contrarietie of Spirit unto it Jo. 14. 4. and 5. 14. Psal 5. 15. Rom. 7. 23. propension to any sin and unaptness to any good 2. So for the penalties a seed of utter impenitâ—nciâ— disobedience obstinacie apostasie excommunication from God From this fountain proceeded both actual sins and actual penaltiâ—s Sins of commission omission ignorance presumption inward habits as hypocrisie earthliness ignorance error prophaneness unthankfulness hardness of heart Outward acts impiousness unrighteousness intemperancie and the like So penalties actual as the impuritie and curs of conception and birth the loss of the right and dominion of the creatures the curs on God's blessings hellish terrors diseases povertie discredit imprisonment fear of death guiltiness of judgment and utter miserie of loss and sens in hell Such a penaltie upon Adam's nature as made it truly miserable in stead of beeing truly happie This miserie hath two branches 1. The miserie of sin 2. The miserie of punishment 1. Miserie of sin is either of the root Original or the branches Actual sin both makeing the Soul truly though not equally miserable The miserie of Original sin standeth in two things 1. Original guilt 2. Original stain or pollution both being the fountains of all actual guilt and pollution of conscience Original guilt is that privitie and reflection of conscience whereby hee told himself continnally that hee had fallen and therefore must die the death in each kinde of it bodie and Soul This perpetual Alarum of conscience in his nature was the first part of his finfull miserie And to say the truth what miserie is like to this to bee ever on the rack of a man 's own spirit suggesting and boading him sad things to com for his sin threatning him with perpetual ruine Original stain or pollution is set forth either in the whole or in the parts Touching the whole the holy Ghost expresseth it by the word Death for as death is the resolution of nature so is this death of the Soul a total abolishment and corruption of that blessed frame of creätion in Minde by light in Will by holiness Touching the parts in the minde there is a death of all pure light and knowledg in the will of subjection in the affections of direction to the right objects in the conscience of all welfare and pureness in the spirits senses and members there is a death of that abilitie and serviceableness to the Soul in good things and a proneness and tickling to bee imploied profanely and unholily To conclude there is a death of the Person in respect of that right and sovereigntie over the creatures with a slavish proneness rather to idolize them both in the worship of som and the love or use of others a declenfion from God and a revolt to the base creature as Eve did to the forbidden fruit The miserie of Actual sin is the depravedness of death of all the operations flowing from the soul within or the bodie without 11. The miserie of punishment stand's in the manifold penalties both of soul and bodie In the Soul first an aversness from God an uncapableness of admitting of any meanes to draw the Soul out of miserie to any better estate a spirit of resisting and opposition to any such a proneness to bee riveted more and more deeply into this wo with less or less feeling or believing it Touching the bodie what languors and diseases are incident to it what povertie baseness beggerie and want to the estate what reproach to the name and credit aspersions slanders dishonors what miserie in familie Church and Common-wealth Crosses streights pursuits losses forfeits death of friends imprisonment bad tideings famin war pestilence and a thousand waies for him to go wofullie out who came but one way into the World besides grief of minde melancholie passions and distempers of the spirit bad conscience ill marriage lewd children ill success ruine of estate and at last a miserable death and yet the upshot of all is worst after viz. a final separation from GOD and loss of his eternal presence with the sens of unutterable intolerable unavoidable wrath of God in Hell upon the whole man for ever without the least hope of help or redress in or from himself Vse I. To consute the Papists who denie this death of nature and say there bee left in the unregenerate such abilities and devotions as may congruously dispose God to pardon them and by som help of grace merit also full forgiveness It likewise reprov's natural Papilts who doat upon their civil moral or religious duties except yee also denie your selvs and behold the miseries of your natures yee will fare wors in time even by your righteousness then if ye had none For why do not ye graff upon a rotten stock and guild a rotten post So also such as commend men's natures saying oh such are so sweetly natur'd courteous loving milde and harmless that there is but little between them and heaven alas how many of those sweet creatures are as bitter enemies to God's grace as friends to civilitie and fair carriage And also such as defend their passions by their nature saying it 's my nature to bee so hot I have soon don fool think'st thou thy nature is more excusable then thy passion Men think the Minister should onely reproov gross sins but should not bee bitter against infirmities oh God would fain draw thee from the open to the secret sins of thy heart least thy freedom from the gorsser should destroy thee Vse II. This should caus thee to look upward and to gage the greatness of Christ's love which could sinde in his heart to satisfie for such a miserie to fetch happiness out of the depth of it The height depth of mercie cannot bee sounded till thou take measure of it by the depth of miserie Little sin to forgive will make Christ little loved Lett us not lessen and mince our sins in hope of more easie pardon but if wee should magnifie the grace of Christ lett us first magnifie and enlarge our sin to the uttermost if Christ see that wee rather hope in our small sin then his great grace wee are dead men The way to get pardon is to equal his price to all our miserie That love that would rather satisfie for all then any should condemn mee is of infinite dimensions Vse III. This should caus us to wonder at the goodness of Gods dispensation of this miserie that both in the sin and in the penaltie it should bee so mitigated by the providence of that God who for universal ends restraineth the force and violence of this miserie Let us acknowledg the singular patience of God to dispens so mercifully with man all save hell being meer indulgence of mercie Vse IV. It teacheth us to judg aright of sin to count our selvs miserable by it to judg of it not by the matter or act of it but by the villanie of it against the majestie of God his crown and
desperate and refractorie sinners that they may com under God's chain but as are bound in it already must not bee oppressed more as if there were no succor for them no Balm in Gilead Vse II. Let such as are to receiv their counsel beware of beeing stout and obstinate by melancholie and sullenness Many people make their chains heavier then God make's them and will not suffer a thought of hope to enter through the anguish of bondage All such as becaus they cannot feel so strong comforts as they fancie therefore quarrel with God and reject such as hee offer 's them No let not God bee tempted by thy frowardness when hee seek's to trie thy humilitie Vse III. It 's exhortation to all poor troubled souls First to get and pray for readie and willing hearts to hear and see God's voice and steps for for eas and do not devour their own flesh Prov. 9. 12. Get Abraham's wisedom Gen. 22 13. who although Isaac had the knife at his throat yet had an ear to hear the Angel and an eie to see the Ram caught in the bush instead of his son Secondly although your hope bee small yet becaus your streight is great consider whether it bee not better to venture upon uncertain hope then upon assured wo 2 King 7. 4. Vse IV. Suffer not bondage to swallow you up in legall sorrow think not hell an heaven custom but as speedily as you can get out at this privie door blessing God for such a mitigation of miserie that in the discharge of the duties of your places you may attend upon the further work of God abhorring to think your selvs well becaus the Law hath you under bondage till the Gospel hath comforted you THE SECOND PART ARTIC I. That there is a deliverance ordained and granted to miserable Man out of this thraldom TItus 3. 4 5 6 c. But after that the kindeness and love of GOD our Savior toward Man appeared not by works of righteousness which hee had don but according to his mercie hee saved us through the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holie-Ghost which hee shed on us abundantly by JESUS CHRIST our Savior Here is a cleer view of a deliverance of a Sinner from this miserie together with the use of it to all that want it The scope is to oppose deliverance to miserie q d. Thus indeed it was by our deservings and God's justice but yet the Lord could not finde in his heart to let us lie in this woful and shiftless estate but when hee saw none to save himself saved us as a man seeing a perishing creature in a ditch and readie to despair for lack of present help himself stepped forth to help it out hee of dutie the Lord of meer goodness hee found out a way to set man on drie land out of the gulf of miserie so that the one was not so hideous as this is pretious and gracious So that First note that in this woful ruine of man there is a deliverance Eph. 2. 1. 1 Thes 1. vlt. Luke 1. 74. Esay 63. 5. Secondly it is appointed by the LORD out of the uusearchable treasure of his wisedom And this appear's partly by his eternal purpose within himself and partly by that expression of himself to his Church and to his elect Both these the intention of his heart towards them and the declaration thereof to them in his word do shew that it was not the will of God that man sunk in the dungeon of wo should lie there still and perish but recover out of it and live and this hee would have no secret in his own bosom nor hidden from us but known and revealed The Lord from eternitie purposed with himself to exempt a number known to himself out of this destruction and out of his justice to pass by others as not bound to rescue them and leav them in their corruption still and this to manifest his infinite justice against sin The Covenant of Grace is the promulgation and publishing of this his purpose in and by his word i e. by his Son the eternal word of the Father And this Covenant reache's equally to Election and no further and the sum of it is that GOD will bee their God to pardon sanctifie protect and save them will not bee ashamed to bee so called by them nor of them to bee his own beloved but hold them in this everlasting Covenant of his till hee receive them to immediate fruition of himself There is another general Covenant of ordinary calling by the ofter of the Gospel and the common badg of Baptism which is made to all without exception who exclude not themselvs but differeth from the former and is much larger then Election This offer must bee universal 1. Because whom the Lord call's hee call's and cull's out of the universal world those who receiv it shew themselvs elect those who finally reject it perish by their own unbelief and shew themselvs to bee none of God's number 2. His Ministers beeing his ordinarie