing the fishes the Light the Leauen c. Now yet this Gospell is not the meane in respect of the bare letters and syllables of it but in the Ministery of Reconciliation See 2 Cor. 3.8 9. where Paul cals it the Ministration of Righteousnesse and adornes it with termes of honour aboue the Lawes Ministery Especially See that 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Where Paul speaking of this great gift of Christ twise ioynes this with it And hee hath made vs Ministers of Reconciliation as if this were a materiall point Wee the Ministers of God beseech you bee reconciled receaue not the grace of God in vaine As who say It were a great helpe to our Faith to consider GOD hath sealed Ministers to engage their truth for God that if God do not meane as hee speakes we are lyers And lastly this is the onely ordinary way of reuâ—â—ling ordinary I say because what God can doe wee speake not and no other So that if God reuealed not himselfe thus to his Church wee should remayne as blind as Moles in the earth As wee had neuer knowne sinne but by the Law so neyther Grace but by the Gospell See Iohn 1.17 Nay much more For although both stand in Reuelation yet there is more of the Law left in our ruinous nature then of the Gospell no one sparkle of the latter is in vs by nature it stands meerly in Reuealing Hence Paul so oft presseth it as a Mystery hidden from the foundations of the World â— Tim. 19.10 till now the Gospell vnueyled the Curtaine And although the Lord reuealed this in a darke sort and within narrow bounds and in sundry sorts in times past according to their capacity yet now onely by this meane of his Sonne in the Gospell Heb. 1.1 Q. But is there not some peculiar thing in the Gospell by which he reueales it A. Yes And that is his gracious offer made to the soule therein which is nothing else but the expression of the Couenant of Grace that hee is willing a poore soule may come to him without doubting and feare because hee holds out this Golden Scepter vnto it and bids it Be reconciled Hither refer all those textes wherein this offer is made both in the couenant and in the seale of Baptisme Esay 55.1 He euery one that thirsteth come And Let him that thirsteth drinke freely Reu. 22.17 and Iohn 7.37 In the great day of the feast Iesus cryed If any man thirst let him come So that as a Prince hauing set vp his Proclamation in all places intimates his mind so the Lord by this Tender of Christ is acquitted from all aspersion of vnbeteamingnesse Especially if wee consider those cordes of his loue by which he drawes the soule to see his meaning sometimes by his inuitings to this feast of his Sonne sometimes by his contestations as Esay 55.2 Sometimes by his entreaties and earnest exhortings sometimes by his allurements Gen. 9.26 Hâ—s 2.14 to perswade and toll on the heart that hangs off by the promises of all the good things which he offreth Sometimes by his mournings and passionate lamentations Math. 23. vlt. Ioh. 3.19 Mar. 16.16 Sometimes by his seuere threats to all that refâ—ze his offers all these shew how willing and cordiall hee is to part with his grace Not to adde the freedome the fulnes the simplicity the vnchangeablenes the fidelity the strength and ability to make good â—hat which he offers all which are the ingredients of his offer and promise and lastly sometimes by the vniuersality of it that he dispenceth it without all respect of persons age sexes states and conditions who exempt not themselues But the especiall properties of the offer to be noted for our purpose are three first Libertie secondly simplicity and thirdly fidelity First Liberty that he doth
thorow the cloud of meane estate learning parts it lookes narrowly and spyes oftentimes great grace in a meane man for attire for carriage and fâ—â—hion The Spirit of Grace carries the eye of the humble to the treasure where it lyes lye it neuer so close and low Againe humble ones are both fitter to communâ—cate and to receaue The former because they thinke they can fall no lower nor lose any great credit for they haue no great thing to lose Hence it is that when selfeloue will chuze to haue no prayer at all then to forfeit her repute humblenesse will trust God with her selfe and pray The latter because being empty they are hungry and the hungry are glaâ— of any thing Eagles catch no Flyes but meane ones stoope to meane things They are truly seruants of the Seruants of God Not that an humble man denies the grace of God but because he conceaues that eyther hee is indeed the meanest of others in grace or else that his better graces dwell not so well as other mens because darkned with more corruptions then other mens smaller The humble Christian is in loue with the Graces of others and out of loue with himselfe Hee enuies not slights not others hee sees the vncomely parts often more graced then the comely and beholds a pearle as of patience wise speech cheerfulnesse mercy loue euen in the dunghill of the meanest outside Shee knowes her owne vilenes and wonders if any thing can come from such a one but others she knowes not and therfore what she sees vncomely she hides but beleeues that excellency in them which she sees not Q. What else is required A. Thirdly coueting of each others graces 1 Cor. 12.31 Couet the things that are most excellent Especially those wherein others excell vs most Appetite after the graces of coÌ„munion is the instinct of Gods Spirit for the growth of graces Many dwell much vpon any gift they haue to improove it but they see not where the hedge is lowest to amend it Coueting then is to esteeme the good for that which is precious in them and to seeke it earnestly Pro. 19.22 That which is desireable in a man is his goodnesse As Abraham said to the King of Sodom Gen. 14.21 Giue me the soules take thou the prey so the hungry heart couets communion for graces other things shee seekes in other places riches and pleasure and the like but Grace shee seekes where the Spirit of Grace lyes Men that hunt the Bezor seeke not her flesh but that which is precious in her the stone which is so cordiall Base respects are nothing to the Saints in comparison of this Iewell And this they seeke couetously as Paul Phil. 3. If by any meanes I might attaine c. And indeed it s the onely meane to procure it for who knowing the price of grace will helpe them to it who are indifferent whether they haue it or not The Lord Iesus when hee saw the poore woman would not giue him ouer till shee had her desire powred out all his treasure vpon her Matthew 15.28 And so importunity is a maine helpe to communion in graces Q. What is the last meane to attaine grace A. A gift to extract it out of such as haue it in them Salomon saith Pro. 20.6 There is wisedome in the heart of the Wise and a man of vnderstanding will get it out There must be a deep bucket to diue into a deep well to fetch out the water of it The skilfull Chymist or Apothecary knowes what Oyle what Salt what Qâ—intessence lyes in the Minerals Spices or Herbs and applyes his Art to extract and purchase them That Shunamite rested not in the staff which Gohazi had she would haue the skill of the Prophet So doth each Christian applyes himselfe to extract the gift of another as Elisha 2 King 4.30.34 Layed eies to eies and face to face of the child whom he restored Some excell in this more then others Delila lay at Samson till hee had told her his whole heart So shouldst thou that seekest the grace of others First by putting thy case in their peâ—sons whom thou tradest with As If thou wouldst learne what patience in sicknes and payne is or how thou mightst dye well aske others How would you doe in this case make mine your owne Secondly obserue wisely what falles from the godly in their communion and conuerse ouersee not their words behauiours affections zeale scopes Watch theÌ„ narrowly as Benhadads men did Ahabs Yea obserue the speciall seasons wherein such grace may be gayned and redeeme them eyther in publique or priuate ordinarily or extraordinarily Speciall opportunities affoord speciall enlargements Thirdly let faith be the chiefe Extractor Beleeue the graces of the body to be giuen for thy vse not onely in the ordinances but euen in priuate conuerse All things are yours 1. Cor. â— 21 saith Paul meaning all Graces in all the members it s a great help of profiting whenas wee beleeue all the Graces of others are ours allotted vs by priuiledge from Christ whose we are Fourthly Rest not onely in the outward obiect but pierce into the inward There is more in a Saint then a bare Sentence or carriage will expresse Looke into the bottome as the Cherub into the Mercy-seate The Spirit of faith 1. Pet. 1.12 humblenes hope in a Christian is a differing thing from prayer or Speech in the family the wisdome meeknes of a woman appears rather in the frame and spirit of her course and constant walking then in her words or outside Pro. 18.4 The treasure of the wise is in their hearts Begge of the Lord skill in this mystery till thou canst say I thanke God I discerne in sâ—ch a sicke man the spirit of patience susteyning him in another that prayeth the Spirit of humblenesse feeling in a third of Sobirety loue Compassion an heart aboue the Earth c. Fifthly Bee wise to chuse thy obiect Each man excels not in each grace or gift And when wee meete not with that wee looke for wee thinke meanly of meÌ„ as Naaman did being crossed by Elisha 2. King 5.12 But the Graces of God are to be marked as they be most eminent as in Moses his mickenes in Phinees zealâ— in Abraham fayth Rom. 12.4 The eye lookes not at the foot to reach a thing but at the hand nor at the hand to go but at the foote Acknowledge this peculiarnesse and profit by it Fiftly Although thou extract not at the first what thou desirest yet wayt still to see more But if thou get that thou seekest blesse God and be satisfied and thankfull as Paul I haue enough I am full I haue receiued the fruit of your loue a sweet sauour Phil. 4. And looke what wee freely receaue that freely beteame to others that the Graces of the Spirit may neuer lye dead in the banque of CoÌ„munion but still runne fresh and be of vse for the good of the body Yea vse
me out of thy clawes and from reuolting Q. How tempts he in the Assisting grace A. Especially in the first workes of the Law which some referre to the former hee corrupts the minde and spirit both in the enlightning part and the terrifying The former hee abuseth to multiply the fearefull view of sinne The latter to make terrour intolerable Hee tempts to bee weary of this Discipline tels them some good people neuer had terror that it will spoile their natures and so it will that they were best to put it by for Mellancholly and these Preachers will kill them let them be merry and sport themselues with pleasures with ease and liberty and then their senses will be fresher themselves fitter for good Now they are but dulled and the Preacher will cast downe ten ere comfort one and therefore leaue off with small trouble rather than great and terror is not repentance neither it can doe no good but kill And when many are thus snared they destroy themselues by violence despairing of any helpe But if they grow to some hope by the Gospell and not to make their hell another heauen then hee tempts them about the condition of the Promise either for kinde or measure that they neuer saw that sweetnesse in Christ which should break their hearts they neuer mourned enough nor hungred nor tooke paines aright nor prized the Promise or if they did yet for necessity or else out of self-selfe-loue alas they haue despised the Gospel it selfe and can grace saue them that haue hardned themselues as well against it as the Law besides they see others called home long since themselues behinde they are so vile hardened vnworthy cannot pray meditate and therefore God may doe much but they are daily worse rather than better and so in the rest it is not condition can saue them but faith Q. And how in the worke of Beleening A. Here he labours to hold them vnder especially by their irkesome bondage Oh saith he Faith is onely of the Elect and thou art none it 's the free gift of God and he may deny it as well as grant it Many haue come to the birth and haue dyed so and to beleeue is a greater thing than to talke of Sometimes hee makes it lesse than it is to puffe vp the heart with presumption Or hee hides the vertuous savour and strength of the Promise the Simplicity the Faithfulnesse of the Promiser and the offer Hee tells them if they beleeve they must be changed which is hardest of all yea rather than faile hee will seeke to pull downe the whole frame of God ouer their head fill them with temptations about the truth of the Scriptures as if they were but fables and Ministers preacht their owne fancies Hee poysons them with melancholicke distempers and feares askes them how they know this word which they so cleaue to is the Word or not puts worse temptations into them namely whether there be any God or no. And most vsually keeps them betweene the doubt of the Condition and the doubt of the Promise to bee at uncertainties But oh poore soule how shalt thou know thy Election saue by beleeuing or what is that freedome of God saue his bounty to the miserable and who are worthy Revel 3.4 saue those who are made so Looke backe to that I haue written in Part 2. Article the last and God stay thee Q. Proceed to his temptations of them that are called A. These concerne them either in point of their faith and as touching the former he tempteth two waies either about the being or the life of faith or else secondly their obedience Q. How about the being A. Thus he takes aduantage of the weake setling at the first and by that vnrenewednesse of nature which opposes this spirituall grace he seekes to ouerthrow them in the holding of their confidence He knowes this is their onely prop and therefore sometime by shewing them how poore their fruits are or how small their humblings were or what selfe-loue is mixed with their faith or how deadly and dully they walke or that they cannot appropriate Christ in each part of his merit or by the like hee concludes their faith is but temporary and no faith of the elect And at such a bay he holds some for lacke of knowledge that they yeeld and are ready vpon the least Sermons touch or obseruing of other mens confidence for many are too confident or vpon the occasion of any meanes to be vsed or duty to bee done or crosse suffered or the vrging of any priuiledge of a beleeuer to start and say yea if I had faith But I haue none Poore Creature if thou euer hadst it thou yet hast it and therefore hold that thou hast got 2 Iob. 8. Q. How about the life of faith A. Exceedingly For in truth this prooues the other Hee therefore knowing what aduantages he hath in this by either that naturall ease sloth and aweknes to enlarge the truth of one promise to all and partly that willing want of Christians in this point who chuse rather to soder with God in duties then obey him in nourishing their faith daily hee doth very much prevaile and by the small life seekes to destroy the beeing of faith If thou hadst but faith as a grayne of mustard seed thou mightst remoue mountaines But alas what faith hast thou who canst not beare the such a slight crosse a pette fillip of the finger an ill word for thy prosession the losse of a little matter Cow or horse Nay many that want can beare more than thou If thou liuedst by faith either in states meanes graces or duties thou wouldest bee otherwise then thou art not so soone vnsetled not so little growing not so defectiue in the measure of grace in vprightnesse integrity c. But iet the reader reade of this in the second Article of the life of faith Take from Satan his chiefe weapon thy carelesse neglect and the Lord shall sticke to thee in point of weakenesse Q. How doth he assault in point of obedience A. Either he tempts them about it or against it Q. How tempts he them about it A. Thus he buffets them in their comfort therein For whereas it's Gods will that he that walkes vprightly should walke safely and sweetly lo Satan separates the end from the meanes An hipocrite seperates the meanes from the end looking for peace where there is no vprightnesse But heere the stratagem of the Deuill contrary and therefore either he hides that from his eye which should bee his maine comfort in all failings or else takes vantage by that which should bee his humiliation to bee his vtter discouragement And indeed he is rightly himselfe in this for as in the former point he belyes God to the soule as if he could not support it for euer by his promise in the life of faith as Heb. 13.8 so here hee belyes the soule to it selfe and holds it in bondage And although he