instruments cannot put difference between the elect and the not-elect therefore they are to publish it generally to all 3. If the Covenant should bee dispensed with restraint this might strengthen the rebellious in their cavilling against the decree and fasten the caus of their perdition upon God which is onely from themselvs Vse I. It should teach us to adore the wisedom of God in this manner of manifesting himself This Covenant was darkly before shadowed by ceremonies but in due time revealed clearly Vse II. Break off thy league with sin and embrace the Covenant of mercie the sure mercies of David Vse III. Thouh Redemption bee the undivided work of the whole Trinitie yet even in this there bee several and incommunicable works of everie person concurring The Son merit's and work 's out the way of redemption The holie-Ghost work 's the perswasion of it in the soul But God the Father is the first mover and ordainer of it as the wel-spring whence the purpose and also the manifestation thereof proceeded Beware then least wee either confound these three actions or yet exclude any of the persons from their own operations But let us adore them all The Spirit in the work of applying Christ and the Father in the work of giveing Christ and in that love of his from which both Christ and the satisfaction came Vse IV. Behold in the Father an infinite depth of love and mercie toward sunken man thus to repair him Here is love not that wee loved him first but hee loved us haveing nothing but odiousness in us even that hee might shew what was in his heart and what hee could do Therefore judg aright of this first love and secondly profit by the meditation of Judg of it to bee the very fulness of all in all to bee a length depth height and bredth neither to bee reached unto searched into comprehended or attained but onely by faith embraced and rested upon
wel-fare Shall a beleever rest in his pardon more then in the righteousness of God which may make them accepted and beloved No the Liverie they wear is The Lord our Rightousness Vse V. Let this rais the price of the Lord Jusus's love in the hearts of all his children the more cost the more love Vse VI. How should it teach us to abhor all enemies of the Cross Vse VII If this death of the Lord Jesus bee our satisfaction and the freedom from sin and curs our pardon peace and heaven where is the dwelling of our hearts upon it the delight of our souls in it how is it that each base shadow of joy can affect us when this cannot if our hope were here onely in Christ of all others wee were most miserable Nothing here can keep thee from miserie what is then thy happiness This satisfaction onely Let it bee all in all to thee the seasoning of thy blessings supplie of all wants Vse VIII Especially let the chief stream of this point's use bee this First to all Ministers to teach it and the people to applie it to themselvs in all their fears yea the greatest agonie yea death it self Whatsoever thou foregoest hold this Stand with open face and hold this mirror to poor finners that they may behold the LORD our Righteousness Secondly to all People Consider yee who have truly felt that Serpent of the Law sting yee mortally in the other part com applie the remedie in this look upon this brazen Serpent and live and first I say feel the strength Secondly take hold of it and make peace for the former Know without a promise from God there is no peace unto you and promise there can bee none without satisfaction This is the strength of an offer and a promise Anger abide's in God without this price and thou art but as the bush and drie stubble before it Bee assured then no promise speak's to thy soul and to thy heart except it hath this strength of Christ in whom each one is Yea and Amen Hence com's all wrath to bee turned into love and this will make God willing to offer and faithful to perform els not That bottomless depth of mercie in thy Judg and Enemie cannot bee gaged without this bucket by this thou maiest reach it Again as this is sufficient strenth so it is that onely which can redeem thee Hee redeemed us not with pearls but with the precious blood of the Lamb Wilt thou go to thy duties performances grace Alas they have no blood of expiation in them all these will say satisfaction is not in mee where then surely here onely Vse IX If so abandon all and cling to this onely Take hold of this sufficient and onely sufficient strength as the Prophet bid's thee Whatever enemie pursue thee at the heels this is thy refuge that here thou maiest have strong consolation in all fears against all enemies fearest thou the sins of thy youth or age The Lord Jesus was conceived in the Womb that the infant Elect which never saw light migt bee saved by him Youth notwithstanding her disobediene age for all her rebellion might bee forgiven Do thy moral sins of murther stealth uncleanness swearing distress thee This Lord Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for thee Do thy spiritual wickednesses oprress thee an unbelieving secure hard heart by the contempt of the gospel The Lord Jesus suffered the powring out of his blood to break the heart of those that pierced him upon the Cross Art thou poor Thy satisfier was so Rich Hee was the Lord of all Are thy sins great Hee died for Noah's drunkenness Lot's incests David's adulterie Small Lo even thy least vain word cost him his life-blood But perhaps not som sins but perhaps sin it self and the bodie of death trouble 's thee Hee was made sin that knew none Oh! then whatsoever sin can say yet go on to the throne of grace as Heb. 4. 16. and look to finde mercie in time of need Doth the Divell gates of Hell Conscience or the Justice of GOD threaten thee They cannot save for sin if they do thy conscience hath her answer to God against all And so plead this thy pardon to the Lord. Say thus Oh Father even thou cuttest off thy plea in giving this price in accepting it in offring of it to mee J Lord am here before thee pinched and damned by my sin if thou doest reckon it to mee Oh! Lord I put this blessed price beetween mee and wrath Lord have no power to denie it mee Even I if I were left with an Orphan's estate could not keep it from him Lord I am fatherless my orphan's stock is in thy keeping thou took'st it to bestow it Lord let my Soul have strong consolation in her seeking refuge to thee becaus this price warrant 's mee VI. Branch The Conquest of Christ Hee overcame all enemies rose again from the dead and gave a full beeing to the merit of his satisfaction Conceiv of it in three estates of Christ 1. Before his death Though the Lord Jesus was not exempt from mortalitie and infirmitie but subject to all through our sin yet hee conquered in suffering for he endured no more then himself pleased 2. At his death Although our Mediator must needs drink that cup which his Father gave him yet hee was a conqueror then too and above any enemy 3. After death when they had got his dead bodie into the grave hee resumed his bodie and soul again and gave them another blow wors then all hee rose again conquered their malice never more to bee conquered to die no more Act. 2. 24. Rom. 1. 3. Vse I. This inform's us of the assurance which a poor soul under a condition of grace may take to it self in pleading her part in this satisfaction For by his conquest hee sent his Church into a lively possession of all his merits Let us therefore com with the assurance of faith to the throne of grace Heb. 10. 22. saying Lord give the poor needing servant the fruit of the Lord Jesus his obedience the power of his conquest the full efficacie of his redemption Oh let us not want the strength of this perswasion but press it and say Lord I com to thee in the merit of a Christ not dead but alive a Conqueror that made good to mee all his sufferings by his victorie and gave all his enemies a dead blow when they looked all to have overthrown him Vse II. Sundrie consolations Touching Faith how many are the fears that a poor soul hath that shee shall never bee able to believ Within herself what weakness forgetfulness melancholy guilt of conscience through corruption and dead heart slavish and fearful presumptuous hardned by the deceit of sin unworthiness neglect of the season of grace this bodie of death opposing all savor of goodness and so even death of bodie make 's them afraid they may die ere they believ So without them what temptations against
and performed for her 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 bosom of love bared towards a poor wretch and this hee utter's by a proclamation and by an offer of grace to them if they will believ him to mean as he speak's See 2 Cor. 5. 20. 21. Him that knew no sin hee made sin ctc. And what of this Therefore hee saith bee reconciled to God Now when the soul hear's of this ground and building shee feel's herself to have somwhat to say for herself in this her dealing with God I thank thee O Lord for thy granting it and for the price paid but now seeing thou hast don it that in thy being satisfied I might have my part in it as offred and pinn'd on my sleev when I see a thing more precious than the world laid in my lap by thy hand I tremble to think I should refuse my own salvation The Gospel in the Ministerie of reconciliation is the instrument of this Revelation and that both fully and onely Paul tell 's us that when the love of God appeared then hee saved us This appearance is the light of the Gospel and the arising of the day-star thereby in the heart Now yet this Gospel is not the mean in respect of the bare letters and syllables of it but in the Ministerie of reconciliation Paul speaking of this great gift of Christ twice joine's this with it and hee hath made us Ministers of reconciliaton as if this were a material point Wee the Ministers of God beeseech you bee reconciled receiv not the grace of God in vain It were a great help to our faith to consider God hath seal'd Ministers to engage their truth for God that if God do not mean as hee speak's they are liers Wee had never known sin but by the law so neither Grace but by the Gospel And surely who so will profit by this Article must get this lesson by heart That the Lord who freely purposed and faithfully sent his Son into world still continue's his freedom and doth offer the Lord Jesus with his excellencie most freely A bottom of most unspeakable comfort to all poor bruised reeds and broken souls For if hee bee freely offred what poor soul should doubt to accept him What is freeer than gift Hee that gave him freely cannot withdraw him again nor keep back his satisfaction from a needing soul as if hee repented It behoov'd us then much to understand the truth of this freedom which in a few particulars I willname First God offer 's Christ of his own accord therefore freely Secondly hee offer 's us better then that Adam lost The burning down of our hous was the occasion of our greater repairing As hee said I had perished if I had not been taken prisoner Thirdly hee offer 's to the undeserving Wee were Theevs Traitors and enemies when wee did all wee could to pull him out of his throne yea slew the Lord of life then died hee for us Fourthly hee offereth freely who offer 's instantly upon our need No sooner did Adam fall but the offer followed the seed of the woman c. No sooner doth a poor wretch need mercie but it prevent's him Ho every one com c. Hee that offer 's leasurely is but a cold giver but speedie offring is double grace Fifthly when hee hath offered and given hee repent's not Of all works of which God is said to repent him it is neverr said hee repented to offer mercie Nay hee is so far from it that hee hath sworn and will not repent God never repent's of mercie that hee might repent us of our unthankfulness and unbelief Sixthly the Lord is exceeding glad when his offer is taken and no way so displeased as when it s in vain 2 Cor. 6. 2 Heb 2. 3 4. No disobedience is so odious to him as unbelief Joh. 3. 19. Nor for which hee will so severely punish 2 Cor. 4. 4. Hee is master of his richest gift count's it his honor to give the best most freely Joh. 6. 27. Hee hath a royal heart and can beteam to the basest worm the priveledg of pardon adoption and glorie and hee giv's an heart capable of his offer also els how could an oyster-shell contain this fountain all to teach the soul to recover it self out of her cursed distust and measureing the Lord and his gift by her self and her capableness whereas all his are inlarged by him with his offer to bee comprehensive of it the Lord makeing a poor shallow heart meet to receiv his fulness Eph. 3. 17. Seventhly hee offer 's without expecting again as wee say hee lend's freely who expects no requital the Lord indeed look's for honor at the hands of his servants but first hee giv's the gift and secoudly the heart and thirdly accept's it as honor beeing no addition to perfection The Lord offer 's grace to none whom rather hee might not bee ashamed to own Such is man's baseness that even in his greatest freedom hee seek's himself A father will give his childe his Land but when after death when it cannot pleasure him Till then hee will have rent And wee have a secret end in our gifts I give that hee may requite But the Lord offer 's to such as can no way content him or bee pleasing Hee giv's first to make them so but finde's them odious that hee may shew what hee can finde in his heart to do and make all men astonish't at his meer gracious grace and to boast of the Lord. Eightly hee require's nothing in us toward the accepting his offer All our own make's our accepting frustrate Rev. 1. 22. Com and drink freely of the waters Joh. 7. If any man thirst let him drink freely God giv's and upbraid's not our nothing Nay our emptiness is our best plea. Esay 55. 1. Com and buy for nothing self denial is our best price and hee that com's and offer 's to God any thing and bring 's cost to God loose's his gift This offer will appear so much the freer if also wee mark the circumstances in which the Scripture expresseth the offer called the cords of love by Hosea by which hee draw's the soul to see his meaning somtimes by his long patience and waiting upon her notwithstanding all her deafness of ear and deadness of heart and dallying with his offer Oh! his locks are bedewed with the drops of the night His long suffering and patience is a bottomless depth beyond all the expectation of man It is long ere thy unbelief could wearie him hee hath lengthened out the season of grace according to the length of grace it self forborn thee long kept off judgment a long while which might have swept thee away from hope many years since Hee hath recovered the lives of many of us twice or thrice that wee might renue our covenants and keep them And hee hath
quiet but is held on by peculiar tenderness to attend grace Alas there will bee a season of God's weariness and his spirit shall not strive with man Hee will have also a season of leaving thee to that contempt which despised the counsel of God for thy salvation Abhorring of light preferring darkness despising the Ministerie and Ordinances revolting from those insinuations of grace which once seemed precious I say these are spiritual wickednesses and far exceed moral evils Vse VII Let this bee a sweet preparative unto us to frame us to believ Entertain wee not any base cursed thoughts of God in the simplicitie of his offer Nourish all possible persuasion in the soul of his unfeigned meaning towards thee in this kinde thou canst honor him no better than to agree with him in his meaning well to thee There is no greater difficultie of faith then this seed of bondage in us to judg of God by our selvs Wee muse as wee use If wee have an enemie wee cannot forget his wrongs wee meet him not without indignation and therefore so wee think of God also to us and the rather becaus hee hath so much vantage over us But oh poor wretch jealousie aagainst his love Is it not rather oyl to the flame Pull down thy traitor's heart hate not him whom thou hast hurt put on an holie and childe-like opinion of him who when hee needed not yet purposed sent received this satisfaction for thee and therefore cannot lie in offering it to thee Say thus Lord thy sweet offer naked bosom cords of love passions of sick love somtime to allure somtime to contest command urge threaten and beseech turning thee into all forms of persuasion to win my soul all these convince mee of thy wel-meaning towards mee If my own enmitie to my enemie and the slander of Satan that thou enviest my good do assault mee never so much and my own traiterous heart conspire with them yet this thy gracious offer in thy Gospel shall bear down all Read Esay 55. 7. For my wayes are not as your waies nor my thoughts as your thoughts but as far above them as heaven above the earth Add this All the understanding of man cannot comprehend the love of this offer no more then the eie of a needle can the great Camel and shall I go about to lessen it Surely this should bee a great stay to my heart that God hath offered mee this grace and as base as I am what though it cannot enter into such a narrow brest as mine is that hee mean's as hee speak's yet if it bee the pleasure of a great God to give it as his offer import's shall I look at my baseness or at his greatness whom it were a dishonor unto to give mean things Oh Lord rather by this bountie open my narrow heart and make it large If the offer of a Minister of God bee precious who dare seal it upon earth to my poor soul shall not the offer of God himself the strength of Israel that cannot lie much more sway with mee Oh Lord captivate all my hatred of spirit and base treacherie against thee It 's reported of a certain Merchant of LONDON in the storie of England that hee made much of a poor Cobler that dwelt with him a cankred Papist and did as good as maintain him yet this Traitor went about to betray him to death This Merchant haveing escaped his hands yet out of his love used all means to bee friends with him again and used him as before all this would not do his heart was so villanous hee would shun the way of him and not look at him It fell so out at length that hee met him in such a narrow Lane as hee could not balk him but must needs talk with him The good Merchant take's him to him and told him hee was glad hee had met him and hee wondered what hee mean't so to decline from him What said hee do you think mee your enemie if I were could I not crush you with a word speaking Alas I am not offended with you for all your trecherie but forgive and forget it The words of this man so pierced the Cobler's heart that it brake instantly and hee falling down upon his knees and with bitter tears confessed his villanie and repented of it told him This love should for ever tie him unto him and so he continued This base Papist is the heart of every childe of old Adam this royal Merchant is the Lord this narrow lane is the streight of conscience beset with sin and curs this kinde behavior is this offer of Grace Let us not bee wors to it then a cankred Papist but break our hearts and melt into tears and with Saul to David say Where shall a man finde such love as to spare his enemie when hee had him in his hand and to bee content to cut off the lap of a garment when hee might have cut my throat Break my heart in the bosom of his love Vse VIII Wee learn hence to understand the Covenant of God a naked thing but filled with all the merit of an eternal Satisfier and with all the strength mercie justice and faithfulness of an unchangeable Promiser even the Lord fully satisfied and so concerning it beseech the Lord so to write it in thy soul God's offer is founded upon Christ and the well-pleasedness of the Father by him Why then there is no more anger in his heart Esay 27. 3. for if there were what should drie stubble do But now lo hee is reconciled hee cannot bee angrie with a poor Creature Hee hath taken order to satisfie justice by his Son to the end that hee might abolish the proceeding of Justice and cut off his own advantage and power to condemn For a time hee was angry for the iniquitie of thy sin but not for ever least flesh should fail before him Oh! let us well observ this That all in a promise and an offer is little enough to settle a poor soul against her fears And this will caus us to bee glad to cling to the word and say If I perish I perish ARTIC V. The LORD offer 's CHRIST to the Soul furnish't with all his benefits THe LORD offering Christ to the Soul doth not offer him nakedly and barely but furnish't with all the benefits of his satisfaction This is that which the Apostle in Ephes 1. 3. urgeth Blessed bee God who hath blessed us with all blessings in Heavenly places All these benefits are not of one sort for order's sake wee will help our conceit with a distinction Som of these benefits of Christ belong to the beeing or estate of a believer and contain the full right and title to Chist himself and are concurrent with our first engraffing with him and accompanie our first conversion Others are consequent upon this condition as royalties and priveledges following upon it whether inward graces or outward blessings according to the several promises