be so that thou shouldst be willing to haue it so no let it make thee longue and stretch out thy necke a far off after thy Redemption and when thy knocking off drawes neere lift vp thine head Here is thy pilgrimage when shall I come to my fathers house how long Lord holy and true how long Lye under the Altar and cry till God answer thee Count them happyest that are gone before and put off their harnesse Oh when shall I follow well after and ouertake deere husband wife and friend that haue got the start of me Lord here is not the place I looke for here an handsell and earnest but Lord euen my very faith and hope which are my best graces in trauell are but releefes of misery for a season euen these should here cause me to cry out for the Christ of a better life saying with Paul If our hope were here in Christ only of all other I were worst Faith and Hope and Patience and Hearings and Sacraments shall cease if then therwith sin and sorrow cease not what is my best but misery but as long as I haue Christ for hereafter I care not hee will pay for all If here to be a little eased of my feares bee such a benefit what is it to be quite rid of them If here to be guided by faith what there to need none If here to hope for a good end what there to enioy the thing hoped If here to liue a barren poore sad life patience mixt with impatience knowledge with error faith with infidelity what there to haue the vse of them taken away Christ made mine wholly fully all loue without defect ioy without mixture peace without disturbance Christ in his kind blessednesse and perfection he was not giuen me to be some grace and more sin but all grace and no sinne then I shall not see him through this grate of my prison but with open face as hee is and as he sees me Oh Lord this coast of the present world so dimmeth and darkens that coast of heaven that I cannot behold it Turne thy loue-tokens oh Lord once at length into presence and fruition and shew me thy glory Q. What other vses are there A. Exhortation and that in generall first to resist all these Vse 2 wofull enemies of our peace It is a word soone spoken but of long and hard practice to stand I say vpon our guard therefore a little I would direct about it though I feele my selfe in a sea of matter yet I will send my Reader to large and godly Treatises of this vast argument and my selfe cull out two or three directions best agreeing to my drift Q. Begin then first with the first annoyance or let which is our owne corruption how is that to be resisted A. I will mention three wayes 1. The spiritual combat ere sin be brought into act 2. Watchfulnesse against outward occasions and temptations 3. Wisedome after we are fallen Q. What is the duty of the Combat A. It is the exercise of that holy Principle of the Spirit of the new Creature which perpetually fighteth against the flesh in the regenerate Let this bee perpetually maintained and the hand of Faith or of Christ rather bee continually iogged by vs for the liuely quickening grace thereof to resist our inward selfe-temptations Gal. 5.17 The Spirit lusteth against the Flesh and ye cannot be as ye would There is in the New Creature a renuing throughout in euery part yet not throughout in all As in a dead Palsey all one side dead yet the other wholly aliue How doth the liuing part fight against the dead If a man should haue a dead carkasse bound to his backe till he dyed were it not an heavy plague would it not be irkesome So this body of death to the liuing part of the new Creature Oh mourne and grone it out The Physitians say Every deepe sigh spends a drop of bloud Oh that thy grones might consume this bloud I likened it before to Peninna I Sam. 1. Let Hanna then bee to Peninna as shee to bee sure will be to her Shee will not see the least looke of Elkana toward her the least loue-token not one nights lodging not one cast of favour but shee will pine at it vpbraid her for it vexe at and grudge her the least drop Oh! Let Hanna doe so to her Let her all that shee can get into her husbands heart and the more shee is envyed the more let her cling to him that his loue may support her against her enemy let him be to her aboue all her feares Oh if this were how happy were we It 's said of Rebecca that she was weary of her life for Esaw's wives as I noted and wisht them out of doores Let vs be like her and say Oh Lord these base dogging thoughts of sinne which breed ill affections and threaten to breake forth daily into action how noysome are they When Rebecca felt a strugling she asked the cause of the Lord and he answered Wonder not there be two nations in thee a cursed and a blessed one one whom I have hated another loued it must be thus wait thy time pray for a good trauel the whilst thou must beare this strife within thee So doe thou doe not onely beare it but maintaine it also Say to the Lord I can neuer shunne euill but I am the more tempted to it never ensue goodnesse but I am driuen from it Lord why is it thus Oh quicken vp that loue that Image of thy righteousnesse that seed of God that inner man of the Spirit which may present thee so to my soule that thy sweetnesse and love may cause the Image of old lust to be despised decay daily more and more Create in my soule that holy nature of thine which may for euer abhor foile conquer this flesh and the opposition of it in me Thou oh Lord art as holy as sin is wicked Oh Lord shew it and the preuailing nature of it let it burne vpon the Altar of my soule against the Altar of corruption Oh that I could find but one day of many that I were mine owne and free to righteousnesse rid of my cumber and clog That I could feele those secret motions and instincts of sin in me rebelling against thee tickling mee snaring and leading me captiue being as sensible and wake to marke and discouer them and nip them in the necke as they are to annoy me Q. What is the second duty of watching A. Continually to obserue and preuent occasions offered when we cannot foile inward motions Cut off her prouision and sterue sin As men deale with fields of weeds which they cannot root up they hooke them and so kill them by oft cutting off their tops so doe thou with occasions obiects counsell prouocation to thy wrath reuenge couetousnesse maintaine a sound desire to abhorre them that they neuer enter thy trenches The welcomming of obiects is as casting of oyle
Church Commonwealth What obnoxiousnesse to Satan to his instruments temptations mischiefe bondage to the vngodly suites seruices dependances with hard conditions crosses streights pursuites losses forfeits death of friends imprisonment accidents and shrewd turnes bad tydings confusion in the state famine warre pestilence and a 1000. waies for him to goe wofully out who came but one way into the world Besides griefe of minde melancholy passions and distempers of the spirit bad conscience ill marriage lewd children ill successe Ruine of estate and at last a miserable death And yet the vpshot of all is worst after viz. A finall separation â—rom God and losse of his eternall presence with the sence of vnutterable intolerable vnauoidable wrath of God in Hell vpon the whole man for euer without the least hope of helpe or redresse Q I partly conceaue this view and mappe of the misery of the fall now conclude the Article with some vse of it A. First heere is confutation of all Papists who flatly deny this Article and tell vs that our Nature is indeed shrewdly Vse 1 may med and wounded much like him who fell among theeues betweene Ierusalem and Iericho Luke 10.30 and left halfe dead But as for vs that maintaine this dying the death this quite and cleane deadnesse in sins and trespasses they cannot abide No say they there be left euen in the vnregenerate such abilities and devotions as may congruously dispose God to pardon them And by some helpe of grace merit also full fâ—rgiuenesse Yea they boast themselues of their performances and dâ—ties whereas Paul tels vs that all boasting is cut off And tels vs Rom. 3.27 Baptisme washeth away all originall sinne which yet Paul grones vnder the burden of beiâ—g regenerate Also all P lâ—gians or their adherents who affiâ—me that old Adam is as one in a darke dungeon who by reason of darknesse cannot see but if he haue a light put in hath his eyes very quicke and can see any thing and so wee want but light and then wee are able to discerne and apprehend any truth put into vs of our selues Also such as blanch the matter with the color of Grace added to our nature for by that say they nature being holpen can put on the cordes as Ieremy in the dungeon and addresse himselfe to come forth What hath a dead man with all the light and helpe in the World to addresse himselfe to liue Vse 2 This also reprooues all Naturall Papists that dote upon their ciuill morall or religious duties and deuotions and cannot abide to heare that those who so duly pay all debts all dues who giue so many almes to the poore heare so many sermons keep so many Sabbaths read so many good books keep so much good company commend the Ministers and welcome them and maintaine them should yet bee as the Publicanes and sinners I doe not say yee are but I say this Except ye also deny your selues and behold this misery of your Natures yee will fate woâ—se in time euen by your righteousnesse then if yee had nonâ— for â—hy doe ye not graffe upon a rotten stock and guild a rotten post So also such as commend mens natures in the point of religion saying Oh such are so sweetly natured courteous loâ—ing mild and harmelesse that there is but little betweene them and Heauen Alas how many of these sweet creatures are as bitter enemies to Gods grace as friends to ciuility and faire carriage Also such as aime at religion onely thus far to colour their wings and tip their tongues or their outward dealings with some outside but as for that heart within and nature they suspect not And to conclude such as being told of their passions defend theÌ„ by their nature It 's my nature to be so hot I haue soone done why poore foole thinkst thou thy nature is more excusable then thy passion and yet what is so common with men to say then this If I were an adulterer or drunkard I were willing the Minister should thus sharply rebuke mee but to be so bitter for mens infirmities and against that which we cannot doe with nor heale and auoide and against vnbeleefe or the like me thinkes he might be wiser Oh God would faine draw thee from the open to the secret sins of thy heart lest thy freedome from the grosser should destroy thee He would euen weary and tyre thee by thy cursed nature when thou seest all thy other defences are but dawbings with vntempered morter Thirdly This should cause thee to look vpward and to gage the greatnesse of Christs loue which could finde in his heart to Vse 3 satisfie for such a misery and to fetch happinesse out of the depth of it Euen in this Article is layd the foundation of thy esteeme of Christ in the next pâ—rt of the Catechisme Christ will be little set by the height and depth of mercy cannot bee sounded till thou take measure of it by a Reede of thy misery Little sinne to forgiue will make Christ little loued As we see at the Assyses that base theefe that thinkes to conceale some of his robberies and is loth to haue all come out at once fearing the mercy of the Iudge when his inditements come to bee read the second time loses his life Let vs beware lest it bee so with vs. Let not vs lessen and minse our sinnes in hope of more easie pardon but if we would magnifie the grace of Christ let vs first magnifie and enlarge our sin to the vttermost if Christ see that we rather hope in our small sin then his great grace we are dead men The way to get pardon is to equall his price to all our misery Say thus If Lord my sin had beene onely a share in Adams eating and no more or in some actuall few euils or if in the meere priuation of some good things or in sin only and not in penalties or if in bodily only and not spirituall or if spirituall onely and not eternall somewhat might seeme to lessen thy loue but surely that loue that would satisfie for all rather then any should condemne me is of vnspeakeable dimensions Oh! learne by this how to esteeme the price of grace If each step of this first part if each of these Articles make thee not miserableâ— then other no Article of the second part shall be able to comfort thee Be confounded vnder the ruine of thy misery and vow with that good Iabez If the Lord will indeed rid me of all this great euill that it may not grieue me If he will enlarge my coast and bring me out of this heape of woe then he shall be my God and I will make songs of his mercy Oh! let all that haue beene sayd of this misery make thee goe as she Luke 13.11 bowed together vnder an intolerable burden Lay all together to make vp such a loade as may pinch thy shoulders and cry out Who shall deliuer me who could't thinke such
cast Besides the Lord lothes to worke vpon a soule in the heat of her lust first he will frame her to his discipline ere he bestow any grace vpon her And rarely doth the Lord honor any bold reuolting sinner during his course till first he haue stopt him some time from it So then terror first turnes edge and gets within and ouergoes a sinner in his way as Zara ouertakes Phares in his hasty issue out of the wombe The vse briefly that so I may be short in the maine vse when I come to it is first not to imagine all restraints from euill to be grace try them first God intends them for good but they are as farre from mortification as a trembling or Lyon-couchant is from a dead one The vilest harlot that Rosamund in her vault was actually kept from her vncleannesse as well as chast matrones but her heart was as before her principle was vncleane still Not the loue of good but lothing of euill restraines legally For the time Iudas was so far from his pieces that hee chuzes to hang himselfe rather then to fall to his trade And therefore restraint onely is not to be rested in howbeit God where he meanes to proceed sauingly doth restraine wholesomely if we could iudge but seeing this is a secret trust not our selues or others heerein till the Lord hath by this step trained vs further Reioice for the least degree as I confesse in such a loose debaucht age restraint of some yong drunkards would seeme high Religion its better to haue the halfe loafe then no bread but follow the Lord in the sauor of his law to a setting a true principle of purenesse and grace and loue to renue change thee Rom. 12.9 and to forsake sin with a true abhorring as hell Q. What is the second effect of this legall consternation A. Vnsetting and shaking the prison walles of rotten peace in a sinfull soule I say false secure peace which it takes to her selfe and pleases her selfe in iâ— when God debarres her of all sound peace Esay 57 vlt. This is a fertile sield to walke in but I will be short A sinners life is his rotten peace both without a law by reasoÌ„ of his hurrying on froÌ„ sin to sin without leasure to call himselfe backe and selfeloue pleasing himselfe in the sight of his eies and the ioy of his heart with or vnder a law by sundry practizes colours 1. By nouzling himselfe vnder flattering meanes such as are quiet and safe sow pillowes threatning no disturbance 2. Withdrawing from stirring ones and resisting them and expelling them as Ahab did Eliâ—a and Micaiah his two enemies that neuer spake good to him 3. If conuiction assault yet holding it off with obstinate error or profanenesse and colouring with halfe yeelding and shew of consent the heart being rotten The Law of God fights against all these hauing once the soule vpon the hip vantage of terror doth cleare the deluded bribed iudgement stabbes the heart for her long rottennesse and rest in it rends off and sweepes down with the hand and besome of the law all the paper walles and copweb deuices she had spun and vtters it selfe both to her selfe others in deep detestation against the. All that league of a rotten heart with sin self hell danger Esa 28.18 the Lord batters against the hard stones of terror that it may be dasht in pieces And so for the time it holds except the soule shake it off therfore at the worst is infinitely better then all old peace A iust warre is to bee preferred to vniust peace alway and the hardest day of terror to a mans conscience for all his old rex is better then the sweetest he euer had in euill and the pleasures of it Oh his companions his excuses colours and deceits are reuealed to be hellish the curtaine now is opened and he sees them all meer Paint of an harlot to keep him in a spirituall fornication Hee is now so farre from peace that he sees hell gaping vpon him to deuoure him for his sweet pleasures Let the vse be treble First Iudge thy selfe if thou be not yet come thus far that thy false peace is broken off by the law thou art in wofull case the man thou wert wont Oh how few other doe we meet within our Ministery MeÌ„ will do much to be well thought of by other men but take no pâ—ins for the Ministry of Gods law to hunt out their soothing hollow loue of themselues alas why do ye spend time to nouzle your selues in self-loue which ten times might be better spent in bringing ye out of conceit with your selues and abhorring your rotten league that so the Lord might begin to thinke well of ye But men cannot abide to be thought ill of what doe ye thinke amisse of them Euen as the life of banquerouts is to set a good face on it and borrow what they can get and brace it out with their wealth and go braue in apparell till ruine come so heer men occupy with a stock that is none of theirs and yet scorn to haue their states suspected but are as good as the best of all others Oh false peace will bring ye to ruine at last That ye would catch at ye shall neuer get but that ye do so shun ye shall for euer meet with vtter shame with God and men and destruction to your selues Secondly Labor for this worke of the law to pull ye down and bewray your false peace try your selues by this that now yee cry out of all dawbers with vntempered morter false prophets and preachers of peace together with that Arch-false prophet of self-loue and cling to the faithfull and count their wounds Balme as for your owne vainties they haue caused ye to forsake mercy Lastly Let not this be enough that yee are brought thus far till Christ haue wholly expelled that strong man who rules and lockes vp the house in peace and till he bring in a true bottome of peace into yee by sprinkling ye with his blood that speakes better things then that of Abel When this Sherif comes he will fetch out all dwellers in the house and breake open all happy are they to whom the law brings this writ of eiection especially if the other Sherif of the Gospel bring in a new and a sound peace Q. What is the third effect of the Law A. The Spirit of bondage of which see Rom. 8.15 Heb. 2.15 Heb. 12.12 Ye are not come to mount Sinai to those terrors smoke which made Moses himself to say I quake for feareâ— hell speakes of the first condition vnder the law they were past a Taskmaster and Schoolemaster and were come to mount Sion and to the liberty of the first borne c. But heer he intimates how they came by it Now this differs as much from meer feare as a passage differs from an act The Lord ayming by this to
of present helpe himselfe stepped forth to helpe it out he of duty the Lord of meere goodnesse but thus he did found out a way to set man vpon dry land againe out of the gulfe and depth of misery so that the one was not so hidious as this is precious and gracious Q. More particularly what do they conteine A. A sweet view of the chiefe parts of this Redemption First the first hidden and secret eternall Workeman of this deliuerance and that is God the Father In whose bosome this depth lay before all worlds who fore-seeing this ruine and his endlesse Iustice against sinne yet purpozed not to abandon all grace out of his heart towards desolate man but to retaine some still in the bottom of his wisedome good pleasure And note that this appeared not at first yet it was there then and appeared after This is the cause why GOD the Father is heere called our Sauiour and why he is said to Saue vs in ver 5. viz. as in 2 Cor 5.17 he is said to Reconcile vs not by meriting it but by first and originall ordaining it as the first agent in the working of the Trinity the deuizer of this Saluation and of the Lord Iesus the meriter of it Now marke this act of God is described by a double argument The first is the impulsiue cause set down by three words Kindnesse Loue Mercy Whereof the latter interprets the former Kindnesse and Loue noting the remainder of that Goodnesse of Creation as if the Apostle should say The sin of man could not root out this goodnesse so as to take it from God but still he had a bottomlesse goodnesse and kindnesse left in himselfe But the third word Mercy addâ— to them both q. d. The Lord imparted himselfe to Adam in this goodnesse of his ere hee was fallen but hee shewd him no mercy for hee needed none But beeing become miserable Lo he addes mercy to goodnes and enlarges his first kindnes and loue by a second compassion pity respecting him now in his blood and misery in which he exceeds the former as much as the Sun at noonetyde doth the rizing mercy being the perfection of loue The second argument is from the deniall of contraries Not by workes of righteousnes c. The summe is this eternall mercy was free in the conception of it The LORD foresaw not who should in time embrace this mercy nor left it in a middle doubtfull vncerteinty who should and who not suspending his pleasure vpon mans will but he did out of the freedome of grace and mercy when as yet no good in vs was foreseene much lesse actuall when no naturall or supernaturall goodnes was to bee seene in vs euen then hee saued vs because he would so doe Q. What is the second branch of this description A. The instâ—umentall meriting cause of this saluation set forth in those wordes when this loue appeared and againe vers 6 Which he shed abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauior Note the sweet phrase which Paul delights in to stile both the Father and Christ our Sauiours the latter flowing from the former Now in this point note first he sayth It appeared As we see the like word Chapter second verse 11. The summe is whereas it had bin impossible for man or Angel euer to haue diued into the depth of this mercy Lo the Lord caused it to appeare in the fulnes of time and brake open this sealed fountaine of his bosome by the manifesting thereof in his Sonne for no man at any time hath seene the Father but the onely begotten Sonne of GOD comming out of his bosome hath reuealed him And which is this Appearer who made mercy appeare in himselfe Iesus Christ our Sauior It must bee so that howsoeuer mercy was hidde in the Father yet it could not appeare but by Iesus our Sauior he truly God and man in obeying suffering must bring iustice to kisse this mercy by appeasing that infinite anger of the Father for sinne and performing such a righteousnes for man as might afford a sufficient satisfaction to GOD in his vttermost iustice Christ and none else could thus do or suffer none else may satisfy he himselfe without all this both obedience and blood could not doe it none of his loue or prayers or pouerty but Iesus our Sauiour in this his full payment as a surety and a Sacrifice of blood could saue vs Q. All this is euident but what else addeth the Apostle to make vs this description of deliuerance A. The third point is the obiect vpon whom this blessing is bestowed intimated in these words Towards man and saue vs and shed on vs c. By which as he implieth that Man in his misery the selfe same man that fell froÌ„ God to hell was the obiect of mercy so the Number of all those to whom the Lord doth sauingly appeare in this mercy of his electioÌ„ in Christ are the ful obiect of mercy al that mercy can bestow The Church of Christ is she who is the sole and equall obiect of Christ all he did and suffred was not for the reprobate Ephe. 5. but the Elect these he redeemed gaue him selfe for that he might make them a peculiar spouse to himselfe without spot or wrinkle as he sayth to the Ephesians in plainer termes Q. And what are those excellent things which IESVS our Sauiour hath purchased doth this Text mention them A. Yea verie fully and that both in generall speciall For the first he sayth he saued vs. Which is as if hee had sayd he restored and set vs in as good an estate as we lost and quit vs as fully of all our misery as euer old Adam did plunge vs into it If hee lost vs Christ saued vs if hee betrayd vs to bondage He redeemed vs if he brought vs to vtter hatred He reconciled vs if he condemned vs Christ forgaue vs hee did deliuer vs in a word from all sinne and curse and layd a plaster on vs full as broad as the sore Rom. 5. Yet this must bee added that Not as the offence is so is the gift For in Adam wee were so made the Image of GOD that we lost it presently but the second Adam so saued vs pardoned and reconciled vs as neuer to be lost neuer to bee cursed neuer condemned the second time And more yet Adam was not created to any happinesse saue immortality vpon earth in a created righteousnesse We to an vncreated Vnion and Communion with God in Heauen in the presence of God This in generall More particularly the words heere are three Saued vs Regenerated vs Renewed vs. By the first of them vnderstand the negatiue part of this deliuerance viz. from what he freed vs Sinne Law Satan Wrath Death Iudgement By the latter two the positiue good things purchased vs. First by RegeneratioÌ„ and Renewing he meanes all those graces which concerne our estate in the grace of Iustification standing in
Sonne of GOD. Heere was a worke indeed of some dâ—fficulty at which not onely the deepest conceit of mortall man but euen the Angels themselues may stand and wonder and vanish Oh! â—hat he view of this might rauish our soules with the worth of grace to say The least dramme of grace is more worth then the whole worke of Nature who is carried by this meditation aboue whatsoeuer this world is in respect of the New Creature to compt the whole creation as vanity Dauid Psal 8. admireth man in that first workmanship of his as aboue aâ—l others in the world what then may be sayd of man renued and restored to a second Image of God if the breath oâ— Creation were such a thing what is Regeneration that cost not a breath but so greaâ— a workmanship of this Actiue and passiue satisfaction Q. â—eeing all this is doubtlesse the maine Satisfaction goe to the vses o bâ—th these in due order first tell me why you do put them together A. For the latter I answer Because as one saith this price is like the price of a Diamond payd for ten malefactors which is nâ—yâ—her all payd â—or any one nor any seuerall part for one and â—notheâ— for the other but generally the whâ—le for them al and eâ—ch hâ—uing shaâ—e in the whole Let thâ—reâ—ore whatsoeuer is spoken dstinctly of the benefit hereof bee inclusiuely taken as that which issueth froÌ„ the insparable merit of both ioyntly Now for the vses First let vs abhorre the cocceit of such Sectaries as imagine that there was no necessity at all of any such price paying to Iustice nor any barre in Gods Iustice at all why hee might not haue shewed mercy to sinners without any such satisfaction made at all It s an horrible derogation to the Scriptures and to the wisdome of GOD and sauoreth of a profane audacious spirit making sinne and grace of small esteeme Rather let it present to vs the hideous nature of sinne and iustice Salomon bids vs behold the drunkard in his rednes of colour bluenesse of wounds that wee might loath his sinne But rather behold it in this glasse of the Lord Iesus his satisfaction Esay 63.1 Who is he that commeth from Bozra with his red garments I haue trod the wine presse of the wrath of the Lord c. If the glasse of the Law haue not done it let this do it yea behold the sinnes which we count most veniall in this obiect of Iustice Not the pettyest oath or least of our vaine wordes could be payd for with the price of a lesser thing then the blood of Christ Iustice would admit of no other And the Father spared not his onely Sonne in this point but would haue him drinke the dregs of his wrath What shall become of such wretches then as despise this price How shall they struggle with this infinite wrath of GOD which the Lord Iesus had bin crusht vnder as vnsupportable if his Godhead had not held him vp Now while sinne is in her element it s counted as light as feathers but being vnder the weight of iustice and the sence of wrath it will prooue intolerable Let vs count it so now whiles wee may get it shrowded vnder the Lord Iesus let vs sweat water and blood and feele that in vs which caused those outcryes My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken mee Not to become Mediators to our selues but to driue vs to him that ouercame this anguish Hebr. 5. and was heard in that he feared If sin in our selues will not breake our hearts let it breake them in the view of CHRIST broken by them let vs Zach. 12.10 See him whom we haue pierced and mourne Not as Papists who whip their bodies and cry out of them that betraied accused scourged and crowned Christ and crucified him but as those who were the Actors of this Tragedy our selues Act. 2.38 that if by any meanes our hearts may be pricked as theirs who heard Peter vrge the killing of the Lord of Life Oh vnspeakable loue to be willing to be pierced for Murtherers that they might escape To say Oh Father heere is the surety lay no debt or punishment vpon these debtors I haue taken all vpon me if thou wilt needs haue the vttermost powre out thy wrath vpon him that can satisfie not vpon them that cannot Try whether there be any drop of mourning in thee by this due sight of sinne and iustice and say Oh Lord if I were left to bee my owne satisfier if thou shouldst haue said to Christ as once to Moses Them that sinne against mee I will punish of thee I will require nothing Oh how terrible had our condition beene Secondly let this doctrine confute Vse 2 First all Sectaries who that they might be singular to say Branch 1 no more teach heere of late among vs that Christ had no guilt of sinne cast vpon him by iustice for then hee could haue beene no satisfier confounding sinne imputed and sinne inherent that Christ suffred nothing in his soule from Gods wrath seazing vpon him nor yet in either body or mind but that which man could inflict by eyther paiâ—â— or discontent But God keepe them that are the broachers of such stuffe from such a satisfaction as this in the day of their distresse And whereas they adde Gods Iustice accepted this for an equall price of sinne I answer Who hath taught them to dreame of an acceptance of that which is not equivalent to Iustice Might they not aswell ouerthrow any necessity of a satisfying Iustice as teach Iustice to accept that which is not Iustice Is it not well for vs that the Lord will accompt a truly iust satisfaction of a surety to answer our debt which was more then he ought vs but wee must goe about to corrupt the price it selfe and dreame of an imputing of equall satisfaction to an vnequall price Let vs abhorre such nouelties and know if Christ suffred no more then the malice of man there remayneth a necessity of a second suffring for vs from iustice Let vs beware while we goe about to minse and lessen the suffrings of Christ lest we destroy the truth of a Mediator and bereaue the soule of that which should vphold her in her conflict with Iustice Not to speake of vnsauory dallyance with those Texts which are brought to confute them Esay 53. 2 Cor. 5.21 and others To conclude except Christ suffred more then from man we may say that many Martyrs exceeded him in their patience of whom we read no such outcryes as Christ made Branch 2 Secondly let it teach vs to abhorre the opinion of those Lutherans who teach that our Iustification stands in the so applying of Christ righteousnesse to a sinner that hee may pleade it from the tenor of the Law Doe this and liue Meaning that wee must be possessed with the very selfe-same righteousnesse wherewith Christ obeyed and suffred And this they imagine to be the matter of
our iustification and that else God cannot in Iustice acquite vs. They say The elect doe sustaine one person with Christ in all his acts and suffrings and they are all made theirs But thus they make Christ serue to no other ends but to become our owne Mediator and to destroy his owne The error of this conceit arose from a confounding of the valor or worth of this righteousnesse with the substance of righteousnesse it selfe For although wee cannot be iustified without imputation of the fulnesse of the merit yet wee are not capable of that which merited except wee will become infinite Branch 3 Thirdly it confutes those Sectaries who affirme that God seeth no sin in any of his if hee haue once imputed Christs righteousnesse to them This error arizes from not distinguishing these two Imputation of perfect righteousnesse and perfect imputing or accepting of imputed righteousnesse No man is iustified without the former but our faith fayling in the acceptance must needs bee looked vpon by God I confesse hee sees no sinne but hee pardons it to his in Christ vpon Faith and Repentance but hee punishes it for their good in mercy Againe what if we grant God sees no sinne in them in respect of their iustification Is therefore their sanctification perfect Why then did Dauids adultery displease the Lord Or why doe we pray Forgiue vs our debts or why saith our Sauiour Say when all is done yee are vnprofitable Fourthly it confutes all such as cut off the Actiue obedience Branch 4 of Christ from the satisfaction 2 Sam. 10.4 as they cut the garments of Dauids seruants by the middle I blame them not as Papists for denying Christ to bee our price but for their curious diuiding of one member of it from another It may bee granted them that the Passiue is the more immediate coÌ„summation of the satisfaction but to conclude the Actiue is most audacious They say Christ was bound to the obeying of the Law as a man made vnder it I answere Yea but except hee had beene so made purposely for vs hee needed neuer to bee so at all therefore his willing being so made the merit the greater and although being a man he must obey yet seing his being a man was that hee might obey for vs it must bee of greater desert Againe as the Passiue is the neerer merit in respect of the estate in which we stood accursed So the Actiue is as essentiall in respect of recouering that Image of righteousnesse which makes vs like GOD and in which wee were created Neither was it Hell could haue hurt vs without sinne Besides to say truth if Adam after his sinne had not beene accursed yet in sinning onely he had beene miserable It is therefore as essentiall to Iustification that hee bee made iust as rid of guilt and brought to Heauen as rid of Hell But of this before Q. Bee there any other vses bâ—sides confutation Vse 3 A. Yea. And first to teach all Gods people to abhorre the slauery of hypocrites who if they could shun Hell would neuer care for righteousnesse Gods people although they could sinne vnseene and vnpunished yet would loath it They take as deep thought for God as for their owne welfare 2 Sam. 14.30 When Absalon was pardoned yet he set Ioabs corne on fire because hee might not bee admitted to the Kings presence chuzing rather to dye then to hang in such suspence And shall a beleeuer rest in his pardon more then in the righteousnesse of God which may make them accepted and beloued Eph. 1.5 No the liuery they weare is The Lord our righteousnesse Oh till I be restored to my blood to my dignities to stand before the Lord to please him to feele his Spirit of peace