translate us from this our poor walking with him to bee with him and to bee rid of all our clogs which hinder us from so doing and go from this our doing God's will as it is in heaven to do it in Heaven Give GOD the prais FINIS A TABLE Containing the Method and Principal Heads of the whole book Part I. Article I. pag. 1. II. pag. 7. III. pag. 12. IV. pag. 18. V. pag. 20. VI. pag. 22. VII pag. 58. II. Article I. pag. 64. II. pag. 72. III. pag. 107. IV. pag. 113. V. pag. 129. VI. pag. 172. VII pag. 185. III. Article I. pag 216. II. pag. 224. III. pag. 242. IV. pag. 253. V. pag. 272. VI. pag. 291. VII pag. 302 PART I. Artic. I. In Adam mankinde was creäted in perfection of light and holiness pag. 1. According to God's image pag. 1. 1. For matter p. 1. 2. For manner p. 2. 3. In respect of endowments p. 2. 4. In his bodie p. 2. This image of God is more distinctly considered in three things I. In the bodie 1. In the Production of it p. 2. 2. In the Frame of it beeing made p. 3. II. In the soul 1. In the nature of it p. 3 2. In the functions p. 3. III. In the whole person 1. In his reverend and awfull behavior p. 4. 2. In his honorable entertainment p. 4. Uses pag. 4. c. Artic. II. Adam fell from his Integritie by wilful transgression p. 7. This sin is set forth by two things 1. By the description of the holie Ghost p. 7. 2. By the parcels of the sin p. 8. In the fall consider the causes 1. Remote 1 Changeableness of their will 2. Unarmedness 3. Aptness of the temptation p. 9. 2. More neer and proper 1. Inward tickling of their affection p. 9. 2. Snareing p. 9. Secret assent to the tentation p. 10. Corruptions of heart flowing from this fall are of two sorts Special 1. Pride 2. Securitie 3. Vanitie 4. Sensualitie 5. Discontent 6. Sacriledg 7. Crueltie and injustice c. p. 10. General 1. Distrust of God p. 10. 2. Rebellion against God 3. Unthankfulness 4. Apostasie p. 10. Uses pag. 10. c. Artic. III. Adam's sin made him miserable pag. 12. This miserie hath two branches Miserie of sin Original p. 13. Actual p. 14. Miserie of punishment Of Soul Of Bolie p. 15. Vses pag. 16. c. Artic. IV. The whole race of mankinde is guiltie of Adam's sin p. 16. Vse pag. 19. c. Artic. V. There is no possibilitie for man of himof himself to escape this miserie p. 20. Vses pag. 20 c. Artic. VI. The convinceing Ministerie of the Moral law reveal's our miserie p. 22. c. The works of the Law are of two sorts 1. To the godlie it is a pattern and direction of righteousness p. 22. 2. In the Wicked it work 's two things 1. Knowledg 2. Conviction p. 22. The Law discover's sin 1. By dispelling ignorance p. 23. 2. By remooving the barrs against it viz. 1. Prejudice 2. Custom in darkness p. 23. 3. Hardness of heart p. 23. 4. Dulness 5. Slightness 6. self-Self-love p. 24. 7. Errors ibid. The Law enlighten's to discern actual sins both 1. In themselvs sundrie waies by her 1. Autoritie p. 24. 2. Harmonie p. 24. 3. Royaltie p. 25. 4. Intâ—gritie ibid. 5. Extent p. 27. II. In the penalties p. 28. The Lord discover's original sin to the soul 1. By the Special tearms of his Word 2. By Comparison 3. By the properties of Original sin 1. It is eminently sinful p. 29. 2. Predominantly ibid. 3. Perpetually p. 30. 4. It is an over-flowing sin p. 30. 5. It is an enslaveing sin ibid. 6. Unlimited p. 30. Vses pag. 30. c. Conviction is twofold 1. Of the judgment which the Law effect's by remooving three Letts 2. Of the whole soul called Terror and Bondage p. 37. 1. Deadness of spirit p. 33. 2. Loos incogitancie and carelesness ibid. 3. Subtiltie and slieness ibid. This Legal Terror is explained by the the consideration of three things 1. The difference p. 30. 2 The nature effects and end of it ibid. 3. The extremities and abuses of it which are two 1. Legal presumption p. 45. 2. Final despair p. 46. Vses pag. 53. c. Artic. VII The LORD leav's not the souls of his Children in this miserie but uphold's them by the hope of the Gospel p. 58. Reasons of the point p. 59. c. PART II. Artic. I. That there is a deliverance ordained and granted to miserable man out of this thraldom Note 1. There is a Deliverance p. 65. 2. Appointed by the Lord. p. ibid. Uses pag. 67. c. Artic II. The onely instrument of working out this deliverance is the Lord Jesus p. 72. The whole work of his Mediation may bee referred to two heads 1. The Qualification of his Person p. 73. 2. The Actual performance of the satisfaction it self p. 74. The Qualification of his person hath two parts 1. Union p. 73. and Unction p. 74. The Performance it self stand's of two parts 1. Meriting this price for all the Flect p. 74. 2. Applying it to them p. 75. These are called wâ—â—l-springs of salvation becaus they are so many grounds of justifying faith whereof there are seven heads I. InCarnation p. 78. II. Divinitie of Christ p. 80. III. The personal Union p. 82. Hence the Unction of 1. Priesthoad p. 84. 2. Prophecie p. 86. 3. Kingdom p. 87. IV. Actual Obedience p. 91. V. Passive Obedience p. 91. VI. Conquesi of Christ p. 100. VII Applying of Christ's merit p. 104. Artic. III GOD'S imputation of the merits of CHRIST'S righteousness to a sinful soul is the formal caus of our justification Expressed by divers phrases p. 108. Vses pag. 109. c. Artic. IV The Gospel and the offer of Grace in it is the Revealer of this deliverance The special properties of this offer are three p. 120. 1. Libertie 2. Simplicitie 3. Fidelitie Uses pag. 121. c. Artic. V. The Lord offer 's Christ to the soul furnish't with all his benefits Concerning these benefits of Christ consider three things I. The Difference p. 140. II. The Order p. 131. III. The Nature and Use of them p. 131. 1. Vocation p. 132. 2. Union p. 134. 3. Regeneration p. 138. 4. Justification p. 145. 5. Reconciliatian p. 148. 6. Adoption p. 153. 7. Redemption p. 160. 8. Sanctificatiin p. 167. 9. Glorification p. 167. Artic. VI. The Church of GOD is the true and onely Object of all the former good things Two things here considerable I. The subject of it the Church it self distinguished into 1. Visible p. 172. 2. Invisible p. 173. 3. Militant p. ibid. 4. Triumphant ibid. 5. Malignant p. 174. II. The Adjunct of the Church the Communion of Saints in which consider 1. Qualification p. 176. 2. Due exercise of Communion p. 180. The Spirit of Communion may bee discovered in two particulars 1. In Preserving Communion and this it doth 1. By Separation of fals
to know the meer common sins which everie one may read in great letters running and through eas seek no further becaus indeed knowledg in not their aim but their policie to avoid the shame of gross ignorance 6. self-Self-love by which hee is loath to bee informed in truths his partialitie and subtiltie which suffer's him not to bear such truths as are like to oppose his personal pretious and beloved evils whereby hee is loath to hear of any sins save other mens not his own 7. Errors of our own conceit of sound righteousness to wit that wee have served God well both in shunning of sin or doing dutie when wee have been drawn to it onely by forrein compulsion or outward occasions The Law enlighten's us in the discerning actual sins both in themselvs and in their Penalties 1. In themselvs sundry waies 1. By her authoritie in commanding setting up herself in the conscience the most privie chamber of the Soul this no law of man can do 2. By her harmonie consent and coherence this no man can see except enlightned Jam. 2. 10. bee that break 's one is culpable of all As hee that break 's one Link of a golden chain breake 's the coherence As hee that break 's his neighbors fence trespasse's him as well as if hee ranged over all his ground because the bond is broken 3. By her royaltie That as a King is not prescribed against by the qualitie of any Subject offending why hee may not hold him guiltie So in this no person is accepted of God in this kinde This royal law is impartial it will shew a Queen her sports as well as a poor woman 4. By her integritie and soundness that is it open's sin to the soul in one kinde as well as the other Such is the corruption of Adam that it will suffer much of the bodie of sin to vanish in the survey But where God enlighten's hee discover's sin in all her sexes male and female strong and weak remembred and forgotten ignorance and knowledg in a word one and other for want of which many a Soul never com's to the bar of God's conviction This rule shew's the difference of these First sins of Omission are passings by and balking of som dutie behooving to bee don whether against or without knowledg Secondly sins of Commission are actual doings of som evill in thought word and deed against the revealed will of God whether wee bee convinced or not convinced convinced thereof to bee sin as to work upon the Sabbath to speak vainly to nourish base thoughes Thirdly sins of Knowledg are transgressions of the Law of God against a mans conscience and the check of it whether greater or smaller as when Shimei paised Jordan against his own covenant or when a man goeth against his own light Sins of Ignorance are when a man transgresseth but yet not knowing his sin to bee sin as Abimelech coveting of Sarah Paul's persecuteing the Church 4. Sins of weakness or Presumption differ onely from sins of knowledg in the intention of him that sinneth Not each sin of knowledg amounteth to a sin of presumption though all presumption must need 's bee a sin against knowledg Sin of presumption then is a sin of knowledg committed with an high hand Sin of weakness is a sinning against such knowledg as yet is prevented in her work through accident as either inabilitie of grace to stick to knowledg or through timerousness and fear although dalliance and wantonness bee absent and though conscience bee present to accuse 5ly Sins of presumption it self are not all one for som are onely presumptuous in act as David's adulterie and murther others are total when a man is totally and finally carried in a presumptuous stream of habited sinning This trencheth most horribly against the patience and long-suffering of Grace it self and commonly drawe's impenitencie of spirit upon it self which cannot repent when it would 6ly A just fruit of this dalliance with grace habitually is that total and final Desertion of God's spirit giveing over the presumptuous heart to such a sinning against grace as at last despiteth that grace which it hath so long slighted as the Gnat which burneth it self in the candle and this is called sinning against the holy Ghost differing from habited Presumption in this That in that a man sinneth against the grace of the Spirit but in this a man despiteth the Spirit of Grace it self 5. By her extent it is a great piece of the light of the law to extend it self in the soul to all parts and degrees of sin 1. in her Spiritualness teaching us not to rest onely in open gross moral offences but to go to spiritual wickedness 2. In her inquisition and search it dare and can go to any part of the whole man and fetch out any poyson out of any corner 3. in her aggravateing power whereby shee inlarge's sin by her circumstances causing it thereby to seem the more odious and setting the wors colors upon it as becaus such a person committed it a publick man against such light when hee needed not from meer malignitie of Spirit in the mid'st of blessings against mercie gospel vowes covenant c. 4 in her puritie the law doth not go tell the Soul of each sin but set's the mirror of God's pureness before her that shee may according thereto discern and judg of sin good and bad true and evil These are helps to serv the work of the law in convinceing not to forestall the work of the Spirit she more sound light the soul hath the better Howbeit God is free to work in what way and measure hâ—e pleas II. The law discover's sin by the Penalties The Lord take's away all distinction of venial and mortal sin from a man present's himself to him in his full justice of revenging all sin without exception tell 's the Soul deferring of punishment is no remoovall of it that all sins deserv all punishments that the least cost the Lord Jesus his blood and hee that beleev's it not shall pay for it in hell there is no lying hid from God's eye no shift or evasion besides faith and repentance The Lord discover's Original sin to the soul many waies 1. By the special terms of his Word the Lord is in no one thing so emphatical as in the names hee give 's to this poyson Hee call's it the old man the flesh lust concupiscence the law of the members the law of sin reigning in the members the bodie of death and the like 2. By comparison For when the Soul hath had the view of actual sins before as most irksom and now com's to see greater abominations then these as the Lord tell 's Ezek. Chap. 8. 15. Oh! how out of meature sinful seem's it to the soul how doth shee crie out miserable man for mark thus shee speak's although actual sins were enough to sink mee into miserie yet I see they were but evil in respect of their part