ioy and righteousnesse and my Conscience purged to serve God in holinesse I can feele no comfort Vse 4 Secondly let it raise the price of the Lord Iesus his loue in the hearts of all his children Should he that was glory and holinesse bee content not onely to become a worme base and vile to his enemies but to lose the repute of holinesse and become sinne rather then sinne should not become righteousnesse and glory how great is this loue then and how deare should he be in the taking of our imputed sinne and blemish vpon him Vse 5 Thirdly to touch his Passion a little how should it teach vs to abhorre all enemies of the Crosse Atheists Papists Iewes and Pagans to whom it is eyther a stumbling block or foolishnesse yea all such as hold vpon a Christ in profession but farre from an humbled suffring and crucified Christ carrying themselues rather so in their haire fashions and oathes the loftinesse of their stomacks as if their Christ were rather some great Epicure Libertine or Champion of the world Fourthly If this death of the Lord Iesus be our satisfaction Vse 6 and the freedome from sinne and curse our pardon peace and Heauen where is the dwelling of our hearts vpon it the delight of our soules in it Commonly wee will weare our choise Iewell neerest our heart and why is this Iewell which cost the blood of the Sonne of God so farre off it Surely except this be our soules crowne more then the crowne of the aged are their children or the Ministers crowne his people or the husbands his deare wife not to speake of gold pleasures or outward welfare how can it bee well with vs If the perfection of loue be ioy and the perfecter the obiect is the greater the loue How is it that each base shadow of ioy can affect vs when this can not If our hope were heere onely in Christ of all others 1 Cor. 15.19 we were most miserable Nothing heere can keepe thee from misery what is then thy happinesse This satisfaction onely Let it be all in all to thee the seasoning of thy blessings supply of all wants if thou wert left as an owle in the desart Hab. 3.17 if no calf were left in the stall yet let God be thy saluation Let thy life be bound vp in it as Iacobs in Beniamin Fifthly and especially let the chiefe streame of this points Vse 7 vse be this To all Ministers to teach it and the people to apply it to themselues in all their feares yea the greatest agony yea death it selfe whatsoeuer thou forgoest hold this For Ministers let them remember their office as hee to Archippus and fulfill it Paul presses it compare 2 Cor. 5.21 with 20. Him that knew no sinne hee made sinne that wee might bee his righteousnesse And what of this We being Embassadors of God as if Christ by vs did entreate you so we vrge Bee reconciled to God Be no Idols non Preachers bee no Preachers of any thing before this Preach not with a veile as Moses stand with open face and hold this mirror to poore sinners that they may behold The Lord their righteousnesse 2 Cor. 3 1â— If the worth of a
soule were knowne by vs and the blood of soules prized and pitied hen the preaching declaring of this righteousnesse Iob 33. would bee the scope of our labours Wee are Ministers or the Law but onely so as seruing the Ministery of reconciliation Let vs mainly looke to this to saue our selues and them that heare vs if wee haue wrought the vse of the last Article of the former part vpon them learne the skill of this second and linne not with God till he say to vs Deliuer him Iob 33.24 Mat. 13.44 Gen. 29.20 I haue receaued a ransome If wee could find this veine and the treasure hid in this field all our worke would bee as Iacobs seuen yeeres for the loue of Rachel sweet and easie For people also secondly Consider yee who haue truly felt that Serpent of the Law sting ye mortally in the other part come apply the remedy in this looke vpon this brazen Serpent and liue and first I say feele the strength secondly take hold of it and make peace for the former know without a promise from God there is no peace vnto yee and promise there can bee none without this satisfaction This is the strength of an offer and a promise it s else as he spake of the Serpent Nehushtan and a piece of brasse As sinne is the strength of the Law so is this price of the blood of Christ the strength of the promise Thou hast to deale with the Father in the point of iustifying thee ponder well then this strength as thou wouldst try the waight of Gold in the ballance If thou canst feele this strenght so farre as to say Esay 27 4. or to heare the Lord say 2 Cor. 1.10 Anger is not in mee I am appeased thou beginst well Anger abides in God without this price and thou art but as the bushes and dry stubble before it Be assured then that no promise speakes to thy soule and to thy heart except it haue this strength of Christ in whom each one is yea Amen Looke vpon a promise if thou need it as it s furnished with this for hence comes all wrath to be turned to loue this will make God willing to offer faithful to performe els not That bottomlesse depth of mercy in thy Iudge enemy cannot be gaged without this bucket by this thou mayst reach it Againe as this is sufficient strength so it is that onely which can redeem thee Let that Mountebanke of Rome who would bring thee to the treasure of Saints merits be odious to thee Say thus Mica 6. What shall I giue the Lord for the sin of my soule My gold or pearles Oyle or wine or the first borne of my body No he hath shewed me the onely way to be his righteousnes He redeemed vs sayth Peter not with pearles but with the precious blood of his Lambe Wilt thou go to the holy ones in earth Alas they were as vile as thou but for this and they haue no more of it then will serue their turnes Wilt thou go to Heauen to Saints and Angels Alas Esay 63. Abraham knowes thee not What then Mat. 25.6 wilt thou go to thy duties performances grace Alas they haue no blood of expiation in them all these will say Satisfaction is not in vs. Where then Surely heere onely If so abandon all cling to this onely And that is the second branch Take hold of this sufficient onely sufficient strength as the Prophet bids thee Iob 9.15 1 Pet. 3.19 Carry it with thee to thy Iudge make supplication to him in this strength Peter calles it the answer of a conscience good in the resurrection of Christ What euer enemy pursue thee at the heeles this is thy refuge that heere thou mightst haue strong consolation in all feares against all enemies Fearest thou the sins of youth or age The Lord Iesus was conceaued in the wombe that the infant elect which neuer saw light might be saued by him youth notwithstanding her disobedience age for all her rebellion might be forgiuen Do thy morall sinnes of murther stealth vncleannes swearing distresse thee This Lord Iesus fulfilled all righteousnes for thee Do thy spirituall wickednesses oppresse thee and the penalties of them an vnbeleeuing secure hard heart by the contempt of the Gospell The Lord Iesus suffred the powring out of his blood to breake the heart of those that pierced him vpon the crosse Art thou poore Thy Satisfier was so Rich He was the Lord of all Are thy sinnes great He dyed for Noahs drunkennesse Lots incest Dauids adultery Small Lo euen thy least vaine word cost him his life-blood 2 Cor. 5. â—1 But perhaps not some sinnes but sinne it selfe and the body of death troubles thee He was made sinne that knew none Oh then whatsoeuer sinne can say yet go on to the throne of grace as Heb. 4.16 and looke to finde mercy in time of need Doth the Deuill the gates of Hell conscience or the iustice of GOD threaten thee They can not saue for sinne if they doe thy conscience hath her answere to God against all And so plead this thy pardon to the Lord. Say thus Oh Father euen thou cuttest off thy plea in giuing this price in accepting it in offring of it to mee I Lord am heere before thee pinched and damned by my sinne if thou do not reckon it vnto mee Oh Lord I put this blessed price betweene me and wrath LORD haue no power to deny it me Euen I if I were left with an orphans estate could not keepe it from him LORD I am fatherlesse my orphans stocke is in thy keeping thou tookest it to bestow it Lord let my soule haue strong consolation in her seeking refuge to thee because this price warrants mee If a debtor be in prison and be bid to come forth he will answer I am heere for debt I cannot but if vrged he will lay hold vpon this Strength Surely some Surety hath payd my debt and then his heart answers I will come out Oh! so let this strength be layd hold on by thee if thou looke for deliuerance In the end of this second part I shall adde somewhat touching faith Meane time let this be as the riuer leading to the Sea Q. But what is the word of Imputation so oft vsed by the Holy Ghost in the matter of Iustification A. I am glad you haue mentiond it in so good season I answer that as this whole righteousnes is the materiall so this act of God the Father is the forme and beeing of a sinners iustification And it s such an act of God as being satisfied takes this righteousnes and reckons it to the needing soule as her owne although not hers to put vpon her an estate of as full and perfect freedome acceptance as if she had neuer sinned or had fully satisfied For looke how he dealt with our Surâ—ty made him sinne for vs thâ—t is imputed it which imputation
can attaine to a broken hungry self deined heart that Christ and his grace might enter and dwell there oh how harsh is it Therefore remember that in Heb. 2.2 3 4. If those that transgressed Moses Law Deu. 29.19 and being conuinced thereby yet sayd within themselues I shall haue peace and so walked stubbornly adding drunkennesse to thirst Nay if they that sinned onely in a ceremony yet by two or three witnesses were condemned what shall they looke for that despise the grace of the Gospell and that offer which God hath honored by so many miracles and such abundance of Sermons and the powerfull Ministery of so many preachers Beware of refuzing such saluation as being a more spirituall wickednesse then any morall offence Thirdly its reproofe to all cauillers that descant vpon Branch 3 this free plaine and simple-hearted offer of God Being vrged to receaue it they answer So they would if they knew themselues elected But say they we are afrayd God meanes it vs not If wee be chozen we are sure to be called to beleeue it if not none of their Preachers can giue it vs. It must be God say they and not man that must worke our hearts and draw vs. But oh vaine iangler tell me hath not God reuealed his Will in his offer Dost thou know his secrets Is not his offer ingenuous Say not in thine heart Rom. 10.25 Who shall goe vp to Heauen or descend c Lo the Word is in thy mouth it is neere thee If Ieremy in the dungeon had told Ebedmelec he knew not whether he meant to help him out or no and so haue refuzed to come out had hee not iustly beene left there still So when the Lord lets downe the ladder of his offer into thy dungeon casts thee his cords and rags to put vnder thy armeholes that hee may draw thee out dost thou cauill and say Lord I know not whether thou meanst mee well or no perhaps thou wilt pull me out a little way and then let mee fall backe againe perhaps I am not elected Is not this a wofull dishonor to the simplicity of the offer Was he euer tyed at all to offer it and dost thou distrust his ingenuous meaning in it Thy blood bee vpon thy owne head in that thou chuzest rather to smite the Lord to thy owne destruction then to set thy foot in his ladder and put on his cords that thou mightst come out The way for thee is first to step vpward that thou mayst come to the top then to leap to the top at first to breake thy necke backeward The fourth vse is Aduertisement to Gods Ministers to magnifie their Ministery in deed and practice by beseeching the people to be reconciled to God Conceale no part of this truth of God but aboue all ply thy Ministery of reconciliation This will sweeten and familiarize all other doctrine the first Part of the Catechisme about sinne and the third about Godly life will follow this second Part of Reconciliation Col. 3. in the end It s the office God hath put vpon thee O Archippus fulfill it Woe be to thee who mayst preach and canst and dost not Or dost and yet dost not this Thou art one of wisedomes handmayds one of the Kings seruants sent out to bring in guests to this feast of his Sonne learne thy errand well mistake it not get it by heart let not the fault of reiecting this call bee laid vpon thee and thou hast saued thy owne soule Paul was so acquainted with this worke that he saith It was committed vnto him Nay 1 Tim. 1. hee addeth It was his Gospell As mayds vse to say I must goe dresse vp my Chambers and make my beds not because theirs but because it is their office so Paul cals the Gospell his and ours 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospell bee hid because it was his office Let vs then all ioyne in preaching it and offring it not with a veile vpon our face as Moses but 2 Cor. 3.13 16. with open face shew the people this Mirror that they may be transformed by it from glory to glory Q. What other vses are there hereof Vse 5 A. Especially this that this Article bee a sweet preparatiue vnto vs to frame vs to beleeue Entertaine wee not any base cursed thoughts of GOD in the simplicity of his offer Nourish all possible perswasion in thy soule of his vnfeigned meaning toward thee in this kind thou canst honour him no better then to agree with him in his meaning well to thee There is no greater difficulty of Faith then this Seed of bondage in vs to iudge of God by our selues Wee muse as wee vse If wee haue an enemy wee cannot forget his wrongs wee meet him not without indignation and therefore so wee thinke of GOD also to vs and the rather because hee hath so much vantage ouer vs. But oh poore wretch Is this the way to get out of his displeasure to nourish iealouzy against his loue Is it not rather oyle to the flame pull downe thy traitours heart hate not him whom thou hast hurt put on an holy and childlike opinion of him who when he needed not yet purpozed sent receaued this satisfaction for thee and therefore cannot lye in offring it to thee Say thus LORD thy sweet offer naked bosome cordes of loue Passions of sick loue sometime to allure sometime to contest command vrgeâ— threaten and beseech turning thee into all formes of perswasion to winne my soule all these conuince mee of thy well meaning toward mee If my owne enmity to my enemy and the slander of Satan that thou enuiest my good doe assault mee neuer so much and my owne trayterous heart conspire with them yet this thy gracious offer in thy Gospell shall beare downe all Read Esay 55.9 For my wayes are not as your wayes nor my thoughts as your thoughts but as farre aboue them as Heauen aboue the Earth Adde this All the vnderstanding of man cannot comprehend the loue of this offer no more then the eye of a needle can the great Camell and shall I goe about to lessen it Surely if this should be a great stay to my heart that the Minister of God hath offred mee this grace and dares seale it vpon earth to my poore soule shall not the offer of God himselfe 1 Sam. 15.16 the strength of Israel that cannot lye much more sway with mee Oh Lord captiuate all my hatred of spirit and base treachery against thee It s reported of a certaine Merchant of London in the Story of England that he made much of a poore Cobler that dwelt by him a cankred Papist and did as good as maintaine him yet this Traytor went about to betray him to death This Merchant hauing escaped his hands yet out of his loue vsed all meanes to bee friends with him againe and vsed him as before all this would not doe his heart was so villainous he would shunne the way of him
and not looke at him It fell so out at length that he met him in such a narrow lane as he could not balke him but must needs talke with him The good Merchant takes him to him and told him he was glad he had met him he wondred what he meant so to decline from him What said he do you thinke me your enemy If I were could I not crush yee with a word speaking Alas I am not offended with you if you be not with me for all your treachery but forgiue and forget it The words of this man so pierced the Coblers heart that it brake instantly and hee falling downe vpon his knees and with bitter reares confessed his villainy and repenting of it told him This loue should for euer bind him vnto him and so he continued This base Papist is the heart of euery child of old Adam this royall Merchant is the Lord this narrow lane is the streight of conscience beset with sinne and curse this kind behauiour is this offer of Grace Let vs not bee worse to it then a cankred Papist but breake our hearts and melt into teares and with Saul to Dauid say Where shall a man find such loue 1 Sam. 24.19 as to spare his enemy when hee had him in his hand and to bee content to cut off the lap of a Garment when hee might haue cut my throate Breake thy heart in the bosome of this loue Q Is there any more vses of it A. Touching the maine vse of faith I shall finish the Vse 6 last Article with it God willing Yet this one more let mee adde That wee learne hence to vnderstand the Couenant of God and the promise of grace as it is in it selfe not a bare naked thing but filled with all the strength mercy Iustice and faythfulnes of the Promiser And so doing pray the Lord to write it in thy soule The offer of God thou seest is fâ—unded vpon a satisfaction as in the second Article I sayd and what then Surely it hath the full strength of it therein It hath made the Father well pleased Conceaue then that in this offer the Lord is voyd of anger as he sayth Esay 27.3 Anger is not in me Iâ— I were angry What should dry stubble doe But I am reconciled I cannot now be angry with a poore soule I haue taken order to answer my Iustice by my Sonne and in so doing I meant no more to bee angry If I were it was for a time to humble an hard heart but then with euerlasting mercy I will compasse thee I haue toucht this already before Onely marke this that all that is in a promise or an offer is little enough to settle a poore soule being in her feares Therefore be able to say A promise is no empty thing it proceedes from a GOD satisfied therefore If I perish by beleeuing bee it so I will perish Q What is the most proper adiunct of the Church of Christ A. Communion of Saints or members of this mysticall body of Christ which is nothing else but the due enter course holy fellowship reciprocally betweene member and member for the good of the whole Read Ephes 4. vers 12 13. Psal 133.1 2 3. Q How many things are we to consider in this Communion of members in the Church A. Two things first due qualifying of the persons that are to communicate Secondly due exercise of Communion among them that are so qualified Both intimated in that text Psal 133.1 They must be brethren And these Brethren must dwell euen together Q. Wherein stands this Qualification A. Generally in this that they bee Brethren No sooner is a man a beleeuer and a new Creature borne to GOD but hee is also a brother or she a sister of those that are bredde both Relations goe together So then first thou must bee a member of this body a citizen of this Ierusalem a sonne and daughter of the Almighty and a sister of the Church a free denizon of this corporation or else thou art not so much as generally qualified Touching the grounds of this I will not heere preuent my selfe for I shall handle the point of fayth and the New creature in their places onely heere I say in these this qualification consists No bastard no Gibeonite no stranger no blemisht one may enter the Temple of this Communion Secondly and more specially that they haue the true spirit of Brethren of members by which the former is manifested to be true For all that are truly borne children and legitimate haue the true spirit of such and also of brethren this Spirit of Communion therefore is the tryall of sound ones from Countetfeits Q. Shew then some markes of this Spirit of Communion A. As the Philosophers say There is a soule of the world which holds together the parts so much more there is a Spirit of Communion which vnites the members of it As the parts of the body of man would loosen and fall asunder if there were not instruments of sinewes of muscles of ligaments aptly ioyning them so heere This Spirit of Communion then is the same with the Spirit of vnion though in a seuerall consideration hee that is one with God that begat 1. Ioh. 5.1 is one with them that are begotten and the one issueth from the other But to the point this Spirit of Communion may bee discouered in these two particulars First In the spirit of preseruing her selfe in her estate and integrity Secondly In the spirit of Furniture for the seuerall operations whereby Communion may be supported Q. What is the former of these viz. Preseruing of Communion A. It s a qualification whereby it is with the members of this mysticall body as it is with all other bodies eyther Naturall or politique it hath an instinct giuen vnto it to preserue her selfe in her estate from dissolution and ruine No body hath so close neere a Sympathy to it selfe as this nothing need teach any liuing member in the body to preserue it selfe and the body in which it subsists instinct doth it alone So heere for the opening whereof consider these few things First This spirit of Selfe-preseruation in the Church is the spirit of Separation of different or contrary parts which threaten ruine to her Metals melted will goe together and vnite their substance but seuer the drosse which is of another nature from incorporating with them Psal 15. The Citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem is brought in by his loathing quality he loathes Swearers lyers forswearers vsurers and so of the rest the scope is a true member of Communion discernes a non-member a Neuter and loaths to intermixe or vnite with them As Peter told Simon Magus Act. 8.21 Thou hast neyther part nor fellowship in this body They may thrust in themselues into fellowship vndiscerned but so farre as they are knowne the Spirit of Communion segregates them from her selfe No Colliers trade is so noysome to a Fullers as the
his fierce anger that we perish not Lo they melt into teares of blood within them they fast put on sackcloth on themselues and their beasts and make a ruefull spectacle So doth the soule heere leaue taking thought for it selfe take thought for the Lord saying Oh wofull man that I am whom the Lord should be found of when I sought him not who had care of my happinesse when I cared neither for him nor my selfe Oh now the soule sees strange sights which was blind before Now it sees patience in the Lords offer and saith Rom. 2.3 If thou hadst taken me in my riot vncleannesse raking vp heapes to my selfe hypocrisie security ciuility and pitcht mee into hell in my impenitency thou hadst beene iust I had my mends in my owne hands Besides this it sees bounty in God all the long time of ignorance and wonders that the Lord should endure such a wretch so stole in sinne old and new to treade vpon his â—arth breathe in his ayre feed vpon his creatures enioy marriage protection health credit successe and the like being blessings onely for them who haue Christ the Lord of all whom I haue not But that to all these he should adde the chiefe mercy Christ and his good things which the world lying in euill knowes not yea pin them vpon her sleeue heaping offer vpon offer seconding one with another and wayting till the dew of the night had wet his lockes Oh it makes him astonisht Whence came those clockings of thine Lord those knocks at the dore of my conscience those suites of thine to be let in those importunities allurements perswasions and cords to draw mee out of my old course Nay more that Spirit of thy grace to dryue them home to present them really to me conuince me of thy faithfulnes Oh these do euen powre out the heart into sorrow which was dead and shut vp before When the Lord is instant and deales as if the soule should be the gainer Oh it makes it confesse that the violation of such grace by contempt is the most fearfull wickednes in the world This is to lament after the Lord and to see him whome hee hath pierced Q. Proceed to another A. The soule rests not heere but breakes out into desire that it might liue to glorify this grace and partake of it that it might magnify it before all the world and giue witnes to it against all despizers of it Oh this way of God in Christ is amiable to the soule and it wishes that not onely her head were a fountein of teares but the heart also of zeale loue and desire after it and the praysing of God for it 1. Tim. 1.16 17. Oh happy man if I might euer tast so much of it as might make songs of their deliuerance And this desire breaks out into longing hungring after this righteousnes no hunted Hart so braying after waters as this after saluation and to see into the riches of this mystery And as the hungry belly sits not still but deuizes all art and wayes yea breakes stone walls to fill it selfe so this soule faynting after a deferred mercy is restlesse neglects no meanes hearing Sacraments conference questions meditation and rusheth through armies of discouragements reproaches wrongs and losses for the getting of these waters of Bethlem that it might powre them out in sacrifice of thanks to the Glory of Gods grace Zach. 12 1â— Especially it vtters it selfe in supplications and requests to God that he would accomplish her warfare and put all her teares in his bottell against the day of saluation come and till hee heare and answere in his accepted time Thus wee see it dallyes not but plies GODS season Q. Adde one or two more A. The soule sets an high price vpon this saluation and recompts the seuerals of it that it may see the invaluablenesse of this Pearle Mat. 12.44 hauing spyed the Pearle withdrawes it selfe hides it ponders the worth of it viewes the particulars of it as one would do of a purchase and by so musing of it sets the whole man a fire with it in the esteeme and value thereof Oh! that the LORD of grace should impart himselfe in his secret of mercy to such a one as I that hee might glorify this worke aboue all the Creation I see it is his cheefe obiect that out of a ruine hee might set vp the Throne of his Glory in the soules of his Elect and bee magnified for it by them and in their saluation Oh shall not this rayse vp my affections I say not aboue my money Pleasures Marriage Ease Hopes and Paradise below but euen my owne priuate saluation Poore soule if God had not sought himselfe in thee what had become of thee Hee saued thee for his Name and shall not that name of his be set vp and shrined in thine heart aboue all Idols which brought and layd such a treasure in thy lap and would chuse thy saluation to bee his Master-peece in which he would make himselfe admired in those that beleeue both heeâ—e and at his comming 2 Thess 1.10 refuzing to be glorified in his owne wisedome except thou also mightst be saued Oh! the sence of this and the benefits which the soule enioyes in Christ the meanes thereof rauisheth the heart with the price of it and causes it to compt of all things heere as drosse Phil. 3. that one day it may partake the happinesse of it when all hypocrites shall gnash their teeth for forsaking such an offer Q. Conclude with the last for these may serue to giue a tast of the rest A. It lastly empties the soule of her selfe Euen as the Queene of Sheba beholding the Glory and wisedome of Salomon had no spirit left in her but was ashamed of her owne siilinesse and as Peter Luke 5. beholding the glorious power of Christ in bringing so many fishes into his net when he could catch nothing was amazed So doth the Lord in this case Hee causes that lothnes and resistance of that proud heart that sauors no grace or fayth to quaile and faile vtterly takes away that corrupt selfe and selfeloue which is offended at his grace And as the Word of the Prophet bidding Naaman wash and bee cleane being once digested draue him out of his humors and distempers so the brightnes of this grace offred to the soule doth deuoure the opposition thereof Especially it turnes away the soule from her owne ends in seeking saluation shee dares not now ascribe to her owne duties hearings prayers affections preparation but casts them into the Sea that life may be preserued She feeles the great ends of GODS Glory to worke all these in her but no way as workes commending her to GOD but as sparkles of that Spirit of Grace which by these steps drawes her home to GOD because hee will saue her And therefore in all these she is humbled in her selfe and naked as one that is no better then she was in point
told them of a sonne for how could this and that stand together Nay wait vpon God and presse vpon him by prayer to performe his promise vpon this condition Elisha being to forgo his Master asked him that his spirit might be doubled vpon him Elia told him it was hard to grant howbeit if he saw him at their parting he should Now what did Elisha did he start from him Could any thing deuide him No he would be sure to keep the condition of the grant and so did For seeing Elia to ascend he cryed My father my father the Horsemen of Israel and the Chariots thereof and so in taking vp the cloake of his Master hee receaued his Spirit doubled Oh that this wisedome were in vs Rather the sinne of our hearers is after they haue spent a great part of their life in getting the condition they are so farre from heartening themselues to beleeue that God will perfect the worke of faith with power that they are ready to float betweene these two the Condition and the Performance If they be vrged to beleeue they fly to the condition saying yea if I had the condition but I am farre from mourning c. If they be vrged to the condition then they answer yea if I could beleeue as if these were works of our owne not the Lords rather the one contrary to the other then agreeable I end therefore with this caueat Let not the Deuill deceaue thee about thy condition and then hold what thou hast and let nothing so beguile thee as to deny Gods grace and so doing plead with the Lord humbly that he would not frustrate thy hope of which hee hath giuen thee such a pledge and in his best seasoÌ„ he wil assuredly answer thee Q. Now come to the latter branch What is it to cast the soule vpon a promise or to beleeue A. It is the last worke of the Calling Spirit of GOD wherby an humbled sinner doth cast himselfe vpon this Word of God Be reconciled come and drinke come and I will ease you or the like offer will charge or promise of God for pardon and life This point is of all others the chiefe and therefore I choze to refer it to this place as the vse of all that hath beene spoken ioyntly considered for wee know a fiuefold cord is not easily broken and yet no one twist thereof might well bee spared Fiue diuers grounds haue beene handled in this second part First God the Father our enemy hath cut off his plea and found out our deliuerance Secondly The Lord Iesus accordingly hath satisfied the iustice of God that mercy might haue free course by the procuring of a righteousnes Thirdly God the Father accepts this for a poore sinner as if hee in person had satisfied and therefore offers it to the soule most vnfeignedly without hooke or crooke Fourthly He offers him not nakedly but with all his rich furniture to draw the soule to fasten vpon him Fifthly He offers him to each poore member of his Church there to dwell for euer both in grace and Glory Now conclude I demand what one linke of all this chaine were not strong enough to draw the heart to settle it selfe vpon it And yet I must say this That the Word promise of God is the immediate thing which faith relyes vpon although strengthened with all the rest A little therefore of the nature of this promise Q. How many things are required to this consideration A. Two in generall The one to gage the promise and offer of God as a mariner would sound the depth of the Sea lest his ship should be on ground to see whether it be able to beare the weight of the soule or no and answer all her distempers and feares fully The second if it appeare that it is able to susteine it then to rely and cast it selfe vpon it confidently for her owne pardon and saluation Q. How shall the soule rightly gage the depth and strength of the offer and promise which it cannot reach A. Although the mariner cannot himselfe by his owne fadom touch the bottome of the Sea yet by his line and plummet hee can sound it as well as if hee could reach it with his hand and so fasten his Anchor vpon it so heere the plummet and cable of the Word wherein this strength and depth lyes will helpe vs to find it out so farre as may serue our turne The hand of fayth touches the depth of mercy conteined in the offer by the direction of the Spirit in the Word which tells vs what is contained therein Q How many things are conteyned in it A. Many things of which by the way I gaue a touch in Article three but heere I will open further Looke thither and see what I sayd of the freedome and Simplicity of the offer Now adde more touching the nature of the Word of promise which is Gods expression of the offer at the full Three things then the soule must looke at to bottome it selfe vpon the promise of Reconciliation and deliuerance First The wisedome of the Lord. Secondly The strength Thirdly The faythfulnes all which as sure grounds the Lord hath hidden in the promise of mercy to a poore sinner that is vnder the condition Q. What is the first the wisedome of GOD in the promise A. I may say of it as the Holy Ghost sayd of Salomon when hee called for a Sword to cut the Child All Israel sawe that God hath put the spirit of wisedome into him to doe iustice So God hath shewed all wisedome in the promise to settle the soule And that in two respects first of himselfe secondly of vs In respect of himselfe because in reuealing his heart of loue to the soule onely heerby and no other way he teacheth vs that he who is God onely wise 1 Tim. 1.17 could in the depth of his counsell find out no other way so wise and sufficient as this to ground the soule in sure peace towards him Christ and the promise in him was that which seemed the wisest of all wayes in the thought of God especially to vs vnder the Gospell See Heb. 1.1 After sundry wayes the Lord spake to our Fathers in darke times as dreames Vrim visions but now by his Sonne and Word the engrauen forme c. Note how this course is called the best and wisest and holdingest of all as hauing more in it then all the rest Oh! we would thinke in our shallownes that one from the dead Angels or reuelations were better But wisedome it selfe hath pitcht vpon this way all things considred as the wisest of 〈◊〉 Secondly in respect of vs For it is suche way as callâ—â— vs to fayth a promise hauing relation to beleeuing it without wch it cannot profit vs. Now if it bee without vs how wâ—â—e a way is it to quash and dampe our base spirit of Selfe-conceit and selfe endeauor and to abase our pride that he who boasteth might boast in the