nill shee shee shall not onely almost but altogether bee convinced Now to bring the light and the soul close together is the great wisdom of the Spirit in the Ministerie of the Law Somtimes hee first insinuate's into the heart by slight or cunning and trap's the soul ere it bee aware in his net Thus Nathan came upon David Somtimes hee take's the soul napping in the mid'st and her sin while the sent is fresh thus hee deal't with Saul Somtimes by contesting with conscience and urging her to speak truth upon experience 2. By violence and necessitie when no other cours will serv This the Lord doth by threats apart and somtimes by the addition of som works convince Thus God deal't with Saul and with Achan Somtimes the Lord is fain to circumvent a Sinner in his own cours and to bring forth the long-concealed marks of his sin to his face bidding him denie it if hee dare Thus Tamar deal't with Juda. Somtimes by crosses so was Manasses taken in the bushes So the Prodigal Somtimes by patience and long-suffering and thus Saul in a pang was convinced of David's innocencie Vse I. Of sad mourning for the daies wee are in in which this spirit of the Law seem's to bee lost even as the Ark and Ephod were in the daies of the second Temple Oh! it is heavie to ponder how few consciences are rouzed up and gastred from their dregs under Ministeries of 7 10 20 yeers continuance but still the same men and change no color Vse II. Of Admonition both to Ministers and people First to Ministers that they pray and strive for the Spirit of conviction It 's God's gift and one chief part is to bee Ministers of the Spirit not of the Letter The manner of of our dispensation is more then our voice and as much as our matter Secondly to people They must bee warned to shake off their lets of conviction Let the righteouus smite you it shall bee as a balm Thus Abigail was welcom to David Self-love is an Adder which will not hear the voice of the Charmer The sweetness of usurie pleasure lawful libertie eas will bee as a Delilah to keep off the least conviction of the law Vse III. Examin thy self about this weightie work of the law that thou maiest hope to go on more safely Try it by these markes 1. By the love of a convinceing Ministerie and loathing of the contrarie 2. A cleering of God and the righteousness of his law call thy self the Slave sold under sin As hee to Achan give glorie to God Hugg the Chirurgeon that lanceth thee 3. Shame and confusion for sin The Publican durst not look up 4. By thy thanks to God for this merciful work 5. Bee thou under this confusion till God rais thee up Let rottenness enter into thy bones that peace may bee in the day of trouble Crust not over thy sore Wax not wearie of this work of God as most do 6. Let it end in the true consternation of Soul and terror for thy sin Thus far of conviction of judgment II. The second work of conviction is of the whole Soul called Terror and Bondage For when the former work of conviction hath prevailed it work 's thus that such a Soul is under an arrest and seeing it self this sinner this cursed one hee is thereby killed and the Spirit brought into terror and bondage Rom. 7. Paul saith When the Law came I died Meaning in spirit and in conscience That self of jollitie eas and securitie which sin affoarded was nip't and quash't and in stead of it a sad item given to the soul takeing away the taste of her morsels mixing the gall of Asps with her drink and stinging her as an Adder and stabbing her to the heart as a sword for her convinced villanies Yea and none more then this bodie of death which still dogg's her and wound 's her as fast as shee lick's herself whole with all duties or abstinences and works and shifts prooving her a slave sold under miserie and shewing her by nature a world of sin and wo to bear down all her moralitie hypocrisie And yet this terror is not grace but in the Elect a seed of it This work in Scripture is called the Spirit of fear or bondage not bondage to sin but by it whereby as they who are prisoners under chaines do lie in sorrow and horror without escape and hope so do these Their spirit is enslaved to fear their conscience to guilt accusation to the whip of wrath and justice yea crush't down to hell by the torment of such a spirit as cannot sustain it self for the restless anguish thereof but abide's and hang 's between earth and hell This Legal terror is explained by the consideration of three things especially 1. The difference 2. The nature effects and end of it 3. The extremities or abuse of it I. By differencing of it from the former conviction The work of enlightning cast's out ignorance the work of convincing resist's deadness and insensibleness But this third of consternation and terror resist's that pride and jollitie of a sinner over-bearing himself and lifting up himself in his sin without check or remors And this later is of all other the most proper work of the last to tame and beat down the loftie heart of man setting up a law to it self to walk as it listeth without law or fear It is as Leviathan pulling down all children of pride II. By the nature effects and end of it Touching the nature of it It is a presenting more or less of the wrath and penalties due to sin unto the whole man by the conscience for the casting of it down at the feet of God First it 's a presenting for the dead bare letter of the ten Commandements cannot do this by any magical power no it 's the powerful ministerie of the Law which can do it Although in appearance it bee weak yet God setting it on work with the authoritie of his spirit with power to carrie his errand into the soul it shal bee able without fear or flatterie to do it and to do that which no law of Princes can effect even to flait and gaster the Conscience Secondly it doth present the wrath and penalties of sin especially Till these com sin is at peace This wrath I say in the peanalties of it temporal spiritual and eternal the law present's to a sinful soul Thirdly unto the whole man by the conscience for as the law is the worker so the conscience is the immediate object of this wrath God hath made it the lawes object created it with a merveilous power of sensibleness above all parts to record and to apprehend all sin and wrath for it It exceed's the apprehension of any the tendrest part when it is stung with an Adder scalded with water or oyl burnt with fire cut with a sword The sens of conscience seazed with this wrath of God is unspeakable and cannot bee
Let it likewise comfort all poor souls that need it both as concerning the propensness of God to love them and his constance of love toward them whom hee alreadie loved If thou had'st procured this love well migh'st thou fear the loss of it But if insinite goodness and a bredth incomprehensible were the fountain of it I speak to a poor soul under the condition loden or lost what doubt is there of his loveing thee If hee freely first mean't it and cut off the way of justice and the bridg of vengethat hee might not pass it over why should'st thou think hee should destroy his own work why should hee not bee willing to love thee whatsoever thy sin bee and haveing loved thee eternally what shall or can enter into him to change this principle in him or caus him to repent Vse V. This Doctrine serveth especially to stay the heart of a distressed wretch in the sight of his miserie by this light and door of hope Oh! bless that fountain which could not bee dried up by sin Wonder why Angels were left remediless not wee Ponder it in our deep fears and remember the Gospel of deliverance is from God as well as the law of terror Despair not the Lord cutt's of none who cut not off themselvs Vse VI. It teache's us to gather to our selvs a strong bottom against that slavish fear and emnitie of our spirit against God Why oh man if God were as thou framest him where had thy hope been Darest thou call him an hard Master the adversarie who of his own will and love cut off his own plea and devised a deliverie when no man or Angel could dream of it Vse VII Let it teach the Ministers of the Gospel to look to the order and substance of their teaching The order not to mis-match these two doctrines teaching this before the other bee well grounded For the substance takeing heed least they defraud the soul of this point when shee is brought low Vse VIII Let this bee a mean to carrie a poor heart quite beyond and out of it self The meditation of this freedom of God's purpose should ravish the heart and carrie it out of the baseness of self and self-ends into the stream of this Sovereign will and glorie of God It should bee above our own salvation Let us diligently trie our own spirit from the true spirit of Grace by this mark Further wee must observ that GOD in accomplishing man's deliverance out of this miserable estate is also the most free and sovereign Worker and applier of this deliverance to the soul For what els should it profit us that hee hath devised such a way as Christ and such means as the Gospel beleeved except hee took it upon him to possess the soul of it also Vse I. This will teach us to conceiv in what sens the Lord doth offer us his Christ command us to believ and promise us to eas us if wee hunger mourn bee poor in spitit to wit that hee is far from intimateing any power or will in us to concur with him in the least of these or to asscribe ought to him that willeth or runneth but rather to shew what those excellent Graces are which hee freely worketh in all whom hee will save Vse II. This will help us to judg who those parties are in all likelihood whom God will concur with and assist in the use of means tending to deliverance Such is the base slaverie of man that hee distrust's him sooner in no one thing then in that where in God offer 's himself to the soul As appear's in Manoah's and Gedeon's example For though hee bee free and tied to none yet I say with reverence hee tie's himself graciously to such as do seek him not themselvs for els should hee contradict his own ends which is blasphemous Vse III. To instruct us how wee may so go to work io the use of means as our own conscience may not accuse us for takeing God's office of freedom and sovereigntie out of his hands The honest soul sets up God in his own way of Christ in his own ends shee seek's the glorie of his wisdom power mercie and freedom who sought out such a deliverance and work 's it in her and all that concern her faith and conditions of it All seeking grace for a man 's own happiness is poor seeking for the present till God wod work better and all seeking for self must bee from self and by self But when the boat is tied to the ship of God's glorie shee need 's no more rowing of herself then the boat doth it 's enough for her that shee is set upon such a stream and tiâ—d to such a ship as can carrie her of it self and drown all her own welfare in the Lord. ARTIC II. The onely instrument of working out this deliverance is the Lord JESUS NO other name under heaven is given to save us by way of mediation or instrument but hee Act. 4. 12. God set him forth as a propitiation that all might see the salvation of God The father of our Lord Jesus Christ was content to part with his own Son and to make him the worker of this deliverance rather then it should fail in the execution thereof For in him the Lord purposed as in a mirror to declare the infinire grace of his election the freedom of the offer the efficacie of calling faith sanctification and eternal life all beeing established in him and nothing toward salvation subsisting without him therefore at the end of each gift Christ is mentioned as the gift of that gift Rom. 7. 24 25. 1 Tim. 1. 10. all the whole frame of grace and godliness is founded and sustained by him The whole work of his Mediation may bee referred to two heads 1. The qualification of his person to bee in case to satisfie 2. The actual performance of the satisfaction it self 1. The qualification of his person hath two parts Vnion and Vnction Vnion comprehend's three distinct things First The incarnation and flesh of Christ 2ly The Divinitie of Christ 3ly The joining of these two natures into one person or the assumeing of the nature of flesh unto the second person of the son of God not to swallow it up but to retain still his own distinct nature yet within union 2. By Vnion is mean't the calling or separation of the Lord Jesus beeing thus united in his natures to bee a meet Mediator which was the sanctification of him in time actually to the work of a Mediator to which God before all time had deputed him The Performance it self stand's of two parts 1. Either Meriting this price for all the Elect 2. Or actual applying it to them The Meriting part consist's of a double performance both of actual obedience to the Law and suffering the curs required thereby and due to sin And hee performed these two by way of real suretiship and no otherwise for takeing upon him the Person of a