by faith in me Note the phrase Iustification is much ascribed to faith As Act. 13.38 Rom. 5.1 Rom. 3.25 but heere sanctification also So Act. 15. Hauing purified their hearts by faith 1. Pet. 1.22 And Saint Peter Hauing purified your harts by faith to the obedience of the Gospell Yea the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.13 seems to make faith to bee the instrument of the spirit sealing the soule After ye had beleeued ye were sealed by the spirit of promise faith attending the Spirit in beleeuing the promise it selfe doth further attend also the seale of it and applies both to the soule The reason is because although the seale is aboue a word yet it 's by a word and with it and not else Q But here it a great scruple how faith should be the apprehender of both these at once viz forgiuenesse of sinne and renuing of the soule For who sees not how wide a difference there is betweene receauing a thing without vs as imputation of righteousnesse and a thing really inherent in our natures as the image of God and renouation A. I grant the point needeth due consideration yet as the Lord shall guide me I will endeauour to answer it And seeing the truth hereof is as cleere in the Scripâ—ure as any one therefore the manner thereof wil the better be found out To this end note that faith being the instrument of the spirit in both the acts of regeneration I meane reconciling and renuing doth of necessity attend the worke of the spirit in both If then it be true which I sayd that the spirit reades a lecture of the Couenant to the Soule according to the whole purpose thereof then needes must faith do likewise euen follow the direction of the spirit in applying them equally to her selfe for faith is as the eye of the handmaid to the Mistres that is do that which the spirit suggesteth and takes all which the Lord offers her euen the Lord Iesus at once and wholly If the spirit say take Christ both for pardon and sanctification lo it takes him for both together of the former there is no doubt Let vs see for the latter Eph. 1.18 the Apostle prayes that the eyes of the mindes being enlightned by faith they might ver 19 20. see the exceeding powerfull and mighty worke of the Lord Iesus in them that beleeue that is whaâ— hee can doe by the power of his death and resurrection So in Eph. 3. end he praies that they might haue Christ dwel in their harts by faith that so they might comprehend his length and depth that is take him as hee is to the soule and haue the knowledge of him that passeth all knowledge beeing filled with his fulnesse So that faith takes the Lord Iesus in his fulnesse that shee might bee compleate in him both for mercy and sanctification So if we looke Ioh. 17. vlt. As thou O Father art in mee and I in thee so thy loue may be in them and I in them Marke Christ is not onely offred to the elect to be for them in pardon but to be in them to dwell to rule to comand to exercise power ouercorruption and for gouernment to bee as a soule in the body to act guide and beare sway in them as the branches in the vine out of which they wither so that the promise offers Christ both for vnion of reconciliation and also Communion and influence of grace In both which she takes him for he is not diuided a pearle is little worth being broken Now then looke how the hand of the Prophet was vpon the Kings in shooâ—ing so is the hand of the Spirit vpon the soule in beleeuing and as the hand of the writer vpon the learner to frame it his way so is the spirit vpon faiths hand And as the wax takes all the whoâ—e print of the seale so doth faith of the promise by the hand of the spirit So that although its certaine that nothing is more vnlike than the things themselues which faith applies in the manner of apllication the one taking a grace onely imputed and resting onely in the act of God casting forgiuenesse vpon the soule without any addition of inherent goodnesse to it the other taking Christ as infused and dwelling in the powers of the soule yet this puts no difference vpon the apprehension of faith seeing with one hand and one act both the Lord offers them the Spirit ioynes them the soule beleeues them The spirit is that which doth order these two benefits and settles them vpon the soule and in the soule but faith with one hand and act doth receiue them according to the seuerall vse and seruice as the spirit pleases to apply them It pleases the law to conveigh a Copy-hold by Court roll and a free hold by other conveyance of writing seale deliuery and possession but the same hand takes the copy and receaues the liuery and season So heere Q. What doth faith in the application of this Gift of Reneuation or the new creature A. Two things It workes the heart to be renued by an argumentation See 2. Cor. 5.14 For the loue of Christ constraineth vs because wee thus iudge c. Marke faith iudges the matter aright and passes a sound verduict vpon it If Christ haue so loued vs how should our soules earne toward him in all conformity to his blessed nature faith is in this as in all other respects a deepe Logician shee argues for God strongly shee brings euidence vnanswerable for him that as a she carries about her the marke of a diuine cause beeing the most Divine worke of God that ever hee did since the Creation above all the gifts of Adam and ayming at a better end so she carryes also strong reason to move the soule to bee like to her workeman and to resemble his holy nature The word constreine vs signifies such an hemming in as of the beast in a Pound or Pinfold that is put into it and câ—nnot get out by any euasion so doth faith controll the heart that it cannot wind out must needs yeeld to bee as hee who hath imputed his righteousnesse to forgiue her that is righteous and holy The very savour and instinct of faith tends to holinesse she serves to abandon nature to set vp holines in the soule As she settles an imputed holinesse to iustifie from Christ so she cannot rest till she her selfe partake it within Such things as are alway lying among sweets cannot chuse but resemble and sauour thereof Faith comes from the divine breath of God and is his gift therefore cannot degenerate but as riuers flow from the sea and runne thither so doth faith come from God and returnes to him shee sins not till shee haue so pleaded for God that she haue drawne the heart to sauor him in his holinesse And secondly by infusion She is the Tunnel of the spirit to convey the renuing of the holy Ghost into the soule As the hand of the workman
to a well a bearing of it selfe towards God man or selfe Of these I speake no more onely I would adde one thing That graces of the spirit serve not onely to take up the residence within and no more but mightily to strengthen the soule to all spirituall or externall conversation see that Col. 1.11 Strengthned by the might of his power unto all long-suffring with joyfulnesse and well pleasing c. Hence it is that Eph. 6. Paul reckons up speciall graces of the spirit as the compleat harneis of a Christian I will open this by a similitude I told yee that Conversation is like a wheele Note then As in a Wheele there be three parts the nave the spokes and the round so here the nave is compared to the spirit of regeneration or the new creature of which in Article 1. the spokes are these graces I have named issuing from the nave and fastned to the round for as these staves doe unite the strength of the nave to the round and carry the strength thereof to each part of the wheele which else would breake and split in sunder so these graces of the spirit of Christ are the staffe of our life and the very support of our conversation and wheele of our course As for example Take away knowledg from the use of our liberties faith from the Sacraments or Word love from visiting the sicke mercy from almes where shall these parts of conversation become And thus much of this first part of the substance of conversation in graces Q. What is the second part of the substance hereof A. It is the consideration of the Subject who is to lead this conversation that is the regenerate person Now looke what the severall instruments are by which a Christian doth and must ordinarily converse those are the subject in which it stands and therefore had neede to be accordingly qualified Q. What are they and how many A. Three Thoughts Affections and Actions Q. What are the Thoughts and what rules are there for the frame of their conversation A. Thoughts are the first movers in the soule and from them issueth either good or bad life see Pro. 4.23 so our Saviour That which defiles a man comes from within as evill thoughts Mat. 15.19 They are the master-wheele If a man be envious and malicious Psal 36.4 his thoughts devise mischiefe upon his bed if the course be covetous the thoughts first set them on fire they pierce them through with cares 1 Tim. 6.10 So in the rest Therefore it being granted that we speake of the new Creature who hath purified already his soule to obedience let these rules serve to frame his commonwealth of thoughts aright First let our continuall care be to keepe the through-fare of the soule free from them as by pardon of them Acts 8.22 so by purging of them daily from that vanity prophanenesse disorder endlesnesse and other sins thereof which makes the conversation vaine 1 Pet. 1.18 Eph. 4.24 put off the old man of deceitfull lusts Secondly Iere 4.14 Mica 6.5 labour to season thy imagination and the doores of thy sences eyes and eares with holy meditations of God his Church his Will and Promises Psal 1.2 In the Law of God he meditates day and night Psal 19. ult Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be alway acceptable Thirdly watch over these thoughts as men doe for theeves and aske whence they come and whither they will ere they passe yea keepe the whole prison the streighter for the sake of thy thoughts because if the ringleaders breake loose all the rest follow them Pro. 4.23 And the doore of the thoughts had neede be kept as well as the tongue Psal 141.3 yea and keepe in holy thoughts that they goe not out as fast as they come in Eze. 46.9 So fourthly attend seriously upon holy objects to fixe the imagination upon good things Esay 26.3 which is the way to beat off the swarme of these flyes Above all looke to the maine worke of Renuing and let all thy springs be in the Lord Psal 87.7 even the root of thy whole conversation which is the spring of thy thoughts and this will cause the branches and streames to be holy and cause thee to dwell upon meditation and to be heauenly minded Q. How is the wheele of Affections to be guided A. The Affections are the wheeles of the soule indeed anâ— upon them the soule is either hurried to evill or led to good Little doe most men thinke how they are carried by these their passions by each object Sometime by love by joy by hope on the right hand otherwhiles by feare by sorrow by anger pitty or the like rare is that man who venters not upon the sea of conversation with the broken barke of Affections It may be said of them as of that ancient Where they doe well none better where ill none worse Heathens were faint to abandon them quite the Stoicks I meane for the pudder they found by them and to deny all affection and so put out their eyes and cut off their hands and feete for feare of offending them But the Scriptures afford more grace than so therefore first weigh well how hardly the best escape the violence of them Note how Dauid disguizeth himselfe suddenly in swearing Nabals death vpon his defeate 1. Sam. 25.13 Ioh. 18.10 how soone Malchus his eare is smitten off by Peter in his passion how soone fire from heauen is sent for by the discontenâ—ed disciples Luk 9.54 So also Dauids rashnesse to Nathan 2 Sam. 12.5 which he must needes blush for So by the beholding of Bathsheba how soone was a fire kindled but long in quenching How suddenly Iosh 7. did the babilonish garment fire the heart of Achan The newes of Absoloms death pierce and disguise Dauid 2 King 5.20 Not to speake of Gehazi his sudden following Naaman Felix his hope of a bribe from Paul the disciples excesse of sorrow vpon a word speaking by Christ that foolish pity of Ahab vpon the men of Benhadads errand the extreame feare of the women vpon the Angels words All these Cloudes of witnesses shew the vnbridlednes of the passions and therefore should prepare vs with earnestnesse to preuent them Secondly yet note how affections are as soone vp in armes if the heart be well seasoned and stablished with grace How soone was Peter mooued with holy feare vpon the draught of fishes Luk. 5.8 How easily was the poore blind man rayzed vp in the depth of loue to the Lord Iesus how soone was sorrow wrought in the hearts of three thousand murtherers at once by Peters preaching how presently was compassion mooued in Peter and Iohn toward the cripple Act. 3.4 how quickly was zeale stirred vp in Phineas against Zimri and Cosbi Numb 25.11 and so may bee said of the rest Thirdly therefore let vs nourish the fire of the holy Ghost kindled in vs in our first regeneration and apply it
gaine and price of grace wich they haue oft gotten from God doth whet their desire to couet more of them and to bee better acquainted with the Lord in them As Moses could not be content till he had seene God in his glory This is one effect of our Sauiours prayer that they may be one with vs and that thou wouldst keepe them from euill and from the world so the faithful trade with God for more faith vnion hope loue patience and when they can get in with the Lord for any addition of these they thinke themselues in the suburbes of heauen Secondly In the reioycing in the groth and encrease they haue had No mizer doth so oft visit his bagges as these ioy in their treasure The lesse they see of these iewels in the world the more they prize them and flesh their hearts with them as the Apostle saith The God of peace fill yee with all ioy by beleeuing And againe we reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Thirdly and especially their trading is in heauen by that precious hope which is an earnest-penny of their inheritance and therefore they neuer think of it but it glads their hearts This is that heauen vpon earth and the treasure which their hearts are set vpon which in a sort makes them also to be heauenly minded makes them vse these things as if not and despile the image of these vanities yea makes their crosses slight in comparison while they looke not vpon things temporall but eternall And by this their trading although they bee absent from the Lord yet are they in a sort present and lay hold of immortall life to make their condition below the more tolerable And so much of the conversation with God Q. What is the outward converse of the soule with God A. It is that holy correspondency which it holds with God in outward seruices Q. What are those A. Some are ordinary some are occasionall The ordinary are many I will giue a taste of a few and they are an ordinary and dayly walking with God in religious duties for the increase of Communion It is not the wheele of duties doing which can support the soule it must bee a due keeping of quarter with the Lord and a survey of her estate towards God which must doe that Of this sort are these First A satisfying of the soule with the Lords image at our awaking with a saluting of his promise for renewed pardon and grace Psal 17. vlt. for Iesus Christ is yesterday and to day and the same for euer Heb. 13.8 not changing Secondly a seeking of his face as oft in the day as may bee for renewed humiliation and for keeping the heart open dayly for pardon of renewed sinnes grace to purge and season the soule thankes for renewed compassions Thirdly a reuiuing of couenant with him for closer purpose and bent of heart towards him Act. 11.23 Fourthly a dayly recording of Gods peculiar administrations and prouidence to vs in patience blessings deliuerances speciall redresses of our decayes in soule and body and what vse we haue made of them Fifthly a finishing of each day so as we viewing it ouer may be humbled or comforted and so lye downe in peace Q. What is the occasionall A. The seruice of the time Act. 13.36 by which wee rest not onely in our ordinary seruing God but reach our soules to the condition of the times we liue in accordingly carrying our selues either in affliction of soule or thanksgiuing as occasion requires Q. Conclude the Article with the latter branch what is our conuersation with men in common life A. The same which the Psalmist 50. vlt. calles the ordering of conuersation aright And it is a wise accommodation of a Christian to the seuerall passages that befall vs vnauoydably in this our common course of life In the which although there be a world of euill committed this being the element of worldlings and the stage whereon the Deuill acteth his parts yet euen in these common matters the Lord teacheth his people to carry themselues as men of another world Q. But how shall rules be giuen touching this part of conuersation it beeing so infinite A. By culling out some of the chiefe passages of the rest and giuing a briefe view of their due ordering wee shall the easilier guesse at the rest Q. Name some of them shew of what nature they are and what ordering they must haue A. Such as these Marriage Company liberties solitarinesse earthly businesse calling family gouernment and the tongue or common talke Which although they bee out of the boundes of Gods worship yet are so to be conuersed in as remembring the name of God may bee blasphemed therein whout especiall caution euen as in the vse of oathes and vowes Q. Seeing diuers treatises ar extant about them and they haue been handled in the Ministry by sundry occasions giue onely a briefe view of the ordering thereof A. Generally touching all note this that God abhorres all common prophane vsages of the world in these things and will haue his people caâ—ry about them the cognizance of new Creatures and holy ones that they may not make religion odious by their corrupt behauiour and making vse each of other therein for their owne ends but that the graces of God may breake out and shine in the order of this part of conuersation to the glory of our profession Then particularly there is required a stayed setled spirit not vaine light frothy and inconstant so that each occasion accidentally offering it selfe should vnsettle vs and put vs out of our course of life as sometimes sudden ill newes driue vs into melancholy and frowardnesse successe in our affaires carry vs into endlesse lightnesse and iollity shrewd turnes in family worke vs to disguizement and impatience Wee see how it is with some disordered men thaâ— for a weeke or fortnight together they will ply their callings but if company draw them to the Ale-house they will spend whole dayes and nights in a quite contrary course Such basenesse the Lord abhorres and will haue all to set their soules in order to an holy sobernesse and equalnesse of heart wisely framed to entertaine the changeable passages of life which the well-ordered Spirit neither in the excesse or defect but as the obiect requires Q. And what speciall directions are there and first for the married condition A. That they loath to make it a common thing for the vse each of other and prophaning the Ordinance but first improuing it chiefly for God and the mutuall good of their soules Worshipping God together making him umpire of all their differences powring out their hearts into his bosome by humiliation prayer and thanks-giuing Nourishing matrimoniall loue as a sacred knot and to that end obseruing each others graces for the strengthening thereof Cutting off all iarres in the beginning and yet not agreeing together for base ends but for holy Tendering the weakenesses of the weaker sexe concealing her defects and
and the like and let thy eye be fixed chiefely vpon the righteous and encourage them that they may bee the guides to the rest Vse not to dally out the season of dutie in families which procures commonnesse and formality Catechise admonish reward and censure and hold vp order by these meanes Touching inferiors bee wholly for the good of the whole family not your owne ends Children downe right in subiection and not insolent spenders and claymers of their parents wealth as theirs for the support of their vices and lusts but vnder authority with all loue and well deseruing seeing they can haue but al after the decease of Parents and the whilest their due education As for seruants I haue elsewhere spoken at large let this suffice that they shew all good faithfulnesse and respect as those vpon whom the well or ill fare of the family dependeth and the more they are betrusted the more trusty for few families doe ruinate wherein bad seruants haue not one principall hand Q. One word more of the tongue and so end A. It 's a great wheele also of Conuersation As great wheeles in fire-works set the lesser on fire so doth the tongue the whole course of mortality Iam 3.6 and it 's set on fire by hell without grace But euen where there is grace how little seene in this kind and yet our religion is in vaine without it as Iam. 1.26 It 's the chiefe Agent and chapman of conuersation and by it conuersation vtters it selfe But how what scolding and brawlings in family what multitude of them in buying and selling what iangling vp and downe the streetes by gadding gossips of vnstayed minds what poison foames from the heart by the vent of a lying cruell malicious taunting backbiting pratling vaine and unruly tongue And while the eare is the receiuer this theefe will neuer change his trade Truly as once at sea an owner of a ship cryed cryed out when his ship was tossed and in danger Oh saue my ship one answered If it be yours why doe ye not rule it so we may say our tongues are ours for title but their own for gouernment we haue no keep of them If occasion be giuen to speake of a good thing none so still if of our owne neuer haue done as the Poet spake of those Fidlers that either could not bee got to it or could make no end Let this shame vs Christians that not onely natures fences of teeth and lips but the Lord Iesus his blood and his word should not be able to rule this little but vnruly member Get vs a well stayed heart and ballanced with grace and this will keepe in our tongues first from excesse and then good matter good heart and good occasions will set them on worke for good for God for our brethren As the tongue hath set all on fire oft times and made all men beshrew vs so the same being seasoned by the grace of Christ may bee the Creator of fruite of the lips which is peace and both glorifie God and edifie man all conuersion of the soule and all building vp in Grace beeing the effect of this member sanctified Thus much for the opening of this second Article Q. Now briefely adde some generall vse because the opening of this Conuersation is vse of it selfe A. First let it warme all weake and fearefull ones who being vnder the condition of grace yet through melancholy Vse 1 the Deuils deteyning of you and distrust dare not or will not apply the promise to shake off your distempers but still wrap yourselues into Satans chaines and chuse to make your hell another heauen by your bondage Oh come out of the thraldome betimes For lo the very hearsay of these two Articles should gaster ye the Lord hath a great deale of worke for yee to do both to make ye new creatures to order all your conuersation aright Oh here is a full worke of a mans life Doe ye consider what this conuersation is how large how deep how broad doe ye wisely weigh the dimensions of it If ye did you would be afraid least death should surprise ye ere ye haue strooke one stroke of this seruice of God Till yee haue faith what can come from ye to please God Oh! to you to you onely belong the promise it must be God indeed who must work it but why do ye deny that it is yours how deeply do ye dishonour God and depriue him of his glory Oh! remember there is a great conuersation of seruice required of ye the art of obedience is long the life is short Begge of God that ye may be roused out of the den of ease or sullennesse or feare and say Lord hasten and finish the worke of faith with power I shall bee shent else and benighted the day will faile me and I shall bee dead before I come to any proof of grace the new creature This I vrge the rather because I see how many please themselues in this estate of the suburbes and shame not to say if I might euer haue learne to beleeue I would care for no more would yee not me thinkes you should tremble to see such a world of worke a whole conuersation to walke in and yet you still to begin who shall doe Gods worke if you sit still yee will say perhaps if wee could beleeue wee should not perish Is that all Is Gods glory lesse to you than your owne saluation Cast off your ease And take heed least ye bee faint to crowde in at heauen gate with much adoe when others goe in at a wide doore when their hearts shall tell you faith was wanting to purge your heart your tongues liues still you walked in many vnreformed courses for lacke of the power of faith will this be a welcome thought on the death-bed I remember what the Lord said to Elia 1 King 19.13 when hee was fled from Iezabel What dost thou heere Elia in this caue Vp and eate for thou hast a long iourney so I say to thee Vp and eate take and beleeue the promise Purge thy heart renew thy soule enter into an holy conuersation begin quickly bee thankefull for thy deliuerance and consider heere is plenty of worke for thee heere is a course of seruice toward God toward man heere bee affections thoughts and actions to bee gouerned the very view of this iourney might dismay one that wants feete and hands Oh! that this among other motiues might rouze thee vp I tell thee were thy faith like Abrahams heere were worke enough to do for thee how stands thy heart to it If there be any desire of Gods honour in the to leaue some marke of faith behind thee and to dye with peace in the conscience of thy holy endeauour of well-pleasing bestirre thy selfe and set on vp and be doing and the Lord shall be with the willing Secondly it should be terror to all hypocrites and time-seruers Vse 2 who make religion and profession a
then serues for their purposes chopping and changing as Papists who leaue out the second Commandement quite and make vp tenne by making two of the last let vs abhor it Let vs abhor both their enlarging of duties beyond the Law where God hath made no sins there making sinnes and where he makes no Lawes making them to bind the Conscience vrging them more seuerely than faith and repentance Oh! it 's most intollerable And so their shortning of them and cutting them off by the middle making reach no further then the notorious euils of them But let this be our rule that look what God aymes at vnder the grossest let vs also ayme at and both abhorre each appearance of euill as well as the most odious and cleauing to good in the least as well as the greatest He that breakes the least Matth. 5.19 shall be the least in heauen and is guilty of the greatest If the scope of the second Commandement be next to the worship it selfe to prouide for the purity of it any will-worship should be to vs as an Idoll and all rebellion as witch-craft 1 Sam. 15.23 Fiftly we must conceiue the coÌ„mandements as importing no patcht or peeced obedience to one or a few charges but an entire and whole one as the coagmentation of the Lawes of both Tables doth import Let vs alway conceiue the scope of the Law to require integrity and all partiall seruice to bee a forfeit to the whole Law and be farre from all such hipocrits and Ciuilians of whom the one colours his vnrighteousnesse by his pretensed deuotion which men cannot controle the other their impiety and prophannes of their hearts by the outward ciuility in some of the Commandements of the second Table both in truth breaking both Sixtly the Lawes of the former Table are generally to bee preferred to the duties of the second yet with an exception that we conceiue it upon equall tearmes thus that the commands of the first ranke in the former table haue precedency ouer the second not each branch of the former aboue the second in their first ranke It is generally more excellent that God haue his due then man not particularly the neglect or contempt of a Sermon is a fouler sin than the murther of a man Seuenthly Vnderstand the commandements to require at our hands the vtmost of our wit deuise and courage to serue God that if we be beaten off in one kind yet wee desist not till we see that we be denied altogether Else to take any occasion of perill perhaps supposed onely to neglect duty is to discharge our selues of seruice ere God doth Eightly Let vs obserue the Commandements of God neuer crosse each other if any such case occurre as wherein one cannot stand with the other let vs know the one must alway yeeld to the other as if the child bee set about his fathers lawfull businesse hee may not at the same time neglect his calling though to a religious end as to heare the word c. except the parent release him the prerogatiue of the first Table aboue the second notwithstanding Lastly Let vs note this that duties of necessity and mercy which cannot be otherwise done are to be preferred to duties of piety at that season as the Phisition to attend the patient or to help the Oxe out of the ditch rather than worship God first and suffer these to despaire the whilest Obedience in such cases is better than sacrifice and the omission of a duty is no contempt with God But I cease to mention any more seeing it 's lesse to my purpose Q. Conclude then the Article with some vses Vse 1 A. First it strongly confutes all enemies to the Law of God either old Athiesticall Antinomists or late Libertines and carnall hipocrites It 's no wonder that they are so rife in these daies of loosenesse for euen our Sauiour did touch vpon such Mat. the 5.17 the Apostle writes few Epistles but he meetes with such turners of the grace of God into wantonnesse men of corrupt mindes and Peter writes that many abused the Epistles of Paul to their owne destruction 2. Epist 3.16 It is no wonder if theeues might haue their will would suffer no watches to be kept or deformed women loath or break al true Glasses Let vs so much the rather abhorre them as odious enemies to God and vnder pretext of the Law of liberty walâ—e as lawlesse libertines and ouerthrow the Law of Conuersation Vse 2 Secondly let vs consider how dangerous a thing it is to worship God according to our owne fancies and inuentions The Lord wee see will not trust his owne Familie of Beleeuers with prescribing of Lawes to themselues vnder colour of that faithfulnesse It was a good speech of old They are the best Lawes which giue least power to the Iudge God will haue no Iudge to be his Chancellor to make or interpret or change Lawes he knowes our boldnesse and Sacriledge in this kind Nay hee knowes that curiosity of our braines which being weary of his Lawes devise new and loue their owne better than his and so in time iustle out the Lords with our owne And as we can open our mouthes against Papists in this kind so let vs hate them in the roote and cast out of our selues all such selfe and self-selfe-loue as vnder a colour of reteyning Gods Lawes yet seeke a breadth of our owne in his narrow and make his Lawes our owne through our bad mixtures This is the sinne of hipocrites and time-seruers let vs if wee ignorant study this Law of God duely and when we see his will which is as the decrees of Medes and Persians let vs not descant vpon it and nibble at as a fish at the bate being fearefull of the hooke striuing by the rottennesse of our deceiued heart to bring Gods Lawes to the bent of our owne bowes and corrupt them in the simplicity of them There is little oddes betweene the carnall wil-worship of them that thrust vpon the Lord their owne and the spirituall wil-worship of them that take away from him his Thus did Balaam Num. 22.12 whom the Lord at first told plainely he should not go with Balacks seruants but that answer not pleasing him lo how he goes between barke and trâ—e causing them to stay a night longer vers 19. What was this but to make the Lords charge a nose of waxe was it possible the Law of righteousnesse could stoope to a law of couetousnesse Beware wee of this hipocrisie least while we dally with God when we know it the Lord suffer vs to dash out our owne light and lay offences in our way and leaue vs to our selues that as hee when he would needes go with them and fetch inchantments from place to place yet being dazeled and besotted with his owne lust should not know himselfe to be an hipocrite nor be capable of conuiction what is more terrible then to heare such an hipocrite make himselfe beleeue that