Passive Obedience His Passive Obedience is his whole humiliation both in the abasement and sufferings of his whole life through the which hee was one smitten of God and humbled yea a man of sorrows and especially that one main suffering upon the cross whereby hee emptied himself most thorowly and yeelded himself a sacrifice most freely to the wrath of his Father by his death that thereby sin with all her penalties inward outward and eternal with that power which the law and all enemies hell and death had thereby over us might bee abolished justice appeased and righteousness and life obtained Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 13 24. 1 Pet. 1. 19. The Passive Obedience stand's in two things 1. The Preparation thereunto 2. The Passion it self 1. The Preparation stood in two things partly the condition hee undertook partly the antecedent suffering of his life For the first it was a willing putting of his neck into the collar of subjection emptying himself of his glorie so far as being the Lord of all to com into the fashion of a servant in which respect hee refused no tearms but despised all shame Phil. 2. 4 5 6. Heb. 12. 2. 3. 2ly Haveing subjected himself to bee a meet object of suffering and sorrow hee became indeed a man of sorrowes through his whole life and therefore hee concealed his glorie further than it made for the discharge of his office of Mediator as a Prophet or a King for then hee step't out of his baseness See Matth. 21. 12. Luke 13. 32. 2. The Passion it self considered two waies 1. In the Parts of it 2. In the moderation of it For the Parts first hee endured the forsaking of his dearest disciples taken by his own servant Judas to suffer intolerable indignities c. Secondly to bee put to the shameful death of the Cross Thirdly to these add the greatest of all both in the Garden and upon the Cross the most bitter cup of wrath which hee drank from the hand of his Father which made him in an agonie to sweat drops of blood and to pray that that cup might pass from him and to crie out My God why hast thou forsaken mee The Moderation of it appeared in this that in all this abasement yet that measure was imposed and no more which suited to the dignitie of the person suffering and to such an one as by suffering merited and could not bee overcom by suffering Hence it was that wee had intermission of all his agonies and fears c. Vse I. The doctrine whereof may affoard us a sweet meditation concerning the excellencie of the grace of the gospel purchased by this satisfaction which will appear by a comparison of the Work of Creation with the Work of Redemption The former was a solemn work when the eternal Word made man according to his own image But when the same eternal Word create's man the second time a few words will not serv but God himself must emptie himself of his fulness and glorie No other price will serv turn but the Actual fulfilling all righteousness and the shedding of his heart-blood At this work not onely men but Angels stand and wonder Oh! that the view of this might ravish our souls with the worth of grace to say The least dram of Grace is more worth then the whole work of Nature If the breath of Creation were such a thing what is Regeneration that cost not a breath but so great a Workmanship of this Active and Passive satisfaction Vse II. Let us abhor the conceit of such Sectaries as imagine there was no necessitie at all of any such price-paying to justice it 's an horrible derogation to Scripture and to the wisdom of God and savoreth of a prophane and audacious spirit rather let it present to us the hideous nature of sin and justice if sin in our selvs will not break our hearts let it break them in the view of Christ broken by them Oh! unspeakable love to be willing to bee pierced by murderers that they might escape to say Oh Father here is the suretie lay no debt or punishment on these debtors I have taken all upon mee if thou wilt needs have the uttermost powr out thy wrath upon him that can satisfie not upon them that cannot trie whether there bee any drop of mourning in thee by this due sight of sin and justice and say O Lord if I were left to bee my own satisfier if thou shouldest have said to Christ as once to Moses Them that sin against mee I will punish of thee I will require nothing oh how terrible had our condition been Vse III. Let this Doctrine consute First all Sectaries who teach that Christ had no guilt cast upon him by justice that Christ suffred nothing in his soul from God's Wrath. Let us abhor such novelties and know if Christ suffred no more the the malice of man there remaineih a necessitie of a second suffering for us from justice Let us beware while wee go about to mince and lessen the sufferings of Christ wee dstroy the truth of a Mediator and bereav the soul of that which should uphold her conflict with justice Secondly Let it teach us to abhor the opinion of those Lutherans who teach that wee must bee possessed wtth the verie self-same righteousness wherewith Christ obeyed and suffered and this they imagine to bee the matter of our justification and that els God cannot in justice acquit us But thus they make Christ serv for no other ends but to make us becom our own Mediator and to destroy his own Thirdly it confute's those Sectaries who affirm God seeeth no sin in any of his if hee have once imputed Christ's righteousness to them This error arise's from not-distinguishing these two Imputation of perfect righteousness and perfect imputeing or accepting of imputed righteousness No man is justified without the former but our faith failing in the acceptance must needs bee looked on by God I confess hee see 's no sin but hee pardon 's it to his in Christ upon faith and repentance but hee punishe's it for their good in mercie Again what if wee grant God see 's no sin in them in respect of their justification Is therefore their Sanctification perfect Why then did David's Adulterie displeas the Lord or why do wee pray forgive us our Debts or why saith our Savior say When all is don yee are unprofitable Fourthly it confute's all such as cut off the active obedience of Christ from the satisfaction as they cut the garments of David's servants by the middle It may bee granted them that the passive is the more immediate consummation of the satisfaction but to exclude the active is most audacious Vse IV. To teach all God's people to abhor the slaverie of hypocrites who if they could shun Hell would never care for Rightousness God's people although they could sin unseen and unpunished yet would loath it They take as deep thought for God as for their own
men together to have had one father to have lyen in one womb to have dwelt in one town to have fed at one board to have been brought up in one familie or nurserie are bands of fellowship how much more all these spiritual ties in one 2. As begetters and nourishers of Communion First as for the Word preached how many thousands did one Sermon of Peter gain to this Communion And it no less preserveth and holdeth the faithful therein For eieher it finde's them staggering in this Communion and then it restore's them or sad and heavie and then it encourage's and comfort 's them or ignorant and then it enlighten's them or unruly and then it admonishe's them or standing and then it establishe's them So that it doth all offices of communion Secondly so the censures duly administred and the like Thirdly so the sacrament of the Supper how active an instrument it is to reconcile them that bee at odds and unite them more who are brethren Fourthly Prayer what office is there which it hath not don the Church what was the means of converting Paul what delivered Peter out of Herod's prison c. Fifthly Fasting joined with it what good thing hath it not don a key to open the treasure of heaven and to bring upon the bodies and souls of the faithful plentie in famin victorie in war protection in dangers eas in distress III. In duties and service These are of two sorts Som concern the bodie viz. Charitie Som the soul viz. Holie example savorie instruction admonition reproof correction of errors exhortation and quickning to holiness comfort in heaviness sickness and distress and in each spiritual respect wherein member may bee usefull to member Vse I. Warp from the Communion of all Popish prophane and excommunicate ones from this fellowship complie not with them turn from all inordinate malitious scandalous revolting and prophane ones true communion abhor's such Vse II. It 's Admonition to all of God's houshold to beware least any bitter root rise up in them to defile this communion When there were not above four or five in the Church how did Satan pollute them as Cain against Abel Ismael against Isaac Esau against Jacob to overthrow communion so doth hee still Again Let it admonish God's people also that if by any occasion Satan hath cast in any bone to divide them and to provoke them to wrath heart-burning distemper that they presently cast it out and repent least the breach grow greater And let the falling out of such bee the renewing of love Let them so much the more narrowly look to themselvs after to prevent the like that so they may nourish the communion of Saints in the bands of peace Vse III. Exhortation to couch in this building of communion to practice it to impart to each one his gift to the use of edifying the bodie let not this dead world cool grace in us ARTIC VII That every Soul make this deliverance his own in special Whosoever by the former part hath been convinced by that of his sin and been kindely pinched and prick't thereby by each of those Articles so let everie such soul be now also convinced of righteousness and believ himself to bee the partie to whom this deliverance of Christ belong's by each of these five Articles promised Quest What is it to believ this Answ To believ this is the Work of the Spirit of GOD by vertue of which a Soul under the condition of Faith doth cast it self and relie upon the offer of God for pardon of sin and for Eternal life The condition of Faith is such a qualification as God require's of one who may believ the promise of reconciliation to belong to him That which God aim'es at in offering mercie is the magnifying of his Attributes of Mercie Justice Wisdom and the rest which hee will have more to appear in man's Redemption then they could in Adam's Integritie Hee will have the eternall doors open themselvs as hee saith Psal 24. ult not that our own ends forgiveness and happiness but the King of glorie might enter in even as hee ordained our Lord JESUS not to obey and suffer for any ends of his own but meerly the Fathers to whom hee was subject as wee see in Rom. 15. 