Maintaine and hold this right and Title of thine Thinke not that this Spirit of Grace and Supplication is spent though thou see not God so clearely in it for all ends as thou desirest yet giue it not ouer thy sinne hath bound thee in cheynes but Prayer is not bound rather it bindeth the Lord by promise to thee The eare of God is not heauy that hee should not heare Hee is not as a man that he should be distracted by multitude of praying Suppliants at once a thousand to him are as one and one as a thousand Beware of Atheisme in this kinde Secondly Goe in the Lord Iesus by a promise hauing thy wants in a readinesse and thy faith on wing let not thy course in praying issue from a formall platforme though I iudge not any man for reading a prayer but a liuely feeling and humble pinching of soule for thy Necessities Thirdly shake off all extremities of a corrupt heart by faith which must hold thine eye fixed upon thy Mediator by his Spirit vpholding thy faintnesse and groning within thee against all thy presumptions commonnesse dulnesse deadnesse coldnesse and beseech the Lord to stirre thee vp to pray as he shall suggest vnto thee by the present occasion well digested either for the Church others or thy selfe Tye thy selfe to no punctualnesse but as the holy men in Scriptures have done so let confession sometimes goe before or follow prayer and either of both thankesgiuing Come not to the Lord with either an heart moyling and lowring with discontent without faith or bold and ventrous without humiliation but let both haue their due weight If thou wouldest be heauenly in prayer first abase thy selfe as a worme dust and ashes yea as Master Bradford hell and the sinke-hole before the Lord who is heauen and holinesse if the Lord haue any speciall draught for thy net he will put thee out of conceit with thy owne Art and thy selfe as Peter was when hee had toiled all night and catcht nothing Emptinesse is the onely raiser of our minds in prayer Oh! how hard is it to get and then secondly by faith be quickned to wait for 〈◊〉 â—nswer these two will fill thee with heauenly affections and rid thee of thine owne inuentions manner and ends Fourthly Adde these meet qualities of Prayer viz. fervent importunity as one whom God cannot bee rid of till thou speed and frequency as hauing sped well already If in prayer thou finde little stirring know it is not because Prayer is not Gods Ordinance but he would try whether forme and the worke done bee not aboue spirit and faith in thee if they be not persist and goe against the edge of thy owne deadnesse resting in that measure gladly which the Lord sees best for in this case thou wilt pray oftnest as 2 Cor. 12.10 Fifthly and aboue all come not to pray with any tainted knowne sin I say not onely grosse but euen secret and close through a lazy heart loth to cast them off or a loose heart louing them better than the things thou prayest for lest the Lord iustly leaue thee to be wearisome to him and thy selfe Cast out thy wrath and earth and disdaine and censures and vncharitablenesse yea let thy praying awe thee against them ere thou pray that it may arme thee when thou hast done Til prayer become thy familiar friend bring thee into acquaintance with God for a supply of wants pardon of daily sinnes helpe for all duties of conuersation And so looking vp to thine Aduocate for a couering of thy weakenesse this duty shall be a speciall helpe to godlinesse vnto thee Touching the Lords Prayer I send my Reader to the speciall Treatises thereof Q. Adde somewhat of meditation and leaue the rest A. Touching this Ordinance I may call it the high-way to all good conuersation yea I may say it 's as the smoke of the sacrifice in which the Angell Iudg. 13.20 went up to heauen in I set it not aboue prayer but magnifie it to set an edge vpon people who will not know it And surely if that be an helpe to God which both takes away lets and both in the act and effects of it is so admirable iudge what an helpe meditation is Tell mee then first what are the cheefe lets to grace in them who otherwise want not knowledge Surely either giddinesse of mind or vnsavourinesse of spirit The former like a sieve out of the water loseth all it gets suffers nothing either truths heard or workes seene to abide long in the heart But Meditation settles them in the Spirit that they leake not out Heb. 2.1 Thus the life of a thousand Sermons of mercies and occasions is preserued In stead of the latter it seasons the heart with the sap the life the savour of good things They are not heaps upon heaps leauing vs a thirst but we drink of them digest them and make our soules merry with them Euen as an enuious man so long chewes the cud of his malice in his bed till hee haue het his heart and deuised reuenge so is meditation a reall grace on the contrary and whetteth vpon the promises and works of God till it be fired with the love of them Againe it makes the meaning view scope and order both of particular doctrines and the whole frame of Religion to become our owne And lastly wee come hereby to the ease of practice the fruit hereof Experience so that if once we haue found crosses to doe vs good wee feare not when new ones approach if wee haue felt the gaine of a Sabbath we get a delight therein in a word whatsoeuer is easie it becomes sweete and therefore if this be worth somewhat to find the yoke of God easie and his burthen light as to say the truth it is the vpshot of goodnesse well may wee then say Meditation is a diuine helpe to a good course Oh! how it s to bee lamented that men know it not they get no matter to chew vpon they seperate not themselues to it thinking they may meditate while they â—e at worke they doe not curbe their wild and wandring hearts from other obiects and so this piece of Gods Worship is irkesome vnto them Thus much for a tast of some of the priuate Q. But are the extraordinary helpes so too A. There need be the lesse question of that because as their nature is more solemne so is their vse if they be attended accordingly And first that of Fasting Of which I say this that if wee esteeme that receit aboue all which doth cure a disease that no other medicine could then surely fasting deserues account Our Sauiour tels vs This kinde of Diuels goeth not out Mar. 9.29 saue by fasting and prayer that is all the ordinances of God are effectuall but this aboue all for this end Wherefore briefely whither we bring the Churches or our owne cases either sinnes or sorrowes before the Lord to be done away Let vs first arme
Aaron and Hur that the poore soule might bee propped vp on both sides against the enemies of a good conuersation Let no paynes seeme too great 1 Cor. 1.7 hauing such precious promises let vs purge our selues of al filthines As Paul spake of one so I say of all these 1 Thess 4.18 Comfort your selues and one another by these priuiledges If the most common blessing become peculiar to you through Christ what shall the best become How should that hope of glory after your toyle and trauaile ended encourage you when the glory of the Moone shal be as the glory of the Sun and the light of the Sun ten times greater and the Saints shall worship from Sabbath to Sabbath to all eternity Oh! count all your troubles tolerable in the hope heerof and deceaue all the world in their opinion of your misery Let this hope make ye as farre aboue the miseryes of this life as your treasure is aboue the earth But especially let not death be vnwelcome as that old man sayd Thus long haue I serued God and it yrketh me not to dye for I haue had a good Master Secondly let it hearten vs to our worke to see what good vayles we haue better then al the wages of an hireling Priuiledges are commonly held by Seruice and we see how the guilt of soule Treasons or riot and misdemeanor doth forfeict the liberties of Cities and companies Honors are best mayntaind by loyalty by labor and diligence It s hard to renue a Charter once lost by Rebellion Therfore hold our selues close to our holy conuersation and walking with God by such Priuiledges It s a great matter that we haue them vnder Gods seale but when we see that they do concerns vs alone how should this cheere us Let all the braue spirits of the world and all the fauorites of Princes at death hold vp their heads as a beleeuer may vnder one of all these promises and we will embrace his choice But the Spirit of this Treasure and these priuiledges the ioy peace and welfare of a Christian can hardly be counterfeited a stranger shall not get into his ioy Thus much also of this Article The seuenth and last Article of the third part Question VVHat is this last Article A. The vse of the whole part in generall Euen the very text of the Apostle may comprehend it Eph. 4.23 If yee haue learned the truth as it is in Iesus put off the old man and put on the new As we haue felt Iesus in the truth of his Reconciliation so let vs put on the same Lord Iesus in the truth of Renouation for the one intimates the other Shew thy selfe to vnderstand how the spirit by fayth breeds Repentance in the heart and life As the poore childe hauing the mothers cost about it dainty fare money in purse fine cloathes carries them to shew in euery corner of the house so let vs warmed and adorned with the Lord Iesus our righteousnesse 2. Cor. 2.14 vtter his loue and shew forth the sauor of it in all our course Let vs abhorre the thought of such a Iesus as will keepe within our bosomes and lye still no his loue will burne within vs and wee shall not bee able to smother it It will giue vs the spirit of Dauid 1 Kin. 1.30 who cryed As the Lord liueth who hath deliuered my soule from all aduersity Salomon shall raigne signifying that this loue of Gods redemption and deliuerance was kept as the perpetuall sacrifice burning vpon the Alter of his heart alway ready at his call to set him about euery good duty with resolution Hee speaks as a Gyant refreshed with wine â— Cor. 5.14 as if this loue of Christ compelled him and was as strong as the spirits of wine to encourage him to his seruice when hee would do any thing to purpose he cals for this Spirit of Gods loue that deliuered him Let this Spirit carry vs to preach to meditate to deny our selues to bee patient to beare our crosses to dye in peace If any duty more then common offer it selfe let this mayne motiue be drawne forth and bee as the necessity of an armed man Ephe. 3.16 That the Lord hath deliuered vs from all aduersity Then we put on the Lord Iesus when his loue is put into and vpon our soules to enlarge and widen them to goe thorow our conuersation with holy resolution His length and depth and breadth and height must enlarge vs to the length or continuance of a sweete course to the depth and hardnesse of the most difficult duties to the height and pitch of the most heauenly affections the bredth and measure of the most plentiful and fruitfull obedience that is to whatsoeuer is godlynesse Not our pangs not our good affections not all encouragements blessings or examples no not all meanes ordinances and performances without which this will do it As that good Latymer to some that asked him why one that preacht his Sermon did not preach it as he did answered Hee had his Fiddle and sticke but wanted his rozen so vndoubtedly will it be heere when wee goe to worke without this loue of the Lord Iesus warming vs as an inward principle of life and motion we may thinke we haue harped vpon the right string and admire our selues but the true stroake of the musique the rellish and sauor of the worke will bee to seeke and all returne vpon vs with fulsome distaste in respect eyther of Gods account or our own content Still that of poore Isaac will be wanting Lo heere my Father is the Altar and the wood ready Gen. 22.7 But where is the Sacrifice Let all I haue spoken end in this All true sight of sinne sence of mercy ends in the life of fayth in obedience Goe ouer the second Article of conuersation in thy thoughts get a view of it and conclude It must be no small loue must driue such a course no little stocke that will carry such a trade currently and the cause why the wheele of conuersation cracks and breaks in so many parts why it driues on so heauily and is so vnequall in her motion is this it wants her spokes to ioyne her to the Nave such a wheele wee know as wants her staues must needs split and the wheele of that conuersation that is full of loding and duties being yet vnsupported with these staues of loue from the Naue of the Lord Iesus his deliuerance and redemption must of necessity cracke in sunder The Lord Iesus we read commended two persons admirably Luke 7.9 Luke 7.47 the one that Centurion of whom hee sayd I haue not found such fayth in Israel The other was Mary out of whom he had cast seuen deuils and sayd She loued much because much was forgiuen her Let both be ioyned together if we get such fayth as is rare to finde let vs bewray it by such loue as is so too and both will carry vs forth to this
third part of the Catechisme such a conuersation also which is rare to finde such as no Pharise or hypocrite shall bee euer able to reach because hee neuer felt or tasted how good the Lord Iesus is How should Simon kisse anoynt wipe the feete of Iesus without his forgiuenesse Hee had little to forgiue and therefore little loue he made a dinner to Christ in courtesie but kissed him not nor anoynted him Looke vp to God now and see in what this whole view of the Catechisme stands Surely by the way of sinne and the Law to carry thee to fayth in the Lord Iesus The scope of this Treatise weigh well 1 Tim. 3. vlt. that the truth of Iesus may lead thee to an holy conuersation this is Christ Iesus the mystery of Godlinesse to feele such perswasion of vndecaying sweetnesse and such presence of this perswasion of loue as might tell thy deerest lusts Rom. 6.21 What fruit haue I had of ye yea make thee stinke before them as he sayd of Dauid that thou mightst bee Christs seruant for euer and that hee might pray reade meditate heare doe suffer obey in thee in his strength walke in all holy conuersation Endeauor it then and the more thou hast toyled with thine owne hands and skill and catcht nothing the more fall downe in the deepe experience of thy vtter nothing those nets of thine owne which thou hast sacrificed so long vnto lay them by and see the vanity of them saying Lord depart from me a sinfull wretch Cast thou out Lord on the right side of the Shiâ— Thou that hast all the fish in the lake at command to bâ—ing â—hem together all duties the whole worke of Conuersation to go through with ease and delight O Lord Iesus do thou all my workes in me Esay 26.12 Secondly to this end be admonished not to rest onely Vse 3 in this that thou hast fayth suppose it be true except also thou haue learned the truth of fayth as it is in Iesus As thou hast receaued from the Lord Iesus so walke Remember to stirre vp that spirit of Christ in thee which was once giuen thee let it not lye dead in thee I dispute no questions 2 Tim. 1.14 how farre the abilities of the regenerate reach in point of concurrence with the Grace of the Spirit I dare not thinke that the Spirit puts the reyne out of his owne hand and sway into ours or that he is euer tyed to worke in vs he may desert vs for a time to abase vs much lesse that our principle is actiue from vs as our selues It s enough that he as our actiue principle must worke the will and the deed in vs and do all for vs and that he hath betrusted vs with such an instrumentall ability and influence from himselfe as is endued with fitnes to this Holy conuersation and more then so hath giuen vs the hand of faith to iogge his arme continually to assist vs binding himselfe by promise till wee giue him ouer not so forsake vs in his assistance if we will plead our liberty Oh happy they that can he will not be wanting to vs If when we sought him not he found vs and finding Esay 65.1 reconciled vs to himselfe by his death how much more shall he by his life saue vs and giue vs the hand to helpe vs ouer this great hill of conuersation that so wee reape the fruit of holines eternall life Oh let vs put forth our soules to this worke It is the workeman that must make the Sawe to cut Rom. 5.9 10 Rom. 6.22 by framing it to such a power and cut with it when he hath done Both are his yron cannot make it selfe sharpe alone and beeing sharpe cannot cut alone nor apply it selfe to the wood or stone so heere yet remember he that hath put an instrumentall power into ours soule to obey hath also created the life of fayth in vs to stirre this arme of the Spirit to draw this Sawe ouer our wood and stone that wee may 〈…〉 performe obedience Oh that any who euer sought the Lord for fayth should hang it vp till it rust and neuer set it on worke by prayer selfe deniall and diligence Let vs not bee of the mind of them who thinke themselues safe if once they haue fayth they doubt not but she will set her selfe on worke whether wee be sleeping or waking No no he that will not saue thee for thy obedience will yet saue thee by it and he that doth neyther of both for thee will yet do neyther without thee but he will so bow thy soule to a sweet liberty of loue and delight to obey and to such a confidence in his promise to be enabled yea such a perswasion within thy selfe to encourage that beeing mooued and acted thou shalt act and worke together with his grace thy owne saluation Be not wanting then to such a principle of life and motion in thee Vse 3 Lastly watch to thy selfe duly and dayly and to this worke of conuersation and way that God hath chalked out for thee Do as those Numb 9.19 who attended the watch of the Lord day and night ready vpon the least wauing of the Cloud or fire from the Tabernacle to remooue and vpon the first rest hereof to stand still As the Apostle neuer thinkes himselfe to haue pressed a duty well when he vrges to pray or read or heare or bee armed except hee adde this too Watch thereto Eph. 6.18 1. Pet. 5.8 1. Cor. 16.13 So say I Obey and watch to it walke with GOD in this wheele of thy course and watch to it be aware of each turne of the wheele each duty occasion liberty seruice else it will be in vaine to know it if thy loines bee not girt and thy lampe alway burning to it If GOD haue once purged thy foule heart and seasoned it for thee keepe it so he did it not with much adoo that thou shouldst vndoo it all at once by thy ease and sloth world pleasures wearinesse and the like Let the wise Virgins take heed of nodding in this night of the age we liue it Let them watch to their worke let them see how they grow downeward in rooting and setlednesse vpward in fruitfulnesse skill ease and experience resolution and full purpose of heart to cleaue to God And by so doing wee shall watch to the comming also of our Lord Iesus to translate vs from this our poore walking with him to be with him and to be rid of all our clogs which hinder vs from so doing and goe from this our doing Gods will as it is in heauen to doe it in Heauen Neuer was greater cause for vs to long for this comming then in these times wherein not only we are letted by Satan and the world from our duties I meane the seruice of the time and the grace of our conuersation Oh how well shall it be the when not onely Goates and Sheepe shall for euer be parted but the sad carriage and strangenesse of sheepe to sheepe bee both forgiuen and remoued where Luther and Zuinglius as one sayd where Cranmer and Hooper where Ridley and Sandeâ—s shall accord for euer in perfect amity Come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen Giue God the praise FINIS LONDON Printed by I. N. for SAMVEL MAN dwelling at the signe of the Swanne in Pauls Church-yard 1632.