3. and therefore he would have him lose all glorie and emptie himself that hee might fulfill the ends of him that sent him The Lord usually proceed's by these step 's 1. Where the Lord will work kindely hee will so present the glorie of his grace to the soul in distress that whereas before it was under confused despair First it shall see a crevis of light and an hope a far off of a possible deliverance which hope shall melt and dissolv the heart into a spirit of mourning and breaking not so much for fear of hell as for the Lord himself See it in Jona 3. compare ver 9. with ver 6 7 8. when once hope began to spring up secretly who can tell whether God will repent him of his fierce anger that wee perish not Lo they melt into tears they fast put on sack-cloth on themselvs and their beasts and make a rufull spectacle So doth the soul here leav takeing thought for it self and take thought for the Lord saying O wofull man that I am whom the Lord should bee found of when I sought him not who had care of my happiness when I cared neither for him nor for my self 2. The Soul rest's not here but break 's out into desire that it might live to glorifie his grace and partake of it that it might magnifie it before all the world and give witness to it against all despisers of it 3. The Soul set's an high price upon this salvation and recount's the severals of it that it may see the unvaluableness of this pearl Matth. 12. 44. haveing spied the pearl withdrawe's it self hide 's it ponder's the worth of it viewe's the particulars of it as one would do of a purchase and by so museing of it set's the whole man a fire with it in the esteem and value thereof 4. It lastly emptie's the soul of herself Even as the Queen of Sheba beholding the glorie and wisdom of Solomon had no spirit left in her but was ashamed of her own silliness and as Peter Luk. 5. beholding the glorious power of Christ in bringing so many fishes into the net when hee could catch nothing was amazed so doth the Lord in this case Hee cause 's that loathness and resistance of that proud heart that savor's no grace or faith to quail and fail utterly take's away the corrupt self and self-self-love which is offended at his grace Especially it turn's away the soul from her own ends in seeking salvation shee dare's not now ascribe to her own duties hearings praiers affections preparations but cast's them into the sea that life may bee preserved Shee feel's the great ends of God's glorie to work all these in her but no way as
him to each poor member of his Church there to dwell for ever both in grace and glorie Now to conclude I demand what one link of this chain were not strong enough to draw the heart to settle it self upon it And yet I must say this That the word and promise of God is the immediate thing which faith relie's upon although strengthned with all the rest To this consideration two things generally are required The one to gage the promise and offer of God as a Marriner would sound the depth of the sea least his ship should bee on ground so see whether it bee able to bear the weight of the soul or no and answer all her distempers and fears fully The second if it appear that it is able to sustein it then to relie and cast it self upon it confidently for her own pardon and salvation Although the Marriner cannot himself by his own fadom touch the bottom 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 upon it So here the plummet and cable of the Word wherein this strength and depth lie's will help us out so far as may serv our turn The hand of faith touche's the depth of mercie conteined in the offer by the direction of the Spirit in the Word which tell 's us what is conteined therein Three things the Soul must look at to bottom it self upon the promise of reconciliation and deliverance First the Wisdom of the Lord. Secondly the Strength Thirdly the Faithfulness All which are sure grounds the Lord hath hidden in the promise of mercie to a poor sinner that is under the condition 1. Wisdom of the promiser I may say of it as the holy Ghost said of Salomon when hee called for a sword to cut the childe All Israel saw that God had put the Spirit of Wisdom into him to do justice So God hath shewed all wisdom in the promise to settle the soul And that in two respects First of himself Secondly of us in respect of himself becaus in revealing his heart of love to the soul onely hereby and no other way hee teacheth us that hee who is God onely wise 1 Tim. 1. 17. could in the depth of his counsel finde out no other way so wise and sufficient as this to ground the soul in sure peace towards him Christ and the promise in him was that which seemed the wisest of all waies in the thought of God especially to us under the Gospel See Heb. 1. 1. After sundrie waies the Lord spake unto our Fathers in dark times as dreams Urim visions but now by his Son and Word the engraven form c. Note how this course is called the best wisest and holdingest of all as haveing more in it then all the rest Oh! wee would think in our shallowness that one from the dead Angels or revelations were better But wisdom it self hath pitch't upon this way all things considered as the wisest of all Secondly in respect of us for it is such a way as call's us to faith a promise haveing relation to believing it without which it cannot profit us Now if it bee without us how wise a way is it to quash and damp our base spirit of self-conceit and self-endeavor and to abase our Pride that hee who boasteth might boast in the Lord So that the promise is like a Map which a wise man shewed once to a fool that boasted of his lands bidding him to point out his lands in the Map which being narrow hee could not do and so went away ashamed Note then for this First wee all would bee counted wise many in these daies chuse to bee counted rather dishonest then unwise Well let us then bee wise for our selvs and wise to salvation in chusing this way of a promise to ground our souls upon Wee see not the Lord But if this bee a wiser way then that think there is somwhat in it then at first might seem more and fasten upon it 2. The strength of God Read 1 Sam. 15. The strength of Israel cannot lie meaning in his word So then in the Word of God is his strength also enough to bear up the poor soul in believing Heb. 1. 3. Hee bear's up all the weight of the World by the word of his power How much more the weight of a weak soul See Esay 27. 5. Anger is not in mee there is a word What follow 's Or take hold of my strength and make peace q. d. if I bee reconciled there is strength enough and that for a sinner to take hold of either this or nothing Read 2 Cor. 1. 20. For all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen that is sure and strong but mark how In him the words that I speak are spirit and life But wherein is this strength Surely in the forenamed grounds of this second part Christ's satisfaction the Father's acceptation are those pillars of strength to a promise without which it would not avail to go to a promise Weigh seriously that noted text 2 Corin. 5. 20 21. The Ministers of God in his Name offer and seal up in the Word and Sacraments that word bee reconciled to God What saith the soul to this I dare not God is a consuing fire True saith Paul but anger is not in him Why becaus hee hath made and accepted him that knew no sin to bee sin that wee might bee the righteousness of God in him hee that said In him I am well pleased Shall a poor soul bee then as Noah's dove upon the waters Why say yee to my soul flie to the hils if God bee his strong hold If thou bee under the condition of the promise hee is no less in his promise Take a similitude A man lie's in prison for debt of an hundred pound A friend com's to him and bid's him com out hee answer's I cannot I lie here for debt and then there appear a strength unto him and laying hold of it hee com's out Read that in Rom. 3. 25. God hath set him forth to bee propitiation that hee might bee just in justifying him who is of the faith of Jesus What saith the poor sinner to this Oh! but it is just with God to punish sin wheresoever Nay haveing made and accepted him the propitiation for a broken soul it is even just to pardon him It was mercie to grant such propitiation but haveing so don it is also justice to pardon even as it is not just to take one debt twice Therefore David plead's Pardon mee according to thy righteousness Christ haveing turned just wrath into just mercie To conclude this note yet a second strength in the promise for the poor soul still cavill's But this is to a believer I believ not I answer But the promise by the power of the spirity of our Advocate is able to do that which it required it 's not a killing
new man new creature regeneration new birth are used or at the operation of this principle as when the tearms of repenting casting off the old man putting on the new purgeing forsakeing denying unrighteousness or lusts are used c. or els at som actual inward virtues as love fear obedience subjection and the like or at som outward performances as walking with God in all his commandements or departing from iniquitie or abhorring evil or cleaving to good ceasing to sin learning to do well or the like these all although in phrase differing yet in sens are all one and they import this That the Lord require's of all believers in Christ that their hearts bee renewed that they purge themselvs finish their sanctification fear him for his mercie walk with God order their conversaton aright all is one thing get one and get all but the holy Ghost doth include all in that golden sentence Hee that is in Christ is a new creature Four points here considerable 1. The Author of this regeneration or new creature the holy Ghost 2. The inward instrument of this author Faith 3. The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 4. The parts These four will proov the chief For as for the other which are taken for granted wee need not dwell much upon them to wit the seed whereof wee are begotten which is the Lord Jesus the immediate instrument used to beget the Word of God the seal by which the spirit assure's and convey's his Regeneration Baptism I. General The spirit of God is the Author of the new creature 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3 5 6. In this new creätion of nature and infusion of qualities the Spirit doth three works 1. By Perswadeing Hee draweth the soul to bee willing to take all Christ as hee is offered and to reject no part of him and succoreth the poor soul in her application of the offer and covenant of Peace 2. By Working The Spirit effect's that in the soul which the promise import's infuseing into her an habit of cleanliness and takeing away all her filthy rags 3. By Sealing The Spirit sealeth these to the Soul Matth. 3. 11. The Lord shall baptize with the holie Ghost and with fire What is that The verie divine gifts of Christ which as fire do purge and cleans our dross and bring forth our metal as pure and clean II. General The Inward instrument of this author Faith Faith saveing and effectual Act. 26. 8. Act. 13. 38. Rom. 5. 1. and 3. 25. Act. 15. both in regard of justification and sanctification Christ is not onely offered to the to bee for them in pardon but to bee in them to dwel to rule to command to exercise power over corruption and for government to bee as a soul in the bodie to act guide and bear sway in them as the branches in the Vine out of which they wither so that the promise offer 's Christ both for union of reconciliation and also communion and influence of grace Faith doth two things in the renewing of the soul First it work 's the heart to bee renewed by an argumentation See 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us becaus wee thus judg c. Mark faith judge's the matter aright and passeth a sound verdict upon it If Christ hath so loved us how should our souls earn towards him in all conformitie to his blessed nature Secondly by infusion shee is the tunnell of the Spirit to convey the renewing of the holy Ghost into the Soul III. General The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 1 Thes 5. 23. viz. 1. Minde the renuing whereof is partly a pugeing of it from the corruption and penalties of it and chiefly a restitution of it to her integritie of light and soveraigntie 2. Will purgeing it from the sin and penalties of it and restoreing it to her integritie and subjection 3. Conscience clensing it from contagion and a restoreing of her to her integritie of faithfull record accuseing for evil and excuseing for good 4. The Bodie and members restoreing them to such integritie as that the senses do duly offer to the soul the objects of sens and the members becom faithful weapons of righteousness Howsoever the holy Ghost doth renew all yet the immediate and chief subject of his residence is the spirit of man IV. General The Parts which bee negative and affirmative the former a destroying of the old frame the later a setting up of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renovation Mortification and Vivification I. Concerning Mortification In general wee must conceiv that there is no principle nor yet seed of any in us to oppose corruption flesh lov's it self Satan doth not oppose himself It is the Lord Jesus who is this new man in the soul and who expelleth the old and his dominion In Particular This spirit of Christ mortifying worketh by steps in the soul and that 1. By knowledg of sin The soul conclude's it to bee a fearful thing which could rob the Lord Jesus of his life-blood 2. By power against it 3. By Subduing the remainder of corruption Sin shall not reign Yee are no more servants of sin Rom. 6. 6. 4. By the seal of Baptism Rom. 6. 3. Know yee not that as many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death 5. By other ordinances viz. hearing praier watchfulness renewing of covenant c. 6. By the sweetness of Christ viz. liveing by faith and walking in uprightness It causeth that former base pleasure and sweet of sin to becom irksom Since the soul tasted Christ all other sinful pleasures becom like the book in the Prophet's bellie as wormwood 7. By applying Christ and his power against all sin in both parts both root and branches 8. By intercepting sins provision thereof Paul Rom. 13. ult oppose's these two putting on of Christ and takeing thought to make provision for our lusts 9. By remooving the strength of the Law The Law is called the strength of sin becaus of that itching and coveting propertie in sin to do that which is forbidden but the law in this point is made to a believer sweet and easie 10. By combat against sin Concerning Vivification As the death of Christ is the death of corruption so the life of Christ is a wel-spring of grace unto eternal life Vse I. If all believers bee new creatures what are those that are still old creatures and will take no other die such as boast they are no changelings are still the same men Secondly it is terror to revolters and returners to their old vomit and mire the later end of such is wors then the beginning Thirdly to hypocrites who still mask over the old man with a new cover of Christ but put not off the old Fourthly to prophane ones who think themselvs in verie good case if they can carrie their beloved lusts and corruptions closel and blear the eie of the
them duties will give them strength to perform them and make them easie Matth. 11. 30. Priviledges of conversation either concern common life or conditions of men therein Common life as marriage liberties companie solitariness or the like manifold entercourses Conditions of men as their callings wherein God hath set them their places of government or subjection Magistracie or Ministrie their relations in familie or otherwise Parents Masters c. to all which God's people have peculiar promises that God will furnish them with gifts whom hee call's to any function Hee will caus a voice behinde to say This is the Way walk in it Esa 30. And according to the changes and conditions of life which hereafter shall befall the Lord will pick out meet grace and bee the same God to them in all 5. Priviledges of the saints in death they are pretious in death to the Lord Psal 116. Rom. 8. vlt. Nothing shall separate them from God's love That a good life shall bring a good death That they shall die in peace Psal 37. 37. That the day of death is better then the day of life Eccl. 7. 1. 6. Priviledg after death is the greatest of all that eternal fruition of God and all that hee hath prepared for his elect in his own presence things which neither eie hath seen ear heard nor entred into the heart of man to conceiv Vse I. It convinceth and reprooveth all such prophane ones as cannot endure to hear there should bee any admitting of difference between professors of the Gospel one or other What place is there for priviledges if all bee alike Indeed faith purifying the heart taketh away all difference Act. 15. but till then what difference is greater then to have hope and none to swear and to fear an oath Again this convinceth all hypocrites who mutter that God put 's no difference between good and bad in matter of rewards Esay 58. Mal. 3. Matth. 25. they are brought in takeing God for an hard master they fasted but God regarded not they were zealous but it was bootless But O yee hypocrites where is the fault Are God's waies unequal or yours Beware when God make's up his jewels it shall appear whether hee have a discerning eie and to your cost yee shall then know it Vse II. In due time get into this Corporation of God and buy your freedom of heaven Rest not in your outward priviledges of hearing of common faith of the sacraments know it herein God put 's not the chief difference Get the priviledg of these priviledges the marrow of this bone the understanding of the mysterie of Christ and your part in that which the world know's not nor shall it ever bee taken from you Vse III. Of Instruction to the Ministers of God that they preach God's Word with wisdom and putting difference God exclude's none I grant yet hee receiveth none to such priviledges without the condition of faith and the new creature Open not the door of God's priviledges for dogs to enter in at Remember that sweet promise If thou shalt separate to mee the pretious from the vile then thou shalt bee as my mouth Jer. 15. 19. Ezek. 22. 6. Vse IV. Of Exhortation to a double dutie First Consider seriously of these bequests and legacies of Christ unto thee whereof any one might make thee faithful How should that hope of glorie after your toil and travel ended encourage you But especially let not death bee unwelcom as that old man said Thus long have I served God and it irketh mee not to die for I have had a good Master Secondly Let it hearten us to our work to see what good vails wee have better then all the wages of an hireling Priviledges are commonly held by Service Honors are best maintained by loyaltie by labor and diligence Therefore hold our selvs close to our holie conversation and walking with God by such priviledges Vse V. Let all free of God's Companie bee well seen in the enfranchisements and honors contained in this charter of promises and priviledges Bee well versed in this argument When the vilest ride on hors-back and Princes go on foot as lackeys those that swear and prophane the sabbath and maintain mis-rule rule the rost and seem to bee the onely men when enemies to power and sinceritie in all places bear sway wee had need to bee well resolved of it that our Priviledges are peculiar to our selvs and wee would not change portions with them Use of all ARTIC VII The Truth as it is in JESUS require's all Beleevers to bee holy EPh. 4. 23. If yee have learned the Truth as it is in JESVS put off the Old man and put on the New As wee have felt JESUS in the truth of his Reconcilation so let us put on the same Lord JESUS in the truth of Renovation for the one intimate's the other Then wee put on the Lord Jesus when his love is put into and upon our souls to enlarge and widen them to go thorow our conversation with holie resolution Weigh well the scope of the whole Treatise Surely by the way of sin and of the Law to carrie thee to faith in the Lord Jesus that the truth of Jesus may lead thee to an holy conversation This is Christ Jesus the mysterie of Godliness to feel such perswasion of undecaying sweetness such presence of this persuasion of love as might tell thy dearest lusts Rom. 6. 21. What fruit have I had of thee yea make thee stink before them as he said of David that thou might'st bee Christ's servant for ever and that hee might do all thy works pray read meditate hear do suffer obey in thee in his strength walk in all holy conversation Esa 26. 12. Vse II. To this end bee admonished not to rest onely in this that thou hast faith except thou hast also learned the truth of faith as it is in Jesus As thou hast received from the Lord Jesus so walk Remember to stir up the spirit of Christ in thee Vse III. Watch to thy self duly and daily and to this work of Conversation 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 readie from the least warning of the cloud or the fire from the Tabernacle to remoov and upon the first rest hereof to stand still If God hath once purged thy foul heart and seasoned it for thee keep it so hee did it not without much ado that thou should'st undoo it all at once by thy eas and sloth world pleasure weariness and the like Let the wise Virgins take heed of nodding in this night of the age wee live in let them watch to their work let them see how they grow downward in rooting and setlednes upward in fruitfulness skill eas and experience resolution and full purpose of heart to cleav to God And by so doing wee shall watch to the coming also of our Lord Jesus to